IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD LOCOMOTIVES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bewicke Blackburn and Alexander Bewicke Blackburn,
both of No. 1, York Buildings, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD LOCOMOTIVES."
Sealed the 16th April 1878, and dated the 17th October 1877,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bewicke Blackburn and
Alexander Bewicke Blackburn at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 17th October 1877.
BEWICKE BLACKBURN and ALEXANDER BEWICKE BLACKBURN, both of No 1, York
Buildings, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex. " IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD
LOCOMOTIVES."
Our Invention relates to apparatus of light and compact character capable of
working for several hours without special attention, and without producing
annoyance, for the propulsion of light locomotives, such as pleasure carriages on
common roads by steam power.
As fuel we use benzoline or other suitable liquid hydrocarbon, the vapour of
which mingled with air is ignited, and the flame is made to act on an extended
boiler surface, so as to generate steam from water regularly supplied to the boiler.
The steam thus generated works an engine, preferably of the multiple cylinder
kind, which by suitable gearing drives the wheels of the carriage. The steam is
discharged from the engine into a surface condenser kept cool by currents of air
and the water of condensation is fed back into the boiler.
For operating in this manner we employ novel arrangements of apparatus, the
nature of which we will now describe:-By means of a bellows or other suitable
blowing apparatus, which at first is worked by hand, and afterwards by the
engine, we produce a blast of air at moderate pressure, which is warmed by passing
through channels heated by the waste steam of the engine, and is then led in
numerous small streams into a vessel supplied with the liquid hydrocarbon from a
reservoir at a higher level.
The supply of the liquid is regulated to suit the power required. The air im-
pinging on the surface of the liquid becomes mingled with vapour thereof, and the

page_text: mixed gaseous fluid is led to a number of small apertures, preferably annularly,
arranged in a metal plate faced with fire-clay or other refractory material. The
jets issuing from those apertures being ignited form the flame for heating the
boiler.
The boiler consists of a pipe coiled into helical form with small interstices
between the convolutions, the whole enclosed in a metal case. The flame enters
the interior of the helix at its one end, but is prevented from passing right through
it axially by a baffle or partition of refractory material situated somewhat beyond
the middle of its length. The flame and hot products of combustion consequently
issue by the interstices between the helical convolutions to the space between the
helix and its casing, and then again return through the interstices of the farther
convolutions to the interior of the helix, whence they are led to a chimney or to a
discharge aperture, being, preferably, passed on their way through a casing enclosing
the cylinders of the engine for the purpose of heating these cylinders. The feed
water for the boiler is supplied from a reservoir in regulated quantity to an open
cup communicating with the suction aperture of a feed pump worked by the engine.
By this pump the water is forced into the helical pipe constituting the boiler at its
one end, preferably that at which the flame is applied, and converted into steam,
which issues somewhat superheated at the other end, and is led by a pipe to the
engine.
The condenser which we employ for condensing the waste steam consists of a
cylindrical cage of small tubes, within which is mounted a fanner worked by the
engine. The waste steam is passed through the tubes while the fanner causes
currents of air to pass through the interstices between the tubes, cooling them.
For driving the road wheels we provide on their inner faces grooved rings
receiving bands from pullies on the engine shaft, which are clutched thereto so as
to run free in the one direction, but to revolve with the shaft in the other direction,
thus permitting the one road wheel to revolve with a different velocity from that of
the other when the vehicle is running in a curve.
When the vehicle is in the form of a dog cart or gig, the boiler, engine, and other
apparatus above described, are accommodated in its body under the seat, and a
driving wheel is mounted on each side. In front we provide a single steering wheel
mounted like that of a bicycle on a vertical axis, which can be turned partly in
either direction by a lever or a pair of reins.
In order to steady the steering wheel we prefer to joint to the axle on which it
revolves, at each end thereof, outside the steering fork, one end of an oblique brace,
the other end of which is jointed farther back to the framing of the carriage. These
braces, while they allow sufficient locking of the wheel for steering the vehicle, serve
to steady it by taking the lateral strain thrown upon it.
In starting the engine it is necessary for a little time to work the bellows or
other blowing apparatus by hand, so as to establish the flame and get up steam in
the boiler, and we therefore arrange in the gearing for working this apparatus from
the engine a clutch engaging in the one direction and slipping in the other, so that
whilst it is being worked by hand the engine may be at rest, and when the engine
moves sufficiently fast it drives it independently of the hand. In some cases,
however, we dispense with blowing apparatus by the use of a burner of the
following description:-A small cylindrical vessel receives the supply of liquid
hydrocarbon, which is converted into vapour therein by the heat of the flame.
The vapour thus generated issues in a jet, so arranged as to draw with it the
required quantity of air, and the mixed fluid issues by a number of apertures, and
being ignited, forms the flame, which is directed as already described into the
interior of the helical tube boiler.
We prefer to connect the valves or cocks which govern the supplies of hydro-
carbon, air, and feed water respectively, so that all can be increased or decreased
proportionally according to the exigencies of the road.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Bewicke Blackburn and Alexander Bewicke Blackburn in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 17th April 1878.
BEWICKE BLACKBURN and ALEXANDER BEWICKE BLACKBURN, of No. 1, York
Buildings, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD LOCO-
MOTIVES.
Our Invention relates to apparatus of light and compact character capable of
working for several hours without special attention, and without producing
annoyance, for the propulsion of light locomotives, such as pleasure carriages on
common roads by steam power.
As fuel we use benzoline or other suitable liquid hydrocarbon, the vapour of
which mingled with air is ignited, and the flame is made to act on an extended
boiler surface, so as to generate steam from water regularly supplied to the boiler.
The steam thus generated works an engine, preferably of the multiple cylinder kind,
which by suitable gearing drives the wheels of the carriage. The steam is discharged
from the engine into a surface condenser, kept cool by currents of air, and the water
of condensation is fed back into the boiler.
For operating in this manner we employ novel arrangements of apparatus, as
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan partly in section; and Figure 2 is a side elevation of a
locomotive according to our Invention, made in the form of a dog cart.
Figures 3, 4, and 5, shew details of parts herein-after referred to. By means of
a bellows A or other suitable blowing apparatus, which is worked by a crank a on
a shaft C turned by gearing G from the shaft N of the engine E, we produce a blast
of air at moderate pressure, which is warmed by passing through channels B
heated by the waste steam of the engine, and is then led by a pipe d' into a vaporizing
vessel D supplied with the liquid hydrocarbon by a pipe f from a reservoir F at a
higher level.
Figure 3 represents a vertical section of the vaporing vessel D; it is divided into
an upper and lower compartment by a diaphragm d in which are fixed a number of
small tubes open at both ends. The heated air enters the upper compartment by
the pipe d', and descending the tubes is directed in numerous small streams on the
surface of the hydrocarbon, which is supplied in regulated quantity by the pipe f,
so that there is never more than a thin filin lying on the bottom of the vessel. The
air impregnated with the hydrocarbon vapour rises through the interstices of the
tubes, and issuing by the pipe 2 is led to the burner. To accelerate evaporation of
the hydrocarbon a portion of the waste steam from the engine is passed through a
jacket ds below the vaporizing vessel.
The supply of the hydrocarbon is regulated to suit the power required by means
of a helical wire introduced into the pipe f, so as more or less to throttle tho
passage. The pipe & conducts the mixture of air and hydrocarbon vapour to the
burner H, which consists of a number of sinall apertures, preferably annularly,
arranged in a metal plate faced with fire-clay or other refractory material. The
jets issuing from those apertures being ignited through a plugged hole h from the
flame for heating the boiler I.
The boiler consists of a pipe coiled into helical form with small interstices between
the convolutions, the whole enclosed in a metal case i. The flame enters the interior
of the helix at its one end, but is prevented from passing right through it axially
by a baffle or partition of refractory material 22, situated somewhat beyond the
middle of its length. The flame and hot products of combustion consequently issuo
by the interstices between the helical convolutions to the space between the helix
and its casing, and then again return through the interstices of the farther con-
volutions to the interior of the helix, whence they are led to a chimney, or to a
discharge aperture being preferably passed on their way through a casing
enclosing the cylinders of the engine E for the purpose of heating them. The feed

page_text: water for the boiler is supplied by a pipet from a tank T in regulated quantity to
an open cup communicating with the suction aperture of the feed pump K, a section
of which is shown at Figure 4, the said pump having a capacity in excess of the
greatest amount of feed required. The supply pipe t is covered at its lower end by
a thin plate having a small hole through it, so that the quantity of water supplied
to the cup of the pump, and thereby fed to the boiler is uniform, or nearly so,
whatever be the speed of the engine and pump. A second pump k serves to pump
the water of condensation from the condenser L up to the tank T. The pumps K
and k are worked by a crank or eccentric on the shaft C. The water is forced by
the feed pump K into the helical pipe constituting the boiler I at its one end,
preferably that at which the flame is applied, and converted into steam, which
issues at the other end, and is led by a pipe to the engine E.
By suitable adjustment of the feed of water to that of hydrocarbon the steam
may be made to issue from the boiler more or less superheated.
The condenser L shown in transverse section at Figure 5 consists of a cylindrical
cage of small tubes, within which is mounted a fanner worked by the engine. The
waste steam is led by a pipe e from the engine to the casing e, in which is the air
pipe d', and from this casing the waste steam is passed through the tubes of the
condenser L, while the fanner causes currents of air to pass through the interstices
between the tubes, cooling them.
For driving the road wheels M we provide on their inner faces grooved rings m,
receiving bands from pulleys n on a sleeve n³ enclosing the engine shaft N. The
pulleys n are clutched on the sleeve n³ by ratchets, so as to run free in the one
direction, but to revolve with the sleeve in the other direction, thus permitting the
one road wheel to revolve with a different velocity from that of the other when the
vehicle is running in a curve.
When the vehicle is in the form of a dog cart or gig, as represented in the
Drawings, the boiler, engine, and other apparatus above described are accommodated
in its body under the seat, and a driving wheel M is mounted on each side. In
front we provide a single steering wheel O, nounted like that of a bicycle on a
vertical axis, which can be turned partly in either direction by a lever or a pair
of reins.
In order to steady the steering wheel we find it advantageous to joint to the
axle on which it revolves at each end thereof outside the steering fork o one end of
an oblique brace P, the other end of which is jointed further back to the framing
of the carriage. These braces P, P, while they allow sufficient locking of the wheel
for steering the vehicle, serve to steady it by taking the lateral strain thrown upon
it without throwing the wheel so far out of the vertical as to interfere with its
locking action.
In starting the engine it is necessary for a little time to work the bellows or
other blowing apparatus by hand applied by a winch c to the shaft C, so as to
establish the flame, and get up steam in the boiler, and we therefore arrange in the
gearing G for working the shaft C from the engine shaft a clutch, consisting of a
ratchet wheel and pawl in the wheel G, engaging in the one direction and slipping
in the other, so that whilst the shaft C is being worked by hand the engine may be
at rest, and when the engine moves sufficiently fast it drives the shaft independently
of the band.
For convenience in stopping the carriage without arresting the action of the
engine and boiler, the driving pulleys n, n, are connected by a clutch to the engine
shaft N. For this purpose we mount the pulleys n, n, on the sleeve n³, which has
a friction cone clutch at n¹ pressed by a spring n². The clutch is disengaged at will
by means of a lever n' worked by the hand or foot of the driver.
Although in the accompanying Drawings we have shown the locomotive
apparatus arranged for the propulsion of a dog cart, it is to be understood that
similar apparatus might be arranged to suit vehicles of other forms.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we claim,―

page_text: First. The use for propelling a road locomotive by steain power of apparatus
consisting of a blower for air, a vapourizer for liquid hydrocarbon, a burner and a
boiler heated thereby, a steam engine and gearing, and a condenser, the whole
constructed, arranged, and operating, substantially as herein described.
Second. In the apparatus above referred to the use of a vaporizer for liquid
hydrocarbon_constructed and operating substantially as herein described with
reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In the apparatus referred to in the first claim the use of a burner for air
impregnated with hydrocarbon vapor in combination with a boiler consisting of a
helical pipe enclosed in a casing, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. In the apparatus referred to in the first claim the use of a condenser
consisting of a cylindrical cage of pipes in combination with a fan, substantially as
herein described.
Fifth. Staying the steering wheel of a road locomotive by means of oblique braces
jointed to its axle, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Bewicke Blackburn, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ALEXR. B. BLACKBURN. (L.S.)