IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR LIFTING THE DRIVING WHEELS OF A LOCOMOTIVE OFF THE RAILS WHEN THE LOCOMOTIVE IS EITHER RUNNING OR STATIONARY
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Millar Ure, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR LIFTING THE DRIVING WHEELS OF A LOCOMOTIVE OFF THE
RAILS WHEN THE LOCOMOTIVE IS EITHER RUNNING OR STATIONARY."
Sealed the 28th July 1868, and dated the 18th March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Millar Ure at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th March 1868.
I, JAMES MILLAR URE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR LIPTING THE DRIVING WHEELS OP A LOCOMOTIVE OFF
THE RAILS WHEN THE LOCOMOTIVE IS EITHER RUNNING OR STATIONARY," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improved apparatus for lifting the driving
wheels of a locomotive off the rails, which apparatus, whilst it can be
used when the locomotive is stationary, is more particularly designed

page_text: to enable the engine driver to prevent the rotation of the driving wheels
and movement of the steam pistons and parts connected therewith when
an incline is being descended, or when the locomotive is being brought
to a stand-still on approaching a station, or when any circumstances
render it desirable. The improved apparatus is applicable to any loco-
motive constructed so that it is sufficiently supported and can run on
its other wheels when the driving wheels are lifted off the rails.
According to one plan the desired effect is produced by lifting the
driving wheels in the guides in which their axle boxes work, but this
plan is only applicable in cases where there is sufficient room beneath
the boiler for the requisite elevation of the crank axle and its
eccentrics.
According to another plan the desired effect is produced by depressing
the leading and trailing wheels or the wheels on which the locomotive
will be supported on the driving wheels being raised, and this depression
has the effect of raising the locomotive and with it the driving wheels,
the axle boxes of these last being previously locked to cause them to be
lifted by the framing of the locomotive.
For the purpose of lifting the driving wheels or of depressing the other
wheels accordingly as one or other of the plans herein-before referred
to is adopted two steam cylinders are fitted up in suitable situations
upon the locomotive, the pistons of such steam cylinders being connected
to the mechanism which directly acts on the wheels. The steam is
admitted to the cylinders by pipes, the stop valves of which can be
conveniently opened or closed by the engine driver, and when he wishes
to lift the driving wheels off the rails he has simply to admit steam into
the cylinders.
The mechanism which directly acts on the wheels is susceptible of
various modifications, but in one preferable modification bell-crank
levers are contrived to act on the axle boxes of the wheels in such a way
as when acted upon by the steam pistons to elevate or depress them, as
the case may be. The bell-crank levers, or eccentries, or other equivalent
contrivances that might be substituted for them may be actuated by
worm and worm wheel or similar gear driven by a small donkey engine
or by the axle of the leading or trailing wheels. The required action
may also be obtained by the intervention of water or other liquid, or of
air, the necessary pressure of such liquid or air being obtained by means

page_text: of a donkey pump or by the feed pump of the locomotive. As it might
occasion accidents for steam to be admitted to the lifting cylinders
whilst full steam is on the main cylinders the valve handle for admitting
steam to the former should be connected by a link or otherwise to the
main steam handle so that both cannot be opened (or full opened)
together. As a further precaution also against accidents a reducing
valve may be fitted in the pipe leading to the lifting cylinders to prevent
an excessive pressure from acting in these cylinders.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Millar Ure in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 17th September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MILLAR URE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said James Millar Ure, Her special licence
that I, the said James Millar Ure, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Millar Ure, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR LIPTING THE DRIVING WHEELS OF A LOCOMOTIVE OFF THE RAILS WHEN
THE LOCOMOTIVE IS EITHER RUNNING OR STATIONARY," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Millar Ure, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent

page_text: Onice within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Millar Ure, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to improved apparatus for lifting the driving
wheels of a locomotive off the rails, which apparatus, whilst it can be
used when the locomotive is stationary, is more particularly designed
to enable the engine driver to prevent the rotation of the driving wheels
and movement of the steam pistons and parts connected therewith when
an incline is being descended or when the locomotive is being brought
to a stand-still on approaching a station, or when any circumstances
render it desirable. My improved apparatus is applicable to any loco-
motive that is constructed so that it is sufficiently supported and can
run on its other wheels when the driving wheels are lifted off the
rails.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended two
Sheets of explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to, and repre-
senting various modifications of the apparatus. The same reference
numerals are used to mark the same or like parts in all the Figures,
The arrangement which I prefer and consider to be most convenient
in practice is shown upon Sheet 1 of the Drawings, Figure 1 being a
side elevation of a locomotive partly in section, whilst Figure 2 shows
various details in sectional plan. In this arrangement provision is mado
for dividing the requisite movement between the driving wheels 1 and
the leading and trailing wheels 2, 3, relatively to the locomotive framing,
the leading and trailing wheels 2, 3, being depressed, whilst the driving
wheels 1 are raised. The parts on one side only of the locomotive are
shown, but it will be understood that there are similar parts on both
sides. At each side of the fire-box there is fitted a steam cylinder 4
having its ends in communication by pipes 5 with a screw stop valve 6
conveniently placed for the driver's control. The piston rod 7 issuing
downwards is jointed to the back end of a lever 8 centred on the framing,
and the front end of this lever, which is forked, is jointed to two trian

page_text: gular plates 9 situated one on each side of the spring pin 10 which bears.
down on the top of the axle box 11. Two studs 12 are fixed in the top
of the axle box and pass up between the plates 9 and have pins fixed in
those plates passed through elongated eyes with which they are formed.
The ends of the plates 9 are jointed to the links 13 jointed to the outer
ends of the spring 14, and these links 13, instead of being jointed to the
framing in the ordinary way have their bottom ends jointed to levers 15
extending one forwards to the leading wheels 2, and the other backwards.
to the trailing wheels 3. These levers 15 are centred on stud pins fixed
in the framing, and their outer ends are forked to bear on collars formed
on the spring pins of the leading and trailing wheels 2, 3.
the driving wheels 1 are represented as lifted off the rails.
play of the axle box 11 with the action of the spring when the parts are
lowered is allowed for by the elongation of the eyes of the studs 12 by
which the axle box is suspended to the plates 9.
In Figure 1
The ordinary.
Figure 3, on Sheet 2 of the Drawings, is a side elevation showing a
second modification of my arrangements, and in it each steam cylinder 4
is horizontal, and its piston rod 7 is jointed to the vertical arm of a bell-
crank lever 16 which is formed with a short arm at its lower end that'
hears on the axle box of the trailing wheels 3. The lever 16 is also
connected by a long link 17 to a corresponding bell-crank lever 18
arranged to act in a similar manner on the axle box of the leading
wheels 2. In this arrangement it is necessary to provide a stop piece 19
to be inserted by means of a rod 20 and lever 21 under the axle box
of the driving wheels 1 in order that these may be lifted along with the
framing when the levers 16 and 18 are put into action.
In a third arrangement the object is also effected by raising the frame.
upon the leading and trailing wheels, and this is done, as shown in
vertical section in Figure 4, by applying a hydraulic cylinder 22 fixed
to the framing so that its ram bears upon the top of the axle box.
If a single central spring pin is used this cylinder is made in an
annular form so that the spring pin may pass through it. Water or
other liquid may be pumped into the cylinder 22 when required by a
special donkey pump or by the feed pump of the locomotive.
A fourth arrangement is shown in vertical section in Figure 5, and in
it the desired action is derived from the rotation of the axle 23 of the

page_text: trailing wheels 3. A worm 24 on the axle gears with a worm wheel 25
on a vertical spindle 26 carried by the framing and having a bevil
wheel 27 on its upper end. A horizontal spindle 28 which can be shifted
on end by a lever 29 has fast on it a pair of reversed bevil wheels 30,
either of which can be put into gear with the bevil wheel 27. The
horizontal spindle 28 has also fast on it a worm 31 in gear with a worm
wheel 32 fast on a tube 33 which bears on the top of the axle box and
is screwed upon the spring pin 34. With this arrangement the parts
may be put into gear so as to lengthen or shorten the spring pin 34,
and thereby raise or lower the driving wheels. The worm wheel 32 and
worm 31 are made the one broad enough and the other long enough
to allow of the. requisite movements of the parts without getting out
of gear.
As it might occasion accidents for steam to be admitted to the lifting
cylinders (when such are used, as in the modification shown on Sheet 1
of the accompanying Drawings) whilst full steam is on the main
cylinders the valve handle for admitting steam to the former should be.
connected by a link or otherwise to the main steam handle, so that both.
cannot be opened (or full opened) together. As a further precaution,
also, against accidents a reducing valve may be fitted in the steam pipe
leading to the lifting cylinders to prevent an excessive pressure from
acting in these cylinders. A single cylinder may be used instead of two,
its action being equally communicated to both sides by a transverse.
rocking shaft; such an arrangement will in fact insure equality of action
on both sides.
Advantage may be taken of my improved arrangements, and par-
ticularly of those shown on Sheet 1 of the Drawings, by reversing the
action intended for lifting the driving wheels so as to press these wheels.
down on the rails when extra adhesion is wanted, as for example, when
going up an incline. To allow of this being done it is simply requisite to
arrange for admitting steam into either end of the cylinders 4.
.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I have to state that I do
not restrict myself to the precise details herein described or delineated,
but that what I believe to be novel and original and claim as the
Invention secured to me by the heroin-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, the lifting of the driving wheels of locomotives off the rails, for

page_text: the purposes substantially in the manner and by appliances substantially
such as are herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Millar Ure, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
J. M. URE. (L.S.)