IMPROVE-- MENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter George Harris, of Buckingham Street, Adelphi,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE--
MENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES."-A communication.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Peter George Harris at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declara-
tion, on the 29th July '1854, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
GEORGE HARRIS, of Buckingham Street, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I, the said Peter George Harris, have petitioned Her Majesty
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal,
Letters Patent for an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES,”
being a communication from abroad:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter George Harris, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, and the two Sheets of Drawings therein referred to (that
is to say):-
This Invention consists of an arrangement which has the advantage of
transferring the greatest weight to the driving wheels and casing the loco-
motive round the sharpest curve. This arrangement is shown in the accom-
panying Sheets 1 and 2. The fore part of the locomotive supports the boiler
and engine, and the hind part the tender and a portion of the weight of the

page_text: boiler, as seen on Sheet 1. These two parts are coupled by a strong axis a,
placed between the hind axle of the fore part and the fore axle of the hind
part. The fore part has an inside frame and the hind part an outside frame,
the fire box being so situated within the latter frame as to allow the fore part,
and consequently the boiler, to revolve on the axis a, in accordance with the
sharpest curve of the railway.
The fore part may contain three or only two axles, and the axis a ought to
be situated at such a point, that both parts of the locomotive may, in passing
any curve of the line, occupy the same relative position as they would do if
independent of each other.
The tanks are placed on both sides, along the cylindrical part of the boiler,
upon a platform, resting upon the driving wheels, in order to increase their
adhesion. The wheels of the foro part are coupled in the usual way, by means
of coupling rods; if, however, increased adhesion should be required, the
hind axle of the fore part may be coupled to the front axle of the hind
part by means of toothed wheels, the fore wheels of the hind part of the loco-
motive being coupled by ordinary coupling rods. As indicated on Sheet 2, the
wheels work together exactly under the axis a, and the axis of the wheel is
supported by cross beams, so as to follow the movement of the locomotive
wheels attached thereto, and to cause the toothed wheels to work together in
a straight line.
Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is an elevation; and Fig. 2, a plan; Sheet 2, Figs. 3, 4,
aud 5 are views, shewing the arrangement of the toothed wheels; and Fig. 6,
shewing the position of the toothed wheels with reference to the axle.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which it may be carried into effect, I desire it to
be understood that I claim the arrangement by which the weight is distributed
over a long portion of line, and the articulation of the fore and hind parts of
the locomotive, as before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter George Harris, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
PETER GEORGE HARRIS. (L.S.)