IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE AND PORTABLE ENGINES PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES FOR RAIL AND TRAM-WAYS AND PART TO OTHER ENGINES "
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Piers Watt Boulton of Tew Park in the
County of Oxford and Edward Perrett of 8 Victoria Chambers in the City of
Westminster Civil Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCOMOTIVE AND PORTABLE ENGINES PART OF WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO
CARRIAGES FOR RAIL AND TRAM-WAYS AND PART TO OTHER ENGINES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Piers Watt-
Boulton and Edward Perrett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 23rd October 1882.
=
"
MATTHEW PIERS WATT BOULTON of Tew Park in the County of Oxford and
EDWARD PERRETT of 8 Victoria Chambers in the City of Westminster Civil
Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE AND PORTABLE ENGINES PART OF
WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES FOR RAIL AND TRAMWAYS AND PART TO
OTHER ENGINES
"
This Invention relates first to means of supplying motive power to locomotive
and portable engines.
We employ for this purpose the expansion by beat of atmospheric air and we
apply heat to the air to be used as motor in a similar manner to that described in
the Specification of a Patent granted to us N° 1788 in the present year.
We use a strong vessel capable of withstanding internal pressure and lined and
partly filled with fire brick or similar material as therein explained.
We adapt a portion of the interior of this vessel as a furnace or combustion
chamber for consuming solid or it may be liquid or gaseous fuel. We also provide
means for entirely closing the vessel after its contents have been heated. The
vessel when so closed can be put under any required pressure-it can also be put
into communication with the parts of an engine.
It then takes the place of the ordinary steam boiler of a locomotive or portable
engine. Heated air under pressure passes from it to the working cylinders and
cold or cooled air is returned to it by the force pump of the engine.
The vessel containing the heated fire brick may be mounted in a similar manner
to the boiler of a locomotive or tram-way engine or of an agricultural or portable.
ID 71

page_text: engine as the case may be and the working cylinders of the engine may kewise
be mounted and arranged in a similar manner to those of the various classes of
engines mentioned..
When it is desired to run the engine the fire brick or other material in the vessel
is first heated to a suitable temperature as described in the Specification before
mentioned. The connection with the atmosphere is then cut off and the pressure
of air in the vessel is raised to any desired pressure by forcing air into it and by
the expansion of the air by heat. The connection with the cylinders of the engine
may now be opened and the engine will be driven as long as sufficient heat is
stored in the vessel-when this is exhausted the vessel must be again heated before
the engine can again be worked. If in any case it is desired to keep up a
continuous motion of the locomotive or other engine two vessels to be fired
alternately can be used.
The air used in the engine may be taken in from the atmosphere, the exhaust
being discharged into this, but we consider it generally preferable to discharge
the exhaust into a cooling vessel or refrigerator, in which the air is maintained at
high pressure, and take in the supply of cool air from this.
The refrigeration may be effected in various ways. It may be produced by a
current of cold air created by a fan or suitable apparatus and assisted by the
movement of the engine-this current acting on pipes or apparatus of any suitable
form.
It may otherwise be produced by cold water, carried as a store in a vessel.
Where the engine works on a railway cold water may be taken up for the purpose
of refrigeration by a scoop from troughs provided for the purpose as is now
practiced in some cases for supplying feed water to the engine.
One mode of proceeding is to cool the exhaust by water, and to cool this water
by pumping or forcing through it cold air taken from the atmosphere. This air
being caused to pass through the water in numerous fine streams..
In order to economise the heat we in some cases employ a feed-heater, being an
apparatus in which the exhaust heats the air on its way from the cylinder to the
heater.
One form of such apparatus is as follows Two chambers are united by tubes,
and the hot exhaust passes through these, from one chamber to the other. These
tubes and chambers are surrounded by a casing, through which the feed passes in a
direction opposite to that of the exhaust by which it is to be heated. Distributing
plates are provided for causing the air to flow equably amongst the tubes. Spiral
wires or pieces are or may be placed within and around the tubes in order to
disturb the current of the air both in them and amongst them.
An expansion joint is formed at one end between the internal heating apparatus
and the enveloping chamber.
The apparatus above mentioned for cooling the exhaust and heating the feed are
also applicable to stationary engines.
We also construct locomotive and tram engines with three pair of wheels-the
axle of the central pair is carried in the ordinary manner by the side frames whilst
the axles of the pairs of wheels at either end are each carried in swinging frame
pivotting in the manner of a Bissel' truck on a centre between the axle and the
central pair of wheels. The two swinging fraines or trucks we gear together in
such manner that if one.is inclined the other is inclined also. In some cases tho
swinging frame is prolonged to the centre of the carriage and is there provided
with a toothed sector and the toothed sectors of the two frames are made to gear
together, but we prefer that the swinging frames near their axles, should be each
provided with a rack into which gears a pinion carried on each end of a
connecting shaft mounted upon the carriage. Or the connection between the two
swinging frames may be made by a shaft carrying at each end a lever and link
fixed to each frame. In any of these ways the frames will be made to move
simultaneously and set the axles in radial directions when passing through a curve.

page_text: at the same time the arrangement is perfectly rigid when on the straight part of
the line.
By the above described arrangement the motive power may be applied to the
centre or fixed axle. In cases where it is desirable to obtain more weight for
adhesion one or both of the axles of the swinging frames may be coupled to the
fixed driving axle by bevil gear and longitudinal shaft. with universal joint
where the swinging frame pivots or by endless pitch chains and chain wheels or
otherwise.
Cars or carriages for rail or tramways may similarly be provided with three
pairs of wheels and with the axles of the end pairs mounted on swinging frames
which are geared together where passing around a curve, and the leading axle is
set inwards towards the centre of the curve and inclined to the central axle the.
other end axle is also similarly set inwards, and inclined.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Mattliew Piers Watt Boulton and Edward Perrett in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 20th April 1883.
MATTHEW PIERS WATT BOULTON of Tew Park in the County of Oxford and
EDWARD PERRETT of 8 Victoria Chambers in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE AND PORTABLE ENGINES PART OF
WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES FOR RAIL AND TRAM-WAYS AND PART TO
OTHER ENGINES'
"
This invention relates first to means of supplying motive power to locomotive
and portable engines:
We employ for this purpose the expansion by heat of atmospheric air and we
apply heat to the air to be used as motor in a similar manner to that described in
the Specification of a Patent granted to us N° 1788 in the year 1882.
We use a strong vessel capable of withstanding internal pressure and lined and
partly filled with fire brick or similar material. We adapt a portion of the interior
of this vessel as a furnace or combustion chamber for consuming solid or it may be
liquid or gaseous fuel or we so form the vessel that heated gases from a separate
furnace may be passed through it. We also provide means for entirely closing the
vessel after its contents have been heated. The vessel when so closed can be put
under any required pressure. It can also be put into communication with the
parts of a caloric or hot air engine, it then takes the place of the ordinary steam
boiler of a locomotive or portable engine. Heated air under pressure passes from
it to the working cylinders and cold or cooled air is returned to it by the force
pump of the engine.
The vessel containing the heated fire brick may bo mounted in a similar manner
to the boiler of a locomotive or tram way engine or of an agricultural or portable
engine as the case may be and the working cylinders of the engine may likewise
be mounted and arranged in a similar manner to those of the various clusses of
engines mentioned.
When it is desired to run the engine the fire brick or other material in the
vessel is first licated to a suitable temperature as described in the Specification
before mentioned. The connection with the atmosphere is then cut off and the
pressure of air in the vessel is raised to any desired pressure by forcing air into it
and by the expansion of the air by heat. The connection with the cylinders of
the engine may now be opened and the engine will be driven as long as sufficient
heat is stored in the vessel--when this is exhausted the vessel must be again
heated before the engine can again be worked. If.in any case it is desired to keep
up a continuous motion of the locomotive or other engine two vessels to be fired
alternately can be used..
The air used in the engine may be taken in from the atmosphere, the exhaust
being discharged into this, but we consider it generally preferable to discharge the
exhaust into a cooling vessel or refrigerator in which the air is maintained at high
pressure, and take in the supply of cool air from this.
In order to economise the heat we in some cases employ a feed heater in which
the exhaust heats the air on its way from the cylinder to the closed vessel
containing the licated fire brick.
We also construct locomotive and tram engines with three pair of wheels the
axle of the central pair is carried in the ordinary manner by the side frames whilst
the axles of the pairs of wheels at either end are each carried in a swinging frame
pivotting in the manner of a Bissel truck on a centre between the axle and thic

page_text: central pair of wheels. The two swinging frames or trucks we gear together in the
following manner so that if one is inclined the other is inclined also.
Each swinging frame is provided with a rack into which gears a pinion carried
on each end of a connecting shaft mounted upon the carriage. In this way the
frames will be made to move simultaneously and set the axles in radial directions
when passing through a curve at the same time the arrangement is perfectly rigid
when on the straight part of the line..
The motive power may be applied to the centre or fixed axle.
Cars or carriages for rail or tram ways may similarly be provided with three
pairs of wheels and with the axles of the end pairs mounted on swinging frames
geared together in the same manner.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention we will proceed to describe
Figure 1 shews a plan view half in section and Figure 2 an elevation partly in
section of a locomotive engine constructed as above described and suitable for use
on tramways.
In these figures A is the frame B its supporting wheels and C is a vertical vessel
lined and partly filled with fire brick. At the top and bottom of the vessel C is
an opening, each opening is fitted with a valve D. Preferably we form the valve.
like any ordinary sluice valve. When the fire brick contained in the vessel is to
be heated both valves are opened and heated gases from a furnace are passed into
the vessel through the opening at the bottom. Preferably when thus heating the
material in the vessel the heated gases are prevented from coming into contact
with any part of the valve with which this opening is fitted by placing into the.
opening a tubular lining or casing to serve as a shield or guard.
When the fire brick has been sufficiently heated the valves at top and bottom of
casing are closed-and the engine is ready for service. E are the engine
cylinders heated air under pressure can be admitted to their lower ends through
valves M from the vessel C containing heated fire brick. The upper ends of the
cylinders serve as air pumps for forcing cooled air into the vessel C. The piston G
has a long cylindrical projection of non-conducting material on its under side.
The cylinder is made in two parts separated from one another by one or more rings
of non conducting material so that the upper part in which the piston rings fit may
not be heated by heat conducted to it from the lower part of the cylinder with
which the heated gases come into contact. The lower ends of the cylinders we keep
beated by small fires below them on fire grates G*. The piston rods of the
cylinders E are connected by links to rocking levers or beams F.
These rocking levers by connecting rods H are coupled to cranks on an axis I
From this axis motion is transmitted to the driving wheels of the engine in the
manner shewn at Figure 1. As shewn in this Figure the axis has upon it a toothed
wheel J and a chain wheel K. Either of these can be made fast with the axis by
a clutch L. The toothed wheel J gears with a toothed wheel fast on the axle of
the driving wheels and the chain wheel is by an endless chain geared with a chain
wheel fast on this axle-the locomotive can so he made to travel in either direction
whilst keeping the engine always running in one direction-this is advantageous
as if the engine required to be often stopped and started or reversed much time
would be wasted. The starting of these engines being troublesome as compared
with ordinary steam engines.
M are lifting valves by which the admission of heated air to the lower ends of
the cylinders is controlled-the opening and closing of these valves may be.
effected at the proper times by any ordinary gear worked from the rocking beams
or otherwise. Similar exhaust valves N are provided for exhausting the air from
the lower ends of the cylinders.
The air exhausted from the cylinders is conducted by pipes O into a feed heater

page_text: apparatus P where it is used to heat air on its passage to the vessel C. The feed
benter apparatus inay be of any ordinary construction for example the air passing
to the vessel O may be passed through tubes with the exterior of which the heated
air is brought into contact.
The air so reduced in temperature then passes to a tubular or other condenser P*
where it is still further cooled. The cooled air is withdrawn from the condensers
through pipes Q into the upper ends of the cylinders which serve as air pumps-
by these the air is compressed and forced through pipes R to the feed heaters
where it becomes heated by the air exhausted from the cylinder and from the food
heaters it passes by pipes S and through valves to the interior of the vessel O.
W is an air pump for supplying any leakage.
Figure 3 shews a plan view half in section and Figure 4 an elevation partly in
section of a locomotive engine constructed on a similar plan but better adapted for
running at high speeds on lines of railway. In this construction the vessel C is
mounted horizontally and the feed heater and condenser are mounted upon. the top
of the vessel the engine cylinders are also placed horizontally as in an ordinary
steam locomotive:
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts to those shewn at
Figures 1. and 2.
In this engine the cylinders E are double acting and consequently the piston is
made with a long projection of non conducting material on both its sides-the
central portion of the cylinder in which the portion of the piston which carries the
packing rings works is also cut off from both ends of the cylinder by rings of
non-conducting material:as the Drawings shew. As the cylinders are double acting
separate cylinders have to be used for pumping air into the vessel C-these are
marked U. U. their pistons are on prolongations of the piston rods of the pistons
of the cylinders E. A connecting rod V from a cross head carried by these rods
gives motion to a crank on the axis of the main driving wheels. On this axis is
also a toothed wheel which gears with a toothed wheel on an axis T and from this
axis the valves for controlling the admission of air to and the exhaust of air from
the cylinders E are actuated. In the case of locomotive engines for running on
railways we prefer to form the vessel C with an internal fire place but as in the
tram engine just described it night if preferred be heated by passing through it
heated gases from a separate fire. A small hot air or other engine may be
provided on the foot plate to be used for starting the engine this small engine
can also be used when shunting and as a pump for supplying leakage.
Figure 5 shews a side elevation and Figure 6 a plan partly in section of a
portable engine constructed on a similar plan.
In this case the engine cylinders and crank shaft are placed horizontally above
the top of the vessel Cas in a portable steam engine of the ordinary type and the
crank shaft is driven by a connecting rod from the piston rod as in such engines.
The valves for controlling the admission of heated air to the cylinder E from the
vessel and the exhaust of the air from the cylinder may be actuated by any
suitable mechanical means. The heated air is supplied to one end only of the
cylinder its opposite end serving as an air pump as, in the engine shown at
Figures 1 and 2 The heated air exhausted from the cylinder is expanded into a
second cylinder E' and from this is allowed to escape into the air. A feed heater
and condenser may be used as in the arrangements shewn in the other figures.
When it is desired to make the engine self propelling a toothed pinion on the
crank shaft of the engine may be put into gear with a toothed wheel R on an
axis S, on this shaft is a chain wheel which by an endless chain drives a chain
wheel on the axle of the main or driving wheels.
Figure 7 shews a plan view and Figure 8 a side elevation of the arrangement
herein before described of a six wheel base with central pair of driving wheels for a'
locomotive or tram engine.
A are the central pair of driving wheels driven by cranks on their axle. B. Bare
tlie two end pair of wheels-the axle of each pair is carried in a swinging frame C,

page_text: which after the manner of a Bissel truck can pivot on a centre at D. Upon each
swinging frame is the rack E-into each rack gears a pinion fast on a shaft F.
carried by bearings on the main frame.
The shaft F is made in two lengths connected together by a clutch coupling G so
that when it is desired to pass over reverse curves which are common in and
about Tramway Depots the end frames can be disconnected from each other and
the wheels allowed to assume the positions required for passing over such curves.
The same construction of wheel base can as before stated be used for the cars or
carriages of tram or rail-ways.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner of
performing the same we would have it understood that we claim :―
First. In locomotive or portable engines the combination of a caloric or hot air
engine and a strong vessel containing fire brick or similar material, first to be
heated (either by the combustion of fuel within it or the passage through it of
heated gases from a separate furnace) and then closed and caused to heat air or
elastic fluid working the said caloric or hot air engine substantially as herein before
described.
Second. The construction of locomotive or portable engines substantially as
herein before described and illustrated at Figures 1 to 6 of the Drawings annexed.
Third. The construction of the wheel base of a rail or tram car or carriage or
engine substantially as herein before described and illustrated at Figures 7 and 8.
In witness whereof I the said Edward Perrett have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
EDWARD FERRET
(L.S.)