IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES OR ROAD LOCOMOTIVES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Archer, junior, and Charles Edward
Hall, of the Dunston Engine Works, Gateshead-on-Tyne, in the
County of Durham, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Archer, and
Charles Edward Hall at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 11th November 1871.
We, THOMAS ARCHER, junior, and CHARLES EDWARD HALL, of the
Dunston Engine Works, Gateshead-on-Tyne, in the County of Durham,
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES OR ROAD LOCOMOTIVES," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention has for its object the application of springs to traction
engines driven by spur or other gearing, band, or pitch chain, or any
combination of the same. For this purpose the boiler (when of the

page_text: locomotive type) is hinged to a rigid main framing beneath the boiler
(upon which framing are fixed all the engine proper, with countershafts
and gearing, except the cylinder or cylinders, which are bolted to the
boiler as hereinafter stated) close behind the fire-box, by means of a cross
shaft forming the spindle of the hinge, the fire-box plates having suitable
tabs or elongations adapted to receive the said shaft or spindle; but the
said hinged connection may be formed at any convenient part of the
fire-box side. Immediately behind this hinged connection is or are
placed the cylinder or cylinders, the centre line of which is nearly at
right angles to the same, and on or as near the same plane as possible.
The smoke box end of the boiler rests upon suitable springs, these
being connected with the main or under framing of the engine before
mentioned. The hind or main driving axle is placed in any suitable
position between the fire-box and the smoke box. The crank shaft is so
arranged beyond as to carry a suitable fly wheel, the periphery of which
sufficiently clears the hind axle. The fore carriage, which is also
mounted on springs, may have one or two wheels, being at the opposite
end and supporting the main framing. The wheels may be steered by
any suitable means.
The tank is by preference mounted over the barrel of the boiler in
the form of a saddle tank, in order to allow the feed pump to supply the
boiler with hot or cold feed water.
The mode of heating the said water may be variously effected; thus
it will be seen that the pump may be kept primed, and the water may
be forced into the boiler at any desired temperature.
We further construct the pump in such a manner that by stopping off
the boiler supply and connecting a suitable hose, we can pump our tank
full from any wayside stream. The said engine and boiler are mounted
upon elastic road wheels, where the tyres are composed of india-rubber
or other elastic material, the armour or covering which protects the tyre
consisting of a number of flexible metallic bands (by preference of steel)
placed round the circumference, to which bands are secured the cross
strips or shoes which lay hold upon the ground by rivets or otherwise,
so that the strips are rigidly fixed to the said bands. The armour com-
posed of these flexible bands may be in several lengths and coupled by
joints, or a suitable twitch, or both, which may be variously constructed;
or the said armour may be in one length, both the ends being coupled

page_text: as described; or it may be made as to form when together one endless
hoop, and be secured to its place after the india-rubber is put on by the
overlapping ends being suitably connected. The said armour is applic-
able to segmental or endless tyres, and its great peculiarity is that the
india-rubber is relieved of all driving strain, and is used merely as a
means of increasing the adhesion on the road by its property of
flattening.
In each case of applying the said armour it is fixed by preference at
two or more points to the inner or rigid tyre of the wheel or any other
convenient part of the said wheel; but it may be independent of the
wheel, as is common with Thomson's road steamers.
The above described improvements in traction engines, or road loco-
motives, relate to any engine drawing loads either on a common road,
railway, or tramway, so long as gearing is used to reduce the piston
speed to a slower motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Archer, and Charles Edward Hall in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th May 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
ARCHER, junior, and CHARLES EDWARD HALL, of the Dunston Engine
Works, Gateshead-on-Tyne, in the County of Durham, Engineers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Thomas Archer, junior, and Charles
Edward Hall, Her special licence that we, the said Thomas Archer, junior,
and Charles Edward Hall, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Thomas Archer, junior, and Charles Edward
Hall, our 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

page_text: "
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 “IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES OR ROAD LOCOMOTIVES,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas
Archer, junior, and Charles Edward Hall, our executors, or adminis- t
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said.
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Thomas Archer, junior, and
Charles Edward Hall, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the letters and
figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
Our Invention of " Improvements in Traction Engines or Road
Locomotives" has for its object the application of springs to traction
engines driven by spur or other gearing, band, or pitch chain, or any
combination of the same. For this purpose the boiler (when of the
locomotive type) is hinged to a rigid main framing beneath the boiler
(upon which framing are fixed all the engine proper, with countershafts
and gearing, except the cylinder or cylinders, which are bolted to the
boiler as herein-after stated) close behind the fire-box, by means of a
cross shaft forming the spindle of the hinge, the fire-box plates having
suitable tabs or elongations adapted to receive the said shaft or spindle;
but the said hinged connection may be formed at any convenient part of
the fire-box side. Immediately behind this hinged connection is or are
placed the cylinder or cylinders, the centre line of which is nearly at
right angles to the same, and on or as near the same plane as possible.
The smoke box end of the boiler rests upon suitable springs, these
being connected with the main or under framing of the engine before
mentioned. The hind or main driving axle is placed in any suitable
position between the fire-box and the smoke box. The crank shaft is so
arranged beyond as to carry a suitable fly wheel, the periphery of which
sufficiently clears the hind axle. The fore carriage which is also mounted

page_text: on springs may have one or two wheels, being at the opposite end and
supporting the main framing. The wheels may be steered by any
suitable means.
The tank is by preference mounted over the barrel of the boiler in the
form of a saddle tank, in order to allow the feed pump to supply the
boiler with hot or cold feed water.
The mode of heating the said water may be variously effected; thus it
will be seen that the pump may be kept primed, and the water may be
forced into the boiler at any desired temperature.
We further construct the pump in such a manner that by stopping off
the boiler supply and connecting a suitable hose, we can pump our tank
full from any wayside stream. The said engine and boiler are mounted
upon elastic road wheels, wherein the tyres are composed of india-rubber
or other elastic material, the armour or covering which protects the tyre
consisting of a number of flexible metallic bands (by preference of steel)
placed round the circumference, to which bands are secured the cross
strips or shoes which lay hold upon the ground by rivets or otherwise,
so that the strips are rigidly fixed to the said bands. The armour com-
posed of these flexible bands may be in several lengths, and coupled by
joints or a suitable twitch, or both, which may be variously constructed;
or the said armour may be in one length, both the ends being coupled as
described; or it may be made so as to form when together one endless
hoop, and be secured to its place after the india-rubber is put on, by the
overlapping ends being suitably connected. The said armour is applic-
able to segmental or endless tyres, and its great peculiarity is that the
india-rubber is relieved of all driving strain, and is used merely as a
means of increasing the adhesion on the road by its property of
flattening.
In each case of applying the said armour it is fixed by preference at
two or more points to the inner or rigid tyre of the wheel, or any other
convenient part of the said wheel; but it may be independent of the
wheel, as is common with Thomson's road steamers.
The above described improvements in traction engines or road loco-
motives relate to any engine drawing loads either on a common road,
railway, or tramway, so long as gearing is used to reduce the piston
sneed to a slower motion.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, we will now
proceed to describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be
performed by the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which are
represented a traction engine and wheels constructed in the manner
above referred to.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 a plan or horizontal view partly in
section; and Fig. 3 is a half end view and half transverse section of
traction engine.
A, A, is the main framing of the engine to which the boiler B. is
hinged close behind the fire-box by means of a cross shaft C which
forms the spindle of the hinge, the fire-box plates having suitable tabs
or elongations D, D, to receive the said shaft or spindle; but the said
hinged connection may be formed at any convenient part of the fire-box
side. On the main framing A beneath the barrel of the boiler (by
preference of the locomotive type) are fixed all the engine proper,
except the cylinders E, E, which are bolted to the boiler as herein-after
described; F, is the crank shaft; G, is the counter shaft; and H, the
gearing for reducing the piston speed. Immediately behind the said
hinged connection are placed the cylinders E, E, the centre line of which
is nearly at right angles to the same, and by preference on or as near the
same plane as possible, but the exact position thereof may be varied.
The smoke box end of the boiler rests upon suitable springs I, these
being connected with the under or main framing A. The hind or main
driving axle K is placed by preference near the middle of the length of
the boiler, between the fire-box and the smoke box; but it may be placed
in any suitable position between them. The crank shaft F is so arranged
beyond as to carry a suitable fly wheel L, the periphery of which
sufficiently clears the hind axle. The fore carriage is also mounted upon
springs M, M, and may have one or two wheels; it supports the main
framing A at the front end of the boiler, and is shewn upon one wheel
which has a circular turntable N fitted with axle boxes. The steerage
is effected by the worm and wheel O and P through the vertical spindle
Q, and the chain pinion R, over which and round the turntable passes
a pitch chain.
When two wheels are used the fore axle is brought forward and is
made to swivel round its centre in the same manner as in an ordinary

page_text: portable engine. A volute spring may then be used at the centre, or
two springs with a turntable as in an ordinary dray.
The tank 8 is by preference mounted over the barrel of the boiler in
the form of a saddle tank, in order to allow the feed pump T to supply
the boiler with hot or cold water.
The arrangement of pump is shewn in Fig. 1, where the excentric U
drives an ordinary plunger in the barrel V, which is bolted to the main
framing and which also carries the suction hose and first clack box.
Beyond this and connected to it by a flexible tube W is the boiler clack
box X, which has a three-way stop-cock Y, shewn detached in section
on an enlarged scale at Fig. 4; above this cock is placed a tube Z which
delivers into the tank S.
When it is required to fill the tank the suction hose is put into any
pond or stream, the cock Y is turned so as to shut off the communication
with the boiler, and open that with the tube Z by which the tank is
filled. On the other hand, when the boiler is required to be filled from
the tank, the hose pipe is thrown into the man-hole on the top, and the
cock Y is turned so as to shut off the communication with the tube Z,
and open that with the boiler; or, in case there is no water required the
boiler supply may be stopped, the tube Z opened, the hose still remain-
ing in the tank, and the water being thus pumped through from the
tank back to the tank. The pump excentric may be worked by a clutch
or other equivalent, to be thrown out of gear if necessary. Exhaust
steam may be turned into the tank for heating the feed water, or any
5 other known appliance, as it is evident the pump can work with either
hot or cold water.
The reversing lever and guard are by preference fixed to the side plate
of the fire-box shell, the weigh bar shaft being fixed in bearings under-
neath the cylinder. By this arrangement the oscillations of the boiler
O will not affect the motion of the valve.
The said engine and boiler are or may be mounted on elastic road
wheels of the kind represented in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. Fig. 5 is a
section of the wheel; Fig. 6, a half side elevation; Fig. 7, a plan of
a portion of the armour; Fig. 8, a half wheel with endless tyre; and

page_text: wheels of the kind described, and the application of such wheels to
engines for traction purposes generally.
And, lastly. The arrangement of the parts as described for tramway
or locomotive engines.
In witness whereof we, the said Thomas. Archer, junior, and
Charles Edward Hall have hereunto set our hands and seals,
the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
THOMAS ARCHER, JUNIOR. (L.S.)
CHARLES EP. HALL.
(L.B.)
JOHN RICHARDS,
Dunston,
N. Gateshead-on-Tyne,
Agent.