IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES FOR RAILWAYS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Barraclough Fell, of Sparke Bridge, near Ulverston,
in the County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES FOR RAILWAYS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Barraclough Fell at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th July 1882.
JOHN BARRACLOUGH FELL, of Sparke Bridge, Near Ulverston, in the County
of Lancaster Civil Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES FOR
RAILWAYS."
Firstly. My invention relates to Locomotive engines, intended more particularly
for light railways, formed largely of viaducts, referred to under the first head of my
invention, but they may also be used on ordinary railways, the object of my
invention being to obtain simple flexible Engines to work on curves of short
radius, of adequate power, with the weight distributed over greater length of rails,
and this part of my invention consists of arrangements whereby the driving
adhesion of the wheels of both an Engine and its Tender is obtained while the
connection between the Engine and Tender remains flexible, and also in arrange-
ments by which the one part of an Engine, say the boiler, is on one carriage, and
the cylinders and connected parts and water tanks coal bunkers, and other parts,
are upon another separate carriage, and while both carriages are connected so as to
be flexible to the curves of the railway they are coupled according to one
modification, to get the driving adhesion of the wheels of both carriages, or they
are left uncoupled according to another modification.
When the boiler and Engine are on separate carriages, the steam from the boiler
to the Engine and the Exhaust steam from the Engine to the blast pipe is
conveyed by flexible or swivel jointed pipes which permit movement between the
Engine, and boiler carriage.
The coupling of the wheels of an Engine and Tender, or of two carriages for the
boiler, and Engine and other parts, is effected by preference by means of cranks in
the middle of the two axles of the carriages coming nearest together, upon the

page_text: journals of which cranks there are blocks or brasses with trunnions in a vertical
position, which trunnions are jointed with the ends of a coupling rod, and there
are also two other crank axles one over each of the carrying axles which are
connected in like manner by swivel coupling rods, these supplementary crank
axles having bearings in the axle boxes or in boxes connected with the axle boxes
of the carrying axles. The supplementary crank axles are each driven from their
respective carrying axles by short coupling rods or by spur wheels-The cranks
of the carrying and supplementary axles which are coupled together are placed at
right angles to each other.
Or instead of the coupling arrangement above described, a link or pitch chain
working on a swivel wheel on the middle of each of the two nearest axles of the
two carriages, are used, or toothed wheels, flexible shafts, or other equivalent
mechanism are employed, for coupling the axles.
Secondly. My invention refers to two cylinder centre rail Engines and relates
to combinations and arrangements of mechanism whereby the pistons driving the
gripping wheels are made to drive the carrying wheels, and my invention consists
in transmitting motion from the piston rods by slide blocks, links, beam levers or
rocking shafts, and connecting rods to rotate a supplementary crank axle which
may be a carrying axle, and driving the carrying wheels from this supplementary
crank axle by ordinary coupling rods.
Thirdly. My invention relates to centre rail Engines and consists in arranging
the mechanism on two separate but connected carriages so that the boiler, and in
some cases the cylinders will be on one carriage, and the tender and gripping
wheels and in some cases the cylinders in another carriage the two carriages being
connected so as to be flexible to the curves of the railway.
The steam and exhaust is conveyed between the boiler and Engine and between
Engine and blast pipe (when required) by swivel jointed or flexible pipes, and in
some cases the motion is transmitted by one or the other of the methods herein before
referred to under the second head of my invention from the machinery of one
carriage to that of the other.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Barraclough Fell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th January 1883.
JOHN BARRACLOUGH FELL of Sparke Bridge near Ulverston in the County
of Lancaster Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES FOR
RAILWAYS."
Firstly. My invention relates to Locomotive engines, the object being to obtain
simple flexible engines, to work on curves of short radius of adequate power, with
the weight distributed over a greater length of rails than is usual, and this part of
my invention consists of combinations and arrangements whereby the driving
adhesion of the wheels of both an engine and its tender is obtained while the
connection between the engine and tender remains flexible. And this part of my
invention also consists in combinations and arrangements by which the one part of
an engine say the boiler is on one carriage and the cylinders and connected parts and
water tanks, coal bunkers, and other parts, are placed on another separate carriage,
and while both carriages are connected so as to be flexible to the curves of the
railway they are coupled, according to one modification in order to get the driving
adhesion due to the weight carried by the wheels of both carriages, or they are
left uncoupled according to another modification.
When the boiler and Engine are placed on separate carriages the steam from the
boiler to the Engine, and the exhaust steam from the engine to the blast pipe, is
conveyed by flexible, or swivel jointed pipes, or telescopic pipes, properly packed
by stuffing boxes, which permit of a movement between the engine and boiler
carriage. The coupling of the wheels of an engine and tender or of two carriages
for the boiler and engine and other parts, is effected, by preference, by means of
cranks in the middle of the two axles of the carriages coming nearest together
upon the journals of which cranks there are blocks or brasses with trunnions
having their axes in a vertical position, which trunnions are jointed with the ends
of a coupling rod or the journal part of each crank is made spherical, and there are
also two other crank axles one vertically over each of the carrying axles which
are connected in like manner by swivel coupling rods these supplementary crank
axles having bearings in axle boxes connected with the axle boxes of the carrying
axles, in such a manner that the carrying and supplementary axles shall be always
equidistant in a vertical direction notwithstanding the rising and falling of the
carriages, to which they are respectively attached in consequence of the action of
the springs.
The distance between the centres of the leading axle of one carriage and
trailing axle of the other are also kept the same, by distance bars jointed to and
connecting the frames of the two carriages. The supplementary crank axles are
each driven from their respective carrying axles by short coupling rods, or by spur
wheels. The cranks of the carrying and supplementary axles, which are coupled
together, are placed at right angles to each other.
The lower axles by which the rotary coupling of the two carriages is effected
need not be carrying axles, in which case their bearings or axle boxes are fixed in
the framing.
Or instead of the coupling arrangements above described my invention consists
where the Engine and boilers are on separate carriages, in the use of a pitched or
link chain, working on a swivel wheel or drum, on the middle of each of the two
nearest axles of the two carriages, Or it consists in the use of a band of flat wire
rope, or one or more strands of round wire rope working on one or more grooved

page_text: pulleys, or clip drums, Or it consists in other equivalent mechanism for trans-
mitting the power of the engine placed on one carriage to the carrying wheels of
the other on which the boiler is placed, such as flexible shafts or a train of toothed
wheels.
Secondly. My invention refers to two cylinder centre rail engines and relates to
improved combinations and arrangements of mechanism whereby the pistons
driving the gripping wheels are made to drive the carrying wheels and my
invention consists in transmitting motion from the piston rods by means of slide
blocks, links, beam levers, or weigh beams, or rocking shafts and connecting rods to
rotate a supplementary crank axle, which may be a carrying axle, and driving the
carrying wheels from the supplementary crank axle by ordinary coupling rods.
Thirdly, My invention relates to centre rail engines and consists in arranging the
parts and mechanism on two separate but connected carriages so that the boiler
and in some cases the cylinders will be on one carriage and the tender and gripping
wheels and in some cases the cylinders on another carriage, the two carriages being
connected so as to be flexible to the curves of the railway.
The steam and exhaust is conveyed between the boiler and engine and between
the engine and blast pipe (when required) by swivel jointed or flexible pipes and
in some cases the motion is transmitted by one or the other of the methods
hereinbefore referred to under the first and second heads of my invention, from the
machinery of one carriage to that of the other.
Fig 1 is a side elevation, representing a Locomotive Engine boiler tanks, coal
bunkers and parts connected with them placed on two separate but connected
carriages according to the first part of my invention-The boiler and its connected
narts is arranged on the carriage marked a, and the cylinders coal bunkers, water
ank and connected parts on the carriage marked b.
The steam from the boiler in one carriage (a) is conveyed to the cylinders c in
the other carriage (b) and the exhaust steam from the cylinders (c) back to the
other carriage (a) and to the chimney to form the blast by pipes which are coiled
jointed or made flexible or of flexible material in any convenient and known
manner, so as to bend and give way or slide in and out to the movements
between the two separate but connected carriages when passing over the curves of
the railway.
The motion imparted to the driving wheels by the cylinders c in one carriage is
or may be transmitted to those in the other carriage by either of several different
combinations of mechanism hereinbefore referred to.
One method which is preferred is indicated in dotted lines in fig 1 and is further
illustrated by fig 2 a detached sectional elevation and fig 3 a plan sectional view
taken below A-B fig 2.
The arrangement illustrated in these figures is a modification of that described in
and illustrated by fig 16 of the specification of Letters Pateut granted to me
Numbered 1638 and dated the 26th April 1879.
On the journal of each crank see fig 4 a part d formed in two halves is bolted
and each half has a trunnion d' formed upon it with its axis vertical so that each
forked end of the coupling rod d is or may be jointed with the trunnions in any
convenient manner.
The coupling rod d³ is or may be made in two halves so as to be jointed with the
trunnions d¹ and then the two halves of the coupling rod d are bolted together.
Instead of the arrangement shown by fig 4, the journal part of each crank is or may
be made spherical to fit corresponding brasses in the ends of the coupling rods as
illustrated by figs 4ª and 4b.
My present invention consists in applying a second axle e vertically above each
of the nearest carrying axles a¹ and 6 of the two separate connected carriages
which supplementary axles have their bearings in axle boxes in the side frames of
the carriages these axle boxes forming part of or being connected with those for
the carrying axles a¹ and b¹ immediately below them so that the two axles will be
kept at a uniform distance apart and will not be effected by the action of the

page_text: springs of the carriages, and so that the coupling rods hereinafter mentioned, will
not affect or cause oscillation in the springs.
The outside ends of the carrying and supplementary axles e have each a crank,
the cranks for the carrying wheels being those used to couple the carrying wheels
of each separate carriage together by the ordinary outside coupling rods.
The outside cranks of each carrying axle a' and b¹ and the supplementary axle e
above each of them are connected by ordinary vertical coupling rods f the cranks
at one end being arranged at a right angle to those at the other end, and the
cranked carrying axles have their middle cranks a² and b² set at right angles to the
middle cranks e¹ of the supplementary axles e.
The carriages a and b are connected by a distance or coupling bar g jointed to
the centre of the framing of each carriage in any convenient manner vertically over
the axles e which are coupled, this distance bar g, being of the same length from
centre to centre as the coupling rods d for the middle cranks thus keeping the
two carriages exactly the same distance apart whether on straight or curved
portions of the railway.
In figs 2 and 3 the distance bar g is shown attached to centres carried in cross
frames between the carrying axles a' and b' and supplementary axles e but it is or
may be placed by preference above the supplementary axles e under the foot plate
a³ and b³.
The two carriages are or may be connected by arranging a cross frame x in each
carriage as shown by peculiar dotted line in fig 3 these frames x, having each a
semicircular part having a short vertical flange x³ for a double or looped connecting
bar g*.
The upper part of the framing at the ends of the two carriages are made to a
curve as shown and to come against each other-The curves of the semicircular
part of the cross framing x, and of the ends of the carriages, are each struck from
a Centre over the middle of each axle e.
Thus arranged the connecting or distance bar g* may be placed in any convenient
plane above or below the axles e, and the middle cranks e¹, el or a² or b³ will have
clear space to work.
In figs 1 and 2 the crank coupling rods are shown by peculiar dotted line-
f being the vertical coupling rods and d the horizontal coupling rods each arranged
to swivel as herein before described and illustrated by fig 4 or by figs 44 and 4b.
Fig 5 is a cross sectional elevation and fig 6 a longitudinal sectional elevation
of a modification of the arrangement illustrated by figs 1, 2 and 3.-In this modifi-
cation supplementary cranked axles e are used as in the former, and the bearings
of these axles are arranged in the same or connected axle boxes in like manner.
But each supplementary axle e is driven in this case from the carrying axle a¹
below it by one or two pairs of spur toothed wheels e² thus dispensing with the
outside vertical coupling rods f and outside cranks used in the modification
illustrated by figs 1, 2 and 3.
The central cranks a* and 63 are connected by swivel coupling rods d³ as herein-
before explained.
g is the distance bar jointed to the cross framing under the foot plates a³ and b³.
In fig 1 the dotted lines a³ and b above the axles e represent the foot plate and
the dotted lines a* a narrow cover or foot plate over the central part where the
middle cranks e' work; and the dotted part g is the distance bar, but the looped
distance bar g* arrangement shown by fig 3 may be adopted instead by preference.
When the middle cover or foot plate a* comes inconveniently in the way of a
central door for the combustion chamber of the boiler, the door is or may be placed
on one side of the front or at the side of the combustion chamber.
The coupling arrangements herein before described are illustrated in fig 1 in
combination with six wheeled Engines, but they are equally applicable to four
wheeled engines or carriages, by making the axles corresponding to the axles a¹
and b' without carrying wheels and carrying their journals in axles boxes, fixed in
the side frames of the carriage.

page_text: Fig 7 is a side elevation and fig 8 a plan illustrating another mode of coupling
the wheels of carriages having Engine and boiler on separate carriages according to
the first part of my invention.
This modification is further illustrated by fig 9 a longitudinal elevation in
section, and fig 10 a detached side elevation.
According to this part of my invention a pitched endless linked or toothed
chain is arranged to work on or engage with toothed pulleys or wheels h³ one
fixed in the middle of each of the axles a' and 6 of the carriages coming nearest
together.
The toothed pulleys are or may be made in two halves; divided perpendicular to
the axis, and bolted together, and be each mounted on a spherical boss, shown in
dotted line fig 10 secured or formed upon the middle of each axle a' and b', and
there is a pin or key in the spherical boss which enters a corresponding groove in
the toothed wheel or pulley so that while the pulley or wheel must thus rotate
with the axle, the key and key groove permit it to oscillate laterally upon the
spherical boss on the axle so that the pulleys or wheels (1) can accommodate
themselves to the line of the jointed endless chain h, when the axles are at an
angle to each other as when the carriages are passing over curves of the railway.
There is a distance bar g jointed to the framing of the two carriages to keep
them and the two nearest axles a¹ and b' upon which the chain works at a uniform
distance apart, and the ends of this distance bar g are or may be made with
forks g to take hold of a boss formed on each side of each toothed pulley or
wheel, the boss rotating in this fork while the forks permit of up and down
movement of the carriages upon their springs. These forks g² keep the toothed
pulleys or wheels h¹ in a line with the endless chain h both on the straight and
curved portions of the railway.
In place of a toothed chain a flat wire rope is or may be used.
Or one two or more round wire ropes working in one or more grooves in pulleys
or clip drums is or may be used.
Or other equivalent mechanism is or may be employed for transmitting the
power of the engine placed on one carriage (a) to the wheels of another carriage (b)
on which the boiler is placed, such as flexible shafts or a train of toothed wheels.
By arrangements according to the first part of my invention the size and steam
producing power of the boiler may be increased without any addition being made
to the weight to be carried by each axle and this combined with the increased
adhesion will give a greater tractive power or increased speed when required.
I do not confine myself to the form and arrangement of the boilers and connected
parts or to the arrangement of the Engine and its connected mechanism.
In some cases when speed only is required, the power from an engine on a
separate carriage need not be transmitted to the wheels of the carriage for the
boiler.
Fig 11 is a side sectional elevation and fig 12 an end elevation illustrating
improvements under the second head of my invention.
a represents the two cylinders b the centre line of the piston rods c slide block
for one piston rod, o the connecting rod to the crank for one of the gripping wheels,
and p the coupling rod between the pair of gripping wheels m on one side of the
centre rail r, and gare the boxes or bearings for the journals of the gripping
axles, n the discs one on each gripping wheel axle, which have the crank pins in
them;
the peripheries of the discs n of the gripping wheels which act together on
opposite sides of centre rail, roll or work against each other.
are the carrying wheels, and the coupling rods between them.
It will be understood that the parts above referred to by letters of reference are
ordinary parts of centre rail engines and are on one side of the centre rail r;
a duplicate set of parts being on the other side of the centre rail.
My improved combination and arrangement consists in the mechanism for trans-
mitting a true motion (so that the gripping and carrying wheels will roll uniformly)
from the piston rods of the cylinders to the carrying wheels ; da link or one of

page_text: a pair of links jointed to the slide block c and to the upper end of a weigh beam e
having its fulcrum e³ supported in bearings on the framing; h a link or one of a
pair of links of equal length to the link d jointed to the lower end of the weigh
beam e and to a block sliding in suitable guides carried on the framing; j a con-
necting rod of the same length as the connecting rod o for the gripping wheel axle
jointed to the slide block f, and to one of the cranks ¹, in the cranked shaft i,
carried in suitable bearings on the framing. A duplicate of the mechanism
described is connected with the piston rod of the other cylinder so that the shaft i
is made to revolve uniformly with the gripping wheel axles; the cranks ¹ in the
shaft i being at right angles.
Cranks are secured on the outside ends of the shaft i, set at right angles to
each other, and these cranks transmit rotary motion by ordinary coupling rods k, to
the carrying wheels.
Fig 13 is diagramatic side sectional elevation illustrating the third part of my
invention.
The boiler cylinders and connected parts may be arranged on one carriage
with either inside or outside cylinders arranged to propel the carrying wheels
in the ordinary manner; but I prefer to place the boiler and connected parts
in one carriage and the cylinders gripping wheels and connected parts and the
water tank and coal bunker on another carriage the steam being conveyed from
the boiler carriage to the engine carriage and the exhaust steam back from the
Engine to the boiler carriage, by arrangements hereinbefore referred to.
In fig 13, the boiler and boiler carriage is supposed to have parts broken away
for want of space to show the full length on the same scale.
The cylinders a gripping wheels, and the mechanism for coupling the gripping
and carrying wheels are arranged as herein before described and represented by
figs 11 and 12 except that the axle i has a middle crank be in this modification,
and the axle i (as well as the corresponding crank axle a¹ for the boiler carriage)
has to be raised to give clearance between this middle crank and the centre rail,
and the slides for the block f have to be inclined and the beam ea bent
accordingly.
Over the crank shaft i there is a crank shaft e and in the boiler carriage there
are two crank axles al and e corresponding to i and e in the engine carriage these
axles all being in fixed bearings in the side frames.
The shafts i and e in one carriage and the shafts a¹ and e in the other carriage
are coupled by vertical coupling rods connected with cranks on the ends of the
shafts as hereinbefore described in reference to figs 1, 2 and 3.
The middle cranks 62 and e' on the shafts i and e of the Engine carriage give
rotary motion by central coupling rods to the cranks a² and c¹ on the shafts a
and e of the boiler carriage.
The cranks on the ends of the axle a¹ are coupled by rods with the carrying
wheels of the Engine Carriage.
The coupling and connecting rods in fig 13 are represented by peculiar dotted
centre lines.
In fig 13 the middle crank be of the shaft is shown the crank i¹ for the
connecting rod j being supposed behind it.
The carrying wheels of the tank carriage are or may also be driven from the
shaft by coupling rods and l as in figs 11 and 12.
The crank pins of the carrying wheels in each carriage for the coupling rods k¹
are cranked over as shown in fig 14 to the extent required by the difference in the
angular position of the coupling rods and k¹.
The shafts and e and i and c may be geared together by spur wheels as
illustrated by fige 5 and 6. Or the shafts a and i may be geared by a pitched
chain as illustrated by figs 7, 8, 9 and 10 or by any other suitable mechanism as
herein before described-g is the distance bar to connect the two carriages. When
increased adhesion is required gripping wheels are or may be arranged in the
boiler carriage, and in this case the gripping wheels are or may be driven directly

page_text: by inside cylinders as hereinbefore described in which cas the carrying wheels of
the boiler carriage are or may be driven from a supplementary axle in advance of
the smoke box as in figs 11 and 12, which axle would be in addition to the axle a¹
in fig 13.
I have now particularly described the nature of my said invention and the modes
of carrying the same into effect and claim as my invention.
Firstly. The combination of two separate but connected Railway carriages upon
one of which the boiler and connected parts are placed, and upon the other the
Engine or steam cylinders, water tank, coal bunkers and connected parts are placed,
substantially as herein before described.
Secondly. The combination of two separate but connected Railway Carriages as
mentioned in my first claim with arrangements for transmitting rotary driving
motion from one carriage having the Engine, to the carrying wheels of the other
carriage, having the boiler upon it, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated by the drawings.
Thirdly. The combination of two separate but connected Railway Carriages
having the boiler and connected parts on one and the engine and connected parts
on the other carriage with arrangements for transmitting rotary driving motion by
crank shafts one over the other from one carriage having the Engine to the
carrying wheels of the other carriage having the boiler upon it substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 40, 4b, 5 and 6 of the
drawings.
Fourthly. The combinations and arrangements of mechanism for transmitting
rotary motion from one railway carriage to the wheels of another carriage by
means of two crank shafts one over the other in one carriage, coupled with similar
sbafts in the other carriage and so on from carriage to carriage substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 4ª, 4b, 5 and 6 of the
drawings.
Fifthly, In transmitting rotary motion by pitched chains or ropes the arrange-
ment of a distance bar (g) with forks (g) to act upon the swivel pulley or wheel (h')
as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings.
Sixthly, In two cylinder centre rail Locomotives, the transmission of the motion
from the gripping to the carrying wheels or vice versa by means of a supplementary
crank shaft or axle and connected parts substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by figs 11 and 12 of the drawings.
Seventhly, In centre rail Locomotives, the arrangement of the boiler and connected
parts on one carriage, and the gripping wheels on another but connected carriage,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Eighthly, In centre rail Locomotives, as in my seventh claim the combinations
and arrangements of the mechanism for transmitting rotary motion from one
carriage to the other, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the
drawings.
Ninthly, In centre rail Locomotives, the combination of a carriage having the
boiler and connected parts and both gripping and carrying wheels coupled together
with another separate but connected carriage having water tank, coal bunker and
connected parts and carrying and gripping wheels coupled and with mechanism
for transmitting rotary motion from the machinery of one carriage to that of the
other carriage, substantially as hereinbefore described.
In Witness whereof I the said John Barraclough Fell have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty third day of January in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.