Improvements in Traction Engines and other Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1899
Complete Snacification Loft 19th Anr 1900 Accented 17th July 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Traction Engines and other Vehicles.
I, BRAMAH JOSEPH DIPLOCK, of 53, Ashley Gardens, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
―
According to this invention the vehicle as it moves places feet on the ground.
These feet support rollers, on which rails on the vehicle run.
The feet consist of hollow cylinders of any shaped cross section having inside
them blocks free to move in any radial direction, but prevented from moving
in an axial direction by the cylinder ends. The top ends are preferably con-
nected to the bodies by springs. The blocks are connected by ball and socket
or other universal joints to the ends of spokes free to slide in radial guides in a
disc keyed to or run loose on the axle of the vehicle so that the spokes with the
feet at their ends revolve with the disc. The rollers are pivotted to these
spokes and the latter are normally drawn inwards by springs so that the feet
are normally held in contact with the edge of the disc but the rollers are forced
outwards by guides or inclines as they come to the leading end of the rail and the
feet are thus brought successively into contact with the ground.
The rails are preferably not rigidly attached to the vehicle but each consists
of a lever pivotted to a block which is free to rise and fall and also pivotted to
the lower ends of two vertical rods whose upper ends are pivotted to the ends of
a horizontal lever pivotted at its middle to the axle box or other part of the
vehicle. Springs are provided so that the rods can rise and fall relatively to
the horizontal lever.
Springs are also preferably provided tending to keep the lever in a horizontal
position.
The lever forming the rail rests on one or more of the rollers and any in-
equalities of the ground are compensated for by the movements of the rail about
its pivots.
The guides or inclines for the rollers are pivotted to the ends of the lever
forming the rail and to the vertical rods so that they adjust themselves to the
varying positions of the levers.
1ELL Ja of T... 1800

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
According to this invention the vehicle as it moves places feet on the ground.
These feet support rollers, on which rails on the vehicle run
The feet consist of hollow cylinders of any shaped cross section having inside
them blocks free to move in any radial direction, but prevented from moving
in an axial direction by the cylinder ends. The blocks are connected by ball
and socket or other universal joints to the ends of spokes free to slide in radial
guides in a lisc keyed to or run loose on the axle of the vehicle so that the
spokes with the feet at their ends revolve with the disc. The rollers are pivotted
to these spokes and the latter, are normally, drawn inwards by springs so. that
the feet are normally held in contact with the edge of the disc but the rollers are
forced outwards by guides or inclines as they come to the leading end of the
rail and the feet are thus brought successively into contact with the ground.
The rails are preferably not rigidly attached to the vehicle but each consists
of a lever pivotted to a block which is free to rise and fall and also pivotted. to
the lower ends of two vertical rods whose upper ends are pivotted to the ends of
a. horizontal lever pivotted at its middle to the axle box or other part of the
vehicle. Springs are provided so that the rods can rise and fall relatively to
the horizontal lever.
Springs are also preferably provided tending to keep the lever in a horizontal
position.
The lever forming the rail rests on one or more of the rollers and any in-
equalities of the ground are compensated for by the movements of the rail about
its pivots.
The guides or inclines for the rollers are pivotted to the ends of the lever
forming the rail and to the vertical rods so that they adjust themselves to the
varying positions of the levers.
The feet in place of being constructed as described may consist of elastic or
other blocks connected by springs to the spokes.
Figure 1 is a vertical section (on the line 1-1 Figure 2) showing rather more
than a quarter of one of the travelling supports of a traction engine constructed
according to this invention. Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2
Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side elevation of one of the spokes h with two out of
its four guides. Figures 4 to 8 are local sections on the lines 4-4 to 8-8
Figure 3.
a is an axle box or sleeve forming part of the body of the engine. This axle
box is hung by the pivot b to the middle of the horizontal lever whose ends are
supported by springs the centre rods of which are pivotted to the horizontal
rail e which therefore supports the whole weight of the engine. The rail e rests
on rollers f free to turn on pivots fixed to spokes h which are connected by
ball and socket joints to feet one of which is shown in section in Figure 1.
In this figure all the spokes except the two lower ones are for the sake of clear-
ness omitted.
Pivotted to the centre of the rail e is a block free to move up and down in
a slot in the plate / made in one with the sleeve or axle box a
Each foot consists of a hollow cylindrical box having inside it a block m
free to move in it. Above the block is an inverted cup also free to move in
the box and having within it a second cup o thus forming a double ball and
socket joint which gives more play than a single one. p is a cover of leather
or other flexible material to prevent the entrance of dirt into the joint. pis
a corrugated sheet metal cover for the same purpose. The upper end of the
leather is fixed to the sleeve 2 which is free to turn on the spoke. The
spokes work between guides and r bolted to the discs formed in one with
the boss keyed to the sleeve on the shaft r. Springs are provided which
tend to draw the spokes inwards until the tops of the feet j bear against the

page_text: edge of the disc as shown in the upper part of Figure 1. are guides fixed
to the centre rods of the springs d. When the sleeve u is driven in the usual
way the discs and feet j revolve with it and the rollers f coming against the
guides are forced outwards. are sheet iron casings to exclude dirt and
y are circular oil channels connected by suitable ducts to the guides 7 and r.
In Figure 1 the top roller f is just not in contact with the guide, the next
roller is in contact but has not been materially forced outwards whilst the others
have gone outwards to a greater or less extent. This outward movement of the
rollers and spokes frees the tops of the feet j and the latter now turn by their
own weight on the ball and socket joints as shown in Figure 1 so that they come
flat onto the ground. y are springs whose centre rods are pivotted to the
plate and bear on the underside of the lever c and tend to keep it in a horizontal
position.
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. The combination of a vehicle body, a rail connected to it, feet carried by
it, means for placing the feet successively on the ground and rollers pivotted to
the feet and supporting the rail.
2. In apparatus such as is referred to in Claim allowing the rollers to move
radially to the axle and interposing springs between the body and the rail.
3. In apparatus such as referred to in Claim 2 the employment of a lever
pivotted to the body and on which the springs act.
24. The combination of parts interposed between the rollers and body substan-
tially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
5. In a foot for supporting a vehicle, the combination of a box, a block free to
move inside the box, a spoke and a universal joint connecting the spoke to the
block.
6. Traction engines and other vehicles substantially as described and illustrated
in the drawings.