IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER ENGINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lyster Holt, of 31, Boulevard de Port Royal,
Paris, in the Republic of France, and of St. Stephen's Club, Bridge Street, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD
LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER ENGINES."
Sealed the 28th February 1879, and dated the 14th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lyster Holt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th December 1878.
WILLIAM LYSTER HOLT, of 31, Boulevard de Port Royal, Paris, in the Republic
of France, and of St. Stephen's Club, Bridge Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER ENGINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in road locomotive and other
engines.
My Invention is more particularly applicable to tramway and light locomotives.
I dispose the working parts of the engine so that they may be removed from the
dirt, and that the parts may be accessible for cleaning and less affected than usual
by shocks from bad roads and other causes, and more in sight of the driver. The
engine or engines are placed high up between or on top of the frames or on a plate
connecting the frames; and by preference the cylinder or cylinders are placed
horizontally or nearly so (but any other disposition is applicable) and connected to
an intermediate crank shaft or crank axle, from which, by means of a connecting
or coupling rod or rods working from a crank or cranks or studs in crank plates, or
from eccentrics, the necessary motion is obtained for imparting to a crank pin or
pins or crank on the driving axle or wheel, and consequently to the wheels keyed
thereon or coupled thereto by side rods or rotary motion.
When necessary disconnecting gear can be applied to the crank or eccentric on
the intermediate shaft in such manner that when the brake is applied or when the
engine is descending inclines the working parts, such as pistons and valve gear,
will not have any motion.
A governor may also be applied to act either as a throttle valve or directly on
the valve gears.

page_text: As means for increasing the tractive force or conversely for increasing the speed
of locomotives a second intermdiate shaft can be provided driven from the crank
shaft of the engine by means of frictional gearing, toothed wheels, belts, or pitch
chains or pullies, and these may be connected and disconnected by suitable gearing
at pleasure. Whichever is adopted it is so arranged that, when required, a different
rate of speed is imparted to the second intermediate shaft, the diameter of the
gearing adapted varying on the two shafts, and by providing two or more gearing
wheels or pullies or cones on each intermediate shaft, and putting such in or out of
gear according to the force or speed required, a variation in both is obtained. The
gearing may be so arranged also that it may be totally thrown out of gear at will.
The gearing wheels may be thrown in or out of gear by being caused to slide along
the axles, which may have keys let therein, or may, some or all, be loose on the
shafts, and be prevented from turning by pins or keys being slid therein, or by
means of friction clutches or compressors, and may be so arranged also that when
required the first intermediate shaft shall not impart any motion to the second.
The second intermediate shaft is connected with the driving wheels in the manner
already described.
For utilising the engines for other useful purposes, such as hauling loads up
inclines or otherwise, hoisting, winding from mines or pits, shunting, or driving
other machinery, fly wheels or pullies may be fixed on either or both intermediate
shafts, and the other machinery driven therefrom by belting; or winding drums
may be placed on the intermediate shaft or shafts, or may be attached to the ends
thereof; or drums or winch gear may be placed at either or both ends, or other
convenient place on the engine, and driven from the intermediate shafts by any of
the means before described, and as in the majority of cases, when the engine was
used for such purposes, it would be acting as a portable or stationary engine, the
connecting or coupling rods serving to give motion to the driving axle or wheels of
the engine are disconnected either wholly or disconnected from the engine wheels;
and this end of the coupling rod connected with the winch gear or slots may be
made in the crank plate and in the driving wheel in such manner that the coupling
rod and pins may be moved to correspond with the centre of the axle; but by
preference I would throw the eccentric crank or crank plate out of gear that no
motion might be imparted to the wheels.
For lessening the shocks and noise to the moving parts of the machinery, such
as the coupling and connecting rods, axle boxes, plummer block brasses for facili-
tating passage of the engine round curves, and for obviating the uneven wear
to the brasses and lessening the risk of dirt getting to the journals, I introduce an
elastic material or spring round or in contact with the brasses, to which strains are
transmitted either from the causes described above or from defective erection of the
parts, such as uneven length of coupling rods.
For increasing the adhesion of non coupled locomotives and obviating the
necessity of coupling rods, I provide friction wheels to act on the periphery of all
or any two of the engine tyres, or to act on pullies koyed on the axles, or fastened
to or forming part of the wheels in such a inanner that one friction wheel being
below the centre of the axles and one above when brought in contact with the
wheels or pullies by suitable gearing, the friction will cause the other wheels to
revolve, and sufficient power being applied the friction wheels would in some cases
be available as brakes.
I provide buffers at the four corners of tramway locomotives recessed laterally,
acting buffers to lessen the liability to damage from collisions.
In tramway locomotives I partly condense the steam in certain instances, as
when proceeding through towns. The steam from the cylinders is for this purpose
exhausted at will into tanks containing water, or thrown direct in the chimney by
means of a valve opening to either.
The system is applicable for either steam, compressed air, superheated water,
or gas

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent nied by
the said William Lyster Holt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
June 1879.
WILLIAM LYSTER HOLT, of 31, Boulevard de Port Royal, Paris, in the Republic
of France, and of St. Stephen's Club, Bridge Street, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN ROAD LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER ENGINES."
86
This Invention has for its object improvements in road locomotive and other
engines.
My Invention is more particularly applicable to tramway and light locomotives.
I dispose the working parts of the engine so that they may be removed from the
dirt, and that the parts may be accessible for cleaning and less affected than usual
by shocks from bad roads and other causes, and more in sight of the driver. The
engine or engines are placed high up between or on top of the frames, or on a plate
connecting the frames, and by preference the cylinder or cylinders are placed hori-
zontally, or nearly so (but any other disposition is applicable), and connected to
an intermediate crank shaft or crank axle, from which by means of a connecting
or coupling rod or rods working from a crank or cranks, or studs in crank plates,
or from eccentrics, the necessary motion is obtained for imparting to a crank pin
or pins, or crank on the driving axle or wheel, and consequently to the wheels
keyed thereon or coupled thereto by side rods, a rotary motion.
When necessary, disconnecting gear can be applied to the crank or eccentric on
the intermediate shaft, in such manner that when the break is applied, or when
the engine is descending inclines, the working parts such as pistons and valve
gear will not have any motion. The engine will then be available as a stationary
engine.
As means for increasing the tractive force or conversely for increasing the speed
of locomotives, a second intermediate shaft can be provided driven from the
crank shaft of the engine by means of frictional gearing, toothed wheels, belts or
pitch chains, or pulleys, and these may be connected and disconnected by suitable
gearing at pleasure. Whichever is adopted it is so arranged that when required
a different rate of speed is imparted to the second intermediate shaft, the diameters
of the gearing adopted varying on the two shafts, and by providing two or more
gearing wheels or pulleys or cones on each intermediate shaft, and putting such
in or out of gear according to the force or speed required, a variation in both is
obtained. The gearing may be so arranged also that it may be totally thrown out
of gear at will.
The gearing wheels may be thrown in or out of gear by being caused to slide
along the axles, which may have keys let therein, or may some or all be loose on
the shafts and be prevented from turning by pins or keys being slid therein or by
means of friction clutches or compressors, and may be so arranged also that when
required the first intermediate shaft shall not impart any motion to the second.
The second intermediate shaft is connected with the driving wheels in the manner
already described.
For utilizing the engines for other useful purposes, such as hauling loads up
inclines or otherwise, hoisting, winding from mines or pits, shunting, or driving
other machinery, fly wheels or pulleys may be fixed on either or both intermediate
shafts and the other machinery driven therefrom by belting, or winding drums
may be placed on the intermediate shaft or shafts, or may be attached to the ends
thereof, or drums or winch gear may be placed at either or both ends or other
convenient place on the engine, and driven from the intermediate shafts by any
of the means before described; and as in the majority of cases when the engine was
used for such purposes it would be acting as a portable or stationary engine, the
connecting or coupling rods serving to give motion to the driving axle or wheels of
the engine are disconnected either wholly or disconnected from the engine wheels,

page_text: and this end of the coupling rod connected with the winch gear, or slots may be
made in the crank plate and in the driving wheel in such manner that the
coupling rod and pins may be moved to correspond with the centre of the axle,
but by preference I would throw the eccentric crank or crank plate out of gear
that no motion might be imparted to the wheels.
For lessening the shocks and noise to the moving parts of the machinery, Buch
as the coupling and connecting rods, axle boxes, plummer block brasses for
facilitating the passage of the engine round corners, and for obviating the uneven
wear to the brasses and lessening the risk of dirt getting to the journals, I introduce
an elastic material or spring round or in contact with the brasses to which strains
are transmitted either from the causes described above or from defective erection
of the parts, such as uneven length of coupling rods.
For increasing the adhesion of non coupled locomotives and obviating the
necessity of coupling rods I provide friction wheels to act on the periphery of all
or any two of the engine tyres, or to act on pulleys keyed on the axles or fastened
to or forming part of the wheels, in such a manner that one friction wheel being
below the centre of the axles and one above, when brought in contact with the
wheels or pulleys by suitable gearing the friction will cause the other wheels to
revolve, and sufficient power being applied the friction wheels would in some cases
be available as brakes.
I provide at the four corners of tramway locomotives recessed laterally acting
buffers to lessen the liabity to damage from collisions.
The system is applicable for either steam, compressed air, superheated water, or
gas.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
Whenever possible in all the Figures the same letters have been employed to
denote similar parts, and to avoid repetition the description of one Figure fre-
quently applies to all.
Figures 1 and 2 show elevation and plan of a portion of a locomotive in which
the Invention is applied in one of its most simple forms. The cylinder is here
shown in a nearly horizontal position high up between the longitudinal frames Z
of a locomotive, and it transmits a rotary motion in the ordinary manner by means
of the connecting rod A to the crank of the intermediate shaft Ď, from which shaft
a rotary motion is communicated from the crank pin Q of the outside crank M, by
means of the inclined descending or diagonal coupling or connecting rod B to the
driving wheels R of the engine, and if desired these wheels may be coupled to all
or any of the other wheels of the engine by means of the ordinary coupling rods
C, C. If a straight intermediate shaft is preferred the force from the cylinder
may be transmitted direct to the outside crank M by making the pin Q of sufficient
length to receive the end of the connecting rod A and placing the cylinder in line
with it. The cylinder or cylinders may be placed at any angle, and when a
vertical boiler is used I would prefer placing them inverted vertically over the
intermediate shaft D, which may be at either end or in a central or intermediate
position on the framing. In the Figure 1 the frame Z is shown recessed to form
the bearings of the intermediate shaft D, but if preferred plumber blocks may be
used, placed by preference at a slight angle. In the Figure the crank pin Qof the
crank M is shown at an angle of 180° with the crank on the intermediate shaft,
but it may be keyed on at any other angle.
The outside crank M may take the form of a crank plate to better balance the
moving parts; or it may be in the form of an eccentric, the end of the rod B being
in this case formed as eccentric straps.
The wheels R, to which motion is transmitted by the rod B, may be either the

page_text: leading, trailing, or central wheels of the engine, according to the form or dis-
position of locomotive preferred..
The whole of the moving parts can also if desired be. placed on a bed plate, as
shown in outline on Figure 1, by the dotted lines a, b, in such manner that by
uncoupling one end of the rod B and removing the bolts holding the bed plate a, b,
to the frames of the locomotive the whole of the moving parts could be removed,
in many cases an advantage, especially with tramway engines.
Where only one cylinder is provided as driving power a fly wheel may be fixed
on the shaft D to equalize the motion and assist in passing the centres.
The cylinders may be high and low pressure oscillating, &c., &c., almost every
type of engine being applicable.
Figure 3 is an elevation and Figure 4 a plan, partly in section, showing how,
where desired, the crank M, as already described, may be disconnected, so as to run
loose on the intermediate shaft D. As shown on plan, the crank plate M runs
loose on the shaft D and can revolve on it; the inner portion is made in the form
of a female cone; K is a male cone securely keyed to the shaft D by means of keys
or feathers & partly let therein, but free to slide laterally on the shaft. As shown
on plan, the cones not being in contact, the shaft D would revolve without com-
municating motion to the crank plate M, and consequently the engine as a loco-
motive would have no motion; but the shaft D, as in Figures 1 and 2, would then
be available, as in a portable engine, for driving any class of machinery; and if
such be driven by belts the friction cone K may be so enlarged, as shown, as of
itself to form a driving pulley or fly wheel. If the friction cone K. is brought
into contact with the crank plate M by means of a forked lever or other well
known methods, the crank plate M will be prevented from revolving on the shaft D,
and motion may be communicated to the wheels of the engine from the crank
pin Q, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, by means of the rod B. I prefer this method
of disengaging, but other methods may be used.
As a means of preserving the cranks M on either side of the engine in their
relative positions at right or any other angle with each other when running loose
on the shaft D a portion of the crank plate M is formed with teeth round its
circumference, and a shaft X having toothed wheels at either extremity keyed
thereon gears into the crank plates M on either side of the engine, so that
necessarily each crank plate must turn with the other and preserve its relative
position.
Figures 5 and 6 show elevation and plan of an arrangement where a second
intermediate shaft is introduced as a means for increasing the tractive force or
conversely for increasing the speed in proportion to the speed of the pistons, and
for other purposes.
Motion is communicated to the crank of the shaft D from the cylinders in the
ordinary manner (the type of engines employed, whether vertical, oscillating, or
otherwise, being immaterial). On the shaft D, shown supported on the frame Z
of the engine by inclined plummer blocks, are keyed two or more toothed wheels
H, J, of different diameters, by preference in one piece, free to move laterally on
the shaft when actuated by a forked lever or other suitable means. E is a second
intermediate shaft carrying an outside crank M coupled to the driving wheels of
the engine by the rod B in the manner previously described. This shaft E has
also toothed wheels F, G, keyed thereon. As shown on the plan, Figure 6, neither
toothed wheel being in gear no motion would be communicated to the shaft E (and
consequently none to the driving wheels of the engine); but if a drum S be fixed
on any portion or at the ends of the shaft D the engine will be available for
hauling, hoisting, winding, and other purposes; and the shaft D having a fly wheel
or pulley fixed thereon may be made to drive other machinery When motion is
required to be imparted to the second shaft E, and consequently to the driving
wheels, by the rod B, the toothed wheels H, J, will be slid along the shaft D in one
direction to gear with the wheel F and in the other to gear with the wheel G, the

page_text: speed varying with the respective diameters of the gearing wheels. In some cases
it is desirable to place a separate winch gear, either simple or compound, on the
engine, and it may be applied in such manner that when the end of the rod B is
uncoupled from the driving wheel R it may be coupled to the crank pin Q¹ of the
winch gear T. The winch gear may also form portion of a crane, as in crane loco-
motives, and be driven from the shaft D in a similar manner as from the shaft E,
or by other well known means.
Figures 7 and 8 show an elevation and plan of a modification of the system
described by Figures 5 and 6. The crank of the shaft D receives motion from the
cylinders, as previously described; on this shaft the two toothed wheels H, J, are
keyed and gear respectively with the two toothed wheels F and G (shown in
section) running loose on the shaft E. A double friction clutch or cone K. (shown
in section) is keyed to but has a lateral motion on the shaft E. A winding drum T
may be solidly fixed to the wheel F, so as to revolve with it on the shaft E. In
the position shown on the plan any motion from the toothed wheels keyed on the
shaft D would only cause the wheels F and G and the drum T (if fitted) to revolve,
but if the friction cone be moved laterally and brought in contact with the cones
on the wheels F or G respectively they will be prevented from turning, and motion
will be imparted and speed given (according to the ratios of the diameters of the
wheels H and F or J and G) to the shaft E, and by means of the crauk M and
rod B to the driving wheels of the engine.
In cases where the engine would be used for shunting purposes, or for moving
waggons or carriages, whether on the same line of rails as itself or not, and when
the engine was not in motion, a drum S may be placed vertically, either as shown
or inverted, and attached to and supported by the frame of the engine, and may be
driven by an endless screw V gearing into a toothed wheel forming part of the
drum, as shown; or the drum may be driven by bevel wheels. The drum may be
thrown in and out of gear by a lever L or other suitable means. Should the radius
of the crank pin Q be required to be altered a slot may be formed on the crank
plate M in such manner that the centre of the crank pin Q may if necessary be
brought to correspond with the centre of the axle E, and a similar slot being
formed in the driving wheel the centres of the ends of the rod B may be made to
correspond with the centres of the shaft D and centre of the driving wheel respec-
tively, so that no motion will be transmitted by the rod B.
Figures 9 and 10 show in elevation and plan a means of dispensing with the use
of coupling rods in locomotive engines; this is effected by means of two friction
wheels L, M, one above and the other below the centres of the axles of the wheels.
When the friction wheels are not in contact with the engine wheels as shown in
Figure 9, the engine wheels move independently of each other, but when brought
into contact with the tyres by any suitable means, or as I prefer by the means
hereafter described, the friction of the driving wheels (in this particular case
supposed to be the larger) in revolving will impart a rotary motion to the friction
wheels L, M, and the friction of these latter when rotating will cause the other
wheels of the engine with which they are in contact to revolve, and so become
available for adhesive purposes. The friction wheels I prefer are made of steel;
they may or may not overlap the flanges of the tyres, and the friction and engine
wheels may be of the same or of different diameters, the essential portion of the
improvement being in the employment of friction wheels, one above and one below
the axles, so that when brought in contact with the wheels the position of the
engine on its springs is but slightly if at all altered, the pressure of one friction
wheel balancing that of the other. I employ to bring the friction wheels in contact
a system of levers as shown, pressure being applied by the foot, steam, or other
means to the end of the lever C; it moves round the fixed fulcrum N until the
friction wheel L comes in contact with the tyres of the engine wheels; the pressure
still being continued the axis of the wheel L becomes the fulcrum, the end of the
lever C nearest the point N will be raised, raising also the suspension rod B and

page_text: the lever A round the fulcrum P until the friction wheel M is also brought in
contact with the tyres. The portions of the levers Cand A carrying the wheels L
and M are slotted to allow these latter a slight lateral movement that they may
adjust themselves the more readily to the faces of the tyres.
The pressure being removed from the lever C the friction wheels will resume
their original position, and to facilitate this a counterweight K may be placed on
the prolongation of the lever A, or at any other suitable position, or the samo object
may be attained by a spring or other well known means.
The arrows on Figure 9 show clearly the direction of rotation of the several
engine and friction wheels.
Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 show illustrations of the application of elastic
material R, such as vulcanized india rubber or compressed cotton or cork, or it may
be metallic springs, to the connecting and coupling rods, and to the horn blocks,
plummer boxes, and axle boxes of engines to admit of a cortain amount of play or
self adjustment, and to prevent the transmission of shocks.
Although the forms of these portions of engines are various the illustrations will
suffice clearly to explain my method of applying clastic material in connection with
such parts. When a metal spring is used I prefer the corrugated or bent forms
shown in Figure 11, and in the event of any loss of elasticity they may be com-
pressed by the set bolt or wedge as shown. When india rubber or compressed
cotton or similar elastic materials are used they may be applied, as shown in
Figures 13 and 14, by the rods being slightly recessed to prevent the material
from slipping out, or the flanges of the brasses may be made sufficiently large to
overlap, and so prevent an escape of the elastic material. The clastic material is
applied so as to envelope either the whole or a portion of the brasses, or the
material performing the function of the brasses, as the nature of the strains to
which the particular part is subjected demands.
By the application of elastic material permitting some play in the bearings and
connections, as described in connection with my arrangements for transmitting
motion to the wheels from an intermediate shaft by a diagonal or inclined con-
necting rod, I obtain a driving gear which is not liable to be deranged by the play
of the springs on which the body of the engine is supported.
Experience has shown that with tramway engines most of the collisions occur at
the corners of the engines; hence at each of the four corners instead of making the
frames rigid as at present I apply an elastic buffer; I prefer using a buffer of
elliptical steel plates and spiral springs R, as shown on Figure 17, representing a
plan of a portion of the corner of a tram engine.
If preferred the elliptical springs may be placed vertically instead of horizontally.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,--
First. The method of transmitting motion from the cylinders to the wheels of
tramway locomotive and other locomotive engines through intermediate shafts and
inclined or diagonal connecting rods.
Second. The means by which such intermediate shafts are rendered available for
driving winding gear or other mechanism.
Third. The arrangement admitting of the connecting rod from the intermediate
shaft being detached from the wheels of the engine, and applied to actuate the
winding gear.
Fourth. The method of coupling the wheels of tramway locomotives and other
locomotive engines by friction wheels brought into contact with the wheels to be
coupled both above and below the axes of these wheels.
Fifth. The method of lessening the shocks to which the driving gear of tramway
locomotives and other locomotive engines is exposed, by the application of elastic
material in connection with the connecting and coupling rods, plummer blocks, axle
boxes, and horn plates.
Sixth. The use as described of elastic material in tramway locomotives and other

page_text: locomotive engines in which the wheels are driven through intermediate shafts by
inclined or diagonal connecting rods.
Seventh. The application as described of corner buffers to the frames of tramway
locomotives.
Eighth. My improvements in road locomotive and other engines, substantially as
described and illustrated by the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I the said William Lyster Holt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W LYSTER HOLT. (L.S.)