The Locomotive Of Today

The Engine : Mortons Gear, Reversing Lever. 111 rod has a boss formed on it about the middle of its length which carries a small crank with cheeks on either side; from these bearings project for tiis attachment of a, floating- lever, which has three other bearings upon it, for taking. the radius rod at the top, anchor links just below, and a combination link which connects it to a projecting arm from the crosshead, at the bottom. The slide bar bracket has bearings in projecting carners, to take the ends of the anchor links, thus compelling the floating lever to move at the point where the other ends of the anchor links are attached with this fixed centre as a pivot. The intermediate valve spindles are continued through their guides upon the slide bar bracket, and upon the crank axle side of the bracket they are formed into quadrant links, having the curvature struck from a top pin-hole of the floating lever, the radius of the quadrant link being made equal to the length radius rod, whicTi is couplecl at one end to the flocLting" lever, and. cmbrcicBS by el fork the block in tlie slot link, at the other end. this block is also couplecl by links to the arms of the reversing shaft, which, when given a partial revolution moves the block from top to bottom of ths Quadrant els required and reverses the engine from one gear to another, being in “ mid gear ” when in a central position. The valve motions described are provided with means for operation from the footplate, so that the driver can, at will, not only reverse the engine, but regulate the expansion of the steam admitted to the cylinders by adjusting the cut-off to any point of the stroke as the work to be done may require. The details of the appliances adopted for this purpose vary considerably, but it is uniformly situated upon the same side ■of the cab as it is customary to place the driver, and arranged for easy manipulation by him. Lig. 23 illustrates several arrangements. At A is shown a reversing- lever, having a handle and trigger at one end and working on a pin passin g through a plate and bracket at the other, the trigger is coupled to a rod passing down the lever to a catch sliding in a guide; when down this engages in slots or notches at the top of the plate, which is cut to a radius equal to the distance from the pivot of the lever; the notches are cut in separate sector plates set on each side of the lever, the catch being broad enough to engage both sectors, thus holding the lever firmly. When the catch is in the central notch the engine is out of gear, raising the catch by the trigger and pushing the lever over towards the front puts the motion into fore gear and pulling it back the reverse, the intermediate notches giving different