IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY LOCOMOTIVES DRIVEN BY GAS
Year: 1884

page_text: I ANDREW MONEILL at the Office for Patents, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the
county of Lancaster, Shipbuilder and Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY LOCOMOTIVES DRIVEN BY GAS
to be as follows :-
"
This invention has for its object a car specially constructed to run on tramways,
carry its own motive power, and act as a locomotive to draw passenger or other
cars without the disagreeable puffing out of steam and furnace gases inherent in
steam locomotives. It is originally so constructed as to engage the prosent
passenger cars without alteration. The motive power consists of one or more Gas-
engines of approved make of two or more horse power as required. The gas is
supplied by a gas generator attached to the engine and capable of producing a con-
stant supply. The engine is so placed on the car as to work by the driving pulley
on the crank shaft a pulley fixed on the axle of the hinder wheels, by means of
strong leather or other belting. The leading wheels are driven from the hinder
ones by belting or pulleys fixed on the centres of the axles.
•
As the front axle swivels so as to go round corners as hereafter described, special
means are required to enable the belt to run evenly no matter at what angle the
two axles stand to each other. For this purpose an iron ball or boss is keyed on
the axle having two driving pins screwed therein at opposite sides. The pulley is
in two halves and bolted together, it is hollowed in the centre to receive the ball
or boss.
There are two slot holes in the pulley to admit the driving pins, the slot holes
are cut of sufficient length in the direction of the axle to allow of its angling. The
pulley is kept in direct line with the belting by a fork or holder fixed to frame of
car. By this means the leading wheels can be and are fitted on a semicircular slide
and pivot to allow of their being angled sufficient to take the various curves and
sidings on the line of rails without throwing off the belt.
The angling or steering is effected by a wheel and pinion placed on the front
platform working into a quadrant or rack attached to the carriage of the fore axle.
The starting, stopping and brake levers are to be placed on the front platform under
the control of the driver.
The engine and all driving gear is enclosed in a neat iron and wood case, having
glass sides, and a light roof or cover extending the full length of the car for the

page_text: protection of the driver. The front and sides of the car are preferably cased with
iron to within three or four inches of the ground.
The engine and car can be worked by one man (who may be the ordinary driver),
who will have communication with the conductor of the passenger car by strap and
belt as at present.
The car is fitted with powerful brakes working independent of or in conjunction
with those of the passenger car.
The connection with the passenger car consists of an iron link fitted to slide on
an upright iron bar fixed behind the car adjustable to any height required.
"

page_text: Figures 5 and 6 elevation and plan showing the brake connections and governor,
Figures 7 and 8 elevation and transverse section of swivelling wheel or pulley
for front axle.
A is a car of suitable construction built on a strong framework and fitted on
four wheels. Upon the floor of the car fixed to the bed-plate B' is placed a gas
engine B, preferably that known as the Otto gas engine, further description of
which is here unnecessary. The motive power for the gas engine is obtained from
gas generated from gasoline, petroleum, or other mineral oils.
C is the gas
generator which is driven from the engine. The gas generated is conveyed from
the generator, to the explosion chamber of the engine where it is mixed with air
to make an explosive inixture. D is a water tank or cistern connected with the
jacket of the engine through which the water circulates for the purpose of keeping
the cylinder cool. D' is a small supply tank from which water to the circulating
cylinder is supplied; & pipe loading between the two tanks, and a pipe, connecting
the cylinder-jacket with the tank D. E is the crank shaft of the engine carrying
the fly wheel F. Motion is conveyed from the crank shaft to the axle G carrying
the hind wheels through the chain g from the chain wheel H on the crank shaft
to the chain wheel G¹ on the axle G, to which it is keyed or fixed by set screws.
The chain wheel H is loose on the crank shaft and provided with a friction cone h
on one side which engages with the friction device f carried by the friction wheel F¹
which is keyed on the shaft. When the friction cone h is in contact with the
device f, the motion from the ongine is conveyed directly through the crank shaft E
and the friction gearing hf to the chain wheel H and through the chain g to the
wheel G¹ on the axle G. F is a friction wheel keyed or affixed to the shaft E

page_text: I is a similar wheel running loose on same shaft, the two may be connected or
geared together by the intermediate friction wheel I so that the wheel I revolves
in the reverse direction to the wheel F¹. The wheel I carries a friction device i
similar to wheel F¹; and the chain wheel H is provided with a friction cone h¹
corresponding thereto and which engages with it. The wheel Has heretofore
stated is loose on the crank shaft and is moved to and fro thereon and thrown into
or out of gear with either of the friction wheels F¹ and I by means of a fork J,
controlled and operated by the handle through the rod j, the whole forming
a double friction clutch on the wheel H. By the movement of the handle J' the
wheel can be thrown out of gear with the wheel F', and further if desired
thrown into gear with wheel I thereby causing a reverse motion in the driving
wheels of the car. It is not considered necessary always to retain the wheel 1' in
contact or in gear with the wheels F' and I, and it is so arranged that it may be
thrown in and out of gear at pleasure. K is a bracket or pedestal with journal at
top for a short shaft to which the wheel is keyed. At the back end of this shaft
is cut a slot or groove in which a clutch fork k works. The fork / is pivotted to
the lever k¹ which is fulcrumed to the bracket K the outer end of the lever k' is
raised and lowered by a hand wheel K. The raising and lowering of the wheel K¹
carries the fork k to act on the shaft and thus throw the friction wheel I' into
gear or withdraw it as may be at the time required. The driver has both
handles J and K' under control, and can if he requires to do so, either throw the
chain wheel H out of gear, entirely, or by putting the friction wheel I¹ into gear,
throw the chain wheel into gear with the friction wheel on the opposite side, and
thus reverse the motion of the locomotive.
The axle carrying the hind wheels is fixed in stationary bearings of ordinary
construction. The bearings of the axle carrying the front wheels, are affixed to a
pivoted quadrant or slide L moving about a fixed centre / coincident with a line
passing vertically through the centre of the axle. The quadrant or slide L is
toothed at its front edge gearing into a pinion which is actuated by the hand
wheel M to which it is connected. The object in thus pivotting the bearings of the
front wheels is to allow of the wheels turning, to enable them to take easily the
sharped curves and sidings. A stop or steady pin N affixed to the treadle or foot
lever N' passes down into the quadrant to maintain it steadily in its normal
position when on straight lines or gentle curves. When taking a sharp curve or
Biding the driver places his foot on the treadle, disengages the pin, and then turns
the wheels to the required angle by means of the hand wheel M.
The axles of the front and hind wheels are connected together and motion trans- ·
mitted to the front by means of an endless chain, and chain wheels or belting and
pulleys. O is the wheel or pulley on the front axle and O¹ the wheel or pulley on
the hind axle.
In order that the chain wheel or pulley O on the front axle may always be in
true line when the wheels are angled, I inake the wheel O with an iron ball or
boss o keyed on the centre of the axle having two driving pins o' screwed therein at
opposite sides. The wheel or pulley is made in two halves and bolted together and
hollowed to receive the ball or boss, in the sides of the hollow part of the wheel or
pulley are cut two slots o¹ to receive the driving pins. The 'slots are cut of
sufficient length in the direction of the axle, to allow of the angling of the axle,
whilst the wheel or pulley is kept in true line by means of a fork or holder P,
fixed to the framework of the car. Rare the brake blocks which are suspended
from iron bars S S' close to the wheels. The bar S carrying the brake blocks of
the front wheels is attached to the quadrant which carries the axle bearings by
means of the levers s the bar being sustained between two india rubber buffers r
or spiral springs. Two iron bars R' are placed horizontally under the car, one
communicating with the bar S and the other with the bar S. The two ends of
these bars, which approach together are fitted into the box T, the end of each
abutting against the cam U. The cam U is moved by a lever u. On the lever
and the cam being moved, the latter forces the ends of the levers R' apart, thereby

page_text: causing the brakes to be applied to the wheels. U₁ is a flexible steel rope or
chain fastened to the end of lever u and passing from there to the drum u¹ on the
end of the spindle V which is under the control of the handle V, by turning which
and winding the rope or chain on the drum, the brake is applied.
W is a governor by means of which the brakes are applied should the car from
any cause travel too fast. The collar wis keyed to the shaft W' which is connected.
by bevel gearing W" to the axle G, the revolution of the shaft W' causes the balls
of the governor to fly outwards, and as they so do, they rise, and carry with them,
the collar wll which is connected to them. The bevel wheel x runs loose on the
shaft W' so that when the car does nor run above its normal speed, it remains at
rest. It is supported on a ring or collar, and is provided with a clutch or similar
arrangement on its under surface, a corresponding clutch w³ is connected with the
collar w which can be raised and thrown into gear with the clutch face of the
bevel wheel cc. Should the car exceed its proper speed the rising of the governor
balls brings the clutch of collar w' into contact with the wheel x. and the motion
from the shaft W₁ is transmitted through the bevel wheels xx¹ to the X¹ upon
which the drum Y is placed, and rotates therewith, the rope Y¹ being thereby
coiled on the drum Y. The Yis led over a series of pulleys until it reaches
the lever u actuating the cam U, in fact may be regarded as a continuation of the
rope u¹ previously described for actuating the brakes. The winding of the rope
Y₁ on the drum Y and the consequent tightening of the rope applies the brakes,
and on the speed of the car being reduced the governor balls fall flat, the clutch is
withdrawn, and the brakes are released. The drum Y is not keyed or directly
fixed to the shaft X, but is caused to move by a friction disc y screwed to the shaft
and held tightly against its face. The object of this is to prevent any undue strain
or breakage, should the car run for a length of time before being brought to a
standstill after the brakes were applied. As soon as the brakes were tightly applied,
if the drum Y continued to revolve something would break, but with this arrange-
ment, as soon as the rope is wound tightly up the drum conses to revolve, the disc y
only continuing to do so, though at the same time the brakes are kept tightly
applied.
It will be obvious that the drum and friction disc might be placed on the
vertical shaft and the bevel gearing dispensed with, the rope being led over a pulley
placed in the position the drum is now shown to occupy, or instead of the friction
disc acting on the drum, friction gearing might be used to take the place of the
bevel gearing. The rope Y" communicates with the passenger car and may be
actuated from there, acting on the brakes in the manner above described.
A draw link or coupling Z is fitted at the hinder end of the car by which the
passenger car is coupled for drawing: it consists of a link z fitted with a loose
joint sliding upon an upright bar 2" by which means it can be raised or lowered
to suit the height of the car which is to be drawn.
The machinery and all working parts thereof, are enclosed in a neat case of iron
and wood, with a light wood roof extending the full length of the car, and over
the platform at ends for protection for the driver. The ends and sides are covered
with sheet iron from the level of the platform to within four inches of the rails to
prevent any large body getting under the car or wheels.
I do not limit the invention to the precise details of construction herein set
forth, as the several parts taken separately for which I do not make special claim,
may be considerably varied to meet the requirements of special circumstances, or
engineers without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st. In a tramway locomotive a propelling engine driven by gas generated
from petroleum or other mineral oil, in combination with a generator on the
locomotive producing the gas, during the working of the engine, substantially as

page_text: 2nd. In a tramway locomotive, the combination of quadrant or bracket carrying
the front wheels and rotating about a fixed centre with pinion wheels and wheel
lever by which it is moved, substantially as and for the purposes described.
3rd. The use with a tramway locomotive, of a wheel or pulley oscillating on
a fixed centre, in combination with a movable or swivelling axle, substantially as
and for the purposes described and shown.
4th. The locomotive for tramways, constructed and arranged, substantially as
described and shown,