IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WORKING OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Ward, of Gorton, near Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
WORKING OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES."
Sealed the 31st March 1871, and dated the 1st October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Ward at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st October 1870.
I, JOSEPH WARD, of Gorton, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WORKING OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES," to be as
follows:-

page_text: venient position between the regulator and steam chests, for supplying
air to the chests and cylinders when the pistons and slide valves are
working with the steam shut off for the purpose of breaking the vacuum
and preventing the pistons from drawing the smoke, soot, and dust
through the steam chests and cylinders.
Each valve is an ordinary clack placed in a valve box having two
passages, one for the admission of steam and the other for the admission
of air, and when steam is on for working the engine, steam from the
steam chest passes through the steam passage of the box and forces
the clack against its seating, thereby closing the air passage, but when
the steam is shut off on account of descending an incline or coming to a
stand the clack falls and opens the air passage through which air passes
to the cylinders to be used in the same way as steam.
My present improvements consist, first, in the application to a cock
to each of the boxes containing the air valves for the purpose of closing
the passages when the valves are clogged or injured, or for any purpose
required.
Secondly, in the application to the tops of the boxes containing the
air valves of open ribs or network, to which are cast or fixed tallow or
oil cups having passages and syphon wicks leading to the air chambers
and valves, so that when the steam is shut off and the air valves opened
the lubricating matter passes onwards with the air through the passages
into the steam chests and cylinders to lubricate the slide valves, the
pistons, and packing in the stuffing boxes, and thus, in addition to the
direct utility of the air valves, I make use of them to supply lubricating
matter to the parts required in a self-acting and efficient manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joseph Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st March 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH 30
WARD, of Gorton, near Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Ward, Her special licence
that I, the said Joseph Ward, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joseph Ward, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE WORKING OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Joseph Ward, 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
Invention, 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 Joseph Ward, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Figures on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings and to the letters of reference marked
thereon (that is to say):
This Invention consists in the application of certain additions to air
valves in boxes communicating with the steam chests, or in any con-
venient position between the regulator and steam chests, for supplying
air to the chests and cylinders when the pistons and slide valves are
working with the steam shut off for the purpose of breaking the vacuum
and preventing the pistons from drawing the smoke and dust through
the steam chests and cylinders.
Each valve is an ordinary clack placed in a valve box having two
passages, one for the admission of air and the other for the admission of
steam to the valve box, and for the passage of air from the valve box

page_text: to the steam chest, and when steam is on for working the engine, steam
from the steam chest passes through the last-mentioned passage of the
box and forces the clack against its seating, thereby closing the air
passage, but when the steam is shut off on account of descending an
incline or coming to a stand the clack falls and opens the air passage
through which and the other passage air passes to be used in the same
way as steam.
My present improvements consist, first, in the application of a cock
to each of the boxes containing the air valves for the purpose of closing
the passages when the valves are clogged or injured, or for any purpose
required.
And, secondly, in the application to the tops of the boxes containing
the air valves of open ribs or network, to which when required are cast
or fixed tallow or oil cups having passages and syphon wicks leading
to the air chambers and valves, so that when the steam is shut off and
the air valves opened the lubricating matter passes onwards with the air
through the passages into the steam chests and cylinders to lubricate
the slide valves, the pistons, and packing in the stuffing boxes, and thus,
in addition to the direct utility of the air valves, I make use of them to
supply lubricating matter to the parts required in a self-acting and
efficient manner.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 is an external view,
and Figure 2 a section of one of my improved air valves without a tallow
or oil cup; Figure 3, a plan of part of the same; Figure 4, an external
view of a modification of Figure 1; Figure 5, a plan of the bottom end
of Figure 4; Figures 6 and 7, sections of air valves and tallow or oil
cups combined; and Figure 8 a plan of part of Figure 7 without the
cover of the tallow or oil cup.
In the Figures a represents the valve box; b, the valve seating; c, the
valve; and d the part by which the box is fixed to the steam chest or
other required place. In Figure 2 the valve box is covered by a cap or
cover e; and in the screw fare cut passages g, Figures 2 and 3, for the
admission of air to the main air passage h, or the interior of the box,
the cap e being for the purpose of preventing the entrance of dust and
cinders; and between the valve box and the passage i there is a cock or
tap j. When the cock is open and steam shut off from the steam chests
and cylinders the air passes through the passages 7 through the main

page_text: air passage between the valve and its seating through the passage in
the cock and through the passage i to the steam chests and cylinders
to be used in the same way as steam; but when the steam is on for
working the engine the steam passes through the passage i and forces
the valve against its seating to prevent the passage of air through the
valve box and the escape of steam. In Figure 4 the valve box is in
reverse position to Figure 1, and the passages for the admission of air
are formed in the cover j, Figures 4 and 5. In Figures 6 and 7, repre-
senting air valves combined with lubricators, cups are formed in the
caps or covers of the valve boxes for the reception of tallow or oil; and
below the cups there are perforations or network for the admission of
air, there being, as before stated, syphon wicks to take the lubricating
matter into the valve boxes; and in these Figures k represents the air
chamber; 1, the perforations for the admission of air; m, the tallow or
oil cup; and n its moveable lid or cover. In one side or part of the
tallow or oil cup there are passages o, Fig. 6, 7, and 8, leading into
the air chamber k, and in these passages are placed syphon wicks p,
there being above the partition q, Fig. 7, a sieve or grating r on which
the wicks rest, and through which tallow or oil passes to form a supply
for immediate use when required, the supply being let off into the steam
chests and cylinders by opening the tap s, Figure 7, when the steam is
shut off from the steam chests and the air valve opened; but if the tap &
is closed the tallow or oil passes gently through the wicks p to lubricate
the slide valves, pistons, and packing at the time the air is passing
through the passage h between the valve and its seating and through
the passage when the cock j is open to the cylinders to be used in the
same way as steam; but when the steam is set on to the steam chests
the air valve is closed and the lubrication stopped.
i
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim,-
First. The cocks for shutting off and opening the communication
between the valve boxes and the steam chests and cylinders.
And, secondly. The caps or covers on the valve boxes for preventing
the entrance of dust and cinders into the interior of the boxes and the
cups on the tops of the boxes for containing tallow or oil for lubri-
cating the slide valves, the pistons, and the packing of the stuffing boxes,

page_text: as all such improvements are herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Ward, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Joseph Ward in the
presence of
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOSEPH WARD. (L.S.)