IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILROAD AND OTHER LOCOMOTIVES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martin Benson of N° 52 Chancery Lane London. for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILROAD AND OTHER LOCOMOTIVES.”
Communicated to him from Abroad by Oscar Rothrock of Beech Creek,
Clinton County State of Pennsylvania United States of North America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Martin Benson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1883.
IMPROVEMENTS IN
MARTIN BENSON of N° 52 Chancery Lane London.
RAILROAD AND OTHER LOCOMOTIVES. A Communication to me from Abroad by
Oscar Rothrock of Beech Creek, Clinton County State of Pennsylvania United
States of North America.
This Invention relates to that class of locomotives which carry their own supply
of water and fuel and it has for its object to provide a novel construction of
boiler; water-tanks, and fuel receiver, whereby the water and fuel carrying
capacity of the locomotive is greatly increased over ordinary locomotives of a
corresponding length and width and the products of combustion from the tirebox
are utilized in a most thorough and effective manner for generating steam
more rapidly than in ordinary boilers, and with a less amount of fuel than
heretofore.
To these ends the invention consists in a twin boiler which is composed of two
parallel sections or shells having smoke flues and communicating at their front
ends with a fire chamber or box, A space or passage way is left between the two
boiler sections for the reception of the engineer and the storage of fuel, and at
the sides of the said passage way are located water tanks which may also
form the floor of the passage way, and extend across the latter above the line of
the boiler in rear of the engine room so as to form a roof and tanks of a large
capacity.
•
Smoke stacks are located at the rear ends of the boiler sections, or a single
centrally located stack may receive the products of combustion from both boilers.
A cab or housing extends above the passage way between the boiler sections for
Prior R2.1

page_text: the protection of the Engineer and fuel. The door of the fire box is arranged at
the front end of the aforesaid passage-way and the valves, gauges, reversing and
break levers, and other engine accessories are also located at this point. A steam
dome mounting the fire box receives the steam from both boiler sections and is
connected with the valve chests of the working cylinders, or a steam dome may be
arranged above each boiler sections at points in rear of the fire box. The fire box
may also have a depression in its top which forms the passage leading to a
platform located in front of the fire box and the cab may extend upon
this platform and be provided with a suitable door or doors for gaining access
to said front platform and from thence to the passage way between the boiler
sections :-
I desire it to be understood that in describing my invention I use the term
"locomotive" in its general and broadest sense as my invention is applicable to
railroad locomotives of every description, traction dummy, and agricultural
engines, steam propelled cars and carriages and portable engines of all classes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Martin Benson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd November 1883.
MARTIN BENSON of N° 52 Chancery Lane London :-" IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY AND OTHER LOCOMOTIVES "
A Communication to me from Abroad by
Oscar Rothrock of Beech Creek Clinton County State of Pennsylvania, United
States of North América
This Invention relates to that class of Locomotives which carry their own
supply of water and fuel and it has for its object to provide a novel construction
of boiler water tanks and fuel receiver, whereby the water and fuel carrying
capacity of the locomotive is greatly increased over ordinary locomotives of a
corresponding length and width and the products of combustion from the
fire box are utilized in a most thorough and effective manner for generating
steam more rapidly than in ordinary boilers, and with a less amount of fuel than
heretofore.
To these ends the invention consists in a twin boiler which is composed of two
parallel sections or shells having smoke flues and communicating at their front
ends with a fire chamber or box. A space or passage way is left between the two
boiler sections for the reception of the Engineer and the storage of fuel, and at
the sides of said passage way are located water tanks which may also. form the
floor of the passage way, and extend across the latter above the line of the
boiler in rear of the engine room so as to form a roof and tanks of a large
capacity.
:
Smoke stacks are located at the rear ends of the boiler sections or a single
centrally located stack may receive the products of combustion from both boilers.
A cab or housing extends above the passage way between the boiler sections for
the protection of the Engineer and fuel. The door of the fire box is arranged at
the front end of the aforesaid passage way, and the valves, gauges, reversing and
break levers and other engine accessories are also located at this point. A steam
dome surmounting the fire box receives the steam from both boiler sections and is
connected with the valve chests of the working cylinders, or a steam dome may
be arranged above each boiler sections at points in rear of the fire box. The
fire box may also have a depression in its top which forms the passage leading to
a platform located in front of the fire box and the cab may extend upon
this platform and be provided with suitable door or doors for gaining access
to said front platform and from thence to the passage way between the boiler
sections.
The construction and arrangement of the various parts of my invention are
briefly set forth in the above statement and will be hereinafter more fully described
and then set forth in the claims :-
I desire that it be understood that in describing my invention I use the term
"locomotive" in its general and broadest sense as my invention is applicable to
railway locomotives of every description, traction, dummy, and agricultural
engines steam propelled cars and carriages and portable engines of all classes.
In the drawings: Fig: 1. is a side elevation of a traction locomotive or traction
engine adapted for running upon ordinary roads
Fig. 2. is a longitudinal horizontal section of a boiler generally used in this form
of locomotive
Fig. 3. is a side elevation of a railroad locomotive combining speed and
comparative small tractive force :-
Fig: 4 is a horizontal longitudinal section taken through the line X X Figure 3.
Fig: 5. is a front elevation of the locomotive shown in Figures 3 and 4

page_text: Fig 6. is a transverse vertical section taken through the line W W Fig: 3.
showing the water tanks extending along the tank of the boiler sections and
forming the floor of the passage between the latter.
Fig 7. is a transverse vertical section taken through the line y, y, Fig: 3.
showing the engine room between the boiler sections the fire box and its door and
other adjacent parts.
Fig: 8. is a side elevation of a locomotive having four large driving wheels and
front and rear four wheeled trucks and a water tank extending along the boiler
sections and across the passage way between the same at the bottom and top so as
to form the floor and the roof of said passage way :-
Fig 9. is a vertical transverse section taken through the line Z, Z, of Fig :-8.
showing the twin boilers connected at their bottoms and the water tanks resting
between said boilers and forming the floor and roof of the said passage way-
:
Fig 10. is a diagrammatical view of a twin boiler having a front fire chamber
and a rear smoke box communicating with a single centrally located smoke stack,
the water tank in the present instant extending along the sides of the passage
way between the boiler sections and across the rear end thereof.
"
Fig 11. is a side elevation of a tank "double ender or four cylinder locomotive
that can run with either end in front:-
Fig: 12 is a cross section of a locomotive in which the boiler sections are
supported upon a tank which forms the bottom and the sides of the passage-way
between the boiler sections.
Fig 13. is a transverse section taken through the fire box of a locomotive having
a water crown for said fire box which is connected with either the water tank or
the boiler sections.
1
Fig: 14 is a horizontal longitudinal section of a locomotive having its fire box
provided with a passage leading to the engine room :-
Fig: 15. is a vertical transverse section taken through the line X X Fig: 14.
Fig: 16. is a front elevation showing the cab or housing extending down upon a
platform located in front of the fire box and provided with an entrance door :-
The letters A and B designate a pair of boilers or a twin boiler composed of two
longitudinal parallel sections. These boilers are provided with the customary
flues C for the passage of the products of combustion and are made either square,
semi-elliptical circular or semi-circular in cross section or of any other approved
shape. A fire box or furnace D located at the front end of the boiler sections is in
communication with the tubes or flues thereof for causing the products to pass
through said flues in a rearward direction. The fire box may extend entirely across
the front ends of the boiler sections and be in communication with straight boiler
flues, extending through the front wall of the fire box; or the latter may be
arranged between the boiler sections at the front ends thereof (as is shown more
clearly in Fig: 2.) in which case the front ends of the flues are curved so as to open
into the fire box through the side walls thereof. Each boiler section may be
provided at its rear end with a smoke box E having a suitable stack E¹ or the flues
of both boiler sections may discharge the products of combustion into a smoke box
and stack common to both (as is shown in Fig: 10.) the usual devices for creating
a draft in the smoke stack are in a locomotive embodying my system of steam
boilers taken away from the front ends of the smoke flues and located at the rear
thereof where they will not interfere with the ready cleansing of the flues:-
These sections A B constituting the twin boiler are placed a suitable distance
apart so as to form a longitudinal space or passage way F between the same; at
the sides of this passage are located water tanks H which run parallel with said
sections and conform to the shape or contour thereof.
The water tanks may be made in one piece with the boiler sections or they
may be constructed separate therefrom and be secured thereto in various ways.
The arrangement of the tanks at the sides of the boiler sections is such that a
space or room G is formed at the front of the longitudinal passage leading to the
fire box for the accomodation of the engineer and the necessary appliances for

page_text: operating the reversing gear, breaks and other parts of the locomotive mechanism
requiring the direct attention of the engineer. This chamber or engine room is
generally formed by causing the lateral or vertical portions of the water tanks to
terminate at a proper distance from the fire box. The floor of the passage way
between the boiler sections are more precisely speaking the floor of the space
between the tanks located in said passage way is formed by connecting the vertical
portions of the tanks by a transverse bottom section or bridge I which is in
communication with the vertical portions of the tanks :-
A separate or independent floor made of any approved material not liable to be
affected by heat may also span the space between two independent tanks or boiler
sections in which case the tanks are supported upon said floor and are not them-
selves' connected. The tanks may extend the entire length of the boiler sections
and terminate at the smoke boxes E so as to leave an opening at the rear for the
introduction of the fuel and water and permit the engineer and others to enter at
the rear of the locomotive. A locomotive having water tanks arranged in this
last described manner is provided with a rear platform a, and doors b for closing
and opening at the rear of the passage way.
The twin boilers instead of being entirely separate or distinct from each other
may have a hollow connecting section at the bottom so as to provide a boiler in
which the water can circulate from one vertical section to the other:-
This connecting bottom section of the boiler is seldom provided with fire tubes,
because it usually lies below the fuel bed in the fire box, but when such tubes are
introduced spaces are left between the same for the passage of the reversing and
break levers.
These levers when passed through a bottom section of the boiler or through a
tank arranged between the boiler sections operate in suitable steam or liquid tight
boxes or shells. It is also proposed however when the boiler has a bottom section
to run the reversing and break levers up over the side or end of the boiler :-
The water tanks may be of the same height as the boiler sections or they can be
extended above the latter and connected with each other by means of a hollow
crown piece which forms a roof K for the passage way between the boilers or
vertical portions of the tanks, this roof or hollow crown piece K does not extend
the entire length of the vertical portions of the tanks but runs from the engine
room to the rear of the locomotive.
A suitable trap or man-hole L in the roof serves for the introduction of the fuel
into the passage way and suitable valves M are used for filling the water tank or
tanks. The arrangement of connected tanks and covered fuel space may be used
in connection with a hollow back wall H which closes the opening at the rear of
the passage way so that access to the locomotive can be had only at the front
thereof or the tanks can be arched over or connected at their tops and the
entrance opening for fuel & left at the rear. Instead of supporting the. tanks
upon the boilers I may support the latter upon the former in which instance the
tanks are provided with an exterior ledge or horizontal offset for supporting the
boiler sections the latter being secured in position by hoops or bands which may
encircle the boiler section and tanks or be attached to the boilers tanks and
running gear in any approved manner In order to prevent the internal displace-
ment of the boilers and tanks, or preserve the true parallelism of those parts I
may fit the boiler into a suitable cradle shaped supporting frame which is secured
to the running gear or supporting truck and serves to prevent the spreading of any
of the parts referred to.
It may be stated however that with tanks connected either at their bottoms or tops
or with boiler sections having bottom portion the parts possess the necessary strength
to permit bracing or stay devices to be dispensed with. I have heretofore stated
that the boiler sections discharge the products of combustion into two smoke
boxes provided each with a stack but it is obvious that in a locomotive closed at
its rear the smoke box can extend entirely across the discharge ends of said boiler
sections and be provided with a single centrally located smoke stack..

page_text: In certain classes of locomotives the boiler instead of being of the twin pattern
heretofore described that is a boiler having a passage way between two parallel
vertical sections, may be constructed with a body or shell which carries the
parallel water tanks on its top so as to form the aforesaid passage way the fire
box being placed in front of the boiler and extending below the latter or to a line
almost level with the track rails and a single smoke stack arranged at the rear of
the boiler receiving the products of combustion passing rearwardly through the
flues of the boilers. It will be obvious that in the form of locomotive just
described the top of the boiler which has an appropriate non-conducting covering
forms the floor of the passage way and that the door of the fire chamber is
arranged above said floor as is the case with the other forms of boilers.
In the form of locomotive illustrated in Figs: 14 to 16 inclusive the fire box D
is provided with a central passage or depression D in its top which vertically
divides the upper part of the fire-box into two chambers, the lower portion forming
a single chamber having a bottom grate as is shown in Fig: 15. This depression D2
however may extend to the grate or below the same so as to form two distinct or
independent fire chambers. In the form of locomotive illustrated in Figs 14
and 16 inclusive the cab or housing which covers the boiler sections and passage
way between the same is extended in front of the fire box and runs down the front
platform D so as to form the supplementary front chamber for the stoker and the
locomotive controlling devices, when it is desired to locate the latter in front of the
fire box. This extended portion of the cab is provided with a front door D° and if
desired also with side doors through which the locomotive attendants can enter
and leave. The irons of the cab or housing or the doors therein are provided with
glass panels so that the proper light and outlook may be had.
The steam generated in the boiler sections may be conducted into a steam
dome M. located above the fire box or each boiler may be provided with an
independent steam dome located at some point of the boiler in rear of the fire box.
It should be stated that the arrangement of the steam dome or domes depends
altogether upon the style of the locomotive The steam dome may be jacketted or
provided with double walls so as to serve as a water reservoir which is in communi-
cation with the boiler for supplying the latter with hot water. When this is the
case the exhaust steam from the engine may be conducted into this steam dome
or if desired into this jacketted fire box. A large jacketted dome is generally
used in connection with a fire box resting upon a small front truck and going
down behind the bearer of said truck to as low a point as possible this lower
extension of the fire may or may not be jacketted as desired. The fire box instead
of forming part of the boiler and having a water space communicating with the
same may consist of an entirely separate structure which is jacketted so as to form
a water reservoir this is connected to the boiler by means of pipes.
In this form of locomotive the locomotive attendants can enter and leave the
space between the boiler sections through the passage in the fire box and when
desired the front platform D' may in connection with the cab or housing extending
down upon the same constitute a chamber for the reception of the engine or loco-
motive controlling devices and proper seats for the attendants. Generally however
this chamber is only occupied by the stoker or furnace attendant who can attend
to the fire through doors D' at the sides of the passage D². Supplementary doors
may also be arranged in the front wall of the firebox. The passage D2 is formed
by depressing the crown portion of the fire box, this depressed portion constituting
a partition wall De which serves to divide the upper part of the fire chamber into
two compartments having a continuous bottom chamber provided with a single
grate. The partition De however may extend to the bottom of the fire box so as
to form two distinct or independent fire chambers each having appropriate grates
and ash boxes. When independent fire chambers are provided the boiler sections
connected therewith constitute two independent boilers which can be used singly
or together. The fire box including the depressed part thereof is provided with a
jacket or external shell D' which constitutes in connection with the shell of the

page_text: fire box a space or chamber designed as a reservoir for water this water space or
chamber being connected with the main boiler sections by suitable connections.
In a fire box having a depressed top but having no passage as is shown in Fig: 13.
the fire doors are arranged one on each side of said depression or deflecting crown
but when the passage is used the sides of the latter have door openings formed in
the partition wall Do the jacket D7 for the reception of the doors D³.
The cab or housing hereinbefore incidentally referred to is marked N and is
placed or supported on the twin boiler and covers the space of passage way between
its component sections and all parts of the upper portion of a locomotive except the
cow catcher in the construction shown on figs: 14 to 16 inclusive.
This cab is made of any desired length and width and may serve to completely
cover the boilers and other parts or when the rear portions of the water tanks
form a roof the cab need not extend farther than from the front of the locomotive
to said roof portion of the tanks. The cab shown in all the figures except in
figs 14 to 16 has sliding glass panel doors n at the front and sliding or stationary
windows P at its sides and rear so as to permit the engineer to obtain an unob-
structive view of the road in advance of the locomotive and the train in rear of the
same. The engineer and attendants enter the cab through the front doors, steps and
projections being provided at the front of the locomotive for facilitating the ascent
and descent. I may if necessary make the front of the locomotive or the fire box
thereof with a rearwardly inclined wall or sloping front so as to facilitate the
passage to and from the cab. When the rear of the passage-way is open the doors
located thereat serve as additional means for the entrance and exit of the
locomotive attendants:-
It will be understood that the fuel lies on the floor or platform in rear of the
engine room or space occupied by the engineer and fireman but it can also be
placed in bunkers extending along the boilers the fuel being thus placed it can be
shovelled very conveniently into the fire chamber.
It will be unnecessary to
describe minutely the various parts which go to make up a complete locomotive
because the invention relates altogether to the devices for generating the steam
and the means for carrying the fuel and water :-
In order to obtain a clear understanding of the relative position of the most
prominent parts relating to the engine and running gear and the devices embodied
in my invention I would state that R designates the piston cylinder and S the
valve chest which may be located either above or below the cylinder, T is the
steam pipe leading from the steam dome to the valve chest such pipe being
duplicated at each side of the boiler when steam is to be applied to a four cylinder
locomotive U is the main connecting rod for turning the driving wheels and
V the link motion which is controlled by the lever running into the cab either
through the bottom of the boiler or tank or passing into the cab from the outside
of the locomotive, W is. the feed pump forcing the water from the tank into the
boiler, X is the stand box and Z its discharge pipe, Y the head light and y the
steam whistle :-
I may add as a further description of the steam generating devices that the
steam boilers are made of such a shape that the driving wheels can be set there-
under this being generally effected by giving the boiler sections an external bulge,
spaces may also be left in the bottoms of the boilers or the tanks for the passage
of the axle of the driving wheel. The fire-box as in ordinary locomotives may
also have water jackets forming part of the steam boilers and it may be provided
with a hollow crown piece Z having a downwardly projecting central portion for
deflecting the products of combustion and this crown piece may form part of the
water tank for heating the water or it may communicate with the boiler. For the
purpose of preventing the escape of smoke and gases into the engine room when
the fire door is opened I locate in proper relation to said fire door opening a hood Z³
provided with a tube z leading through the roof of the cab.
The small amount of smoke passing out through the door enters the hood and
escapes through the pipe. A proper draft is obtained in the fire chamber of a

page_text: traction or other engine by a pipe having a funnel or blower Z which is arranged
in front of the locomotive and admits air into the fire chamber. This pipe is
provided with a suitable stop-cock for shutting off the influx of air when
necessary.
Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is.―
1. A twin locomotive or other portable steam boiler having a longitudinal space
or passage between the same and provided with a front fire box and a rear smoke
stack, substantially as and for the purpose set forth :-
2. A twin locomotive or other portable steam boiler having a space or passage
between the same and tanks or bunkers extending along the sides of said passage,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth :-
3. A twin locomotive or other portable steam boiler consisting of two parallel
longitudinal sections having a water tank made of two vertical sections and a
transverse bottom section' arranged between said boiler sections and forming a
passage between the vertical sections of said tank substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
4. A twin locomotive or other portable boiler having a space or passage between
the same and vertical tanks or bunkers extending along the sides of the said
passage and provided with a hollow crown piece communicating with said vertical
tank sections and constituting a roof for the aforesaid passage, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth :-
.
5. In a locomotive the combination of a twin boiler, a front fire-box, a passage
or way extending from said fire box to the rear of the boiler, a cab or housing
arranged over said passage or way and smoke stack or stacks applied to the rear of
the boiler substantially as and for the purpose set forth :-
6. In a locomotive, the combination of a series of steps or offsets on the front of
the fire box or front end of the locomotive, boiler sections leading rearwards from
said fire box so as to leave an intermediate passage and engine room and a cab or
housing surmounting said passage having movable doors, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
7 A locomotive or other portable engine boiler having two parallel tanks or
bunkers supported thereon, a longitudinal space or passage way arranged between.
said tanks, a front fire chamber having its door located above the top of the boiler
or floor of the passage way and a rear sinoke stack substantially as and for the
purpose set forth :-
8 In a locomotive the combination of a front fire box having a passage or
depression in the top with a twin boiler having a longitudinal passage or space
communicating with the passage in the fire box substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
9 In a locomotive the combination of a front fire box having a passage or
depression in its top and a water jacket or lining for the sides and floor of said
passage with a twin boiler having a longitudinal passage or space communicating
with the passage in the fire box, substantially as and for the purpose set forth :-
In witness whereof I the said Martin Benson have hereunto set my hand and
seal this third day of November in the year of our Lord 1883.