IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN THE MEANS OF RETARDING ENGINES AND CARRIAGES ON RAILWAYS, AND IN CO-
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
THORNTON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant, and
JAMES EDWARD MCCONNELL, of Wolverton, in the County of Buckingham,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Seventh day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, did give and grant
unto us, the said Samuel Thornton and James Edward McConnell, our exors,
adiiors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that we, the said Samuel Thornton and James Edward McConnell,
our exors, adors, and assigns, and such others as we, the said Samuel
Thornton and James Edward McConnell, our exors, adiñors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term of years therein mentioned, should and law-
fully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, the Dominion
of Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of
Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her Colonies and
Plantations abroad, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ENGINES, AND IN
THE MEANS OF RETARDING ENGINES AND CARRIAGES ON RAILWAYS, AND IN CO-

page_text: NECTING RAILWAY CARRIAGES OR WAGGONS TOGETHER; ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN
EPFECTING A COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ONE PART OF A RAILWAY TRAIN AND ANOTHER,
BY SIGNALS OR OTHERWISE;" in which said Letters Patent there is, amongst
others, contained a proviso that if we, the said Samuel Thornton and James
Edward McConnell, or one of us, shall not particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us, and cause the same to be inrolled in Her
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said recited Letters Patent, that then the
said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby
granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as by the said
Letters Patent, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said recited proviso, we,
the said Samuel Thornton and James Edward McConnell, do hereby declare
the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, and the Drawings therein referred to (that is to say):-
Our Invention, so far as the same consists in improvements in steam
engines, relates-
Firstly, to an improved piston; and,
Secondly, to certain alterations in the chimney and blast pipe; and,
Thirdly, to certain arrangements and alteration of the eduction passages
and valves for the purpose of diminishing the back pressure or the resistance
of the steam in the eduction passages to the motion of the piston.
Our improved piston consists of a certain arrangement and combination of
parts for the purpose of ensuring uniformity of pressure on the rubbing surface
of the piston.
In Fig. 1 of Sheet A of the Drawings, a piston is shewn full size for a
cylinder fourteen inches diameter. The arrangements consist in the adoption
of one or two packing rings A, A, which are of a form to allow of a pro-
jection towards the interior of the piston, having the surface conical at B, B;
on which conical surfaces two inner rings C, C, are accurately fitted in such a
manner as to act easily to and fro, the expansion of the outer or packing rings
being allowed for by their being cut asunder in the usual manner at D, D,
Fig. 2 or plan. The inner rings are not cut, but being concentric with the
outer rings, fit always closely by the pressure of the springs to their changes
of size. On the inner rings are fitted two thin clastic discs E, E, of tempered

page_text: cast steel, which is fitted and fixed to the inner ring in such a way that a
pressure on the surface of the disc springs causes the inner rings C, C, to act
on the outer or packing rings sufficiently to render the rubbing surface steam,
water, or air tight. The two dises can be pressed from each other by means
of a spiral spring F, or a spring of india rubber, or other elastic substance,
placed in the centre. of the. rings round the piston rod. By means of the
arrangement and combination of parts above described, the packing rings are
pressed equally on the whole surface by means of an inner conical ring and a
central spring acting on the clastic discs. In this arrangement, the piston
rings may, by means of pins or holders at relative distances in the piston, be
shifted round so as to wear equally, and avoid ridges or marks being worn in
the cylinder or the packing. The pistons may be also made of wrought iron or
steel in one piece with the piston rod, and with the adoption of one breadth of
packing, so that the piston may be made as light as possible. We do not
confine ourselves to the precise dimensions and proportions of parts shewn,
as the same may be varied according to the circumstances of the case. And
we wish it to be understood that we claim as of our Invention, and an
improvement in steam engines, a piston in which the packing rings are
adjusted, by means of two conical surfaces acted on by a spring and elastic
discs, as above described.
We will now proceed to describe the part of our Invention which relates to
alterations in the chimney and blast pipe, for the purpose of obtaining all the
useful effect that can be derived from the escaping steam in accelerating the
ingress of atmospheric air to the furnace, and at the same time increase the
effective force of the steam acting upon the pistons. It is generally known
that the quantity of steam which escapes at the usual pressure from the
smallest cylinders of any engine used on railways is sufficient to eject the air
from the chimney, and it has been the usual practice to vary the diameter of
the chimney in a certain proportion to the diameter of the cylinders of an
engine, and to preserve a nearly uniform. height for the chimney, namely, the
greatest which the bridges over any particular railway would admit. Now,
the object of this part of our Invention is to obtain the advantage of a
chimney of a height incompatible with the ordinary working of a railway,
limited as such height is. by the headway of the bridges; and this we effect by
adopting two or more shafts instead of one, as the chimney, into which shafts
the steam is discharged. simultaneously from a corresponding number of blast
pipes..
In Drawing Sheet. B. is represented an arrangement of a chimney in three
shafts a, a, a, applied to an engine each, say, five feet long, and into which

page_text: three blast pipes b, b, b, exhaust steam simultaneously. By these means it is
evident that we obtain a chimney by means of which the steam may be dis-
charged with greater efficiency that under ordinary circumstances.
We do not confine ourselves to the particular arrangement shown on the
Drawing, but intend to use two, three, four, or more shafts for the chimney,
with a corresponding number of blast pipes, and of dimensions according to
the quantity of steam to be discharged. And we wish it to be understood that
we claim as of our Invention, and as an improvement in steam engines, the
division of the chimney into several shafts, into which a like number of blast
pipes exhaust simultaneously, as above described.
We will now proceed to describe the part of our Invention which consists
of an improved arrangement of the eduction passages and steam valves in
high pressure engines, for the purpose of increasing the effective power of
the steam. It is evident that a great saving of power and consequent economy
will result from diminishing the back pressure of eduction steam on the piston,
or in other words much of the power now expended in expelling the steam
from the cylinder after it has performed the operation of pressing the piston
to the end of the stroke will be saved, if the passage for this eduction steam is
rendered more direct and capacious than according to the present arrangements.
In order to accomplish this, we arrange the eduction passages and valves,
as shewn in the Drawing, Sheet C, Fig. 1. A represents the present cylinder
as in use on a locomotive engine; B, the slide valves of the engine; C, C, the
valve spindles; D, the steam. passages; E, the eduction
In addition
passage.
to this, the ordinary arrangement, we put another eduction passage from the
cylinder to the atmosphere at each end of the cylinder, as shewn at F, F, F, F;
and this passage may be placed, as found convenient, either exactly opposite
the opening from the interior of the cylinder, or at any intermediate distance
We also arrange the
between that and the passage which admits the steam.
valves as shewn, one valve at each end being used for the purpose of regu-
lating the emission of the steam from the cylinder, which valves G, G, as
shewn, are attached to the same spindle C, C, as the ordinary steam valve, and
are moved simultaneously with it.
In order to explain the operation of the above, it is proper to state that the
valve G at either end is so placed that it is open to the atmosphere from the
cylinder at the same instant that the eduction steam from the same end of the.
cylinder at which the said valve is placed, is escaping by the ordinary passages
to the atmosphere. The size of the passage for steam, next to the interior
surface of the cylinder, as shewn at H, H, should be increased, in order to
allow for the increased area of the eduction pipes, caused by the additional

page_text: passages through the vales G, G. I, I, represents the two blast pipes for
taking the eduction steam to the chimney; and the arrangement of these pipes,
and also the plans of packing the back of the valves may be varied according
to the circumstances and particular construction of the engine to which they
may be applied. It will be obvious that a similar arrangement of valves and
eduction passages for increasing the area for the passage of eduction steam
may be adapted to any of the various kinds of engines in which high-pressure
steam is employed, as well in locomotive engines. The scale of the Drawing
is three inches to one foot.
Fig. 2 shews an end view of the cylinder with the eduction valve G; and
the form as shewn or other well known forms may be used and adapted to
the purpose as above specified.
It will be seen that by the arrangement of passages and valves, as described,
the pressure in the blast pipe and eduction passages will be diminished, so as
to admit of a diminution of the back pressure or resistance to the motion of the
piston. And we wish it to be understood that we claim as of our Invention,
and as an improvement in steam engines, the constructing and arranging the
eduction passages and valves in the manner above described and represented.
Our Invention, so far as the same consists of improvements in connecting
railway carriages or waggons together, relates firstly to an improved method of
coupling, and secondly to improved arrangements of the buffers.
And first, as to the improved method of coupling the carriages and waggons
together. The object of this part of our Invention is to obviate the present dan-
gerous mode of coupling railway carriages and waggons, whereby the men
employed to do that work are constantly liable to be crushed to death or to
receive serious injury, particularly with merchandise or mineral waggons,
when in the act of coupling them together, as this method prevents the neces-
sity of a man going under or standing between the carriages or waggons
when in the performance of the duty of coupling them together or of
uncoupling them.
Drawing Sheet D shews the coupling applied to a carriage. Fig. 1 shews
an elevation of a carriage with the coupling links, screws, rod, and mitre, or
bevel wheels for working the screws, in order to tighten the carriages together.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the carriage, shewing the cross shaft from the
draw rod, for drawing the coupling tighter. Fig. 3 is a ground plan of the
carriage, shewing the arrangement of the coupling. A, A, A, A, shews the
brackets supporting the rods and handles, and supporting also the hook links.
B, B, shews the top of the hooks; C, C, shows the plan of the coupling links
in a coupled position. E (see Figure 1) shews the right hand link as turned

page_text: up uncoupled.
F, F, shows the handles for working the coupling. links. The
handles are applicable to the outside of the carriage or waggon as well as the
inside of the framing. H represents mitre or bevel wheels for the purpose of
working the screws for drawing the buffers of the carriages together.
Drawing Sheet E represents the foregoing parts asunder from the carriage,
and drawn half size.
Drawing Sheet F shews, Fig. 1, the brackets A, A, A, A, supporting the
rods and handles, as in Drawing. Sheet D., Fig. 2, a longitudinal-section,
shewing the brackets; Fig. 1, B, B, the top of the hooks; Fig. 2, B, B, B; B,
the longitudinal section of the hooks; Fig. 1, C, C, C, C, the plan of the links
when both are coupled on the hooks. Fig. 2, D, shows right. hand link
coupled, E the left hand link falling down to be coupled on the link D. Fig. 1,
F, F, F, F, shows the handles for working the coupling links. H, Fig. 2,
shows the worm wheel for drawing the buffers of the waggon, together; .H,
Fig. 1, another view of the same; I, a shaft with an endless screw for work-
ing the worm wheel; Fig. 1, K, a rod connecting the coupling hooks to the
springs under the carriages; L, L, shows the handles for giving motion to the
shaft, with the endless screw working on the worm wheel to draw up the
carriages. Fig. 3 shews a plan for tightening the carriages from their centres,
by making use of one worm wheel, and one shaft passing through from one
side of the carriages to the other. This plan shows one half of the movement,
and we wish it to be understood that we claim as of our Invention, and as
an improvement in connecting railway carriages and waggons together, the
arrangement above described, whereby carriages may be coupled together or
uncoupled from the outside, without the necessity of any person being between
them.
We will now proceed to describe our improvements in connecting railway
carriages and waggons by means of an improved system of buffers, so as to
ensure uniformity in height of the same, so that whatever may be the position
of the carriages or waggons in respect of deflection of springs from load.or
other circumstances, the buffers will always be at the same distance from the
rails, and in a straight line with each other, both laterally and vertically; thus
ensuring safety to the train in this particular, and also greater economy in the
wear and ease in the travelling of the carriages or waggons. Our improved
system of buffers consists in attaching them to or connecting them with tlie
axles or a frame affixed to the axles, instead of the bodies of the carriages, by
which means the buffers or the line of their action will maintain one and the
same height from the surface of the rails: to whatever amount the carriages
may be loaded. This method of arranging the buffers is shewn' in Sheet G,
"

page_text: and it will be obvious that provided the buffers are attached to a frame affixed
to or connected with the axles instead of to the carriage, the height of
which from the rails is liable to variation, according to the load and other cir-
cumstances, the line of the action of the buffers will be maintained. We
recommend that the buffer rods should be hollow, and of wrought or drawn
iron tubing. This, however, is not essential for this part of our Invention,
and we wish it to be understood that we claim as of our Invention, and as an
improvement in connecting railway carriages and waggons, the constructing
and arranging the carriages and waggons so that they may be brought together
by means of a system of buffers, framed to or connected with the axles in such
manner that the line of their action, when the carriages and waggons are
coupled together, may be at one and the same height throughout the train, and
independent of the loading of the carriages.
Our Invention, so far as the same consists of improvements in the means of
retarding engines and carriages, and in effecting a communication between one
part of a railway train and another, by signal or otherwise, relates firstly to
certain arrangements by transmitting signals from one part of the train to
another, and secondly to certain arrangements for bringing the breaks into
action by or through the system of buffers. It is well known that various
suggestions have from time to time been made for effecting or facilitating a
communication between different parts of a train with certainty, and amongst
others it was some time ago suggested by me the said James Edward
McConnell, that the carriages should be constructed with a continuous plat-
form, so arranged that a guard might travel from one carriage to another while
the train was in motion. But it is desirable that some more expeditious means
should exist of communicating from one part of a train to another, and of
bringing into action all the breaks throughout the train.
Now, the preceding
part of our Invention, whereby the buffers or their line of action are preserved
at one and the same height, affords the means of attaining this object, for by
employing hollow buffers, and carrying a chain through them, every carriage
throughout the train may be communicated with.
We will now proceed to describe this part of our Invention. In Sheet G
of the annexed Drawings A, A, represents the guards' vans in front and rear of
the train, with a carriage G between them. B, B, are friction wheels on the
guards' vans, which are for the purpose of being brought into contact with the
wheels of the van by means of the lever C, or screw rod and handle H in the
other case, as may be most convenient, in order to draw the chains or rods
through the tubes of the buffers, to give the signal or signals. On the same
axis as the friction wheels or pulloy's B, B, are placed or fixed several pulleys

page_text: or barrels I, I, for the chain to be wound over; it will be evident that on the
friction wheel being brought into contact with the wheel of the van or carriage
the motion will cause it to revolve, and the chain will be drawn over the small
pulleys or barrels I, I, and this can be also done by various other plans, as may
be considered more convenient and desirable. By means of the said plan of
hollow or tubular buffers breaks may be applied to any or all of the wheels of
the carriages or waggons in the train. By an arrangement shewn in the
Drawings the chain, rods, or rope of suitable materials, extending through the
buffer tubes, is connected to levers or wheels, which act on the breaks when
the chain is drawn tight. J, J, J, J, represents the levers which are acted on
by the chain by means of a toothed quadrant working in the tube, and which
levers are fixed to the breaks K, K, K, K. When the chain is drawn the quad-
rants are moved so as to bring the break to act on the wheel, and when this
is effected the chain glides over the smooth end of the quadrants at L, L, L, L.
The springs E, E, E, E, then force the small catches o, o, o, o, on the project-
ing lever stud p (shewn by dots), and the break is held in contact while the
chain is further brought into and thrown on any of the other levers which may
not have been affected. Another mode of equalizing this action on the breaks
is shewn by the small lever P, where is shewn a small toothed wheel F,
which is so fixed that the cotter N holds it fast, to bring the break into action,
by the wheel acting in the first instance like the quadrant of the former lever,
but when the strain is sufficiently on the break the cotter N allows the small
wheel to revolve on its axle, and the chain is then tightened on the other breaks
in a similar way.
Various other plans can be adopted for the same purpose, namely, of
bringing the chain to act equally and effectively on all the breaks of the train,
or a lesser number, as may be considered necessary. The chain is represented
by the blue line D, D, and one or more chain, line, wire, or other medium of
communication, may be introduced, as considered desirable, for signals, breaks,
&c., and when the carriages have been coupled up the ends of the chains, rods,
or other medium of communication, may be connected together through a slot
or openings at each end of the hollow buffer rods. The various modifications
of which this part of our Invention is susceptible will be obvious, and we wish
it to be understood that we claim as of our Invention, and as improvements.in
effecting a communication between one part of a railway train and another,
the giving signals by means of a chain, line, wire, or other medium of com-
munication, passing through hollow or tubular buffer rods, and connected with
different parts of a train as above described.
We also claim as of our Invention, and as an improvement in the means of

page_text: retarding engines and carriages on railways, the actuating the breaks by means
of a chain or rope passing through hollow or tubular buffer rods, as above
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Samuel Thornton and James Edward
McConnell, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
forty-nine.
JAMES EDWARD (L.s.) MCCONNELL.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventh day of February, in the
year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Samuel Thornton and James Edward
McConnell came before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and
acknowledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the Specification
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that
purpose.
Enrolled the Seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord One