IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRACTION AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Braby, of Rudgwick, in the County of Sussex;
Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
TRACTION AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Braby at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March 1881.
JAMES BRABY, of Rudgwick, in the County of Sussex, Gentleman. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRACTION AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES."
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of parts, whereby the steering
wheels of traction and locomotive engines may be made the driving wheels, thus
affording a means of reducing the weight of the engine and its cost of construction.
The axle of the steering wheel is mounted in movable bearings, the outer or longer
end of the axle turning in a bearing carried by a sector rack, and the shorter or inner
end working in a swivel socket bearing. This swivel bearing has for its fulcrum
a short vertical shaft which rests in a foot bearing affixed to the main frame. This
vertical shaft turns in a bracket bearing from the main frame, and it is provided
with a pinion which gears into a ring formed with teeth or their equivalent, and
attached to the side of the steering wheel. A bevil pinion on this vertical shaft
gears into a bevil pinion on a horizontal shaft connected with a train of gearing,.
which receives motion from the crank shaft of the engine.
By this arrangement the steering wheel is converted into a driving wheel.
For the purpose of steering this wheel, a worm in gear with the sector rack is
turned by a hand wheel, and the axle of the steering wheel being free to follow the
movements of the sector rack, the course of the engine may be changed at pleasure.
The travelling or hind wheels of the engine may be made light, and when used in
connection with a plough they may be adjusted to run one on the land side and
the other on the furrow side.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Braby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th September
1881.
JAMES BRABY, of Rudgwick, in the County of Sussex, Gentleman. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRACTION AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES."
This Invention relates to a novel arrangement of parts, whereby the central
steering wheel of traction and locomotive engines may be made the driving wheel,
thus affording a means of reducing the weight of the engine and its cost of
construction.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in side elevation a traction engine
fitted according to my Invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; and Fig. 3
is a front elevation of the engine with a portion of the framing in section, the
better to shew the mode of mounting and the gearing for driving the steering
wheel.
:
A is a vertical boiler, to the front of which is secured a vertical 'steam
cylinder B, the piston rod of which is connected by a rod with a transverse crank
shaft C.
D is a rectangular framing mounted on a pair of carrying wheels E, E, and a
central front steering wheel F. Bracket bearings are provided on the frame D for
the crank shaft. C and also for the shaft of the carrying wheels.
The steering wheel F turns loosely on a radius axle F¹, which is carried in
bearings attached to a sector rack F2, which rack is free to slide in guides on the
underside of the framing.
i
The inner and shorter end of this axle F' terminates in an eye to receive a short
vertical shaft G, which forms a pivot for the radius axle F¹ to turn upon when the
position of the steering wheel with relation to the framing is required to be
changed.
Underlying the inner end of the axle F¹ is a bracket H projecting from the
framing, and serving to retain the axle F¹ in a horizontal position.
The vertical shaft G is formed with a collar, which bears upon the eye of the
axle F¹ and serves to support its shaft. The verticality of this shaft is preserved
by passing it through a bracket bearing attached to the main framing. The lower]
end of this shaft passes down through a hole in the bracket H, and by means of a
loose collar and key it is retained in position.
Bolted to the side of the steering wheel is a ring of bevil teeth I, into which
gears a bevil pinion G¹ keyed on the shaft G for the purpose of driving the steering
wheel F. Motion is transmitted from the crank shaft C to the vertical shaft G by
a train of spur and bevil gearing K, and by this means the central steering wheel
is converted into a driving wheel.
For the purpose of steering this wheel a worm L'is made to gear with the sector
rack F. The spindle which carries this worm extends rearwards and carries 'a
mitre pinion in gear with a mitre pinion carried by a short vertical shaft M, on
the upper end of which 'a hand wheel M¹ is fitted.
It will now be understood that as the axle of the steering wheel is free to follow
the movements of the sector rack, the course of the engine may be changed at
pleasure. The travelling or hind' wheels of the engine may under these circum-
stances be made light, and when used in connection with a plough they may be
adjusted to run one on the land side and the other on the furrow side.
The above description it will be understood applies equally to locomotive engines
having a central steering wheel.
I may remark that if desired this wheel may have its tyre either grooved or

page_text: ribbed to adapt it for running on a guide rail. In such case the worm L will be
dispensed with, and the sector rack will be merely a sliding plate for supporting
the axle F¹ in a horizontal position.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Construction of Traction and Locomotive Engines," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent I claim,―
.
First. Converting the central steering wheel of traction and locomotive engines
into a driving wheel, in the manner and for the purpose above set forth.
Secondly. Mounting the central steering wheel of traction and locomotive
engines on a radius axle, and transmitting to such wheel driving power through
the pivot on which the radius axle turns.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Braby, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the Twenty fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.