Abstract

The condition of steam supply for the locomotive in motion greatly differs from that of the general case, in which ordinary steam engines are employed as generative machines. During the running of locomotive, steam force is applied for 60 to 70 per cent. of the time in operation, while for the remaining 30 to 40 per cent. practically no steam is used, the motion being merely continued by inertia of the running train and availing of gradients of lines, in other words ; the steam supplying condition being usually intermittent, will make, as a rule, the charge of boiler variable according to the time of re-feeding of boiler water. With system of feed-water heating arrangements in locomotive in general use, the feed of hot-water is only possible while the locomotive is running with throttle opened and thereby the boiler is forced very heavy which consequence being to lewor its efficiency, and thus the gain from the hot feed is canceled to some extent, by reducing the boiler efficiency. Now, according to my system, it is possible to feed hot water during the whole course of running either with or without throttle opened by providing with the auxiliary hot water tanks, and thus we can get the combined advantageous effects of the hot feed and improving the boiler efficiency at the same time.