IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE TRACTION ENGINES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Giles, of Cannon Street, London, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE TRACTION ENGINES."
Sealed the 22nd June 1860, and dated the 23rd December 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Giles at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd December
1859.
I, JOHN GILES, of Cannon Street, London, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE TRACTION ENGINES,"
to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in the embodiment of the principles of animal
tractive efficiency in a locomotive engine, the motive power of which may be
steam or any other suitable agency. Locomotive engines hitherto constructed
or devised for the purpose of applying these principles to locomotive traction
have had their power made available through the agency of two or more
levers (jointed or otherwise), which representing the legs of an animal, and
furnished with extremities representing feet, operate alternately on the ground
over which the engine travels, imitating the pedal motions of an animal.
Now, these improvements consist in a method by by which the principles of
pedal traction are rendered effective in a wheeled' engine without the aid of
the aforesaid propellors or levers.
The chief feature in these improvements consists in the embodiment of the
principle of animal traction in conjunction with a constant rotatory motion, and
by which the periphery of one or more wheels is made to manifest at its point

page_text: of contact with the surface on which it travels a tractive adhesion equal to
and based upon the same principle as that of the foot of the quadruped when
employed as a tractive agent.
The following is the mode of attaining the above result:-At each side of
the engine or boiler is fixed a stud, pivot, or other similar apparatus, upon
which works a lever or flat bar; the stud is fixed at a point on the engine
forward of the driving wheel, and the lever or bar is in an inclined or slanting
position passing backwards to the driving wheel, the axle of which passes
through the other extremity of the lever, which is thus made to serve as a
bearing. Between the driving axle and the engine is introduced a spring for
the purpose of rendering the movement of the engine easy and free from
jolting. A similar arrangement may be made with two or more levers at
each side of the engine similar to the above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Giles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GILES, of Cannon Street, Loudon, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Giles, Her special licence that I, the said John Giles,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said John
Giles, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel,
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE
TRACTION ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Giles, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Leiters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Giles, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
These improvements consist in the embodiment of the principles of animal
tractive efficiency in a locomotive engine, the motive power of which may
be steam or any other suitable agency. Locomotive engines hitherto con-
structed or devised for the purpose of applying these principles to locomotivo
traction have had their power made available through the agency of two or
more levers (jointed or otherwise), which representing the legs of an animal,"
and furnished with extremities representing feet, operate alternately on the
ground over which the engine travels, imitating the pedal motions of an
animal. Now, these improvements consist in a method by which the prin-
ciples of pedal traction are rendered effective in a wheeled engine without the
aid of the aforesaid propellors or levers.
The chief feature in these improvements consists in the embodiment of the
principle of animal traction in conjunction with a constant rotatory motion,
and by which the periphery of one or more wheels is made to manifest at its
point of contact with the surface on which it travels a tractive adhesion equal
to and based upon the same principle as that of the foot of the quadruped
when employed as a tractive agent.
The following is the mode of obtaining the above result. At each side of
the engine or boiler is fixed a stud; pivot, or other similar apparatus upon
which works a lever or flat bar. The stud is fixed at a point on the engine
forward of the axis of the drawing wheel, and the lever or bar is in an inclined
or slanting position passing backwards to the driving wheel, the axle of which
passes through the other extremity of the lever, which is thus made to serve
as a bearing. Between the driving axle and the engine is introduced a spring
for the purpose of rendering the movement of the engine easy and free from
jolting. A similar arrangement may be made with two or more levers at each
side of the engine similar to the above described.
.
And that the Invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe
the Drawings accompanying and forming part of this Specification in which
the same letters of reference indicate like parts.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a view of the inner side of the frame, or that next to the engine,
and represents the mode of construction when the driving spur is placed at
a point on the engine sufficiently near to the axle of the driving wheel to gear

page_text: into the annular toothed wheel which communicates rotation to the driving
wheel. Fig. 2 is a view of the inner side of the frame, or that next to the
engine, and represents the mode of construction when the driving spur is
placed beyond the circumference of the driving wheel, or when the former does
not connect directly with the latter. Fig. 3 is a ground plan of Fig. 1, and
4, a ground plan of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is an outside view of the apparatus as
shewn in Fig. 1, the driving wheel and spur being removed.
The Drawings
illustrate the mode of construction of each of the driving wheels and its
apparatus, the number of wheels and other apparatus to each engine being left
optional.
The frame of the wheel A is constructed of wood or of iron, or of both,
the requirements of its construction being strength of spoke, lightness and
elasticity; it is furnished with a metal tyer B roughed or indented to facilitate
adhesion to the surface over which it travels and of sufficient width and
diameter to promote easy locomotion on an impressible surface; the annular
toothed circumference D is of iron, or of other metal, and may be manufac-
tured in one piece or in segments; the teeth may be placed on the inner or on
the outer circumference; in the former case the driving spur is placed between
the toothed rim D and the axle of the driving wheel C, and in the latter in the
position described in Fig. 1, when a shackle chain K is used to communicate
rotation to the driving wheel; the teeth on the rim D are suitably constructed
for that purpose; this annular toothed wheel is firmly secured by bolts to
the frame of the driving wheel.
The connecting lever or link E is a wood or iron bar furnished with a
bearing at each end through ono of which passes the axle of the driving wheel,
while the other is secured to the spindle of the driving spur, keeping the two
wheels D and F in gear; its length is varied according to the distance between
the axles of these two wheels. The driving spur F is a small toothed wheel
secured to the end of the spindle G; it communicates motion to the driving
wheel, either directly, as in Fig. 1, or by the aid of a shackle chain, as in
Fig. 2. The spindle G is provided with a clutch, so that it can be thrown in
and out of gear with the motive power; this is to facilitate turning the engine,
it being necessary in a short turn to liberate one wheel from the influence of
the driving power. On each side of the engine is placed a slide or guide
I fixed to the frame of the engine, through which the connecting lever or
link E passes, the purpose of which is to keep the upper portion of the engine
when subjected to a side inclination from swaying on the axle, and to prevent
the bearings of the lever E, from strain; the slide is of sufficient length to
allow the lever an up and down play of at least six inches at that extremity

page_text: which secures the axle of the driving wheel. A spring I may be placed
between the axle C of the driving wheel and the weight of the engine, and is
secured to the framework of the engine, but not necessarily to the axle, or
vice versa. K is a shackle chain which is used to give motion from the
driving spur to the driving wheel when that is not effected by direct
communication. L is a break wheel, which is keyed on to the spindle
of the driving spur, and to which pressure is applied by a break when the
speed of the engine is to be checked; the spindle G rotates in suitable bearings
fixed to the framework of the engine.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the Invention and
the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I would have it under-
stood, that the limits of the claims of this Patent are comprised within that
space terminated at one extremity by the axle or spindle of the driving spur,
and at the other extremity by the circumference of the driving wheel, and
embrace those and all the intermediate agencies by which the motive power
of the steam communicated to the axle of the driving spur is developed into
a tractive force expressed at the circumference of the driving wheel.
All other parts (beyond those here described) necessary to the complete
construction of a traction engine are identical with those already known in
use, or to be discovered, and no especial arrangement of the parts is claimed
in this Patent. What I claim more particularly is, the embodiment of the
principle of animal traction in conjunction with a constant rotatory motion as
applied to locomotive engines, substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Giles, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
JOSEPH WILLCOCK,
Patent Agent & Consulting Engineer,
89, Chancery Lane, London.
(L.S.) JOHN GILES.