Impulsoria
Encyclopedia
The Impulsoria was a locomotive
constructed in 1850 that was powered by horses on a treadmill following a design by Clemente Masserano. The locomotive undertook trials in London in 1850 and was exhibited at The Great Exhibition
in 1851.
of the South Western Railway line in London where it successfully completed a hill climb. The trials were supported by the directors of the South Western Railway
and assisted by their Chief Engineer John Gooch
. The device was said to be much cheaper to run than a steam locomotive. The device allowed a steam locomotive to be replaced by this vehicle, which used the power of two or four horses that had to walk up a treadmill. The treadmill was called a pedivella by Masserano. The power was transferred to the wheels by chains and a gearbox that allowed it to climb. It was said to be able to pull 30 wagons up an incline and could be used with two or four horses.
The gear box allowed the horses to always walk at their best speed whilst the vehicle could then have a range of speeds and torques. Because of the gears, the top speed was not limited to the top speed of the horses. The gearbox allowed the horses to drive the vehicle in forward as well as reverse directions, and it was also possible to disengage the drive so that the vehicle could stop whilst the horses continued to walk up the treadmill. The vehicle travelled at 7 miles an hour during the trials, but it was thought that a final version would reach 15 to 20 miles per hour and would outrun a steam engine.
, improved the design of this unusual device (and later took out patents in 1852). Following his improvements Crestadoro exhibited it at The Great Exhibition
held in the Crystal Palace
in 1851. After this date Crestadoro took an interest in bibliography and became a librarian in Manchester. The final tale of Impulsoria may be in Germany where a device of that name was exhibited in 1853. This device was said to be the property of a person named Steinheil.
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
constructed in 1850 that was powered by horses on a treadmill following a design by Clemente Masserano. The locomotive undertook trials in London in 1850 and was exhibited at The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October...
in 1851.
Description
The invention of a successful mobile treadmill powered locomotive was made by Clemente Masserano from Pignerol in Italy. The idea was not new, but previous attempts in England, France and Spain had been unsuccessful. Using Messano's designs it was built in Italy and transported to England. A syndicate was formed and it was trialled at the Nine Elms terminusNine Elms railway station
Nine Elms Railway Station in the London district of Battersea was opened on 21 May 1838 as the London terminus of the London & Southampton Railway which on the same day became the London and South Western Railway. The building in the neo-classical style was designed by Sir William Tite...
of the South Western Railway line in London where it successfully completed a hill climb. The trials were supported by the directors of the South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
and assisted by their Chief Engineer John Gooch
John Viret Gooch
John Viret Gooch was the locomotive superintendent of the London and South Western Railway from 1841 to 1850. He was the brother of Sir Daniel Gooch, 1st Baronet , who was the first Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Western Railway from 1837 to 1864 and its Chairman from 1865 to...
. The device was said to be much cheaper to run than a steam locomotive. The device allowed a steam locomotive to be replaced by this vehicle, which used the power of two or four horses that had to walk up a treadmill. The treadmill was called a pedivella by Masserano. The power was transferred to the wheels by chains and a gearbox that allowed it to climb. It was said to be able to pull 30 wagons up an incline and could be used with two or four horses.
The gear box allowed the horses to always walk at their best speed whilst the vehicle could then have a range of speeds and torques. Because of the gears, the top speed was not limited to the top speed of the horses. The gearbox allowed the horses to drive the vehicle in forward as well as reverse directions, and it was also possible to disengage the drive so that the vehicle could stop whilst the horses continued to walk up the treadmill. The vehicle travelled at 7 miles an hour during the trials, but it was thought that a final version would reach 15 to 20 miles per hour and would outrun a steam engine.
Cost and efficiency
The efficiency of the device was compared favourably with existing steam locomotives, which were thought to waste too much energy. The cost of operating the Impulsoria was estimated at two shillings per day per horse. During that eight-hour day it was estimated that the horses could propel Impulsoria eight times over a thirty-mile route.Exhibition
An Italian Professor of Philosophy, Dr Andrea CrestadoroAndrea Crestadoro
Dr. Andrea Crestadoro was a bibliographer who became Chief Librarian of Manchester Free Library, 1864–1879. He is credited with being the first person to propose that books could be catalogued by using keywords that did not occur in the title of the book...
, improved the design of this unusual device (and later took out patents in 1852). Following his improvements Crestadoro exhibited it at The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations or The Great Exhibition, sometimes referred to as the Crystal Palace Exhibition in reference to the temporary structure in which it was held, was an international exhibition that took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October...
held in the Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace was a cast-iron and glass building originally erected in Hyde Park, London, England, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. More than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in the Palace's of exhibition space to display examples of the latest technology developed in...
in 1851. After this date Crestadoro took an interest in bibliography and became a librarian in Manchester. The final tale of Impulsoria may be in Germany where a device of that name was exhibited in 1853. This device was said to be the property of a person named Steinheil.