1841.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



().■? 



N.B. — The red flag, or ball, must be used in the day, in the same manner 

 as the red lamp by night. 



Rockets or d!ue lights are extraordinary signals, and when an enginenian 

 sees them lie must immediately stop to ascertain their ca\ise. 



Engine Tl'histle. — 7. M'hen one long whistle is given, it is a signal to gate 

 keepers, policemen, and others in front, that an engine is coming, and this 

 s-igual is to he used on approaching |)ublic roads, during a fog, or wheri a 

 first class train approaches a station where a second class train is stopping, 

 and generally as a caution when required, for peisons on the line to keep out 

 of the way. 



But when an engineman wishes to make signal to the guards, or breaks- 

 men on the train, that they arc to ptit on their breaks and stop, he must give 

 a quick succession qfvhistles, making an interrupted, tremulous, or vibrating 

 sound ; and all guards or breaksmen, whether with coach or luggage trains, 

 hearing this signal, 7nust immediateli/ liold hard on the break or I)reaks under 

 their charge, so as to stop the train as qnioklif as possili/e. 



NEW INVENTIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN STE.4M ENGINES. 



Thomas William Parkins and Elisha Wylde, of Portland-street, Liverpool, 

 Engiueers, for an improved method of making and working locomotive and 

 other steam engines. Enrolment-otlice, Jan. 12, 1841. 



This improved method relates to the slide valve and throttle valves of steam 

 engines, and consists in a novel mode of constructing them, so as to facilitate 

 the action of the valves, to place them under more perfect control, and to 

 afford a freer entrance to the steam cyUnder under certain circumstances. 



The first arrangement is for working the slide valve without the use of 

 eccentrics, in order that it may open almost instantaneously at the time the 

 engine is passing the centre. For this purpose a lever is fixed upon the cross- 

 head working in a link connected to a second lever fixed on a shaft or weigh- 

 bar across tlie engine, whereby a rocking motion is produced. On the otlier 

 end of the weigh-bar a double lever is fixed, carrying two studs above and 

 below the centre of the said shaft or weigh-bar, for the forked rod to work 

 upon. One end of tliis rod is attached l)y a working joint to a fourth lever 

 fixed on the weigh-bar, which gives motion to the slide valve at each succeed- 

 ing return of the cross-head to the extremity of its stroke. The levers are so 

 arranged tliat the slide valve is always kept wide open at the period of the 

 engine passing the centre, instead of being shut, as is always the case when 

 an eccentric is used, and by which means the full eftect of the steam is em- 

 ployed up to the last moment. 



Secondly, a new method of constructing the slide valve, being an improve- 

 ment upon the old D slide valve, is described ; the object being to get rid of 

 almost the whole of the immense steam pressure which always presses upon 

 slide valves of the present construction, and at tlie same time to give a free 

 passage for the escape of the waste steam throughout the whole of the stroke. 

 This slide valve consists of a hollow scpiare ring of metal, working between 

 two surface plates, the lower one being the side of the cylinder, tlie iipjier 

 one provided with set screws or other suitable means of adjustment. The 

 hollow ring beds upou the cylinder, and is furnished with a square metallic 

 packing upon its upper surface, whicli, abutting against the adjusting plate, 

 makes the slide valve perfectly steam tight. The slide valve is made long 

 enough for the eduction passage to remain open while the steam way is closed, 

 and 'oice versa. 



Thirdly, the patentee describes a peculiar mode of constructing the regula- 

 tor or throttle valve of steam engines, especially as applied to locomotive en- 

 gines, so as to afl'ord a ready and convenient means of admitting steam to 

 either one of the cylinders only, or to both of the cylinders at the same time. 

 The regulator or steam passage is in this case a flat surface, with passages 

 through it at the distance of one end of the cylinder from the other, and so 

 disposed that when the regulator's liandle is inclined to the starboard, steam 

 is admitted into tlie cylinder on the larboard side of the engine ; on inchning 

 the handle over to the larboard, the steam is also admitted to the starboard 

 cjlinder, but on placing the regulator handle in a vertical position, the throt- 

 tle valve is closed, and the steam communication cut off from both cylinders. 



A fourth improvement consists in certain additions to the machinery for 

 ■working the slide valve, so as to cause the steam to work in the cyUnder ex- 

 pansively, in order to economise fuel; for this purpose two slots are made in 

 the top of the liid; in which the cross-head works, in which two bell-crank 

 levers work on pivots ; to the under side of the engine framing, a roller is 

 fixed between the two levers, lieing a fidcrum to act against when they are 

 alternately pressed down by tlie roller (attached to the lever on the cross- 

 head), w hicli works in the link passing over them ; this causes the link to 

 advance sufticiently to close the slide valve, or, in other words, to shut oft" the 

 steam at tlie determined portion of the stroke. 



Finally, an arrangement is exhibited for reversing the direction of the 

 steam, so as to stop the engine and drag the wheels whenever circumstances 

 render such a procedure necessary. In order to accomplish this movement, a 

 handle is placed on one side of the foot plate, which is connected to a bell- 

 crank lever, connected by a link to the tajipet-rod. This handle is to be 

 secured by a spring guard, and when in a vertical position the tappet-rod will 



be entirely out of gear; when it inclines forward, it will be in gear for going 

 either forward or Ijackward ; and when it inclines backward, tlie tappet-rod 

 will be lifted on to a stud on the third lever above tlie centre of the shaft 

 connected with the link ou tlie other side, which will stop the motion of the 

 engine almost immediately, as the steam will be admitted into the cyUnder 

 before instead of behind the piston, w'lich will drag the wheels and bring up 

 the engine. 



The claim is to 1. The construction of the slide valve, being a hollow ring 

 through which the steam is either admitted or exhausted, and the means used 

 for keeping the said slide valve steam tight. 



2. The combination of the machinery for moving the valve, especially the 

 construction of machinery for moving the said valve so as to work the steam 

 expansively. 



3. The construction of the regulator or throttle valve by which steam is 

 admitted to either cylinder only, or to both cylinders at the same time. 



4. The construction of machinery for moving tlie slide valve so as to cause 

 the steam to enter the cylinder before instead of behind, and make it act 

 against the piston. — Mechanics' Magazine. 



TOOLS FOR BORING. 



William Ash, of Sheffield, Manufacturer, for improvements in augers and 

 tools for boring. Petty Bag Office, Dec. 24, 1840. 



These improvements consist in the combination of cutters and guides with 

 a shank or sjiindle. The cutters are rectangular pieces of steel somewhat 

 resembling the cutting side of a centre-bit. The guides are helical pieces on 

 the outside, of various sizes, the interior of which fits the shank or spindle. 

 The spindle has a pointed screw at the end, the size of the thread varying 

 according to the kind of wood to be operated upon; at some distance up, on 

 the side of the spindle, there is a circular stop, there is also a square opening 

 just above the worm, passing through the spindle. The helical guide, of the 

 size required, is first jiut on the siiindle, and a cutter inserted in the square 

 aperture below it, where it is firmly fixed by driving in a wedge. If a larger 

 or smaller hole is required, the wedge is struck out, when the cutter, &c. 

 may he easily removed, and rejilaced with guides and cutters of the size re- 

 quired. Another form of guide is shown, consisting of a circular plate of 

 metal, with a thimble in its centre, supported by two cross pieces from the 

 outer edge. The first, or helical guide, however, is preferred, from its being 

 longer, and also from its affording a channel for the ready escape of the 

 chips, thereby clearing the hole as the cutter advances. 



The claim is for the application of moveable cutters and guides to a shant 

 or spindle, as described. — Hid. 



MACHINERY FOR CUTTING AND WORKING WOOD. 



William Mickhng Bennett, of Wharton-street, Bagnigge Wells Road, Gen- 

 tleman, for improved machinervfor cutting and working wood, Enrolment- 

 oftice, Dec. 24,1840. 



The imjirovements comprehended in this patent are — Firstly, a new system 

 of guides for boards while passing through the wood-cutting machines. The 

 iron frame of the guides varies in shape in difl^erent machines ; it forms a bed' 

 on which the guides traverse. The guides are formed of puppet-heads in 

 pairs, one being fixed, the other moveable in order to hold and guide wood 

 of different sizes. Moveable pieces slide over the inner vertical faces of the 

 guides, and pressing down upon the upper surface of the wood it is thus heltf 

 firm and steady. 



Secondly, an improved mode of elevating and depressing the upper pair ot 

 rollers, when the wood is carried forward by their means. The axes of the 

 upper rollers turn in blocks whieli slide up and dowm in grooves in the up- 

 right side frames of the machine. They are regulated by spur and bevel 

 wheels, in conjunction with spiral springs, so that while the wood is firmly 

 held, an elasticity is obtained by means of the springs, which allows any irre- 

 gularities in the surface of wood to pass through the rollers. 



Thirdly, an improved mode of admitting oil to the working parts, viz., the 

 circular saws, shafts, spindles, &c., consisting of a cup witli a tube at the 

 bottom furnished with a stop cock, to be so adjusted as to allow any number 

 of drops per minute to fall from the nipple into the channel leading to the 

 bearings requiring lubrication. 



Fourthly, an improved mode of sawing and dividing wood, so as to effect 

 tlie planing at the same time; the arrangement being also applicable to 

 veneer saws. 



For this purpose, there are slots near the periphery of the circular saws, 

 approaching as near to the edge as is consistent with due strength ; in these 

 slots side cutters are fixed, with their edges ground and set to the same angle 

 as a plane iron. These cutters project slightly beyond the set of teeth of the 

 saw ; so that a shaving is continually taken off as the saw revolves. Or the 

 edges of such slots in the saw plate may be turned up and used in lieu of de- 

 tached cutters. 



Fifthly, the application of the foregoing construction with two or more 

 sets of circular cutters, so as to form two or more strips of plain or orna- 

 mental moulding. To accomplish this, two or more circular saws are mounted 

 oil one spindle between which, instead of washers, blocks are fixed, holding 

 the cutters in the upper edges. These are circular and may be either plain 

 or moulded, and they project sufficienth' to perform the necessary operation 

 as rapidly as the circular saws can rip the scantlings or boards into strips. 



Sixthly, an improved mode of forming moulding and other cutters. These 

 cutters may be of any required shape, and are attached to blocks, fixed ou 



