IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Blackburn, of Exeter, in the County of
Devon, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION
ENGINES."
Sealed the 12th December 1863, and dated the 13th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Blackburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th June 1863.
I, ROBERT BLACKBURN, of Exeter, in the County of Devon, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION
ENGINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention is for improvements upon a former Invention, for which
Letters Patent were granted to Isaac Blackburn and myself the 12th February
1857, No. 414; it consists in mounting the boilers with flanged wheels, which
run upon rails fixed on the inner surface of the drum, whatever the nature of
the boilers.
My Invention also consists in placing the boilers parallel with the length of
the drum. Guide wheels are also provided inside the drum to assist in keeping
the boilers in their proper horizontal line, that is, parallel with the surface of
the road or land on which the drum is travelling. The engines. are supported
upon a frame in front of the drum and between it and the front guide wheels,

page_text: and the power therefrom is transmitted to the drum. A portion of the frame
extends to the rear of the drum on each side, and the boilers are also
connected to this frame. The outer surface of the drum may be either plain
.or corrugated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Blackburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
BLACKBURN, of Exeter, in the County of Devon, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Robert Blackburn, Her special licence that I, the said
Robert Blackburn, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I; the said Robert. Blackburn, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Robert Blackburn, 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
Şeal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Blackburn, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:
My Invention is for improvements upon a former Invention, for which
Letters Patent were granted to Isaac Blackburn and myself the 12th February
1857, No. 414. It consists in mounting the boilers upon flanged wheels,

page_text: which run upon rails fixed on the inner surface of the drum, whatever the
nature of the boilers.
My Invention also consists in placing the boilers parallel with the length of
the drum. Guide wheels are also provided inside the drum to assist in keeping
the boilers in their proper horizontal line, that is, parallel with the surface of
the road or land on which the drum is travelling. The engines are supported
upon a frame in front of the drum and between it and the front guide wheels,
and the power therefrom is transmitted to the drum. A portion of the frame
extends to the rear of the drum on each side, and the boilers are also connected
to this frame. The outer surface of the drum may be either plain or
corrugated.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 a
plan, and Figure 3 a front elevation, of one of my drum traction engines,
shewing the improvements the subject of my present Invention. A, A, is a
frame extending along the sides and ends of the machine; B is the main
drum; C is the boiler, the tubes of which run across the machine and parallel
The boiler and
with the length of the drum; D, D, are the furnaces.
furnaces are supported upon flanged wheels E, E, which run upon rails F, F,
on the inner surface of the drum, and the axles H, H, of these wheels revolve
in axles boxes affixed to the wrought-iron or other framing mounted on conical
or other springs. I, I, are the engines which drive the drum through toothed
or frictional gear on the inner surface of the drum; K, K, are the front guide
wheels; and L is the steering wheel.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Blackburn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of December, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
ROBERT BLACKBURN. (L.S.),