IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING LOCOMOTIVE TENDERS WITH WATER
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Wallace Cochrane Somerville, of 13, Upper Albany
Street, Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING LOCOMOTIVE
TENDERS WITH WATER."
Sealed the 5th March 1861, and dated the 13th September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Wallace Cochrane.
Somerville at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 13th September 1860.
I, WALLACE COCHRANE SOMERVILLE, of 13, Upper Albany Street, Regent's
Park, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING
LOCOMOTIVE TENDERS WITH WATER," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the water columns or hydrants usually employed
on railways for feeding or supplying water to the tenders of locomotive
engines, and has for its object the making of such water columns or hydrants
self-acting, and thus dispensing with the valves usually employed in connection
therewith. The Invention consists in so constructing and arranging the curved
feed pipe at the top of the column, and the inner tube of the latter, that the
turning of the former into a position at right angles to the line of rails, so as to

page_text: bring the nozzle thereof over the tender, shall, at the same time, automatically
open the communication with the supply pipe leading to the tank, and thus
allow the water to flow, and that the swinging or turning back of the same
into its original position shall close the said communication.
It will be evident that the method of carrying this Invention into practical
effect will admit of considerable variation in the details without deviating
from the principle or main feature above described, but in all cases it will be
necessary to provide the nozzle with a flexible hose, and also so to arrange the
details that the hose can be placed in the funnel of the tender before the water
begins to flow, and that the flow of water shall be stopped before the hose
is removed from the funnel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Wallace Cochrane Somerville in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th March 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALLACE
COCHRANE SOMERVILLE, of 13, Upper Albany Street, Regent's Park, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Wallace Cochrane Somerville, Her special licence, that I, the said Wallace
Cochrane Somerville, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Wallace Cochrane Somerville, my executors, adminis-
trators, and 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING LOCOMOTIVE TENDERS
WITH WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Wallace
Cochrane Somerville, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Wallace Cochrane Somerville, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings,
that is to say:
This Invention relates to the water columns or hydrants usually employed
on railways for feeding or supplying water to the tenders of locomotive
engines, and has for its object the making of such water columns or hydrants
self-acting, and thus dispensing with the valves usually employed in connection
therewith. The Invention consists in so constructing and arranging the feed
pipe at the top of the column, and the inner tube of the latter, that the turning
of the former into a position at right angles to the line of rails, so as to bring
the nozzle thereof over the tender, shall, at the same time, automatically open
the communication with the supply pipe leading to the tank, and thus allow
the water to flow, and that the swinging or turning back of the same into its
original position shall close the said communication.
Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improvements
in Apparatus for Supplying Locomotive Tenders with Water," I will proceed
to describe the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or:
carried into practical effect.
And in order that the same may be distinctly understood, I have annexed
hereunto 2 Sheets of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked the
same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
In the annexed Drawings are represented two of the most obvious and
simple modifications of my Invention which I am acquainted with, but it will
be evident that the method of carrying this Invention into practical effect will
admit of considerable variation in the details without deviating from the
principal or main feature above described, but in all cases it will be necessary
to provide the nozzle with a flexible hose, and also so to arrange the details that
the hose can be placed in the funnel of the tender before the water begins to
flow, and that the flow of water shall be stopped before the hose is removed
from the funnel.
In Sheet 1 of the Drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a
water crane constructed according to my Invention, showing the same in the
position it occupies when not in use; and Figure 2 is a similar view, showing
the same turned one quarter round, or in the position it assumes when in use
for supplying a tender with water; Figure 3 is a plan or horizontal section,.
taken through about the line A, B, in Figure 1.

page_text: The fixed part of the crane consists of a column a, a, on the top of which is
formed an annular inclined plane b, b. The base of the column is secured to
a cylinder c, c, connected to the main supply pipe d, d. This cylinder c, c,
encloses an internal cylinder e, e, closed at the bottom, and having holes f, ƒ,
cast or otherwise formed in its circumference. In a recess at or near the
bottom of the internal cylinder e, e, is a ring 9, 9, of indian-rubber, or other
suitable compressible substance. The moveable part of the crane consists of a
curved jib" or feed pipe h, h, furnished with a flexible hose i, i, and attached
to the upper end of the inner tube k, k, of the crane. This inner tube k, k, is
supported at its upper end by and is capable of turning in the outer or fixed
column a, a, and is provided with a roller or friction wheel l, l, running on the
inclined plane b, b. The said tube works with its lower end through a stuffing
box m, m, in the cylinder e, e, before mentioned, its lower extremity resting (when
the crane is not in use) upon the elastic ring 9, 9, which makes a water-tight
joint. It will be evident that when the crane is in the position shown in
Figure 1, all access of the water from the supply pipe d, d, to the feed
pipe h, h, is cut off, in consequence of the lower end of the tube k, k, closing
the holes f, f, in the inner cylinder e, e, but upon turning the feed pipe h, h,
and tube k, k, one-quarter of a revolution, so as to bring the nozzle i, i, over
the funnel of the tender, the travelling of the wheel or roller 1, 1, up the
inclined plane b, b, will have raised the tube or pipe k, k, into the position
shown in Figure 2, uncovering the holes f, f, and allowing the water to flow
unobstructed so long as the crane remains in that position, and the turning of
the crane back into its original position will immediately shut off the supply;
n, n, is a tap for emptying the upright tube k, k, when occasion may
require it.
In Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation; and
Figure 2, a vertical section of a modification of my Invention, wherein the
inner tube of the column is dispensed with, and the moveable or turning part
works outside the upper part of the fixed column.
a, a, is the fixed column; b, b, the annular inclined plane. The lower part
of the column is connected to the main supply pipe c, c. The upper part e, e,
of the column is closed, and is furnished with holes or openings f, f, and an
indian-rubber ring g, g. The feed pipe h, h, is provided with a flexible
hose i, i, and is attached to or cast with a cylinder k, k, being supported on
rollers l, l, running on the inclined plane b, b. The cylinder k, k, is provided
with an inner cylinder m, m, (bolted to or cast with it,) which fits round the
upper part e, e, of the column, closing the holes f,f. These cylinders k and m
are provided with stuffing boxes, so as to work water-tight upon the upper

page_text: part e, e, of the column, and it will be obvious that when the crane is out of
use (or in the position shown in Figure 2), the inner cylinder m, m, will
effectually close the holes f, f, and cut off the supply, and that the turning of
the crane through an arc of 90 degrees will cause the cylinder m, m, to rise
above the holes f, f, and allow of the flow of the water through the feed pipe h
and nozzle i.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
Improvements in Apparatus for Supplying Locomotive Tenders with Water,"
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion, that I claim as my
Invention, so constructing the cranes or hydrants used for such purposes, that
the turning of the "jib" or supply pipe into a position at right angles to the
line of rails shall automatically open the communication with the main supply
pipe, and allow the water to flow, and the returning of the same into its
original position shall close the said communication, and consequently cut off
the supply of water.
In witness whereof, I, the said Wallace Cochrane Somerville, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
WALLACE C. SOMERVILLE. (L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE DAVIES,
1, Serle St., Lincoln's Inn,
C.E. and Patent Agent.