US1734508A - Articulated locomotive - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 5, 1929. R. H. WHITELEGG ARTICULATED LOCOMOTIVE Filed June 28 1928 Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES ROBERT HAIR-BEN VIHITELEGG, DISLEY, ENGLAND ARTICULATED LOCOMOTIVE Application filed .Tune 28, 1928, Serial No. 288,870, and in Great Britain December 29 1927.

This invention relates to articulated locomotives having water or fuel tanks or both carried upon the power driven units in front of and/or behind the boiler.

Articulated locomotives of the above gcneral character as at present constructed suffer from the fact that accessibility to the elements between the side plates of the framework and the removal of tubes from the adja cent boiler for purposes of repair or replace ment necessitates the removal of the tanks bodily from the frame. To meet the latter difficulty it has hitherto been the practice to provide a recess in the end of the tank adjacent to the smokebox but such recess does not allow removal of all tubes, moreover the space occupied by such recess is valuable for water or fuel capacity.

It frequently happens moreover, with this expedient, that a recess large enough to withdraw the tubes from the boiler cannot be provided, and in such case as before mentioned it has been necessary to. remove the tank bodily from the locomotive, a process involving considerable work and the neces sity for the use of a crane to lift the tank.

The present invention has for its general object to meet this difficulty of inaccessibility without necessitating disconnection of the tanks from the locomotive frame and the invention consists broadly in so mounting and arranging the tanks as to give or permit easy accessibility. One feature of the invention consists in rendering the tanks movable away from the normal position sufficiently to permit withdrawal of the boiler tubes by mechanism forming an integral part of the locomotive and without any actual disconnection of the tanks from the locomotive frame and a further feature of the invention consists in raising the tanks and supporting them above the plate frames instead of letting their bottoms rest upon the side frames as is the usual practice with articulated engines having plate frames and in which cases it is practically impossible to obtain access to the pipes situated between the side frames without first removing the tanks or placing the locomotive over a pit. Removal of the tanks involves a considerable amount of work and the use ofa' crane, which is not always convenient unilst pits to give access to the underside of the locomotive are not always available. Moreover as the pipes are usually situated above the axles of the locomotives even the use of a pit does not give easy access.

Articulated locomotives according to the invention are illustrated diagrammatically by the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a general view of an articulated locomotive of one form shown in two parts for convenience, and Figure 2 is a similar view of a modified locomotive constructed according to the invention.

In these drawings 2 is the boiler unit of a locomotive having a frame 3 connected by articulated joints 3 and 3 to engine units 4 and 5 having frames 4 and 5.

I In Figure 1 the means for facilitating a'c cess to the pipes and elements under a tank shown as applied to the tank in the rear of the boiler consists in supporting the tank 6 on struts or rigid supports 7,8 and 9, th'ese struts "being secured to the tank 6 and the plate frames 5 and constructed to give sufficient space between them to provide ample facilities of access to the pipes and parts under the tank and between the side plate frame members.

As applied to the tank 10 at the front of the boiler the means for facilitating access to and removability of the tubes and parts under the tank 10 consist in mounting the tank on rollers 11, running on the frame 4, the

tank being moved from its normal position to 735 the position indicated by chain lines by means of a screw 12 running 111 bearings 1n the end member of the frame 4: and having a pro ectportion 12 for the application of a rotating handle or implement. The screw is provided with a nut 12 fixed to the under plate of the tank 10.

By rotating the screw 12 the tank can be drawn out to the extent indicated by the chain lines and so not only facilitates access to the same facilities are obtained by hinging the tank 13 at 14 so that it can be tilted to the position indicated by chain lines by means of a curved rack 15 fixed at its upper end to the underside of the tank and gearing with a pinion 16 of which the shaft is mounted in the fixed extension P of the frame, and is provided with a projection to facilitate the application of a handle or implement for rotating it to lift and lower the tank.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the invention obviates the necessity for a long re cess in the tank, or for removal of the tank from the locomotive by providing means whereby the tank may be easily moved from its normal position on the locomotive, to such an extent as to give the necessary facilities for removal of the boiler tubes or inspection of the pipes situated under the tank, between the engine frames.

In the normal position the tank will be rigidly secured to the framework or structure of the locomotive, but the structure of the tank and framework will be so made that it will be possible to move the tank on the locomotive without the necessity for the use of a crane or other appliance not carried as an integral part of the locomotive.

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is 1. Articulated locomotives of the type having a water or fuel tank located in front of the boiler smokebox, wherein said tank is movable upon, but without disconnection from, its supporting frame to give access to the boiler tubes.

2. Articulated locomotives of the type having a water or fuel tank placed in front of the smokebox, wherein the said tank is movable by means of mechanism carried by or upon the locomotive.

3. A locomotive in accordance with claim 1, wherein the tank is mounted on rollers on the'under frame and providedwith nut and screw mechanism for moving longitudinally along the frame.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT HARBEN WHITELEGG.

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