IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF- PROPELLING WINDING AND PORTABLE ENGINES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Chaplin Willsher, of Gracechurch Street, in the
City of London, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-
PROPELLING WINDING AND PORTABLE ENGINES."
Sealed the 10th May 1878, and dated the 10th November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Chaplin Willsher at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1877.
JOHN CHAPLIN WILLSHER, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-PROPELLING WINDING AND PORTABLE
ENGINES."
.
This Invention relates to improvements in portable engines, semi-portable
engines, hauling engines, traction engines, ploughing and cultivating engines, loco-
motive crane engines, and road rolling engines, the main objects being to simplify
and cheapen their construction and to increase their efficiency.
I also propose to put out of sight to a great extent the moving mechanism so as
to remove as far as possible the objection raised to the use of locomotives on public
highways.
My Invention relates, firstly, to the arranging of the crank shaft and other moving
parts of the engine below the barrel of the boiler, and at the same time avoiding
the necessity for passing any bolts or screws into the water or steam space of the
boiler.
The steam cylinder is bolted to a bracket plate, which plate is rivetted to the
under side of the barrel of the boiler. Other plates are rivetted to the boiler barrel,
and on either side of these plates I bolt my side plates to carry the crank shaft,
counter shaft, and other gear. By these means I effect the attachment of the entire
engine and traction gear to the boiler without any bolting into the boiler, and I
also place the crank shaft and cylinder near the coldest part of the boiler, so that.
there is in practice comparatively no expansion and contraction as compared with
the engines situate on the top of the fire-box and barrel. The bracket plates serve
Prins 21

page_text: also as a protection or housing for the engine, and for a semi-portable or winding
engine I secure the advantages claimed for the well-known "Robey" engine, viz.,
independence of the boiler without the expense and weight of an independent frame
or side girder.
In order to carry traction engines, steam road rollers, and other locomotives upon
springs I support the front carriage or locking gear upon a centre pivot to which
the spring is attached, or a spiral spring or buffers of india-rubber can be placed
around the centre down bolt or vertical shaft, and for the driving wheels of traction
or locomotive engines; or for those wheels which require to be retained parallel I
affix their axle arms or axle boxes (which in some cases are carried on springs) to
links or radius rods working in bearings affixed to the side plates.
In some cases I should attach the radius links direct to the cylinder, as in
common locomotives when gearing is not used. The links or radius rods will lie at
or nearly at right angles to the line of motion of the bearing springs.
The crank axle I-mount in bearings set in the centres of the arms or links upon
which the main driving wheels revolve.
By making the crank shaft concentric with the travelling wheels, the fly wheel or
pulley may be caused to revolve within the periphery of the adjacent travelling
wheel. This enables me to save space and effectively enclose the fly wheel from
sight, and remove a serious objection against the use of engines on highways.
These links will receive the thrust of the piston and maintain the crank shaft in
its proper position.
The advantage of mounting the axle boxes or arms in radius rods or links is, that
the driving gear is maintained in its correct pitch line; or with semi-portable
or locomotives that the thrust is carried back to the cylinder.
In hauling engines I propose to pass through the fulcrum pins of the links (which
pins are made hollow for the purpose) a countershaft which carries speed wheels
and other gearing for transmitting motion to the driving wheels and the hauling
drums. This countershaft I fit with two spur wheels at different pitch and bring
them into gear with pinions of different pitch mounted loosely on the crank shaft
and capable of being thrown alternately into action by means of a sliding clutch.
By this arrangement I attain two speeds for the drums of winding or steam culti-
vating engines, a great desideratum in the practical working, as more power can be
applied to overcome stiff work, or, on the other hand, upon light work speed can
be increased, which will reduce wear and tear on the engine. By this arrangement
the same double speeds and same intermediate shaft can be made common both to
the winding drum or drums and to the traction gear of steam cultivating engines,
whereby the number of parts is much reduced and simplified.
In connection with all engines for steam cultivating, where a winding drum is
used round the barrel of the boiler, or where the winding drum is carried upon
friction rollers, I so arrange the driving pinion that the strain from the pull of the
rope is taken by the pinion and practically taken off the friction rollers, and con-
sequently off the boiler. This result I attain by bringing the pinion into contact
with the drum at the point where the rope enters the drum, and I thus ensure that
the teeth shall take the direct strain instead of transmitting that strain through a
part of the circumference of the drum.
In constructing steam road rollers and steam road roller wheels, I form form them
so as to receive and retain water as ballast for the purpose of increasing the rolling
capacity of such rollers, and for other self-propelling engines I form the wheels so as
to hold water and act as auxiliary tenders, and enable engines to travel a greater
distance without a fresh supply of water, by which means I obtain the weight as a
"rolling load" and not as a load to be carried.
'
When applying a crane to the engine, instead of using additional gearing, as is
customary for working the lifting chain, I lead the chain by guide pulleys down to
a winding-on drum on the countershaft before mentioned and fit thereto a clutch
and brake apparatus.
In order to increase the efficiency of the boiler I construct the crown of the fire-

page_text: box at a lower level than the top row of tubes, by which means one or more rows of
tubes are above the level of the crown. This arrangement allows of a large variation
in the water level without risk of the crown becoming over heated.
Any number
of the upper tubes is attached in the ordinary way through the crown by being
bent over or connected by elbows. I prefer to have these tubes come through the
crown in the front part of the fire-box, or that part furthest from the ordinary tube
plate, as the distribution of the gases of combustion is thereby better effected.
I also propose to shut off the upper or any of the tubes from the fire-box, and
thereby prevent the heat from passing through them for the purpose either of
reducing the amount of heating surface, or preventing the top tubes from being
burnt when short of water. This may be effected by the use of fire-brick dampers,
pressing them at pleasure against the tube ends.
Another improvement which I propose in connection with locomotive and portable
engines is to provide in place of the ordinary fixed fire-bars an endless chain of fire-
bars, which will serve to carry the fuel into the fire-box and also to deposit the ash
in the ash-pit. This endless chain of fire-bars is particularly applicable where
straw is burned as the fuel. In such case I employ a series of arms mounted on
one or more rock shafts, which arms are caused to rise and fall between the bars of
the grate or above the grate, and thereby to stir the fuel and retard at pleasure the
carrying forward of the fuel.
.
The fuel opening in the fire-box can be fitted with an inclined trough to lead the
fuel to the travelling grate, which by preference has a rough surface, the better to
catch hold of and draw in the straw, thus making the feed automatic. A jet of
exhaust steam can impinge upon the travelling grate, or water can be used in the
bottom of the ash-pan to quench any live ash.
In order to support the fore carriage and locking gear of traction engines it is
usual to carry the barrel piate of the boiler forward. In doing this I now propose
to avail myself of these plates and to form between them a tank which can be used
for a condenser, or to carry feed water, or to exhaust into or for a feed-water
heater.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Chaplin Willsher in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th May 1878.
JOHN CHAPLIN WILLSHER, of Gracechurch Street, in the City of London,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-PROPELLING WINDING AND PORTABLE
ENGINES."
This Invention relates to improvements in portable engines, semi-portable
engines, hauling engines, traction engines, ploughing and cultivating engines,
locomotive crane engines, and road rolling engines, the main object being to simplify
and cheapen their construction, and to increase their efficiency.
I also propose to put out of sight to a great extent the moving mechanism, so as
to remove as far as possible the objections raised to the use of locomotives on public
roads and highways.
My Invention relates, firstly, to the arranging of the crank shaft and other
moving parts of the engine below the barrel of the boiler, and at the same time
avoiding the necessity for passing any bolts or screws into the water or steam
space of the boiler.
In Sheet I. of the Drawings,-
Fig. 1 shows in longitudinal sectional elevation a locomotive engine constructed
according to the first part of my Invention, and illustrating also other improve-
ments which will be hereafter referred to.
Fig. 2 is a partial sectional plan view of the engine taken in or about the
line 1, 2, of Fig. 1.
In these Figures, A is the fire-box; B, the horizontal tubular boiler; C, C, the
driving wheels; and D, D, are the steering wheels of the engine; E is the steam
cylinder placed below the boiler, as shown best in the diagram, Fig. 14.
This cylinder it will be seen is bolted to a bracket piece E', and secured by rivets
to the under side of the barrel of the boiler. On either side of the boiler in
advance of the fire-box, I form a curtain of boiler plates, as shown at B', to carry
indirectly the links G' and the shaft F. By these means I effect the attachment
of the entire engine and traction gear to the boiler without any bolting into the
boiler, and I am also enabled to place the crank shaft and cylinder near the coldest
part of the boiler, so that there is in practice comparatively no expansion and
contraction as compared with the engines situate on the top of the fire-box and
barrel. These curtains, together with the boiler, serve also as a protection or
housing for the engine and moving mechanism in connection therewith; aud for a
semi-portable or winding engine I secure the advantages claimed for the well-
known "Robey" engine, vizt., independence of the boiler without the expense and
weight of an independent frame or side girder.
In order to carry traction engines, steam road rollers, and other locomotives upon
springs, I support the front carriage or locking gear upon a centre pivot D¹, to
which the suspension spring D³, Fig. 1, is attached, or a spiral spring or buffers of
india-rubber can be placed around the centre down bolt or vertical shaft. The axle
arms or axle boxes of the driving wheels of traction or locomotive engines, or
those wheels which require to be retained parallel (which in some cases are carried
on springs), I affix to links or radius rods working in bearings mounted in the side
plates or curtains B¹.
In Figures 1 and 2 this improvement is illustrated, G, G, being a pair of links
with hollow hubs supported in the curtains B¹, and capable of oscillation. The
free ends of these links carry sleeves which forin journals for the driving wheels
C, C. By the interposition of springs between the boiler and the free ends of the
links (as shown at Fig. 1b, Sheet I.), the relative positions of the driving wheels and
gearing will be maintained, the wheels being at the same time free to yield to any
irregularities of the road without jolting the engine. The links G, it will be seen,
lie nearly at right angles to the line of motion of the bearing springs.

page_text: The crank axle C₁ (see Fig. 2) is mounted in bearings set in the sleeves or
hollow journals of the links G, G, around which the main driving wheels revolve.
By making the crank shaft concentric with the travelling wheels, the fly wheel
or pulley of that shaft may be caused to revolve within the periphery of the adjacent
travelling wheel, as shewn at H, Fig. 2. This arrangement enables me to save
space, and by simply applying a plate to the outer side of the driving wheel to
enclose the fly wheel from sight, and I thus remove a serious objection against the
use of engines on highways.
Another advantage consequent on mounting the crank shaft as explained is, that
the links G will receive the thrust of the piston and maintain the crank shaft
in its proper position, and the driving gear is maintained in its correct pitch line.
In hauling engines I propose to pass through the fulcrum. pins or hubs of the
links (which are made hollow for the purpose) a countershaft which carries speed
wheels and other gearing for transmitting motion to the driving wheels and the
hauling drums; this countershaft is shewn in the Drawing at F, F. It is fitted
with two spur wheels 1, 2, of different diameters, which gear with pinions 3, 4, of
different diameters, mounted loosely on the crank shaft, and capable of being thrown
alternately into action by means of a sliding clutch. By this arrangement I attain
two speeds for the drums of winding, traction, or steam cultivating engines, a great
desideratum in the practical working, as more power can be applied to overcome
stiff work, or on the other hand, upon light work, speed can be increased, which
will reduce wear and tear on the engine. By this arrangement the same double
speeds and same intermediate shaft can be made common, both to the winding drum
or drums, and to the traction gear of steam cultivating engines, whereby the number
of parts is much reduced and simplified...
In connection with all engines for steam cultivation where a winding drum is
used round the barrel of the boiler, or where the winding drum is carried upon
friction rollers, I so arrange the driving pinion that the strain from the pull of the
rope is taken by the pinion, and practically taken off the friction rollers, and conse-
quently off the boiler. This is illustrated at Figures 3 and 4, Sheet II. In these
Figures B is the horizontal boiler, surrounded by a winding drum I, which is
supported by antifriction rollers K, K, having their bearings in bracket pieces
attached to the boiler. Lis the driving pinion, also mounted in a bracket piece
attached to the boiler, and gearing into an internal ring of teeth of the winding
drum. The pinion L, it will be seen, is so situate with regard to the drum that its
point of contact therewith coincides or nearly so with the point at which the rope
enters the drum, and I thus ensure that the teeth shall take the direct strain instead
of transmitting that strain through a part of the circumference of the drum. The
driving pinion L (see Fig. 3) receives its motion through bevil gearing from the
countershaft F
In constructing steam road rollers and steam road roller wheels, I form them so as
to receive and retain water as ballast for the purpose of increasing their weight,
and consequently efficiency, and for other self-propelling engines I form the wheels
so as to hold water and act as auxiliary tenders, and enable engines to travel a
greater distance without a fresh supply of water. This improvement is also illus-
trated in Fig. 2 of the Drawings, where D, D, represent in section a pair of water-
carrying steering wheels, furnished with plugs & for supplying the water thereto
and withdrawing it therefrom. By constructing the road rollers in the manner.
shown at Fig. 2, I obtain the weight as a rolling road; and not as a load to be
carried.
When applying a crane to the engine, instead of using additional gearing, as-is
customary for working the lifting chain, I lead the chain by a guide pulley or pulleys.
down to a winding-on drum on the countershaft before mentioned, and fit thereto a
clutch and brake apparatus. At Fig. 1 this improvement is shown, N being the:
crane made fast to the front of the boiler, and fitted with hauling pulleys, as usnal.
O is the lifting chain led down to a pulley P, and passing thence to the drum Q;
which in this case will be mounted loosely, on the shaft F. By locking one or other,

page_text: of the pinions 3, 4, to its axle by means of a clutch, and setting the engine in action,
the chain will be wound upon the drum, and the lifting hook R of the crane with
any load that may be attached thereto will be raised.
A brake applied to the drum Q will serve to regulate the unwinding of the chain
therefrom (when the driving pinion is thrown out of action), and deposit the load
where required.
In order to increase the efficiency of the boiler I construct the crown of the fire-
box at a lower level than the top row of tubes, by which means one or more rows
of tubes are above the level of the crown. This arrangement allows of a large
variation in the water level without risk of the crown becoming overheated. The
longitudinal section, Fig. 1, illustrates this part of my Invention, where A' is the
crown of the fire-box; a are the ordinary fire-tubes of the boiler, and a³ a row of
tubes set above the level of the crown of the fire-box. These tubes a¹ are attached
through the crown by being bent over or connected by elbows a². I prefer to have
these tubes come through the crown in the front part of the fire-box, or that part
furthest from the ordinary tube plate, as the distribution of the gases of combustion
in the fire-box is thereby better effected.
I provide for the shutting off of the upper tubes a¹ (and it may be other tubes
adjacent thereto) from the fire-box, in order to prevent the heat from passing
through them for the purpose either of reducing the amount of heating surface, or
preventing the top tubes from being burnt when short of water; thus, I apply to
the forward ends of the tubes hinged dampers b, which when dropped into contact
with the tube ends will prevent the passage of hot gases through the tubes.
Another improvement which I propose in connection with locomotives and portable
engines is shown applied to the fire-box A in Fig. 1. This consists in providing, in
place of the ordinary fixed fire-bars, a set of endless chains of fire-bars S, S, which
serve to carry the fuel into the fire-box, and also to deposit the ash in the ash pit or
box. Those endless chains of fire-bars are particularly applicable where straw
is burned as the fuel, and in connection with it I employ a series of arms T, T,
mounted on a rock shaft U situate below the fire-bars. These arms T are caused by
the application of a lever to the outer end of the crank shaft V to rise and fall above
and between the bars of the grate, and thereby to stir the fuel, and retard at pleasure
the carrying forward of the fuel.
The feed opening in the fire-box can be fitted with an inclined trough to lead the
fuel to the travelling grate, which by preference has a rough surface the better to
catch hold of and draw in the straw. A jet of exhaust steam may be caused to
impinge upon the travelling grate, or water may be used in the bottom of the ash-
pan to quench any live ash.
In order to support the fore carriage and locking gear of traction engines it is
usual to carry the barrel plates of the boiler forward. In doing this I now propose
to avail myself of these plates, and to form between them a tank, which can be
used for a condenser, or to carry feed water, or to exhaust into or for a feed water
heater. This tank is shown in section at M, Fig. 1, and it is fitted with a bush of
iron, which passes vertically through it, to receive the centre pivot D' of the fore
carriage.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of " Improvements in Self-
propelling Winding and Portable 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. Arranging the steam cylinder, crank shaft, and countershaft beneath the
boiler in the manner and for the purpose above described.
Secondly. The means above described for supporting traction engines, steam road
rollers, and other locomotives on springs.
Thirdly. Providing bearings for the crank shaft and countershaft in the radius or
link rods G, G, as described, and placing the fly wheel within the periphery of one
of the driving wheels, for the purpose above set forth.

page_text: Fourthly. The arrangement of gearing above described for transmitting motion
through a countershaft to a hauling drum or drums and the driving wheels.
Fifthly. The arrangement of driving gear for winding drums, shown in Sheet II.
of the Drawings, whereby the driving pinion is caused to relieve the bearing rollers
of undue pressure by taking the strain of the hauling rope directly instead of its
being transmitted, as heretofore, through a part of the circumference of the drum to
the driving pinion.
Sixthly. Constructing the wheels of self-propelling engines as described with
reference to Fig. 2 of the Drawings, for containing water for the uses above
indicated.
Seventhly. The arrangement above described with reference to Fig. 1 for winding
up the lifting chain of cranes carried by a locomotive engine.
Eighthly. As an improvement in the boilers of locomotive engines I claim the
employment of fire-tubes set above the level of the top of the fire-box connected
with the crown thereof, such tubes being provided with dampers, as and for the
purpose above set forth.
Ninthly. The arrangement of mechanism above described for supplying the fire-
box with fuel, and for stirring the same, and discharging the ash from the grate..
Tenthly. The construction of tank in front of the boiler, as and for the purpose
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Chaplin Willsher, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
J. CHAPLIN WILLSHER. (LS.)