IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND BOILERS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER BOILERS AND TO RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Webb, of Crewe, in the County
of Chester, Mechanical Engineer, for the Invention of “ IMPROVEMENTS
IN OR APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND BOILERS, PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER BOILERS AND TO RAILWAY
CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 14th June 1872, and dated the 20th December 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Webb
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 20th December 1871.
I, FRANCIS WILLIAM WEBB, of Crewe, in the County of Chester,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OB APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND BOLLERS, PARTS
OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER BOILERS AND TO RAILWAY
CARRIAGES," to be as follows: :―
Firstly. My improvements relate to the axle boxes, and consist in the
mode of constructing the same. The axle box is formed by two side

page_text: frames, which fit the horn block and are held together at the top and
bottom by a right and left handed screw and lock nuts or other means,
and the brasses which are in two halves joining vertically are held
together between the two side frames. This mode of construction
admits of ready adjustment by the screws and by packing to compensate
for wear.
Secondly. My improvements relate to locomotive engines and carriages
having three or more pairs of wheels in rigid framing. A locomotive
engine or carriage, having three or more pairs of wheels, when passing
round curves will have the flange or flanges of those central wheels on
one side near or close to the rail, while the flanges of the central wheels
upon the other side will be at their greatest distance from the rail,
consequently the largest diameter of the central wheels, coned in the
ordinary manner, will be running upon the smallest curve, and vice
versa. This part of my improvements consists in reversing the cone of
the central wheels of engines and carriages having three or more pairs
of wheels in one rigid frame, so that the smallest diameter of the cone
will be near the flange, and the largest at the outside of the wheel.
This improved arrangement will not only reduce the strain or torsion
upon the axles, the wear and tear of the wheels and rails, and the power
required, but will also tend to check the lateral oscillations of the
engines and carriages on the straight portions of the railway.
Thirdly. My improvements relate to a mode of forming the fire-door,
air and other holes in the fire-boxes of locomotive and other boilers, and
consists in boring out holes in the inner and outer plates of the fire-box,
and in turning a ring out of soft metal, such as copper, so that its
exterior diameter will just fit the said holes formed in the plates of the
fire-box, and in forming (if desired) two grooves in the outer surface of
this ring to come opposite the inner and outer plates of the fire-box, say,
about one-eighth of an inch deep, and of such width as to fit the
thickness of the plates of the fire-box, this ring also having an outer
flange, and in forcing another ring having an outer flange, say of hard
metal, such as iron or steel, into the inside of the soft metal ring (both
being sufficiently coned to correspond) so that the soft metal ring is
expanded and the grooves in its exterior (if any) are made to grasp
firmly both the inner and outer plates of the fire-box, and completely fill
the hole so as to be steam-tight, the smaller end of the inner hard metal
ring being slightly rivetted over to give further security.

page_text: Fourthly. My improvements relate to and consist in the combination
and arrangement and mode of constructing the glass water guage of
locomotive and other boilers. It is constructed so that the glass tube
may be readily replaced when broken by unscrewing a cap from the
upper part of the guage, or removing the pressure guage, which I prefer
to connect with the upper part of the glass water guage, there being a
steam and a water valve to shut off the connection with the boiler.
These valves are placed in front of the fixings for the glass tube, and the
steam and water is brought to them from the boiler by lateral passages,
and each valve is formed by two reversed conical facings upon the end
of a screw, and when they are screwed one way they close the passages
to the guage tube, and allow a small escape of steam along the screws of
the valves, which will draw attention to the fact of the guage not being
in working order (no packing being used), and when screwed in the
other direction the passages to the glass tube are open, each valve
coming against a facing which prevents the escape of steam along the
screw, thus showing the guage to be in perfect working order. There
is also a
"blow off" valve upon the same construction screwed into the
lower fixing of the glass guage.
20 SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis William Webb in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th June 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
WILLIAM WEBB, of Crewe, in the County of Chester, Mechanical
25 Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of December, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
30 unto me, the said Francis William Webb, Her special license that I,
the said Francis William Webb, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Francis William Webb, my

page_text: executors, administrators, 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 "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND BOILERS, PARTS OF
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER BOILERS AND TO RAILWAY
CARRIAGES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Francis
William Webb, 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 seid Lottons Patent

page_text: side frame.
One side frame is secured against the head of the screws by
the nuts d, and the other side frame is locked on the ends of the screws
by the nuts d³, and when the screws are adjusted they may be still more
safely secured by set screws (d³). The brasses e are in two halves
joining vertically; they fit and are held between the side frames, and
their flanges come on the outside of the side frames (c). The two half
brasses are also kept truly joined by the two pins e¹. When the brasses
are worn they are adjusted to each other, and thin packing is inserted
between them and the side frames c. fis the bar or link connecting the
axle box with the spring when it is below the axle.
Secondly. My improvements relate to locomotive engines and carriages
having three or more pairs of wheels in the same rigid framing, where
the wheels are all kept in the same line with their axles parallel to each
other. A locomotive engine or carriage having three or more pairs of
wheels when passing round curves will have the flange or flanges of the
central wheel or wheels on one side near or close to the rail while the
flanges of the central wheels upon the other side will be at their greatest
distance from the rail, consequently the largest diameter of the central
wheels when coned in the ordinary manner will be running upon
the smallest curve, and vice versa. This part of my improvements
consists in reversing the ordinary cone of the central wheels of engines or
carriages having three or more pairs of wheels in one and the same
rigid frame, so that the smallest diameter of the conc of the tyre will
be near the flange, and the largest at the outside of the wheel. This
improved arrangement will not only reduce the strain or torsion upon
the axles, the wear and tear of the wheels and rails, and the power
required, but will also tend to check the lateral oscillations of the
engine and carriages on the straight portions of the railway.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of a wheel tyre and part of a rail to illustrate
this part of my Invention. The face of the tyre shewn in full line is the

page_text: and in turning a ring out of soft metal, such as copper, so that its
exterior diameter will just fit the said holes formed in the plates of the
fire-box, and in forming (if desired) two grooves in the outer surface of
this ring to come opposite to the inner and outer plates of the fire-box,
say, about one-eighth of an inch deep and of such width as to fit the
thickness of the plates of the fire-box, this ring also having a flange, and
in forcing another ring having a flange, say of hard metal, such as iron
or steel, into the inside of the soft metal ring (both being sufficiently
coned to correspond), so that the soft metal ring will be expanded and
the grooves in its exterior (if any) are made to grasp firmly both the
inner and outer plates of the fire-box, and completely fill the hole so as
to be steam-tight, the smaller end of the inner hard metal ring being
slightly rivetted over to give further security.
Fig. 7
Figs. 5, 6, and 7 illustrate this part of my Invention. Fig. 5 is a side
view; Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sections. a and b, plates forming the
sides of the fire-box; c, soft metal ring; d, hard metal ring.
shews the rings in position before the inner ring is forced up.
shews the inner ring forced up, and the soft metal ring expanded to its
fullest extent, and the thin end of the inner ring slightly rivetted over
the flange end of the soft metal ring.
Fig. 6
Fig. 7 is a section showing a slight modification in the form of the
rings.
Fourthly. My improvements relate to and consist in the combination
and arrangement and mode of constructing the glass water guage of
locomotive and other boilers. It is constructed in respect to giving
facilities for readily replacing the glass tube when broken, same as other
guages, but is differently arranged. The glass tube is replaced by un-
screwing a cap from the upper part of the guage, or by removing the
pressure guage pipe, which I prefer to connect with the upper part of
the glass water guage, the steam and water connections with the boiler
being shut off by valves. These valves are placed in the front of the
fixings for the glass tube, and the steam and water is brought to them
from the boiler by lateral passages, and each valve is formed by two
reversed conical facings upon the end of a screw, and when they are
screwed one way they close the passages to the glass guage tube and
allow a small escape of steam along the screws of the valves, which will

page_text: forced into the other, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly. The combination, arrangement, and mode of constructing
the glass tube water guage for locomotive and other boilers, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated by the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis William Webb, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two