IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM MOTORS FOR RAIL AND TRAMWAY CARS, AND IN SUPPLYING AND HEATING THE WATER USED THEREIN, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the'
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM MOTORS FOR RAIL AND TRAMWAY CARS, AND IN SUPPLYING AND
HEATING THE WATER USED THEREIN, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." A,
communication from abroad by Eugene Henry Angamar, of New Orleans,"
in the Parish of Orleans, and State of Louisiana, United States of America.
ed the 29th September 1877, and dated the 8th August 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th August 1877.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM MOTORS FOR RAIL AND TRAMWAY'
CARS, AND IN SUPPLYING AND HEATING THE WATER USED THEREIN, AND IN'
APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by Eugene Henry Angamar,
of New Orleans, in the Parish of Orleans, and State of Louisiana, United States of
America.
The object of this Invention is fourfold, viz.:-To render the use of steam in
propelling street and other railway cars absolutely free from the danger of explosion ;
to lessen the expense of propelling cars; to arrange the machinery in such a manner
and within such compass as not to obstruct or inconvenience passengers by
occupying any of the space allotted to them, or produce any offensive heat or
smell; to make the machinery noiseless and invisible, so that it will not scare
animals.
The main feature of the Invention consists in placing in the car boiler at once and
before starting a larger quantity of water than is necessary to supply all the steam
required for the trip or journey, so that no pumping whatever is done while the car
is in motion, thereby rendering the explosion of the boiler from lack of water
impossible, besides greatly simplifying the machinery by omitting the usual pumps,
injectors, and all delicate pieces of mechanism that are liable to get out of order and
require the constant attention of an experienced and careful engineer. In addition
to this I introduce into the furnace of the car boiler a quantity of incandescentt or
'

page_text: live coals (or any other proper combustible, such as coke, oil, gas, &c.), calculated to
supply during the journey a quantity of heat sufficient to maintain the original
pressure, and overcome the deperdition of heat or pressure occasioned by the exhaust
of the engine. Hence, as neither the water in the boiler nor the fire in the furnace
requires attention during the journey, the car can be run safely by the unskilled
and cheap kind of labor now employed in running horse cars.
Competent engineers are required only at the starting stations, where two of them
can easily manage a line running fifty or sixty steam motors.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the improved motor showing its
position on a car; Figure 2 is an end elevation.
Figure 3 represents the starting station.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are detail views of parts of the apparatus.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different Figures.
In carrying out this Invention I construct a boiler in two parts, A, B, of con-
venient size and form to place under the car body. The part A is deeper than the
part B, and contains a fire-box or furnace C, from which flues D extend to the
space a between the parts A, B. The boiler B contains a number of flues E that
extend entirely through it, and discharge into the smoke chamber F. The two
-parts of the boiler are separated by the space a, and are secured by the encircling
band b. The part B is provided with a water leg c, which is connected with the
water space of the part A by tubes d, and the steam spaces of the parts A, B, are
connected by tubes c. Upon the smoke chamber F and around the smoke pipe G,
the steam dome H is placed; this dome communicates with the steam space of the
boiler by means of the pipe I. The boiler thus described is placed on the car truck
below the car body. K; and is covered with a non-conducting jacket L of felt or other.
suitable material. A pair of ordinary steam cylinders M are secured to the truck,
and connected with the truck wheels, and are supplied with steam from the steam
dome H by the pipe N. The exhaust steam from the steam cylinders M is con-
ducted through the pipe O to the pipe P placed in the space a. This pipe is pierced
in its upper surface with a great number of small holes which divide the exhaust
steam, so that when it escapes it produces no noise. By exhausting the steam at
this point it is heated and combined with the products of combustion, so that neither
smoke nor steam are visible at the top of the smoke pipe or chimney. The steam
dome H projets upward through the front platform of the car, and the chimney G
extends upward through the car roof. Levers f, g, h, are provided for operating the
throttle valves and reversing mechanism of the engines. In the fire-box C one
or more convoluted pipes i are placed, which connect with the water space at the
side of the boiler, and increase the heating surface of the fire-box, and also serve to
protect the furnace end of the lower flues from becoming overheated or burnt, by
directing the heat and products of combustion upward before they enter the flues:
The boiler is provided with the usual glass water gauge k, and may, if desired, have
a safety valve and a pressure gauge. At the starting station, in close proximity to
the track, one or more open tanks are placed, which contain water heated as nearly
as possible to the boiling point, or 212° Fahrenheit, by any proper arrangement,
such as a return flue from the stationary boiler, or the exhaust of the steam supply
pumps. One or more stationary steam boilers are also placed near the track, and
in them water is heated to about 350° to 360° Fahrenheit. In the present case
three boilers 1, Figure 3, are represented, above which are placed two heating
tanks K. From the tanks K¹ pipes L' extend downward to a point opposite a
pipe M that projects from the car boiler and is provided with a sliding coupling N¹,
which is moved by a lever O, and is prevented from becoming disengaged by
pressure by a spring catch L. Pipes P¹ connect the pipes L' with the water space
of the boilers. In the pipes L', P1, as well as in the pipe M', valves m are placed,

page_text: by means of which the flow of water from the tanks K'and boilers It is controlled,
and which also confines the water in the car boiler.
When a car is to be started it is moved to the required place to receive in its
boiler from open tanks K¹ about three-fourths of its ultimate supply of water by
opening the valve m in the pipe L, and in the pipe M', or by injecting it with a
proper pump. The valve m in the pipe L' is now closed, and the valve in the
pipe P¹ is opened, permitting the highly heated water to pass from the stationary
boilers to the car or locomotive boiler until heated to the desired pressure. This
being accomplished, the communication between the two boilers is cut off and the
coupling Ni disengaged, and a proper quantity of live coals or other suitable
combustible is placed in the furnace C of the car or locomotive boiler, and the car
is ready to move forward. These operations do not require more than two minutes,
and no further attention of any kind during the journey is required to either water,
fuel, or fire.
The parts of the apparatus are arranged so that they are entirely out of sight and
reach of both driver and passengers.
At the return of the car to the station the operation above described is repeated,
and the car ready for another trip.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,
1st. The process of storing in the boiler of a locomotive, before it starts, all the
water necessary to generate the steam required to perform a journey of a given
length, as herein specified.
2ud. The process of heating water in a locomotive boiler to the desired temper-
ature and pressure by means of a temporary current of hot water from a stationary
boiler, substantially as described.
3rd. The process of maintaining the initial heat in a locomotive boiler by placing
in the fire-box the quantity of ignited combustible required to perform the journey,
as herein specified.
4th. A boiler consisting of two parts A, B, having a median chamber a, and
connected by pipes e, d, substantially as herein shown and described.
5th. The steam dome H placed above the smoke chamber F, and surrounding the
smoke pipe or chimney G, and communicating by a pipe I with the steam space of
the boiler, substantially as shown and described.
6th. The perforated exhaust pipe P for ensuring a noiseless exhaust, substantially
as shown and described.
7th. The combination with the car body K of a boiler consisting of the parts A, B,
when the latter is placed wholly under the floor of the car.
8th. The convoluted pipe i in combination with a boiler having the fire-box C,
substantially as shown and described.
9th. The boilers I¹, heating tanks K¹, their connecting pipes L¹, P¹, and the
movable coupling N in combination, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.