the Slipping of the Driving Wheels of Locomotives.
Year: 1885

page_text: the Slipping of the Driving Wheels of Locomotives.
I JAMES GRESHAM of the firm of Gresham and Craven, of Craven Iron Works,
Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers and Machinists, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING
SUBSTANCES TO PREVENT THE SLIPPING OF THE DRIVING WHEELS OF LOCOMOTIVES,”
to be as follows:-
My invention consists in applying steam water or other fluid under pressure for
forcing or carrying sand or a solution of caustic, soda or other suitable materials
(which will neutralise greasy or slippery substances) against the tires of the
driving wheels of Locomotives or upon the rails on which they run.
When sand is employed, the ordinary boxes and valves and rods for opening
and closing the same, are or may be used combined with pipes and a cock or cocks
(which is or are arranged to be actuated by the same rods or connections that
open and close the ordinary sanding valves) these pipes and cocks or valves convey
steam or water from the boiler or other source of supply or other fluid under
pressure and combine with the sand at an ejecting nozzle and force the sand
against the tires of the driving wheels and between them and their points of
contact with the rails-The pipes conveying the steam, water or fluid under
pressure may pass on one side of, or through the said box and pipe for sand, so
that the beat of the fluid will act to dry and keep the sand dry while in the
sand box.
The ejecting nozzle is or may be made in a variety of forms so that the sand
and ejected fluid will be drawn along the pipe and mixed with the fluid before
leaving the ejecting nozzle.
When caustic or other suitable solutions are used, they are or may be carried
in a suitable box or vessel similar to the sand box; or by a vessel which will resist
internal pressure by being in connection with the boiler or other source of pressure,
the caustic solution being. allowed to escape against the tires of the Locomotive
driving wheels and rails when a cock or cocks is or are opened.
Or the caustic solution is or may be kept in a vessel or vessels but not under
pressure and is distributed and thrown upon the tires of the Locomotive driving
wheels and rails by fluid under pressure, escaping at an ejector nozzle.
Dated this nineteenth dan of 100E

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Applying Substances to Prevent
the Slipping of the Driving Wheels of Locomotives.
I JAMES GRESHAM of the firm of Gresham and Craven, of Craven Iron Works,
Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers and Machinists do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner. the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention consists in applying steam, water or other fluid under pressure in
combination with certain arrangements for drawing and forcing or carrying sand
or other suitable materials (which will neutralise greasy or slippery substances)
against the tires of the driving wheels of Locomotives or upon the rails on which
they run.
"
The steam cock or valve for turning on and off the steam from the Locomotive
boiler to supply the sand ejector or ejectors is placed by preference on, the front of
the fire box of the Locomotive within reach of the Driver and thus dispenses with
rods or connections for actuating it.
2
The ejector in each case is secured upon the end of a pipe so that its nozzle, will
direct the mixed steam air and sand or other, suitable material, directly against
the tyre of the driving wheel and between it and its point of contact with
the rails.
i
There is or may be an ejector for each driving wheel of a Locomotive, and one
on each side of each wheel if desired, to suit forward or backward motion in the
Locomotive.
The same steam valve is or may be used for supplying steam for each ejector, or
for each set of ejectors (if two sets are employed) one set being used for the forward
and the other for the backward motion of the Locomotive.
There is or may be a two way cock in the steain supply pipe, connected with
which two way cock there are two branch pipes one for conveying steam to the
set of ejectors for the forward, and the other for conveying steam to the set of
ejectors for the backward motion of the Locomotive so that when the two way
cock is turned by a suitable and convenient handle and connection one way, one
set of ejectors will be supplied with steam, and when the two way cock is turned
in the other direction the other set of ejectors will be supplied with steam.
The pipe for conveying sand to each ejector is connected with a sand valve or
trap in the sand box or receptacle, which sand valve or trap is an arrangement
which permits the sand to be carried' from the box by the current of air produced
by the steam acting through the ejector which draws air, and the air, comes over
sand in the sand valve or trap and carries it along the pipe in a dispersed state to
the ejector where it then mixes with the steam passing through the discharging
nozzle of the ejector and is thus forced or driven at any desired velocity against
the tyre, and between it and the rail.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the steam valve. It is formed by a casting a
having a flange a¹ by which it is attached steam tight to the front of the Locomotive

page_text: fire box represented by the plate b, which plate has two holes in it, one in which
one end of a 'pipe c is screwed or fitted the other end of which passes to and is
open in the steam dome or higher part of the steam space of the boiler.
Into the other hole in the plate 6 one end of another pipe d is screwed or fitted.
steam tight and the other end of the pipe d passes within the boiler and then out
from the side or the bottom of the boiler at any convenient point to be connected
with a steam pipe d¹ conveying steam to the ejector or to a pipe branching to
the ejectors.
The flange a¹ of the casting a has two holes in it to come opposite and make a
tight joint with the ends of the two pipes c and d.
The hole in the casting a opposite the end of the pipe c is bored out to fit or
nearly fit the plug a² on the end of the enlarged part a³ of a screw spindle a* and
the casting a is also bored out to fit the enlarged cylindrical part a³ of the spindle
as nearly as possible.
.The screwed part of the spindle a fits a screw thread in a part a³ screwed into
the casting a which part as forms a gland for a screw gland packing a the hand
wheel a' for turning the spindle at being secured upon a square on the end of the
spindle by a screw nut.
Diagonally across the enlarged cylindrical part as there is a hole as drilled,
through which water of condensation. (if any) from the steam pipe c will be forced
when the valve is first slightly screwed back from its facing, and such condensed
water will pass into an annular space a with which one end of a pipe (not shown)
but screwed into the casting at a* is in communication to conduct the water
away.
When the spindle a' is screwed outwards to the full extent the enlarged part a³
covers and practically closes the outlet from the annular space a³ and steam will
then pass freely into. an annular space all to a passage a¹ and hole in the casting,
coming opposite the end of the pipe d.
The steam from the pipe d which passes or may pass through the boiler as
berein before described is taken by a branch pipe to a pipe d' fig. 2 which is connected
by a union coupling as shown with a branch d from the casting & forming one of
the ejectors.
Fig. 2 is a plan longitudinal section and fig. 3 a longitudinal section taken in a
plane at a right angle to fig. 2 on the line A-B fig. 2. e'is the end of the sand
pipe upon which the ejector is screwed as shown and then secured by a lock
nut d'.
The other end of the pipe e comes from the bottom of the sand box, being secured
thereto, its open end being in communication with the sand valve or trap herein-
after described.
It will be seen that there is a nozzle in communication with the sand pipė e
which nozzle is surrounded with an annular space d communicating with the
steam pipe d¹.
Within the casting d³ a cone tube nozzle d' is fitted, secured by a screw nut d³
screwing into the casting as shown.
The ejector and its discharging nozzle d' is carried on the end of the sand pipe e,
and the nozzle is directed so as to drive or force the mixed sand, air and steam,
against the tyre of the driving wheel or between the tyre and the rail.
After numerous experiments I find that an ejector where the steam is discharged
through an annular space round the nozzle as shown in figs. 2 and 3 is the only
arrangement of steam ejector suitable for the purpose and free from objections-
I also find that the ejector should not produce a greater vacuum than is equal to
six inches of a column of mercury such a vacuum producing such a current of air
as will take up and carry sufficient sand but is not liable to draw sand in such
quantities as would choke the passages, which would be the result, if the current of
air were too powerful.
The air current should only be strong enough to carry sand mixed with it in
a dispersed state and when the steam is shut off there should be a hole as at d³

page_text: to allow any sand that might be in the pipe e to fall out the sand being carried
past this hole when the current of air is strong, as when the ejector is at work.
I have found than an ejector made according to the proportions shown in figs. 2
and 3 to act very well and will produce a sufficient but not too strong a current
of air.
The steam only mixes with the air and sand in the discharging nozzle d'.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section, and fig. 5 a plan section at C--D fig. 4 of the
sand valve or trap mechanism.
The flange e¹ of the valve is secured to the bottom of the sand box indicated by
dotted lines x.
The casting e has a central nozzle e³ which is in communication with the upper
end of the said pipe e figs. 2 and 3.
Round the central nozzle e³ there is a tube e' having openings et in its side below
the upper end of the central nozzle e³.
At the upper end of the tube e a screw plug e is screwed, the inside of the
screw plug by webs e arrying a bell es concentric with the tube e¹ and central
nozzle e³.
The screw plug e has the lower end of a pipe e screwed into it, the upper end of
which screws into a flanged casting e* which bas a central passage ell covered by a
bell or cap el carried by webs e¹³ so that air can enter under the cap and pass
down the central passage e¹¹.
The lower part of the flanged casting passes through a hole in the top of the
sand box (indicated in dotted line x) and there is a washer of india rubber or
other suitable elastic material ¹ placed between the flange e¹ and the upper out-
side of the sand box, so that when the flanged casting is screwed on to the pipe e³
(which is of the required length according to the depth of the sand box), the
flange e makes an airtight joint with the top of the sand box.
It will be understood that the apparatus shown by fig. 4 below the underside of
the flange e¹ is within the sand box and is or may be surrounded by the sand
therein which is passed into the box through a suitable opening closed when the
sand is filled in by a cap or cover that will keep out rain or moisture, and which is
practically air tight.
The cap e over the casting is for the purpose of preventing rain or moisture
from entering the pipe e and getting mixed with the sand.
The sand from the box cannot leave it, and pass down the sand pipe e.
Sand is
of such nature that however it may be pressed upon in the box it will not rise in
the tube e except from vibration when the sand will rise to the level of the upper
sides of the, openings e but no higher from which level it can be taken by the
passing current of air.
It is only when a current of air passes down the pipe e along the annular
space e striking the surface of the sand within the tube that the sand thus
acted upon is carried into the central nozzle e and then down the sand pipe o to
the ejector, and it is the steam acting in the ejector that produces the current of
air, which carries the sand 'and when the current of air ceases, the sand ceases to
pass from the sand box through the sand valve or trap.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of another modification of sand valve or trap, and
fig. 7 is a cross section on the line E-F fig. 6.
The flange el is secured to another flange e¹ the two being secured to the under
bottom of the sand box as indicated by dotted line x.
The flange ele has the upper end of the sand pipe e secured in it.
There are holes e¹7 in the flange e¹ which come opposite and admit air from the
underside of the sand box up passages e18 (there are three of them) in the casting
the upper ends of these passages communicate with an annular space e in the
tubular part e which is closed at its upper end by a screw plug e forming a bell e³,
so that the air will pass along the annular space e, strike against the sand
admitted within the tube e' through the side openings e and pass down the central
nozzle e to the sand pipe e and then to the ejector.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed-I wish it to be
understood that I am aware steam has been used with an ejector to drive sand
against the driving wheels of Locomotives, and that cocks or valves have been
used for supplying steam from the boiler to the ejector and that valves or trap
arrangements have been proposed for regulating the passage of sand from the sand
box or boxes to the ejector or ejectors, I therefore make no claim for the use of
steam or for the steam cocks or valves, ejectors or sand valves apart from their
combination, construction and application as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described, but I declare that what I claim is
1. The combination, arrangement and construction of steam cock or valve where
provision is made for the escape of condensed steam, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by fig. 1 of the drawings.
2. The combination, arrangement and construction of ejectors with the steam
passing through an annular space outside the jet of air and sand, substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated by figs. 2 and 3 of the
drawings.
3. The combinations and arrangements of sand valves or traps and connected
mechanism for conveying air thereto as and for the purpose herein before described
and illustrated by figs. 4 and 5, and figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings.
4. The combination of the steam cock or valve shown by fig. 1-the ejector
shown by figs. 2 and 3 with either the sand valve or trap shown by figs. 4 and 5
or that shown by figs. 6 and 7 to act together, as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described.
'