Wo. 3.] 



OF ArxRICULTURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, 



EDST ED BY D. PEIRCK. 



PSsiladclpliia, Monday, ©ecessiber 3, 1S38. 



[Vol. I 



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For Uie Observer and liecord of Agriculture, Science, 

 and Art. 



LOCOMOTIVE STEAM ENGINES. 



The writer of this has not observed in 

 any of the scientific works, published, the 

 following theory, and as the present time 

 is emphatically named the " Day of ad- 

 vancement in Steam Power,'''' the atten- 

 tion of scientific and practical engineers 

 is most respectfully directed to the sub- 

 ject with a request that any position here 

 assumed which may be incorrect, may be 

 so proved, and given to the public through 

 the columns of the Observer 4' Record. 



The writer has no object in view be- 

 yond that of every other citizen, who 

 feels most anxiously the importance of 

 cheap and rapid communications from one 

 section of country to another, steam when 

 directed in the best manner of which it 

 is capable seems to be the only agent yet 

 known fitted for this purpose. 



1. Required an application of steam 

 power upon the wheels of a Locomotive 

 that will cause them to ascend upon an 

 inclined plane at the highest grade, or the 

 greatest angle from the horizon, without 

 sliding on the rails. 



2. Required the difierence, (if any) 

 between the maximum inclination from 

 the horizon at which the wheels of a Lo- 

 comotive will ascend upon a plane when 

 the best application of power is communi- 

 cated to those wheels from the rectilinear 

 motion of pistons, and connecting rods of 

 steam engines, and the maximum inclina- 

 tion at which wheels may be retained at 

 any required position, upon a plane, when 



they are prevented from turning by the 

 application of what is usually named a 

 brake. 



^^nswer lo the first. — The wrist of 

 the crank, if attached to the same wheel 

 that runs upon the rail of the inclined 

 plane, or to the axle of the wheels 

 that run upon the rails should not re- 

 ceive any power, or force from the 

 engne, while it is describing any part 

 of a circle nearer to the rails of the 

 plane than the periphery of the axle 

 which receives the bearing of the load, 

 that is when lines are drawn parallel with 

 the inclined rails, so as to meet the peri- 

 phery of the axle at the greatest distance 

 from the rails, and where it turns in the 

 boxes, the power should be applied above 

 these lines, but not below them. 



The wheels which run upon the rails, 

 then perform the function of levers of the 

 second order, the periphery of each 

 wheel while in contact with a rail is a ful- 

 crum, snd the power applied being farther 

 distant from the fulcrum than the body 

 moved, (the axle and load) consequently 

 forms a lever of the second order. 



This effect may be produced by form- 

 ing the axle into a triple crank, each 

 placed at an angle of one hundred and 

 twenty degrees from the other respective- 

 ly, provided power can be applied from 

 the rectilinear alternating motion of the 

 pistons to the cranks, only while the 

 cranks are above a line parallel with the 

 inclined plane, and at as great a distance 

 from it as the most distant part of the 

 axle which supports the load (as aforesaid,) 



