IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO TRACTION ENGINES.
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Greenslade, of Steeple, in the County of
Essex, Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE
TO TRACTION ENGINES.".
Sealed the 2nd October 1869, and dated the 5th April 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Greenslade at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th April 1869.
1, JOHN GREENSLADE, of Steeple, in the County of Essex, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO TRACTION ENGINES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements designed for rendering traction
engines travelling on common roads more suitable for ascending or
descending steep inclines by mounting the boiler so that it may be
maintained in a horizontal position, and thus keep the water always at
the same level therein whatever may be the inclination of the framing.
By this means the priming of the boiler is prevented as well as injury
to the fire-box box and tubes from excessive heat, such as is the case
when the boiler is fixed to the framing in the usual manner. I provide
[Price Sd.1

page_text: the boiler with trunnions, one at either side near the centre, and mount
it to oscillate in bearings on the framework, which is provided with
driving and steering wheels as usual. The position of the boiler is
adjusted by means of a screw or screws mounted on the foot plate,
and working in a nut carried on the rear end of the boiler, or the boiler
may be adjusted in other equivalent manner, by means of which
that end of the boiler may be raised or depressed as required according
as it is ascending or descending an incline. The front end of the
boiler is also suitably supported for the purpose of avoiding undue
strain on the bearings when the engine is in motion. The cylinder
may be mounted in any convenient position, and motion is transmitted
therefrom to the driving wheels by means of chain or other gearing
through the medium of a pulley mounted on one of the boiler trun-
nions before mentioned, which is prolonged to form an axis for the
pulley. By this means the working of the engine is not in any way
affected by the variable positions of the boiler. The pulley for transmitting
motion to the driving wheels being mounted at the centre of oscillation
of the boiler, the distance between the main shaft and driving wheel,
as well as the strain is at all times the same.
can be carried on springs or not as desired.
The carriage and boiler
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Greenslade in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th October 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GREENSLADE, of Steeple, in the County of Essex, Machinist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Greenslade, Her special
licence that I, the said John Greenslade, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Greenslade, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during

page_text: or ad-
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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS APPLICABLE TO TRACTION ENGINES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Greenslade, my executors
ministrators, by an instrument in writing under my or 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 Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Greenslade, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof:-
My improvements are designed for rendering traction engines, more
especially those travelling on common roads, well suited for ascending
or descending steep inclines by mounting the boiler together with the
engine so that it may be maintained in a horizontal position and thus
keep the water always at the same level whatever may be the inclination
of the framing, whereby 1 prevent the priming of the engine as well
as injury to the fire-box and tubes from excessive heat, such as is the
case when the boiler is fixed to the framing in the usual manner.
may
To effect the above object I adopt the following means:-I connect
the boiler and working parts of the engine together so that they may
all move together, and provide the boiler to which the said working parts
are attached with pivots, trunnions, or an axis or axes placed at or near
the centre or otherwise, so that one end of the boiler counterbalance
the other. The engine and boiler may oscillate in bearings on the frame-
The
work, which is provided with driving and steering wheels as usual.
position of the boiler can be adjusted by means of a screw or screws,
which may be mounted to the foot plate and work in nuts carried on
the rear end of the boiler, or the boiler may be adjusted in other
equivalent manner, by means of which that end of the boiler may be
raised or depressed as required according as it is ascending or descending
an incline. The front end of the boiler is also suitably supported for
the purpose of avoiding undue strain on the oscillating bearings or
framing when the engine is in motion, The cylinder may be mounted

page_text: By the
in any convenient position, and motion is transmitted therefrom to the
driving wheels by means of chain or other gearing through the medium
of a pulley mounted on one or both of the boiler trunnions, pivots, or
axle or axles before mentioned, which is prolonged to form an axis for
the pulley, or other equivalent arrangement may be adopted.
above means the working of the engine is not in any way affected by
the variable positions of the boiler. The pulley for transmitting motion
to the driving wheels being mounted at the centre of oscillation of the
boiler, the distance between the main shaft and driving pulley as well
as the strain is at all times the same.
carried on springs or not as desired.
serviceable for the work performed by portable engines. One or more
windlasses can be attached under the framework and can be driven by
suitable gearing from the intermediate wheel, rendering them more
suitable for agricultural or other like purposes.
The carriage and boiler can be
These engines will be found very
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, both as
regards the objects thereof and means whereby the same are to be
carried into effect, I will now in compliance with the condition in the
said Letters Patent, proceed to particularly and fully ascertain and
describe in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice by the aid of the Drawings accompanying these Presents.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, view of side of a traction engine constructed in accordance
with my Invention; Figure 2, plan of arrangement of gearing for
adjusting the back screws; Figure 3, view of front screw; Figure 4,
section shewing back screws and gearing; Figure 5, enlarged view of
section through the lower end of one of the back screws; Figure 6,
view showing one method of fitting the centres or trunnions for boiler;
Figure 7, view showing another method of same; Figure 8, plan of one
of back screws showing the box connected to boiler through which the
screw works; Figure 9, side view shewing the method of mounting
and driving windlasses for agricultural or other purposes; Figure 10,
part plan of same; Figure 11, section of same. In all the Figures the
same letters of reference are used to refer to similar parts when such
parts are shown in such Figures.
a, boiler; b, trunnions or centres; c, bearing in which the trunnions
or centres (b) work; d, pulley receiving motion from pulley f on the

page_text: engine shaft e by strap or chain g and by means of a clutch affixed
to the engine shaft, the same may be thrown in and out of gear; h,
pulley communicating motion to back wheel i by chain j and pulley k,
, steering gearing and wheels; m, front screw (supporting front of
boiler) to be adjusted by hand by the steersman; n, boss through which
the screw (m) passes and which can be adjusted to support the boiler
by the screw m being turned, which causes the boss n to rise and fall; o,
back screws mounted as shewn in Figures 4 and 5 to allow them to
suit themselves to the position of the boiler; p, bosses through which
the screws (o) work mounted on brackets q attached to the boiler, so
that when caused to rise or fall by the turning of the screws the boiler
is canted as required; r, hand wheel and shaft for turning the screws by
the intermediate gearing shown in Figure 2; s, pulley connected to
shaft r and giving motion to band or chain u, which passing round the
pulley t, t, connected to the screws 0, 0, cause them to turn and adjust
the boiler as desired. When it is desired to use the engine as a portable
engine it can be dismounted from the framing and mounted on wheels
at v, v. In Figure 6 the boiler a is shown with a cranked or curved
shaft w passing under it, the ends 6 of which are mounted in bearing c;
the pulley in this case should be loose. In Figure 7 the trunnions or
centres form part of brackets which are fixed to the boiler; these
trunnions should be hollow to allow a shaft running in a bush y to be
mounted in them, and on this shaft the pulleys d, h, and A should be
fixed. In Figures 9, 10, and 11, Z, windlasses supported from the framing
and driven from a wheel A on the trunnion or centre b by intermediate
gearing wheels B and bevilled pinions C, which gear into bevil wheels D
fixed to the top of the windlasses; the pinion C may be thrown in and
out of gear with the wheels D on the windlasses as desired by means of
a clutch fixed to the shaft.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and what manner the same is to be performed and
carried out in practice, I hereby declare that I claim, the Invention of
improvements applicable to traction engines as herein described and
illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, it being understood that I
do not claim the placing of a boiler on axes, trunnions, or centres except
when arranged so as to be combined with and oscillate at the same
time as the working parts of the engine; nor do I claim the details per

page_text: se and apart from the purposes of my said Invention, nor do I limit
myself to the precise form and arrangement of such details.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Greenslade, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
JNO. GREENSLADE. (L.S.)
ALEX. P. WRIGHT,
Secretary to the Inventor's Patent Right
Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street,
Charing Cross,
London, S.W.,
Patentee's Agents.