IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Russel Aitken at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th September
1865.
I, RUSSEL AITKEN, of Great George Street, Westminster, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO
RAILWAY CARRIAGES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in constructing locomotive engines in such a manner
that the whole or greater part of the weight of the locomotive may be made
available for adhesion on the rail without unduly increasing the length of the
"wheel base."
In order to accomplish this I propose to divide the wheels into sets of two
or more, one set to be fixed to the body or frame of the locomotive, the other
set or sets being attached to a bogie truck or trucks, which are free to move
laterally under the engine boiler. Each set of wheels is to be coupled by
means of connecting rods in the usual manner, but in order to connect the
separate sets of driving wheels so as to allow of a flexible wheel base, I propose
to attach a central coupling or gearing to the first and last axle of each set of
wheels. This central coupling or gearing is to be constructed in either of the
following manners :-
First. Friction coupling or gearing.-This is constructed by attaching
friction wheels to the centre of the axles of the first and last pairs of the
different sets of wheels, and outside these wheels I propose to have sheafs.

page_text: or clips having bearings on the axle, and to these clips springs are attached;
these springs, by means of screws or otherwise, pull those wheels on to a central
friction wheel. The axle of this central wheel turns in a long bearing by
sliding in jaws in the sheafs prevents the sheafs from turning round and retains
the central wheel in position. I tightly hold these wheels in contact by means
of screws acting on the springs, which may be tightened until the necessary
amount of friction is obtained, so as to drive the wheels of the bogie resting on
the rails.
Secondly. By means of a central coupling or toothed gearing.-The con-
struction of this agrees substantially in mode of construction with the first
method, with the exception that the wheels on the centres of the axles, as also
the intermediate wheel, instead of communicating their power by friction only,
have teeth cut on their outside periphery. These teeth may be cut in
hammered steel, and made so that the pressure communicated by the springs
may press the teeth into each other, but they must be made shallow so as to
allow them to free each other easily.
Thirdly. Instead of attaching the friction wheels to the axles intermediate
shafts may be used.-These shafts to be paralled with and driven by the
connecting rods, or otherwise, the central friction or toothed gearing as before
described being attached to them.
The central coupling or gearing before described may be made to work
between the ordinary engine and tenders, or may be applied to the carriages
so as to render the whole or part of the weight of the tender or carriages
.available for traction.