Improvements in Traction Engines, applicable also to other Locomotive Vehicles and Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1890
DI MULTICATION.
Improvements in Traction Engines, applicable also to other
Locomotive Vehicles and Machines.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from
abroad by Henry Verner Hursey and David Edwin Madden, both Farmers, and
both of Cromwell, in the County of Noble and State of Indiana, United States of
America,) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to traction engines; and its object is to provide mechanism
for balancing the machine, at the same time gearing the four independent wheels with
each other.
In this improved traction engine the front and back wheels are driven from a shaft
which derives motion by a belt and pulleys or sprocket wheels and a chain from the
crank shaft of the engine through compensating gear constructed as hereafter
described. The front wheels are secured to a pair of axles which are in line with one
another and mounted to turn in bearings on an axle tree supported on a universal
joint. This joint is formed by providing the axle tree at the top and bottom with
trunnions on which is mounted to swing horizontally a frame having on one side a
hub journaled in a hanger. On the opposite side of the frame and in line with the
hub there is a trunnion mounted to turn in another hanger both hangers being secured
to the underside of the boiler. The frame is thus mounted to swing vertically, while
the axle tree is mounted to swing horizontally underneath the front end of the boiler.
At the adjoining inner ends of the front axles is mounted to turn loosely a gear wheel
carrying in its web radial studs or shafts on which are mounted to turn bevel gear
wheels, preferably three in number. These bevel gear wheels mesh at opposite sides
with corresponding wheels on the axles.. When the front traction wheels are in their
normal position, motion is transmitted from the driving gear wheel through the bevel
gear wheels to the wheels on the axles, so that the latter are rotated simultaneously.
When the axle-tree is shifted by the steering mechanism, so that one of the wheels
remains stationary for a short time, then the other wheel is still turned, as the bevel
gear wheels on the driving wheel roll on the gear wheel of the axle, the axle of the
Said wheel remaining stationary while the gear wheels drive the moving axle with
increased speed.
The mechanism above described thus permits of driving one of the front wheels
while the other remains stationary or is turned backward.
The driving gear wheel engages with a gear wheel secured on a trausverse shaft
mounted to turn in suitable bearings in brackets extending from the swinging frame.
On the shaft there is a bevel gear wheel which meshes with a bevel gear wheel on one
end of a longitudinal shaft mounted to turn in the hub of the frame. In line with
he latter shaft and in rear thereof, there is a second shaft and these two shafts are
onnected by bevel wheels in a similar manner to the compensating mechanism above
lescribed for the front axles. Motion is transmitted from the driving shaft through
suitable gearing. The rear wheels are driven from the second of the two shafts above
mentioned through a gear wheel which meshes into an intermediate gear wheel
mounted to turn on a stud. The intermediate gear wheel meshes into a gear wheel
secured on one end of a shaft mounted to turn in suitable bearings on one side of the
re box of the boiler. On this shaft is secured a bevel gear wheel meshing into a
bevel gear wheel secured on a shaft extending transversely and mounted to turn in
uitable bearings on one side of the fire box of the boiler. On the latter shaft is
ecured a pinion which meshes into a gear wheel similar in construction to the
i

page_text: compensating gear previously described and provided in its web with a series of bevel
gear wheels meshing at opposite sides into gear wheels secured on the rear axles
arranged in line with each other and carrying the rear wheels.
The front axle tree is pivotally connected at opposite sides of its fulcrum with rods
connected with each other by a chain passing over the steering pulley secured on the
usual steering shaft arranged on the rear end of the boiler and carrying a hand wheel
for conveniently turning the steering wheel to change the position of the axle-tree and
consequently the position of the front wheels.
The operation is as follows:-When the engine is started its shaft imparts rotary
motion to the driving shaft which, by the gearing above described, rotates the longi-
tudinal shafts from which motion is communicated to the front and rear wheels.
Motion is communicated to the two rear axles as long as there is no undue friction on
the traction wheels, but in ease one of the latter meets with an obstruction it may
remain stationary while the other is still turned by the gear wheel in the same manner
as previously described in reference to the front wheels. In the same manner the
gear wheel of the two longitudinal shafts may transmit motion only to the one shaft
while the other remains stationary and vice versa. This arrangement permits of
turning the four wheels forward at the same time, but it also permits any one of the
wheels to remain stationary while the other is turning or even to move backward
while the others turn forward.
It will be understood that, as the front axles are mounted to turn in the axle tree
which is a universal joint, all undue strain is taken off of the front wheels in case
they travel over uneven ground. Thus it will be seen that all the wheels run inde-
pendently of each other and the wheel which has the farthest distance to go in
turning pulls with the same power as the wheel that has to travel the shortest distance.
As the weight of the traction engine is equally distributed on all four wheels, the
machine will go easily over soft mud and through sand and it will turn around in the
same very easily.
It will be further understood that the herein described driving mechanism and
running gear may be applied to machines or vehicles other than traction engines.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1889.
A. M VILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Traction Engines, applicable also to other
Locomotive Vehicles and Machines.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me from
abroad by Henry Verner Hursey and David Edwin Madden, both Farmers, and
both of Cromwell, in the County of Noble and State of Indiana, United States of
America) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to traction engines, and its object is to provide a suitable
mechanism for balancing the machine, at the same time gearing the four independent
wheels with each other.
The invention consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as
will be hereinafter fully described.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this Specifi-
cation, in which Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of a traction engine provided with
the improvement and Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same, on line ar
Figure 1 Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section of mechanism for connecting
the front axles; Figure 4 is a plan view of the same and adjacent parts; and Figure 5

page_text: is a face view of the main gear wheel and the connecting mechanism of the axle.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
The traction engine A is provided with the usual boiler B and the engine C con-
nected by its main driving shaft D with a transversely-extending shaft E by a belt
The
and pulleys or by sprocket wheels and a chain, as is plainly shewn in Figure 1.
drive shaft D imparts, by an intermediate mechanism hereinafter more fully described,
motion to the front wheels F and F and the rear wheels G and G¹ of the traction
engine. The front wheels F and F are secured on the outer ends of the shafts H
and H respectively, extending in line with each other and mounted to turn in suitable
bearings formed on the front axle tree I supported on the universal joint J. The
joint J is formed by providing the axle tree I at the top and bottom with trummions J¹
on which is mounted to swing horizontally a frame J2 provided on one side with a
hub J journaled in a hanger B' secured to the under side of the boiler B. On the
opposite side of the frame J2 and in line with the hub J is formed a trunnion J
mounted to turn in a hanger B2 secured to the under side of the front end of the
boiler B. The frame J is thus mounted to swing vertically while the axle-tree I is
mounted to swing horizontally underneath the front end of the boiler B. At the
adjoining inner ends of the axles H and H is mounted to turn loosely a gear wheel K
carrying in its web radial studs or shafts K2 on which are mounted to turn the
bevel gear wheels K¹, preferably three in number, as shewn in Figure 5. The
gear wheels K¹ mesh at opposite sides into the bevel gear wheels H2 and H³ secured
on the axles H and H¹ respectively as shown in Figure 3. When the front wheels F
and F are in their normal position, as shewn in Figure 1, and motion is given to the
gear wheel K the latter transmits its motion by the gear wheels K₁ to the gear
wheels H2 and H3 on the axles H and H so that the latter are rotated simultaneously,
turning the wheels F and F¹. When the axle-tree I is shifted by the steering
mechanism so that one of the wheels For F remains stationary for a short time,
then the other wheel F" or F is still turned by the wheel K as the bevel gear wheels K'
roll off on the gear wheel H2 or H³ the axle of the said wheel remaining stationary
while the gear wheels K¹ drive the moving axle with increased speed. The
mechanism above described and shewn in Figures 3 and 5, thus permits of driving
one of the front wheels For F while the other remains stationary or is turned
backward.
The gear wheel K meshes into a gear wheel L secured on a transverse shaft L¹
mounted to turn in suitable bearings formed in the brackets J extending from the
frame J. On the shaft L' is secured a bevel gear wheel L² which meshes into a
bevel gear wheel fastened on one end of a shaft Ñ mounted to turn in the hub J³ of
the frame J previously mentioned. In line with the shaft N is a shaft N₁ abutting
against the said shaft N which latter is connected with the said shaft N by a mechanism
similar to the one shewn in Figure 3; that is to say two bevel wheels are secured
gear
at the adjoining ends of the shafts N and N' and mesh in a series of bevel gear wheels
arranged in the web of the gear wheel 0, similar to the gear wheel K shewn in
Figure 3. The gear wheel meshes into a pinion 0 secured on a longitudinally-
extending short shaft 02 mounted to turn in suitable bearings arranged in the
hanger B3 which latter is secured to the underside of the boiler B and also forms a
bearing for the shaft N¹. On the shaft 02 is secured a bevel gear wheel (³ which
meshes into a bevel gear wheel 0* secured on the driving shaft E. On the shaft N¹
is secured a gear wheel N which meshes into an intermediate gear wheel N³ mounted
to turn on the stud B projecting from the boiler B. The intermediate gear wheel N³
meshes into a gear wheel N secured on one end of a shaft N³ mounted to turn in
suitable bearings on one side of the fire box of the boiler B. On this shaft Nis
secured a bevel gear wheel N meshing into a bevel gear wheel N secured on a
shaft N extending transversely and mounted to turn in suitable bearings on one side
of the fire box of the boiler B. On the shaft N* is secured a pinion N which meshes
into a gear wheel P, similar in construction to the gear wheels K and O previously
described and provided in its web with a series of bevel gear wheels meshing at

page_text: opposite sides into gear wheels secured on the axles Q and Qi arranged in line with
each other and carrying the rear wheels G and G'.
The axle tree is pivotally connected at opposite sides of its fulcrum with the
rods R R connected with each other by a chain R' passing over the steering pulley S
secured on the usual steering shaft T arranged on the rear end of the boiler B and
carrying a hand wheel for conveniently turning the steering wheel S to change the
position of the axle tree I and consequently the position of the wheels F and F in
order to turn around a curve. The teeth of the gear wheel K are somewhat rounded
off so that when the position of the axle tree I is changed by the steering apparatus,
said gear wheel K does not get out of mesh with the gear wheel L, as is plainly shewn
in Figure 4.
The operation is as follows: When the engine C is set in motion its shaft D imparts
a rotary motion to the driving shaft E which by its connection with the shaft 02 furus
the pinion turning the gear wheel O which latter by its bevel gear wheels rotates
the shafts N and N1 respectively. The shaft N imparts a rotary motion to the shaft L'
and the gear wheel L so that the latter turns the gear wheel K which imparts a
rotary motion to the axles H. and H', as previously described. The shaft N transmits
its rotary motion by the gear wheels N N and N to the shaft No which turns the
shaft No carrying the gear wheel N and the latter turns the gear wheel P turning
the axles Q and Q' supporting the rear wheels G and G¹. The wheel P transmits its
motion to the two axles Q and Q' as long as there is no undue friction on the wheels G
and G', but in case one of the latter meets with an obstruction it may remain stationary
while the other is still turned by the gear wheel P in the same manner as previously
described in reference to the front wheels F and F'. In the same manner the gear
wheel may transmit motion only to the shaft N while the other shaft N¹ remains
stationary, and vice versa. This arrangement permits of turning the four wheels F
and G G forward at the same time, but it also permits any one of the wheels to
remain stationary while the other is turning or even to move backward while the
others turn forward.
It will be understood that as the front axles H. and H' are mounted to turn in the
axle-tree I, which is a universal joint, all undue strain is taken off of the front wheels
in case they travel over uneven ground. Thus it will be seen that all the wheels run
independently of each other and the wheel which has the farthest distance to go in
turning pulls with the same power as the wheel that has to travel the shortest distance.
As the weight of the traction engine is equally distributed on all four wheels, the
machine will go easily over soft mud and through sand and it will turn around in
the same very easily.
It will be further understood that the herein described driving mechanism and
running gear may be applied to machines or vehicles other than traction engines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a traction engine, the combination, with the drive wheels, of independent
axles carrying the said drive wheels and adapted to be driven from the engine,
substantially as shewn and described.
2. In a traction engine, the combination, with the front wheels, of inde-
pendently-driven axles supporting the said front wheels, substantially as shewn
and described.
3. In a traction engine, the combination, with the front wheels, of independently
driven axles supporting the said front wheels and an axle-tree on which the said front
axles are mounted to turn, substantially as shewn and described.
4. In a traction engine, the combination, with the front wheels, of independently-
driven axles supporting the said front wheels an axle-tree on which the said front axles
are mounted to turn, and a mechanism, substantially as described, for imparting
motion to the said front axles, as set forth.

page_text: 5. In a traction engine, the combination, with the front wheels, of independently-
driven axles supporting the said front wheels an axle tree on which the said front
axles are mounted to turnand a universal joint held on the saidaxle-tree and supporting
the front end of the boiler, substantially as shewn and described.
6. In a traction engine, the combination, with the front and rear wheels, of inde-
pendent axles for the said wheels and a mechanism for turning the said shafts
independently of each other, substantially as shewn and described.
7. In a traction engine, the combination, with a drive shaft, of two independent
front axles driven from the said drive shaft, substantially as shewn and described.
8. In a traction engine, the combination, with a drive shaft, of two independent
front axles driven from the said drive shaft and a mechanism,substantially as described,
for turning the said shafts from the said drive shaft, substantially as shewn and.
described.
.
9. In a traction engine, the combination, with a drive shaft of two independent
rear axles operated from the said drive shaft and carrying the rear wheels, substantially,
as shewn and described.
10. In a traction engine, the combination, with a drive shaft, of two shafts operated
from the said drive shaft and placed in line with each other, two independent front
axles operated from one of the said two shafts and two independent rear axles
operated by the other of the said two shafts, substantially as shewn and described.
drive shaft, of two shafts
11. In a traction engine, the combination, with a
operated from the said drive shaft and placed in line with each other, two inde-
pendent front axles operated from one of the said two shafts, two independent
rear axles operated by the other of the said two shafts, and an axle free
turn, substantially as shewn and
which the said front axles are mounted to
described.
on
12. In a traction engine, the combination, with a drive shaft, of two shafts
operated from the said drive shaft and placed in line with each other, two
independent front axles operated from one of the said two shafts, two independent
rear axles operated by the other of the said two shafts, an axle-tree on which the
said front axles are mounted, and a universal joint for connecting the said axle-tree
with the front end of the boiler, substantially as shewn and described.
13. In a traction engine, the combination, with a drive shaft, of two shafts
operated from the said drive shaft and placed in line with each other, two inde-
pendent front axles operated from one of the said two shafts two independent rear
axles operated by the other of the said two shafts, an axle-tree on which the said front
axles are mounted, a universal joint for connecting the said axle tree with the front
end of the boiler, and a steering apparatus connected with the said axle-tree, substan-
tially as shewn and described.
14. In a traction engine, the combination, with two front axles mounted to turn
and placed in line with each other, of bevelled gear wheels secured on the adjoining
ends of the said axles, a driving gear wheel mounted to turn loosely on the
adjoining ends of the said axles between the said bevelled gear wheels, and a series of
bevelled gear wheels mounted radially in the web of the said driving gear wheel.
and in mesh with the gear wheels fastened on the said axles, substantially as shewn and
described.
15. In a traction engine, the combination, with two front axles mounted to turn and
placed in line with each other, of bevelled gear wheels secured on the adjoining ends
of the said axles, a driving gear wheel mounted to turn loosely on the adjoining ends
of the said axles between the said bevelled gear wheels, a series of bevelled gear
wheels mounted radially in the web of the said driving gear wheel and in mesh with
the gear wheels fastened on the said axles and a drive shaft connected by intermediate
mechanism with the said driving gear wheel to impart a rotary motion to the latter,
substantially as shewn and described.
16. The combination, with the vertical, longitudinally-extending frame J2 having
a trunnion J at its front end a hub J³ and inwardly-extending brackets J5 at its rear
end and the bearings B1, B2, in which said hub and trunnion rock, of the axle-tree I

page_text: passed transversely through the frame and connected at its upper and lower sides
therewith by vertical pivots JJ, the axles H H' mounted in bearings between the
upper and lower sides of the axle tree at the front thereof and connected by the com-
pensating gear K, the transverse shaft L' mounted in the brackets J and provided
with a pinion L meshing into the gear K and a bevel gear L2 and the driving shaft N
extending through the hub J3 and provided with a bevel gear L³ meshing into the
bevel gear L substantially as set forth.
Dated this 4th day of September 1890.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.