IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gilbert, of Raymouth Road, South Ber-
mondsey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING AND
APPLYING MOTIVE POWER."
Sealed the 2nd December 1873, and dated the 7th June 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gilbert at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th June 1873.
I, JOHN GILBERT, of Raymouth Road, South Bermondsey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING
AND APPLYING MOTIVE Power,” to be as follows:-
In obtaining and applying motive power and its application to pro-
pelling vehicles on common roads or irregular lands, and its application
to vehicles fitted with endless railways, as set forth in a former Patent
by me, and sealed on April 11th 1862; and also for propelling other
vehicles and working other machinery, as herein-after set forth,
My said Invention is intended to work steam engines in all situations,
without generating the steam in a boiler near the engine,

page_text: Firstly. In order to obtain this object I fix a stationary boiler at some
convenient point, in which I generate steam in the usual manner, and I
have another boiler or reservoir fixed on the vehicle to be propelled, and
so constructed as to keep a very small fire to maintain the temperature
of the steam, and so prevent loss of power. The boilers or reservoirs (
may be made of any convenient form or any number may be used,
Secondly. I convey the steam from the stationary boiler by means of
a pipe to the boilers or reservoirs on the vehicle to be propelled, and
then work the steam in any ordinary steam engines for propelling the
vehicle.
-
Thirdly. I propose to work cranes or other machines in docks or
warehouses in the same manner, and to use a portable boiler on wheels
to convey the steam to the reservoirs near the engines or other
machinery.
]
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Gilbert in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 6th December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GILBERT, of Raymouth Road, South Bermondsey, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of June, in the year of our.
Lord One thousand eight. hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Gilbert, Her special licence that I, the
said John Gilbert, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Gilbert, 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 a
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING AND APPLYING
MOTIVE POWER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Gilbert, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their; or one of their hands and seals, should particularly

page_text: 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.
5. NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Gilbert, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My said Invention consists in obtaining and applying motive power,
and its application to propelling vehicles on common roads or irregular
lands, and its application to vehicles fitted with endless railways, as set
forth in a former Patent by me, and sealed on April Eleventh 1862;
also for propelling other vehicles and working other machinery, as
herein-after set forth.
My said Invention is intended to work steam engines in all situations
without generating the steam in a boiler near the engine.
Firstly. In order to obtain this object I fix a stationary boiler at some
convenient point, in which I generate steam in the usual manner, and I
have another boiler or reservoir fixed on the vehicle to be propelled, so
constructed as to keep a very small fire to maintain the temperature of
the said steam, and so prevent loss of power. The boilers or reservoirs
may be made of any convenient form, or any number may be used.
Secondly. I convey the steam from the stationary boiler by means of
in pipe to the boilers or reservoirs on the vehicle to be propelled, and
then work the steam in any ordinary steam engines for propelling the
vebicle.
Thirdly. I propose to work cranes or other machines in docks or
warehouses in the same manner, and to use a portable boiler on wheels
to convey the steam to the reservoirs near the engine or other
machinery.
I will now describe the application of this my said Invention to pro-
pelling street cars or vehicles to be worked on a tramway or railway laid
down on an ordinary road or elsewhere.
I prefer to construct the body of the carriage of an enclosed oblong
form, have a platform at each end, one end to be occupied by the man

page_text: who attends to the management of the engines, and to stopping and
starting the car to enable the passengers to enter or alight.
I prefer also to construct a roof or platform over the top of the
enclosed oblong body, which I surround with a safety railing for the
purpose of carrying other passengers, similar to an ordinary omnibus,
which platform is reached by a winding stair at either end of the
vehicle.
The boiler or reservoir which contains the steam and water, and
which receives it from the stationary boiler I place in the front part of
the car, and on either side I fix a steam cylinder, the connecting rods
working down on to cranks placed at right angles on a crank shaft
working under the body of the car. On this crank shaft I place a tug
or chain wheel, and another one on the front axle of the car, to which
axle motion is communicated by means of an ordinary tug chain passing
from one to the other.
I prefer to use the ordinary link motion to the slide valves of the
engine for regulating the speed, and for stopping, starting, or reversing,
which is operated upon by the man on the front platform of the car, as
well as the break handle for applying the breaks to the wheels. The
breaks can also be operated upon by the conductor or attendant at the
rear of the car or vehicle.
The mode of operation is as follows:-Steam being generated in a
stationary boiler, the car or vehicle is stopped near the boiler, and a
connection is made by means of a pipe to the boiler or reservoir on the
car. The reservoir is then filled one-third full of water. The steam
from the boiler is then turned into the reservoir until the steam guage
indicates 150 lbs. per square inch. The pipe is then disconnected, and
the car is ready to proceed on its journey, running about seven miles,
when a fresh charge or supply must be taken in from another stationary
boiler as before.
The reservoir on car or vehicle I protect from the cooling influence
of the atmosphere by some good non-conductor of heat. I prefer to use
the following (but do not confine myself to that, as any good non-
conductor may be used):-Asbestos, one hundredweight; black lead,
fourteen pounds; crude magnesia, seven pounds; silicate of soda diluted
with quarter water, made into a stiff paste, and warm gradually. Cover
the boiler or reservoir to be protected about three or four inches thick.

page_text: In addition to covering the reservoir with non-conducting material I
construct the reservoir with an enclosed space at the bottom, in which
I maintain a small fire of charcoal, coke, or other suitable fuel, but I
prefer to use a liquid fuel, such as benzoline, to be contained in a close
tank, and burnt by ordinary cotton wicks, as they can be better
regulated to the requirements of the reservoir.
After the steam is used in the cylinders I pass it into the condenser,
which is fixed under the body of the carriage, and which consists of a
series of small tubes fixed in the tank; the steam passes into these tubes,
and being surrounded by cold water the steam is condensed, and the
water collected in another tank. These condensers are emptied of the
hot water and filled with cold water at the depôts where the reservoirs
are filled with steam.
I also propose to apply steam to the working of engines, cranes, or
other machinery where an ordinary steam boiler with its furnace are
objectionable or cannot be used, by charging a reservoir from a stationary
or portable boiler, but it is unnecessary to give any further details here,
as they can be varied according to circumstances to apply this Invention
to those machines.
But in order that this my said Invention may be more fully seen and
understood, I have hereunto annexed Drawings shewing the practical
application thereof to a street car or vehicle for street tramways; like
letters and figures marked thereon have reference to similar parts.
Figure 1 of the Drawings shews a side elevation of one of the
improved steam cars; Figure 2 also shews a side elevation, but with the
part that contains the engine and reservoirs shewn in section; Figure 3
is an end elevation of the front of car; and Figure 4, front end elevation
in section shewing the reservoir, cylinders, and crank shaft.
A, the body of steam passenger car; B, the steam reservoir; C, the
steam cylinders; D, the piston rods; E, the connecting rods; F, the
crank shaft; G, the tug chain to communicate motion to front axle; H,
the rails or tram for running wheels; I, break handles; J, axle boxes
and horn plates; K, the steam guage or pressure
indicator.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this my said
Invention, and how I believe the same may be best carried into effect,
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise

page_text: I
เ
details or relative dimensions, as it will bo readily seen that they may
be considerably varied without departing from the Invention, but what
I claim as new is,—
Firstly. The generating steam in a stationary or portable boiler, con-
veying the steam from that boiler into another boiler or reservoir fixed
on the vehicle to be propelled, and working steam engines with that
steam; either with or without the application of additional heat to the
steam and water in that second boiler or reservoir.
Secondly. The application of steam generated and employed in this
'manner to vehicles fitted with endless railways, in accordance with a
former Patent by me dated 15th of October 1861, No. 2568.
Thirdly. I claim the generating and employing steam in this manner
where employed for locomotive engines.
Fourthly. I claim the generating and employing steam in this manner
when employed for working cranes and other machinery.
Fifthly. I claim the composition as set forth above for covering
boilers and steam reservoirs to prevent loss of heat.
INO
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