IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE WORKING OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Ward, of West Gorton, near Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE WORKING OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES."
Sealed the 29th December 1874, and dated the 2nd July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Ward at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd July 1874.
I, JOSEPH WARD, of West Gorton, near Manchester, in the County
5 of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WORKING OP LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES," to be
as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to combined air valves and lubricators applied
to the steam chests of locomotive engines, and consists in improved
arrangements and combinations for enabling them to be used with

page_text: greater economy and efficiency than has hitherto been attained. The
air valves are intended to supply air to the chests and cylinders when
the pistons and slide valves are working with the steam shut off for the
purpose of breaking the vacuum and preventing the pistons from
drawing the smoke, soot, and dust through the steam chests and
cylinders, and the lubricators are used to supply lubricating matter to
the slide valves and pistons when the air valves are open.
Two kinds of combined air valves and lubricators have been experi-
mentally used, one kind consisting of an air valve combined with an
oil cup having a syphon wick communicating with the air chamber,
and this arrangement allows the oil to pass gently through the wick to
lubricate the slide valves and pistons when the air valve is open.
In another kind of combined air valve and lubricator there is in
addition to the wick a tap communicating with the interior of the oil
cup and air chamber for enabling, when required, an immediate supply
of oil to be let off into the- steam chests and cylinders, and the main
feature of my present Invention consists in dispensing with this tap in
connection with the oil cup, and place a tap and small cup on the top
of the valve box or in any position between the air chamber and valvo
box.
When the apparatus is fixed to the steam chests and the steam shut
off the air valves open and air passes to the steam chests and cylinders,
and if the tap below the oil cup and wick is open oil passes gently to
the slide valves and pistons, but if from the groaning of the pistons or
from any other cause an immediate supply of oil is required, the small
tap between the air chamber and valve box is opened and a small
supply given from an oil can.
In another arrangement I connect to the valve box an oil cup without
a wick, but having at the bottom a long hole, in which is placed a
loosley fitting rod connected to the valve, and at the sides of this pin
oil can slowly percolate to the air chamber or valve box, and at the top
of the pin there is a head, which can rest upon or be removed from a
seating at the top of the hole. When the steam is not shut off the
air valve is closed and the head of the valve rod is above the scating to
allow oil to percolate into the air chamber or valve box, but when the

page_text: steam is shut off and the air valve opened the oil from the valve box
passes to the slide valve and piston, and the head of the rod rests upon
the seating to prevent further escape of oil from the oil cup; and when
desired, I place a tallow cup between the valve box and steam chest for
giving an immediate supply of lubricating matter to the slide valve and
niston.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
WARD, of West Gorton, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her licirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Joseph Ward, Her special license that I, the
said Joseph Ward, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Joseph Ward, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WORKING OF
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Joseph Ward, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Ward, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be.

page_text: Figs. 5, 6, and 7, detached views of some of the parts.
Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are sections of modifications of my improved air
valves and lubricators.
Fig. 11, a plan of one of the oil cups with the lid off; and Fig. 12 a
plan of the air valve shewn in Figs. S, 9, and 10.
In the first arrangement, shewn in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a represents
an oil or tallow cup; b, a syphon wick; c, an air passage; d, an air
and oil chamber; e, a valve box; f, a passage leading to and from the
valve box and steam chest; g, a tap for opening and closing the passage
from the oil cup; and h, a flange by which the apparatus is fixed by
bolts and nuts to the steam chest or other required place. The valve
box e has two scatings i, k, adapted for a double valve l, m, the two
parts of which are shewn detached in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, there being on
each valve three prongs or guides placed between each other, as seen in
Fig. 7, to prevent any possibility of choking, and above the valve box
there is a tap n and small oil cup o.
This air valve and lubricator is
used for each steam chest and cylinder, and when the tap g is open the
oil passes from the syphon wick to the air and oil chamber d, and when
the slide valve and piston are working with the steam on the double
valves l, m, are closed, as shewn in Fig. 1, and neither air nor
lubricating matter can pass to the slide valve and piston, but the
instant the steam is shutt off the double valve l, m, is opened, as shewn
in Fig. 2, and air passes through the passage c, the chamber d, the
valve box c, and the passage f to the steam chest and cylinder, to
break the vacuum and prevent the entrance of soot and dirt, and at the
same time the lubricating matter in the chamber d is sucked to the
slide valve and piston and afterwards. drawn gently from the syphon
wick, but if from the groaning of the piston, or from any other cause,
an immediate supply of oil is required the tap n is opened and a small
supply of oil or melted tallow is poured from a can into the small
cup o, from whence it quickly passes to the slide valve and piston..
The chamber d may be of any desired capacity, or it may be
altogether dispensed with, by having a simple passage only, and instead
of placing the tap near the wick b, it may be at the lower part of the
chamber or passage near the valve box.

page_text: In each of the modifications of my improved air valves and lubri-
cators, shewn in Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, a represents the oil cup; c, air
passages; d, the oil and air chamber; e, the valve box; f, the passage
leading to and from the valve box and steam chest; and h, flange,
similar to that marked in Fig. 3, for enabling the apparatus to be
fixed by bolts and nuts to the steam chest or other required place. In
a tapped hole in the bottom of the oil cup I screw a plug q having a
long hole in which is placed the quill or metallic trimming used as
a substitute for the syphon wick, the bottom of the quill resting on a
boss (shewn more clearly in Fig. 12); in the centre of the valve and
at the top of the quill there is a head t, which can rest upon or be
removed from a seating at the top of the plug q, the under side of the
head and seating being flat or conical, as desired. The valve box e has
only one seating i adapted for a single valve 1, Figs. 8, 9, and 10; and
in Fig. 10, between the valve box and flange h, there is a tap n and
small oil cup o.
One of these air valves and lubricators is used for
cach steam chest and cylinder, and when the slide valve and piston
are working with the steam on the valve is closed, and the head t is
raised from its seating, as shown in Fig. S, and no air nor oil can pass
onwards to the slide valve and piston; but as the head t is raised oil
passes from the oil cup through the passages u to the small chamber v,
from whence it passes through a thin space around the quill or through
a groove or passage to the air and oil chamber. When the steam is
shut off the suction of the piston causes the valve to be opened and
the head closed upon its seating, as shewn in Fig. 9, and air passes
onwards for the purpose of breaking the vacuum and at the same time
oil or tallow passes for lubricating the slide valve and piston.
These air valves and lubricators may be constructed without the tap
and small cup for giving an immediate supply of oil, as shewn in
Figs. 8 and 9, or the tap and cup may be added, as shown in Fig. 10,
it being understood that the shapes and dimensions of the apparatus,
the capacity of the air and oil chamber, and the number of air passages
may be varied to suit the requirements.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that for use in locomotive engines I claim, the improved
arrangements and combinations of air valves and lubricators, as herein

page_text: any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Ward, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
Signed, scaled, and delivered by the
within-named Joseph Ward in the
presence of,
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOSEPH WARD. (L.S.)