IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY LOCOMOTIVES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, DANIEL M°INTOSH REID of 53 Paultons Square Chelsea London in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY LOCOMOTIVES" to be as follows:-
65
.
My invention chiefly relates to improvements in the application of the compound
system to railway and tramway locomotives.
The chief aims to be attained being economy in steam and fuel by employing.
the compound system when working on level and easy grade lines and by having
a large cylinder capacity adapted to be instantaneously changed from compound to
simple engine system to have a command of power for steep gradients and for.
starting heavy trains, equal to two ordinary engines of similar size. The arrange-
ment of cylinders consists of two for high pressure steam and two for low pressure.
The former are arranged inside the frames and have a central valve chest as in the
case of ordinary inside cylinder locomotives, and the latter are arranged outside.
The pistons of all four cylinders are connected with the same driving shaft and
driving wheels. The outside connecting rods are connected with crank pins
arranged in the driving wheels, and the inside rods are connected with the cranks
on the driving axle.
The crank pins in the driving wheels and the driving axle cranks are set on
separate centres, by which arrangement the strain caused by any one of the
cranks (when passing the top centre for example) is always counterbalanced by
another opposing strain at the same time passing the bottom centre.
The following are about the proportions in the size of the cylinders for the
different classes of engine.
For ordinary heavy class locomotives inside (high pressure) cylinders about
14" dia x 17" stroke, the outside (low pressure) cylinders about 18" dia x 22"
stroke. For light (metre gauge) railway locomotives, the inside cylinders about
12" dia x 14" stroke, outside about 16" dia x 18" stroke.
(The same arrangements of cylinders are alike adapted for high speed and slow
speed railway engines, a difference in the diameters of the wheels only, being
required.)
:
For tramway locomotives, inside cylinders about 6" dia x 10" stroke outside
10" dia x 12 stroke.
Slight deviations from the above proportions as well as the size of the
cylinders, will, in some cases be found advisable, but, as a rule, they will be
found applicable.”

page_text: The stroke of the inside cylinders may always be arranged more or less shorter
than the stroke of the outside cylinders. The cylinders are stayed together and
form supports to each other.
The outside cylinder valve chests are arranged on the top of the cylinders and
the ports are arranged to take up as narrow space as practicable close to the
inside of the cylinder. This is to admit of room for the large cylinder exhaust
pipe without projecting on the outside of the cylinder.
The travel of the outside valves being opposite to that of the inside valves, they
are worked by two suitably arranged rocking bars having connections with the
outside valve spindles and the reversing link die blocks. The single valve motion
and reversing gear is thus arranged to work the double set of valves.
The rocking bars and connections are easily arranged and regulated.
The exhaust steam pipe (through which the exhaust steam passes from the small
to the large cylinder when working under compound system) is employed as a
valve case for what I call the exhaust division valves.
The two valves are fastened to a bracket arranged inside the pipes, one at each
end. The one at the high pressure cylinder end closes the high pressure exhaust
port on the top of the diversion pipe when working under compound system, and
while it is closed the low pressure valve, at the opposite end, is full open, thus
admitting a free passage of the high pressure exhaust to the low pressure valve
chest. The low pressure valve and port are situated at the bottom of the opposite
end of the diversion pipe. This port is closed and the other opened when all four
cylinders are working under high pressure. The valves are worked by a small
pinion acting upon the bracket, from which a spindle extends to the foot plate.
by which the action of the valves can be instantly changed from simple to
compound.
!
The throttle-valve, and steam pipe leading to the inside valve chest are of the
ordinary inside cylinder locomotive description. The throttle-valves and steamin
pipes leading to the outside cylinder valve chests, by which high pressure steam
is supplied to the large cylinders when they are being worked on simple engine
system are arranged outside extending from the fire-box end of the boiler; where.
the throttle valve cases are arranged conveniently near the main throttle-valve, to
at the employment of a simple gear connecting the three valves when all the
cylinders are working under high pressure. This arrangement being necessary so
that steam may be shut off from and applied to all four cylinders together, as in
case of slipping, when working heavily. When passing sharp corners steam may
always be shut off from the large cylinder on the inside of the corner, by which
means undue strains on the engine and line are obviated.
Either the leading, or the trailing wheels may be coupled with the driving
wheels and for heavy-work all six wheels may be coupled as in ordinary railway
locomotive practice.
For light tramway engines however four wheels only, are necessary, as in
ordinary tramway locomotives.
The boiler is of the ordinary horizontal locomotive type.
In the case of tramway locomotives when a vertical boiler is preferred, one of
the following description is the most suitable for the engine, as well as the most
economical
Height about 5 ft 6 in by about 5 ft in diameter, a waterspace of about 2 in
and a water and steam space of about 15 in in depth over the fire-box crown
plate.
Round the interior of the fire-box is arranged a system of vertical tubes in a
circle or circles, extending from an auxiliary waterspace ring, and rising up through
the fire-box are screwed into the roof-plate.
A large portion of the steam being generated in these vertical tubes and it being
necessary to provide for a continuous flow of water through them to replace that
which has been generated into steam, a circulation pipe (or pipes) is arranged for.
the purpose from the boiler waterspace to the water space ring.

page_text: The water space ring is employed as a firebar frame by which means every inch
of heating surface is utilized,
The grate area may be regulated to suit the draught the fuel employed may
require.
The use of the vertical tubes adds sufficient to the steam generating power of
the fire-box to admit of cross-tubes, or flue tubes, being entirely dispensed with,
a much lighter boiler is thus obtained with equal efficiency.
A circular fire brick shield suspended from the roof of the firebox sufficiently
clear of the chimney flue, acts as a smoke burner and furnace heat deflector causing
all the heat to be utilized.
The vertical tubes and waterspace ring as above described can also be employed
to great advantage in the fireboxes of the horizontal boilers.
In tramway engines, when the vertical boiler is employed, a steam brake of the
following description may be arranged. The cylinder is placed under the, foot
plate, piston connection is effected with a lever on one end of a rocking shaft, with
which the brake gearing (which is on the toggle lever principle) is connected.
The samo gearing is arranged to admit of the brake being also employed, as a hand;
or foot brake, independent of steam power, or both together.
The brake cylinder steam valve and the governor valve open into the one steam
pipe and the steam is exhausted back through the same to the feed water tank by
an exhaust tap.
The exhaust steam being to a certain extent condensed by the action of the
compound system before it is exhausted a very simple condensing arrangement is
sufficient. This consists of two light receiving pipes of suitable diameter passing
along on each side of the roof with a branch from each into the chimney and which
are arranged to adipit of the steam passing into the chimney being superheated and
rendered invisible when escaping. Smaller branch pipes extend from the con-
densing pipes to the watertank.
Another improvement that may be adopted when the vertical form of boiler is
employed on the tramway engine, is a communication cord extending from the
attached cars to the main throttle valve, and the brake steam valve, the former
being adapted to shut, and the latter to open from the cars by means of the cord.
By this arrangement the conductor can shut off steam from the engine, apply the.
steam brake, and bring the train instantly to a stand, without the loss of time
otherwise taken up in calling the attention of the driver.
The parts additional, to those of an ordinary inside cylinder locomotive con-
.sisting of the outside cylinders, the steam pipes, valves &c as described, add very
little to the general cost of the engine courpared with the very important advantages
obtained.

page_text: I DANIEL MCINTOSH REID of 53 Paulton Square Chelsea S.W. London Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention chiefly relates to improvements in the application of the compound
system to Railway and Tramway Locomotives.
The chief aims to be attained are economy in steam and fuel by employing the
compound system when working on level and easy grade lines and by having a
large cylinder capacity adapted to be instantaneously changed from compound to
simple engine system to have a command of power for steep gradients and for
starting heavy trains equal to two ordinary engines of similar size.
The arrangement of cylinders consists of two for high pressure steam and two
for low pressure. The former are preferably arranged inside the frames and have
a central valve chest, as in the case of ordinary inside cylinder locomotives and
the latter are preferably arranged outside. The pistons of all four cylinders are
connected with separate cranks upon the same driving axle and driving wheels the
outside connecting rods taking crank pins in the driving wheels and the inside rods
taking cranks on the axle.
The crank pins in the driving wheels and the cranks on the axle are all set on
separate centres by which arrangement the strain caused by any one of the cranks
(when passing the top centre for. example) is always counteracted by another
opposing strain of another crank passing the bottom centre. For reasons hereafter
stated I prefer to so dispose the crank centres that the piston of one of the high
pressure cylinders shall be at one end of its stroke while the piston of the corre-
sponding low pressure cylinder is at the opposite end but this is merely a matter
of arrangement.
I have given in my provisional specification the proportions of diametors of
cylinders and strokes of pistons which I consider suitable for the various classes of
locomotives but these of course may be varied to suit the work to be done.
.
The travel of one pair of pistons being always opposite to the travel of the other
pair the four valves are worked by two pairs of eccentrics by reversing links
attached to rocking weigh-bars carrying suitable levers attached to the valve
spindles.
The exhaust steam passages through which the exhaust steam passes from the
high pressure to the low pressure cylinders when working compound each forms a
valve case for what I call the "exhaust-diversion" valves. In each of these cases
two valves are arranged, one at each end, secured on one spindle the valve next
high pressure cylinder closing the high pressure exhaust to chimney when working
compound while the valve next low pressure cylinder opens a port admitting the
exhaust steam into steam chest of low pressure cylinder and being instantly
changed by moving the spindle (by suitable gear worked by the driver) when
required to work both cylinders simple high pressure the communication between
the cylinders is closed and the exhaust port from high pressure cylinder direct to

page_text: chimney is opened. The valve chests containing the diversion valves and the
connecting pipes being enclosed in the smoke box the steam in its passage is
partially superheated or protected from loss of temperature. The valves are
secured steam tight on their port faces when closed by having inclined backs
working into inclined grooves and they may be kept in their normal position
(ie for working compound) by springs acting automatically being moved for
working high pressure against the springs.
The throttle valve and steam pipe leading to the inside valve chest are of the
ordinary inside cylinder locomotive description. The throttle valves and steam
pipes leading to the outside cylinder valve chests by which high pressure steam is
supplied to the large cylinders when they are being, worked on simple engine
Bystem, are arranged conveniently for being worked from the footplate connecting
the three valves (ie the main and two auxiliary valves) when all the cylinders are
working under high pressure, as in case of slipping when working heavy loads or
on steep gradients.
When passing sharp curves steam may always be shut off from the large cylinder
on the inside of the curve, by which means undue strains on the engine and line,
are obviated.
Either the leading or the trailing wheels may be coupled with the driving
wheels, and for heavy work all six wheels may be coupled as in ordinary railway
locomotive practice.
For light tramway engines, however, four wheels only are necessary as in
ordinary Tramway Locomotives.
The boiler is of the ordinary horizontal locomotive type proportioned to the sizes
of cylinders.
In the case of tramway locomotives when a vertical boiler is preferred it may be
of any of the types now in use, but I prefer as a very efficient steam generator one
of the following construction-Round the interior of the firebox is arranged a
system of vertical tubes, in a circle, or circles, extending from an auxiliary water
space ring, and rising up through the fire box are screwed into the roof plate.
A large portion of the steam being generated in these vertical tubes, and it being
necessary to provide for a continuous flow of water through them, to replace that
which has been converted into steam a circulation pipe (or pipes) is arranged for
the purpose from the boiler water-space to the water-space ring.
The water space ring is employed as a fire bar frame by which means every inch
of heating surface is utilized. The grate area may be regulated to suit the draught
the fuel employed may require.
The use of the vertical tubes adds sufficient to the steam generating power of the
fire-box to admit of cross tubes, or flue tubes, being entirely dispensed with, a much
lighter boiler is thus obtained with.equal efficiency.
A circular fire brick shield suspended from the roof of the fire box, sufficiently
clear of the chimney flue acts as a smoke burner and furnace heat deflector causing
all the heat to be utilized.
The vertical tubes and water space ring as above described can also be employed
to great advantage in the fire-boxes of the horizontal boilers.
A steam brake of the following description may be arranged. The cylinder is
placed under the foot plate, piston connection is effected with a lever on one end
of a rocking shaft, with which the brake gearing (which is on the toggle lever
principle) is connected. The gearing may be arranged to admit of the brake
being also employed as a hand or foot brake independent of steam power or both
together.
In the case of tramway locomotives the brake cylinder steam valve and the
governor valve, (which will be required) open into the one steam pipe. The
exhaust steam passes by a pipe, fitted with a valve, to the feed water tank.
The exhaust steam being to a certain extent condensed by the action of the
compound system before it is exhausted, a very simple condensing arrangement is
sufficient and the exhaust steam may be partially utilized to heat the feed: water...

page_text: In tramway locomotives a communication cord may be attached from the
passenger cars to the main throttle valve and brake valve arranged so as instantly
to shut off the steam and apply the brake in case of emergency.
The chief features constituting the improvements in my invention may be briefly
stated as
First. The use of four cylinders-two high pressure and two low pressure-all
working on separate cranks on the same driving axle.
;
Second. The arrangement of the cranks by which the strain of each piston
is counteracted by that of one of the others and the disposition of the cranks
relatively to the H. P and L. P. pistons which I prefer, by which the high pressure
exhaust escapes direct into the low pressure cylinder at the instant required by the
L. P piston. Thus releasing the back pressure from the H. P piston and to the full
extent utilizing the force contained in the high pressure exhaust.
;
Third. The arrangement of high pressure exhaust diversion valves and pipe by
which the systems are instantaneously changed from compound to high pressure in
all cylinders and vice versa or in either pair of cylinders.
Fourth. The arrangement by which the four slide valves are- worked by an
ordinary single valve motion of two fore gear and two back gear eccentrics and
single reversing lever,
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings I illustrate my invention as applied to a
railway locomotive engine.
Figure 1 is a side elevation. Figure 2 an end section through smoke box and-
cylinders and Figure 3 a plan one half shewing the boiler removed. Figures 4. 5.
and 6 shew the exhaust diversion valve chest and valves to a larger scale. The
same letters indicate the same parts on all the Figures where they are repeated.
A A are the high pressure cylinders the steam chest of which join on centre line
of engine and receive steam from the boiler through the pipe B which is common
to both. C.C' are the exhaust branches opening into one end of the exhaust
diversion valve chests D D', the opposite ends of which join branches on the steam
chests of low pressure cylinders E E¹. The cylinders A and E on one side shew the
exhaust diversion valves set for working compound-their normal position-and
the cylinders A¹ and E¹ on the other side shew them set for working high pressure
in both cylinders. In the first case the steam after acting in the bigh pressure
cylinder, exhausts into the valve chest D and, the high pressure exhaust pipe (F)
being closed by the valve G, passes into the steam chest of the low pressure
cylinder E through the port, now opened by the valve H, and after acting on the
piston exhausts by the pipe J into the chimney. In the other case the positions of
the diversion valves G and H have been changed by suitable gear worked from
the footboard by the driver who at the same time opens the auxiliary throttle
valve K¹ to admit steam into the steam chest of low pressure cylinder E¹ by the
pipe L. The valve Hhas now closed the passage to steam chest of cylinder E¹
and the valve G' has opened the passage to exhaust pipe (F) and the steam having
acted in high pressure cylinder exhausts direct through that pipe into chimney
while the steam, admitted direct from boiler by auxiliary throttle valve to
cylinder E¹, after acting in piston exhausts through the pipe J¹ into chimney.
Reducing valves may be provided to moderate the pressure of the steam from
boiler when admitted direct to larger cylinders. The arrangement of the four
cranks M N O and P on driving axle as shewn is that which I consider adapted to
give the best results when working compound the high and low pressure pistons
respectively on each side working on opposite strokes to each other the low pressure
pistons being thus always in exact position for receiving steam as the high pressure
cylinder exhausts and the full pressure of the exhaust steam is utilised. I do not
however restrict myself to this disposition of the cranks relatively to each other
and to, the, respective cylinders. The slide valves in any arrangement of the four
i

page_text: cranks can be worked through the intervention of weigh-bars and arms-by two
pairs of eccentrics for back and fore gear of the four cylinders. The arrangement
of valve gear shewn is very simple one pair of eccentrics QQ¹ and a link R
operating a rocking weigh-bar S giving the required movements to the valves of
both high and low pressure cylinders on one side for fore and back gear. The
modification of valve gear to effect the same results with the cranks of each pair
of cylinders at right angles to each other will be obvious.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In compound Locomotive engines for railways or tramways the application
of four cylinders-two high pressure and two low pressure-working onto four
cranks set at quarter divisions of a circle-on one driving axle.
Second. In compound Locomotive engines for railways or tramways the applica-
tion of four cylinders two high pressure and two low pressure working onto four
cranks on one driving axle so disposed at quarter divisions of a circle that the high
pressure piston and low pressure piston on one side of engine shall work in opposite
strokes to each other substantially as described and illustrated on drawing.
Third. In compound Locomotive engines for railways or tramways the applica-.
tion of an exhaust diversion valve or valves and an auxiliary throttle valve or
valves constructed and operating as described and shewn for the purpose of
working two or more cylinders compound or high pressure as may be required.
Fourth. In compound locomotive engines for railways or tramways with four
cylinders, two high pressure and two low pressure, working onto. four cranks set
at quarter divisions of a circle on one driving axle-working the valves of all the
cylinders by four eccentrics, two for forward and two for backward gear, substan-
tially as described and illustrated.
Fifth. The combination of parts in such locomotive engines for railways or
tramways comprising two high pressure cylinders, two low pressure cylinders, one
driving axle with four cranks set at quarter divisions of a circle, exhaust diversion
valves auxiliary throttle valves, four eccentrics and two reversing links working
the valves, of all four cylinders by rocking shafts for forward or backward gear,
steam brakes on the " toggle" principle adapted to work also by manual power
with means in the case of tramway locomotives for shutting off steam and applying
brakes from passenger car and for disposing of the exhaust steam by condensing
apparatus the whole arranged and operating as described and in part illustrated by
drawings.