IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMCAR ENGINES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Hall, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMCAR ENGINES, PARTLY
APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Hall at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th November 1880.
JOSEPH HALL, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRAMCAR ENGINES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of my Invention is to improve the construction of tram car engines,
and reduce their working cost by returning all exhaust steam to the boiler after
leaving the cylinders; for this purpose I employ a rotary knuckle pump which
acts as a steam exhauster, exhaust steam condenser, and knuckle pump, all
combined in one instrument, and driven direct or independently from the engines
for right or left hand rotation. The driving wheels are placed in the centre of the
bar and are of large dimensions, say, 5 or 6 fect in diameter, with a forerunner
(small wheel) and a trailing wheel behind. I drive the traction wheels with spur
and pinion tooth gear, say, about 3 to 1, by 2 coupled engines with reversing gear
with an independent bed plate to carry the whole engine complete, so as to reduce
all vibration, concussion, and unequal strains upon the working parts of the engine.
The boiler is of the vertical type with cross tubes, and drop ash box, and grate for
immediate cleaning out purposes. The bottom of the firebox I case all round with
fire bricks to retain heat and assist the burning of the coke.
1 feed the boiler with an injector placed outside of the water tank below with
removable nozzle and orifice. Beyond this place a boiler scavenger with back
pressure valve for purifying the water, and to keep all dirt and refuse matters
from entering the same. 1 also place on top of the tank a double lift and force
injector for lifting water, say, from the road side or other receptacle for feeding
the boiler direct, or filling up the tank as required, and also for reducing the steam
pressure in the boiler when standing in the streets without causing any noise. I
retard or stop the engine by brakes placed outside the spur wheels fixed on the
traction wheels. These brakes may be actuated from either end of the car.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Hall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th May
1881.
JOSEPH HALL, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRAM CAR ENGINES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
The object of this Invention is to improve the construction of steam tram car
locomotives, steam engines of all classes, and to return all exhaust steam back to
the boiler after being used in the cylinders by apparatus which I call a double
rotary knuckle pump, which acts as an exhauster, steam condenser, and double
pump for returning the whole of the steam to boiler partly or wholly condensed by
the one combined apparatus; and in order that my Invention may be fully
understood I will describe the accompanying four Sheets of Drawings, reference
being had to the Figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Figs. 1 and 2 are two views in section of my improved double
rotary knuckle pump. The outside casing A is made of cast iron or other metal
with inlet at bottom B; this is the entrance for the exhaust steam from the engine
cylinders which goes to chamber C and through brass plug cock D, thence through
chamber E on left hand side to the space between the Filboa rollers F,
these spaces being charged with exhaust steam by the top rollers working
upwards and the bottom rollers working downwards, both rotating at the one
time round to chamber G; the rollers are constantly kept in gear, knuckling the
steam through the back pressure valve H into chamber I for exit from outlet J,
thence through boiler scavenger to boiler. The plug cock D¹ is closed on the right
hand side and the back pressure valve H is open, while back pressure valve H' is
closed on the left hand side, and vice versa when the engines are reversed, thus
working automatically within themselves, the only manipulation required being to
close cock on the opposite side of the rotation. The inner cases K are of cast iron
for the rollers F to work against and divide the exhaust steam chamber from the
circular chambers, and the delivery chambers to boiler at the foot of the rotary
knuckle pump on right hand side is pipe inlet L for the condensing water from
the automatic immersed injector. The driving shafts M are for rotating the block
wheels that carry the rollers F. The face plates A' with stuffing boxes are set,
screwed, and jointed on the skeleton frame as set forth.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 1 shows a sectional elevation of a tram car locomotive
constructed according to my Invention, as hereafter described, and on Sheet 4,
Fig. shows a cross section of the same. A is the boiler (vertical type) with
cross tubes B at right angles. The fire box sides are flattened inwardly to give a
plain surface for the running nuts upon the tube ends inside of the fire box and
inside the boiler which acts as stays. The steam enters the cylinders C through
steam wheel valves D. After working expansively in the cylinders the steam is
discharged into the exhaust pipe E through the same into the double rotary
knuckle pump F and returned to the boiler again through the scavenger G, the
rotary knuckle pump being geared by spur and pinion wheels H and H' to the
crank shaft I of the engines for rotating the same. The boiler scavenger G is
fixed on the shell of the boiler with an internal tube covered with carded and
rolled wool, known as printer's blanket, for taking all the refuse matter from the
water and purifying and cleansing the same before entering the boiler. The
discharge tap on the side of the scavenger is for drawing off the refuse matter
when required; I also place internally a back pressure valve to retain the water
in the boiler.
I immerse in the water tank J an automatic injector K with a steam pipe L
carried over top of water tank, and thence along to the exhaust steam pipe M.
With this pipe I take part of the exhaust steam for working the immersed
automatic injector K, and for injecting water from tank J a long delivery pipe N

page_text: to double rotary knuckle pump F for partly or wholly condensing the exhaust
steam discharged from the engine cylinders, thus exhausting, feeding the boiler
with water, and partly or wholly condensing the exhaust steam, and returning the
same co-mingled together to the boiler at one and the same time by the aid of
rotary knuckle pump F.
Inside the large driving wheel OI use a ring spur wheel P with inside teeth; I
bolt this to the spokes of the driving wheel O. The brake blocks are on the top
side all round the rin on both wheels with a rocking shaft at bottom, with lovers
for blocking and controling the engines from either end of the locomotive. The
large wheel P is driven by the pinion wheel R keyed on the end of the crank
shaft of the engines I.
I further use a water lifter and forcing injector combined S on top of water
tank J for lifting water from the roadside, &c., for supplying the boiler direct
through boiler scavenger G', or depositing the same in tank J through the
overflow T.
I further use the injector U for feeding the boiler when the engines are standing
still, or in case of excessive pressure, for drowning the steam. The supply is taken
from the bottom of the water tank J. Inside the body of the injector I make the
nozzle and orifice V in one withdrawable telescope piece for taking out for
cleansing purposes without breaking the pipe joints. This apparatus is applicable
to all classes of steam boilers. On Sheet 3, Fig. 3 shows in section my improved
boiler scavenger. The body A is a circular vessel for purifying and cleansing the
feed water, with water inlet B in connection with feed pipe. In the body A is
inserted the tubo E with holes all round for allowing the water to escape into the
internal chamber D. The outside of this tube E I cover with carded and rolled
wool F, known as printer's blanket. Under and over this I place wire gauze C
and C of very fine meshes to keep the dirt from the blanket. On this gauze,
opposite the inlet B, I solder or fasten an additional piece of gauze or other
material to resist the action of the water. The back pressure valve G I place in
the delivery as a retaining valve to keep the steam and water from escaping from
the boiler; the tube E¹ can then be withdrawn at pleasure for cleansing purposes.
In the refuse discharge H I insert a plug cock, which can also be used for drawing
off the refuse matter in place of withdrawing tube E'. I fix the boiler scavenger
to the shell plates of boiler, or at a distance as desired. This instrument is
applicable to all classes of steam boilers for the pump or injector.
On Sheet 3, Fig. 2 is water lifting and forcing injector combined. A is the
hollow body, B is the slide block, C is the spindle, D is the hand wheel, E is the
stufling box gland, F is the nozzle, G is the orifice, I is the delivery, I is
the overflow, J is the steam lifter, K is the steam passage, L is the water passage,
M is the water orifice, N is the spring on top of side block B, O is the hold down
washer on top of spring N, P is the steam entrance from the boiler, R is the water
entrance from suction pipe.
The object of this my Invention is to lift or draw water by suction, and to force
the same into steam boilers by one combined instrument.
And in order that this my Invention may be more fully understood I will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings. For
the sake of clearness, which really fit closely are in the Drawings shown
with clear spaces between. Referring to Fig. 2, A is the body of the injector,
cored out as shown; B is the slide block covering the steam hole in nozzle F;
the spindle C carries the slide block B with a nut on the end of the spindle,
holding the block firinly on the spindle. At the end of the spindle is a steam
passage down the side (right hand) of the injector to the steam lifter J. By
opening the spindle one turn the steain comes down this steam passage through
the steam lifter J, up the small passage K', and forces the air through water
passage L, and creates a vacuum in water orifice M.
The water rushes up water
passage to orifice G, and through to overflow I into water tank or other

page_text: receptacle, and by further opening spindle C till the slide block B is clear of the
steam hole in nozzle F, the steam drives the water through second orifice G¹ into
delivery chamber S to boiler. This injector is specially constructed for drawing
water from a distance, and for resisting of vibration and concussion on rough
roads, or against the oscilation of steam vessels at sea, the water lifter being
independent of the forcing injector. This instrument is applicable to all classes of
steam boilers.
On Sheet 3, Fig. 1 is a forcing injector for supplying all classes of steam boilers
with water, that is, with a water supply above the injector, or on a level with the
same. A is the body of the injector, B is the steam chamber screwed into the
body of the injector A, C is the steam nozzle screwed into the steam chamber
division D, D is the orifice fastened by set screws E in projecting tube piece F,
continued down through the overflow chamber G to delivery H; the overflow I is
for exit of air and water at starting.
The object of this my Invention is to force water into boilers with a supply
from a water tank or from an hot well, with a withdrawable steam chamber nozzle
and orifice in one telescope piece.
In order that this my Invention may be more fully understood, I will now proceed
to describe the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is
a section through an instrument made according to this my Invention. For the
sake of clearness, parts which really fit closely together, are in the Drawing shown
with clear spaces between.
Referring to Sheet 3; Fig. 1 is the body of the injector, cored out as shown;
A is the body carrying the whole of the internal parts; B is the steam chamber
with holes J for the inlet of steam from port B. The steam goes through the
steam nozzle C into the orifice D, which is fastened to the tube piece I by set
screws E. The water supply K is on the left hand side. The water enters the
orifice by the holes L in tube piece F, the steam coming through nozzle C drives
the water through orifice D, thence to second orifice D to delivery H, and then to
boiler. When the injector is first started, the air and water is discharged through
overflow I. By unscrewing nut M the whole internal parts, that is, steam chamber,
nozzle, tube piece and orifices, can be withdrawn in one telescope piece for cleansing
purposes without breaking any pipe joints when fixed to the boilers.
Invention is applicable to all classes of steam boilers and for raising water for any
steam pressure, say, from 500 lbs. up to 200 lbs.
This
1 having now particularly described the nature of my said Invention and the
mode of carrying the same into effect,―
I declare that I claim,-
Firstly. The general arrangement, construction, and combination of the parts
forming a locomotive tram car engine, and described by the Drawings and
Specification.
Secondly. The apparatus, which I call a double rotary knuckle pump, for returning
exhaust steam partly or wholly condensed direct to the boiler after being used,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
Thirdly. The application of the double rotary knuckle pump, driven direct by
the engine crank shaft, or by spur and pinion, geared wheels, or by an independent
engine in connection with the exhaust of the larger engines, substantially as
described and illustrated.
Fourthly. Placing the large wheels at the centre of the tram car engine, and
driving them indirectly by spur and pinion geared wheels, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated.
Fifthly. Lowering the ash pan with the grate bars of a tram car boiler at one
and the same time for cleaning out the fire when required, substantially as set
forth and illustrated.
Sixthly. The withdrawable tube in the injector, shown on Sheet 3, Fig. 2, in one
telescope piece of the nozzle, tube piece, and orifice, all withdrawn at one and the

page_text: same time for cleansing purposes, when applied to a tram car boiler in combination
with the boiler scavenger and lift and force injector, substantially as set forth and
described and illustrated.
Seventhly. The cleansing and purifying of the water by the water scavenger
shown on Sheet 3, Fig. 3, before entering the boiler, and withdrawing the tube for
cleansing purposes, substantially as set forth and illustrated and described.
Eighthly. The double lift and force injector, shown on Sheet 3, Fig. 2, for
creating a vacuum in the suction pipe, inhaling the water into the injector after
passing the water lifter, and by the single manipulation performing the double
effect of lifting the water and forcing the same into the boiler by the aid
of a jet of steam at one and the same time, substantially as described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Hall, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JOSEPH HALL. (L.S.)