CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM CARRIAGES
Year: 1832

page_text: TO ALL
WHOM HESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, WC, JOSEPII
GIBBS, of Kent Terrace, Kent Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, and
AUGUSTUS APPLEGATH, of Crayford, in the County of Kent, Calico Printer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-ninth day of September, in the third year of
His reign, did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Joseph Gibbs and Augustus Applegath, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that we, the said John Gibbs and
Augustus Applegath, our exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Joseph Gibbs and Augustus Applegath, our exors, adññiors, 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 expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM
CARRIAGES; "in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that we, the
said Joseph Gibbs and Augustus Applegath, or one of us, shall cause a
particular description of the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His said 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Joseph Gibbs and Augustus Applegath, do hereby declare that the nature
of our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are particularly described and ascertained, in and by the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and the following description thereof (that is to say):-
:-
Figure 1 is a side view of a steam carriage. Figure 2 is an end view of
the same.
The same letters and figures of reference indicating the similar
parts in both Figures. A, A, is a wrought-iron frame or carriage supported by
elliptical springs X, X, X, connected with the driving or road wheels Z, Z,
and the steering wheel Y. B 1, B2, B3, is the boiler or steam generator, which
is firmly secured to the carriage A, A, &c. The boiler consists of three parts,
videlicit, B 1, the body or fire box which is made of strong plate iron, containing
the water in a double casing which surrounds the fire. B 2 is a cylinder
also containing water, and furnished with copper tubes about two inches
diameter, through which the fire and heated air pass from the body or fire
box B 1, in a downward direction towards the chimney C. r is a pipe to
convey the water from B 2 to B 1. B 3 is the steam chamber or separator,
in which the steam is separated and collected from the boiling water. D is a
waste steam chamber fixed upon the top of B 3, into which the waste steam
is conveyed by the pipes I, I, in its passage from the cylinders to the chimney,
and the safety valve is also placed in this chamber.
The various parts of this boiler will be more clearly shewn by Figure 3.
F, F, are the cylinders which are made in the usual manner, but which move
or vibrate in carriages or bearings G, G, suspended and fixed to the frame
A, A, &c. The cylinders are supported by and vibrate upon the steam pipes
H, H, and I, I, which are cast with and upon the cover K of the cylinders
F, F, and which steam pipes are made hollow to admit the passage of the
steam into and from the cylinders, in the manner frequently used in vibrating
engines. H, H, are the pipes which convey the steam from the separator B 3
into the cylinders. I, I, are the pipes which convey the used or waste steam
from the cylinder to the waste chamber D. L, L, are the slides or steam
valves, which may be made in any of the usual manners. (To avoid confusion
in the Drawing, the mode in which motion is communicated to the slides is
shewn in a Diagram No. 1.) The pistons of the cylinders F, F, are made in
the usual manner, and may be packed with metallic or common packing.
The ends of the piston rods are furnished with friction pullies M, M, which
move in the parallel guides N, N. The ends of the piston rods are connected
with the arms O, 0, which are firmly fixed upon the ends of the strong
wrought iron spindle P, and which is connected with 'the frame A, A, &c

page_text: any
by bearings Q, Q, in which. the spindle Prevolves. The arms 0, 0, are set
at right angles to each other, and the spindle P and arms O, O, serve the
purpose of the ordinary crank shaft. (Upon the spindle P two pinions or
toothed wheels R, R, are fixed, which revolve with the spindle P.) T, T,
are two other toothed wheels, which revolve freely around their axes upon the
shaft or axletree W, and either of them can be occasionally connected with
W by means of the clutches S, S, which are shewn in the Drawing as friction
cones or clutches, and which are connected with the axletree W in of
the ordinary manners, and having a striking lever to actuate them as usual.
The axletree W has also fixed upon it the driving or road wheels Z, Z. The
loose wheels T, T, are always in geer with the fixed pinious R, R, and these
loose wheels T, T, are made of different diameters (as are the pinions R, R.,)
that when either of them is connected with the axletree W a fast or slow
motion may be communicated to the road wheels Z, Z. The handle of the
striking lever which throws the clutches S, S, in and out may be carried to
any convenient part of the carriage. The spindle P and the axletree Ware
securely connected together by strong links or couplers U, U, which keep the
teeth of the wheels T, T, and the teeth of the pinions R, R, always at a
proper depth in geer, and the axes of P and W are placed in the same
horizontal line, and the springs X, X, are furnished with shackles at each end,
in order that the action of the toothed wheels and pinions may be influenced
as little as possible by the motion of the springs. The spindle P being
unalterably connected with the frame A, A, while the axletree W rises and
lowers with the springs, but in a curvilinear direction around the centre of P,
always keeping the axes of P and W at the same distance from each other,
and of course the teeth of the wheels T, T, and the pinions R, R, are still
working at the same depth in geer. It should be observed that each of the
shackles s, s, s, s, is to be made of one piece of iron, and the pins should fit
them, and the springs to obviate side or swinging motion, and the teeth of the
wheels T, T, and the pinions R, R, may be rounded at each end, as shewn in
Diagram No. 2. The action of the machine is evident. When steam is admitted
into the cylinders, the pistons are alternately raised and depressed, which
cause the arms 0, 0, and the spindle P and its pinions R, R, to revolve.
The clutch S is then connected with one of the toothed wheels T, T, which
being in geer with its corresponding pinion R is caused by it to revolve, and
carry the axletree W around its axis, and the road wheels Z, Z, with it, thus
causing the whole machine to move. The guiding or steering motion is
produced in the usual manner, viz., the upright shaft or rod a is moved by
means of the handles b, b; at the lower end of a is a toothed pinion c,

page_text: Fig. 3 is
Fig. 4 is
which works into a toothed segment d, which is fixed upon the divided
or forked support e, and which forked support is connected with the
steering wheel Y by means of two pairs of elliptical springs, one of which
is shewn at X, X. The support e moves in the bearing h, and has a pair of
steady plates i to keep it upright. The seat of the guider is over the water
tank, the upper side of which serves as a floor for the stoker. The boiler is
supplied with water by a force pump in the usual manner, and the waste steam
is conveyed from the chamber D into the chimney C by means of the pipe p,
which pipe projects three or four inches into the waste chamber D.
a horizontal section of the boiler, partly described in Figs. 1 and 2.
a side section of the same. B 1 is the body or fire box which is surrounded by
the double casing A, A, containing water. C is the chimney. D, the
chamber to receive the waste steam as it blows off from the cylinders through
the pipes I, I, described in Figures 1 and 2. E is the safety valve connected
by a rod with the lever F, to which is attached the spring G, which may be
regulated to the pressure required. H is the pipe which conveys the waste
steam to the chimney. I is the hopper-mouthed opening through which the
fuel is supplied. K, the fire bars. B 2 is the cylinder which contains the
copper tubes L, L, &c., through which the fire and heated air pass in a down-
ward direction from the fire box B1 to the passage M, leading to the chimney
C, as indicated by the arrows. The horizontal section Fig. 3 shews the
cylinder filled with water surrounding the fire tubes L, L, &c. The cylinder
B 2 is made distinct from the fire box B 1, and has top and bottom ends made
of strong plate iron into which the copper tubes are inserted and firmly fixed.
The water in the cylinder B 2 communicates with the water in the double
casing A, A, of B 1, through the pipe a, a, indicated by the dotted lines, and
which is also shewn in Fig. 1. N is the feed pipe which conveys the water
from the force pump in the usual manner. In B3 is fixed the apparatus for
separating the steam from the water. a, a, is a circular plate of copper which
goes across the interior of the chamber B 3, and is bent downwards into a
conical form, as shewn in the Drawing. As the steam rises from the surface
intermixedasit frequently is with boiling water, they pass together upwards in
the direction of the arrows and strike against the bottom of the circular piece
a, a, which forces them back in a downward direction; the water, by its
superior gravity, falls into the bottom funnel, which returns it to the body of
water, while the steam, being lighter, ascends between the circular plate a and
the top funnel cinto the upper part of the chamber B3, whence it goes into the
cylinders through the steam pipe e. If any water should have passed with the
steam into the upper part of the chamber B 3 it returns down the funnel c by

page_text: its own gravity, as in the upper part of the chamber the steam and water are
in a state of less disturbance. The top funnel c and the bottom funnel b are
supported from the circular plate aby means of four rods or piliars, two of
which are shewn at d, d.
Fig. 5 is a side view of a steam carriage propelling a vehicle for the
conveyance of passengers. In this case the steering wheel Y, as described
in Figs. 1 and 2, and the guiding apparatus, are removed from the steam
carriage which is connected with the passengers' vehicle, in the manner shewn
in Diagram No. 3, in which Diagram A is the front part of the iron frame or
carriage, as described in Figs. 1 and 2. B, B, is a strong iron bar or
connecting piece which is attached to the bed C of the passengers' vehicle, and
is further secured to the perch D. The bar B is connected to the frame A
by the coupling pin E. In the front of the passengers' vehicle a steering
apparatus similar to that already described, or one of any other fit and proper
construction, must be attached.
Fig. 6 is a side view of a steam carriage drawing waggons for the con-
veyance of goods, &c. In this case the steam carriage remains as described in
Figs. 1 and 2, and the waggon or waggons are to be attached to the hinder
part of the frame A, A, in any fit and proper manner.
1
Diagram No. 4 is a front and side view of the apparatus for giving motion
to the slides or valves. The same letters refer to each view. A, A, is the
upright part of the iron frame, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2. B is a spindle
which works in the bearings C, C, which are fixed to the slide boxes L, L.
At one end of the spindle B is fixed an upright lever F, F, having two pins or
studs E and K. D is a rod, one end of which is connected with the frame
A, A, the other end is formed into two fork-shaped openings, the lower fork is
shewn embracing the pin E in the lower part of the upright lever F. The
spindle B has also two arms G,G, having jointed to them two connecting rods
H, H, which are furnished with a cross piece or head I, which is attached
to the end of the slide rod t, the end of which is also shewn in Figure 1.
When the cylinders and slide boxes upon them vibrate the pin E and the lower
end of the upright lever F remain stationary, being held by the connecting rod
D,which is fixed to the upright part of the frame A, A, &c.; but as the
fulcrum or spindle B moves with the cylinder and slide box upon which it is
fixed the arms G, (i, describe a portion of a circle, and thus raise or depress
the slide rod t, which is connected with the arins G, G, by means of the cross
head I and the connecting rods H, H. When it is required to reverse the
motion of the engines the lower forked opening of the rod must be lifted out of

page_text: the pin E, and the upper forked opening must be made to embrace the upper
pin K in the upright lever F, and there supported by means of the long
connecting rod M, which may be jointed and conveyed to any part of the
machine, so that the guider or engineer may raise or depress the forked rod D
without changing his position.
Fig. 6 is a side section of an improved boiler or steam generator. Fig. 7 isa
plan of the same. Fig. S is a horizontal section of the cone cylinder taken at
the dotted line in Fig. 6. The same letters refer to each Figure. A, A, is
the double casing containing the water. It should be observed, that the
double casing in the various boilers described in this Specification are furnished
with rivets, or bolts which tie and connect the inner and outer sides of the
casings with each other. Some of these rivets are shewn in Figure 9. B, the
fire bars. C, the steam chamber or separator, which is furnished with a
similar apparatus to that described in Figure 3, for separating the steam, and
it may have a waste steam chamber similar to that shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
D is the descending cylinder which, instead of having copper tubes, as shewn
in Fig. 3, is composed of a double casing. The inner casing is furnished with
hollow cones,the apexes of which may meet or pass each other in the centre
of the cylinder, so that as the fire and heated air pass down the interior of the.
cylinder towards the chimney E they strike against the cones in all directions,
The object of these cones is to obtain an increase of fire and water surfaces.
and they may be arranged in various ways according to the case required,
Sometimes they may be used with a descending current of fire and heated air
and sometimes with an ascending or a horizontal current, or with either com-
bined, and they may be occasionally projected into the boiler or double casing
which contains the water, or they may be arranged directly over the fire or
above the current of heated air, as well as around them, it being impossible
particularly to describe all the variations of arrangement of which they are
susceptible. The proportions of the sides of the cone to the base may be
varied, and it may be better that the cones which are nearest the actual fire
should be more obtuse than those which are more distant in order that the
steam may escape more readily, though they are represented in Fig. 6 as of
one size; reither is it requisite that they should be of the precise form of a
cone, for instance, they may be wedge-shaped prisms or hopper-shaped
parallelograms, having rounded edges, or in short, of any convenient form
which can be connected at or by its base with the boiler or vessel which
contains the water, and they may be made of cast or of wrought iron welded
pr rivetted, or of any other suitable materials, and the double casings may be

page_text: ofany convenient figure. It should be observed, that the whole of the cylinder
D is to be furnished with circles of cones, in the manner shewn in the upper
part and by the horizontal section Fig. S. G, G, are two pipes which serve
to convey the water from the upper part of the boiler to the lower, in case the
I is the
passages H, H, should be at any time obstructed by rising steam.
pipe by which the boiler is fed by a force pump in the usual manner.
Fig. 9 is a side section of another form of boiler having two cone cylinders,
one of which is in the centre of the fire. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section of the
same taken at the dotted line in Figure 9. A, A, is the external casing or
cylinder which is made double to contain the water, and furnished with several
circles of cones. B, B, the fire bars which are arranged in acircle around the
internal cylinder. D, the internal cone cylinder which is to be made double, as
before described, and is furnished with circles of cones down to the passage G,.
leading to the chimney E, although only the circles of cones are shewn in the
Drawing. C is the steam chamber or separator as before described in Figure 3.
F, F, F, F, are four openings in the internal cone cylinder D, in order to
permit the fire and heated air to pass from the external circle in a downward '
direction among the cones to the passage G, and so to the chimney E.
H, H, H, in Figure 10, are three apertures in the outer cylinder A, A, to
admit the fuel. I is the feed pipe which conveys the water from the force
pump. K, K, are pipes which serve to connect the water in the outer
cylinder A, A, and the water in the inner cylinder D. There are four of these
pipes at equal distances from each other, two only are seen in the Drawing
Fig. 9.
The improvements for which we claim the protection of His said Majesty's
Royal Letters Patent, consist,-
Firstly, in the new arrangement and combination of the various parts of a
steam carriage, as shewn in the different Figures..
Secondly, in the new arrangement and construction ofa boiler, consisting of
double casings and hollow cones filled with water, as above described.
Thirdly, in the combination of shafts, wheels, couplers, aud springs, as shewn
in Figures 1 and 2, for the purpose of obtaining two or more rates of motion
in the road wheels of steam carriages, while the pistons of the engines continue
to move at an uniform rate. And,
Fourthly, in the propelling or pushing any vehicle on the common roads by
means of a steam carriage, consisting of a boiler, engines, and moving appa-
ratus, as above described, which steam carriage may be entirely separated and
removed from the said vehicle in contradistinction to drawing or pulling any