Mr. Parkinr gives the preference to the arrangement described ; but he pro. poses, in certain cases, to dispense with the wooden bearers d d, and to place iron rails of the ordinary kind at once into the groove e.
A variety of novel combinations of mechanism for steam carriages were patented on the 6th Dec. 1835, by Mr. W. Carpmael, of as the agent of a French gentleman. In the space which we can devote to notice it, it would be quite impracticable to convey an intelligible idea of the numerous ingenious con trivances the specification sets forth ; we shall, therefore, merely state, that the boiler consists, of two parallel rows of large vertieal tubes for the water, so placed in a quadrangular case, as to divide it into three compartments, the middle one of which is the largest. In this middle chamber is put the fiiel, coals; and in the two small chambers in the other sides of the two rows of tubes, is put. another kind of fuel, coke. The combustion of the coals is excited by a fan-wheel, placed under the grating of the coal chamber, and the smoke End other inflammable matter that escapes from this fire-place i• conducted between the tubes and over the coke fires, by which arrangement the smoke and carbonaceous matters will, it is fairly presumed, be inflamed, and the caloric thus extricated be beneficially employed in the generation of steam. The steam chambers, consisting of capacious horizontal tubes, close up the tops of each of the furnaces; and the steam is conducted through regulating valves and pipes to the engines situated in the bed of the carriage frame. Many of the contrivances exhibit considerable mechanical talent, and afford pretty strong evidence that our Gallic friends will soon run a race with to by steam.
Mr. John Blyth, a young engineer of excellent abilities, residing at Lime house, obtained patent on the 31st of December, 1835, for "an improved method of retarding the progress of carriages in certain cases," which is extremely simple and effectual. It consists of a friction wheel, fixed on to the inner side of the nave of the running wheel (or wheels); around this is brought a friction band, and hence it is conducted and made fast to the carriage body in such manner that when descending a hill or inclined plane, the carriage body slides forward and draws the friction band against the friction wheel. The natural force of gravity is thus admirably employed to counteract its incon veniences "'in certain cases;" and it will be observed that the force of retarda tion will be exactly es it is required ; that is, in proportion to the inclination of the plane on which the carriage is descending.
To obviate that lateral and serpentine motion of railway carriages, arising from the ordinary construction of the " buffing apparatus," we have alreadT, a few pages back, described the invention of Mr. Bergin. Another invention, designed to effect the same object, has been recently introduced by the gent Mr. Henry Booth, of Liverpool, for which that gentleman obtained knees patent dated the 23d of January. 1836.
The following engraving, Fag. 1, shows the mode in which railway carriages have usually been attached to each other by a simple chain, the buffers of one carriage not coming in contact with those of another, but each carriage being allowed, when moving onwards, a lateral oscillating motion. figs. 2 and 3, show Mr. Booth's method of connecting them ; a is the connecting chain attached to the draw-bar of each carriage, and consists of a double working screw (working within two long links or shackles), the sockets of which are spirally threaded to receive the screw bolts, which are fastened together by a pin and cotter, so that by turning the arm or lever ;Z of the said screws, the connecting apparatus is lengthened or shortened at pleasure, to the extent of the long links or shackles above alluded to, in which they work. This screw
chain being placed on the hooks, or turned up ends of the carriage draw-bars d, the buffers b of each adjoining carriage being first brought close, or nearly chic together, the lever Z is turned round a few times till die diaw-ban d are drawn an inch or two beyond their shoulders, on the face of the carriage frame e, stretching the draw-springs, to which the draw bars are attached, to the extent of a fourth or fifth part of their elasticity; and by that degree of force attaching the buffers of the adjoining carriages together, and giving by this means, Mr. Booth states, "to a train of carriages, a combined steadiness and smoothness of motion at rapid speeds, which they have not when the buffers of each carriage are separate from those of the adjoining carriage." to is a weight to keep the lever in a vertical position, and prevent the unscrewing of the chain when in action. The patentee does not claim under this patent the parts described, separately considered ; but be claims their combination and joint action, and " the consequent close but elastic attachment of the carriages to each Other, which constitutes my improvement applicable to railway carriages." The same patent includes a very pretty and useful contrivance of this original. minded inventor, which is thus described by him :—" And my improvement applicable to the locomotive engines which draw the railway carriages, I declare to be a new mode of checking the speed of the engine, or stopping it altogether, which is effected by introducing a throttle valve, slide. or damper, into the exhausting steam pipe of the engine, commonly called the blast pipe, which is usually placed in the chimney in front of the engine, and which throttle valve may be most conveniently introduced when the two exhausting pipes are united into one below the place where the pipe is contracted in area for the purpose of producing a blast to the furnace. From the throttle valve must proceed a rod or long handle extending through the chimney to the back part of the boiler, so as to lie within convenient reach of the engine-man, who, by moving the said handle, can close the slide or throttle valve, either partially, or altogether, as may be required. And the throttle valve need not be altogether steam-tight, but should be made to work freely in its place. The engine-man, when he wishes to stop or slacken the speed of the engine, closes or contracts his throttle valve without shutting off the steam in itsfrom the boiler to the engine. The pistons, by that means, are speedr,lab age but not suddenly or violently checked, and the driving wheels of the engine no longer revolving, or revolving very slowly, the engine is soon brought to a stand. Now I do not claim, as new, any particular kind of throttle valve, which may be left to the judgment of the engineer, provided it be so constructed that, when open, the steam may be not contracted, but may allow the steam to escape freely, as if no valve or damper were introduced. But I claim the introductioi) of a throttle valve or damper into the- exhausting steam-pipe of a locomotive engine, by closing or contracting which, the engine-man can check or stop his engines at pleasure." Mr. Massey, a watchmaker of Liverpool, took out a patent on the 23d April, 1836, for improvements in railway carriages, which merely consists in dividing the usual quadrangular framing of the carriage, across the middle, into two parts, makmg two smaller complete frames, and connecting the ends of these midway by a stout bolt, with a cotter-key, and washers, so as to enable the frame of the carriages to yield to the inequalities of level in the road, and not lift the wheels from their bearing on the rails.