Davenport Fixed Frame Components

The oil tight and dust proof gear case housed two spur gears which ran in a bath of oil. It was located between and just behind the rear drivers. An excerpt from one of the company's marketing brochures best describes this unique gearing and its perceived advantages:

"The power is applied through main rods to a crank shaft carrying a pinion which meshes with and drives a large gear on the rear driving wheel axle.

A one-piece steel housing carries the bronze bearing for crank shaft and forms the journal boxes for the rear driving wheel axle. A loose ball-and-socket bearing, at the apex of the housing, holds it in line both vertically and laterally, while allowing the journal boxes of the driving wheels entire freedom to move vertically in the forks of locomotive frames. The gears are thus held in positive alignment and mesh as the driving wheels follow the irregularities of track.

Power is transmitted to the forward drivers through ordinary side rods, the locomotive thus being driven from all wheels and utilizing for traction the entire weight of the locomotive.

Both gears are steel spur gears with extra heavy cut teeth, and a gear ratio of 2 to 1 in an oil-tight gear case, eliminating noise and wear on gear teeth."²⁸⁰d^d

>The first models produced utilized a single speed gearbox. In late 1923, a model utilizing a two speed gearbox was produced. It was hoped the new offering would provide the power advantages of a geared locomotive and allow some increased speed. ^240d The two speed gear box offered two speeds forward and two speeds in reverse to the engineer via a power gear shift.

A unique feature on some of the fixed frame models was the water tank. It was mounted between the frames and below the boiler (outlined in yellow in photos above). The intent was to provide a lower center of gravity. For more capacity, additional side tanks were available as an option. The fill pipe on these "below boiler" tank models was located either below the smoke box door (left photo) or on the right side of the locomotive just behind the pilot beam (right photo). As noted on the Johannesburg Manufacturing #1 locomotive, a more conventional saddle water tank arrangement was also available.