Scientific American Supplement, No. 458, October 11, 1884Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 458, October 11, 1884
Various
Science -- Periodicals
At the point, f, in
this rod another lever, g, is connected to it, the upper end of which is
coupled to the valve rod, h, at i, and just below this point a second
connection is made to a block at j, sliding in a short curved piece, k.
The inclination of the block, k, governs the travel of the valve. The
total weight of the engine in working order is: On the leading wheels, 10
tons 8 cwt.; front drivers, 14 tons 4 cwt.; rear drivers, 13 tons 10 cwt.;
total, 37.75 tons. The tender weighs 25 tons in full working order. The
boiler pressure is 150 lb., and the usual point of cut-off in the high
pressure cylinders, when running at speed, is half-stroke, while the
pressure of steam admitted to the large cylinder is never to exceed 75 lb.
per square inch. The average consumption of coal between London and Crewe
is 26.6 lb. per train mile, or about 8 lb. per mile less than the standard
coupled engine. In an experiment made in October, 1883, one of these
engines took the Scotch express from Euston to Carlisle at an average
speed, between stations, of 44 miles an hour, the engine, tender, and
train weighing 230 tons, with a consumption of 29½ lb. of coal per mile,
and an evaporation of 8.5 lb. of water per pound of fuel.
Mr. Webb's object, in designing this engine was to secure in the first
place a greater economy of fuel, and secondly, to do away with coupling
rods, while at the same time obtaining greater adhesion, with the freedom
of a single engine. The cost is much more than an ordinary locomotive, but
the saving in fuel is said to be 20 per cent. over the other engines of
the North Western Rail way. These engines run very sweetly, and are said
to steam freely, although with only half the usual number of blasts; but
from the small size of the high pressure cylinders, they are liable to
slip when starting heavy trains, as the low pressure cylinders are not
then effective, while the consumption of coal does not seem to show the
saving that would have been expected, when compared with ordinary engines
doing similar duty on other lines; for instance, the Great Northern single
engine takes trains of the same weight with the same consumption of coal
and at a somewhat higher speed. But it must, of course, be borne in mind
in making such a comparison, that the fuel used may not be of the same
quality.
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