A GAS- POWER LOCOMOTIVE FOR TRAMWAYS AND FOR RAILWAYS OF SECONDARY ORDER
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Carl Pieper, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, of 74,
Belle Alliance Str., Berlin, S.W., Prussia, for the Invention of "A GAS-
POWER LOCOMOTIVE FOR TRAMWAYS AND FOR RAILWAYS OF SECONDARY
ORDER." A communication from Conrad Krauss, of Hannover, in the Kingdom
of Prussia, Engineer.
Sealed the 22nd July 1879, and dated the 25th January 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Carl Pieper at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1879.
CARI, PIEPER, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, of 74, Belle Alliance Str.,
Berlin, S.W., Prussia. "A GAS-POWER LOCOMOTIVE FOR TRAMWAYS AND FOR
RAILWAYS OF SECONDARY ORDER." A communication from Conrad Krauss, of
Hannover, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Engineer.
This Invention relates to the use of gas-power for the propulsion of locomotive
engines, and of carriages combined with an engine for tramways or railways of
secondary order. The same shall be considered under the following heads:-
1. The compression of gas at the stations and its supply to the engines.
2. The mode of application of the compressed gas in the gas-motor.
3. The transmission of power from the gas-motor to the driving-wheels of the
locomotive or of the carriage.
Firstly. The gas which is either obtained from the supply-pipe of a gas-works or
which may be specially produced for the purpose is compressed to the desired
degree, say 10 atmospheres, by suitable pumps and delivered into reservoirs or
accumulators, where it is kept ready for supply to the reservoirs of the engine.
The filling of the latter therefore requires but very little time after the connections
between them and the station-reservoirs have been made; consequently there is no
material detention of the engines on this account.
Substantially the arrangements for the compression of gas might be made similar
to those already employed for the purpose of lighting railway-carriages.
Secondly. Mode of application of the compressed gas in the gas-motor.
The size
of the engine-reservoirs inust be adapted to the special circumstances, but they may
be made large enough to contain a quantity of compressed gas sufficient for one or
several hours work. To the reservoirs a pressure regulator is attached which
Prins S621

page_text: causes the gas to issue at a certain lower and constant pressure, although the
pressure within the reservoirs decreases during the working. On its way to the
cylinder of the engine, the gas is mixed with compressed air having the same
pressure as the gas.
For_this_purpose the engine is provided with a pump 611 by which air is
compressed into an air-vessel having a suitably weighted safety or escape-valve, so
that_the_air-pressure is maintained at an even standard. From this vessel the air-
supply-for-the-engine.is.taken.-Before-starting-the-said-vessel-has-to-be-filled-with-
compressed air by a hand-pump. The gas is mixed with the air by an arrangement
similar to an injector, which allows the proportion between the two to be regulated,
and which causes them to become intimately commingled.
Thirdly. Transmission of power from the gas-motor to the driving-wheels of the
locomotive or of the carriage.
As gas-motors have to be started by hand, it would be unsuitable when they are
used for rail or tram-way purposes to stop them every time the engine or carriage
is stopped at a station. It is therefore requisite to provide for an arrangement
which allows the gas-motor to continue running meanwhile. For this purpose
motion is transmitted from the latter to the driving-wheels of the engine or
carriage by friction-wheels, which are pressed together during the running, while
they are brought out of gear with each other when the engine or carriage is to be
stopped. By these means at the same time every jerk is avoided in starting, as a
partial slipping of the friction-wheels may take place until the resistance caused by
the vis-inertia of the locomotive or carriage is overcome.
With the described friction-wheels a special arrangement has been combined for.
allowing the driver in case carriages have to be shunted, &c., to reverse the motion
of the locomotive without stopping or reversing the gas-motor. Provisions have
also been made by which the gearing which transmits power to the driving-wheels
may be changed during the running, so as to lessen the speed when gradients have
to be overcome, and thereby to obtain a greater tractive force with the same motor.
A decrease of power of the latter may be caused by lessening the supply of gas to
the cylinder, or by working with gas and air of a lower pressure. Full means are
thus given for varying the power respectively the force of the motor within certain
limits.
On the annexed two Sheets of Drawings this locomotive is represented in several
modifications. The Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 1, are an end-view, a sectional side-
elevation, and a plan of a locomotive with single-cylinder gas-motor having one
piston. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show details of frictional gearing. The Figures 7 and 8
represent a locomotive with a gas-motor having two pistons operating in a single
cylinder. Figures 1, 2, and 3, Sheet 2, show a locomotive and passenger-carriage
combined; and Fig. 4 represents a frictional expanding-coupling and gear for stop-
ping and reversing the motion of the carriage...
The locomotive, Sheet 1, Figs. 1-3, has two axles, which are coupled, a being
the driving axle. Above the latter the crank-shaft of the gas-motor is placed, the
friction-wheels c, c, of which operate directly on the driving-wheels. The weight of
the engine is borne by springs d, d, which press on the bearings of the crank-shaft b
and on the axle-boxes of the coupled axle a° respectively. Moreover, a special
spring e, together with a cross-bar f and suitable connecting-bolts furnish means
for increasing at will the pressure between the crank-shaft b and the driving-
axle
and consequently between the friction-wheels c and the driving-wheels. As
the whole mechanism of the engine with frame and appendages rests on springs it
may oscillate with the latter; the crank-shaft of the gas-motor however being
pressed towards the driving axle with an unvarying pressure does not partake of
these oscillations.
a
The frictional gearing by which power is transmitted from the gas-motor to the
driving-axle may be arranged in various manners. Instead of causing the friction-
wheels c to act on the driving-wheels, as described, a wheel of this kind fixed on
shaft c may work together with a friction-wheel keyed on the driving-axle; more-

page_text: over, in the latter case the periphery of these wheels may be either cylindrical, as
in Fig. 4, or it may be provided with one or more V-shaped grooves, as shown by
Figs. 5 and 6. Also flat or grooved friction-disks pressed together laterally, or
friction-cones or expanding friction-sheaves, or other similar frictional gearing may
be applied, such as is frequently used with crabs, jib-cranes, travelling-cranes, and
for other purposes.
The inventor therefore wishes it to be understood that he does
not claim any special form of the said kind of gearing for the said purpose, the
essential feature of the Invention being the application of any kind of frictional
gearing for transmitting power from the gas-motor to the driving-wheels, as thereby
means are provided for stopping and reversing the motion of the locomotive and for
starting it while the gas-motor is kept constantly working with the same sense of
rotation.
The arrangement for disengaging the gas-motor from the driving-axle for the
purpose of stopping the locomotive is as follows:-Between the axle-boxes of the
driving-axle and the bearings of the crank-shaft b knee-lovers or toggle-joints are
placed by which the axle and the shaft may be pressed away from each other and
retained in this position. The said knee-levers are connected by rods g (Fig. 1) to
two arms on a shaft h which may be turned by the driver by means of a hand-
crank, a vertical spindle, i, and a chain ke attached to one end of this spindle and
coiling itself onto the same, while its other end is fixed to an arm on shaft h. When
the spindle is turned so as to cause a pull on the rods g the links of the knee-
levers are drawn towards the vertical line, whereby the distance between axle a
and shaft bis increased, and the friction-wheels or other friction-devices are brought
out of gear.
By a ratchet-wheel on spindle i and a pall, which may be released by
the foot, the knee-levers are maintained in their stretched position. When the
spindle is turned back the weight of the engine and the tension of the springs e
will cause the friction-wheels to come into contact again.
The gas-motor, which is by preference arranged horizontally, consists mainly of a
cylinder a open at one end and provided with a water-jacket for refrigeration, the
motion of the piston being transmitted by a piston-rod and a connecting-rod to the
crank-shaft. The slide-valve e', which for sake of better lubrication is by preference
arranged to move vertically, is placed at the back end of the cylinder. It is actuated
by an eccentric fixed on a counter-crank b'. The other valves of the gas-motor are
worked by a shaft c¹ driven from shaft b by the bevel-wheel 1 or 2 and the wheel 3.
The wheels 1 and 2 are loose on shaft b, but either of them may be coupled to the
shaft by a coupling-sleeve sliding between the wheels on a feather, so that the
shaft c' is made to revolve one way or the other, according as the coupling-sleeve is
pushed to the right or the left. The purpose of this arrangement will be explained
hereafter.
The valve for the admission of gas-mixture into the cylinder is operated by a
cam d' on shaft c¹. The sleeve carrying this cam may be shifted lengthwise on
the shaft by means of a toothed sector fixed to a vertical spindle. The cam is
designed similar to the expansion-cams often applied to steam-engines, so that
according to the position into which it is shifted the admission-valve is kept open
for a longer or shorter period, and consequently more or less explosive gas admitted
as charge into the cylinder.
After the closing of the admission-valve the gas contained in the cylinder is
ignited by the above-described slide-valve and a gas-flame fed from the gas-reservoir,
and burning in front of the slide-valve box. This flame should be duly protected,
so that it may not be extinguished by the wind. When the piston has arrived at
the outer end of its stroke the outlet-valve f" is opened by a cam f1 fixed on
shaft c', and which keeps the valve f" open during the entire return stroke of the
piston, so that the combustion-gases may be entirely expelled from the cylinder.
The outlet-valve being closed the admission-valve is opened again for a new
stroke.
The crank-shaft is provided with a fly-wheel g¹ for overcoming the dead centres

page_text: of the motor, especially while the latter is out of gear with the driving-wheels. As
the motor continues running with the fly-wheel, always turning in the same sense,
a single cylinder is sufficient for the propulsion of the locomotive.
It may be observed that according to the design represented in the Drawing the
ignition of the explosive gas-compound is always caused at the same point of stroke.
of the piston. In case the admission of.gas.and-air is cut off before -this-point-the
quantity admitted will therefore expand until it is ignited. The arrangement may
however easily_bc-made-in-such-a-manner-that-the-gas-mixture is caused to explode
immediately after the admission-valve has been closed, at whichsoever point of stroke
this may take place.
As has been stated the forward and backward motion of the engine which is
required for attaching or shunting carriages is not caused by a reversal of rotation
of the gas-motor. It is however advantageous for a longer run to have means at
hand for reversing the motion of the motor. For this purpose the slide-valve
eccentric is placed loose on the pin of the counter-crauk ', while it is made to
revolve in either direction by a lug fixed to the crauk in the manner of the eccentrics
of paddle-wheel engines. When the gas-motor is to be reversed it must be stopped
and thereupon started again in contrary direction by hand, but as this would cause
the cams on shaft c' to turn the wrong way the proper sense of rotation of c³ must
be re-established beforehand by shifting the coupling-sleeve on shaft b, so as to
cause the shaft e¹ to be driven by the second bevel-wheel on b. Taking into account
that this mode of reversing the motor is intended only to be applied at the end-
stations, it will be considered quite sufficient and especially advantageous on account
of the simplicity of the mechanical arrangements requisite therefor.
The
The temporary reversal of motion of the locomotive for running short distances
backward and then forward again must be caused without any stoppage. For this
purpose an intermediate shaft with two friction-wheels is applied.
friction-wheels c of the gas-motor having been brought out of gear with the driving-
wheels of the engine by the means described above, the friction-wheels are pressed
equally against the wheels c and against the driving wheels, whereby the latter are
caused to turn in contrary direction. The said axle h¹ is provided at the ends with
slideblocks guided in slots ¹ cut into the frame of the engine, and it is operated by
two rods , U, jointed to the bell-crank levers m, m, which are connected with each
other;
the latter are actuated by a hand-lever on the vertical spindle n in combi-
nation with a chain p, which coils itself on n. A ratchet wheel on n and a pall
serves to keep n in its position. Between the bell-crank lever on which the chain p
acts and this chain an elastic piece consisting of india-rubber rings or of a spring is
by preference inserted, which appears to be necessary for an even friction between
the wheels. When the spindle n is released the two springs q pull the axle h' away
from the shaft b and the driving-axle, so as to bring the wheels i', i³, out of gear
with wheels c, c, and the driving-wheels.
The slide-blocks of the axle h¹ are placed between springs, so that they may
deviate slightly from the course which they would otherwise have to follow between
their guides. By this arrangement an equal pressure of the friction-wheels i' against
the wheels c and the driving-wheels is ensured.
The described mechanisms for disengaging the friction-wheels c from the driving-
wheels, and for pressing the wheels into contact with them, may be modified in
various manners. For instance, hand-levers may be used as with the reversing-
gear of steam-engines, or screws, or a worm with worm-wheels, &c.
In the space between the frame-plates and the two axles the gas-reservoirs r, r",
are placed. They are made of iron or steel plates, and of a sufficient strength to
bear the intended gas-pressure, which may suitably amount to ten atmospheres.
The reservoirs communicate with each other by pipes provided with stop-cocks or
valves all, all Between the reservoirs and the pipe leading to the cylinder a
pressure-regulator t of any suitable design is inserted so that the gas streaming out
through the regulator may always have the desired equal pressure.

page_text: The compressed air is supplied by a pump 6" driven from the crank-shaft of the
gas-motor, or in other convenient manner. It is conducted by a pipe s to the
apparatus u, within which the gas-pipe entering from the side is bent and arranged
in such a manner that the current of gas is directed into the middle of the air-
current for the purpose of causing them to become intimately mixed. The pipes
are made of a size to suit the quantity of air and of gas respectively, required
according to experience for the most efficient proportion of both fluids; moreover
the gas-pipe is provided with a regulating-cock or valve c¹¹. The cocks d", d¹¹, the
keys of which are coupled by a connecting-rod, serve to close simultaneously the
air-pipe and the gas-pipe when the gas-motor is not working..
The cooling-water required for the engine is contained in a tank v placed on the
top of the engine, from where it is conducted by a pipe to the water-jacket of the
cylinder, and thence back by another pipe to the tank, so that a continuous circulation
is maintained.
In addition to the described arrangements the engine is provided with powerful
brakes to be operated by the foot of the driver, moreover with suitable couplings x, x,
and with other accessory parts required for the service.
Although for level rail or tram-ways a gas-motor with but one cylinder may be
considered sufficient to ensure an even motion and to overcome the existing
resistance, two cylinders may be used if the engine has to run on inclines or
wherever greater power is required. In such cases both axles may be arranged as
driving-axles, each of them being operated upon by separate friction-wheels, and
moreover inside cylinders may be applied with advantage, the shafts on which the
pistons act being coupled. These modifications however present no material
difficulties.
In Figs. 7 and 8, Sheet 1, a locomotive of a different design is represented. The
friction-wheels of the motor act in the same manner on the wheels of the engine, as
in the first modification; but both axles are used as driving-axles which may be
propelled by the motor either simultaneously or alternately.
If the engine is driven by both axles at the same time the whole friction between
the wheels and the rails caused by the entire weight of the engine is utilized. In
this case the friction-wheels must be of equal diameter. In the Drawing however
an arrangement for alternate use of the axles as driving-axles has been represented,
and as the friction-wheels acting on one axle are larger than those gearing with the
wheels of the other two different speeds of the engine may be attained with the
same number of strokes of the motor, the smaller speed being applied when inclines
have to be overcome.
The cylinder a of the gas-motor, which is placed horizontally, is open at both
ends. The two pistons b, b, move in contrary directions and act on the two
crank-shafts c and d respectively. These shafts are each provided. with two friction-
wheels e, e, and f, f, for transmitting motion to the driving-wheels respectively to
the friction-wheels f¹, f', and they have at both ends cranks placed at a right angle
to each other for the purpose of coupling the shafts by coupling-rods. The gas-
mixture is introduced into the cylinder and caused to explode between the two
pistons, thereby driving them asunder and propelling the shafts which have to turn
in the same direction on account of their being coupled.
The friction-wheels e, e, are in this case disengaged from the driving-wheels, or the
wheels ff, from f', f', by wedges i, i, connected with each other by a rod k, so that
when one pair of friction-wheels is operating the other pair is out of gear. If these
wedges are in their middle position both pairs of friction-wheels are out of action.
The shifting of the wedges is caused by means of a vertical spindle h actuating a
pair of bevel-pinions and a spur-pinion gearing into a rack on the rod k. Tho
driver may thus work at a high or a low speed, or stop the engine with facility.
The reversing-arrangements, the valve-gear, breaks, &c., are supposed to be in
this engine similar to the corresponding parts of the engine represented in Figs. 1-3,

page_text: Sheet 1, and do not therefore require any further explanation. The air com-
pression-pump is shown as being driven from a special crank on shaft.c...
On Sheet 2, a combination of a gas-motor with a carriage is represented.
For the purpose of allowing the gas-motor to be applied to existing tram-way-
_carriages-where the available-space is but limited, it has been found advantageous..
-to-use-expanding friction-couplings-in-combination-with-spur-wheels-for-the-trans-
mission-of-motion to the driving-axle, instead of the above-described friction-wheels.
The cylinder-a-and-the-driving-gear of the gas-motor shaft b may be of any usual
design.
The arrangement for reversing the motion of the carriage is as follows:-On the
shaft b there are two loose bevel-wheels c, c', gearing with a third bevel-wheel d,
which turns freely on a fixed pivot. Between the wheels c and c¹, a sleeve e, shown
in detail in Fig. 4, slides on the shaft provided at this point with a feather. The
said sleeve acts on one or the other of the expanding friction-couplings, according
as it is pushed to the right or the left, whereby either the wheel c or the wheel c¹ is
caused to be driven by the shaft. If the coupling of the bevel-wheel c which is
attached to the spur-wheel f, gearing with the wheel on the driving-axle is acted
upon by sleeve e, the carriage will be propelled in one direction. The wheels c¹
and d meanwhile turn loose on the shaft and the pivot respectively. When
however the sleeve e is pushed the other way, wheel c¹ is coupled to the shaft, and
drives the wheel c by means of d in contrary direction, so that the motion of the
carriage is reversed. In its central position, the sleeve e keeps both couplings dis-
engaged, whereby the carriage is stopped.
The mechanism by which the driver may shift the sleeve e is shown in detail in
Fig. 4, Sheet 2. The same consists of a shaft g carrying a toothed sector h which
gears into collars on e; moreover, of a rod / attached at one end to the weighted
lever i on shaft g, and connected at the other with the bell-crank l, which is
actuated by rack m, sector o, and hand-lever p. The sector o is fixed on a shaft n
which runs along the side of the carriage, so that the driver may operate the same
from either end, according to the direction in which the carriage is running. When
the driver intends to change his position, he takes the handle p away from the one
end of shaft n, and fixes it on the other end, so as to prevent the passengers from
tampering with the described gear.
The cam-sleeve on the valve-shaft is shifted by either of the bell-cranks q
actuated by a hand-lever q', which may also be fixed to the corresponding parts at
either end of the carriage, so that nobody but the driver may handle it. The rods
connecting the bell-crank g and other parts are enclosed in suitable cases.
Having thus described the nature and object of this Invention, and the manner
in which it is to be carried out in practice, as communicated to me by my corres-
pondent, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim all the details described in
-the-foregoing-Specification,-as-they-may-be-varied-without departing from the
principle of the Invention, but I claim as new and essential features of the same,-
1. In a locomotive or carriage driven by gas-power, the storage of compressed
gas in one or more reservoirs, which gas, after having been reduced to a certain
lower but constant pressure by means of a pressure-regulator, is mixed in adjustable
proportion with air of the same pressure supplied by an air-compressing pump
driven by the engine; the gas and air thus mixed being thereupon conducted to
the gas-motor, substantially as described.
2. The transmission of motion from the gas-motor to the axles of the locomotive
or carriage by means of friction-wheels, friction-couplings, or other frictional gearing
for the purpose of allowing the locomotive or carriage to be started or stopped, or
its motion reversed while the gas-motor continues working with its shaft, always
revolving in the same sense, substantially in the manner herein before described
and represented by Drawing.
3. The design of the gas-motor in combination with a locomotive or carriage,
substantially as shown by Figs. 7 and 8, Sheet 1, in which two pistons acting in

page_text: opposite directions in one cylinder operate on two coupled crank-shafts provided
with friction-wheels either of equal or of different diameters as described, and for
the purpose stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carl Pieper, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy eight.
CARL PIEPER. (L.S.)