IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY AND OTHER LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES OR STEAM TRAM CARS, PARTS OF WHICH IM- PROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Fox and Edwin Walker, both of the
City of Bristol, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY AND
OTHER LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES OR STEAM TRAM CARS, PARTS OF WHICH IM-
PROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 16th April 1878, and dated the 12th January 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Fox and
Edwin Walker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th
January 1878.
"IM-
FRANCIS WILLIAM Fox and EDWIN WALKER, both of the City of Bristol.
PROVEMENTS IN TRAMWAY AND OTHER LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES OR STEAM TRAM
CARS, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR
PURPOSES."
Our Invention relates to tramway locomotive engines or steam tram cars, and
consists,―
1st. Of improvements in effecting the condensation of the exhaust steam, applicable
also to condensers generally.
2ndly. Of improved means of obtaining and maintaining the draught of the
furnace.
3rdly. Of improvements in regulating the speed and stopping and starting the
engine.
4thly. Of a peculiar method of carrying the engine or steam car so as to obtain
great flexibility.
5thly. Of an improved water guage for the boiler, applicable also to steam boilers
generally.
6thly. Of an improved form of steam tram engine applicable to ordinary roads
employing only one rail, and also capable of being adapted to existing railways and
tramways.

page_text: 7thly. Of an improved arrangement of frictional gearing for tramway or other
locomotive engines.
In carrying out the first part of our Invention the exhaust steam is conducted
from the cylinders through pipes into a receiver which is connected by
couplings or unions to condensing cells or chambers, through which the steam is
passed; should any of the exhaust steam not be perfectly condensed after passing
through these cells or chambers it is carried off at the other end by another receiver,
and conducted by pipes into tanks, which are made with steam tight lids, a waste
pipe being provided from the tanks to the smoke box for carrying off the waste
steam to mix with the hot air in the smoke box.
The condensing cells or chambers may be made of a shape, and be arranged
side by side and connected together by passing through the whole distance, a part
of these cells or chambers being regulated by distance washers of rubber or other
elastic or suitable packing such as is used for joints interposed between them.
The cells or chambers may be arranged vertically, horizontally, or otherwise, and
may be fixed under the engine or under the car, or both, as may be found
convenient.
According to the second part of our Invention we employ a Körting or other
blower for supplying air to the fire box, which blower is fixed in a convenient
position on the engine, either vertically or horizontally, the air being forced
through a chamber into a closed receiver or ash pan under the grate. The air is
supplied to the blower from a top chamber after passing through air spaces arranged
between the condensing cells or chambers, and into which it is conducted through
openings in the underside of the top chamber, the steam jet for supplying the blower
being taken from the boiler, or the draft may be obtained and maintained by
placing a silent jet in the smoke box supplied direct from the boiler or by a fan
worked by a small auxiliary engine; in these arrangements also a closed ash pan
may be used, and the air may be drawn from the top chamber.
Our improvement in regulating the speed and stopping and starting the engine,
which forms the subject matter of third part of our Invention, consists in placing a
cock or valve on the exhaust pipe or pipes, and regulating the exhaust outlet
in lieu of working the engine by the steam valve or regulator and reversing
handle, thus controlling the engine with one handle only, and producing a
continuous exhaust.
The fourth part of our Invention relates to a method of carrying the engine or
steam car, whereby greater flexibility is obtained.
In carrying out this part of our Invention we employ at one end of the engine a
cross bar placed with the ends resting on the top of the springs or axle boxes, and
carried at the centre by a pin supported by brackets from the framing, or in lieu of
the cross bar we, use a cross spring, having its centre in the same position as the pin
before mentioned, and its ends resting directly on the axle box, or on plates, or on
links or pillars attached to the axle box.
The fifth part of our Invention, which relates to water guages for the boilers of
tramway locomotive engines or steam tram cars and steam boilers generally, is
carried out in the following manner:-We employ in the chamber of the water
guage a valve resting on the end of the glass tube, and so arranged that in the
event of a glass being broken the pressure from the boiler acting on the valve shall
force out the glass and close the valve against the seat, and so prevent the escape of
steam and hot water, a spring being provided for the purpose of maintaining the
valve normally in contact with the end of the glass tube. It is not, however,
essential that the action of the valve should be dependent on the expulsion of the
guage glass, as the glass or tube may be left shorter so as not to reach the valve face,
and the valve being without the smaller wings will be at liberty, owing to a
fracture of the tube a strong rush of steam or water takes place, and will be
accordingly forced to its seat. The valves also in lieu of or in addition to being
placed in the chamber of the guage may be placed in the end attached to the boiler
or receiver,

page_text: Sixth. Our improved form of steam tram engine applicable to ordinary roads
employing only one rail is constructed and arranged in the following manner :-We
employ triangular framework carried towards one end on ordinary carriage wheels,
made either with spokes or suspension rods (similar to the bycicle wheels), and on
the other end supported on a bogie frame, the latter being carried on a central rail
by means of one, two, three, or a larger number of small wheels which can be
coupled or otherwise as may be found most convenient. The whole, or nearly the
whole, weight of the boiler and engine is sustained by these small wheels, the two
large wheels being so adjusted on their springs as to have scarcely any weight upon
them. The small wheels are driven by one, two, or more eplinders acting direct
upon the central wheel under the bogie, the cylinder or cylinders being carried on a
frame rigidly connected to the frame bogie, and the said cylinders may or may not
be connected with the triangular frame resting on the bogie.
The details of the arrangement may be modified according to circumstances.
If a central rail is used any of the ordinary sections of rails may be employed,
but we prefer, under certain circumstances, to adopt for the wheel a tyre of a V or
other grooved section which will act in case of necessity so as to give additional
grip upon the rail.
This engine may also be used for working on ordinary roads without the employ-
ment of the central rail or any rails whatever. In this case we fix the two large
wheels to the carriage by a central pivot, and connect the axles of these wheels by
steering gear, which can be worked either by hand or steam.
We also propose to make this engine as a separate or independent engine or in
combination with cars or carriages for conveying passengers or goods.
We also propose to adopt this form of engine for use on present or existing rail-
ways and tramways, in which case we convert the driving wheels into an ordinary
bogie.
We make the bogie wheels in the manner usually adopted, the large carrying
wheels being made as ordinary carriage wheels with flanges or railway wheels
connected rigidly with the axle.
Seventh. In carrying out the 7th part of our Invention, which relates to frictional
gearing for tramway or other locomotive engines, the frame plates are made so that
the axle boxes can slide freely and allow the carrying wheels to rest against the friction
pulleys, the said friction pulleys in this way receiving the whole weight of the
engine. The axle boxes for the intermediate or friction pulley shafts have the
springs resting on them and allow the wheels to rise and fall when necessary.
The frictional pulleys are driven direct from the cylinder, and can be coupled
with coupling rods, so that the whole of the weight of the engine can be used
for driving.
This arrangement can be adapted to suit the usual form of tyre now used
on railways, or it can be made of V form for use on a central or with double
rails.