Year: 1886

page_text: I, LOYAL CLARK TABER, of the Village of Danforth, County of Onondaga, and
State of New York, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention consists in certain improvements in the means for transmitting
propelling power to all of the carrying wheels of the traction engine.
Referring to the annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a traction engine
embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a front end view of the same; Figs 3, 4
and 5 are detail views of the compensating gears which are applied to both of the
carrying axles; and Fig. 6 illustrates modifications of the devices for maintaining
the gear of the flexible or oscillatory counter-shaft in engagement with the
compensating gear on the axles of the forward carrying wheels.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the boiler of the engine mounted on the axles B B¹ of the carrying
wheels W W as hereinafter described.
The rear end of the boiler I usually support by plates p bolted to the sides of the
water jacket A¹ of the fire-box, which plates are formed with bearing boxes in
which the rear axle is journalled.
I do not however, limit myself to this particular connection of the boiler with
the hind carrying axle, inasmuch as the same is susceptible of many modifications,
and does not affect the essence of my present invention.
The forward axle which constitutes the steering axle is pivoted at its centre, the
pivot in this case being represented in the form of a hollow post K rigidly secured
to the bottom of the boiler shell, and having its lower end of the shape of a segment
of a sphere and stepped in a corresponding socket 6 on the bed or saddle I on which
the forward axle Bi is journalled.
C denotes the driving shaft of the engine. The engine may be of any suitable
and well known construction and its illustration is therefore omitted here.
In order to transmit from the driving shaft C to the four carrying wheels Wa
propelling power with equitable motion respondent to the various speeds required
of the several wheels in travelling around curves, I provide each of the carrying
axles B B¹ with a compensating gear R consisting of the gear wheel R mounted

page_text: loosely on the axle and having pivoted in it pinions ff arranged with their axis
radial to the axis of the wheel R, and engaging with annular racks gg on the
adjacent sides of disks S S held against opposite sides of the wheel R, one of
said disks being rigidly secured on the axle and the other disk being integral with
the hub of one of the carrying wheels W which latter is loosely mounted on the
axle, the other wheel W being rigidly attached to the opposite end of the axle.
For the construction and combination of the aforesaid parts, reference should be
had to Fig 3, 4 and 5 of the drawing.
These compensating gears are capable of transmitting propelling power to both
axles, and at the same time permit of an equitable movement of all the four wheels
while travelling around curves.
To the two compensating gears R R synchronous motion is transmitted by the
following instrumentalities. On the driving shaft C is fastened a pinion D', and
on trunnions or gudgeons secured to the side of the boiler is mounted a train of
gears E-F F F F the first of which gears meshes in the pinion D', and on the side
of the last of said gears and integral therewith is a pinion G which meshes in the
compensating gear R of the hind axle B as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.
On a trunnion rigidly attached to the forward portion of the boiler are journalled
side by side a pinion N¹ and a gear-wheel O, cast in one piece. The gear-wheel O,
meshes in the gear E, and the pinion N¹ engages a pinion N which is attached to
the end of a countershaft L, the opposite end of which carries a pinion P which
meshes in the compensating gear R of the forward axle B¹.
In order to maintain the pinions of the said countershaft in engagement with the
pinion N¹ and compensating gear R during the oscillations of the axle B¹ incident
to the travel of the engine over uneven roads and around curves, it becomes
necessary that the countershaft L shall be allowed a similar or corresponding
oscillatory movement, so as to accommodate itself to the axle, and this I have
heretofore accomplished by dividing the axle transversely in the centre of the
hollow pivoting post K, and providing it thereat with a universal joint, and
supporting one of the end sections of the said shaft in a box e secured to the axle
bed I so as to cause said portion of the shaft to follow the axle in its oscillatory
movement and maintain the pinion P in engagement with the compensating
gear R. The other end section of the shaft being journalled in a box n which is
secured stationary on the boiler and parallel with the driving shaft C and journal
of the pinion N and holds the pinion N, in gear with the pinion N¹. The location
of the universal joint in the centre of the pivot post K I have found objectionable
for several reasons, viz:
Firstly, it necessitates undue enlargement of the post K and a corresponding
enlargement of the step of said post in the socket b which latter produced undue
friction when turning the axle on its pivot;
Secondly, it rendered the adjustment of the universal joint very difficult, and,
Thirdly, the oscillatory end section of the countershaft was liable to become
bound in the opening in the side of the post K through which said shaft section
projects.
To overcome these defects and attain other advantages I make the counter-
shaft L flexible by forming it of two end sections and an intermediate section
coupled to the end sections by suitable universal joints d d said joints being remote
from or outside of the pivot post K and the end sections being carried respectively
parallel with the axle and driving shaft in a manner similar to that shown in a
prior patent obtained by me.
Inasmuch as the jointing of the countershaft outside of the pivot of the axle
causes differential longitudinal movement of the axle and oscillatory part of the
counter-shaft when oscillated, the pinion P is carried laterally during the aforesaid
movement, and in order to maintain said pinion in engagement with the com-
pensating gear R, I either make the latter wide enough to allow the pinion to slide
laterally thereon as represented in Fig. 1 of the drawing, or mount said pinion
loosely on the countershaft so as to allow it to slide laterally on said shaft and

page_text: compel it to rotate therewith by the well known spline and feather connection of
the same.
A clutch arm projects from the portion of the axle bed I, on which the
vibratory end of the counter-shaft is journalled, and this arm engages with a
circumferential flange u on the hub of the pinion P as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the
drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a traction engine the combination with the four carrying wheels and their
axles, of two compensating gears, one for each pair of carrying wheels, an
oscillatory counter-shaft supported at its oscillatory end in a bearing mounted on
the forward or steering axle and a train of gears extending from the driving shaft
to the two compensating gears, all combined to transmit to all the carrying wheels,
propelling power respondent to the various speeds of motion required of the
several wheels in travelling around curves substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the forward carrying wheels and their axle, of a
compensating gear on said axle, an oscillatory counter-shaft carried at its oscil-
latory end by a bearing mounted on said axle, a laterally movable gear on the
counter-shaft meshing in the compensating gear, and gears for transmitting motion
from the driving shaft to the counter-shaft substantially as described and shown.
3. In combination with the driving shaft, pivoted axle and traction wheels on
the latter, a gear mounted on said axle, a flexible counter-shaft composed of a
section carried parallel with the axle, a section carried parallel with the driving
shaft, and an intermediate section coupled to the other sections by universal joints,
and gears for transmitting motion from the driving shaft to the gear on the axle
through the medium of the counter-shaft substantially as set forth and shown.
4. In combination with the driving shaft, pivoted axle and traction wheels on
the latter, a gear mounted on said axle, a flexible counter-shaft having its joint
remote from the pivot of the axle, and gears on said counter-shaft engaging with
the gear on the axle, and with gears interposed between the driving shaft and
counter-shaft substantially as set forth.
5. In combination with the driving shaft, pivoted axle, and traction wheels on
the latter, a gear mounted on said axle, a flexible counter-shaft carried by a support
on the axle to follow the same in its oscillatory movement, a gear sliding on
the counter-shaft and held in engagement with the gear on the axle, and a gear on
the counter-shaft engaging with gears interposed between the driving shaft and
counter-shaft substantially as and for the purpose set forth.