IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Reginald Empson Middleton, of Westminster Chambers,
Victoria Street, Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH LOCOMOTIVE
ENGINES."
Sealed the 18th April 1879, and dated the 15th January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Reginald Empson Middleton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th January 1879.
REGINALD EMPSON MIDDLETON, of Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
CONNECTED WITH LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES."
My Invention has for object improvements in and connected with locomotive
engines.
In constructing locomotive engines designed to run upon a single under rail, and
to be guided by one or more pairs of horizontal guiding wheels running on an over-
head rail or rails, I arrange the vertical driving wheels and the carrying wheels
centrally on the axles, and communicate propelling force to such vertical driving
wheels and to suitable horizontal driving wheels direct from the crossheads of a
pair of pistons without the intervention of gearing, maintaining the motion of the
peripheries of the vertical and horizontal wheels at the same rate by coupling
together the ends of the connecting rods. The driving axle of the vertical wheels
acts as a coupling between the two engines.
According to another part of my Invention I obtain the grip on the rails by
arranging vertical wheels under the driving wheels of the locomotive, which may
be in other respects of the ordinary type, and coupling the axles of the upper and
lower wheels by springs. The lower wheels may be parts of the locomotive, or
can be carried on a separate frame to be attached to the engine as occasion
requires.

page_text: A similar gripping_arrangement may be employed in connection with a single
rail. In this case I suspend the boiler of the locomotive below the engine,
whose driving and bearing wheels travel on the single rail, below which, and
opposite the driving wheels, I arrange the vertical gripping wheels, which are
pressed towards the under surface of the rail by means of springs.
In other
respects the engine may be in construction similar in detail to an ordinary
locomotive.
In another arrangement, wherein the locomotive boiler is suspended below the
engine, I construct the latter with carrying wheels running on two rails, which I
suspend from a beam above. Below the rails I arrange driving wheels, which are
caused to press against the rails by springs.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Reginald Empson Middleton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th July 1879.
66
REGINALD EMPSON MIDDLETON, of Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, West-
minster, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
CONNECTED WITH LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES."
In constructing locomotive engines designed to run upon a single under rail, and
to be guided by one or more pairs of horizontal guiding wheels running on an over-
head rail or rails, I arrange the vertical driving wheels and the carrying wheels
centrally on the axles, and communicate propelling force to such vertical driving
wheels and to suitable horizontal driving wheels direct from the crossheads of a
pair of pistons without the intervention of gearing, maintaining the motion of the
peripheries of the vertical and horizontal wheels at the same rate by coupling
together the ends of the connecting rods. The driving axle of the vertical wheels
acts as a coupling between the two engines.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent respectively a side elevation, a half front elevation,
and half cross section, and a sectional plan of a locomotive, according to this part
of my Invention. The vertical driving wheel 1 is placed centrally on the axle 2,
and power is communicated to it by connecting rods 3 jointed to cross heads 4, or
piston rods 5; 6; 6, are the horizontal driving or grip wheels; they have power
communicated to them by connecting rods 7 jointed to crossheads 8 on piston
rods 9, and driving the axles 10 of the said horizontal wheels. The piston rods 5
and 9 receive their impulse from two pistons in the ordinary way. Two piston rods
are shewn for each piston; the one cross head 4 at each side of the engine is con-
nected only to one piston rod 5, the other crosshead 8 is connected to both piston
rods 5 and 9. The arrangement may however be modified by driving the connecting
rods of the horizontal wheels from the same piston rods as drive the connecting rods
of the vertical wheel; or each piston may be provided with two piston rods, as
shewn, which may be connected by a single crosshead, to which may be jointed one
of the connecting rods of the vertical wheel and the connecting rod of one horizontal
wheel. In the arrangement shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the axle 2 of the vertical
driving wheel 1 acts as a coupling between the two engines 11 and 12, and the
vertical driving wheel is of the same diameter as the horizontal driving wheels, so
that their several peripheries travel at a common rate. The horizontal driving
wheels 6 are pressed towards each other and against the rail 13 by springs at 14,
which maintain an even pressure on the bearings by an arrangement as follows:-
15 are the bearings of the horizontal wheel axles 10; these bearings are able to
slide in guides 16; 17 are levers having their fulcra at 18, and bearing against
pins 19; 20 is a cross bar or rod able to slide (in the framing) in the direction of
its length, and having at each of its ends a screw thread, a case or box 21 containing
a spiral or other spring, a nut 22 for adjusting the compression of the spring, and a
cross bar 23 bearing against the otherwise free ends of the two levers 17. The grip
of the horizontal wheels on the rail may be increased or diminished at pleasure by
means of a hand wheel or other suitable apparatus worked from the foot plate; one
arrangement for tightening and slackening is shewn in Fig. 4 of the Drawings. It
is to be remarked that the arrangement of springs employed in connection with
the axle bearings 15, levers 17, and cross bar or rod 20 may be more or less
modified.
According to another part of my Invention I obtain the grip on the rails by
arranging vertical wheels under the driving wheels of the locomotive, which may be
in other respects of the ordinary type, and coupling the axles of the upper and lower
wheels by springs. The lower wheels may be parts of the locomotive, or can be
carried on a separate frame, to be attached to the engine as occasion requires. A
-

page_text: convenient mode of carrying out this part of my Invention is illustrated in Figs. 5
and 6 of the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of part of a locomotive of ordinary type with my
improvement applied to it; and Fig. 6 is a half cross section. 30 are the driving
wheels, to which extra adhesion is given by means of the grip wheels 31, arranged
vertically under the driving wheels. The axles 32 of the grip wheels 31 are con-
nected to the axles 33 of the driving wheels 30, and pressed towards them by means
of springs, the pressure of which is maintained equal on each set of four bearings,
each group of bearings being connected by means of one bar, by which and the
springs the grip of the wheels may be increased or diminished.
Various arrange-
ments may be employed for causing the grip wheels to press more or less against
the underside of the rail. The arrangement shewn in the present case is as
follows: 34 are the bearings of the axles of the grip wheels. Each of these bearings
is able to slide in guides 35 in a frame 36 arranged below the rail 37, and bolted to
the main frame 38 of the engine, but the frame 36 may be a part or extension of the
frame 38. 39 are links jointed at their lower ends to the bearings 34 of the grip
wheels, and at their upper ends to springs, one of which is arranged at each side of
the engine, as at 40. Each spring 40 is suspended from bridge pieces 41 by a rod 42
with screwed end and adjusting nut 43. The adjustment may be effected from the
foot-plate, as will be readily understood, for which purpose a convenient arrange-
ment is to provide the nut 43 with a worm wheel operated by a worm on a shaft
driven by spur gear; or the nut may be fixed and the rod 42 rotated. The bridgo
pieces 41 are not attached to the framing 38, but their weight and all strain or
pressure put upon them is transferred directly through the rods or supports 44 to
the axle boxes 45 of the driving wheels 30, so as to leave the main frame freely
suspended to its springs 46. It will be observed that in the present arrangement
(Figs. 5 and 6) the supports for the rails are placed externally, the axle of each pair
of grip wheels being in one piece.
Figs. 7 and 8 shew a modification of the foregoing arrangement, which will be
readily understood from the Drawings, Fig. 7 being a side clevation, and Fig. 8 a
half cross section. The arrangement here shown is similar to the last, except that
in the present case the supports for the permanent way are between the rails, and
each of the grip wheels 31 has its own axle 32, which revolves in two bearings 34.
The lower part of the frame 36 which guides the grip wheels 31 may be hinged
above the rail, say, at about the point 47, so that it will turn outwards and upwards
as indicated by the dotted line, and clear the upper surface of the rails if required.
It will be noticed in the present arrangement, as shewn, the permanent way has its
supports placed between the rails.
A similar gripping arrangement to that above described with reference to Figs. 5
and 6, and to Figs. 7 and 8 may be employed in connection with a single rail. In
this case I suspend the boiler of the locomotive below the engine, whose driving
and bearing wheels travel on the single rail, below which and opposite the driving
wheels I arrange the vertical gripping wheels, which are pressed towards the under
surface of the rail by means of springs. In other respects the engine may be, in
construction, similar in detail to an ordinary locomotive. This modification is
illustrated in Figs. 9, 10, and 11, whereof Fig. 9 represents the side elevation of a
locomotive supported by a single rail, the boiler being hung below the rail and the
machinery arranged above; Fig. 10 is a back end elevation; and Fig. 11 a plan
without the boiler. The driving wheels 30 and carrying wheels 48 are placed
centrally on their respective axles 33 and 49, the machinery being otherwise that
of an ordinary locomotive but arranged on the frame above the suspended boiler.
The frame 38 is carried down at one side 38* so as to embrace and guide tho
bearings 34 of the grip wheels 31, which wheels are arranged vertically under the
driving wheels 30 and are pressed against the under side of the single rail by
springs, caused to press equally on all the bearings by means of a central rod or
bar 42 connecting them all, which rod or bar may be tightened or slackened at
pleasure, as already described with reference to previous arrangements. In the

page_text: present case the rod or bar 42 passes through two crossheads, one, 50, above, and
the other, 51, below the rail; the lower cross head bears against two springs 40,
one at each side of the engine, and each of their springs in turn bears against two
bearings 34 so as to press two grip wheel axles simultaneously and equally towards
the under side of the rail. The upper crosshead 50 rests on two bridge pieces 41,
each supported on two driving wheel axle boxes 45. The rod or bar 42 is of a
bent or curved form at 42* to clear the rail, and for this purpose and to clear the
rail brackets the extension 38* of the main frame 38 is made with a gap 38ª at one
side, and with strengthening plates 38b, 38°, 38d.
The boiler 52 may be supported from the framing by any suitable arrangement.
I have shewn angle irons 53 with stiffening plates. I have also shewu a guide
rail 54 and wheel 55 below the boiler, but this arrangement may be modified or in
some cases omitted.
In another arrangement, wherein the locomotive boiler is suspended below the
engine, I construct the latter with carrying wheels running on two rails, which I
suspend from a beam above.
Below the rails I arrange driving wheels, which are caused to press against the
rails by springs. This arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 12, 13, and 14, Fig. 12
being a side elevation; Fig. 13, a back end elevation; and Fig. 14, a plan without
the boiler. Each of the bearing wheels 48 and grip wheels 31 (which also act as
bearing wheels) travels on its own rail, and has a separate axle and two bearings
guided by the frames 38. 49 are the axles of the wheels 48, and 32 the axles of
the wheels 31. 388 are inner frames for carrying the inner bearings of the grip
wheel axles. These frames are connected together in pairs above the rail 37, and
the outer frames 38 are carried down and connected below the rails so as to tie tho
two pairs. The machinery is placed below the rails, and the driving wheels 30
are pressed upwards against the rails by springs with a single rod and tightening
gear at each side of the engine, in a manner similar to that already described with
reference to Figs. 5 and 6, excepting that the bridge pieces are omitted and a second
spring substituted, as will be readily understood from the Drawings. This arrange-
ment of grip wheels above the rail in combination with driving wheels below the
rails is also applicable to engines with suspended boilers, designed to run on a
single central rail, as already described and shewn in Figures 9, 10, and 11.
It is to be remarked that in all the foregoing arrangements the springs which
tighten up the grip wheels are quite independent in their action from the bearing
springs, and do not influence the latter in any way.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and explained in what manner
the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect, I would have
it understood that I make no general claim to the arranging of locomotive engines
to run upon a single under rail, and be guided by one or more pairs of horizontal
guiding wheels running on an overhead rail or rails, nor to the use of overhead
rails for the carrying wheels of an engine to run on, nor to the use of grip wheels
in conjunction with driving wheels, nor do I claim generally suspending a loco-
motive boiler below the rails on which the carrying wheels of the engine run, but
what I do claim is,―
1. Constructing and arranging locomotive engines substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying Drawings, and
particularly the method of communicating propelling force to the vertical and hori-
zontal driving wheels direct from the cross heads, and maintaining the motion of
the peripheries of the said vertical and horizontal wheels at the same rate, as
hereinabove explained.
2. The method of obtaining grip on the rails by arranging under the driving
wheels of a locomotive vertical grip wheels, the axles of which have cach two
bearings, and coupling theso axles with the axles of the driving wheels by means of
springs with rods and links arranged substantially as herein before described,
whether two rails or only one rail be employed.

page_text: 3. Constructing and arranging locomotive engines to travel on a single overhead
rnil, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 9, 10, and 11 of
the accompanying Drawings.
4. Constructing and arranging locomotive engines to travel on overhead railways
with carrying wheels above and driving wheels below the said rails, such driving
wheels being caused to press against the said rails, substantially as and by the
means hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 12, 13, and 14 of the accom-
panying Drawings, whether two rails or only one rail be employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Reginald Empson Middleton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
REGINALD E. MIDDLETON. (L.S.)