IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF APPLYING ENGINE POWER TO WHEELS AND OTHER LIKE INSTRUMENTS EMPLOYED IN PRODUCING LOCOMOTION, WHETHER BY LAND OR WATER
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Barling at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th February
1861.
I, JOHN BARLING, of Belle Grange, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MODE OF APPLYING ENGINE POWER TO WHEELS AND OTHER LIKE INSTRUMENTS
EMPLOYED IN PRODUCING LOCOMOTION, WHETHER BY LAND OR WATER," to be as
follows:-
Various considerations have led me to the conclusion, that in the present
modes of applying the engine power, both to paddle wheels and the driving
wheels of locomotives, there is much unnecessary loss: I believe that the
power should always be applied to these wheels horizontally, and (except it
may be at starting) above the axis of revolution, and in a line (as far as may
be) with the motion of the vessel or train. The power is applied horizontally
to the driving wheels of our locomotives, but it acts both above and below the
axis of revolution, and with as great a consumption of steam in the one case
as in the other. To the paddle wheel the power is in general applied ver-
tically, or with such an inclination on each side of the vertical line as is
equivalent to a uniform action in this line. In those cases wherein the power
is differently applied, it is not done with a view of causing the power to act
in the way above described, and it does not so act; but, on the contrary, the
aim of the engineer is either simply to economize space, or to apply the power
as equably as possible all round the driving 'shaft, which arrangement, in

page_text: common with the others named, I hold to be faulty for wheels employed in
producing locomotion, whether by land or water, except in those rare cases
in which the plane of revolution and the line of progression do not correspond.
My Invention aims to economize the steam thus wasted, and consists, firstly,
in so placing the cylinders of marine engines employed in working paddles,
paddle wheels, of wheels of any kind revolving in the direction of the vessel's
course, and so connecting the cylinders with the propellers they work, as that
the power shall act on these. instruments prevalently, not in the vertical but
in the horizontal direction above the axis of revolution, and in a line with
the vessel's course; and, secondly, in such arrangements of the valves and
working gear of both marine and locomotive engines as may enable the
engineer or driver to cut off the steam from the forward part or head of the
cylinder, while the vessel or train is in motion, or to work the engine at will
with the steam on one side of the piston only, the port to the exhaust outlet,
or the condenser on the other side being kept freely open.
In order that the power of marine engines may be made to act in the way
described, it will not be necessary to place the cylinders as in ordinary loco-
motive engines, and so to raise them above the position which they now usually
occupy, although this may serve in some cases. The end may be otherwise
attained, and by various means, as by interposing a lever.with suitable trans-
mitting and connecting rods between the piston rod and the crank of the
driving shaft. This lever may be either of the first or third class, placed
vertically, and having. its upper end forked, so as to embrace the crank pin,
and admit of its sliding between the prongs as the shaft revolves. By com-
bining two levers, one of the first and the other of the third class, the
backward as well as forward stroke of the engine may be made use of. In
these arrangements the cylinders are supposed to be placed horizontally, but
if the levers are bent, the cylinders may be placed vertically, and the power
still be made to act on the crank in the way proposed. Both strokes also of
the engine may thus be made use of, but the levers will be both of the same
class. An additional lever or levers may also be needed to prevent lateral
strain.
In respect to the valves and working gear of marine and locomotive engines,
various arrangements also may be employed by which the objects of my
Invention may be accomplished; but that which I prefer at present for the
locomotive (and the same may serve for some marine engines) is to remove
to a sufficient depth the partition which now separates the exhaust from the
steam port nearest the head of the cylinder, and to place in the cavity so
formed an additional slide resembling in shape a triangular prism with one

page_text: of its faces hollowed out. When the slide is in this position it bars the
passage of the steam between the two ports, and in fact leaves the engine
for all practical purposes as it now is; but when the slide is moved forward,
the mouth of the steam port towards the steam chest is closed, and at the
same time a constant communication is opened along the hollowed face of
the slide between the head of the cylinder and the exhaust; the engine is then
single-acting. When there is not sufficient depth of metal to admit of such
cavity being formed, a metal plate of the requisite thickness may be screwed
down upon the face of the casting. The slide may be easily worked by
means of a rod passing through a hole drilled in the metal, and looking either
directly forward or backward. A similar slide may be also placed between
the exhaust port and the steam port on the other side for backward motion,
should it be found desirable. For marine engines, which are usually con-
densing, and of much greater size, I think the best arrangement, when the
double stroke is not made use of, is to provide each cylinder with four ports,
two for steam and two for the condenser, and so to arrange the working gear
of the slides as that the engineer may be able to cut off the steam from either
end of the cylinder at will, and at the same time keep open the communication
between that end of the cylinder and the condenser. When both strokes of
the engine are made use of by means of the combined levers before described,
or otherwise, this arrangement will not be needed.