Improvements in Steam Road Rollers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
Improvements in Steam Road Rollers.
I, EDWARD THOMAS WRIGHT, of the City of Springfield, in the County of
Clark, and State of Ohio, United States of America, Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to improvements in steam road rollers; and the object of
my invention is to provide a novel construction of the driving and supporting
wheels by which the operation of compressing the materials over which the roller
passes is improved, and a greater degree of compactness secured under varying
circumstances.
I attain these objects by the constructions shown in the accompanying drawings,
in which-
Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a machine embodying my invention; and
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.
Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in the two views.
In the said drawings, a represents the main frame of a road roller; b, the boiler;
cc, the main driving wheels; and c', the front or steering wheel or wheels. The
driving wheels c are connected in any suitable manner to the motive power, which
is preferably a steam engine located on the boiler 6 in the usual manner, but not
shown in the drawings.
In all road rollers of this character, the distribution of the weight of the
machine is necessarily such that a larger proportion of the weight comes upon the
driving wheels c than upon the steering wheel or wheels c¹. In passing over loose
materials, therefore, a greater compression is produced by the driving wheels than
by the steering wheel or wheels. The result of this is, that, in the ordinary
construction of the driving wheels, an elevation is left in the material over which
the road roller has passed of a width corresponding to the width between the
driving wheels, and, as the driving wheels are of a substantially uniform diameter
throughout their width, the heavy compression at the inner edges of said driving
wheels not only produces a depression of the material at this point, but also
produces a slight elevation of the material adjacent to the inner edges of said
wheels which leaves an abrupt, elevated and ragged condition of the materials.
In my improved roller, I provide the driving wheels each with an extended
portion c, which is beveled inwardly, as shown, so that each of the wheels is of a
smaller diameter at its inner periphery than at its outer, the main body of the
driving wheel being of a substantially uniform diameter, as before. The width of
the steering wheel or wheels is preferably such that their outer edges project
beyond the extension 2 so that the beveled portion c² of the driving wheels will,
in the ordinary course of the roller, come within the tread of said steering wheel
or wheels, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The result of this construction
is, that, in passing over loose materials, the elevation which occurs between the
driving wheels, instead of being abrupt at each side, will be reduced by the beveled
extended portions of the driving wheels on an incline, so that, instead of having
the elevated and depressed portions adjoining each other by an abrupt and ragged
line, these respective surfaces will be joined by an inclined surface, constituting a
feathering edge. As the material is further reduced into a compact mass, the
compressing action of the driving wheels is increased insomuch as the surface over
which the weight is distributed is decreased, since the straight portion only of the
wheels will come in contact with the ground, the beveled portions being slightly
elevated therefrom.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a road roller, the combination with the main driving wheels, and a steering
wheel or wheels, said driving wheels being provided with extended portions adapted
to overlap the tread of said steering wheel or wheels, said extended portions being
beveled, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a road roller, front and rear wheels, as described, one set of said wheels
being adapted to overlap the tread of the other set, with the overlapping portions
of one set beveled, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a road roller, main supporting and driving wheels, and a steering wheel or
wheels, the tread of which occupies a space between said main wheels, said main
wheels having a substantially uniform diameter as to those portions of which
project beyond the tread of the steering wheel or wheels, and a reduced and beveled
portion for overlapping the tread of said steering wheel or wheels, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 14th day of August 1894
R. HADDAN,
Of the Firm of Herbert Haddan and Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agent for Applicant.