TIMOTHY HACKWORTH AND
THE LOCOMOTIVE
Robert Young
Published by
The Hackworth Society
In conjunction with
The Book Guild Ltd
Sussex, England
First Published 1923
This edition 2000
Published in Great
Britain by
Athaneaeum Press Ltd,
Gateshead
APPENDIX N.
TIMOTHY HACKWORTH'S INVENTIONS. (Page
375.)
(Abbreviated from a " brief "
prepared by the late John W. Hackworth.)
1. The
Test Carriage.-Constructed
in 1811 to determine the tractive force of plain wheels on smooth rails, and
after various experiments, the proportionate weight of machine and load to be
drawn was resolved.
2. Locomotive
with Two Cylinders.-Made
at Wylam in 1812 by Timothy Hackworth and Jonathan Foster.
This was on four wheels, but owing to its weight, often broke the light cast-iron
rails.
3. Locomotive
with Eight Wheels,
" Bogie Engine." To surmount the difficulties experienced with the previous
engine, in 1813, Hackworth constructed an eight wheeled engine, known as the
bogie or truck engine, which was in other respects similar to its predecessor,
having two cylinders and the exhaust steam discharging into the chimney.
Engines of these types, with but trifling alteration were used at Wylam up to
1862.
4. Side
Rods instead of Chains
were invented by Hackworth and first applied to the first locomotives made for
the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825.
5. Double
Acting Drums for Inclined Planes, 1826.These
superseded single drums, i.e., a horizontal shaft carrying two drums of
diameters proportioned to the respective lengths of the inclined planes. Thus
the gravity and momentum of the waggons descending one incline, assisted the
engine in hauling the ascending waggons up the other.
In 1827,
Hackworth built the " Royal George," which decided the question of
locomotive practicability, embodying the following inventions :
6. Improved
Single Return Fire Flue for
boiler containing double the heating surface of those previously in use.
7. The
Steam Blast which
increased the steam generative capabilities more than four fold.
8. Six
Wheels Coupled.
9. Spring
Mounted on Four Wheels.
10. Spring
Balance Beams.-The
original use of six coupled wheels, four of which were spring-mounted, the
springs being applied so as to perform the double functions of
"balance-bearns," and "bearing-springs." The novelty did
not consist alone in this two-fold use; no railway locomotive had been
spring-mounted before.
11. The
Original Disposal of the Steam Cylinder as now used in Locomotives.-The first example of placing the
cylinder central with the crank's journal and the centre of its orbit. This
direct action plan is now universally practised, to the exclusion of the two
former modes. Trevithick's, with the cylinder in the centre of the boiler, and
a crosshead stretching across to connect the power to cranks at opposite sides
of the engine; and Hackworth's plan at Wylam, known as the " grasshopper
" arrangement.
12. The
First Application of Springs, instead of Weights, to the Safety Valve.
13. Self-Lubricating
Bearings, with a depot
for oil.
14. The
Short Stroked Pump.
15. Exhaust
Steam Jet underneath the Fire grates.
16. Exhaust
Steam to Heat Feed Water.
Part of the exhaust steam used as a jet underneath the firegrates for
stimulating combustion, and part, for heating the feedwater in an iron cistern.
17. The
" Sanspareil " Locomotive
which competed at Rainhill in 1829.
The
"Globe " Locomotive,
containing the following novelties.
18. A New
Description of Boiler Flue,
with single fire-tube and radiating small tubes across the main flue.
19. Steam
Dome on Boiler for
obtaining dry steam.
20. Inside
Cylinders and Crank Axle.
21. Valve
Gear Reversed by Single Lever.
22. Original
Wrought Iron Girder Bridge,
a model designed with stone piers, spanned with wrought iron plate girders.
23. Original
Plan of Shipping Coals for Middlesbrough, 1830.
"Majestic"
Class of Locomotive, containing the following novelties, 1830.
24. Six-Wheeled
Coupled and Spring Mounted Throughout.
25. "Single
Multitubular Fire-Tube."
26. Crank
Shaft in Fixed Bearings without Wheels.
27. "Lap,"
in Slide Valves, for Working Expansively.
28. Original
Use of Two Feed Pumps.
"Wilberforce"
Class of Locomotive with:
29. Return
Mullitubular Fire Tube, 1830.
30. Double
Return or Triple Fire Tube.
31.
Relieving or Equilibrium Piston, 1833,
applied to the ordinary slide valve of powerful engines to simplify the
operations of, stopping, starting or reversing the engines.
32. "Trunk"
Engine. - The "
Trunk," or "RamÓ engine-commonly known as "Penn's Trunk Engine"_
was originated by Mr. Hackworth in 1835. He first applied it to an incline
engine, with a forty inch cylinder, and a thirty inch stroke. It was erected at
the top of "Black Boy " Incline, and was only taken down in 1874.
33. Double
Trunk Engine. -The
"Double TrunkÓ said to be a second invention of Mr. Penn - Mr. Hackworth
introduced into a locomotive he made for Russia in 1836.
34. Railway
Carriage and Locomotive Wheels .-
Mr. Hackworth invented sundry wheels both for carriages and locomotives.
35. Wheel
Tyres.-The wrought-iron
wheel tyre was Hackworth's invention.
36. Sledge
Brake for steep
gradients. The Sledgebrake, applied to passenger carriages running down steep
gradients, originated with Mr. Hackworth, and was applied in 1838.
The
locomotive " Sanspareil" No. 2 was built in 1849 with the following
novelties:
37. Welded
Boiler.
38. First
Outside Slab Frame in
one solid piece ot wrought iron.
39. Piston
and Rod in One Piece of
hammered scrap iron.
40. Passover
Slide Valve.