Improvements in Locomotives for Rack Railways.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Laft 20th Jan 1897 Accented 10th Apr. 1897
Improvements in Locomotives for Rack Railways.
1, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of London, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an improved construction of locomotives
for rack railways whereby a large tractional force can be developed even in the
case of a very narrow gauge; it consists in combining with one and the same boiler
two rack engines arranged in line, one behind the other, so as to act on the same
line of racks.. Each of these engines consists of two rack pinions coupled together,
or otherwise made to work together, each pair being driven by its separate pair of
cylinders.
The connections of the steam pipes of these engines with the boiler may be
provided with articulated joints, should. the curves of the line be so sharp as to
render this necessary..
By the above means it will be seen that the locomotive will be propelled by four
pinions acting simultaneously upon the rack, which cannot be effected by any
other means, and the farther advantage is gained, that the propelling force is
distributed over a greater length of the permanent way than is the case with
present arrangements.
According to another modification, the one of the said engines may be made
to work adhesion gear arranged in any suitable known manner, instead of working
pinion gearing with the rack. These combined rack and adhesion engines do not
interfere with each other, even if the gauge is very narrow, and if, the steam.
pipe is made with an articulated point, such locomotives can run round very
sharp curves.
Date this 5th do
Annet 1806
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of London, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent.
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention has for its object an improved construction of locomotives for
rack railways whereby a large tractional force can be developed even in the case
of a very narrow gauge, it consists in combining with one and the same boiler two

page_text: rack engines arranged in line, one behind the other, so as to act on the same line of
racks. Each of these engines consists of two rack pinions coupled together, or
otherwise made to work together, each pair being driven by its separate pair of
cylinders.
The connections of the steam pipes of these engines with the boiler may be
provided with articulated joints, should the curves of the line be so sharp as to
render this necessary.
By the above means it will be seen that the locomotive will be propelled by four
pinions acting simultaneously upon the rack, which cannot be effected by any
other means, and the farther advantage is gained, that the propelling force is
distributed over a greater length of the permanent way than is the case with
present arrangements.
According to another modification, the one of the said engines may be made to
work adhesion gear arranged in any suitable known manner, instead of working
pinion gearing. with the rack. These combined rack and adhesion engines do not
interfere with each other, even if the gauge is very narrow, and if the steam
pipe is made with an articulated joint, such locomotives can run round very sharp
curves.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing shews a longitudinal section of a locomotive
constructed with two rack engines according to the above described invention.
The one engine A is mounted upon the locomotive frame C and drives the two rack
pinions B B arranged in line so as to work on the same line of rack. The other
engine A is mounted on the bogie frame D and drives the two rack pinions B' B¹,
which are also mounted on the bogie, in line with the pinions B, B, so that all
four work on the same line of rack. Fig. 2 shews the same construction as at Fig. 1,
with the exception that the engine A drives adhesion wheels E E, instead of the
rack pinions.
The engines are otherwise constructed in the well known manner, and need not
be farther described; the steam supply pipe to the engine A' on the bogie frame
will of course require an articulated connection with stuffing boxes, such for
instance as is shewn at Fig. 3. Fig. 4 shews a part section of one of the rack
pinions with crank shaft and parts connected therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
In locomotives for rack-railways, the combination, with a single boiler, of two
rack engines or one rack engine and one adhesion engine arranged one behind the
other, or tandem wise, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 29th day of January 1897
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.