Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1887
Complete Left, 1st Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 4th May, 1888
I JOHN JEFFREY, 33 Preston Road Brighton, Sussex, Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention to be as follows:-
Sanding apparatus for Locomotives as heretofore proposed present certain dis-
advantages, for example; when an Engine with an ordinary sand box is about to start
from a state of rest, if the driver turns on the sand before putting on steam the sand
runs down and forms a wedge or hillock in front or in rear (as the case may be) of
the Driving wheel rendering it difficult for the Engine to move. If he puts on steam
before turning on the Sand the Engine almost invariably slips before reaching the
part of the Rail which is to be sanded. Moreover a difficulty exists in simultaneously
working the two handles of the steam and sand valves respectively and this disadvantage
also applies to the sanding arrangements when steam or air is used to eject the sand
from the pipe on to the rail.
Now this invention has for its object to overcome the aforesaid objections, and
consists in taking the steam for the sand blast from the steam chest of the Locomotive
or from the steam pipe itself in lieu of from the boiler direct; whereby the
application of the sand is effected at the same instant that the steam is turned on
or by the mere act of opening the regulator; and although the driver may open
the steam valve for the sand blast before opening the regulator, no sand will pass
down the pipes until the engine is put in motion.
By reason of the automatic action the sand will be applied as required and in
quantity to the power exerted by the wheels.

page_text: The arrangement which I have found to give the best results in practice, but which
nevertheless may be varied more or less in detail without departing from the essential
features of my invention consists as follows; for the supply of steam I prefer to use
a lift valve which can be raised about one eighth of an inch by a lover movement
of about twelve inches; thus giving complete control of the supply of steam and
of sand; that is to say, the driver will, before starting, open the steam valve of the
sanding arrangement as far as in his judgment it is required, and when he starts the
engine the supply of sand will be sufficient for it to exert its full power without
slipping.
Dated the 15th dow of Dacomber 1887

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Mode of Applying Sand or other Substance to
Prevent Slipping of the Driving Wheels of Locomotive
Engines.
I JOHN JEFFREY 33 Preston Road, Brighton Sussex, Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Sanding apparatus for Locomotives as heretofore proposed present certain dis-
advantages: for example, when an engine with an ordinary sand box is about to start
from a state of rest, if the driver turns on the sand before putting on steam the sand
runs down and forms a wedge or hillock in front or in rear (as the case may be) of
the driving wheel rendering it difficult for the engine to move. If he puts on steam
before turning on the sand the engine almost invariably slips before reaching the
part of the rail which is to be sanded. Moreover a difficulty exists in simultaneously
working the two handles of the steam and sand valves respectively and this disadvantage
also applies to the sanding arrangements where steam or air is used to eject the sand
from the pipe onto the rail..
Now this invention has for its object to overcome the aforesaid objections and
consists in taking the steam for the sand blast from the steam chest of the Locomotive
or from the steam pipe itself in lieu of from the boiler direct whereby the application
of the sand is effected at the same instant that the steam is turned on or by the mere
act of opening the regulator; and although the driver may open the steam valve for
the sand blast before opening the regulator no sand will pass down the pipes until the
engine is put in motion.
By reason of the automatic action the sand will be applied as required and in
quantity to the power exerted by the wheels.
I will now proceed to describe the arrangement which I have found to give the
best results in practice but which nevertheless may be varied more or less in detail
without departing from the essential features of my invention, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: A is the steam chest of the locomotive. B is the sand box which may be attached
to any convenient part of the engine. B¹ is the sand trap and C is the sand pipe
which sand box sand trap and pipe may be connected and arranged in the manner
usually adopted where steam or air is used to eject the sand, so as to prevent any sand
from entering the pipe until drawn down by the blast of the ejector. D is the
ordinary ejector and the nozzle through which the sand is expelled. E is the pipe
for conveying steam from the steam chest or steam pipe of the Locomotive to the
ejectors said pipe being shewn as connected with the steam chest by the valve F
which is actuated from a convenient handle G placed within the driver's reach, by
means of a connecting rod H which, through the intervention of a suitable arrange-
ment of levers as will be readily understood actuates as shewn in the drawings the
spindle I of the steam valve.
The action of the improved arrangement is as follows:―
Before starting the engine the driver opens the steam valve F as far as he judges
necessary I prefer to use a lift valve which may be raised about one eighth of an
inch by a lever movement of about twelve inches so that the supply of sand can be
regulated to a nicety. He then opens the regulator and starts the engine when the
steam from the steam chest or steam pipe (as the case may be) will pass down the
pipe E to the ejector D and the proper amount of sand will be expelled from
the nozzle D1, the one movement of starting the engine by opening the regulator
automatically applying the sand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I am aware that steam taken direct from the boiler has been employed in
combination with ejectors for driving sand against the driving wheels of locomotives
and therefore I do not claim broadly the use of steam for that purpose, but I declare
that what I claim is
The improved mode of applying sand or other substance, to prevent slipping of the
driving wheels of locomotive engines, by steam taken from the steam chest or steam
pipe of the engine, whereby the sand or other substance may be automatically applied
by the act of starting the engine substantially as specified.