IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING POWER TO THE WHEELS or TRACTION ENGINES, PORTABLE ENGINES, EXCAVATORS, AND OTHER SELF- MOVING MACHINES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wallace Hanscom, of San Francisco,
California, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING POWER TO THE WHEELS or
TRACTION ENGINES, PORTABLE ENGINES, EXCAVATORS, AND OTHER SELF-
MOVING MACHINES."
Sealed the 8th March 1872, and dated the 19th January 1872.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Wallace Hanscom
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 19th January 1872, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WALLACE HANSCOM, of San Francisco, California, United States of
America, Mechanical Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPLYING POWER TO THE WHEELS OF TRACTION ENGINES, PORTABLE ENGINES,
EXCAVATORS, AND OTHER SELF-MOVING MACHINES," and have petitioned

page_text: assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn
Declaration that I really believe myself to be the first and true Inventor
thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wallace Hanscom, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my
hand and seal, fully describes the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed (that is to say)
This Invention consists in combining machinery so as to uso water
as a medium for transmitting the power from the engines to the wheels
of traction and portable engines, excavators, and other self-moving
machines, in place of toothed gearing, pitch chains, and the other
ordinary appliances for transmitting power. By my combination
economy of weight is obtained, and facility of exerting the maximum
tractive power of the machine at very slow speeds, or the minimum
with great speed, and in a much simpler manner, and with much
simpler and more efficient combination than heretofore.
The general features of the combination are these:-Connecting
the engines directly to the driving wheels, and making them water-
pressure engines instead of steam, and using a steam pump and
accumulator reservoir for obtaining any required pressure.
Generally I would adopt the following construction of the machine,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawing where,-
A is the boiler, B the driving wheels, C the water-pressure engines.
I would arrange them as shown at Figure 1; that is, I would place the a
two cylinders which operate upon each wheel at an angle of ninety (90°)
degrees approximately to each other, and attach their pistons & eccen-
trically to the wheel B, so that the attachment will answer for both
cylinders, and at the same time avoid the dead point of the crank.
The cylinders C are connected with each other, and with the differential
water cylinders E, E, by the pipe f, through which the water is
conveyed to the water cylinders C, C, equally, and is returned through
an exhaust pipe, not shown, to a tank from which the steam pump
draws its supply, thus permitting the same water to be used over and
over again. G is a steam pump which is supplied from the boiler A. &

page_text: This pump is connected with the differential water cylinders E, E, so
that the motion of its piston will force the water from the differential
water cylinders E through the pipe f, and into the cylinders C..
I prefer to employ two (2) cylinders to each driving wheel, so that no
shipping and unshipping of gear will be required in making curves.
Instead of links I use a block with reverse ports between the valve
face and seat, reducing the wear very materially, and use a cut-off valve
on the steam pump, which has a fly wheel.
The differential pump consists of two (2) pump barrels placed in line,
and one piston rod going through both. The ends of the two barrels
next cach other have a pipe connecting them, which is closed by a
stop-cock controlled by the driver. It will be seen that by opening the
cock the effective pump piston area is decreased one-half, consequently
double the pressure may be applied to exert the tractive force required
with the same boiler pressure. The steam accumulator cylinders are
arranged the same way, and controlled in the same manner.
By the above-described application of power to the wheels of moving
machines I avoid the use of toothed gearing, and the other ordinary
appliances for transmitting power, and provide a direct attachment of
the power giving to the power receiving parts of the machine, thus
obtaining an entirely reliable connection, and providing an accu-
mulator, by means of which a greatly increased power can be obtained
when necessary.
One of the chief advantages derived from this combination is the
facility with which the power can be regulated and applied, and the
great saving in the wear and tear of the machine.
Having thus described my Invention what I claim is,--
-
First The employment on a self-moving machine, such as traction.

page_text: Third. The differential steam accumulator constructed and applied as
described.
Fourth. The combination of a differential steam pump and water-
pressure engine for the purpose specified.
Witnesses,
W. F. BINGHAM.
J. L. BOONE.
WILLIAM WALLACE HANSCOM. (L.s.)