IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND TRAINS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Bridges Adams, of Holly Mount, Hamp.
stead, Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND TRAINS."
Sealed the 10th December 1861, and dated the 12th July 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Bridges Adams
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th July 1861.
I, WILLIAM BRIDGES ADAMS, of Holly Mount, Hampstead, Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND TRAINS." to be as follows:-
My improvements in engines consist in connecting the cross head of the
piston rod to one or more lateral slides outside the cylinder and parallel
to the piston rod, so that the ordinary slides fixed to the end of the
cylinder may be dispensed with, and thus the connecting rod or rods
may, be attached to the slide or slides at or near the plane of the piston,
thereby shortening the space between the cylinder end and the driving
or fly wheel without shortening the connecting rod. And the piston may
be connected direct to the moving slide or slides through open lateral
slots in the side of the cylinder covered by the slides, in which case the
piston rod may be dispensed with, or it may be used and connected to the
And the
slides by the crosshead forming part of the slide or slides.
piston rod may be made eccentric, that is, out of the centre of the
cylinder. And these arrangements may be applied to marine or to fixed
engines.
My improvements in the engines and trains consist in enabling the
axles and wheels to describe curved movements while running, to suit

page_text: round fixed points in the carriage or engine frames.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Bridges Adams in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 9th January 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BRIDGES ADAMS, of Holly Mount, Hampstead, Middlesex, Engineer,
send greeting.
IN
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Bridges Adams, Her special licence that I,
the said William Bridges Adams, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Bridges Adams, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Iuvention for "IMPROVEMENTS
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES AND TRAINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I
the said William Bridges Adams, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Bridges Adams, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
In my improvements in engines and also in carriages, I arrange the
leading wheels or trailing wheels, or both, in such a mode that each pair
of wheels with their axles may be made to traverse laterally and in a
forward direction forming a radial curve, so that on curved lines of rail-
way the axle may always point to the centre of the curve, and on straight
lines the axle may be at a right angle with the line of rail. To obtain
this movement I form the horn plates or axle guards which hold the axle

page_text: boxes in a curved line struck from a centra at or about the middle of the
next axle, and I form the axle boxes to a shape corresponding to the
curve, so that when on a curved line of rail the pressure of the flanges
of the wheels against the rails will cause lateral and forward, i.e., curvi-
linear movement to take place, and to keep the wheels in their true
position for a straight line of rails. I form the top of the axle boxes in
a curve or hollow, or inclined planes, with the lowest part at the centre,
so that the spring bearing, whether a cross spring or a side spring, will
rest in the centre of the box by the force of gravity till the pressure of
the wheel flanges in curved lines of rail alters its position. Or, instead
of the curve in the top of the box, the spring may be placed below,
suspended from the box by swinging shackles, in which case gravity will
act in a similar manner to keep the wheels central in a straight line.
The radius of the curve which the wheels are to describe may be regu-
lated according to the length of the engine or carriage, or the curvature
of the line of rails. I have in my former Patents described modes of
working out the principle of radiating wheels and axles, on which the
now described method is an improvement.
Another part of my improvements relates to the structure of the
cylinders and their position. In engines where the cylinders are placed
centrally in the smoke box it is necessary to use cranked axles to the
driving wheels, and with outside cylinders it is necessary to project them
laterally considerably beyond the wheels to clear the connecting rods
and other moving parts. In both these arrangements the connecting
rod is attached to the crosshead of the piston rod, which moves in slides,
and the driving wheels must be at a considerable distance from the
cylinder front, in order to obtain a connecting rod of sufficient length
to work efficiently. In my improved method I attach to the crosshead
a lateral sliding bar working in a groove in the fixed slide bars and
through a recess the whole length of the cylinder. On this slide bar is
fixed a stud pin at or about the plane of the piston, to which the con-
necting rod is attached, and thus a long connecting rod is obtained
without placing the cylinders at a great distance from the driving wheel.
Moreover, the projection of the cylinder from the side frame is con-
siderably diminished, and it is fixed more firmly, and the slide bars may
be attached to the cylinder head on one side, or in both sides, receiving
the crosshead with its attached bar on the outer side, and the end of the
crosshead on the inner side, or with small cylinders the outer side bars
may be sufficient. Or the slide bars may be placed near the middle of

page_text: the cylinder ends, as usual, and the side bar attached to the projecting
end of the crosshead, or any other arrangement which will keep the
piston rod firm may be used with the slide outside the cylinder.
. And for the purpose of heating the boilers of locomotive engines,
whether used on rails or in vessels on water, I apply oil or other liquids
from a level above the fire box, dropping it down gradually on
incandescent or heated surfaces, which by the aid of sufficient atmo-
spheric air made to enter the fire box at convenient openings is flushed
into flame at the point of contact. The reservoir for the oil or other
liquid may be placed above the fire box in a cistern of sufficient size,
or the liquid may be pumped up from below, or flow from a level. And
the liquid used may be animal or vegetable oil, what is called rosin oil
being preferable, or paraffin or mineral or earth oil may be used. By
this arrangement a very small fire will suffice to keep the boiler in
readiness to get up steam rapidly, or to diminish the steam production
rapidly at the pleasure of the engineer, without "banking up a large
amount of coal, and with considerably less labor and annoyance to the
stoker, as he can increase his fire without being exposed to heat in excess.
Figure 1, Sheet 1, shews a plan, Figure 1", an elevation, and Figure 1b,
an end view, a pair of wheels and axle with curvilinear axle-boxes a, a,
capable of sliding laterally to either side through the engine frames and
horn plates b, b, b, b; and the frames are seen in plan bent inwards to
attach to the buffer beam c, c, c, c. The cross d denotes the centre,
supposed to be the next axle from which the curve of the axle-boxes is
struck. The inner sides of the axle-boxes are furnished with fillets to
prevent them from escaping from the horn plates, and to limit their move-
ment; and this lateral sliding arrangement may be applied either to the
front and back wheels of a six or eight or more wheeled engine, or to
both front and back wheels. Figure 1 shews a side spring above the
frame resting on a steady pin and sliding shoe on the axle box curve.
Figure 1 shews cross springs above and below. Two cross springs may
be used below, hung by stirrup swinging shackles from the axle box
placed diagonally to limit the amount of movement.
Figure 2 shews in elevation, and Figure 2ª in plan, a portion of an
engine frame with the cylinder before described attached.
a, a, shew
part of the upper frame; b, a part of the lower frame or bar connecting
the horn plates; c, c, the cylinder; d, d, the outer slide bar attached by
the crosshead e, e, to the piston rod f. The connecting rod as indicated
at . The fixed slide bars g, g, g, g, are connected to the cylinder in

page_text: any usual mode, and to the frames a, b, by the stays h, h, h, h. Figure 3
shews a side elevation of a locomotive engine on eight wheels, the four
centre wheels being connected by coupling rods a, as usual, one pair
being moved by my improved cylinders and connecting rods c, b, and the
leading and trailing wheel axles are made to radiate to curves.
Figure 4 shews a side elevation of a small four-wheeled locomotive
engine, the wheels being coupled and moved by my improved cylinders
and connecting rods. The engine carries its own water and fuel, in
tanks, as indicated by the dotted lines a upon and around the boiler and
fire box. On one or both the front wheels b is placed a drum or drums,
for which space is afforded by the projection of the boss, which takes
the coupling rod c. Around this drum passes a strap d, d, so placed as
to move the counter shafting e, which can put in motion any desired
machinery; the counter shafting may be attached, if preferred, to the
buffer beam of the engine. The engine being blocked up by the frame
so as to leave the wheels free, it will then become a stationary engine,
applicable to timber cutting for sleepers, or to other purposes.
In the Diagrams I have merely indicated the improvements, without
going into details, as any competent engine builder can understand and
apply them in the right proportions. These light engines are adapted
to branch lines and farm uses, and especially to colonial lines, and for
rails laid down on the surface of common roads.
Figure 5 shews a tram or rail carriage adapted to pass round sharp
curves, for which purpose the axles, which are plain shafting without
collars, revolve on the axle boxes, while the wheels all revolve separately
round the exles, and the buffing and traction are both central to allow
easy traction of the train on curves.
Figure 5 is the plan, and Figure 5b, the end view. The frame is shewn
at a, a, a, a. The body of the carriage, which may also serve as a goods
wagon, is shewn at b, b. Moveable seats, making it a passenger carriage,
c, c, c, c, c, c; diagonal bars to take the thrust of the buffers d, d, d, d.
The buffer bars e, e, e, e, take volute springs f. f, f, f, through which pass
the buffer rods g, g. Connecting bars h, h, are attached to the buffer
rods, which complete the continuous traction, one spring being in action
with the tension of traction, and both springs, when under compression,
in the act of buffing, in which case the bars h, h, will buckle and shorten,
provision being made in the centre bars at i, i, or outside spring bars of
timber on lumps of caoutchouc may be used instead of volutes. The
frame is held together by hook bead bolts, with a hook at one end passing

page_text: into the timber, and a screw nut at the opposite end j, j, j, j, j. The
connecting chains h, k, l, are attached by tabular eyes l, l, to the
buffer rods g, g, and pass into a notch in the buffer head, as shewn by
the dotted line in end view. The wheels m, m, m, m, are of cast iron,
hollow; they are kept at guage distance by a tube of hard wood n. The
axle indicated by the dotted line passes through the tnbe, and wheels
into the axle-boxes, which are retained in position by the horn plates h, h.
The springs rest by their central buckles in the axle-boxes, and the ends
are cranked to clip over the shoes on the carriage frame to check them,
and prevent their throwing the carriage up.
The lubrication of the whells is provided for, as shewn at Figure 6,
Sheet 2, in section, water being applied in a large mass with the oil
floating on the surface, so as to be below the lower side of the axle; the
wheel is lined where the axle passes through with a sheet of thin steel
or other metal pierced with holes. As the wheel revolves the oil passes
to the axle and into the axle-box. To lubricate the axle, the feed hole a
is placed at the water level, and the wheel is filled as full as to run out;
then the feed hole is raised to the oil level, and the oil applied, when the
screw plug is fastened.
Figure 7 shews the spring with the ends turned up resting in the axle-
box; Figure 8 shews an elevation; and Figure 8ª, in plan, a carriage or
wagon adapted to form trains for very sharp curves; the wagon is formed
in two separate bodies or frames a, b, a, b. To the top and bottom are
bolted metal ears or hinges c, c, c, c, c, c, c, c, projecting at the angles.
Two pairs of metal bars d, d, are bolted to these hinges, one pair above
and one pair below, crossing each other diagonally; the bodies so con-
nected will thus bend to either side. The outer ends of the wagons are
supplied with similar hinges, to which any number of wagon frames may
be attached in succession; or, instead of this, the pair of jointed wagons
may be attached by loose chains or by the buffing and traction apparatus
before described, a separate traction spring being in that case applied to
each half wagon. The tops of the connecting bolts g, g, are arranged so
that links may be applied to form a rigid connection, or to limit the play
of going fast on a rail or road; but if the links be removed, the wagon may
run round on a very sharp curve, and ordinary coupling chains may be
used instead of those links; and each wagon may also be run off the rails,
and used with horses on the highway, the train being separated for that
purpose at any station or terminus.
wheels and springs, but the wheel
It is shewn with ordinary road
tyres are formed hellow, as

page_text: Figures 9, 10, and so that they will run on the rails or off. But wheels
may be applied with ordinary flange tyres, if preferred, or with spring
tyres, shewn in section at Figures 10 and 11.
Figure 10 shews the tyre a, hollow for the rail, and hollow above for
the circular spring b to overlay it and support the wheel c, which are all
three kept in place by washer rings d, d, bolted to the wheel rim, the
tyre being forced on cold. Figure 11, a spring a, overlaying the hollow
tyre b; there is a hollow round the wheel c, and the spring yielding
elastically as the wheel is forced in, the rib passes into the hollow, and
thus retains the tyre in position. The frames in Figures 8 and 8" are
formed, both sides, bottoms, and ends of planks laid on edge one on
another, and connected by long bolts passing through their width, and
at the same time fastening the hinges or plates at top and below; the
ends and sides have plates iron corner plates e e, e, e, from top to bottom
bolted to them, thus securing the corners, and the same principle of
bending or turning, with provision for fastening to limit the bending
movement, may be applied to a locomotive engine for two wheels con-
nected to a vehicle on two or more wheels to balance it.
Having now described my improvements in locomotives and trains, I
wish it to be understood that what I claim as original is the construction
of cylinders with outside slides, as herein-before described and shewn at
Figures 2, 2, 3, and 4; the arrangement for lateral traverse of the wheels,
as herein-before described and shewn at Figures 1, 1°, and 1'; the
arrangement for feeding locomotive boiler furnaces with liquid fuel, as
herein-before described; the arrangement for loose wheels and axles, with
central buffing and traction, and checked side springs to pass freely round
curves, as herein-before described and shewn at Figures 5, 5º, 5b, and
Figures 6 and 7; the wagon or locomotive for trains for sharp curves, with
provision for making it rigid by links or other fastenings, and with wheel
tyres to run on rails or on common roads, as herein-before described and
shewn at Figures 8, 8, 9, and 10, the spring tyre to spring on the wheel,
as herein-before described and shewn at Figure 11; and the mode of
forming carriage or wagon bodies of planks fastened together edgewise
by bolts, as herein-before described and shewn at Figures 8 and 8ª.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Bridges Adams, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
WILLIAM BRIDGES ADAMS. (L.S.)