THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD LOCOMOTIVE AND AGRICULTURAL LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by David Greig at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1879.
DAVID GREIG, of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County of York, and
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THOMAS AVELING, of Rochester, in the County of Kent.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROAD LOCOMOTIVE AND AGRICULTURAL LOCOMOTIVE
ENGINES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of road
locomotive and agricultural locomotive engines.
In the construction of road, locomotive, and agricultural engines, it is usual to
secure the bearing brackets of the main road wheels and the crank shaft, and also
the bearings of the intermediate driving shafts to the side plates, or the frame
plates of the boiler, or to other brackets provided for the purpose by means of bolts,
using check nuts or other means to prevent the nuts becoming loose. Heretofore
also such bearings have been bored and afterwards adjusted to their places, and in
the erection of such engines with their various brackets bolted to the frame or other
plates they are liable to some inaccuracy of centres.
According to this Invention the wrought iron brackets or bearings are rivetted or
welded to the frame or other plates, and the brackets or bearings being made of
sufficient size, the engine and shaft centres are lined out and bored or otherwise
manipulated in their exact position. Thus most accurate construction and centreing
of the various driving shafts with the lines of the engine is ensured, and wear and
tear of the parts is very greatly reduced.
Another part of this Invention relates to the arrangements in connection with
the winding drum upon the main axle with which engines of this class are usually
provided. This drum is generally used when the engine is ascending a very
steep incline with a load heavier than the engine can haul by direct traction.
It has been the practice heretofore to disconnect the engine from the load, and
send the engine forward up the incline to a distance of about 100 yards or the
length of the steel wire rope coiled upon the drum. The rope is then uncoiled by
running the engine and pulling back the rope by hand until the end is brought to
the load, to which it is fastened, and the load is then drawn or wound up to the
engine. The engine then, after that the rope has been detached from the load,
proceeds on another length as before, and the operation is repeated.
troublesome operations are rendered necessary by the construction of the engine,
These

page_text: for it is usual to key the drum upon the axle, and to connect the main wheel
thereto, when the engine is required to travel, by a pin or bolt inserted through a
hole in the boss of the wheel, and entering a corresponding hole in the side of the
winding drum. According to this Invention, a collar is provided upon the axle to
which the main wheel is made fast for travelling by the insertion of a pin or bolt,
and the winding drum is made separate from this collar, and it is capable of turning
upon it; the collar and the winding drum can be pinned or bolted together when it
is required to wind forward a load. In working with this improved arrangement
when the foot of the incline is reached, the engine is uncoupled from the load, and
the rope is made fast to it. The engine then proceeds up the incline to the full
length of the rope, the rope uncoiling itself from the drum as the engine proceeds.
When the engine has reached the full length of the rope it is stopped, the road
wheel is unpinned, and the winding drum is bolted to the boss. Then by winding
the load is drawn up to the engine, which again proceeds a similar distance up the
incline. When the engine has been stopped winding is recommenced, and so on.
Thus there is no need to disconnect the wire rope from the load until the top of
the hill is reached. A very considerable amount of time is in this way saved.