317

James's Patented i~nprovemcnts in Rail.ways and Locomotive Carriages.

IT has, we believe, been a generally received opinion, that car. rinses on a rail-way cannot be propelled by locomotive power up an inclined plane that rises more than twenty feet in a mile, without the assistance of indented or toothed rails to increase the resistance, and "thus prevent the carriages t?om slipping back. By Mr. James's new improvements, this ditiicuity is, however, So completely overcome, that a train of carriages may now be made by a locomotive engine to ascend and descend inclined planes of any elevation necessary in the construction of rail roads, and over very smooth and aImost po- lished surfaces. Vv'c understand that the most satisfactory proofs have been attbvded of the ability to effect this, by repeated trials on a rail road more than a hund,-ed feet in length, laid down for the purpose of experiment; on which it was found that a train of car- riages would (with the patcnteCs imp)roved machinery) ascend inclined planes of~3 inches in the yard, whicJt is cqual to 440 feet in the mile.

tnated by bevel gears under each carriage. The other improvements are for enabling the carriages on a rail-

way to pass around turns or curves ill the road without additional fi'iction. For this purpose, the horizontal rotatory shafts~ which cause each pair of wheels in (lie train to revolve and propel the carriages ibrward, are connected together by a novel and very inge- niuus kind of universal joint, which communicates the rotatory mo- tlon to each successive carriage, even if so placed on the curves of the roads that the sides of one car6age shall present to the side of the next an anzle of ~0 dezrees. To cause the carriage wheels to run round the cma, es of tlie" rail-way without the usual-destructive rubbing of their surfaces, the rails in those parts are made with several ribs or elevations, and the wheels of the carriages are conse. quently tormed to correspond with those ribs, by their peripheries being grooved in like manner; so that a wheel, in effect, possesses as many diameters as there are variations in the surface of its peript~ery, by which means, it may be made to travel faster or slower, as may be desired.

That these consequences result fi'om Mr. James's improvements, will be readily seen on reference to the engravings, which we shall ' here introduce.

318 ~atent for Rail-wa~js and Carriage~=

~ ~

~ ~ z~ ~,~ . ~ ~ •

~ : ~ . ~ ~ v ~ ~"

~ , ~ .~ ~ , "~'~ ~ ,.9 ~.~ ~ ~

Talent./'or Rail-ways and Carriages, SI9

f j" is the rotatory shaft; g ¢ the two boxes, with the front plates removed to sho~, tt]e gear inside; h h tim bevelled pinions upon the smft in each box; i i t~e horizontal double bevelle'd wheels. The fi'ont bo w g, under tile carriage, is lixed immoveably to a solid block of wood; the other box is tlxed to a ~late I, turninz on a central point, which passes through another plate, m, above; the plate, m~ being se- cured to file item' r f t le carr aILe by hin.-_'e Joints. n ~ The construe- tmn of the nmversal joints, n u, are also more clearly shown m this figure. . •

We have now to describe the highly, inlzenious contrivances t~y Mnch the patentee obvmtes the destructive ettbcts el the rubbing or slidin~ of the tinier wheels of carriages in making curves or turn',~ in a road; contrivances thai, at lirst sight, may appear simple and un- Important, but which, in err opinion, evince a considerable degree of skill in the inw,ntor.

Our readers need not be infi,-mcd, that if the wheels on one shle of a carriage be larger~ m" of ;'a~xder dimneter, than tho~e on the ~q~- pestle side, such carria;~.e, vlmn iw~pel!cd, will necessarily make a curve. On this principie the patel~tee's contrivances are'lbunded. In running along a straight lint~ the peripheries of file wheels are of equal diameter, and the bearing upon the rails are of equal elevation~ but when the carriage has to make a turn, the wheels on,one side roll upon a greater diameter, or more extended periphery; while the wheels on the opposite side run oa a less extended periphery, and the elevations upon the rails upon which they run are so at]justed to o these variations, that the differe~tt peripherms of th.~ wheels change, and come in contact with the variable parts of the rail, and run rountt the curves, without any pcrcel~tible increase of friction, or jarring, or jolting. The annexed diagrams are in illustration of this part of the patentee's improvements.

In this-tigure, tile carriage wheels are ~ . ~ supposed to be running ins st,-ai,.,ht line,

eon;equently the peripheries are equal, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ l and the bearings of the rail cqual.

i~'?.~-r~ lit this |}~ure~ the wheeAs are supposed ~o be makin~ :l curve, e,tual to an increase, of hall' :tit inch ill a y;n'd on the out~'l lille

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ m' tri~ck.

3~0 Patent for RaiLways and Carriages.

~ . ~.~,¢ In this, the wheels and other parts are adapted to make a turn, where the curve ma~es a difference in the two lines of two-

• . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . tlfirds of an inch in the yard. A

_ Z

~ . ~ In this, a curve wherein the difference is one inch.

It is calculated that the following advantages will result fi'om these improvements, viz.

A s'tving will be e[tk'~cted in the principal part of the cuttings, em- bankments, viaducts, &c. and a saving of full four-fifths of the time requisite for making the road. A saving in the land lost in deep cut- ting, and lbrming the slopes of the embankmentsl and in shortening the distance, in consequence of the engine and loaded carriages being able to pass over elevated ground; and owing to the resistance at each individual carriage, the engine carriage may be reduced full one-third in weight, therefl)re a greater load may be propelled by the same power. There will he a saving in the primary and current expenses of fixed engines, wherein the power applied is always the same, Mmther the traffic upon the road requires it or not~ and in avoiding the delay consequent upon their employment; whereas, in locomo-. tire engines the power m~ly always be adapted to the trade, or load; An opportunity will be atlbrded of passin~ over, or under, turnpike roads, &c by which much of the ob'ection r~ised a~ainst rail-ways in populous thsmcts is obviated; and the obstacles presented by private property may generally be avoided. In enabling the engine and train of carriages, to. be suddenl, y..st()pl~ed,, whether on..level ~ground, or in descendm~ lulls, and also m reducmg the liabfltty to breakag% ot accident, in stopping such carria~;cs~ in cow, sequence of the number of parts to resis~ a sudden hnt)u!se , much will be saved.

Rail-roads of the uaual co',struction soon get out of ordec by wear.. ing at the turns, and in the settling of the ground in new embank- ments, which will be wholly prevented by the present improvements. There being no d(~ep cuttings and embankments~ property in land will not be divided by them, as in ordinary cases. By means of the joints (before mentioned)under each of the carriages, a nearly equal bearing of each wheel is ellheted, if the surface of the rails simuld be uneven; so as to cause the axles to stand at dill)rent angles. A considerable saving, it is considered, will likewise be made it;. the ~(umage and interest el the capital expended, and in completing the rail in much less time thau nsuat~ also in the laeiiity, and little ex- pense~ attending the making alterations in the rail after completion,

[I/,~

351

.~ceount of W. H. Jamea's Patent Steam Carriage. Ir~swgAD of actuating the several wheels of a carriage with a single

engine, as heretofore, Mr. James adapts separate engines to each wheel. These enginesare of small and equal dimensions, and have their steam supplied by pipes connected with the boiler~ situated in a convenient part of the carriage. The object of the patentee, in employing separate engines, is, that each wheel may have a motion independent of any of-the other wheels, so that their powers or ve- locities may be varied at pleasure, wilich is essential in passing round curves, or turning corners of the road; because9 (as is well understood) when a carriage moves in the arc 'of a circle, the outer wheel passes over a greater distance of ground than the inner wheel --consequently renderin,~ it necessary, that the en-ine~ connected with the outer wheel~ shouh! be made to work so much faster than the en. gine connected with the inner wheel: this Mr. James effects most completely by a very charming and exceedingly simple contrivance, ~ h e causes the fore axletree to be connected with a stop-cock placed in the main pipe, through which the steam passes f,'om the boiler to the respective engines; this stop-cock is so constructed, that when the fore axletree stands at right angles to the perch, (i. e. when the carriage is proceeding in a ~traight line) it admits equal quantities of steaTm to each engine; hut wheliever the axletree stands obliquely to the perch, (as in making cur~es in the road) it causes the stop:cock to 'idmit a ~reatrr q~tantit N of steetm t ~ the e igi le (:~ n- nccted with the outer wheel,so as to cause that wheel to revolve faster, and a diminished qu~mll/y to tile engine c~,,uectcd wifi~ the inner wheel, so as to make it revolve shower, i~t e:ract proportion to th* curve around which the carriage is moving.

Upon roads of moderate elevation, Mr. James applies separate engines to each of the hind-wheels only; but upon roads that have ~veater ascents, he employs four engines, that is~ one to each wheel, and thus he obtains a ~reater degree of resistance or friction upon the surface passed over. In or~]inary roads, however, Mr. J'ames considers that two engines will be amply sufficient, because it is not required, on this principle, that the wheels shall be thrown out of ~:ear, and in passing round curves they may be kept eontanfly in ~ction; thus the amount of friction against the road will be preserved tolerably uniform~ which is~ of course, ver'," important in propelling a carriage in the precise line required: if, under any clrcmnstance, as in assitl dow~l hill~, it nay be advisatfle to ock one of tile hind- p . , g - . . . wheels, it may be effected, as in uther car,'iages, by putting on a drag.

From what we have already said, we think the advantages re- suiting from the emplownent of a separate engine to each wheel, must be apparent. The n.,~xt desideratum was, to ~ive each wheel an

Vor,. IV.-~--No. 5.~Novg51nv.~, 1827 ..... 41

~.~ JA~:s ' s Patent Steam Carriage.

ground, or in the ascending of steep hills, the impulse given to the carriage would not be sufficient to carry the engines over their cantres.

J .~t~s 's Pale~zl .~'team Carriage.

• The next object, which has hitherto been considered as on , of ahnost hlsurmountable dii~culty~flmt of puttii!g the wlivle of i ~ machinery upon springs, so as to prevent any inJUriOus effect to f i~ acting parts from concussions, and likewise at the same time to al|ow of the perfect and unifbrm operation of the engines upon the running wheels, when passing over rugged surlaces,2-Mr. James has com- pletely etihcted, by causin~ tt~e engines, and their fi-ame-work, to v~brate altogetherupon the'crank-sfiafts, as a centre~ at the same time counectlng these engines to the boib'r and erit passages, by means of hollow axles iIIOVlll~ itl shlflino~ boxes, Whlch,~ together wtth the body of" the carriage. ~s su'stwmled unon the snrin~s~ these so,'inas rest upon the axletrees, as ~:tll be un'derstmM'bv an attenti['e ex °- aminatiou of the figures, (especially lig. 5) which ~we shall now pro- teed to explain. . .

Fig. 1 is a plan of the machinery of a carriage as anplied (o tl~e hind wheels. Fig. :2 is a cross section, _~ivin~ an endview of the boiler and the cranks, showing the manner in-which the former is suspeuded, and its mode of attachment to the body of the carriage, and the situation of the springs on which it rests. Fi~. $ is a hm~i- tudinal section, giving a sideview of lhe machinery as atlached~io the running wheels; similar letters of reference al@y to the corre- sponding parts in each of the figures.

Fig. i, a a represents the boiler suspended to the fl'ame-work b b b b above, which fi'ame-work is firmly attached tt~ ll~e body of the carriage, c c c c+ and fi)rm its support; d d is the axle-tree, t[~e fiwm of which is best seen in iig. ~, t{~[s tbur supports, e e e c; the axles of the rumfin~ wheels, f / , are tixed thereto, and are connected in one piece, with each of t'he crank shafts, g g; by which each of the wheels are made to revolve independently of each other. Each of the lengines has two cylinder% h h, which operate by their piston rods upon the cranks: to these separate engij~es, stedm is supplied from the boiler~ a a, by means of the pipe k, which enters at the stop- cock, 1, into the steam box, m; from this box, the steam passes:into the pipes, n n, which move steam,tight th,'ough stutlng boxesj from thenc% the steam proceeds through tfe ptpes, o o o, to the shde boxes, p p/ ) p, the slides being worked by eccentrics, q q q q, on the crank

=i11] 3

3~4 Paten t f o r Dist i l l ing B r a n d y frora PotatO ea;

shafts in the usual manner, and from thence to the cylinders. ! Thn exhaustion pipes, r r, lead into the hollow axles, n n, before' de, scribed, in :which there are partitions, s s, to separate the steam from the exit passages, which pass through the sai[t hollow axles to the boxes, t t, fi-om which there are pipes, u u, leading into the chim-

ey, v, shown in section. The rods, x x, are attached to the fore axle of the running wheels, and also to the two handles ofthe cock, l, so that the fore axle and the cock move simultaneously and parallel to each other, z z represents part of the frame work extended for tying the engines together by means of a connecting bolt; and so as to allow the body of the carria_~e to have a slight lateral motion upon its. s.p rings,..inde.pendent of th~engines, by me~ans of the hollow axles shdmg longitudinally through the stuffing-boxes.

In the preceding account we have given the substance of Mr. James's specification; and although it contains much novel and va- luable matter, he limits his claim of patent right to the following points only, which we add verbatim : ~

" I halve herein described, for the perfect understanding of my invention, the general construction and operation of a steam carriage to be actuated upon my improved principles; but I do not mean to confine myself to this particular construction or adaptation of parts, as my iY~venlion consists simply and exclusiveh/ in adaptin~ distinct steam engines to the several wh-eels upon which-the earr~ageruns, for the purpose of actuating such several wheels independent of each other, whatever may be the number of wheels so employed, or whatever m ~ be the construction or position of the steam engines and their atrflen- dages so adapted, or whatever may be the form of the carriage to be l~ropelled . . - - -- _

ENGLISH PATENTS FOR DISTILLING.

AMo.~G the subjects which have, of late years, received particular attention in England, that of improvements in the apparatus for dis- tilling, holds a conspicuous place. We }lave obtained cuts of seve- ral of thes% a part of which we insert in the present number, and shall give tile remainder in our next. Our readers will not ~vish the whole detail of the patents; we shall present them, therefore, with the description of the engravings, with such other matter, only, as may aid m forming a correct eshmate of the x arlous plans; these descr T- lions are from the Register of the Arts.

Salntmarc~s Patent ./tpparatus and Process for the Distillation of Brandy j~'om Potatoes.

TH~ distillation of alcohol from potatoes has been for some time wactised on the continent, with great success. The present apparatus and process are both of foreign invention, and the patentee for this country is Mr. Jean Jacques Saintmarc, of Belmont Distillery, Vauxhall.

The potatoes are first washed in tile common machine used for that purpose-i whi~'h consists of a hollow cylinder, the periphery of it