IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION OR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES FOR TRAVELLING ON COMMON ROADS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO STEAM ROLLERS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRACTION OR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES FOR TRAVELLING ON COMMON ROADS, ALSO
APPLICABLE TO STEAM ROLLERS communicated to him from Jules Emile
Eugène Pécourt a person resident at Paris in the Republic of France
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th July 1883.
•
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman " IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION OR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES FOR
TRAVELLING ON COMMON ROADS ALSO APPLICABLE TO STEAM ROLLERS A commu-
nication to me from Jules Emile Eugène Pécourt a person resident at Paris in
the Republic of France
This Invention relates to improvements in traction Engines or Locomotive
Engines for travelling on Common Roads and it consists in a combination of
arrangements hereinafter described whereby the improved Engine is enabled to
turn upon curves of extremely short radius without difficulty.
The improved Engine constructed according to this Invention is provided with
a steam pipe connected with two safety valves and communicating with a valve
worked by the driver-This valve serves to control the admission of Steam to a
bifurcated pipe leading to two independent Cylinders-The pistons in these
Cylinders impart motion to two corresponding cranks on the driving shaft which
is divided into two distinct parts loosely connected together at the middle by a
sleeve in such a manner that each part of the said shaft constitutes an independent
crank shaft free to rotate independently of the other part-Each of these crank
shafts is provided with a pinion or equivalent device by which motion is trans-
mitted to a corresponding travelling or propelling wheel and also carries a suitable
fly wheel and an excentric for the distribution connected with a hand wheel for
reversing the Engine as hereinafter described

page_text: The effect of this arrangement of the Crank shaft is that when the Engine is
caused to deviate froin a straight path by the action of the steering wheels that
one of the hind or driving wheels which is situated on the inner side of the curve
described by the Engine or forming the centre upon which the Engine turns either
rotates slowly relatively to the other or outer driving wheel or entirely ceases to
advance and the steam acting on the piston of the other wheel alone this latter
wheel rotates with comparative freedom and turns the Engine with ease and
rapidity
In order to turn the axle of the fore carriage for the purpose of steering; the
ring or support on the vertical axis of this axle is provided with a toothed wheel 1
driven by a pinion on a vertical shaft to which motion is imparted by means of a
hand wheel on a horizontal shaft provided with a bevel wheel in gear with a
corresponding wheel on the said vertical shaft.
The Engine is reversed by means of hand wheels connected to the excentrics on
the driving shaft A cylindrical ring having a seginent of one side removed is fixed
to and arranged between the eccentrics and the hand wheels so that a stud projecting
from the shaft plays in the recess formed by the removal of the said Segment or
portion of the ring. By turning the eccentric upon the shaft by means of the
hand wheel so as to bring one side or the other of the recess in contact with
the stud the action of the eccentric and consequently that of the Engine is
reversed⚫
It is evident that the arrangements herein before described are also applicable to
the construction of steam rollers

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Patent Office on the 26th January
1884.
"
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION OR LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES FOR
TRAVELLING ON COMMON ROADS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO STEAM ROLLERS a commu-
nication to me from Jules Emile Eugène Pécourt a person resident at Paris in the
Republic of France
This Invention relates to improvements in traction or locomotive engines for
travelling on common roads and in steam rollers and it consists in a combination
of arrangements hereinafter described whereby the improved engine is enabled to
turn very quickly or in curves of extremely short radius without difficulty. This
result is obtained First By means of an arrangement of the steering gear whereby
the axle of the fore wheels is enabled to be moved with facility in a horizontal
plane. Secondly: By constructing the driving or crank shaft which transmits
inotion to the hinder or propelling wheels in two independent lengths and driving
each of such lengths by means of independent pistons working in separate cylinders
as hereinafter explained.
And in order that tho said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the saine and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of referenco
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation partly in section of an
engine constructed or arranged according to this Invention. Figure 2 is a plan
(also partly in section) and Figure 3 is a front elevation of the same and Figures 4"
and 5 both drawn to a larger scale are respectively a side elevation and a vertical
section (taken along the line 1-2 figure 4) of a device for reversing the engino as
hereinafter described.
The ongine constructed according to this invention is provided with a steam pipe
or dome A having two safety valves A¹ A³ and communicating with a regulating
valve A³ worked by a lever B within reach of the driver. This valvo servos to
control the admission of steam to a bifurcated pipe D communicating with two
independent cylinders F F¹ through branch pipes E E¹. The rods of the pistons in
these cylinders impart motion to two cranks G G' on the driving shaft of the
engine which shaft is divided into two distinct parts Z Z¹ loosely coupled or
connected together at the middle by a aleeve or coupling H in such a manner that
each part Z Z practically constitutes an independent crank shaft free to rotate
independently of the other. Each of these crank shafts is provided with suitablo
means for transmitting motion to the travelling or driving wheels N such as
a pinion L gearing with and driving a toothed ring M on the adjacent travelling
or driving wheel and each shaft also carries a fly wheel O to facilitate the starting
of the engine. Each shaft is also provided with an eccentric P for operating the
distribution or slide valves each eccentric being provided with a device for reversing
the engine as hereinafter described.
When the engine is caused to deviate from a straight path by the action of the
steering wheels the hinder or driving wheel which is situated on the inner side of
the curve described by the engine advances more slowly than the wheel on the
outer side of the curve or when the engine turns on one wheel as a centro entirely
ceases to make any progress. In consequence of the arrangement of the crank
shaft herein before described the steam is enabled under these conditions to exert its

page_text: full power upon the piston which drives the said outer wheel so that the latter is
propelled at a higher speed than the inner wheel and enables the engine to be
turned or steered with ease and rapidity.
In order to turn the axle of the front or steering wheels Y Y for the purpose of
steering the engine the bearing ring or support on the vertical pivot of this axle is
provided with a toothed wheel a driven by a pinion b on a vertical shaft c to which
inotion is imparted by means of a hand wheel g on a horizontal shaft provided
with a bevel wheel e in gear with a corresponding wheel d on the shaft c so that
by turning the hand wheel g in one direction or the other the axle of the steering
wheels Y may be moved in a horizontal plane according to the direction in which
it is desired to travel.
The engine is reversed by means of a hand wheel R connected to the excentric P.
A cylindrical ring r (figures 4 and 5) having a segment of one side removed so as
to form a recess is fixed to and arranged between the excentric Pand the hand
wheel R so that a stud p projecting froin the shaft Z is capable of bearing against
either side of the recess 1. By turning this excentric P upon the shaft by means
of the hand wheel R so as to bring one side or the other of the recess ² in contact
with the stud p the valves may be shifted and the action of the excentrics
relatively to the cranks is reversed so as to cause the cranks to be driven in any
desired direction.
It is evident that the improved arrangements herein before described may be
applied with advantage in the construction of traction engines generally including
steam rollers.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and the manner in which the samo is or may be used or carried into
effect I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and
original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is:--
First In traction or road locomotive engines or steam rollers the combination
of a driving or crank shaft in separate parts constituting independent crank shafts
capable of being rotated independently of each other with steering gear or means
for transmitting motion to the axle of the fore carriage substantially as herein before
described.
Second-The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the road
locomotive or traction engine hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
In witness whereof I the said John Henry Johnson have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal this twenty third day of January One thousand eight hundred
and eighty four.