page_title: Climax locomotive
section_title: Gilbert patent
hierarchical_section_title: Climax locomotive / Invention and production / Gilbert patent
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Drehgestell einer Waldbahnlokomotive nach dem Patent von George D.Gilbert gebaut von der Dunkirk Engineering Company in Dunkirk im Bundesstaat New York. Es ist deutlich das Achsdifferential zu erkennen, sowie die Räder, die für den Betrieb auf einfachsten Holzschienen ausgelegt sind.
context_page_description: A Climax locomotive is a type of geared steam locomotive in which the two steam cylinders are attached to a transmission located under the center of the boiler. This transmits power to driveshafts running to the front and rear trucks.
context_section_description: Gilbert's patent specified an upright maritime-type two-cylinder steam engine, a 2-speed transmission and a drivetrain in the underframe passing just above the axle centers. The patented differential for transferring the power from the drive shaft to the wheels was only used in the first Climax locomotives. In a similar way to that used in an automobile, the force was transferred to the two wheels of an axle separately, with one wheel being firmly connected to the wheelset shaft and the other wheel being able to rotate loosely on a sleeve around the shaft. The idea of the differential transmissions was to reduce resistance on tight bends by allowing one wheel to turn with fewer revolutions than the one at the other end of the axle. The design did not prove workable, because when driving at the adhesion limit, less tractive effort could be exerted compared to locomotives with rigid wheelsets.
caption: Truck with differential as proposed by Gilbert, which was only used on the first Climax locomotives
exif: {}