A NEW OR IMPROVED SPEED INDICATOR FOR LOCOMOTIVE, MARINE, AND OTHER ENGINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Stroudley, of Brighton, in County of Sussex,
Locomotive and Carriage Superintendent to the London, Brighton, and South
Coast Railway Company, London Bridge, for the Invention of "A NEW OR
IMPROVED SPEED INDICATOR FOR LOCOMOTIVE, MARINE, AND OTHER
ENGINES."
Sealed the 2nd September 1879, and dated the 27th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Stroudley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1879.
WILLIAM STROUDLEY, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Locomotive and
Carriage Superintendent to the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway
Company, London Bridge. "A NEW OR IMPROVED SPEED INDICATOR FOR Loco-
MOTIVE, MARINE, AND OTHER ENGINES."
This Invention relates to a peculiar combination and arrangement of apparatus
for indicating in a simple manner the speed in miles per hour of locomotive engines,
or the number of revolutions per minute of marine and stationary engines or other
machinery. The said improved speed indicator is composed of two subordinate
combinations or groups of parts. The one group comprises the indicator proper,
and is situate in any locality where it can be most conveniently referred to by the
person in charge, as for example (in the case of locomotive engines) on the weather
board or in one corner of the cab of the locomotive so as to face the driver, and be
lighted by the gauge lamp in order that he may readily ascertain at night or in
tunnels the exact rate of speed at which the engine is running; or (in the case of
large works or factories) it may be placed in the manager's office, or (in the
case of steam vessels) it may be fitted on the deck, or bridge, or in any locality
remote from the engine, but within view of the captain or officer on duty.
The other group or working portion of the apparatus comprises the mechanism
for producing the different indications on the indicator before referred to, and is
fitted onto the engine framing, or in such other position as to be conveniently
driven or actuated from the driving axle, main shaft, or other suitable working
part of the engine or machine.
The first group or indicator proper consists of a closed tank or reservoir con-
taining water or other liquid, and having a pipe or tube rising upwards from

page_text: the cover thereof, and communicating at its upper end through a screwed hollow
Bocket piece with the upper end of a glass gauge tube situate in front of it. Im-
mediately behind the gauge tube there is provided an adjustable graduated scale
indicating miles per hour or revolutions per mintue, and capable of being raised or
lowered for the purpose of being set or adjusted when required.
The second group or working portion of the apparatus comprises a rotary or
centrifugal pump of simple construction driven in any well known manner from the
engine. This pump may consist for example of three or more arms or blades and a
central disc or collar, by preference cast on one end of a central spindle, and rotating
eccentrically within a circular chamber or casing. The collar on the end of the
spindle rotates within a circular recess in the back of the casing against which it is
held so as to form a fluid tight joint by the pressure of the water or other liquid
A
contained within the said casing and connecting pipes hereinafter referred to.
long tubular bearing forming a stuffing box, and provided with a lubricating gland
and packing is cast on or fitted to the back of this casing and receives the spindle
of the rotary arms or blades, which spindle carries at its outer end a flanged or
other driving pulley or a gear wheel driven by a belt or gearing from the engine.
A connecting pipe leading from the top side of the pump casing connects the said
casing with the lower end of the glass gauge tube of the indicator, and another
pipe connects the bottom of the water reservoir with the centre of the pump casing
(which should be situate at a lower level) at a point by preference opposite the end
of the rotary spindle. The water reservoir is thus brought into a communication
through the pump casing and connecting pipes with the glass gauge tube, and
according as the speed of rotation of the arms or blades is higher or lower so will
the level of the water stand higher or lower in such tube. An outlet pipe with
stop cock is fitted to the lower part of the pump casing for the purpose of emptying
and cleaning out the same.
I prefer to so graduate the scale that say 414 revolutions per minute of the arms
or blades shall indicate 60 miles per hour on the scale which corresponds to about
10, inches in height from the zero point.
Any slipping of the driving wheels of the locomotive will be at once indicated
by the water rising to the top of the gauge tube whence it flows through the hollow
socket piece back into the reservoir through the return pipe in the centre
thereof.
When the engine is standing the water level descends to zero, to which point
the scale should be set or adjusted by the driver before starting again should he
observe any discrepancy. This adjustment is necessary in order to compensate for
expansion and contraction of the water column and for any loss by leakage or
otherwise.
The connecting pipes should have an inclination upwards in order to prevent
any lodgment of air therein..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Stroudley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
September 1879.
WILLIAM STROUDLEY, of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Locomotive &
Carriage Superintendent to the London, Brighton, & South Coast Railway
Company, London Bridge. "A NEW OR IMPROVED SPEED INDICATOR FOR
LOCOMOTIVE, MARINE, & OTHER ENGINES."
My said Invention relates to a peculiar construction & arrangement of apparatus for
indicating in a simple manner the speed in miles per hour of locomotive engines, or the
number of revolutions per minute of marine & stationary engines or other machinery.
The said improved speed indicator is composed of two subordinate combinations
or groups of parts. The one group comprises the indicator proper & is placed in
any position where it can be most conveniently referred to by the person in charge,
as, for example, (in the case of locomotive engines) on the weather board or in one
corner of the cab of the locomotive, so as to face the driver & be lighted by the
guage lamp, in order that he may readily ascertain at night or in tunnels the exact
rate of speed at which the engine is running, or (in the case of large works or
factories) it may be placed in the manager's office, or (in the case of steam vessels)
it may be fitted on the deck or bridge, or in any locality remote from the engines,
but within view of the captain or officer on duty.
The other group or working portion of the apparatus comprises the mechanism
for producing the different indications on the indicator before referred to, & is fitted
onto the engine framing or in such other position as to be conveniently driven or
actuated from the driving axle, main shaft, or other suitable working part of the
engine or machine.
The first group or indicator proper consists of a tank containing water or other
liquid & having a pipe or tube rising upwards from the cover thereof & com-
municating at its upper end through a screwed hollow socket piece with the upper
end of a glass guage tube situate in front of it. Immediately behind the guage
tube there is provided an adjustable graduated scale indicating miles per hour or
revolutions per minute, & capable of being raised or lowered for the purpose of
being set or adjusted when required.
The second group or working portion of the apparatus comprises a pump of
simple construction, by preference of rotary or centrifugal action, which pump is to
be driven or actuated from the engine itself. In practice I prefer to construct this
pump of three or more arms or blades & a central disc or collar, by preference cast
on one end of a central spindle, & rotating eccentrically within a circular chamber
or casing. The collar on the end of the spindle rotates within a circular recess in
the back of the casing, against which it is held so as to form a fluid tight joint by
the pressure of the water or other liquid contained within the said casing & con-
necting pipes hereinafter referred to. A long tubular bearing forming a stuffing
box, & provided with a lubricating gland & packing is cast on & fitted to the back
of this casing & receives the spindle of the rotary arms or blades, which spindle,
carries at its outer end a driving pulley or a gear wheel driven by a belt or gearing
from the engine.
A connecting pipe leading from the top side of the pump casing connects the
said casing with the lower end of the glass guage tube of the indicator proper, &
another pipe connects the bottom of the water tank with a passage leading to the
centre of the pump casing & at a point by preference opposite the end of the rotary
spindle. The pump should be situate at a lower level than the tank, & the

page_text: connecting pipes have an inclination upwards in order to prevent any lodgement of air
therein. The water is thus brought into communication through the pump casing
& connecting pipes with the glass guage tube, & according as the speed of working
of the pump is higher or lower so will the level of the water stand higher or lower
in the guage tube. An outlet pipe with stopcock is fitted to the lower part of the
pump casing for the purpose of emptying & cleaning out the same.
I prefer so to graduate the scale that say 414 revolutions per minute of the arms
or blades shall indicate 60 miles per hour on the scale which corresponds to about
10 inches in heighth from the zero point.
Any slipping of the driving wheels of the locomotive will be at once indicated by
the water or other liquid employed rising to the top of the guage tube whence it
flows through the hollow socket piece back into the tank through the return pipe
in the centre of the cover.
When the engine is standing the water level descends to zero on the scale, to
which point the scale should be set or adjusted by the driver before starting again
should he observe any discrepancy. This adjustment is necessary in order to
compensate for expansion & contraction of the water column and for any loss by
leakage or otherwise.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now pro-
ceed more particularly to describe the same, & for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Fig. 1 of the Drawings represents a vertical section, & Figure 2 a corresponding
sectional plan of the indicator proper drawn to a scale of about one half the full
size; Figure 3 illustrates in side & face view (detached) the adjustable graduated
scale; Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the centrifugal pump comprised within
the second or working portion of the apparatus. Figure 5 is a corresponding
longitudinal section of the same, & Fig. 6 is a correspondinng plan half the full
size.
A is a tank filled with water or other suitable liquid, & fitted into the angle or
other convenient part of the cab of the locomotive so as to be within view of the
driver at all times. B is a pipe communicating directly with the top of the tank &
with the upper part of the glass guage tube C through the socket piece D; this
pipe B carries the adjustable graduated scale E (Figure 3) connected therewith by
the clip or collar F so as to be free to be adjusted up or down more or less along
the pipe B as required. The lower end of the glass guage tubo communicates by
the pipe G with the upper part of the casing H of the centrifugal pump, whilst the
bottom of the tank A communicates by the pipe I with a side passage K in the
end cover of the pump casing, & opening into the centre thereof immediately
opposite the end of the rotary spindle L; K¹ is a discharge outlet for emptying &
cleaning out the pump casing. On the front end of the spindle L there is formed
a disc or shoulder a fitting a corresponding recess in the back of the casing and
carrying a series of arms or blades b, b, which revolve eccentrically within the
pump casing; M is a long tubular bearing formed on or fitted to the back of the
pump casing, & N is a lubricating gland & packing, within which rotates the
spindle L driven by a strap & grooved pulley O or other well known mechanical
contrivance from the driving axle or other convenient part of the engine; P, P, are
lugs by which the pump may be readily bolted to the engine frame or other
convenient fixed part.
Having now described & particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel & original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,--
First. The peculiar construction and arrangement of speed indicator as herein-
before described & illustrated by the Drawings hereunto annexed.

page_text: Second. The combination of an adjustable scale with the guage tube of a speed
indicator, as & for the purpose hereinbefore described & illustrated by the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Stroudley, have hereunto set my
hand & seal, this Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred & seventy nine.
WILLIAM STROUDLEY. (L.S.)