Improvements in Locomotive Engines or Vehicles for Street Tramways.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1893-Accepted, 15th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CARL LÜHRIG, of Reichsstrasse No. 30, Dresden,
Germany, Mining Engineer.]
Improvements in Locomotive Engines or Vehicles for Street
Tramways.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of a locomotive engine or vehicle the
outer form of which is made precisely similar in appearance.to an ordinary tramway
car, and which is intended for the propulsion of tramway cars, being worked by
either gas, petroleum, compressed air, or other fluid pressure.
There has not, up to the present time, been produced any propelling engine for
tramways in which the machinery has been rendered entirely invisible from the
outside and been confined in an enclosed space, and in which the working of
the machinery takes place in a noiseless manner or is not observable from the
outside.
My present invention has the advantage of accomplishing these ends.
I will describe my improved locomotive engine with reference to the accom-
panying drawings, in which
Figs. 1 and 4 shew plans of the framework and machinery, Figs. 2 and 5 side
views and Figs. 3 and 6 end views thereof.
As will be seen, the outer appearance of the vehicle containing the machinery
is similar in all respects to that of an ordinary tramway car, being provided with
Within
a platform at each end, which serve as foot plates for the engine driver.
the vehicle are arranged two twin cylinder motor engines A A, the power of
which is transmitted from the crank-shafts through spur wheels a a fixed thereon,
to the shafts d d through spur wheels bb.
These wheels are loose on their shafts but connected therewith by means of pawl
and ratchet gear, so that in the event of the one engine running faster than the
other, the latter shall not be dragged round by the former. The motion is trans-
mitted from the shafts d d by means of spur wheels ce to a large spur wheel fon
shaft e.
The latter carries the loose wheels and hand between these is the sliding
sleeve with claw clutches i and which is carried round by the shaft.. The wheels gh.
are of unequal size and serve for driving at a quick or a slow speed. The former
takes place when the larger wheel is made, by coupling it with shafte, to transmit
the motion either through the smaller wheel 7 to the shaft m carrying the same, or
directly through the wheel g to the shaft p.
For running at a slow speed on the other hand, the clutch i is made to gear
with the smaller wheel g, which gears with the larger wheel k on the shaft m.
The motion is transmitted from this to the shaft p either directly through the
spur wheel n, on the one hand, and the wheel o on the other hand, or indirectly by
the wheel / through wheel to the wheel g on shaft p for reversing the motion.
By engaging the clutch on shaft p with the one or other of its loose wheels o q,
the locomotive is made to run forwards or backwards, according as the motion of
shafte is transmitted through shaft m to shaft p, either directly through the
wheels org k, no, or indirectly through the interposition of the wheels n o
or 1 h.
Thus if for example the clutch is engaged with wheel g, and clutch r with

page_text: wheel q, the engine will run slowly forward through the medium of wheels k 1 h,
while the wheels n, o run idle.
From shaft p the motion is transmitted through the spur wheels st to the shaft v,
on which is the one disc of the frictional coupling a, the other disc of which is
fixed on the shaft y.
.
If the latter be rotated by the engagement of this coupling, this motion will be
transmitted through wheels uw to the axle B of the one pair of road wheels,
from which the motion is transmitted to the other wheels and axle C by means of
coupling rods.
The driving gear shewn at Figs 4 to 6 is modified in that, on the one hand, the
transmission of the motion from the motor engine shafts (which are provided with
fly wheels S and with worms 1) is effected by means of worm wheels 2 to the
shafts 3, which on the other hand carry bevil wheels 4 between which is a clutch K,
by engaging which with the one or other of the bevil wheels, the direction of
running can be changed, as by this means the bevil wheel 5 on shaft 6 with which
they gear, is rotated either in the one direction or the other. On the shaft 6 are
two loose spur wheels 8, 9, and between these is the sliding clutch 7, by engaging
which with the larger or the smaller wheel 8 or 9, which gear respectively with
the different sized wheels 10, 11 on shaft 12, a greater or a less speed is obtained.
From the shaft 12 the motion is transmitted by means of spur wheels 13, 14 to
the shaft 15, upon which is the one disc of a friction coupling 16, the other disc of
which is fixed on the shaft 17.
By means of connecting rods the motion is transınitted from the crank disc 18
ou shaft 17 to the road wheels B. C.
The clutches for coupling or uncoupling the driving gear to or from the motor
engines, as also those for reversing the direction of motion and for changing the
speed, is effected in both the above described constructions from either end platform
by means of either a hand wheel D or by levers and connecting rods of any suitable
known arrangement.
The locomotive engine is furthermore provided with buffers of improved con-
struction, consisting of a curved plate P Fig. 1 covered with a soft elastic material,
rods from which slide through the framing and are made to bear with collars upon
volute springs F. By being made to extend over the entire width of the engine,
these buffers effectually protect the same against all injury by collision, and they
deaden the blow on impact to such an extent that it becomes practically imper-
ceptible in the contiguous tramcar.
Lastly, the engine is provided with an improved coupling device consisting of a
coupling-hook on a long rod T whose pivot is situated beneath the framing, and
which can slide laterally by means of rollers in guide slots in the framing.
By this means the vehicles when running on curves and points and crossings can
readily shift laterally relatively to each other, the coupling rods being made to
assume any desired angular position, as indicated by the dotted lines Fig. 1.
For rendering innocuous the exhaust vapours or gases resulting from the com-
bustion of 'the gas or petroleum in the motor engines, which gases or vapours carry
burnt lubricating oil with them, there is provided on the roof of the vehicle a
condensing chamber filled with pieces of cork and water, through which the gases
or vapours are made to pass, so as to become purified thereby.
A locomotive engine, the outward appearance of which is exactly similar to an
ordinary tramway car, possesses the great advantage that it enables the cheaper
mode of propulsion afforded by gas or petroleum engines to be employed with
impunity for the traffic, in replacing the present expensive modes of propulsion by
means of horses, electricity, compressed air, and the like.
Dated this 24th day of October 1892.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locomotive Engines or Vehicles for Street
Tramways.
I, OLIVER IMRAY, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane, in the
County of London, Chartered Patent Agent, 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:-
This invention relates to the construction of a locomotive engine or vehicle the
outer form of which is made precisely similar in appearance to an ordinary tramway
car, and which is intended for the propulsion of tramway cars, being worked by.
either gas, petroleum, compressed air, or other fluid pressure.
There has not, up to the present time, been produced any propelling engine for
tramways in which the machinery has been rendered entirely invisible from the
outside and been confined in an enclosed space, and in which the working of the
machinery takes place in a noiseless manner or is not observable from the outside.
My present invention has the advantage of accomplishing these ends.
I will describe my improved locomotive engine with reference to the drawings
accompanying my Provisional Specification, in which
Figs. 1 and 4 shew plans of the framework and machinery, Figs. 2 and 5 side
views and Figs. 3 and 6 end views thereof.
As will be seen, the outer appearance of the vehicle containing the machinery is
similar in all respects to that of an ordinary tramway car, being provided with a
Within the
platform at each end, which serve as foot plates for the engine driver.
vehicle are arranged two twin cylinder motor engines A A, the power of which
is transmitted from the crank shafts through spur wheels a fixed thereon, to the
shafts d d through spur wheels bb.
These wheels are loose on their shafts but connected therewith by means of pawl
and ratchet gear, so that in the event of the one-engine running faster than the
The motion is
other, the latter shall not be dragged round by the former.
transmitted from the shafts d d by means of spur wheels ce to a large spur wheel f
on shaft e.
The latter carries the loose wheels g and hand between these is the sliding sleeve
with claw clutches and which is carried round by the shaft. The wheels ghare
of unequal size and serve for driving at a quick or a slow speed. The former takes
place when the larger wheel is made, by coupling it with shaft e, to transmit the
motion either through the smaller wheel to the shaft m carrying the same, or
directly through the wheel 7 to the shaft p.
For running at a slow speed on the other hand, the clutch i is made to gear with
the smaller wheel g, which gears with the larger wheel on the shaft m.
The motion is transmitted from this to the shaft p either directly through the
spur wheel n on the one hand, and the wheel o on the other hand, or indirectly by
the wheel through wheel to the wheel on shaft p for reversing the motion.
By engaging the clutch on shaft p with the one or other of its loose wheels o q
the locomotive is made to run forwards or backwards, according as the motion of
shaft e is transmitted through shaft m to shaft p, either directly through the
wheels or g k, no, or indirectly through the interposition of the wheels no
or 1 h.
Thus if, for example, the clutch i is engaged with wheel g, and clutch with
wheel the engine will run slowly forward through the medium of wheels klh,
while the wheels n, o run idle.
From shaft p the motion is transmitted through the spur wheels st to the shaft v
on which is the one disc of the frictional coupling 7, the other disc of which is fixed
on the shaft y.
If the latter be rotated by the engagement of this coupling, this motion will be

page_text: .
transmitted through wheels u w to the axle B of the one pair of road wheels,
from which the motion is transmitted to the other wheels and axle C by means of
coupling rods.
The driving gear shewn at Figs. 4 to 6 is modified in that, on the one hand, the
transmission of the motion from the motor engine shafts (which are provided with
Hywheels S and with worms 1) is effected by means of worm wheels 2 to the shafts 3
which, on the other hand, carry bevil wheels 4 between which is a clutch K, by
engaging which with the one or other of the bevil wheels the direction of running
can be changed, as by this means the bevil wheel 5 on shaft 6 with which they gear,
is rotated either in the one direction or the other. On the shaft 6 are two loose
spur wheels 8, 9, and between these is the sliding clutch 7, by engaging which with
the larger or the smaller wheel 8 or 9, which gear respectively with the different
sized wheels 10, 11 on shaft 12, a greater or a less speed is obtained.
From the shaft 12 the motion is transmitted by means of spur wheels 13, 14 to
the shaft 15, upon which is the one disc of a friction coupling 16, the other disc of
which is fixed on the shaft 17.
By means of connecting rods the motion is transmitted from the crank disc 18 on
shaft 17 to the road wheels B. C.
The clutches for coupling or uncoupling the driving gear to or from the motor
engines, as also those for reversing the direction of motion and for changing the
speed, is effected in both the above described constructions from either end platform
by means of either a hand wheel D or by levers and connecting rods of any suitable
known arrangement.
The locomotive engine is furthermore provided with buffers of improved
construction, consisting of a curved plate P' Fig. 1 covered with a soft elastic
material, rods from which slide through the framing and are made to bear with
collars upon volute springs F. By being made to extend over the entire width of
the engine, these buffers effectually protect the same against all injury by collision,
and they deaden the blow on impact to such an extent that it becomes practically
imperceptible in the contiguous tramcar. Lastly, the engine is provided with an
improved coupling device consisting of a coupling hook on a long rod T whose pivot
is situated beneath the framing, and which can slide laterally by means of rollers in
guide slots in the framing.
By this means the vehicles when running on curves and points and crossings can
readily shift laterally relatively to each other, the coupling rods being made to
assume any desired angular position, as indicated by the dotted lines Fig. 1.
For rendering innocuous the exhaust vapours or gases resulting from the
combustion of the gas or petroleum in the motor engines, which gases or vapours
carry burnt lubricating oil with them, there is provided on the roof of the vehicle a
condensing chamber filled with pieces of cork and water, through which the gases
or vapours are made to pass, so as to become purified thereby.
A locomotive engine, the outward appearance of which is exactly similar to an
ordinary tramway car, possesses the great advantage that it enables the cheaper
mode of propulsion afforded by gas or petroleum engines to be employed with
impunity for the traffic, in replacing the present expensive modes of propulsion by
means of horses, electricity, compressed air, and the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A locomotive vehicle for street tramways wherein the motor engines, the
driving gear and all accessory parts are enclosed within a vehicle having the same
outward appearance as an ordinary tramway car, in such manner that no part of the
machinery is visible from the outside, the platforms at each end serving as the foot
plates for the engine driver, substantially as described.
2. In a locomotive vehicle such as is referred to in the first claim, effecting the
change of speed and direction of motion by means of spur or bevil wheels provided

page_text: with clutches, to which wheels the motion of the motor shaft is imparted through
other toothed wheels or worm wheels, substantially as described.
3. In a locomotive vehicle such as is referred to in the first claim, the
arrangement of a curved buffer plate P, extending over the whole width of the
vehicle and provided with an elastic covering, the said plate being made to bear with
rods against springs F, substantially as described.
4. In a locomotive vehicle such as is referred to in the first claim, the use of a
pivotted coupling rod T which can slide in slots of the framing so as to assume
varying angular positions, substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of June 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.