IMPROVE- MENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Foden at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd December 1882.
EDWIN FODEN of Sandbach in the County of Chester Engineer. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES
"
The object of this invention is so to mount the engine upon springs that the
vibration in passing over a rough road shall not materially effect a variation in the
depth of the gearing.
In carrying out my invention I arrange that the travelling wheel axle and the
third motion shaft shall work together in one axle box at each side and be fitted
with ball joints-each axle box working in a separate horn plate which is bolted to
the side plates of the boiler behind the fire box and at the top of the said horn-
plate a spring box is attached on each side on which the boiler is suspended.
The second and third motion shafts are fixed in an exact line so that in
accordance with this invention the action of the springs does not effect the depth
of the gearing.
The spring boxes are arranged with a central spindle or stud which can be
screwed down so as to take the weight off the springs and to put it direct upon the.
spindle or stud and thus the engine can be either suspended upon springs or travel
without the springs (an obvious advantage in passing over soft ground) and so be
immediately converted into a "spring" or "non spring" Traction engine at will.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edwin Foden in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd June
1883.
EDWIN FODEN of Sandbach in the County of Chester Engineer
MENTS IN TRACTION ENGINES"
"IMPROVE-
The object of this invention is so to mount the engine upon springs that the
vibration in passing over a rough road shall not materially effect a variation in the
depth of the gearing and also in such a manner that the Engine can be immediately
converted into a "spring" or "non spring" Traction Engine at will.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily seen and
understood I have hereunto annexed a drawing of a Traction Engine with my
improvements applied thereto. Fig 1 being a side view partially in section and
Fig 2 an end view partially in section.
In carrying out my invention I arrange that the travelling wheel axle A and the
third motion shaft B shall work together in one double axle box C at each side of
the engine and be fitted with ball joints D-each axle box working in a separate
horn-plate E which is bolted to the side plates of the boiler behind the fire-box and
at the top of the said horn-plate a spring-box F is attached on each side on which
the boiler is suspended. The second motion shaft H and third motion shaft B are
thus enabled to be fixed in an exact line as illustrated so that in accordance with
this invention the action of the springs does not effect the depth of the gearing.
The spring boxes F are arranged with a central spindle or stud G which can be
screwed down so as to take the weight off the springs I and to put it direct upon
the spindles or studs G and thus the Engine can be either suspended upon the
springs or travel without the springs (an obvious advantage in passing over soft
ground) and so be immediately converted into a "spring" or "non-spring"
Traction Engine at will.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details relative proportions or dimensions of the
various parts of my improved Traction Engine as the same may be considerably
varied without departing from the invention but what I claim as my improvements
in Traction Engines are:-
1st Fixing the gearing in such a position that the variation of the springs does
not affect the depth of the gearing as hereinbefore described and illustrated on the
accompanying drawing.
2nd Mounting the travelling wheel axle and the third motion shaft in one double
axle box at each side of the engine and fitted with ball joints substantially as and
for the purposes herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
3rd The use and application to Traction Engines of spring axle boxes fitted with
central spindles and capable of being screwed down so as to take the weight off the
springs and convert the engine into a "spring" or "non-spring" engine at will
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
In witness whereof I the said Edwin Foden bave hereunto set my hand and
seal this twenty second day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and Eighty throa.