A Catechism of the Steam Engine

by C. E. John Bourne

512. Q.--Is any provision made for keeping the connecting rod always of the same length?

A.--In every kind of locomotive it is very desirable that the length of the connecting rod should remain invariable, in spite of the wear of the brasses, for there is a danger of the piston striking against the cover of the cylinder if it be shortened, as the clearance is left as small as possible in order to economize steam. In some engines the strap encircling the crank pin is fixed immovably to the connecting rod by dovetailed keys, and a bolt passes through the keys, rod, and strap, to prevent the dovetailed keys from working out. The brass is tightened by a gib and cutter, which is kept from working loose by three pinching screws and a cross pin or cutter through the point. The effect of this arrangement is to lengthen the rod, but at the cross head end of the rod the elongation is neutralized by making the strap loose, so that in tightening the brass the rod is shortened by an amount equal to its elongation at the crank pin end. The tightening here is also effected by a gib and cutter, which is kept from working loose by two pinching screws pressing on the side of the cutter. Both journals of the connecting rod are furnished with oil cups, having a small tube in the centre with siphon wicks. The connecting rod is a thick flat bar, with its edges rounded.

513. Q.--How is the cranked axle of locomotives constructed?

A.--The cranked axle of locomotives is always made of wrought iron, with two cranks forged upon it toward the middle of its length, at a distance from each other answerable to the distance between the cylinders. Bosses are made on the axle for the wheels to be keyed upon, and bearings for the support of the framing. The axle is usually forged in two pieces, which are afterward welded together. Sometimes the pieces for the cranks are put on separately, but the cranks so made are liable to give way. In engines with outside cylinders the axles are made straight-the crank pins being inserted in the naves of the wheels. The bearings to which the connecting rods are attached are made with very large fillets in the corners, so as to strengthen the axle in that part, and to obviate side play in the connecting rod. In engines which, have been in use for some time, however, there is generally a good deal of end play in the bearings of the axles themselves, and this slackness contributes to make the oscillation of the engine more violent; but this evil may be remedied by making the bearings spheroidal, whereby end play becomes impossible.

514. Q.--How are the bearings of the axles arranged?

A.--The axles bear only against the top of the axle boxes, which are generally of brass; but a plate extends underneath the bearing, to prevent sand from being thrown upon it. The upper part of the box in most engines has a reservoir of oil, which is supplied to the journal by tubes with siphon wicks. Stephenson uses cast iron axle boxes with brasses, and grease instead of oil; and the grease is fed upon the journal by the heat of the bearing melting it, whereby it is made to flow down through a hole in the brass. Any engines constructed with outside bearings have inside bearings also, which are supported by longitudinal bars, which serve also in some cases to support the piston guides; these bearings are sometimes made so as not to touch the shafts unless they break.

515. Q.--How are the eccentrics of a locomotive constructed?

A.--In locomotives the body of the eccentric is of cast iron, in inside cylinder engines the eccentrics are set on the axle between the cranks, and they are put on in two pieces held together by bolts; but in straight axle engines the eccentrics are cast in a piece, and are secured on the shaft by means of a key. The eccentric, when in two pieces, is retained at its proper angle on the shaft by a pinching screw, which is provided with a jam nut to prevent it from working loose. A piece is left out of the eccentric in casting it to allow of the screw being inserted, and the void is afterward filled by inserting a dovetailed piece of metal. Stephenson and Hawthorn leave holes in their eccentrics on each side of the central arm, and they apply pinching screws in each of these holes. The method of fixing the eccentric to the shaft by a pinching screw is scarcely sufficiently substantial; and cases are perpetually occurring, when this method of attachment is adopted, of eccentrics shifting from their place. In the modern engines the eccentrics are forged on the axles.

516. Q.--How are the eccentric straps constructed?

A.--The eccentric hoops are generally of wrought iron, as brass hoops are found liable to break. When formed of malleable iron, one half of the strap is forged with the rod, the other half being secured to it by bolts, nuts, and jam nuts. Pieces of brass are, in some cases, pinned within the malleable iron hoop; but it appears to be preferable to put brasses within the hoop to encircle the eccentric, as in the case of any other bearing. When the brass straps are used, the lugs have generally nuts on both sides, so that the length of the eccentric rod may be adjusted by their means to the proper length; but it is better for the lugs of the hoops to abut against the necks of the screws, and, if any adjustment be necessary from the wear of the straps, washers can be interposed. In some engines the adjustment is effected by screwing the valve rod, and the cross head through which it passes has a nut on either side of it, by which its position upon the valve rod is determined.