IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Morris Horsey Keene, of the Victoria Iron Works,
Croydon, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRACTION ENGINES."-A communication from abroad by Alexander
Keene Richards, residing in Kentucky, United States of America.
Sealed the 9th January 1866, and dated the 11th July 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Morris Horsey Keene
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th July 1865.
I, MORRIS HORSEY KEENE, of the Victoria Iron Works, Croydon, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES," a communication to me from abroad
by Alexander Keene Richards, resident in Kentucky, United States of
America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in traction engines, and
has reference to the driving wheels thereof, the object being to enable such.
wheels to obtain sufficient hold or bile upon soft ground, and thus prevent
slipping, and the formation of holes consequent thereon, by which the
wheels become embedded in deep ruts, and the engine cannot extricate itself.
I propose in lieu of teeth or blades protruding through the felloes and
tyre of the wheels, and regulated by an excentric motion, to apply between

page_text: the spokes of the wheels a rod or bar having a stirrup or fork at the lower
end, such stirrup being internally of sufficient width to be contained by the
width of the felloes and tyre of the wheel; the external width or width of
each side of the stirrup or fork may be as required. The rod and stirrup
are made in one piece of iron or other metal, the rod is set in bearings formed
by two cross pieces fixed between the spokes, so that the rod may slide up
and down, and a powerful helical spring is placed around the rod and between
the cross pieces; one end of this spring bears on the under surface of the
cross bar nearest the box of the wheel, and the other end upon a burr or
enlargement of the rod, such burr being forced by the spring upon the cross
bar nearest the tyre.
Now the action of these arrangements is as follows:-While the blades
are free from contact with the ground they will project beyond the periphery
of the wheel, being forced outwards by the springs; but when by the
rotation of the wheel they come successively into contact with the ground
they are forced inwards against the action of the spring, which is made of
sufficient strength to permit of such motion without affecting the motion of
the engine on hard ground, and' at the same time to keep the blades wholly
or partially projecting in soft ground, according to its nature, thereby pre-
venting the slip of the wheels. On each side of the felloes of the wheels two
pieces of angle or other iron or metal are bolted so as to form guides for the
It will thus be
blades or teeth, and relieve the rods from undue strain.
evident that any width of blades may be adopted by increasing or decreasing
the width of the stirrups or forks; whereas in the method of teeth protruding
through apertures cut in the felloes and tyres the width is necessarily
limited according to the width of the tyre, moreover, in such method the
wheels are necessarily weakened by being so perforated. Although I prefer
to actuate the blades by a spring I also propose to work them with a spring
in conjunction with a cam, or by a cam or excentric alone.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Morris Horsey Keene, Her special licence that I, the said
Morris Horsey Keene, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Morris Horsey Keene, 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 TRACTION ENGINES," a communication to me
from abroad by Alexander Ķeene Richards, resident in Kentucky, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Morris Horsey Keene, 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 Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Morris Horsey Keene, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, 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, firstly, to improvements in the driving wheels of
traction engines, the object being to enable such wheels to obtain sufficient
hold or bite upon soft ground, and thus prevent slipping; and the consequent
formation of holes, which cause the wheels to become embedded in deep ruts,
so that the engine cannot extricate itself. In lieu of teeth or blades pro-
truding through the felloes and tyre of the wheels, and regulated by a
complicated excentric motion, I apply between the spokes of the wheels a rod
or bar having a stirrup or fork at the lower end, such stirrup being internally
of sufficient width to embrace the width of the felloes and tyre of the wheel;
the external width or width of each side of the stirrup or fork may be as
required. The rod is set in bearings formed by two cross pieces fixed between
the spokes, so that the rod may slide upwards or downwards, and a powerful
helical spring is placed around the rod and between the cross pieces. One
end of this spring bears on the under surface of the cross bar nearest the box of

page_text: the wheel, and the other end upon a burr or enlargement of the rod, such
burr being..forced by the spring upon the cross bar nearest the tyre.
Now the action of these arrangements is as follows:-While the stirrup
blades are free from contact with the ground they will project beyond the
periphery of the wheel, being forced outwards by the springs; but when by
the rotation of the wheel they come successively into contact with the ground
they are forced inwards against the action of the spring, which is made of
sufficient strength to permit of such motion without affecting the motion of
the engine on hard ground, and at the same time to keep the blades wholly
or partially projecting in soft ground, according to its nature, thereby pre-
venting the slip of the wheels. On each side of the felloes of the wheels
two pieces of angle or other iron or metal are bolted so as to form guides for
the blades or teeth, and relieve the rods from undue strain. It will thus be
evident that any width of blades may be adopted by increasing or decreasing
. the width of the stirrups or forks; whereas in the method of teeth protruding
through apertures cut in the felloes and tyres the width is necessarily limited
according to the width of the tyre; moreover, in such method the wheels
are necessarily weakened by being so perforated. Although I prefer to
actuate the blades by a spring I also propose to work them with a spring in
conjunction with a cam, or by a cam or excentric alone.
In order more perfectly to explain this part of the Invention I annex
Drawings.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, representing a side view of part of a wheel constructed
according to the Invention; Fig. 2 being a section of the felloe and tyre,
shewing the stirrup applied thereto. Fig. 1 shews two examples of working
the stirrups or forks, viz., by the spring and by the excentric. The width of
the claws may be increased or diminished without interfering with the width
of the wheel itself; and also each wheel may be furnished with separate sets
of claws of various widths, each set being capable of being easily detached
from the wheel, allowing another set of claws of a greater or lesser width
being introduced as may be most desirable. The application of the claws to
the wheel may be made a means of strengthening the wheel, the additional
parts employed for attaching the claw to the wheel being made a part
thereof. Should the wheel slip the ground immediately below the wheel will
not be torn or cut away, inasmuch as the claws being attached to the side of
the wheel they do not touch the ground on which the wheel itself rests.
I now proceed to describe the general arrangements in connection with the
traction engine.

page_text: Fig. 1, .Sheet 2, represents .a side elevation; Fig. 2 a plan; and Fig. 1,
Sheet 3, a transverse vertical section of the said arrangements.
'
A, A, shew the section and elevation of driving wheels; B, B, B, the
boiler, by preference a vertical boiler, but a locomotive or other form may be
used; but in using a vertical boiler the water is always over the fire-box
when ascending or descending inclines. D, D, D, is the foot plate, which
also serves for the foundation plate and framework of the engines. The
engines L, L, L, are bolted securely to the frame, and are arranged to work
the same as an ordinary locomotive, the crank shaft being carried by the
frames e, c, e, e.
The steam pipes N, N,.are connected to the cylinders by
means of an expansion joint; this prevents the steam pipes from being
strained.and becoming leaky or otherwise deranged by the engine going over
uneven ground. In the inside of the boiler, and attached to the expansion
joints, is a regulator, the same kind.as generally used in locomotives. It is
worked by means of the levers and rod i, i, i, and is so arranged that the
man steering may drive the engine also. The reversing lever is also attached
to the frame of steam lever for the same purpose. J, J, J,..are the feed
pumps; I, I, I, are the feed pipes, and check valves; the pumps are filled
with Perreaus' patent india-rubber valves; the check valves on the boiler
are brass, and are used to prevent the water in the boiler from returning or
forcing its way into the feed pumps again. The frame c is composed of
plates of iron securely riveted together to angle iron on the top, which is
firmly riveted to the foot plate for carrying the engines and boiler. The
engines are placed on springs at.both .cids; the front or steering end rests on
a frame and wheels the same as a common waggon; but fixed in the frame
is a circular toothed rack gearing into the pinion 2. This receives motion
through the bevel wheel and pinion h, h, from the stearing or hand wheel j;
by this means the fore wheels are turned from left to right, as required, to
direct the engine in its course. T is the centre line of these wheels; the
back or driving end of the engine is so arranged that by the springing of
the engine the cogs of the wheels never come out of gear. H is a tye or
distance coupling connecting the driving shaft V to the engine shaft; G, G, is
likewise a coupling connecting the axle E, E, to the driving shaft V; when
the springs F, F, are acting the shaft V is always kept in its proper place on
the wheel Q, and also to the wheels on the engine shaft. Qis a toothed
rim on a segmental spur wheel, but I prefer using a trundle wheel, the teeth
of which are case-hardened pins, and are so arranged that in case of any of
them breaking they may be taken out and others substituted, and any dirt or
stones getting into the wheel would pass through the pins; whereas in cases

page_text: where a cog wheel would' be used the cogs would be broken, and it is then
diflicult to repair it. I prefer to use a dished wheel, it being stronger and
running lighter. I also prefer to use an axle that can at any time be turned
round, so that when one side has been worn by turning it round a new
surface is presented to the wearing side. To effect this and have a dished
wheel 1 divide the axle into two equal parts E. Each part is held in an
oblong box E, i, by suitable blocks, one block at the end nearest the wheel,
and the other at the end nearest the centre of the engine; the blocks are
so fitted and fixed that the axles are held at the proper angle to suit the
wheels A, A. In making the wheels I first take a cast-iron nave or boss k,
in which are cast recesses to receive the spokes (which together with the
felloes are made of wood, which is best suited for traction-engine work on the
common road). After the spokes are fitted into the boss, the plate a is put
on, and bolted by means of a number. of bolts passing through between each
spoke; the rest of the wheels are put together, and tyred in the usual manner.
By making a wheel upon this method we have a boss that does not shrink or
expand in wet or dry weather; again, should the arms shrink they may be
made tight in the boss again by screwing up the bolts through the before
described boss. On the driving shaft V are fitted at each end the pinions
for driving the wheels A, A; these pinions are fitted with clutch boxes S and
levers in such a manner that either or both of the driving wheels may be
thrown out of gear at pleasure; this enables the engine to turn a corner of
any angle with the greatest ease, as in doing so one or other of the driving
wheels is thrown out, and the engine is driven by the one on the largest
diameter of the turn. Again, when the engine is standing still both wheels
may be thrown out of gear, and then employed for pumping or winding
purposes, becoming a stationary engine. The engine is fitted with gearing
for three speeds, one of about six miles per hour for running over level good
roads, another of three miles and a half per hour for ascending inclines on a
good road, and another of two miles per hour for travelling on very rough or
rugged roads, ascending steep inclines, or for moving heavy loads; these
speeds are changed by means of levers being fitted to each changing pinion
b, b, b. The fore part of the engine may be fitted with a double-purchase
crab, which can be used for lifting heavy material, or by having an anchor
and repe or chain it would draw itself out of any difficulty, which it could not
do in the usual manner by means of its driving wheels.
The construction of the crab may be according to the following Specification
reference being had to the Drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, Sheet 4.
La consists of time ought iron plates one inch thick tie

page_text: together with suitable transverse stays, and provided, at their base with
flanges on angle irons as may be most convenient for the purpose of bolting
them down in their places; the necessary bearings for the two shafts to be
formed by letting into the frames cast-iron bushes lined with gun metal or
Kingston's metal, and having suitable flanges for bolting them to the
frames.
The gearing consists of two spur wheels and two pinions as follows:-
One pinion 6 in. diameter at the pitch line, teeth 1 pitch, 3 inches wide,
keyed on one end of the shaft c; one wheel 30 inches diameter at the pitch
linc, teeth 1 pitch, 3 inches wide, keyed on shaft. D; one wheel. the same
as above, keyed on the end of the barrel A; one pinion 63 inches diameter
at the pitch line, with teeth 1 pitch, 3 inches wide, keyed on the shaft D;
winding barrels to be of cast iron, the one marked A to be 12 inches out-
side diameter with metal not less than two inches thick, the flanges to be
20 inches diameter; the barrel B to be 9 inches outside diameter, with
metal not less than 1 in. thick; the flanges to be 14 in. diameter; the
shafts to be of wrought iron, the main or crank shaft to be 3 in. diameter at
the smallest part, and provided with cast-iron cranks keyed on at right angles
to each other, and having a throw of 6 inches, with crank pins 2 inches
diameter, 2 inches wide; the countershaft to be 3 inches diameter at its
smallest part.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion that I
do not limit myself to the precise details and configuration of parts I have
expressed and shewn, as the same may obviously be varied or modified without
in any degree departing from the principles on which the Invention is based;
but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein in part recited
Letters Patent are,-
Firstly, the application to the driving wheels of traction engines of forked
or stirrup blades working on the outside of the felloes and tyres, and actuated
according to the methods described and illustrated in Sheet 1, Figs. 1 and 2,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Secondly, the general arrangement and combination of parts constituting
the engine as shewn in Sheet 2, Figs. 1 and 2, and Sheet 3, Fig. 1, and Sheet 4,
Fig. 1, for the purposes therein set forth, the chief objects being that one
man may drive and steer the engine, that the engine is always acting as a
stationary engine, not being in any way affected by the rising and falling of
the driving axle; that the driving or geared shaft may move up or down as
the spring may affect it without the gearing going from its proper pitch line,

page_text: and without straining or altering the engine shaft; and that the engine can
release itself over difficult ground by the winding apparatus when it could .not
propel itself.
In witness whereof, I, the said Morris Horsey Keene, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
ALEXR. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
MORRIS HORSEY KEENE. (L.S.)