IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPLYING THE TENDERS OR TANKS OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES WITH WATER
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT toJohn Ramsbottom, of Crewe, in the County of Chester,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPLYING THE TENDERS
OR TANKS OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES WITH WATER."
Sealed the 18th December 1860, and dated the 23rd June 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Ramsbottom at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
June 1860.
I, JOHN RAMSBOTTOM, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SUPPLYING THE TENDERS OR TANKS OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES WITH WATER," to be
as follows:
This Invention relates to a peculiar system or mode of supplying the
tenders or tanks of locomotive engines with water without requiring the
stoppage of the traiu, and consists in the employment of a trough or long
tank laid longitudinally between or alongside the rails of the permanent way,
which trough contains the water which is to supply the tender or tank.
The water is conveyed from this trough to the tender or engine tank by
means of a dip pipe connected with such tender or tank, and curved slightly
forward at its lower end so that as the train is passing along it will cause
the water to be driven up the pipe into the tender or engine tank. For
low speeds the dip pipe may open into the bottom of the tender or engine
tank, and should then be provided with an ordinary clack valve opening

page_text: upwards to prevent the return of the water, but in the case of high speeds
the dip pipe may open into the tender or engine tank above the top water
level, in which case the clack valve may be dispensed with. Suitable
provision is made for raising the lower end of the dip pipe when not in
use so as to be out of the way of ballast or any other obstruction. The
bottom of the long trough or tank is inclined upwards towards each end,
and the rails are inclined or set at a gradient to correspond so that the dip
pipe may gradually enter and leave the water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said John Ramsbottom in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jous
RAMSBOTTOM, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, er heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said John
Ramsbottom, Her special license that I, the said John Ramsbottom, my execn-
Lors,administrators, and assigns, orsuch others as 1,the said John Ramsbottom,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SUPPLY.
ING THE TENDERS OR TANKS OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES WITH WATER," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Ramsbottom, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Parent,
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Ramsbottom, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:

page_text: This Invention relates to a peculiar system or mode of supplying the
ienders or tanks of railway locomotive engines with water without requiring
the stoppage of the train, and consists in the employment of a trough or
long tank laid longitudinally between or alongside the rails of the
permanent
way, which trough contains the water which is to supply the tenderortank. The
water is conveyed from this trough to the tender or engine tank by means
of a dip pipe connected with such tender or tank and curved slightly forward
at its lower end so that as the train is passing along it will cause the water
to be forced up the pipe into the tender or engine tank. For low speeds
the dip pipe may open into the bottom of the tenderorengine tank and should
then be provided with an ordinary clack valve opening upwards to prevent
the return of the water, but in the case of high speeds the dip pipe may open
into the tender or engine tank above the top water level in which case
the clack valve may be dispensed with. Suitable provision is made for
raising the lower end of the dip pipe when not in use so as to be out of
the way of ballast or any other obstruction. The bottom of the long trough
or tank is inclined upwards towards each end, and the rails are inclined or set at
about the same gradient so that the dip pipe may gradually enter and leave
the water.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
corresponding Figures.
Figure 1, on Shect 1 of my Drawings represents the application of this
system of supplying feed water to a tender. Figure 2 shows the same
asapplied toa tank engine; in both Figures A, A, represent the feeding nozzles
or moveable dip pipes. and B, the water supply trough into which the pipe
A dips as the engine or tender passes over it.
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal sectional diagram of a portion of a line
of railway, provided with a water supply trough placed between or alongside
the rails of the permanent way: when placed alongside the rails the trough may
be at any convenient elevation; this diagram is drawn to a distorted scale in
order the better to show the gradient of the rails and gradually sloping or
inclined ends of the trough. The horizontal scale is one hundred and fifty
feet to the inch, and the vertical scale three feet to the inch. The blue
lines in this Figure represent the upper edge, the sloping ends, and the bottom
of the trough, and the black line shows the surface of the rails.
It will be seen on referring to this diagram that the gradients at a, a, which

page_text: Ramsbotron Impis, in "ppying "T 19 FEMMETS of tancomater Longines.
are here given as one in one hundred, or a fall of six inches in fifty feet,
coincide with the inclination of the ends d, d, of the trough, and that the
surface of the length c of the rail between the two gradients coincides with
the middle of the trough as regards its depth when the trough is placed
between the rails. By this arrangement an engine or tender passing over the
line will on arriving at either of the gradients a be gradually lowered until
the mouth of the dip pipe is fairly withlu the trough, but not in actual contact
with the hottom, and the reverse action will take place on arriving at the
ascending gradient, where the dip pipe is gradually raised out of the trough.
These troughs I propose to make in sections jointed together, as shewn in the
plan view, Figure '4', and resting on cross sleepers, each joint being maintained
water-tight by interposing between the abutting ends of the lengths or sec-
tions a packing of vulcanized india-rubber, which is contained in a chamber
formed by recessing the ends to be joined, as shown clearly at b, in the full-
sized sectional detail of one of such joints, given at Figure 5. This arrange-
ments admits of the free expansion and contraction of the trough, which I
prefer to make about one-fourth of a mile long,)and still maintains the several
joints water-tight. The trough may be supplied in any convenient manner,
either from natural sources, such as local streams or springs allowed to flow
therein, or by artificial means, such as pumps. In Figure 2, C represents the
pipe, through which the trough is supplied with water; and D is an overflow
pipe, situated on one or both of the inclined ends of the trough, both sets of
pipes opening into the bottom of the trough, as shewn more clearly in the
enlarged views, Figures 4,6, and 7, which two last-mentioned Figures represent
respectively a plan and longitudinal vertical section of one of the lengths
forming the extreme or inclined end of the trough. With a view to economise
the water, in localities where water is scarce, I propose is such cases to employ
the self-acting water supply regulator shewn in longitudinal and transverse
section and plan at Figures 8, 9, and 10 respectively. This regulator consists
of two tanks A and B. The water from the source of supply is allowed to
enter by the pipe C', which is provided with a throttle valve D worked by the
ball float E in the tank A. The water passes from the tank B by the pipe C
which leads direct to the trough, the level of the water in this tank B corres-
ponding with the level of the water in the trough. In order to prevent t
much water entering the trough a row of overflow holes is made in the division
between the tanks A and B at the proper water level, and an outfall of less
area is made in the tank A. On the water reaching its proper level any
excess of incoming water will flow into the tank A and raise the ball float
and close the throttle valve, thus cutting off the supply, this raising of the ball

page_text: float being effected by the excess of water entering the tank A, as compared
with what escapes through the comparatively small outfall. On the level of
the water being lowered by the passage of an engine over the trough the
water in the tank B will be lowered also, and will cease to overflow into the
tank A. This tank consequently gradually empties through its outfall and
allows the valve to open again for a further supply.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, on Sheet 2 of my Drawings, represent on an
enlarged scale various arrangements of dip pipes and modes of elevating the
same, so as to be clear of ballast heaps or other obstructions between the rails.
In Figure 1 the dip pipe A is connected at its lower end to a lever arm E
fast on a rocking shaft F, which is provided with a short arm G jointed to the
lower end of the connecting rod H. The upper end of this rod is jointed to a
hand lever I (shewn more clearly in Figure 1, Sheet 1), which works on a
fixed centre i. The upper end of the dip pipe A fits inside the dip pipe J,
secured to the bottom of the tank or tender. By suitably moving the handle
1, the dip pipe A will be slid up the inside of the pipe J, the arrangement
forming a telescopic dip pipe; K is a pipe, which is secured to the bottom of
the tank or tender, and placed inside the same, so as to form a continuation of
the dip pipe; the top of this pipe is continued to above the highest water level,
and is then bent or curved downwards, as shewn, so that the water which is
forced up the dip pipe by the passage of that pipe along the trough will be
directed into the tank or tender. In order to reduce the velocity of the jet 1
make my pipes of a gradually increasing area towards the upper or delivery
end, as will be seen on referring to the Drawings. In Figure 2 the dip pipe
A is pivotted at a¹ to the opposite sides of the pipe J. and the adjoining faces
of the two pipes are curved so as to admit of the pipe A being turned up on
its centres al by the action of the connecting rod H and counterweighted lever
arm or arms E, fast on one or both the pivots or centres . In Figure 3 the
dip pipe A is simply hinged at a to the mouth of the fixed pipe J, and is raised
and lowered by the link G, counterweighted lever E, and connecting rod H.
In this Figure the inner or curved pipe K is dispensed with, the water enter-
ing the tank or tender through an opening in the bottom provided with a
valve L, to prevent the return or escape of the water. This arrangement is
applicable to any of the other dip pipes except Figure 5. In Figure 4 the
pipe J is composed of a piece of hose composed of leather, india-rubber, or
ther suitable flexible material, and is provided with a nozzle A, the whole
being raised clear above the line by a similar arrangement of lever arms and
connecting rod to that shown in Figure 1, Sheets 1 and 2, or by a vertical
movement. I may here observe that I prefer to make the feed pipes in a

page_text: continuous curve in one direction, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and
In
but they
may be made with a straight length or portion therein, as shewn in Figure 5,
and in one entire piece, which may be raised bodily in a vertical direction by
means of a rack and pinion, or other suitable contrivance; in this case the
pipe may be turned half round so as to take water when running either way.
In all these Figures the dotted lines shew the position of the nozzles when
elevated, and in each case means are provided for adjusting the height of the
nozzle, so as to compensate for the wear of the axle boxes and tyres.
Figures and 4 the adjustment is effected by eccentric bushes shewn at 1*.
In Figure 2 a set screw, as in Figure 2", is used. In Figure 3 an elastic
packing may be placed in the joint or the nozzle exchanged. Figure 6 repre-
sents a portion of a tank engine, (shewn complete in Figure 2, Sheet 1,)
provided with the dip pipes A, A, curved in opposite directions, so as to admit
of the tank being supplied in whatever direction the engine may
be running,
one pipe being turned up out of action, whilst the other is down and in action
by the levers E and rods ; M is a valve box, provided with a pair of valves,
one to each dip pipe. Figure 7 is an end view of the engine corresponding to
Figure 6, and shewing the shape of the dip pipe, which I prefer to be of a
rectangular section, though other forms may be used.
In order to prevent
any splashing or violent displacement of the water in the trough, as the dip
pipe passes through it, I propose to extend the upper edge of the mouth of the
dip pipe in the form of a protruding curved lip, as shewn ate in the Drawings,
and further to apply side plates to the engine or tender to prevent lateral
splashing (see Figure 1, Sheet 1.) In cases of frost, any ice forming in the
trough may be broken up and removed by a hand rake, or when the frost is
very severe the ice plough, shewn in Figures 8, 9, and 10, may be used by
being pushed along the trough, thereby breaking up and removing the ice.
This plough consist of a small carriage N running on wheels O. O.and fitting
the trough B, as shewn in Figure 10, along the bottom of which it runs. The
top of the carriage is provided with perforated metal plates P, P, placed in au
inclined position both forward and laterally and forming a sloping ridge on the
top. On pushing this plough along the lower front edge of the plates P, P.
enters beneath the ice, which slides up the plates, and is thrown off each
side by the lateral slope of the plates. One traverse of this plough will be
sufficient to remove the whole of the surface ice from the trough. Or, if pre-
ferred, the water may be kept above freezing point by the application of heat
thereto. In order to catch the water contained in the dip pipe, which would
otherwise be discharged on to the ballast after the pipe leaves the waterat the
end, I propose to continue the trough sufficiently far to receive this, thereby

page_text: preventing any injurious washing away of the ballast, whilst at the same time
a portion of the water is returned into the trough. It is obvious that the dip
pipe may be raised out of the trough directly a sufficient supply has entered
the tender or tank. The nozzles of the dip pipes should be so balanced as to
remain elevated, except when depressed by the engineer for the purpose of
taking in water.
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 herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the general system or mode of supplying the tanks of locomotive
engines and tenders with water during their progress along a line of railway,
as herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Second, the application and use to and in the tanks of locomotive engines
and tenders of dip pipes, which are made to enter and leave a trough of water
placed in or alongside a line of railway for the purpose of supplying water to
such tanks without necessitating their stoppage.
Third, the system or mode of allowing the dip pipes, above referred to, to
enter and leave the water troughs by making suitable falling and rising
gradients in the line, as herein-before described.
Fourth, the peculiar constructions and arrangements of moveable dip pipes,
and the several modes of raising or lowering and adjusting the same in the
manner and for the purpose herein-before described and illustrated by my
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ramsbottom, have hereunto sei
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JOHN RAMSBOTTOM. (L.S.)