AN IMPROVE- IN CHARD AS A LOCOMOTIED ANature
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Parker, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Locomotive Superintendant, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVE-
IN CHARD AS A LOCOMOTIED ANature"
Sealed the 23rd February 1855, and dated the 4th September 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Parker, at the
Office of the Commissiouers of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th September 1854.
I, JAMES PARKER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Locomotive
Superintendant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Ar
IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SMOKE BOXES OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES"
to be as follows:-
My Invention has reference to that part of a locomotive engine called the
smoke box, that is to say, the chamber immediately under the funnel or
chimney, into which the tubes passing through the boiler open. During the
use of the locomotive, ignited fuel and ashes collect in the said smoke box.
The removal of the said fuel and ashes is inconvenient with smoke boxes
as ordinarily constructed. My Invention consists in making a door or doors
in the bottom of the said smoke box, which door or doors, on being opened,
cause the said fuel, ashes, or other accumulation to fall from the smoke box
without trouble. A rod, passing from the said door or doors to the driver,
enables him to open and close the same, and thereby empty the smoke box

page_text: without leaving his place on the engine. I also apply a rod and suitable
mechanism to the sliding bottom, sometimes used to smoke boxes; the said
rod and mechanism having for their object to give the engine-man the power
to open the said slide and empty the smoke box during the motion of the
engine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Parker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd March 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PARKER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Locomotive Superin-
tendent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Parker, Her special licence that I, the said James Parker,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Parker, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT OF
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SMOKE BOXES OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Parker, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Parker, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the sanie is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention consists of a method, herein-after explained and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing, of constructing the smoke boxes of loco-
motive engines, that is to say, the chamber immediately under the funnel or
chimney, into which chamber the tubes passing through the boiler open.

page_text: During the use of the locomotive, particles of ignited fuel and ashes carried
The
by the draught through the boiler tubes collect in the smoke box.
removal of the said fuel and ashes from smoke boxes of the ordinary con-
struction is troublesome, and can only be effected when the locomotive is at
rest, and by a person in the immediate neighbourhood of the smoke box.
My Invention consists in constructing the smoke boxes of locomotives in
such a way that the driver can open and cause to be removed therefrom
anything that may have accumulated therein without leaving his usual place
on the locomotive.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation (partly in section) a locomotive, the
smoke box of which is constructed according to my Invention; and Figure 2
represents a vertical transverse section of the same, taken through the said
smoke box. a is the smoke box; bis a door or valve, constituting the bottom
of the said smoke box; the said door 6 turns upon a joint at c. d is an arm
or lever, turning upon a joint ate on the back of the smoke box; a con-
necting rod f on the axis of the arm d is jointed to the door 6 at 9. h is a
rod, extending from near the fire box of the locomotive to the arm or lever d.
The upper end of the lever h is within reach of the driver as he stands in his
usual place on the locomotive. By pulling the said rod h, the door b, consti-
tuting the bottom of the smoke box, is opened downwards, and any solid
matter which may have accumulated in the smoke box falls therefrom. By
pushing the rod h, the door b is brought again into the position represented in
the Drawing; that is to say, the bottom of the said smoke box is closed.
Although I prefer to carry my Invention into effect by making the bottom
of the smoke box turn upon a hinge or joint, after the manner of a door, yet
I sometimes carry my Invention into effect by making the bottom of the
smoke box open by a sliding motion, and correct the said sliding bottom of
the smoke box with a rod, similar to that represented at h in the Drawing, so
that the driver, while at his place on the locomotive, and while the said loco-
motive is in motion, may open the smoke box at its bottom and allow the
contents to fall out, and again close the said smoke box. When the smoke
box is constructed according to my Invention, it answers the purpose of a
damper. By opening the door or doors of the said smoke box, the draft of air
through the fire can be diminished to any desired extent, and the generation
of steam checked when the combustion is too vigorous, whether the locomotive
be in motion or at rest.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described, as the same may be varied

page_text: without departing from the nature of my said Invention; but I claim as my
Invention, constructing the smoke boxes of locomotive engines with moveable
or opening bottoms, and connecting with the said bottoms mechanism to
enable the driver to open the bottoms of the said smoke boxes, either to allow
the contents to fall out, or to regulate the draught, and again to close the said
smoke box while the said driver occupies his usual place on the locomotive
engine, and while the said locomotive engine is in motion, as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Parker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JAMES PARKER. (L.S.)