IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES AND OTHER ENGINES TO TRAVEL ON COMMON ROADS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Greig, of the Steam Plough Works,
Leeds, in the County of York, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRACTION ENGINES AND OTHER ENGINES TO TRAVEL ON COMMON
ROADS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Greig at.
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th March 1868.
I, DAVID GREIG, of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County
of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES AND OTHER ENGINES TO TRAVEL ON COMMON
ROADS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in traction engines
and other engines to travel on common roads. When, as is very usual,
the driving wheels of such engines receive motion by means of a spur

page_text: wheel or a chain wheel on their axle gearing with one of a train of
wheels or a chain driven from the crank shaft springs cannot con-
veniently be interposed between the said axle and the body of the
engine, because the play of the springs interferes with the working of
the driving gear.
Now according to my Invention in order that springs may be used to
carry the body of the engine in place of mounting the last spur wheel
or chain wheel of the train on the axle of the driving wheels I mount
it on a ring or tubular stud fixed on the body of the engine. The axle
of the driving wheels then passes through this ring or tubular stud,
which is of such a size that sufficient space is left to admit of the free
play of the body of the engine on the springs supporting it from the
axle of the driving wheels. The spur or chain wheel on the ring or
tubular stud I connect by a drag link with a disc or arm fixed on the
axle of the driving wheels; or in place of using a drag link the disc or
arm may have a pin upon it entering a slot in the side of the spur or
chain wheel, or in other ways the spur or chain wheel may be caused
to drag the axle round with.it and yet be free to play on the springs.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said
David Greig in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th September
1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
GREIG, of the Steam Plough Works, Leeds, in the County of York,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of March, in the
year
of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said David Greig, Her special licence
that I, the said David Greig, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said David Greig, my 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 might make, use, exercise,

page_text: 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 AND OTHER ENGINES TO TRAVEL ON COMMON ROADS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said David Greig, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
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 on or before the Eigteenth day of September,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Greig, 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, that is to say:―
This Invention has for its object improvements in traction engines
and other engines to travel on common roads. When, as is very usual,
the driving wheels of such engines receive motion by means of a spur
wheel or a chain wheel on their axle gearing with one of a train of
wheels, or a chain driven from the crank shaft springs cannot con-
veniently be interposed between the said axle and the body of the
engine, because the play of the springs interferes with the working of
the driving gear.
Now according to my Invention in order that springs may be used to
carry the body of the engine in place of mounting the last spur wheel
or chain wheel of the train on the axle of the driving wheels I mount
it on a ring or tubular stud fixed on the body of the engine. The axle
of the driving wheels then passes through this ring or tubular stud,
which is of such a size that sufficient space is left to admit of the free
play of the body of the engine on the springs supporting it from the
axle of the driving wheels. The spur or chain wheel on the ring or
tubular stud I connect by a drag link with a disc or arm fixed on the
axle of the driving wheel; or in place of using a drag link the disc or
arm may have a pin upon it entering a slot in the side of the spur or
chain wheel, or in other ways the spur or chain wheel may be caused
to drag the axle round with it, and yet be free to play on the springs.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood
and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed.

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a traction engine or engine
designed to travel on common roads; Figure 2 is a side view of some of
the parts.
a, a, are the driving wheels; they are mounted so as to be able to
rotate on the axle b, but they are secured to the axle when travelling
by means of brake straps c, one of which is connected with each wheel a
and encircles a drum d keyed upon the axle; the strap is tightened up
by means of a screw at c¹; this method, however, of connecting the
driving wheels forms no part of the present Invention; it affords a ready
way of disconnecting one of the wheels to facilitate the turning short
round corners. d, d, are the axle boxes; they are able to slide up and
down in the guides e, e, fixed behind the fire-box of the .engine, and
one on each side thereof; a side view of one of the guides e is shown
separately at Figure 3. ff, are spiral springs interposed between the
axle boxes and the cross bars e', e', of the guides, so that the hinder
part of the boiler and engine is carried on these springs; g is the crank
shaft of the engine, by a spur wheel upon it it drives a spur wheel on
the intermediate shaft h, which also carries a pinion ¹ gearing with a
spur wheel i, and this spur wheel i turns on a boss k, which is fixed
upon the wing plate projecting back from the side of the boiler. In
the side of the wheel i two pins are fixed, and they are connected by
the drag links m with pins fixed to the side of the drum d, and then
the driving wheel a receives its motion from the wheel i, and the whole
of the driving gear is free to play up and down on the springs. It is
obvious that other modes of connecting the wheel i with the drum d
(or with the driving wheel) may be resorted to, but the arrangement
shown is preferred.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Greig, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
DAVID GREIG. (L.S.)