AN IMPROVED METHOD OF PROPELLING CARRIAGES OR VESSELS BY STEAM OR OTHER POWER
Year: 1828

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NATHAN
GOUGH, of Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing dato at Westminster, the Twentieth day of
March, in the ninth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said
Nathan Gough, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Nathan Gough, my exors,
adiñiors, and assigns, should and lawfully might, during the term of fourteen
years therein mentioned, make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, a certain Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF PROPELLING CARRIAGES OR VESSELS BY STEAM OR OTHER POWER;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso, that if I, the said
Nathan Gough, should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in which manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be
inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
then next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, that
then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages thereby granted,
should utterly ceasc, determine, and become void, as in and by the same,
relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Nathan Gough, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: the manner in which the same is to be performed and carried into effect, are
described and clearly shewn by the Drawings hereto annexed and the following
description :-
In the annexed Drawing the same letters and figures in the different sections
and views represent the same parts throughout, and the scale to which the
several sections and views are drawn is marked on each sheet. Sheet 1 of the
annexed Drawings, Figure 1, represents a side view of a carriage with my
improved method of propelling carriages attached 'to it; Figure 2 a plan,
Figure 8 a front view, and Figure 4 an end.view thereof.
Before I proceed to describe the nature of my improvements, which are
used in my method of propelling carriages by steam or other power, I shall
briefly state the method by which the power is applied for propelling the
carriage, and the means by which it is guided or steered in its course.
In Figure 1, Sheet 1, A, A, A, represent an iron box in which the engine
is placed, and from a revolving shaft L the power is carried by means of the
chain B to the two hinder wheels, see also Figures 2 and 4, where every
alternate loop of the chain B is shewn to correspond with the projections on
that part of the wheel marked C; by means of this arrangement the hinder
wheels of the carriage are forced round in the direction of the arrows marked
on their periphery, and the carriage compelled onwards. The superintendant,
whose duty it is to steer or guide the carriage, is placed in front on the seat
marked D, and it is by means of the handles d, d, and the foot lever e, e, that
he is enabled to turn the shaft E on its centre (seen at Figure 2). At the
lower extremity of the shaft E are firmly fixed the two arms F and F, as
seen in Figures 1 and 3, and in dotted lines at Figure 2. At the extre-
mities of the two arms F are connecting rods G and G, which act on the
two front wheels by means of the part marked g, as seen in Figures 1, 2,
and 3. The shaft E also acts on the pointer in front of the carriage, by which
the superintendant is enabled to see the course he is steering more clearly.
The front wheels of this carriage are not placed on the same axletree, but
revolve on separate axletrees, which are firmly attached to the perpendicular
column marked H; and it is on the centre of the column H,, which moves
freely in the part h, and is held in a perpendicular position by the spring a, a,
(seen at Figure 3,) that the front wheels move in the direction requisite to
guide the carriage. The advantage gained by this arrangement of the front
wheels is the small power or force required to guide them, for it is obvious
that the power required for placing the front wheels in any given position
with regard to the movement of the carriage must diminish in proportion to
the distance of the centre round which it has to move, and in this instance

page_text: it is decreased in the proportion its own centre bears to the centre of H; and
to the centre E, which is the centre around which the front wheels of the
carriages of the ordinary construction move for the purpose of guiding them.
The facility gained for moving the front wheels of a carriage of this con-
struction, and thereby guiding its direction, will be moro manifest by reference
to Figure 3, Sheet 1, where the red lines intersecting the front wheels of the
carriage represent a position in which those wheels might be placed, and in
which position the arrangement of apparatus for guiding them would move
them on the centre of H, and place them in any direction as regarded the
movement of the carriage, without their revolving round any centre, excepting
one common to their own.
I shall now proceed to describe the construction of the engine which I
have used for propelling this carriage, and the various contrivances for apply-
ing the power to the best advantage. Figure 5, Sheet 2, represents a front
view of the engine, which is placed across the carriage in the receptacle A, A,
as shewn on a different scale in Sheet 1. Figure 6 is a plan of the engine,
and Figure 7 is an end view. I, I, I, I, are cylinders vibrating freely on
their respective centres i, i, i, i, (best seen in Figure 5), K, K, K, K, are
the piston rods severally connected with the piston in the usual manner
k, k, k, k, k, k, k, k, are cranks revolving on a common centre L, L, to which
the piston rods K, K, K, K, are attached, and these cranks being placed at
right angles to each other, the two cylinders which are connected with the
same shaft cannot be on their centres or in a perpendicular position at the
same time. The shaft L, L, L, L, on which the cranks k, k, k, k, k, k, k, k,
are placed, is equally divided at L, Figure 5, Sheet 2, so that the two
cylinders on the one side can be applied without interfering with the two
remaining cylinders, and also the amount of steam and consequent power
can be distributed to either two of the four cylinders, as circumstances may
require, and the means of effecting which I have herein-after explained.
This engine does not condense, and its power depends on the strength of the
steam used for putting it in motion. 1, 1, 1, 1, is a steam chest or hollow
passage, by means of which the steam is conveyed to the cylinders, and it is
by means of a valve or cock in the part marked M, M, M, M, see Figures
5 and 6, Sheet 2, that the steam is alternately distributed or conveyed to the
opposite side of the piston at each vibration of the cylinder on its centre i;
which is also the centre of the valve M. The steam being admitted on the
upper side of the piston, which is thereby forced down, it is evident that the
connection of the piston rod with the crank k, which revolves round its
centre L, will cause the cylinder to vibrate on its centre i, as 'more clearly

page_text: shewn in Figure 7, where the position of the cranks is seen in dotted lines
and the cylinders placed in their relative position to their respective cranks
It is this vibration which changes the course of the steam, and causes it to
act on the opposite side of the piston by means of the valve M, the con-
struction of which I have herein-after described. In Figures 5 and 6,
m represents the boiler from which steam is conveyed to the engine by
the pipe N, N, connected with the end or extremity of the threeway cock n
the properties of which cock will be hereafter described; from this cock n
it is conveyed through the pipe o to a distributing cock o', also hereafter
described, and thence directed or distributed by the pipes o, o, to the cylinders
of the engine. To the steam pipe N is attached a pipe P, in which is inserted
the safety valve R, as shewn in section at Figure 7, and the atmospheric
valve P, likewise shewn in section in the same Figure; these valves are hold
in their respective positions by means of spiral springs calculated to the
required pressure. Q is a pipe by means of which the steam which is forced
from the cylinder at the return of the stroke through the valve M and steam
chect is conducted away to what I call the heating chest 1, 1, 1, 1; into
this heating chest what steam may escape from the safety valve is also con-
ducted; the nature and construction of this heating chamber will be hereafter
described. R, Figure 5, is a vessel connected with the boiler, and containing
a float, by means of which the amount of water forced into the boiler by the
pump S is regulated. This pump is worked by the lever S, which is acted
on by a cam or eccentric placed immediately beneath it on the shaft L, as
more clearly seen in the plan, Figure 6. S', Figure 5, is a box containing
the valves of the force pump S, and contains arrangements connected with
the float in R', for regulating the supply of water to the boiler, as will be
hereafter described. T, T, are loose wheels placed on the shaft L, and over
which the chain B passes, and is firmly held by the projections t, t, t, t, t, l, t, t, t, l,
best seen at Figure 7, taking in each alternate loop. T, Figures 5 and 6,
represents a shaft which proceeds forward to the position in which the super-
intendant is placed, and is capable of being revolved by the two foot levers
V, V, seen at Figures 1, 2, and 3. By referring to Figure 5 it will be seen
by the connection of the shaft T' with the lever U, which is attach'd and
moved on a common centre with U, U', that any motion of the shaft T must
act on the connecting rod ², (one of which is shewn by dotts that it may
not obscure the other machinery, and thereby force the levers in a hori-
zontal direction. It is by means of the levers that the wheels T, T, are
connected or disconnected with the shaft L. In the position shewn in
Figure 5 the wheel T is connected with the shaft L by the stop W, but by

page_text: moving the foot lever V, V, into the position shewn at Figure 8, the wheel 'I'
would be free from the stop W, and the engine no longer impart motion to it
or the wheels of the carriage, but on depressing one of the levers V, V, and
thereby acting on the levers U, as already described, it would either be
thrown into geer with W, and partake of the speed of the shaft I, or, by
depressing the opposite lever V, it would be thrown into geer, stop W, and
partake of decreased or slower speed produced by the train of wheels
marked X; thus, in starting or going up a hill the superintendant is
enabled, by the action of his foot on the lever V, to place the wheel T
on the slow speed of the engine at W, but when the work becomes
lighter, or the carriage is proceeding on level ground, he is enabled by a
similar action to traverse the wheel T to W, or the first speed of the
engine, and also by placing the levers V, V, in the positions shown at
Figures 8, to disconnect the wheel T from the shaft L, and thereby discon-
nects the power from the carriage. In Figure 2, Sheet 1, the platform with
the back seat has been removed to shew the position of the water tanks y, y, and
the intermediate spaco marked y', which is designed for coals. At Figure 4
will be seen a sectional view of the boiler, and the manner in which I con-
struct the flues, so as to present a greater surface to the action of the furnace
beneath. Z is the boiler, with the furnace and cinder plan beneath it. The
course of the steam from the interior of the boiler will be more clearly scen
in Figure 7, where the steam pipe is shown by dotts passing along the top
of the boiler, and is perforated to admit steam at any part above the surface
of the water. At the end of the furnace will be seen a square opening Z³,
which connects with a cross flue leading in either direction, as seen at Z', Z'.
These flues are entirely surrounded by water by an exterior cylinder, which
is connected with the boiler Z; and the flues Z', Z, are connected to the
chimney Z, as shewn by the dotted lines. In the interior of the chimney
Z is a hollow horizontal shaft moving on its centre, as seen at 20, 20, and
connected to a perpendicular tube as seen by dotted lines in the upper part
of the chimney, and also to a perpendicular tube as shown by dotted lines in
one of the lower legs of the chimney. It is thro' this tube that the waste
steam of the engine is allowed to escape, and also by means of the part 20, 20,
moving on its centre, the engineer or fireman is enabled to elevate or depress
the upper part of the chimney, as shewn by dotts in Figure 1, as circum-
stances may require. This elevation or depression of the chimney I effect
by a worm and wheel acting on the shaft 20, 20. In the interior of the
boiler Zare placed any convenient number of perpendicular divisions or com-
partments, as seen at , to prevent any portion of the bottom of the boiler

page_text: Z
becoming uncovered or freed from water during the ascent or descent of the
carriage over hilly or uneven ground; the black lines on the boiler shew an
arrangement for the purpose of feeding the fire with coal from Y. 21 and
22 are moveable eron'shelves, supported by the perpendicular sides to which
they are attach'd; and when the engineer or fireman removes 21 he car
allow a quantity of coal to fall from the receptacle Y upon the shelf 22
sufficient to fill the space between 21 and 22, and on returning the shel
21 to its original position by the removal of 22 the coal will fall into the
surface beneath without the risk of an unnecessary quantity being shaken
down from the receptacle Y'. In the cinder pan; which is formed of sheet
iron, are air holes with slides, to enable the fireman to avail himself of the direc
tion of the wind in regulating his fire, and also dampers in both flues Z', Z', to
regulate the draft of the chimney.
I shall now proceed to describe the construction and utility of the various
valves and parts already mentioned. Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 represent
various views and sections of the valve M, by means of which the steam is
alternately directed above and below the pistons by the vibrating of the
cylinders I. Figure 8 is a section of the exterior of the valve M. 23 and 24
are open passages, which are connected with the steam chest 1, 1, which chest,
be it remarked, has a stop or partition between the openings 23 and 24; and
Figure 10 is a view of a part of M, which fits firmly in the circular opening
in -Number 8, and when placed therein is firmly secured by means of set
screws. Figure 9 is a sectional view of Figure 10. It will be seen in Figure
10 that it is equally divided by a rib or projection of 'metal 25, and also that
there are stops or divisions, 26 and 27, on its opposité sides, and that the
eight apertures represented at section in Figure 9 are alternately placed on the
opposite sides of the division or stop 25. Hence, when the part 10 is firmly
fixed in the open circle of Figure 8, the passage 23 will have no connection
except with the part 29, and the passage 24 will have no connection except
with the part 28: Figure 12 represents one of the arms or centres on which
the cylinders I vibrate, and Figure 11 à transverse section of it, where it
represents a hollow with a division across its centre, 'and two apertures or slits
opening into each compartment 30' and '31. These compartments lead
respectively to the upper and lower end of the cylinders I by means of their
side pipes 32, Figure 5. Now, supposing the parts 10 and 8 to be firmly
attached together, and the part 12 inserted in the interior of 10, which is
accurately ground to fit, and the cylinder be placed in a perpendicular direc-
tion, the openings seen in 11 and 12 would stand in the position shewn by
the black lines at Figure 9, and no steam conducted by the passage 23 would

page_text: enter; but supposing the cylinder to vibrate to the position seen in Figure 7,
when the crank is horizontal, the openings in Figures 11 and 12 would stand
in the position shewn by the red lines in Figure 9, and steam would be
admitted from the part 29 to the lower compartment 81, until the action of
the piston upon the crank vibrates the cylinder into the opposite position, as
shewn by the blue lines at Figure 9, which would allow the steam to escape
thro' the apertures in 28, and by the passage 24. It must be remarked the
apertures shewn in section, Figure 9, arc those inserted in parts 28 and 29 iu
Fig. 10, and that those openings belonging to part 29 which admit the steam
are indicated by a red arrow, while those openings or apertures which belong
to the part 28 in Figure 10, and are intended for the egress or exit. of steam
from the cylinder, are indicated or marked by a black arrow; see Figure 9.
Thus by the vibration of the cylinder the steam is allowed alternately to
enter and escape from the opposite sides of the piston in each respective cylin-
der. Figure 13 represents a front view of the distributing cock O', best seen at
Figure 5. This cock is placed on the steam pipe O, to which it is attached by
the flange 33. 34 is the plug or stop, the shape of which will be scen by reference
to Figures 14 and 15.". In the position of the part 34, as seen in Figure. 18, it
is obvious that the steami' would be equally distributed to the parts 35 and 36;
these parts are attached to tlie pipes O, O, Figure 5; but supposing the plug 34
to be placed in the direction shewn by the red line in Figure 18 it is obvious that
it would cut off and stop the supply of steam from one of the sides 35 or 36, and
any variation of the part 34 from the position shewn in Figure 13 must increase
or diminish the supply of steam in the direction of 36 and 85, and consequently
increase or decrease the power of the cylinders to which the pipes O respec-
tively lead. The distributing cock O is acted on and guided by the same train
of movements which guide the fore wheels, so that when the superintendant
turns the shaft E for the purpose of guiding the fore wheels, the, two seg-
ments seen at 37, Sheet 1, act on the shaft 38, which passes thro' the centre of
the speed shaft T, and distributes the steam by means of the cock O in a
greater proportion to the two cylinders which are connected with that wheel of
the carriage which is describing the greatest distance during its revolution.
Figure 16 represents a sectional view of a threeway cock before mentioned,
thro' which the steam passes in its passage from the boiler, and also in its exit
from the respective cylinders. In this cock, as in that last described, the
steam enters at the end, where it is admitted to the part 39. 40, 40, repre-
sent a section of the plug, and supposing the steam to escape from the compart-
ment 39 by the passage 41 to the engine cylender, the return'd "steam at
the reverse of the stroke is received by the passage 42, and again passing thro

page_text: this cock escapes by the passage 43, whence it is conducted by the lower pip
Q, as seen in Figure 5. This cock is governed by a shaft which connects wit
the handle 44, Figure 1, and is under the direction of the superintendan
placed at D; see Figure 1. Now, supposing it requisite to stop the carriag
with the greatest dispatch, the superintendant would move the handle 44 on
third of a revolution, or one hundred and twenty degrees in the direction o
the red arrow, see Figure 16, which would place the aperture of the stean
passage 39 opposite the passage 43, and the steam would no longer pass thro
the engine, but blow off by the lower pipe Q, as seen in Figure 5; and, on the
other hand, should it be required to reverse the action of the engine, the
superintendant must remove the handle 44 one third of a circle in the direction
of the black arrow, see Figure 8 and 16, in which case the steam passage 39
would come opposite to the passage 42, and the exit passage 45 of the plug of
the cock would connect 41 and 43, thereby providing an exit for the steam
from the cylinder, and reversing the action of the engine. Figures 17 and 18
represent sections of the heating chamber, before mentioned in Figure 5.
This chamber or box is constructed of sheet iron or other suitable material,
and is divided into compartments, as shewn by the parts 46. It is thro' this
chamber that the steam which escapes from the safety valve, as well as that
which comes from the cylinders, is conducted. The Number 47 represents a
pipe thro' which the water for the supply of the boiler is forced by the pump S,
seen at Figure 5; and the object of this heating chamber is to raise the tem-
perature of the water up from the cold water cisterns Y, Y, before it enters the
boilers. In this arrangement for heating the water to be pumped to the
boiler it is found that a portion of the steam admitted to the heating chamber
is condensed, and the water resulting from this condensation is again pumped
into the cold water cistern Y, Y, by means of a separate pump acted on by the
shaft L, or by passing the piston rod of pump S thro' a stuffing box, and
closing the top of the cylinder S, which may thus be applied as a pump for
this purpose. Figure 19 represents a section of the cold water pump S and
its appendages. This pump is kept in motion by the engine by means of the
cam or eccentric 48, which is firmly attached to the shaft L, which, acting on
the lever 49, the fulcrum of which is at 50, would, by means of its solid piston
and two valves 51 and 52, constantly force water into the boiler while the
engine remained in motion; but in the intermediate space between the valves
51 and 52 will be seen a pipe 58, which also connects with the cold water
pipe 54. Upon this pipe 53 is placed a stopcock 55, which is guided and
acted on by the lever 56. This lever is connected with the float above by the
rod 57, which float acts on the short lever 58, moving freely on its fulcrum 59.

page_text: To this fulcrum is firmly attached the lever 60, so that when the force pump
S shall have raised the water in the boiler sufficient to act upon the float
in the vessel R', its connection with the lever 56 will also raise it, and cause
the cock 55 to open, thereby connecting the cold water pipe 54 to the pump S,
and stopping the action of the valve 52; so that, though the pump S continue
in motion, no more water will proceed to the boiler.
I shall now proceed to state the manner in which these improvements may
be applied to steam vessels, which would be effected by placing the paddle
wheels on the shaft L in the same situation as the wheels T; and by the
application of the cock O the steam might be distributed at pleasure to the
engine connected with the paddle wheels at either side of the vessel, and thereby
aid in steering or directing the course of the vessel, and obviate the necessity of
using the rudder, which in all cases must more or less impede the progress of the
vessel; and with the addition of two valves of the common kind the paddle
wheels might be made to turn in opposite directions, and thereby turn the
vessel on her centre, a circumstance which cannot be accomplished by the
rudder now in use; and also by the application of the adjusting cock to the
force pump described at Figure 19 the power required for supplying the
boiler with water will be much diminished.
Having now described the construction of a carriage to be propelled by my
improved method, I shall proceed to state such parts as I claim as of my
Invention, and these are contained and delineated in Sheet 3, as herein-before
described, viz.-The valve of the cylinder shewn in Figures 8, 9, 10, 11,
and 12; the distributing valve of the engine shown in Figures 13, 14, and
15; the threeway cock shown at Figure 16; the heating chamber shewn
at 17 and 18; and that arrangement of parts, shown at Figure 19, for
regulating the supply of water to the boiler.
These five improvements, and also my method of applying the power of the
engine to the wheels of the carriage by the chain B, B, as seen in Figures
1, 2, and 4, by which I am enabled to place the engine and a great part of
the machinery on the springs along with the body of the carriage, and to dis-
tribute the power to the wheels of the carriage without its being affected by the
motion or vibration of the wheels during their progress in travelling, "I claim
as of my sole and exclusive Invention." And I declare that the proportions
and positions of the different parts of the apparatus herein-before described,
and other particulars relating to my improved methods of propelling carriages
or vessels by steam or other power, may be varied and modified according to
the nature of the carriage or vessel to which the power is to be applied, which
variations or modifications to produce the same effect or results may be obtained

page_text: with facility by any person of competent skill, and fit to be intrusted with the
construction of apparatus of this or a like description.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twelfth
day of September, One thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight.
NATHAN (L.S.) GOUGH.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of September, in the
year of our Lord 1828, the aforesaid Nathan Gough came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight.