Improvements in Traction Wheels and Pulleys.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Traction Wheels and Pulleys.
1, JOSEPH HARRIS, of 38 Park Street, Harrison Square, Boston, in the
County of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
The object of my invention is to produce a driving or traction wheel particularly
applicable for locomotives so that the wheel will firmly grip the rail and not.
slip.
The invention consists of a wheel, the tread or that portion of which that forms.
its operating surface is composed of a series of radial plates, which plates are held
in a dovetail groove formed in the periphery of the wheel as hereinafter fully
described and pointed out in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 represents a side view of a locomotive driving or traction wheel.
embodying my invention, a portion of the ring, being shown broken away to expose-
the edge of the plates.
Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line a,, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view of one of the radial plates.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6-are respectively a side view plan and section of a portion of a.
wheel showing a modified manner of retaining the radial plates in place.
Fig. 7 is a section of a portion of a driving wheel or pulley having radial
plates embodying my invention.
A, represents a wheel having a flange a, on one side which extends some distance
beyond the body of the wheel, and a ring c on the other side, the body of the
wheel being recessed to receive the inner edge of the ring which is secured thereto
by bolts d, the space between the ring c, and the flange a being of dovetail formas.
shown. In this space around the entire circumference of the wheel are arranged a.
number of steel plates e, set edgewise so as to radiate to the centre of the wheel.
The sides of each of these plates are of dovetail form and they are bent in the
centre to form a portion of circle as will be best seen in Fig. 3, so that when
arranged in place they will fit into and against each other and will be held by the
dovetail groove formed by the flange a, and the ring c.
The plates e, are first put into position around the circumference of the wheel,.
and the ring c, is then laid on, and the bolts d, inserted and tightened up, thereby
firmly holding the plates e, in place.
Instead of employing a ring e, as before described, the wheel might be formed.
with a dovetail groove around its circumference, a small portion of the inner side
being cut away so as to allow for the insertion of the plates e, which would be
slipped round into place and when the last plate has been inserted the cut out.
portion would be covered by a dovetail piece, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, which
could be put in from the top and then secured by four bolts as shown.
When employed for a traction wheel for locomotives, the edges of the plates e,
would not project beyond the ordinary tread or the edge of the ring e, but in a
wheel for ordinary roads, or a pulley for driving a belt, the edge of the plates
would project a short distance as shown in Fig. 7, so that they would have a firm
grip upon the road or belt.
It will be seen that a wheel thus constructed presents a wearing surface con-
sisting of the edges of a series of plates thus rendering the wheel very durable,
and should the plates become worn they can readily be removed and new plates
replaced thus making the wheel as good as new, and by the employment of the
ID017

page_text: plates and their peculiar shape, viz.: being rounded in the centre, they are rendered
somewhat clastic even though packed in a solid body around the wheel, thereby
affording a good grip upon the rail or other substance with which they are in
contact, and preventing all liability of slipping.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A wheel the tread or operating surface of which is composed of a series of
thin metal plates, placed side by side, transversely of the thread and held in a
groove in the periphery of the wheel substantially as set forth.
2. A wheel having a flange the inner face of which slopes outwardly and a ring
on the opposite side the inner face of which also slopes outwardly thus forming a
dovetail groove around the periphery, and thin metal plates arranged in said
dovetail groove so as to stand transversely of the tread and form the operating
surface of the wheel substantially as set forth.
3. A series of thin metal plates, the sides of which are of dovetail form, each
plate having a rounding projection at or about its centre so that the plate will fit
against and within each other when arranged around the wheel so as to stand
transversely of the tread, said plate being held in a dovetail groove in the periphery
of the wheel substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of February 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.