Improvements in Traction Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
Improvements in Traction Engines.
I, HORTON HOURD SHEPHERD, Farmer, of Fairland, Indian Territory 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 has relation to improvements in traction engines for farm and road
use, and the object is to provide a simple, cheap and convenient engine of this class.
To this end the novelty consists in the construction, combination and arrangement
of the same as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out
in the claims.
In the accompanying drawing the same figures of reference indicate the same parts
of the invention.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved traction engine;
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the same;
Figure 4 is a central longitudinal section;
Figure 5 is a transverse section on the line of the main or driving axle and
Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are detail views.
I represents the main frame, preferably formed of a continuous piece of angle iron
or steel, a circular frame 2 of the same material being rigidly secured in the forward
semicircular end of the said main frame. This circular frame 2 is provided with two
radial braces 3-31, in the center of which is journaled a vertical steering post 4, the
upper end thereof being provided with a horizontal worm wheel 5 meshing with a
worm screw 6 mounted on a shaft 7, journaled in a bracket 8 secured to a cross brace 9
on the radial braces 3-31.
The lower end of the vertical post. 4 is rigidly secured to a circular frame 10 by
radial braces 11, 11', and on each side of the circular frame 10 is rigidly secured the
depending arms 12-121, and between them is a central brace 13. The lower ends
of the arms 12-12' and the brace 13 are secured to a rectangular shoc 14, which
forms a vertical guide for the bearing block 15, and betweep the top of this block 15
and the top cross piece of said shoe, is located a helical spring 16, which forms a
support for the front end of the machine.
17 is the front or steering wheel, comprising an angular sheet metal tire 18,
having a plane tread, and 19 is a ring, circular in cross section, extending entirely
around the outside of the tire 18.
20 represents the spokes which connect the tire and the hub 21. The hub is
mounted on an axle 22, the ends of which are journaled in the bearing blocks 15-15.
A series of brackets a a are mounted on the upper side of the frame 10, and in each
bracket is mounted a friction roller b, upon which the frame 2 rests and serves as a
bearing for said frame.
23 is the main axle, upon which the carrying wheels 24-24 are mounted so as to
rotate freely, and the inside of each hub is formed with an integral clutch 25, which
engages a clutch 26 on the outer ends of the sleeves 27-28, mounted on the axle 23,
these sleeves having their bearings in boxes 29-291 in the rectangular frame 30-301

page_text: secured to the main frame 1.
These bearing boxes 29-29¹ are each provided with
an annular series of rollers which form an antifriction bearing for the sleeves 27
and 28. The lower ends of the frames 30-30' are further secured to the main frame
by inclined braces 31-311.
The wheels 24-24 are of novel construction to combine lightness with strength,
the hubs 76-76 being formed with contiguous flanges 77, secured together by
bolts 78, which also clamp the rectangular tangentially-arranged spokes 79 between
them, the outer ends of said spokes being riveted to the T-iron 80, which also forms
the central annular brace for the rim.
81 and 81 are annular L-shaped rins, and from these a series of radial wire
spokes 82 extend to the flanges 82' on the hubs 76-761. 83 represents a series of
U-shaped shoes secured to the outside of the rim, and they form the tread of the
wheels, the transverse flanges 84 giving a firm grip on the ground, somewhat after
the manner of a horse's shoe.
32-32 are helical springs placed in the bearing box frames 30-30¹ between the
bottom of the main frame and the top of the bearing boxes 29, and serve to take the
main weight of the machine. 33 represents a worin gear centrally mounted so as to
rotate freely on the main axle, and its periphery is provided with a series of skeleton
teeth 34, which mesh with the worm screw 35 on the main driving shaft 36.
teeth 34 are each provided with a stationary radial shaft, on which is journaled a
sleeve provided with an integral roller 38, which forms an antifriction bearing for the
teeth on the worm screw 35.
These
The worm gear 33 is formed with an annular ring 39, connected to the hub 40
by radial arms 41, which are forined with recesses 42 in which are radially journaled
beveled pinions 43 which mesh with angle gears 44-45, the gear 44 being secured
to the inner end of the sleeve 27 and the pinion 45 on the inner end of the
sleeve 28.
One side of the annular ring 39 is formed with clutch lugs 46, which engage
similar clutch lugs 47 on ring 48 surrounding the gear wheel 45, and said ring is
supported in this position by a series of levers 49, the outer ends of which are pivoted
in the arms 50 on the back of the clutch ring 48, while the levers themselves are
fulcrumed in brackets 51 on the gear wheel 45, their inner ends being pivoted to
the lugs 52 on a sliding collar 53, mounted on the inner end of the sleeve 28 so as to
slide longitudinally thereon. This collar is provided with a circumferentially grooved
flange 54, which engages the forked end of a hand lever 55 fulcrumed in a transverse
brace 56, its upper hand or end extending upwardly to within reach of the engine-
driver on the seat 57.
This seat is mounted on C springs 58-581, secured to a transverse brace 59 which
also forms a bearing for the main driving shaft 36, which extends forward and forms
the crank shaft of the engine, not shown. The boiler and engine (not shown) are 4
mounted on a base plate 60, which is supported in the lower frame 61, secured at its
forward end to the main frame by bolts 62-62, and its sides near its rear end are
further supported by being secured to the axle bearing boxes 29-29'.
63 is a friction wheel rigidly mounted on the main driving shaft 36, so as to rotate
continuously with it, and 64 is a rectangular frame vertically pivoted on a bolt 65 to 4
to the transverse brace 66. This frame carries a bracket 67 in the rear arms of
which is journaled a shaft 68 provided with two friction wheels 69-70, located on
either side of the friction wheel 63, and when the frame 64 is plumb or vertical, the
friction wheel 64 rotates clear of both of the friction wheels 69-70.
71-72 are stirrups or foot rests on the top of the frame 64, and when the engine 5
driver, who sits on the seat 57 with his feet resting on the stirrups, presses down
the right hand stirrup 72, it throws the frame 64 to the right, bringing the wheel 69
into contact with the friction wheel 63, and rotates the shaft 68 to the left. The
reverse movement of the frame 64, by pressure to the left, rotates the shaft 68 to
the right, and as this shaft is connected by a flexible shaft 73 to the shaft 7 carrying 5
the worm screw 6, which engages the worm wheel 5, the steering wheel 17 is
turned to the right or left to guide the machine.

page_text: The radial braces 3-3' in the circular frame 2 are formed with notches 74-74,
which engage a stud 75 secured to the radial brace 11' in the steering frame 10,
and serve to limit the motion of the steering wheel to the right or left.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A traction engine comprising a main frame carrying a prime motor, a main
driving shaft provided with a fixed friction wheel, a pivoted frame carrying a fixed
shaft provided with two friction wheels located one on each side of the fixed friction
wheel, a flexible shaft connected to one end of the fixed shaft and having its opposite
end connected to a countershaft located in a circular frame in the forward end of
the main frame, a worm screw on said countershaft, and meshing with a worm wheel
mounted on a vertical steering post journaled in said circular frame, and carrying a
lower circular frame in which the steering wheel is supported, as and for the purpose
set forth.
2. A traction engine, comprising a main driving shaft, a worm screw fixed to said
shaft, in combination with the main axle, a worm gear mounted thereon, and formed
with skeleton teeth having antifriction rollers radially mounted therein, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
3. A drive wheel for farm and road engines, comprising a divided hub, a series of
tangential braces, the outer ends of which are secured to the rim of the wheel and
centrally secured between the divided hub, substantially as shown and described.
4. A drive wheel for farm and road engines, comprising a rim formed of angle
iron or steel, a series of semicircular shoes secured to said rim, in combination with a
series of tangential braces or spokes having their outer ends secured to the said
rim, and secured about midway between the contiguous flanges of the divided hub,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. A traction engine comprising the main axle, the sleeves 27 and 28 mounted on
said axle, in combination with the bearing boxes 29-291 having antifriction
rollers 30%, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6. The combination with the main driving shaft a worm screw fixed on said shaft,
of a countershaft and a worm gear fixed thereon, and formed with skeleton teeth
having antifriction rollers radially mounted thereon and in operative contact with
said worm screw, as and for the purpose set forth.
CHID VO
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.