spliced in this manner will sometimes last longer than a new one, as it is more flexible.

When the head of the wedge bolt is not a good fit in the wedge, so that the wedge can work up and stick or work down and pound, in case there are two bolts to each wedge, set it up where it belongs with one bolt and then pull the other one down to hold it there, so the wedge cannot work either way. If there is only one bolt-like the Baldwins-after putting the wedge up properly, block it at the bottom end with a nut, if of the right size; or with a piece of hardwood, cut off the right length to go between the bottom of wedge and binder. A piece sawed off an old coal pick handle does as well; there is room for it between the jaw and the bolt, so that it won't work out. The bolt should then be set to hold the wedge down solid on the block.

Steel boxes wear out and cut the cast iron wedges much faster than iron ones do. They are apt to stick with very little provocation. The steel boxes require more oil to keep them from cutting any other rubbing surface that comes against them.

A brass liner on the faces of shoes and wedges makes a good job and wears smooth, which cast iron against a steel box will not do. Therefore, you cannot wear cast iron wedges as snug a fit against steel boxes as against cast iron or brass boxes.

The engines built by William Mason had two shoes, one on each side of the box, and inside of one shoe was the wedge; so that the shoe did not move up or down. The wedge was moved up and down by a bolt which was tapped up into the bottom end of the wedge.

This wedge bolt had a collar about in the middle, which rested on the binder. The lower part of the bolt came down through the binder. It had jam nuts to hold it when set, and a square head so it could be turned from below. To move the wedge up, the bolt was turned to screw the bolt out of the wedge. As the collar kept the bolt from coming down, the wedge had to go up. The wedge and all of the bolt above the binder being hidden by the shoe outside of it, made this arrangement a puzzle till a man saw one taken down.

A good many of the old country locomotives do not have any wedges. The jaws are parallel. Lost motion is taken up by slipping a liner of the proper thickness between the shoe and the jaw. Some companies have tried the same plan in the United States, but it does not give as good results as our plan of a wedge on one side. Possibly the fact that they are experimented with on heavy passenger engines, which, of all others, need the most delicate adjustment for lost motion at their boxes, has had something to do with their failure. Had this solid fixed wedge been tried on switch engines first, so that the machinists who make them, and repairmen who are expected to keep them in order, could catch on to the troubles with their operation and learn the best methods of caring for them, possibly we would hear less of their failure.

Wedges are not a new invention. The writer ran some years ago a Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor engine that had two wedges for each driving box. This engine was at one time on the New York Central, then came to the Detroit & Milwaukee. Previous to 1854 she was named the "Empire."

than has ever been obtained from any turbine of similar size and speed.

The governor weights and spring are attached as a unit with the rotor, as shown in Fig. 4. The governor is of a special tension spring type and operates the valve by means of two levers. The tension of the spring is set for the required speed (2,800 R. P. M.), and should it be necessary to change the speed it may be accomplished by the two adjusting screws, 617, located on the face of wheel. The speed is increased or decreased by turning these screws to the right or left. To increase the speed 100 revolutions per minute, turn each screw one-half turn to the right, and to decrease the speed a like amount, turn each screw one-half turn to the left. The governor is very sensitive and gives a regulation within 3 per cent.

Fig. 5 shows the governor valve with seat assembled in the valve cage. The valve cage is mounted in the top of the main turbine casting and is held in place by the valve seat, which screws down on top of the valve cage. The valve cage

and the position of the valve cage within the main turbine casting must be such that the port holes will register with the -inch steam inlet hole in turbine casting. Should the valve cage be inserted with the blank side covering the steam inlet, steam could not pass through to the nozzle and wheel. For close regulation the valve travel, or the opening between valve and valve seat, should not exceed

in Valve Cage

4. Lubrication.-The only lubrication necessary is at the two bearings. This is accomplished by means of two oil cups in which a heavy oil such as valve oil should be used. One filling of the oil cup on dynamo end should run the equipment for several months. If, however, too much oil is applied to this bearing it

1/16-inch. The adjustment is made by means of the two nuts, 615 and 618, on bottom end of valve stem. The valve and cage may be withdrawn for adjustment of the valve by unscrewing the cap, 613, removing the strainer, 612, and screwing an ordinary ğ-inch bolt into the threaded hole in top of valve cage, 611. This adjustment, however, only regulates the speed at no load, or, in other words, with arc lamp not burning. The adjusting screws, 617, located on the outer face of turbine wheel must be used for all speed adjustment.

3. The Shaft and Bearings.-The shaft, Fig. 6, is made from a high grade carbon steel and accurately ground to

will overflow through a small hole located in one side of the main turbine casting. This hole indicates the correct oil level, and sufficient oil should be applied to bring the oil level up to this point. The oil cup on turbine end should be filled each trip, and to insure regular lubrication the oil cups should be examined each trip. No internal lubrication is required. In case the equipment should be taken out of service for a considerable length of time, one-half pint of ordinary engine oil should be introduced into the exhaust opening and the shaft revolved a few times by hand. In this way the oil will be distributed. and corrosion of the parts prevented.