IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND TENDERS."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Sharp, of Sheffield, in the County of York, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
AND TENDERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Sharp at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th September 1879.
JOSEPH SHARP, of Sheffield, in the County of York.
RELATING TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND TENDERS."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of locomotive
engines and tenders, and to additions thereto to adapt the engine to perform the
work of an ordinary fire-engine.
The improvements in the construction of locomotive engines consists, firstly, in
the method of supporting the fire-box end of the boiler on the engine framing.
According to the method hitherto adopted a bracket or stay has been fixed to each
side of the fire-box shell, and those brackets have rested on or been fixed to the
top part of the frame plates of the engine, so that any shock received by the frames
has been transmitted through the brackets to the sides of the fire-box shell.
My improvements consist in supporting the fire-box on angle irons or other
projections fixed to or forming part of the lower part of the frame plates, and
fixing on or fitting to the upper part of each side of the fire-box shell rubbing
plates, which will bear against brackets or stays fixed to the frame plates. The
foundation ring of the fire-box (the ring placed between the inside and outside
plates of the fire-box) will have projections to which the ordinary ashes pan will
be attached either directly or to an angle iron attached to the projections on the
said foundation ring and placed immediately underneath the angle iron or pro-
jection on the frame plate which supports the fire-box, thereby preventing the fire-
box being lifted from its seating. By this arrangement the fire-box will be secured
in position, but will be free to move longitudinally when expansion and con-
traction of the fire-box and boiler takes place, and the fire-box will be free from
the strains to which it is subjected by the ordinary method of construction.
The improvements in locomotive engines and tenders consist, secondly, in an
improved method of fastening the tyres to the wheels. In carrying this part of
..מ

page_text: my Invention into effect I form on the outside edge of the tyre a deep lip or
internal flange, and I form on the rim, or rim and spokes, or on the spokes, suitable
projections through which bolt or rivet holes can be made. Holes for rivets or
bolts are made through the internal flange of the tyre, and through the rim or
spokes of the wheel, and rivets or bolts are employed to secure the said tyre and
wheel together. The face of the rim of the wheel can be formed with one or more
dovetailed recesses or projections, which will fit up to similarly formed projections
or recesses on or in the inside of the tyre.
The improvements. in. the construction of the tender of a locomotive engine
.consists in forming on or fitting to the front end thereof a tool box or cupboard
and water receiver, either with or without a "weather board in combination
therewith.
As ordinarily constructed the water receiver and tool-box are separate, and are
placed at the back end of the tender of the locomotive.
My improvements consist in combining the said tool-box or cupboard, water
receiver, and weather board, and placing them on the front of the tender; and in
carrying this part of my Invention into effect I propose to make them in one iron
casting and fit the said casting to the tender, the tool box or cupboard being of
ordinary form with swing or sliding doors. With these improvements the attendant
will be able to fill the water tank and have access to his tools (&c., &c.,) without.
leaving the foot plate of the engine.
.
My improvements in locomotive engines to adapt them to perform the work of
ordinary fire engines consist in the employment of a branch pipe from the main feed
pipe between the injector and the boiler, the said boiler, feed pipe, and branch for
the fire hose being fitted with valves to control the direction of the current of
water impelled from and by the said injector, the said pipes and valves being so
constructed and fitted as that the current of water can be directed either to the
boiler or through the fire hose pipe at the discretion of the attendant.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Sharp in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd March 1880.
JOSEPH SHARP, of Sheffield, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND TENDERS."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of locomotive engines
and tenders.
The improvements in the construction of locomotive engines consists in the
method of supporting the fire-box end of the boiler on the engine. framing.
According to the method hitherto adopted brackets or straps have been fixed to
each side of the fire-box shell, and those brackets have rested on or been fixed to
the top part of the frame plates of the engine, so that any shock received by the
frames has been transmitted through the brackets to the sides of the fire-box
shell.
My improvements consist in supporting the fire box on angle irons, or other
projections fixed to or forming part of the lower part of the frame plates, and
fixing on or fitting to the upper part (or as an equivalent the upper and lower part,
or the lower part only where necessary or advisable) of each side of the fire-box
shell rubbing plates which will bear against brackets or stays fixed to the frame
plates. The foundation ring of the fire-box (the ring placed between the inside
and outside plates of the fire-box) will have projections to which the ordinary
ashes pan will be attached either directly or to angle iron attached to the pro-
jections on the said foundation ring, and placed immediately underneath the angle
iron or projection on the frame plate which supports the fire-box, thereby pre-
venting the fire-box being lifted from its seating; by this arrangement the fire-box
will be secured in position, but will be free to move longitudinally when expansion
and contraction of the fire-box and barrel of the boiler takes place, and the fire-box
will be free from the strains to which it is subjected by the ordinary method of
construction, and the sides of the fire-box which are the largest surfaces thereof,
and consequently the weakest are cushioned and freed from the rigid action of the
brackets, and the life of the stays which are continually breaking under the old
method of construction is prolonged, and by my improved method of construction
the strain of supporting the weight of the fire-box end of the boiler is entirely
removed from the sides of the fire-box to the framing of the engine, and the only
holes made in the firebox side plates are (practically) those for staying the inside
and outside plates of the box, and in addition the boiler is easily removed from
the frames when repairs are necessary.
The improvements in the construction of the tender of a locomotive engine
consists in forming on or fitting to the front end thereof a tool box or cupboard
and water receiver either with or without a weather board in combination
therewith.
As ordinary constructed the water receiver and tool box are separate, and are
placed at the back end of the locomotive.
My improvements consist in combining the said tool box or cupboard, water
receiver, and weather-board, and placing them on the front of the tender; and in
carrying this part of my Invention into effect I make them in one iron casting and
fit the said casting to the tender, or I make them of wrought iron or of any other
suitable material, the tool box or cupboard being of ordinary form with swing.or
sliding doors. With these improvements the attendant will be able to fill the water
tank and ascertain the quantity of water therein at any time, and have access to
his tools (et cetera) without leaving the foot plate of the engine, from which
many accidents have occurred, and without running the risk of climbing over the
tender and coals to get at the water receiver as at present placed in ordinary tenders.
In the accompanying four Sheets of Drawings,-
Figures 1 to Fig. 20 (inclusive) illustrate my improvements in supporting the

page_text: fire-box end of the locomotive boiler; and Fig. 21 to Fig. 32 (inclusive) illustrate
my improvements in the construction of the tenders of locomotive engines; and also
the said improvements applied to: tank locomotive engines; or engines. and tenders.
combined.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,, and 5 illustrate one of my improved modes of supporting the fire-
box; Fig. 1 is a side view in elevation;. Fig.. 2 is a transverse vertical section ;
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of one side of the framing, showing angle iron supports;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical
section. A is a rubbing plate fixed on to the side of the fire-box G; B, B, and C, C,
are angle irons, and D a plate fixed thereto, the said plate and angle irons being
fixed to the inside frame F, and outside plate E; L is an angle iron fixed
to the inside frame F; G is the fire-box; J is one of the fire-box plates, and H
is one of the outside shell plates; K. is the foundation ring of the fire-box having.
lugs P, to which the ashpan N is attached; M is an angle iron fixed to the ashpan
N, and bolted or otherwise secured to the projections on the foundation ring K.
Fig. 6 to Fig. 10 (inclusive) illustrate a second method of supporting the fire-box,
being a modification of the method above firstly described.. Fig. 6. is a side view,
the front support being shown with a central projection to the foundation ring,
and the back support being shown with a side projection to the said foundation
ring; Fig 7 is a back end view in elevation; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section; Fig. 9
is an enlarged sectional elevation of the front fire, box support shown (to the left)
in Fig. 6; Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the back fire box support,
as shown (to the right) in Fig. 6. In this modification transverse stay plates 0, 0,
are fixed to the two inside frame plates F, F, the said plates being placed near to
the front and back shell plates of the fire box, and having angle irons L, L, fixed
thereto upon which the foundation ring K rests, and having slots or recesses
through which the projections on the foundation ring pass.
As a further modification two rubbing plates A and A¹ are employed instead of
one, as shewn in Fig. 1, this method being especially applicable where my improve-
ments are adapted to the old style of framing.
Figs. 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 show my said improvements as applied to a single
fraine engine. In this modification transverse stay plates O, O, are employed
in combination with plates Q, Q, which are fitted to or part of the frames F, F.
The angle irons L, L, which support the foundation ring K are bolted or otherwise
fixed to the plates Q, Q. The foundation ring K has a grooved projection P into
which the angle iron L onters; to the underside of the foundation ring K is fixed
the angle iron M and the ashpan N is secured to the said angle iron M..
Figs. 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 show my said improvements as applied to a double.
framed engine with expansion brackets R, R, in which the outside frames slide in
combination with transverse stay plates 0, 0, and extra plates Q, Q, fixed to or
part of the inside frame plates F, F, which carry the angle irons L, L, on which the
fire box G is supported. In this modification the foundation ring K is convex on
its under side, and the upper face of the angle iron L is concave, the one fitting into
the other. The under side of the upper face of the said angle iron L being convex
against which the concave face of the angle iron M is secured the foundation ring K
has lugs or projections P, to which are attached the ashpan N, and the angle iron M.
Figs. 21 and 23 are front views, and Figs. 22 and 24 are side views in
elevation of an ordinary tender to which my improvements are applied. A, A,
is the ordinary tender tank, and B the ordinary coping; C, C, is the cupboard;
D, D, are two water receivers through which the tank A, A, is filled; E, E, is a
weather board; F, F, are two spectacle glasses; and G, G, are two receptacles for
the long firing tools, such as the pricker, rake, and dart.
The improved cupboard, water receiver, and weather board combined, as shown
in Figs. 21 and 22, are of cast iron, and the weather board is towards the back of
the cupboard. In Figs. 23 and 24 the improved cupboard, water receiver, and
weather board are of wrought iron, and the weather board is placed at the front of
the cupboard.

page_text: Figures 25 and 26 show the above mentioned improvements applied to a tank
engine, or engine and tender combined. A is the ordinary tank; D, D, are the
water receivers; C, C, the cupboards; E, the weather board; F, F, the spectacle
glasses in frames with hinges to open and shut to give access to the water
receiver.
Fig. 27 is a side view in elevation, and Fig. 28 is a front view in elevation of
my improved weather board E, water receivers D, D, and cupboards C, C,
combined as made of wrought iron, and applied to a tender A with a well tank K,
the weather board E being extended so as to form an overhead shelter, and the
spectacle glasses F, F, in frames being hinged to give access to the water receivers.
Figs. 29 and 30 show a further modification in the combination of the cup-
boards C, C, water receivers D, D, and weather board E, the said weather board
being extended to form an overhead and back shelter, and the cupboards C, C,
being brought down on to or near to the foot plate.
Fig. 31 is a front view, and Fig. 32 is a side view of my said improvements as
applied to an ordinary tender in which the water receivers D, D, are so formed
and fitted as to hold a pan or other receptacle for holding various articles, or as a
further modification plates can be placed on internal projections or flanges at the
bottom of the water receivers D, D, so that various articles may be stored in the.
said water receivers D, D. Fig. 33 is an enlarged vertical section of a water
receiver D, with a pan H.
As a further modification of the above described improvement I place the
water receivers at the front end of the tender and immediately behind, and
combined with them I place the tool boxes or tool cupboards, and across the coal
space (between the side tanks) I place the weather board either as a permanency
or in two or more parts to hinge or slide.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be 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 mo by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
.
Firstly. Improvements in locomotive engines by supporting the fire box end of
the boiler on angle irons or other projections fixed to or forming part of the lower
end of the framing, and detaching the fire box from the framing or frame brackets,
and employing rubbing plates against which the framing or frame brackets bear,
substantially as hereinbefore specified and described in reference to Figures 1 to
Figure 20, of Sheets 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Improvements in the tenders of locomotive engines, or in engines and
tenders combined (commonly called tank engines) by combining tool cupboards,
water receivers, and weather boards, and placing them in such a position that the
tanks can be filled with water, and access had to the working tools without
the attendant leaving the foot plate, substantially as hereinbefore specified and
described in reference to Figures 21 to Figure 32, of Sheets 3 and 4 of the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Sharp, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fourth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.