IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
RUSSELL CRAMPTON, of the Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain, and Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Nineteenth
day of June, One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, in the tenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Russell Crampton, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Thomas
Russell Crampton, my exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said Thomas Russell Crampton, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use.
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES;" in whichi
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Thomas Russell
Crampton, should cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Russell Crampton, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
of "Improvements in Locomotive Engines" to consist in certain new arrange-
ments and combinations set forth and described in reference to the accom-
panying Drawings, Sheets 1 and 2. In the Drawings the scales are marked
thereon, and the various letters and figures of reference indicate the same
parts in each Sheet respectively.
My first improvement is represented in Figure 1, Sheet 1, and consists of
coupling the fore and hind wheels when the hind wheels have their axle
behind the fire box, as seen in the Drawing, the fore axle C being in such a
position under the body of the boiler as to support as nearly as possible the
same weight as is on the hind axle B; the driving wheels on the axles B
and C being the extreme points of support of the locomotive engine. By this
arrangement I ensure a more uniform amount of adhesion of the wheels upon
the rails, owing to a more equal distribution of the weight upon the driving
wheels. I would state that this new combination or arrangement of the parts
is without reference to any particular mode of communicating the power from
the engines to the driving axles, whether the power from the engines be trans-
mitted first to one driving wheel axle, and from thence by means of cranks and
coupling rods to the other axle, or by any other method. I may observe that the
weight being nearly equal on each pair of driving wheels, the ordinary irregu-
larities of the rails will not materially affect the uniformity of adhesion of the
driving wheels; I therefore conceive it to be of importance that the intermediate
wheels shown in the Drawings should, if introduced, be made to support only a
comparatively small weight by using light elastic springs. The centre shaft D,
Figure 1, having the necessary bearings, is provided with a crank at each end,
to the crank pins of which the coupling rods E, E, are connected. It will be
evident that as the cranks on the shaft D revolve simultaneously with the
driving axles, the effect of the weight of the coupling rods E, E, is partially
taken off the driving wheels.
My second improvement is represented in the longitudinal section of a loco-
motive engine, Figure 2, Sheet 1, and consists in making the fire box I of the
form seen in the Drawing, so far as the boiler and fire box extends above the
dotted lines a, b, c; for it should be understood that I have under a former
Patent described and constructed a locomotive engine with a boiler and fire
box according to the arrangement shewn by the dotted lines a, b, c. It will
be seen that the driving wheel axle G is placed in a recess, which by my
present improvement is so formed as to cause the boiler and fire box to rise
on either side of the axle G. I should remark that this arrangement adds to

page_text: the amount of heating surface in the fire box, when compared with the
extended fire box represented by the dotted lines a, b, c. A steam communi-
cation H is made between the two upper portions of the external fire box; this
arrangement of the fire box I consider to be better adapted to locomotive
engines constructed with driving wheels of eight feet diameter and upwards.
My third improvement is represented in Figure 3, Sheet 1, and consists in
placing the driving axle K of the wheel L in. a recess or cavity, opening from
the under side of the fire box of a locomotive engine. N represents a section
of a bridge, having a water space which divides the fire into two parts, and
forms the recess M underneath, in which is placed the driving axle, by which
arrangement the fire bars are divided into two parts, one-part being before
and the other behind the axle, and it is this construction of fire box in respect
to the axle of the driving wheels which constitutes the novelty of this part of
my Invention. The description of the box I consider to be better adapted to
driving wheels from four to seven feet diameter. By this arrangement I am
enabled to bring the body of the boiler O much lower than when the axle of
the driving wheel is placed underneath that part of the boiler, as in ordinary
engines.
My fourth improvement is exhibited in Figures 4 and 5, Sheet 1, and
consists in having the axles of the small wheels P, P, of a locomotive engine
revolving in outside bearings R, R, R, R, when in combination with an axle
Qof the driving wheels, such driving axle being so arranged as to be behind
the fire box, and revolve in inside bearings S, S.
My fifth improvement is shewn in Figure 6, Sheet 1, and consists in placing
the excentrics of locomotive engines between the crank pin and the driving
wheel. The mode of such application may be varied. Figure 6 shews a mode
of application in which T represents one end of a driving axle having the crank
U (shewn in section), to the boss of which the excentrics V, V, are fixed, as
shewn.
My sixth improvement consists in placing the main portion of the cylin-
ders, also the motion for working the valves as well as the pumps, between
the frames, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, Sheet 1, in which X, X, X, X, are
the frames, between which are placed the cylinders d, the excentrics e, and the
pumps f. I would observe, however, that I do not confine myself to the
precise arrangement of the working parts as shewn in the Drawing.
My seventh improvement consists in a novel mode of communicating the
power of an engine to one or two pair of driving wheels. This arrangement
will be understood by referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, Sheet 2, which,
represent views of a locomotive engine, having this my improvement applied.

page_text: At the end of the piston rod marked A, Figure 3, is attached a link D, which
s connected with the lever C, fixed to the vibratory shaft D. At the outside
end of the vibratory shaft D, a double lever E, E, is fixed, to which two
connecting rods F, F, (best seen in Figure 1) are attached. Now, it will be
seen that the motion of the piston rod A communicates (through the link B 5
and lever C) a vibratory action to the double lever E, E, and by means of the
connecting rods F, F, a revolving motion to the axles of the driving wheels
G, G. Two cylinders are used to each locomotive engine, and the same mode
of communicating the power is adopted on each side of the engine. The other
views in Sheet 2 clearly exhibit the arrangement of the various parts. I would
observe that when outside cylinders are used I communicate the power direct
to one of the double levers E, E, of the vibratory shaft D, and from thence to
the cranks, as before described.
Having thus described my various improvements in locomotive engines, I
would observe I have not considered it necessary in all cases to shew in detail
the various parts of a locomotive engine. I would wish it to be understood
that I do not claim any of the well-known parts of locomotive engines shown
and mentioned; but what I do claim is,-
Firstly, the mode of combining the parts first described.
Secondly, the mode of forming a recess for the driving axle in the upper part
of the fire-box of a locomotive engine.
Thirdly, the mode of forming a fire-box to receive the driving axle in a recess
formed in the lower part of the fire-box as above described.
Fourthly, the mode of arranging the bearings of the axles of locomotive
engines, whereby the fore axles have outside bearings, and the driving axl
behind the fire-box inside bearings.
Fifthly, the applying the eccentrics of locomotive engines between the cran
pins and the wheels.
Sixthly, the mode of arranging the framings X, X, X, X, so as to have spac
for the outside cylinders, also for the motion for working the slides and for th
pumps.
Seventhly, the transmitting the power of the engine, by employing vibrato
shafts, as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Russell Crampton, have hereun
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of December, One thousa
od and forty-seven.
THOMAS RUSSELL (L.S.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord 1847, the aforesaid Thomas Russell Crampton came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.