IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE, MARINE, AND STA- TIONARY ENGINES, AND ALSO IN THE CONNECTING APPARATUS OF MARINE ENGINES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
TREWHITT, of Sunbury Park, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, and THOMAS
RUSSELL CRAMPTON, of Buckingham Street, in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
t.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Second day of June, in the twelfth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Henry Trewhitt and Thomas Russell Crampton, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said Henry Trewhitt and
Thomas Russell Crampton, our exors, admors, and assigns, and such others as
we, the said Henry Trewhitt and Thomas Russell Crampton, our exors, admors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark,
and Man, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE, MARINE, AND STA-
TIONARY ENGINES, AND ALSO IN THE CONNECTING APPARATUS OF MARINE ENGINES;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging us, the said
Henry Trewhitt and Thomas Russell Crampton, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, particu-
larly to describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled in
Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and
by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Thomas Russell Crampton (on behalf of myself and of the said Henry Trewhitt),
do hereby declare that the nature of our said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, is particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following description thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
Our first improvement consists in arranging a locomotive engine in such a
manner that the driving wheel axle be placed behind the fire box, in combina-
tion with the water tank and coke box, on one frame with the boiler. The
mode we prefer to effect this object is shewn in Figures 1 and 2. A is the
ordinary horizontal tubular boiler; B is the driving wheel axle, placed behind
the fire box; C is a tank for containing water, placed between the fire box D
and the axle of the small wheels E; this tank (see Fig. 2) is made as wide as
possible, by the absence of all machinery from underneath the boiler, the
cylinders, feed pumps, excentrics, &c., (see Fig. 1) being outside; F is a coke
box placed over the fire box, with holes f (see Fig. 2) cut in the plate of a
convenient height, for the man to use his shovel when he requires to withdraw
the coke for feeding the fire. The Drawing shews only two pairs of wheels,
but any other number may be used.
What we claim is, the placing the driving wheel axle behind the fire box, in
combination with the water tank and coke box, on one frame with the hori-
zontal tubular boiler.
Our second improvement consists in so arranging the springs of locomotive
engines that the weight of the boiler, &c., suspended from the rails, rests or
articulates on three points, thereby causing to be maintained a more uniform
weight on the rails. It is accomplished in one method in the following
manner :-By referring to the Drawing it will be seen that the ends (A, A,
Fig. 4) of a transverse spring rests on each driving wheel axle box, and the
boiler on the centre B of this transverse spring, thereby allowing the boiler, &c.
to act at all times nearly equally through both driving wheels on the rails.
The front spring (C, Fig. 3) is shewn reaching from centre to centre of the
small wheels D, D, the ends of which having an ordinary communication to
each axle box d, d, of the small wheels. The centre E of this spring is
attached to the frame of the engine in such a manner that it acts as a pivot
for it to turn or articulate on, so that in the event of one wheel being lifted or

page_text: depressed by the inequalities of the road, or from any other cause, each wheel
D, D, receives the amount of weight it is designed to have. The elevation
does not shew the corresponding wheels on the other side of the engine, but it
will be readily understood that a similar pair of wheels and springs are there,
having the same action as that described. It will be clear, therefore, that the
boiler, &c., or suspended portion of the engine, rests or articulates on the three
points, having always springs for medium, namely, one B on the centre of the
transverse spring over the driving wheel axle, which is placed on the extreme end
of the fire box, another E on the centre of the longitudinal spring, which spring
reaches from centre to centre of the small wheels, and the third corresponding
with E, on the opposite side of the engine..
Although we have shewn the driving wheels of the engine in one position,
viz, at the end of the fire box (which we prefer), the cylinders projecting
beyond the extreme front wheels, with the communication from the cylinders
to the driving wheels, as herein-after described, yet it must be particularly
understood that we do not limit ourselves to this precise arrangement, such as
number or disposition of wheels or springs, so long as the boiler or suspended
portion of the machine rests or articulates on three points, having springs for
medium. The cylinders can be placed immediately behind the small wheels,
or over them, the power being communicated direct to the driving wheels, or by
any other method that may be thought proper.
Our third improvement is generally shewn in Fig. 3, and consists in placing
the axle F of the driving wheels G at the end of the fire box of a locomotive
engine, the power being communicated from the cylinders H, first by a con-
necting rod I to a crank K, fixed by any well-known means to a revolving
shaft L, the bearings of which are secured to the frame of the machine, and
from thence to the driving wheels G by coupling rods M; this system may be
used in combination with the arrangements of springs and wheels, as before
described.
Although we prefer having the excentrics on the revolving shaft L, yet we
wish it understood, that the general detail may be made according to circum-
stances, so long as the principal features of this improvement are not changed,
viz, the placing the driving wheel axle behind the fire box, and forming a
communication to it from a revolving shaft, which shaft is propelled or turned
round by any ordinary means.
Our fourth improvement is shewn in Figures 3 and 4, and consists in forming
the boilers of locomotive engines in such a manner that the top of the fire box
is stayed to the outer shell of the fire box in a similar way as the sides of
ordinary fire boxes, care being taken that a steam space be left above the

page_text: water. This is effected in the following manner :---It will be seen on referring
to Fig. 4, that instead of curving the whole of the top of the outer shell, of the
fire box, as in ordinary boilers, we make a portion of the top N flat, and practi-
cally parallel with the inner fire box O, carrying it forward until it reaches the
cylindrical portion of the boiler 1, Fig. 3, when it is turned up and secured by
the ordinary means to the barrel of the boiler, these two plates N and O being
parallel; straight stays Q, Q, Q, at proper distances apart, are passed through
both, and secured to: each plate in the ordinary manner, similar to those shown at
the sides R, R, Fig. 4. It will be seen that the flat top N, Fig. 4, commences
nearly at the point where the first upright stay r would cut through the outer
curve n if carried on, and this curved portion commences at the first lateral
stay p. It will be observed that there is room left for the steam above the
water. The peculiar features of this improvement consist in securing the top
of the fire box to the outer shell in the ordinary manner of staying the sides of
fire boxes of locomotive engines, care being taken to have as much steam room
as convenient above the water; the form may be varied from that shewn in the
Drawing, if found convenient.
Our fifth improvement is shewn in Figures 5 and 6, and consists in com-
bining the parts of a locomotive engine in such a way that the driving wheel
axle be placed under the front end of a horizontal tubular boiler, and driving
or turning the axle by a coupling rod, which coupling rod is worked by a
revolving shaft secured to the framing. The mode we prefer for carrying out
this combination is shewn in Figures 5 and 6. A is an ordinary horizontal
tubular boiler; B is the axle of the driving wheels placed under the front end
of the boiler, the power being communicated from the cylinder C, first by a
connecting rod D to a crank K on a revolving shaft E, the bearings of which
are secured to the frame of the machine, and from thence to the driving axle
B by a coupling rod F. One or two pairs of small wheels, as shewn in Fig. 5,
may be used to carry the fire box end of the boiler as desired. The cylinders
may be placed in any other convenient position.
.
We claim the use of the horizontal tubular boiler, in combination with the
axle of the driving wheel under the front end of it, the driving wheels to be
worked or turned round as described.
Our sixth improvement consists in arranging the connecting or disconnecting
apparatus of marine engines, whether for driving paddle wheels or any other
propeller, so that when two surfaces are brought together, the power of the
engine, when propelling forward, presses these surfaces firmer together. Fig. 7
is a part section, shewing one mode of carrying out this improvement. A is
the crank shaft, near to one end of which a left-handed screw B is cut; a

page_text: large nut or circular disc. C fits or screws on to this shaft; holes d, d, are
made into the disc for the purpose of screwing it up. D is a crank fitted on to
the shaft A, so that it may turn easily upon it, and is prevented from going
too far by a large collar E. The boss of the crank D is made to correspond
in diameter to the disc or nut C; between the surfaces of the disc or nut C
and the crank D a thin circular washer G is placed. F is a key, passed through
the shaft A, to prevent the crank from turning without the shaft on reversing the
engine to go astern. The operation of starting will be as follows:-Suppose all
the surfaces of the collar E, crank D, washer G, disc C, and key F, be brought
close together, it will be seen.that when the crank D is propelled forward, it tends
to carry the disc C with it, and the pressure acting on the left-handed screw B of
the shaft, the action is to more firmly bring the disc and crank together, con-
sequently to bind them more securely; if the key F be firmly fixed in its place, it
will be clear that upon reversing the crank's D motion, the whole will revolve
together; but when it is required that the crank should revolve on the shaft, the
key F must be driven back, giving, say one-sixteenth of an inch play between it
and the disc C; the disc or nut may then be unscrewed by hand, or will be
unscrewed by reversing the engine, the result will be that the crank D will be
at liberty to revolve on the end of the shaft A, consequently disconnected; the
detail of this arrangement will have to be varied according to circumstances.
What we claim is, the arranging, the connecting, or disconnecting apparatus
of marine engines, in such a manner that when flat surfaces or discs are brought
together the action of the propelling force, when moving in the forward direc-
tion, has the tendency of more firmly uniting them.
Our seventh improvement consists in applying the before-mentioned con-
necting or disconnecting apparatus to stationary engines when required.
Our eighth improvement consists in counterbalancing the unbalanced parts
of screw propeller engines, or other marine engines travelling at great velo-
cities. We effect this by fixing weights opposite the unbalanced portions of
the engine, such as the crank, &c.; these weights should revolve as nearly as
convenient in the same plane as the parts to be counterbalanced, and the
weight is determined in the ordinary way of equalizing weights. It is not
necessary to shew the mode by drawing, as it will be easily understood, and all
arrangements of engines will require the weights to be placed according to
circumstances.
What we claim is, counterbalancing marine engines as before described.
We have not given the details of all the parts of locomotive engines, &c. in
the Drawings, as they are well understood, and can be varied according to