CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1847

page_text: IBBITS SPECIFICA110.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BULLOCK TIBBITS, of Braunston, Northampton, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-third day of
March, One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, in the tenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Bullock Tibbits, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said William
Bullock Tibbits, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Bullock Tibbits, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also
in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN OBTAINING AND APPLYING MOTIVE POWER;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said William Bullock
Tibbits, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the

page_text: date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Bullock Tibbits, hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, are fully
described in and by the present Specification thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
My Invention consists, firstly, in certain improvements in furnaces and
boilers, whereby a more rapid and abundant generation of steam can be effected,
and consequently a greater amount of motive power may be obtained from
them on occasions of emergency than is now commonly practicable. Figure 1
of the accompanying Drawings represents a longitudinal elevation in section
of a locomotive furnace and boiler embodying these improvements. Figure 2
is a transverse section of the same on the line w, x; and Figure 3, another
transverse section on the line y, z. A is the boiler; B, B, the fire tubes; Cis
the fire box; D, the fire basket or ash pan, which encloses a hollow vessel F;
E, the fire grate, the bars of which are made hollow, and inserted at the ends
into transverse tubes a³, a³, common to the whole series, as shewn separately
in the plan, Figure 4. F is a coil of tubes which envelopes the firegrate, and
a portion of the fire box (C) immediately above. At one end this coil com-
municates with the hollow vessel F, and at the other end with the back
transverse tube a³ of the firegrate. H is a tube which leads from the front
transverse tube a' of the firegrate to an air-tight box I, fixed in front of the
fire box (C). K, a tube which leads from the same air-tight box I into the
water space of the boiler, and has branches k, k, leading downwards from it to
near the bottom. These tubes (H and K) are fitted with globe valves in the
box I, which allow of air passing through the pipes into the boiler, but prevent
any water from being forced back from the boiler. G is an air supply pipe,
also fitted with a valve, which connects the vessel F with a small condensing
air pump placed at L (but not shewn in the Drawings), or in any other con-
venient situation, and may be worked from the engine. Whenever it is
required to get up an extra supply of steam very quickly, the condensing air
pump is to be set to work, when a body of fresh air will be forced through the
vessel F, coil F, tube a³, fire bars E, tube a³, and tubes H and K, k, k, into
the water in the boiler, where it will arrive at a highly heated state, and cause a
instantly an increase in the amount of generated steam.
Secondly, my Invention consists in the following improved mode of applying
the power obtainable from the pressure of atmospheric air to motive purposes.
As the best exemplification I can give of this mode I have shewn in the

page_text: Drawings, Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, its application to the working of a railway.
Figure 5 represents a plan of a portion of a railway with two lines of rails, both
worked from one atmospheric main A, laid down in the space between them,
and includes also a horizontal section of the motive apparatus employed for the
purpose. Figure 6 is a sectional elevation of the main on the linc a, b. An
exhausting engine is supposed to be operating on the main in the direction of
the arrows. At stated distances apart, say, from three hundred to five hundred
feet, the atmospheric main A is enlarged in the manner shewn in Figures 5
and 6, and at each enlarged place there is inserted a fan wheel B, which
revolves within close fitting abutments b, b, b. Behind each fan wheel the main
is partially closed by a diaphragm, in which are two valves D and E, the
former of which swings on its centre and commands the passage beneath, the
wheel outside of the abutments being allowed to turn to the extent of one
quarter of a circle either way, and the latter commands the two passages over
and under the wheel inside of the abutments, being prevented by the abutments
from turning more than about a quarter of a circle, so that when it is open to
either of the passages over or under the wheel, it will shut against the other.
When the valve D is open, no action takes place on the wheel, but when D is
shut and E open either to the passage over the wheel or to that under it, a
current is necessarily produced through that passage which sets the wheel in
motion. When the line of motion is desired to be reserved, the valve E is
turned over on its axis, or in other words reversed. G is a lever by which the
valves D and E are worked, through the medium of connecting rods 9, 9, and
reversing wheels, as shewn separately in Figure 7, and at g', Figure 8. The
rotating axis C (of the fan wheel B) are supposed to be prolonged on each
side to the centre of the adjoining line of rails, where they may be applied in
manner following to the propulsion of carringes along those rails:-Let
C, C, C, in the elevation, Figure 5* plan, Figuro 6ª, transverse sections,
Figure 7, Figure 7b, and Figure 7º, represent the leading or driver's carriage
of a train of carriages. I is a strong under framework, consisting of two
parallel bars supported from the axles. J, J, are wedge-formed pieces, which
are attached to the insides of the parallel bars of the under framework. N is a
round rail, which extends through the whole length of the carriage a little
way above the axles, and is supported by side bearings from the under
framing. From this rail N is suspended, by the links and springs K³,
a grooved rail K, which can be raised or lowered by the means to be presently
explained, and is intended to operate on the lever G (see Figure 5), which
commands, as before explained, the valves D and E of the atmospheric main.
L, L, are two friction bars, which are also suspended freely by running links

page_text: Ks, from the rail N, which are made of the peculiar sectional form shewn in
Figure 7, in order that they may expand and collapse without coming into
contact with the grooved rail K.; P is a hand rod placed within reach of the
driver, which works a pair of bevil wheels and pinion O', 0%, which last takes
into the teeth of racks, formed on the top of the friction rails L, L; K' is a
small cog wheel on the front end of the rod N, which works into a cogged
segment Q, attached to the grooved rail K, immediately beneath; H, H,
represent a series of stationary wheels, with bevilled peripheries which revolve
partly in recesses made for them underground, and are connected by rods h,h,
to cranks attached to the end of the rotating axes C (see Figure 5).
The mode in which these different parts are respectively brought into play
is as follows: Supposing that by the action of the exhausting engine at one
end a current of air is flowing in the direction of the arrows (Figure 5), and
that the front end of the segment Q is in gear with the cog wheel K', the
driver, by turning the cog wheel K¹, by means of the hand rod, wheel, and
pinion V, at once draws forward and presses down the grooved rail K to
which is attached, and that rail in its turn presses down the lever G, which
closes the valve D of the atmospheric main, and thereby forces the air over
the top of the fan wheel, which causes the latter to revolve and impart a like
rotary motion to all the propelling wheels H, H, in connection with it, as before
explained. The driver then, by means of the vertical handle P, and wheels
and pinion O', O', works forward the sliding friction rods L, L, which, as
they advance between the wedge-shaped sides of the under framing, are
forced inwards and catch against the bevilled peripheries of the wheels H, H,
which by their rotary motion serve to propel the carriage forwards. M, M,
(Figure 6) are springs attached to the outsides of the bars L, L, to allow them
to give way when subjected to any great and sudden inequality of pressure.
When again it is desired to reverse the line of motion of the carriages, the
action of the cog wheel K' is continued by means of the vertical hand rod,
wheels, and pinion V, which force the cogged segment G forward, and causes
the grooved rail K, to which Q is attached, to rise and set free the lever G,
and by turning the cogged wheel in the reverse direction the lever G becomes
once more depressed, and, acting now in the reverse way on the valves D and
E of the atmospheric main, closes the valve D as before, and opens the valve E
(by means of the reversing gear 9¹) to the passage under the wheel instead
of to that over it, whereby the direction in which the fan wheel and the pro-
pelling wheels in connection with it is reversed. It will be obvious that
several propelling wheels may be worked by one fan wheel, as the former will
act as so many fly wheels to assist one another. The distances between these

page_text: propelling wheels should be so adjusted that the leading or driver's carriage
should before it runs wholly free of the first wheel reach a second, and so on.
Instead of employing the power obtained from the rotation of the axis C in
the manner just described, it may be made use of to work traction bands, or
ropes or chains, by which the carriages may be immediately propelled; and
in like manner any other sort of machinery whatever which can be actuated
by a rotary motion may be worked from a series of rotating axes similar to C.
And, thirdly, my Invention consists of an improved system of breaks and
drags for keeping under better control the wheels of locomotive and other
carriages. Figures 9 and 10 are plans, Figures 11 and 12 are side elc-
vations, Figures 18 & 14 are sectional elevations, Figures 15 and 16 are
transverse elevations, of the framework and wheels of a guard's carriage, and
17 a transverse section, all shewing in different positions the application of
this part of my Invention. A, A, are the wheels, and B, B, the axles; G, G,
are two supplementary axles which have their bearings in the under frame-
work C. Each of these axles G carries at its centre a cog wheel W' or W³,
and at its extremities two small cog wheels g, g. E, E, are flanged wheels
fixed on the centre of the axles B, B, in a line with the cog wheels W³, W³,
the barrels of which are threaded in a spiral direction. F is a bent rack,
one part of which has the cogs on the upper side, and another part the cogs
on the under side. F¹, F, are arms attached to the bend of the rack F,
which arms are made broader at the front end and wedge-shaped, so as to fit
into the flanged wheels. The front arm has ratchet teeth on the top side, but
is smooth beneath. The hind arm has also ratchet teeth on the top, but cogs
beneath to fit into the spiral thread on the barrels of the wheels E, E; H, H,
are scotches or palls which drop between the teeth of the arms F', F³, and
prevent them from slipping back. D, D, are the breaks, and K¹ helical
springs to hold them back; D' is a drag which is suspended from a spring
bearing K by means of two vertical rods K², K³, which pass through mortices
in the breaks, and are racked on the inside so as to take into the two small
cog wheels on the ends of the supplementary axles G, G; d, d, are diagonal
braces (linked or jointed) which prevent the drag from being drawn back-
wards or interfering with the hind wheels, and d', d¹, two cross braces which
keep the drag from collapsing. M, M, are two cranked levers provided with
friction wheels and palls by which the arms F, F, are pressed when required
into the flanged wheels E, E, and which when reversed throw the scotches or
palls out of gear. M', M', are hand rods to draw down the levers M, M.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-By pushing the hand rod M' into
the position in which it is represented in Figure 14, the levers M, M, force

page_text: the rack arms F, F, into the flanged wheels E, E, whereupon the rotary
motion of these flanged wheels (which are moved by the carriage wheels) causes
the rack F (to which the arms F1, F2, are connected) to advance forward, by
which advance the supplementary axles are caused to revolve, and drawn down
through the medium of the small cog wheels g, g, the vertical rods K³, K³,
which force the breaks against the fore and hind wheels, and press the drags
down upon the rail. L, L, are weighted levers for raising the rack arms
F, F, (only one of which is shewn in Figs. 13 and 14) when the apparatus is
not in use.
A modification of the break and drag before described is represented in.
Figure 18 and Figure 19, the former representing the break and drag when
out of use, and the latter representing them as in full operation. Here the
drag is suspended at the front end by a strong spring bearing X, to which the
fore break is attached, and at the hinder end by a vertical rod K³, from the
free end of a spring bearing K, made fast to the top of the under carriage,
which suspending rod K³ is made of a wedge shape as in the preceding case,
so that in descending it may press the hind break outwards against the hind
wheel, and has cogs on its inner face which tako into a small cog wheel 9,
attached to the end of one of the supplementary axles G. d is a diagonal brace
which is attached at the one end of the hinder part of the drag, and at the other s
end by an eye piece to the front part of the under framing. This apparatus is
applied and worked in the same manner as that previously described.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that the improvements which
I claim as constituting my said Invention are as follows:-
First, I claim the forcing of heated air by the means and in manner herein-
before described into boilers, in order to increase on occasions of emergency
the quantity of steam generated.
Second, I claim the improved modes of applying the motive power obtain-
able from the pressure of atmospheric air to the working of railways, and other s
motive purposes as herein-before exemplified and described.
And, third, I claim the employment in railway carriages of the combined
break and drag of either of the varieties before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bullock Tibbits, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.
WILLIAM BULLOCK (L.B.) TIBBITS.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of September,
in the year of our Lord 1847, the aforesaid William Bullock Tibbits came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, 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.
Enrolled the Twenty-third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.