In obtaining a greater amount of duty from the fuel consumed. In order to obtain the requisite number of revolutions of the crank-shaft, to give the speed required, the cylinders of locomotiveengines are formed extremely short, thereby rendering the expansion of the steam, to a great extent, impracticable, and the reaction consequent on short strokes, together with the high velocity of the piston, is attended with great tear and wear, as also considerable liability in the working parts to become deranged or out of order. To obviate this it has been attempted to reduce the speed of the piston by multiplying the speed of the crank-shaft as transmitted to the drivingaxle, by means of gearing, but which has not been attended with success. Figs. 1, 2, and 3, represent the gearing for conneeting the piston-rod with the crankshaft, arranged according to this invention, which is so constructed, that one complete stroke of the piston will produce two revolutions of the crank-shaft. the diagram, the connecting-levers are shown in three different positions, as they would appear at the three points of the re volution represented, and may also be taken as their own relative positions, as in this a rangement three cylinders are employed, the crank-shaft having three throws, which divide the circle into three equal angles. a,a, are two fixed studs attached to the frame-work of the carriage, the upper stud forming a centre or pivot, on which the bell-crank-lever, b, turns, the long end of which is connected by the rod, c, to a block, working in the fixed guide, d; this again is attached by the connecting-rod, e, to the crank; the short arm of the bell-crank-lever is connected by the rod, f, to the piston-rod, g, the parallelism of which is maintained by means of the lever, h, working on the other fixed pivot, a. It will be apparent from this, that the action of the crank depends upon the motion of the joint, i, and its relative distance from the crankshaft, and it will be seen by following out the different positions represented in the diagram, that the joint, i, performs nearly a semi-revolution round the fixed point, a, which half-revolution produces an entire revolution of the crank-shaft, at the same time the piston has only made half a stroke, or moved from one end of the cylinder to the other; the remaining half-stroke producing another semi-revolution of the joint, i, and consequently another revolution of the crank-shaft, so that, for one complete stroke of the piston, two revolutions of the crank-shaft will be obtained; the rapid succession of strokes of the piston at present required to give the requisite number of revolutions of the crank-shaft, necessary to obtain the proper speed, will thus be obviated, rendering applicable to locomotive purposes a cylinder of much greater length than has hitherto been found desirable. By this arrangement, which the patentee denominates the "versed sinecrank action," the number of feet per minute travelled by the piston may also be reduced, by varying the relative lengths of the several levers. A cam, k, is worked from the lever, h, by the rod, 7, which imparts a rotary motion thereto; the cam being so constructed that, by a suitable communication with the valves, the steam will be admitted to the cylinder at proper intervals, working the same expansively more or less as may be required. The cam movement is communicated to the valves through the intervention of a roller, m, which revolves on the periphery of the cam, maintaining the same horizontal position, and causing the lower end of the lever, n, to recede with the irregularities of the cam; the upper end of the said lever being in connection with the valves of the engine, actuates them accordingly; the roller, m, being kept in close contact with the periphery of the cam by suitable balance-weights or springs, as may be desirable. A further improvement consists in the adaptation of an additional shaft to locomotives, to the cranks to which motion is communicated by the connecting-rods as usual; but this shaft, instead of being the same on which the driving-wheels are fixed, is merely for the purpose of transmitting the motion thereto, which is effected by means of two outside cranks, connected by side rods with the crank-pins, in the boss of the driving-wheels; by this means the axle of driving-wheels is less subject to accident where inside cylinders are employed. This method of driving is adapted either for three cylinders, as herein before described, or two inside cylinders, as ordinarily employed. The next part of the invention relates to an improvement in the feeding apparatus for locomotive engines: it consists in placing a chamber or vessel in the smoke-box, into which the water is pumped previously to its entering the boiler; this vessel is also furnished with internal flues or tubes, similar to the boiler through which the heated gases pass, thereby absorbing part of the heat before it escapes to the chimney. The water in this chamber is continually kept under a pressure the same which are a pair of wheels fitted on an axle, and placed some ten or twelve feet in advance of a train, in which position they are caused to proceed by means of two arms attached to the front of the carriage in such a manner as to admit of an up-and-down motion of the pilotwheels, but prevents their being moved sideways or off the line of rails. In the event of the pilot-wheels meeting with any obstruction which is not too large for them to pass over when raised by the obstruction, they will be held in a direct line by the arms before mentioned, and so soon as the obstacle is passed, will drop again on the rails: thus will the wheels of the locomotive be guided in the proper direction when they pass over the obstacle, and so on will the whole of the wheels in the train be guided by the carriages being properly connected. Having described the nature of his invention, he remarks that he does not confine himself to the precise detail herein contained, but what he claims is the arrangement of a system of levers whereby two revolutions of the crank-shaft is obtained for each stroke of the piston. Secondly, the application of a separate crank-shaft as described. Thirdly, the separate chamber in the smoke-box, for heating the water before its admission to the boiler. Fourthly, the pilot-wheels, whereby the carriages are kept on the line in the event of meeting with any obstruction. Fifthly, the cam action, whereby the steam is admitted to the cylinders at proper intervals, whether to work expansively or otherwise. FREDERICK WILLIAM MOWBRAY, of Leicester, paper dealer, for improvements in machinery for the manufacture of looped fabrics. Patent dated December 1st, 1847. Enrolled June 1st, 1848. THE improvements described in this specification relate to those descriptions of machines which are employed in the manufacture of looped fabrics, whether such fabrics are composed of silk, cotton, woollen, or other fibrous materials. The nature of the improvements being, to impart to such looped fabrics an ornamental appearance, such as is usually given to other descriptions of fabrics, by means of apparatus known as the "Jacquard apparatus." The jacquard apparatus is also the means employed by the patentee in combination with a peculiar and suitable arrangement of framework-knitting machinery, for the purpose of producing a similar figure or ornamental appearance of the looped fabrics manufactured. The patentee describes in his specification, and illustrates by accompanying drawings, the application of his inventions and improvements to machinery usually employed for the manufacture of stockings, known as the stocking-frame, modifying and arranging the several parts of such machinery necessary for the application of the operations of the jacquard machinery. The patentee, however, does not confine the application of his improvements to machinery for the purpose of making stockings only-they being equally applicable to all descriptions of machinery for manufacturing looped fabrics, whether such looped fabrics are manufactured in the manner described, or with a warp thread, or otherwise. The improvements of the patentee consist :-First, in so constructing and arranging the several thread-carriers, and apparatus connected there with that by means of their connection and combination with the jacquard apparatus, the action and movements of such thread-carriers shall be individually governed and controlled by the action and operation of the jacquard apparatus, for the purpose of raising particular thread-carriers into such a position that they shall, during the following operation of the machine, deposit and lay their several threads upon the needles; the remainder of the thread-carriers, being those which carry those particular threads which are not required for the formation of the fabric during the next operation of the machine, will be down, and consequently not in operation. It will thus be seen, that the rise and action of any one or more of the thread-carriers for the purpose of incorporating the respective threads thereof in the fabric necessary to produce the pattern or design thereon, will be dependent upon the action of the jacquard apparatus, with which the several thread-carriers are in connection, by means of cords attached to the threadcarriers and communicating with the jacquard apparatus. Secondly, in so constructing and arranging the needles and their connected apparatus that they also shall be acted upon and governed in their movements by means of the jacquard apparatus, with which they also are in connection, the several needles are thrown in or out of operation by the jacquard apparatus as required for the production of a fabric of particular design or pattern, in manner similar to that appertaining to the movements of the thread-carriers, as before described. The third improvement consists in arranging the jacks and their leads in such manner that they also shall be connected with the jacquard apparatus, and governed, in respect of their being severally in or out of operation, by the action of such jacquard apparatus, for the purpose of producing figured or ornamental fabrics, and in manner as before described with respect to the thread-carriers. The jacquard apparatus made use of by the patentee, is of the usual construction, and therefore too well known to require minute description here; it consists, as is usually the case, of cards or plates, having either perforations in them or projections upon the surface, of a certain pattern or design, to produce through the apparatus employed, a similar pattern or design upon the fabric manufactured. The annexed engravings represent the patentee's improvements as applied to a stocking-frame. Fig. 1, being that part in elevation where the fabric is formed, showing the threadcarriers, the needles, and the jacks and their leads. Fig. 2, being the portion of the machine (a transverse section of the frame) representing the several cams, levers, and boxes for giving the proper movement to the thread-carriers across the fabric in the machine; and fig. 3, a side view of one of the levers for giving motion to the upper of the thread-carriers, showing the mode of giving that lever a lead. A,A, fig. 1, the needles upon the bar, B; to each of these needles is attached a cord, A', communicating separately with the jacquard apparatus, for the purpose of raising any particular needles out of operation when required; these cords, from the needles, pass to any convenient part of the frame, and then partially around small friction-pulleys, and are guided upwards through a perforated board, placed above the machine to the jacquard apparatus; through this perforated board are also carried the cords, D", which communicate between the jacks, D, and the jacquard apparatus, one cord being attached to each jack; the number of needles, A,A, as also the number of jacks and jack leads in the machine being, as usual, governed by the nature of the fabric to be manufactured, while the number in action at each operation of the machine will be dependent upon the action of the apparatus represented in fig. 2, to be hereafter described; D', the jack leads, E,E',E", are the thread-carriers; although the patentee has described and represented the arrangement as consisting of three threads, yet he does not confine the improvement to this number, as more or less may be employed as desired; three, however, being the number he employs, as applied to the stocking-frame, for manufacturing stockings; the thread-carrier, E, carrying the thread employed in forming the foot, as well as the leg of the stocking; the two others, E', and, E, carrying the threads forming respectively the two sides of the heel; the tails of the threadcarrier levers are formed with a forked end, within which are studs or bars attached to the thread-carrier frame, F; these studs or bars limit the extent of vertical motion of the thread-carriers ; H,H,H, are helical springs, attached by means of cords to the thread-carrier levers, E,E',E", the other ends being attached to some convenient fixed part of the frame of the machine; these springs, H,H,H, are for the purpose of drawing and retaining down the thread - carriers, whenever they cease to be acted upon by the jacquard apparatus; I,I,I, are three cords attached respectively one end thereof to the tails of the threadFig. 1. |