The Locomotive Of Today

The Engine : Connecting Rod Ends, Slide Valves. 81 held by a tightly-fitting taper bolt locked by two nuts and a small key below. The brasses, in two halves as before, are held together by a long taper rotter and push-plate, Babbitt metal being- provided as in the previous examples. The oil cup is forged on solid. The small end is of the solid eye type fitted with gun metal bush, which is turned to a taper, and pressed tightly into place, no key being used. A forked small end is shown at G, which differs from that at C in having a gudgeon pin forming part of the small end, instead of part of the crosshead as is usual. It fits into a taper in each cheek of the rod end, and is prevented from revolving by a small key with a projection on it fitting into a hole in the pin to prevent the key from working out. The other end of it is provided with a thread for a nut, and hole for a small split pin. The crosshead in this case is bushed. with softer metal than this pin, to be easily renewed when worn. Interesting modifications of all the above-mentioned types may be met with, as well as a large number of different con- struction, the majority, however, have no means of taking- up the wear of the small end, it being consiclered unnecessary, although nearly all provide facilities for adjustment at the big end, as a bad knock there is very detrimental to the life of the engine. All the long cotters provided for taking up wear should have a recess cut in the sides where the set screws press, about of an inch deep ; this is usually cut by a slot drilling machine and prevents “burring” by the set screws. The admission of steam to the cylinders on either side of the piston and the discharge of the exhaust steam from the opposite end is controlled by means of a slide valve moving over the face of ports in the steam chest, alternately opening and closing them to steam or exhaust. At A, Fig. 17, is shown an ordinary slide valve in section and plan. It consists of a rectangular casting, either in hard gunmetal or iron, with a cavity under a raised central portion and flanges on either side to cover the ports against steam as it passes backwards and forwards over them. Bridges or ribs are cast across the cavity of the valve, both inside and out, to strengthen it, and sometimes holes are drilled in the back of the flanges down to a depth equal to the scrapping thickness of the valve, so that when steam blows through, the driver is warned by the sound that the flanges are thin, and the valves require renewing-. The valve is encircled by a buckle formed in one with the valve spindle; this latter passes through a stuffing box, and has means by which it can be attachecl to the moving power 6