Year: 1886

page_text: I, AUGUST SCHAUSTEN, Engineer, residing at No. 1733 New Jersey Avenue,.
North West, in the City of Washington, in the District of Columbia, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in means for propelling or towing canal
boats, in which the boat is provided with a traction wheel, operated by suitable
power, and adapted to engage with a traction chain or cable suspended above and
along the line of a canal or water-way.
My said invention consists in certain novelty in the manner of suspending the
traction chain or cable, so that it will hang loosely from its supports and present
no fixed or immovable points to obstruct or interfere with the passage of the
traction-wheel, and so that it may have both a lateral and vertical movement, thus
permitting said chain or cable to accommodate itself to any variations in the
course of the boat or to any tossing or up and down movement of said boat.
It further consists in mounting the traction wheel on a vertically adjustable
frame or support, whereby said wheel can be raised or lowered to adjust it to the
distance between the deck of the boat and traction chain, which distance varies
according to the draught or immersion of the boat or height of the water level.
And it further consists in providing the traction wheel with a guiding device
adapted to engage with the chain or cable and hold it in contact with said traction
wheel.
The particular construction and arrangement of the various parts of my invention
I will now proceed to point out and describe, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings, in which,―
Fig. 1, is a central longitudinal section of a canal provided with a traction-chain
hung in accordance with my invention, a boat being shown having a traction wheel
engaging with said chain.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of the canal taken on the line, x, x, of fig, 1.
Fig. 3 a top plan view showing two lines of traction chains.
Fig. 4, is an end elevation of the vertically adjustable frame or support carrying
the traction wheel and chain or cable guide.
Fig. 5, a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 6, a modified form of said adjustable frame or support.
Fig. 7, a top plan view of the chain or cable guide.
Fig. 8, a detail showing the locking device for holding the chain or cable in
contact with the traction wheel.
Fig. 9, a detail showing a portion of the cross beam or cable, the .travelling
carrier which supports the traction chain and the adjustable stops for limiting the
movement of said carrier.

page_text: and,-
Fig. 12, is a section of the traction chain.
Referring to the drawings
A, represents a series of standards or posts on each side of the canal and opposite
to each other. Said standards are placed suitable distances apart (preferably
about 250 feet) and the corresponding and opposite standards are connected, at a
proper height above the level of the canal, by cross-beams or cables, B, which span
the canal at right.
C, are travelling or sliding carriers mounted on the cross beams or cables, B.
Said carriers support the traction chain or cable hereinafter described. They may
be made of a single piece of metal having a bore sufficiently larger than the cross
beams or cables to permit said carriers to move freely on said cross-beams or cables,
or said carriers may be made in two parts and bolted together. With the latter
construction they can be adjusted after the cross beams or cables are put in place.
If desired, the carriers can be provided with rollers as shown in figs. 10 and 11.
D, are adjustable stops on the cross-beams or cables, placed on each side of the
carriers, C, to limit their movement.
E, is the traction chain which is formed by sections of chain, e, secured to and
suspended from carrier to carrier lengthwise over the line of the canal, and
connected by similarly formed sections of chain e¹, extending under the cross-
beams or cables and secured to the sections, e, at points, e², on each side of and at
equal distances from the cross-beams or cables.
Or the traction chain may be made in one continuous piece and is secured to
the carriers by supplemental chains, cables or rods.
A traction chain or cable suspended as above described hangs loosely from its
supports and has no fixed or immovable points to obstruct or interfere with the
passage of the traction wheel hereinafter described. Said chain or cable also has a
limited vertical and lateral motion.
The traction chain is made flat as shown in fig. 12, and is formed by two wire
ropes connected by studs at proper intervals or may be manufactured in one piece
with open spaces or holes to receive the teeth of the traction wheel. If desired a
cable or solid metal rack may be used, I however prefer the flat chain.
F, represents a canal boat. On the boat I place an upright frame or standard, G,
having a guide-way, H. In the guide-way I mount a standard or support, H,
having a forked upper end in which is mounted the traction wheel, I.
The teeth or spurs, i of the traction wheel engage with the openings or holes in
the traction chain as the wheel is rotated and thus propels the boat.
Said wheel, I, is provided with a pulley, 2, which is connected with suitable
motive power. Any other suitable means for rotating the traction wheel may be
used.
h, is a rack on the lower part of the standard H. h¹, is a pinion mounted on a
suitable shaft and meshing with the rack, h. Said pinion is operated by a suitable
hand wheel, h³.
By means of this rack and pinion the standard or support, H, can be raised or
lowered thus raising or lowering the traction wheel to adjust said wheel with
reference to the distance between the deck of the boat and level of the traction
chain, which distance varies according to the immersion or draught of the boat or
the height of the water level. Instead of the rack a screw thread on the lower
part of the standard, H, may be used.
In fig. 6 I show a modification of the adjustable frame or support carrying the
traction wheel, in this the standard or arm H is pivoted to a suitable frame and is
operated by a screw threaded rod, h³, working in an internally screw threaded
bearing h*.
On top of the standard or support is a chain or cable guide, K, consisting of a
trough having vertical sides, k, and open flaring ends k¹.

page_text: In the bottom of the trough is an opening ³, through which the spurs or teeth
of the traction wheel project. ³ are friction rollers on each side of the trough
and just back of the ends of the same. The traction chain rests in the bottom of
the trough, its weight holding it in contact with the traction wheel. To prevent
the chain from coming out of the trough I provide a spring locking latch, L,
pivoted in a recess, l, shown in dotted lines. Said latch being located on one side
of the trough and at a point just behind the traction wheel.
The outer end or point, , of the latch engages with a small notch or recess, 12, on
the opposite side of the trough. L¹, is a friction roller in the latch which engages
with the top of the chain. The sides, 73, of the latch are beveled and present a
diagonal line to the centre line of the guide. This latch serves to lock the traction
chain in the guide and in engagement with the traction wheel, but when the
beveled or diagonal sides of the same come in contact with the joints connecting
the sections of chain, e and e¹, said latch will be forced back into the recess, l, until
the boat passes said joints when its spring will force it back to its normal position
over the traction chain.
This chain or cable guide renders it very much easier to keep the traction
wheel in engagement with the traction chain or cable.
From the above description the advantages of my improved method of pro-
pelling or towing canal boats will readily be seen.
The traction wheel being mounted on a vertically adjustable frame or support
can be easily raised or lowered to adjust it, as heretofore described, to the distance
between the deck of the boat and level of the traction chain, which distance varies
according to the immersion of the boat or height of the water level. The traction
chain being hung loosely from its supports will have a slight vertical motion to
counter-balance any tossing or up and down movement of the boat produced by
agitation of the water or other cause.
Said traction chain or cable also being supported as described from traveling or
sliding carriers, on the cross beams or cables, will have a lateral motion within a
certain limit, determined by the distance apart the stops are placed. Thus
permitting said chain or cable to accommodate itself to variations in the steerage
way of the boat. This is a great advantage and is particularly noticeable on
sinuous portions of the canal, rendering it very much easier to turn any curve or
bend. The steerman having only to bring the boat around a comparatively easy
curve, whereas when the chain or cable is rigidly secured to its supports, abrupt
angles have to be passed, frequently making it necessary to release the traction
wheel from the traction chain or cable.
Two lines of traction chains or cables may be used as shown in fig. 2. Boats
going in opposite directions will then use the opposite chains or cables.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific construction
herein shown and described as various changes may be made in the manner of
suspending the cable and in the construction and arrangement of the traction
wheel without materially departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The combination with a canal or water-way and a boat provided with a
propelling device for engaging a suspended traction chain or cable, of a series of
supports extending over said canal or water way and a traction chain or cable
attached to said supports by flexible connections, substantially as described,
whereby said traction chain or cable is permitted both a lateral and vertical
movement at its points of attachment to the supports.
2. The combination with a canal or water-way and a boat provided with a
propelling device for engaging a suspended traction chain or cable, of a series of
supports extending laterally over said canal or water-way, travelling carriers
mounted upon said supports and a traction chain or cable attached to said carriers

page_text: by flexible connections, substantially as described, whereby said traction chain or
cable when engaged by the propelling device is permitted both a lateral and
vertical movement.
3. The combination with a canal or water-way, and a boat provided with a
propelling device for engaging a suspended traction chain or cable, of a series of
supports extending laterally over said canal or water-way, travelling carriers
mounted upon said supports and suitable stops for limiting the movement of said
travelling carriers, and a traction chain or cable attached to said carriers by
flexible connections, substantially as shown and described.
4. The combination with a boat and a traction chain or cable suspended above a
canal or water-way, substantially as described, of a traction wheel or driver
mounted upon a vertically adjustable support secured to the boat and adapted to
be rotated in contact with the traction chain or cable to propel said boat, all
arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. A suitable vertically adjustable frame or support secured to a boat, and
carrying on its upper end a traction chain or cable guide, consisting of a trough
having open ends and an opening in its bottom, in combination with a traction
wheel mounted on the support carrying the chain or cable guide, and projecting
partially through the opening in the bottom of said guide and adapted to engage
with a traction chain or cable suspended above and along the line of a canal or
water-way, all arranged and operating to the end that the guide will hold the
chain or cable in engagement with the traction wheel, substantially as shown and
described.
6. A suitable frame or support secured to a boat and carrying on its upper end
a traction chain or cable guide, consisting of a trough having open ends and an
opening in its bottom and a suitable automatic spring latch for holding a traction
chain or cable, suspended above and along the line of a canal or water-way in said
guide, in combination with a traction wheel mounted on the frame or support
carrying the guide, projecting through the opening in the bottom of said guide
and adapted to engage with the traction chain or cable, all arranged and operating
substantially as shown and described.
7. A suitable frame or support secured to a boat and carrying on its upper end
a traction chain or cable guide, K, having an opening, k, in its bottom and an
automatic spring latch, L, having beveled or diagonal sides, 1, 1, and adapted to
hold a traction chain or cable suspended above and along the line of canal in the
guide, K, in combination with a traction wheel mounted on the support carrying
the guide, projecting through the opening in the bottom of said guide and adapted
to engage with the traction chain or cable, all arranged and operating substantially
as shown and described.
8. A series of cross beams or cables, B, extending laterally over a canal or
water-way, in combination with the traction chain, or cable, E, consisting of the
sections, e, loosely suspended from cross beam to cross beam and connected by the
sections, e¹, extending under the cross beams, whereby said traction chain may
have a lateral and vertical movement, substantially as shown and described.
9. The series of cross beams or cables, B, extending laterally over a canal or
water-way, travelling carriers, C, mounted on the cross beans, B, in combination
with the traction chain or cable, E, consisting of the sections, e, loosely suspended
from carrier to carrier and connected by the sections, e¹, extending under the cross
beams, B, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 31st day of August 1886.
AUGUST SCHAUSTEN.
By Jensen & Son, Agents.