IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Hunt of Manchester in the County of Lancaster
at present residing at Buenos Ayres in the Argentine Republic, Engineer for
"
an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Hunt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th November 1883.
THOMAS HUNT of Manchester in the County of Lancaster but at present residing
at Buenos Ayres in the Argentine Republic [Engineer] "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES"
My Invention has for its object to effect such improvements in locomotive steam
engines as will render them more effective economical and controlable in their
working and less noisy than hitherto
According to my said Invention I place the uptake of the boilers of the Engine
on the side opposite to or farthest froin the fire door and between the fire door and
the uptake are arranged pendant tubes or a water space and pendant tubes which
interrupt the direct current of air from the fire door and assist in heating and
mixing the said air with the gases in the fire box before they arrive at the uptake―
I fill the annular space between the outer and inner chimneys with a non
conductor of sound or absorber of vibrations such as fireclay asbestos sand or the
like to deaden the noise of the exhaust steam and with the same object I provide
self adjusting blast pipe whereby the area of the orifice of the pipe is automatically
varied by the varying pressure or velocity of the exhaust steam acting upon a.
conical valve held in its normal position of a spring or weight which as the pressure
or velocity of the exhaust steam increases is compressed or relieved and the valve
further opened I place a water tank at each end and at the side of the engine
where the driver stands the depth of the tanks being such that the driver can stand
thereon when at work and upon each tank an ejector is placed the overflow from
which runs back into the tank and thus economises water and piping The
governor and speed indicator are driven by a wheel or wheels rolling upon the rail
or rails independently of the driving wheels of the engine which independent wheel
or wheels can be placed either between or outside the engine wheels-In order to

page_text: obtain greater heating surface in the boiler of the engine and consequently a more
powerful engine without increasing the wheel base I place the crank shaft outside
or in front of the driving axle to which it is geared by spur wheels and I incline
the cylinders towards the boiler in place of arranging them vertically To give the
driver more prompt control over the engine I use mechanical power to reverse the
engine and open and shut the steam regulator I attach a stop cock in any
situation where communication can be made with the water in the boiler to which
I connect a separator to separate the steam from the water and by means of
suitable valves or a valve the water is forced by the pressure in the boiler into and
exhausts from a cylinder the piston of which being connected to the reversing rod
reverses the engine and I provide means by which the driver can reverse the
Engine when standing on either side of it In any convenient position for
connecting with the steam regulator I place a cylinder and by suitable valves or a
valve water from the aforesaid or other separator or from the boiler direct is forced
by the pressure in the boiler into and exhausts from either end of a cylinder the
piston of which being connected with the steam regulator opens or shuts it Steam
may be used instead of water for this purpose in which case the stop cock is
placed in communication with the steam in the boiler and on each side of the
engine I provide means by which the driver can there open and shut the steam
regulator,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Thomas Hunt in the Patent
Office on the 3rd June 1884.
THOMAS HUNT of Manchester in the County of Lancaster at present residing
at Buenos Ayres in the Argentine Republic Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES "
My Invention has for its object to effect such Improvements in Locomotive
Steam Engines as will render them more effective economical and controlable in
their working and less noisy than hitherto.
According to my said Invention I place the uptake of the Boilers of the Engine
on the side opposite to or furthest from the fire door and between the fire door and
the uptake aro arranged pendant tubes and a pendant bridge or water space which
interrupt the direct current of air from the fire door and assist in heating and
mixing the said air with the gases in the fire box before they arrive at the uptake
This improvement is illustrated in sectional plan in Figure 1 (Sheet 1) and in
sectional elevation in Figure 2 (Sheet 1) of the accompanying Drawings-A is the
boiler and B the fire box and E the fire door-D is the uptake which is situated at
the side opposite to and farthest from the fire door E Between the said uptake D
and the fire door are arranged pendant tubes C which are shewn as being double.
They are in communication with the water space of the boiler so that the water
passes into them. The double arrangement is provided to give a proper circulation
through the said pendant tubes.
Figures 3 and 4 (Sheet 1) are corresponding views of a modification wherein a
pendant bridge or water space is provided in addition to the pendant tubes. In
the said bridge or space is shewn a partition for giving a good circulation.
I fill the annular space between the outer chimney and the inner chimney with
a nonconductor of sound or absorber of vibrations such as fireclay asbestos sand or
the like to deaden the noise of the exhaust steam This is represented in Figures 4:
5 and 6 (Sheet 1) where the space which is so filled is marked x. d is the base for
securing the chimney to the boiler. With the same object I provide a self adjusting
blast pipe whereby the area of the orifice of the pipe is automatically varied by
the varying pressure or velocity of the exhaust steam acting upon a conical or
equivalently shaped valve held in its normal position by a spring or weight which
as the pressure or velocity of the exhaust steam increases is compressed or relieved
and the valve further opened,
Figures 7 and 8 (sheet 1) represent this improvement in plan and vertical
section-A is the blast pipe and B the conical upper portion thereof. O is a conical
or hemispherical valve secured to a spindle F adjustable by nuts G in the arm or
bow piece E supporting the said valve spindle. D is a spring pressing the valve
towards the orifice of the blast pipe. The pressure on the spring D is adjusted by
the nut G so that the valve C will be retained in such a position that the area of
the annular space surrounding the valve permits the exhaust steam to escape freely
when the engine is doing a moderate amount of work and the resistance of the
said spring D is such that any excess of pressure or velocity in the exhaust steam
will compress it and increase the said annular space and so proportionately lessen
the noise of the exhaust I place a water tank at each end but at opposite sides of
the engine where the driver stands, the depths of the tanks being such that the
driver can stand thereon when at work and upon each tank an injector is placed
the overflow from which runs back into the tanks and thus economises water and
piping.
i
Figure 9 (sheet 1) is a plan and Figure 10 (sheet 1) an elevation illustrating this
improvement. C are the water tanks at each end and at opposite sides of the Engine
they are of small depth for the purpose stated. A represents the boiler and B the
frame-D are injectors provided with overflow pipes E leading into the tanks.
F are the suction pipes for supplying water to the injectors. G are the steam pipes

page_text: to the injectors and H are the feed pipes from the injectors to the boiler, This
arrangement avoids the loss, and nuisance due to water and steam escaping from
the injectors on to the streets or roadway as the overflow water and steam from
the injectors run into the tanks by the overflow pipes E.
In order to obtain greater heating surface in the boiler of the engine and
consequently a more powerful engine without increasing the wheel base I place the
crank shaft outside or in front of the driving axle to which it is geared by spur
wheels and I incline the cylinders towards the boiler in place of arranging them
vertically. To give the driver, more prompt control over the engine I use
inechanical power to reverse the engine and open and shut the steam regulator
I attach a stop cock in any situation where communication can be made with the
water in the boiler to which I connect a separator to separate the steam from the
water and by means of suitable valves or a valve the water is forced by the pressure
in the boiler into and exhausts from a cylinder the piston of which being connected
to the reversing rod reverses the engine and I provide means by which the driver
can reverse the engine when standing on either side of it. In any convenient
position for connecting with the steam regulator I place a cylinder and by suitable
valves or a valve water from the aforesaid or other separator or from the boiler
direct is forced by the pressure in the boiler into and exhausts from either end
of a cylinder the piston of which being connected with the steam regulator opens
or shuts it. Steam may be used instead of water for this purpose in which case
the stop cock is placed in communication with the steam in the boiler and on each
side of the engine I provide means by which the driver can there open and shut
the steam regulator,
These improvements are illustrated on sheet 2 of the accompanying drawings
whereon Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 an end view of sufficient of a
locomotive to illustrate my improvements and Figures 3 to 7 are details drawn to
a larger scale, Figures 3. 4 and 5 being sections of the cylinder E and the valve
passages thereof, Figure 6 a plan and section of the separator vessel and Figure 7 a
modification of the valve arrangement of the cylinder E,
A is the boiler and B is a pipe leading from the said boiler to and up into a
separator C from which a pipe D leads to the reversing cylinder E by means of a
passage F provided with double beat valves G. G'. which valves are in passages
leading to opposite ends of the cylinder and are opened by the tappets H, H², on
the shafts I, I¹ on the outer ends of which shafts are arms J, J', connected together
by the rod K which is affixed to the lever L turning on the shaft M extending
from side to side of the engine and with handles N, N¹ situated so that the driver
can operate the valves from either side. On the opposite side of the cylinder E are
two double beat valves 0, 0¹, opened by the tappets P, P¹, also fixed on the
shafts I, I, in such a position relatively with the tappets H, H₁, that the valves G
and O¹ are opened simultaneously whilst "the valves G¹ and O remain closed and
similarly the valves G¹ and O are opened simultaneously whilst the valves G and O'
remain closed. The valves O O¹ open and close the exhaust passages leading from
opposite ends of the cylinder, When the boiler pressure is admitted to the
cylinder E by one or the other of the valves G, G¹, the piston R is moved in one or
the other direction and the rod of the said piston being connected to the reversing
gear the said gear is operated to reverse the engine, The pipe B being connected
to the boiler below the water level water and steam will pass through it into the
upper part of the separator C, The outlet of the pipe D being at the bottom of
the vessel C hot water only will pass to the cylinder E, the steam occupying the
upper part of the vessel C, The valves G, G₁, and O, O¹, being arranged so that
the internal pressure in the cylinder tends to close them, any pressure therein in
excess of that in the pipe D due for example to the friction of the block in the
motion link will not open the said valves or permit escape of water from the
cylinder unless the valves be opened by the mechanism provided for the purpose
consequently until the said valves are so opened the piston will retain the gear
firmly in position.
זי

page_text: Instead of the arrangement of valves herein before described the cylinder E
may if desired be provided with an ordinary slide valve as shewn at Figure 7
(sheet 2) by which the water in the chamber F supplied by the pipe D is
admitted to either end of the cylinder and simultaneously exhausted from the other
end after the manner in which steam engines are worked,
Referring now to the improvements provided for enabling prompt control to be
gained by the application of the pressure of the steam in the boiler to open and
shut the regulator,
S is a cylinder containing a piston whose rod is connected with the rod T which
actuates the regulator V through the lever U and rod U₁, An ordinary slide
valve V' in the chest V* is employed to open and close the inlet and exhaust
ports S S¹ The chest V2 is supplied with steam or steam and water by the
pipe V leading from the boiler and provided with a cock V' The valve V' is
actuated from either side of the engine by means of handles Ve fixed to the
shaft V8 provided with an arm V° connected by a link Vs with one end of the
lever V the other end of which is connected to the rod of the slide valve. The
chest V'may if preferred be supplied with water from the separator C in place of
with steam from the boiler,
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,
First, In locomotive steam engines for tramways or other purposes placing the
uptake of the engine boiler at the side farthest from or opposite to the fire door
and providing the intervening space with pendent tubes or water spaces
substantially as and for the purpose bereinbefore described with reference to
Figures 1 to 4 of Sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings,
Second, In locomotive steam engines constructing the chimney in two parts or
tubes one within the other with a space between them in which is contained a
substance capable of acting as a nonconductor of sound or an absorber of
vibrations as herein before described and illustrated by Figures 5 and 6 Sheet 1 of
the accompanying Drawings,
Third In locomotive steam engines the combination with the blast pipe of a
valve for automatically varying the area of escape for the exhaust steam in
accordance with the pressure thereof substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 7 and 8 (sheet 1) of the accompanying drawings,
Fourth, In locomotive steam engines arranging water tanks as shewn in
Figures 9 and 10 Sheet 1 of the accompanying drawings with injectors having
the overflow therefrom led back into the tanks,
Fifth In locomotive steam engines the arrangement in combination with the
reversing gear of means for actuating it by pressure from the boiler substantially
as described and illustrated on sheet of the accompanying drawings.
Sixth. In locomotive steam engines the arrangement in combination with the
steam regulator of means for opening and closing it by pressure from the boiler
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by figures 1 and 2 Sheet 2
of the accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Hunt have to this my Specification set
my hand and seal this thirtieth day of May One thousand eight hundred and
eighty four