IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE HYA
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Allan and Richard Elihu Dickinson both of the
Savile Street Foundry and Engineering Company Savile Street East Sheffield
in the County of York for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE
HYAUNG
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Allan and Richard
Elihu Dickinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
19th June 1882.
"
GEORGE ALLAN and RICHARD ELIHU DICKINSON both of the Savilo Street
Foundry and Engineering Company Savile Street East Sheffield in the County of
York, IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND VEHICLES FOR TRAMWAYS
RAILWAYS AND OTHER PURPOSES ALSO APPLICABLE TO STATIONARY ENGINES AND
BOLLERS
33
Our improvements are more particularly applicable to the kind of tram car
known as the "combined," i.e. a car in which the propelling power is combined
with the carrying portion on one frame and supported by one set of wheels, but
they may obviously be utilized for other purposes.
The boiler is constructed with a central fire-box, somewhat similar to the fire-box
of a locomotive or portable engine but having two tube plates opposite to each
other and the fire door at one side. From the said tube plates nests of tubes
proceed right and left to two separate smoke boxes, one at each end of the boiler;
the tubes being enclosed by cylindrical or oval shells so that the complete boiler
represents two locomotive boilers joined back to back having one common fire-box
and with the firing door at the side. Steam domes, collecting pipes or other
known contrivances may be employed for securing dry steam, but they form no
part of this invention.
The boiler is by preference placed across the vehicle, i.e. the tubes at right
angles to the line of rails, thereby economising space as much as possible.
After the steam has performed its work in the engine; which may be of the

page_text: compound or other convenient type, we pass it into a surface condenser composed
of thin metallic pipes freely exposed to the atmosphere, and we collect the water
of condensation by means of a separator or trap, from which it may be returned to
the boiler in the usual manner. The portion of the steam which has not been
condensed is passed by suitable pipes into a vessel of special form placed in the fire
box of the boiler; the said vessel having small perforations in its surface through
which the steam escapes and in becoming mixed with the hot products of combus-
tion is ultimately delivered into the atmosphere in a perfectly invisible form. The
said vessel may be of any convenient form, such as spherical, cylindrical, flattened
or corrugated &c. and is made of any material found most suitable to resist the
combined action of the steam and the hot products of combustion.
For the purpose of rendering the tubes of the condenser tight and yet allowing
of their easy removal for repairs &c. we pass their ends through suitable tube-
plates bored to the proper size and having one side countersunk; we further
provide a guard plate bored and countersunk in a similar manner to the tube plate
and place washers or rings of any suitable material, but preferably elastic, around
the ends of the tubes and between the tube plate and the guard plate, the size of
the washers being so regulated that while lying in the countersinks a space is still
left between the said plates. By forcing the guard plate towards the tube plate
with bolts or otherwise the washers become compressed against the tubes and form
sound joints which may be casily again broken and re-made.
In order to control and limit the speed of a train car or other vehicle we place
on the axle or other revolving part a self-acting or automatic friction brake of the
following construction.
Upon the axle is keyed or otherwise fastened a block containing two bearings
for a pair of short shafts with their ends formed into right and left hand screws;
on these short shafts are fastened levers with heavy weights at their ends, these
levers having at their mid position a direction parallel to the revolving axle
or nearly so.
To resist the centrifugal action of the levers and weights we connect the two sets
together by spiral or other springs of such a tension as to allow of the weights flying
out only when the maximum speed is approached; the action being similar to that
of a spring loaded governor. Suitable links together with a sliding sleeve aro
provided to cause both the weights (and their levers) to recede from or approach
to the axle to the same extent. To the screwed ends of the aforesaid short shafts
are attached a pair of semicircular or quadrant-shaped blocks properly tapped to
receive the screws and with their surfaces turned to a true form. At the side of
the said blocks and the other gear above described is placed a disc with its boss
fitting loosely on the axle of the car and provided at one side with a small chain
barrel and at the other side with a flange or rim which encloses the two semi-
circular blocks above mentioned and is bored to receive them. From the small
chain barrel we pass a chain to a suitable brake arrangement, but by preference to
a system of toggle joints whereby the pressure on the blocks can be increased to
any desirable extent.
The action of the automatic brake will now be readily understood to be as
follows As long as the car is travelling at a less speed than its maximum the
springs will overcome the centrifugal action of the weights, will keep them and
their levers close to the shaft and by means of the screws will also keep the arc-
shaped blocks in their innermost position and hence quite clear of the surrounding
flange of the disc.
As therefore no forcible rotation is given to the disc, the chain
will hang slack and the brakes will by proper springs or weights be kept clear of
the wheels. As soon however as the maximum speed is reached the weights will
by their centrifugal action overcome the retarding force of the springs, move their
levers and partly rotate the screwed shafts, whereby the quadrant shaped blocks
are separated and pressed against the inner surface of the flanged portion of the
disc, thus causing it (the disc) also to revolve and in so doing to wind the chain
around the barrel and apply the brake mechanism; the friction thus caused continues

page_text: as long as the maximum speed exists, and is removed as soon as the speed is reduced
below the maximum.
In applying the above improvements we do not of course confine ourselves to the
precise details of construction, which may be varied without departing from the
nature of the invention, and the various improvements may obviously be applied
with advantage for other purposes besides those enumerated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Allan and Richard Elihu Dickinson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 18th December 1882.
GEORGE ALLAN and RICHARD ELIHU DICKINSON, both of the Savile Street
Foundry and Engineering Company, Savile Street East, Sheffield, in the County
of York "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND VEHICLES FOR
TRAMWAYS RAILWAYS, AND OTHER PURPOSES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO STATIONARY
ENGINES AND BOILERS
"
Our improvements are more particularly applicable to the kind of tram car
known as the "combined," i.c., a car in which the propelling power is combined with
the carrying portion on one frame and supported by one set of wheels, but they
may obviously be utilised for other purposes.
The boiler is constructed with a central fire box, somewhat similar to the fire-
box of a locomotive or portable engine, but having two tube plates opposite to each
other and the fire door at one side. From the said tube plates, nests of tubes
proceed right and left to two separate smoke boxes, one at each end of the boiler,
the tubes being enclosed by cylindrical or oval shells so that the complete boiler
represents two locomotive boilers joined back to back having one common fire-box,
and with the firing door at the side Steam domes, collecting pipes or other known
contrivances may be employed for securing dry steam, but they form no part of
this invention.
The boiler, is by preference placed across the vehicle, that is, the tubes at right
angles to the line of rails, thereby economising space as much as possible.
After the steam has performed its work in the engine, which may be of the
compound or other convenient type, we pass it into a surface condenser composed
of thin metallic pipes freely exposed to the atmosphere, and we collect the water of
condensation by ineans of a separator or trap, from which it may be returned to
the boiler in the usual manner. The portion of the steam which has not been
condensed is passed by suitable pipes into a vessel of special form placed in the
fire box of the boiler, the said vessel having small perforations in its surface
through which the steam escapes and in becoming mixed with the hot products of
combustion is ultimately delivered into the atmosphere in a perfectly invisible
form. The said vessel may be of any convenient form, such as spherical, cylin-
drical, flattened or corrugated, etc, and is made of any material found most

page_text: suitable to resist the combined action of the steam and the hot products of
combustion.
For the purpose of rendering the tubes of the condenser tight and yet allowing
of their easy removal for repairs etc, we pass their ends through suitable tube
plates bored to the proper size and having one side countersunk; we further
provide a guard plate bored and countersunk in a similar manner to the tube plate
and place washers or rings of any suitable material, but preferably elastic, around
the ends of the tubes and between the tube plate and the guard plate, the size
of the washers being so regulated that while lying in the countersinks a space
is still left between the said plates. By forcing the guard plate towards the tube
plate with bolts or otherwise the washers become compressed against the tubes
and form sound joints which may be easily again broken and remade.
In order to control and limit the speed of a tram car or other vehicle we place
on the axle or other revolving part a self acting or automatic friction brake of the
following construction.
Upon the axle is keyed or otherwise fastened a block containing two bearings
for a pair of short shafts with their ends formed into right and left hand screws;
on these short shafts are fastened levers with heavy weights at their ends, these
levers having at their mid position a direction parallel to the revolving axle, or
nearly so.
To resist the centrifugal action of the levers and weights we connect the two
gets together by spiral or other springs of such a tension as to allow of the weights
flying out only when the maximum speed is approached the action being similar
to that of a spring loaded governor. Suitable links together with a sliding sleeve
are provided to cause both the weights (and their levers) to recede from or
approach to the axle to the same extent. To the screwed ends of the aforesaid
short shafts are attached a pair of semicircular or quadrant shaped blocks, properly
tapped to receive the screws and with their surfaces turned to a true form. At
the side of the said blocks and the other gear above described is placed a disc with
its boss fitting loosely on the axle of the car and provided at one side with a small
chain barrel and at the other side with a flange or rim which encloses the two
semicircular blocks above mentioned and is bored to receive them. From the small
chain barrel we pass a chain to a suitable brake arrangement, but by preference to
a system of toggle joints, whereby the pressure on the blocks can be increased to
any desirable extent.
The action of the automatic brake will now be readily understood to be as
follows-As long as the car is travelling at a less speed than its maximum the
springs will overcome the centrifugal action of the weights, will keep them and
their levers close to the shaft and by means of the screws will also keep the arc-
shaped blocks in their innermost position.and hence quite clear of the surrounding
flange of the disc. As therefore no forcible rotation is given to the disc, the chain
will hang slack and the brakes will by proper springs or weights be kept clear of
the wheels. As soon, however as the maximum speed is reached the weights will
by their centrifugal action overcome the retarding force of the springs, move their
levers and partly rotate the screwed shafts whereby the quadrant shaped blocks
are separated and pressed against the inner surface of the flanged portion of the
disc, thus causing it (the disc) also to revolve and in so doing to wind the chain
around the barrel and apply the brake mechanism; the friction thus caused con-
tinues as long as the maximum speed exists, and is removed as soon as the speed
is reduced below the maximum.
In applying the above improvements, we do not, of course confine ourselves to
the precise details of construction, which may be varied without departing from
the nature of the invention, and the various improvements may obviously be
applied with advantage for other purposes besides those enumerated
On sheet 1, figs 1 and 2, is shewn the boiler according to our mode of construction
as already described, and figs. 3 to 10 shew details of the heaters.
Fig 1 is a cross section of the boiler, i.e. a section in a line with the rails, and

page_text: :
fig 2 is a longitudinal section, i.e. across the line of rails. Fig 3 is a plan of one
form of heating chamber for assisting in rendering the exhaust steam invisible and
figs to 10 inclusive are sections of different forms of chambers for effecting the
same object. A is the central firebox from which two sets of fire-tubes B. B. pass
to the smoke boxes C C on either side. D is the cylindrical boiler shell and E the
steam dome. The tube 1 in fig I is by preference made of cast steel, but may be
formed of any other material which as readily withstands the action of the fire and
steam; it is closed at one end as shewn, and through the other end the exhaust
steam (or such portion as may not have been condensed in the surface condenser)
enters, becomes highly heated by contact with the tube and issues over or into the
fire through perforations 2 as shewn, passing ultimately away together with the
products of combustion through the tubes B and by the funnel into the atmosphere
in an invisible form. Other sections than the circular one shewn by 1, fig 1, may
be used, such as for instance those shewn by fig 4 and to a larger scale by figs 5
to 10 inclusive. We sometimes place the vessel or heater lower down, in the body
of the fire and make it in the forin of a hollow ring-shaped casting, as shewn by 3
figs 1, 2 and 3 and in order to increase the heating surface to which the exhaust
steam shall be exposed, we sometimes cast ribs, 4, inside the box as shewn. The
exhaust steam enters the heater by pipe, 5, is compelled by the division, 6 to pass
through the whole length of the box in the direction of the arrows, issues from
the box at the corner near to its place of entry, and passes by the vertical pipe, 7,
into the horizontal pipe, 8, from which it issues across or into the fire by the
perforations shewn, or sometimes by a slot or slots. Instead of the box just
described, we sometimes employ a coil by one end of which the exhaust steam
enters and after traversing nearly the whole of its length issues by holes slots or
other openings formed near the other end of it. The mode of forming tho joint of
the condenser tubes with the tube-plates is shewn by figures 11 and 12.
9 are
the tubes, 10 the tube-plate, 11, the guard plate, 12 the bolts and nuts and 13, the
washers preferably made of an elastic material.
On sheet 2, figs 13, 14 and 15 are shewn various views of the brake; fig 13
being partly an end view in elevation (looking in the direction of the arrow b) and
partly a cross section through the brake blocks (looking in the direction of the
arrow a) and the brake drum at about the centre of the screws. Fig 14 is a side
view, half in elevation and half in section, the weights being in their nearest
position to the shaft as when the car is standing, and fig: 15 is a side view with
the weights in their extreme position the blocks being held firmly against the rim
of the brake drum. Similar figures refer to corresponding parts in the three views.
14 is a block keyed to the axle or other revolving part of the car, and having
formed in one piece with it or attached to it the bearings 15 through which the
shafts 16 (with right and left hand screws) pass. 17 are levers fastened at one
19 are
end to the said shafts and provided at their other ends with weights 18.
the spiral springs connecting the weights and arranged for adjustment. 20 are
links and 21 is a sliding sleeve; the combined arrangement having the effect of
causing both weights to recede from or approach to the axle to an equal extent.
22 are the quadrant shaped blocks tapped as shewn to receive the screwed ends of
the shafts 16, and having their outer surfaces turned or otherwise shaped to a
cylindrical or other desirable form. 23 is the disc fitting loosely on the axle and
having formed in one with it (or attached thereto) on one side a small drum 24
and at the other side a flange or rim 25, enclosing the quadrants and truly formed
of corresponding section.
The action of the brake is as already described, the springs 19 serving to
counteract the centrifugal action of the weights 18 so long as the maximum speed
is not attained, while when that speed is exceeded, the outward movement of the
blocks 18 effects the turning of the levers 17 and screwed shaft 16 so as to apply
the blocks 22 to the flange 25 of the disc 23 whereby the drum 24 will be rotated
and the chain that works the brakes wound up thereon. On the speed decreasing

page_text: the springs 19 draw the levers 17 inwards again, and thereby withdraw the
blocks 22 from the flange 25.
Having thus described the nature of the said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we claim :-
First The combined construction and arrangement of steam boiler for tram cars
herein described consisting of a double tubular boiler with central fire-box from
which the fire-tubes pass transversely from the car to smoke boxes on either side
thereof.
Second-The method of rendering exhaust steam invisible by causing it to pass
into tubes or vessels situated in the fire-box of the steam boiler, from which tubes
or vessels it issues into or over the fire in order to escape thence into the
atmosphere substantially as herein described
Third The construction of apparatus for admitting exhaust steam directly
into or on to the fire, arranged and operating substantially as herein described,
with reference to figs: 1 to 12 of the drawings.
Fourth: The construction of apparatus for causing the brakes of vehicles to be
applied automatically wherein the centrifugal force of weights, in overcoming the
force of springs acting in opposition thereto, causes screwed shafts to be turned by
means of which revolving blocks are brought into frictional contact with a drum
the rotation of which causes the brake blocks to be applied, substantially as herein
described, with reference to figs: 13, 14, and 15 of the drawings.
In Witness whereof, we, the said George Allan, and Richard Elihu Dickinson,
have hereunto set our bands and Seals this fifteenth day of December in
the year of our Lord, one thousand, eight hundred and eighty two.
GEORGE ALLAN
R. E. DICKINSON
(L.S.)
(L.S.)