IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES AND IN CARRIAGES TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOSEPH
GILLOTT, of Birmingham, Steel Pen Maker, and THOMAS WALKER, of the same
place, Machinist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster,
the Thirteenth day of April, in the second year of Her reign, did for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Joseph Gillott and
Thomas Walker, our exors, adññors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said Joseph Gillott and Thomas
Walker, our exors. admors, and assigns, and such others as we, the said
Joseph Gillott and Thomas Walker, our exors, admors, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times hereafter,
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, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ENGINES AND IN CARRIAGES
TO BE WORKED BY STEAM OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER;" in which said Letters Patent
there is contained a proviso that we, the said Joseph Gillott and Thomas
Walker, or one of us, shall cause a particular description of the nature of our
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or the hand and seal of one
of us, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery, within
six calendar months next immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as, upon reference thereto, will fully appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Joseph Gillott and Thomas Walker, do hereby declare that the nature of our
Invention consists,
First, in a safety valve of a novel construction, which unites the property of
always correctly indicating the pressure of the steam in the boiler.
Second, in a novel apparatus designed to supersede the ordinary "buffers
for connecting the carriages of a railway train together.
"
Third, in an improved buffer for railway carriages, of a more compact and
convenient form than those in ordinary use.
Fourth, in a peculiar mode of combining or arranging the mutual action
of the wheels and axletrees of carriages applicable to be used on railways and
the common roads.
Fifth, in the construction and application of an apparatus to the funnels of
locomotive engines, to collect the dust and small particles of cinders which are
now usually projected into the atmosphere, and often into the eyes and over
the persons of the passengers.
Sixth, in the application of a known mechanical movement to the pistons
of reciprocating engines to convert the rectilineal into a rotatory motion.
These six heads of our improvements we shall now proceed to explain in
detail with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
First, as regards our improved safety valve and pressure indicator. Figure 1
represents an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan, of our safety valve and steam
indicator, the same letters of reference in each Figure indicating the same
parts. a, a represents a small cylinder, open at the lower end, which is affixed
by a suitable flange or plate z over the valve aperture of a boiler. 6 is a small
piston moving easily but steam-tight in the cylinder. c is the piston rod, to
which are connected the projecting pieces d, d, for attaching thereto the two
ends of a cord or chain e, e, that passes round the circumference of a pulley
wheelf. This pulley is made fast to its axis g, and turns therewith the
gudgeons of the latter, having their bearings in the extremities of the arms h, h,
of the standard i, the lower end of which is fixed to the plate z. To the.
axis g is likewise affixed a lever j, so as to turn therewith; the lever j¨passes
through a weight k; and its point 1, which moves in the arc of a circle, shows
upon a graduated quadrantal scale m the force of the steam upon the piston.
When the steam is so weak as to be inoperative, the weight hangs in a ver-
tical position, and as the steam increases in force the lever continues to rise
until it attains a horizontal position, at which time the piston will have
ascended above the orifice n, and allow the steam to escape into the atmo-
sphere. It will be obvious that the force of this steam (which should be only

page_text: a few degrees above the desired working pressure of the engine) may at all
times be regulated by sliding the weight on the lever nearer to or farther from
the fulcrum.
The novelty we claim in this contrivance is, the combination of the valve
piston with a weighted lever to indicate the pressure of steam.
Second, as respects our apparatus for connecting the carriages of a rail-
way train together to supercede the use of the ordinary buffers. The object
of this apparatus is, to prevent those frequent concussions which are commu-
Dited successively to all the carriages of a train whenever the first carriage
meets with any sudden resistance to its uniform progression. It consists prin-
cipally of a joint formed by the combination of two sets of three concentric
metallic cups (or cups and balls), whereof the middle cup of each set is pro-
vided with a suitable flange or plate for fastening to the frames of the carriages
to be united, the middle cups having a free motion in every direction between.
the outside and inside cups, yet never permitting the parts to separate from
their mutual contact. This contrivance is obviously susceptible of numerous.
modifications of its parts; but we will proceed to describe two varieties, leaving
ourselves at liberty to make such other modifications and improvements upon.
the principle of their construction as experience may suggest.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, exhibit one of our said modifications, Figure 3 being &
side view, Figure 4 a plan or upper view, of one of the plates that are con--
nected to the carriage. Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the entire joint. Figure 6
is a perspective view of the upper half of the joint represented in Figs. 5
& 3, as indicated by the yellow color, the other half of the joint colored blue.
is of exactly the same form as the other, so that one. may fit accurately to the
other, and by their combination form a cylindrical joint, which is then secured
by means of hoops slided over them, as shewn at a, a; b, b, are the middle cups
to which are connected the plates c, c, that are fixed to the ends of the carriages ;-
d, d, are the external cups formed in one piece with the cylindrical portions.
e, e; ff, are the internal cups, which are connected to the external cups d, d,.
by means of pins g, g, so as to admit of the middle cups having a free motion
between the others. Figures 7 and 8 are explanatory of the other arrange-
ment alluded to; those parts in which that correspond with the former are
indicated by the same letters of reference. The internal cups are in. this.
case made solid or portions of spheres, the lower one" has attached to it a
square piece h, which fits externally a square hole made in a cylindrical
piece i. The upper cup or portion of a sphere has a screw at its tail j
which fits into a screw-tapped hole in the squared piece, and the two sets of
cups are thus screwed together; at 1 is a projecting stem. passing, through a

page_text: square hole in the plate m, to prevent the liability of turning round; at k is a
weighted lever, screwed into the piece i, for screwing or unscrewing the joint
or connecting or disconnecting the carriages, and which hangs in a vertical
position. Our claim to Invention in this apparatus is, the application of con-
centric cups or cups and balls for connecting locomotive carriages together.
Third, as regards our improved buffer for railway carriages, the design of
which is to afford all the requisite elasticity combined with firmness, and at
the same time render them more compact and convenient and less costly in
their construction than the buffers in general use, Figures 9, 10, & 11 are
explanatory of this arrangement. a, a, represent portions of the frame of two
carriages; b, b, b, the improved springs, each of these assemblages of which we
make by preference to consist of five in number, arranged equidistantly in the
circle, and individually making but a single revolution, as shewn by way of
example (merely) at c, c, the number of distinct springs composing a proper
assemblage ought never to be less than three, as shewn at a, x, but any
greater number may be employed according to circumstances. In the par-
ticular instance exemplified, they are fixed in the following way: at d, d, d,
are four iron plates, which are fixed to the carriage frame by bolts; at e, e
(see Figure 10, which is a plan of each plate), are holes into which the screws
enter that fix the springs 6 into their respective positions; and directly opposite
in right lines are corresponding holes in the heads fof the buffers, into which
the screws which secure the other ends of the springs are turned; each spring
has thus a great range and freedom of motion. Our claim to Invention
in this improved buffer consists in a circular arrangement of three or more
helical springs, each of which making but a single revolution when not
compressed.
Fourth, as relates to our improved mode of combining the mutual action
of the wheels and axletrees of carriages, the object of which is to make one
wheel of each pair of wheels fast to their axletree, so that they shall both
revolve together while the other wheel of the same pair shall run loose on the
said axletree. By this arrangement, whenever the two lines of rail or road
over which the pair of wheels roll depart from right lines, whether such depar-
ture be in a horizontal, vertical, or inclined direction, each individual wheel
will be at liberty and disposed to take those varied velocities which the undula-
tions or curves require, and they will thus avoid that occasional sliding,
dragging, and rubbing action which is alike injurious to the rails, to the roads,
and to the carriages, and causes thereby a wasteful absorption of the motive
power employed.
The diagram marked Eigure 12 exhibits a section of a pair of railway

page_text: wheels and their axletree, and Figure 18 is a similar arrangement applied to
wheels for the common road. a, b, represent the two wheels; c, the axletree;
d, a cotter key by which the wheel is made fast to the axletree; e, a bush,
likewise keyed to the axletree, and on which the wheel runs freely between
the flange of the axletree and the flange of the bush.
In the application of this Invention to railroad carriages, we recom-
mend that the axletree of one pair of wheels to each carriage be put
upon a centre pin, sufficient to allow the axletree to move out of its
parallelism with the other axletree in order to accomodate it to the curves
of the road.
Our claims to Invention under this fourth head of our improvements
consists in making one wheel of each pair of wheels fast upon the axletree
while the other runs loose thereon, when applied to common road carriages
drawn by horses or to any other carriages whatever that have one or more
pair of wheels.
Fifth, as relates to our improvement in the application of an apparatus to
the chimneys or funnels of locomotive engines for the purpose of causing the
particles of cinders or dust which are now usually thrown into the atmosphere.
(to the severe annoyance of passengers when the wind is in an opposite.
direction to that of the motion of the train), to be conducted and deposited
in a vessel containing water, which vessel is to be connected to or suspended
at the back of the funnel, and to be provided at its upper end with a suitably
formed opening, calculated to receive the current of vapour, smoke, and dust
that issues from the funnel whenever the said current is directed in an opposite
course to that of the carriages of the train, and that will in other directions
of the current or wind allow the smoke and dust free passage to the air:
A diagram illustrative of this contrivance is given at Figure 14, a being the
smoke flue from the engine furnace; b, the new appendage connected thereto,
containing a small quantity of water at the bottom, to catch and detain the
particles of ashes and dust; and as this water is constantly accumulating by the
condensation of the steam, a cock should be connected to the bottom of the
vessel to draw off the contents occasionally. The two opposite sides, c, c, of
the funnel (of which owing to the sectional view only one is seen) are closed.
up to the point d, but from d to e is an enlarged aperture to collect the
current of air in front, and direct the rising smoke into the lateral opening f;
passing thence, its course is directed downward by the curved screen g, upon
the surface of the water at h, wherein the dust and dense particles will be
precipitated, while the volatile and gaseous matters will reascend, (and owing-
to the rarefaction which will naturally take place in the air at the large

page_text: aperture i) and escape into the atmosphere wholly or for the most part
deprived of its unpleasant properties before mentioned. The aperture i, it
will be observed, is made adjustable by means of a sliding shutter j, in order
to accomodate its dimensions according to the velocity of the wind or the
force of the draft. It will be obvious that the form of this apparatus may
be considerably varied, and yet produce similar effects. An example of such
variation is given in Figure 15, wherein the new appendage is applied below
the top of the ordinary chimney, a, a; b, b, being the new appendage; d, e,
the opening or blower into the aperture f. Hence it will be understood that
we do not confine our claim of originality to any particular shape, our In-
vention consisting in the application of a vessel at the back of the chimney
funnel of a locomotive engine or steam vessel, for the purposes and of the
nature of those described.
Sixth, as relates to our improvement for converting the rectilineal motion
of a piston rod of a reciprocating engine into rotative, the diagrams marked
Figures 16, 17, & 18, are explanatory of the same, the same letters of reference
in each Figure indicating the same parts. Figure 16 is an external elevation,
Figure 17 is a vertical section, and Figure 18 a plan with the top and fly wheel
removed. a represents the working cylinder of a steam engine; b, the piston
rod, to the upper end of which is fixed a cross head, c (see Plan), carrying two
antifriction rollers, d, d, which traverse up and down between two pair of
parallel bars, e, e; to the cross head is fixed a stout steel pin f (on which might be
mounted a small roller to reduce the friction) the pin f traverses a groove or
race g, which is made around a metallic cylinder h, which it causes to revolve by
the pin describing in its path two spiral or helical lines in contrary directions, of
half a revolution, each united at their extremities as exhibited in the Drawings.
The axis of the roller h turns in bearings made in the frame, and carries at its
upper extremity a fly wheel x, to which it of course communicates its rotary
movement. In Figure 16 the piston is represented as in the middle of the
cylinder, consequently the traversing pin fis in the middle of its race on one
side (which brings one half of the race into view, the other half being on the
reverse side of the piston as expressed by the dotted lines. In Figure 17 the
piston is supposed to be at the top of the cylinder, and has carried the tra-
versing pin to the top of the race, and hence it becomes evident that the next
or descending stroke of the piston will bring the traversing pin to the bottom
of the race, causing the roller thereby to make half a revolution; thus the
roller makes a revolution for each stroke of the engine (or piston), and the
axis on which it revolves at the same time gives rotary motion to the fly
wheel or any other mechanism that may be connected thereto.

page_text: Our claim to originality in this Invention does not consist in the con-
struction of the movement distinctly considered, as a very similar mechanical
movement has long since been made public. But we do claim as original the
new and useful application of it in converting the rectilineal motion of the
piston of steam or other motive engines into circular or rotative motion.
In witness whereof, we, the said Joseph Gillott and Thomas Walker,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eleventh day of October,
in the year One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine.