Improvements in Apparatus for Heating Railway Trains.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 11th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Heating Railway Trains.
I, JOHN ELIOT HOWARD, of Coomb's Wood Tube Works, Halesowen, near
Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates principally to a system of heating railway carriages by
steam in which there are two mains running from end to end of the train one being
the supply main by which the steam is conveyed from the boiler to the systems of
radiating pipes or surfaces in the various carriages, and the other being the return
main by which the condensed water is drawn off from these heating systems.
In such an arrangement when a carriage is turned round or the engine is put at
the other end of the train, the supply main becomes the return main and the return
main the supply main and the connections of the heating systems in the carriages
with these mains have to be reversed.
For this purpose I employ in each carriage a four way cock connected to the
main pipes by two branch pipes, the other two openings being in connection one
with the supply leading to the heating system in the carriage and the other with
the return conducting the water of condensation from the system. By turning the
plug of this four way cock a quarter turn the supply and return will be connected
with the opposite mains, thereby making each main capable of performing the duty
of a supply or return as the case may be.
Between the heating system and the four way cock I place on the condensed
water pipe a drip cock having three openings in the plug-one is a large passage
passing completely through the plug about equal to the full area of the pipe, the
second is a small hole drilled half through the plug at right angles to the main
opening and entering it at the middle of the plug, and the third is another small
hole drilled through the plug at an angle of 45° to the other two.
The shell of the cock has three openings in it at right angles to each other the
middle one being connected to the return pipe from the heating system and one of
the others to the four way cock the third leading to the air.
When it is desired to
heat the carriages as above described by the return system the plug of the three
way cock is set so that the first mentioned small opening presents itself to the
return pipe and the return steam and condensed water pass through the small
opening into the main passage and so to the four way cock.
The object of the small opening is to throttle the steam to some extent, and
allow only a certain amount of water and steam to pass out of the heating system.
This is done to prevent the steam short-circuiting through the first carriages, and
to get a uniform flow of steam back through the train. The water of condensation
passing through the small opening is conducted to the four way cock, and here, as
previously stated, discharged into either of the main pipes.
In the event of the circulating vacuum pump failing, the plug is placed so as to
connect the return pipe with the air by the small opening passing through the plug.
In doing this, communication to the four way cock is closed and the water of con-
densation is discharged direct into the air. The object of the small opening is the
same as in the former case.
When the heating arrangement is not in use the plug should be turned so as to
bring the large opening in communication with the return from the heating system
and the atmosphere, so that the system can drain itself, with the view of preventing
any water laying in the pipes and becoming frozen.
As dirt is liable to accumulate over the small openings and stop the circulation,

page_text: by placing the plug in the latter position for a few moments the matter will be dis-
charged to the atmosphere, and by placing the lever to its former position the
circulation will again be established.
A drip cock of somewhat similar construction having a large and a small
passage through its plug is used in a direct system where only one main is
employed.
The foregoing will have explained the use of the small and large openings. This
cock again, is used on each end of the main pipe, the large opening being used in
all places except the rear of the last car but in the rear of the last car the small
opening is brought into use, so that a certain amount of steam can leak out with
the view of keeping circulation along the main pipe and removing all danger of
freezing.
Dated this 28th day of May 1892
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Heating Railway Trains.
I, JOHN ELIOT HOWARD, of Coomb's Wood Tube Works, Halesowen, near
Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates principally to a system of heating railway carriages by
steam in which there are two mains running from end to end of the train one being
the supply main by which the steam is conveyed from the boiler to the systems of
radiating pipes or surfaces in the various carriages and the other being the return
main by which the condensed water is drawn off from these heating systems.
In such an arrangement when a carriage is turned round or the engine is put at
the other end of the train, the supply main becomes the return main and the return
main the supply main and the connections of the heating systems in the carriages
with these mains have to be reversed.
For this purpose I employ in each carriage a four way cock connected to the
main pipes by two branch pipes, the other two openings being in connection one
with the supply leading to the heating system in the carriage and the other with
the return conducting the water of condensation from the system. By turning the
plug of this four way cock a quarter turn the supply and return will be connected
with the opposite mains, thereby making each main capable of performing the duty
of a supply or return as the case may be.
Between the heating system and the four way cock I place on the condensed
water pipe a drip cock having three openings in the plug-one is a large passage
passing completely through the plug about equal to the full area of the pipe, the
second is a small hole drilled half through the plug at right angles to the main
opening and entering it at the middle of the plug, and the third is another small
hole drilled through the plug at an angle of 45° to the other two.
The shell of the cock has three openings in it at right angles to each other the
middle one being connected to the return pipe from the heating system and one of
the others to the four way cock the third leading to the air. When it is desired
to heat the carriages as above described by the return system the plug of the three
way cock is set so that the first mentioned small opening presents itself to the
return pipe and the return steam and condensed water pass through the small
opening into the main passage and so to the four way cock.
The object of the small opening is to throttle the steam to some extent, and
allow only a certain amount of water and steam to pass out of the heating system.
This is done to prevent the steam short-circuiting through the first carriages, and
to get a uniform flow of steam back through the train. The water of condensation

page_text: passing through the small opening is conducted to the four way cock, and here, as
previously stated, discharged into either of the main pipes.
In the event of the circulating vacuum pump failing, the plug is placed so as to
connect the return pipe with the air by the small opening passing through the plug.
In doing this, communication to the four way cock is closed and the water of con-
densation is discharged direct into the air. The object of the small opening is the
same as in the former case.
When the heating arrangement is not in use, the plug should be turned so as to
bring the large opening in communication with the return from the heating system
and the atmosphere, so that the system can drain itself, with the view of preventing
any water laying in the pipes and becoming frozen.
As dirt is liable to accumulate over the small openings and stop the circulation
by placing the plug in the latter position for a few moments the matter will be
discharged to the atmosphere, and by placing the lever to its former position the
circulation will again be established.
Figure 1 shows this arrangement A and B being the main pipes, the former
being supposed to be at present the flow and the latter the return. C is the pipe
for supplying steam to the coils or other radiating surfaces in the carriage and D
is the return from them. E is the four way cock and E' the lever by which its
plug is turned. F is the drip cock and F1 the lever by which its plug is turned.
G is a pipe connecting the two cocks.
If the carriage be turned round so that B becomes the flow and A the return
then the lever E' should be turned into the position shown in dotted lines so as to
connect the pipe A to the pipe G and the pipe B to the pipe C. Again should it
be desired to use the system as a direct one employing only the pipe A then the
lever F is turned from its present position 1 to position 2 shutting off the con-
nection between the pipes D and G and opening the former to the air through the
small passage f. If the lever F' be turned to position 3 then the pipe D is fully
opened to the air.
A drip cock of somewhat similar construction having a large and a small
passage through its plug is used in a direct system where only one main is
employed.
Figures 2 and 3 show this form of cock or valve.
Figure 4 shows the valve applied in a direct system and represents the floor of a
car on which a series of radiating tubes are placed.
A valve such as shown is used at each end of the main pipes and also one in
the centre of the car. The duties of the valve located at each end of the car is
as follows. In all cases, except that at the rear of the train, the valve is set in
such a position as to establish a full opening of the pipe, but at the rear of the
train it is turned so as to permit of a certain amount of leakage out of the main
pipe. This is done with a view of preserving the circulation along the main pipe,
and preventing it from becoming waterlogged and frozen. The duty of the drip
valve shown in the centre of the car is as follows:-
It will be noticed on the main pipe directly underneath each radiator a branch
pipe connects, and that the steam passing through the radiator is conducted to the
returu pipe by means of a branch pipe where it finds its way to a point about
the centre of the car where the drip valve is located. Here it is discharged to the
atmosphere through the small opening, the object being to throttle the steam, and
to prevent an unnecessary discharge to the atmosphere. The other port shown,
namely, the one giving the full area of the pipe, is brought into use when the
system is thrown out of service, it is then turned in such a position as to free the
system of water.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
T
l

page_text: steam pipes, one forming the flow, and the other the return; coils or radiating
surfaces in the carriage; a supply pipe and a drain pipe connecting the flow and
return respectively with the coils or radiating surfaces; a valve casing connected
to the drain pipe, the return and the air; and a plug within the casing having
passages through it such that the drain pipe can either be connected to the return
through a small passage or to the air through either a large or a small passage
substantially as described.
2. In combination with the subject matter of the first claim, a four way cock by
which one of the two main pipes can be connected to the supply or the valve and
the other to the valve or supply substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for heating a railway carriage the combination of a pipe running
from end to end of the carriage and cocks at each end of the pipe each having a
large and a small opening through their plugs substantially as described.
4. Apparatus for heating railway trains substantially as described and shown in
the drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1893
JOHN ELIOT HOWARD.