IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ROAD ENGINE " TRACTION WHEELS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult of High Holborn in the County of
Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ROAD ENGINE
"
TRACTION WHEELS a communication from Joseph Enright of San Jose, in
the county of Santa Clara and State of California in the United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st May 1883.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of High Holborn, in the county of Middlesex "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEAM ROAD ENGINE TRACTION WHEELS a communication from Joseph
Enright of San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California in the
United States of America
My invention relates to certain improvements on traction wheels for steam road
engines and it consists
Firstly, in providing the wheel at its periphery and one edge thereof with an
inwardly projecting flange and applying elastic removable blocks upon the
perimeter of such wheel in a shield adapted to be placed over the elastic blocks
and engage with the inwardly projecting flange and in removable clamps arranged
on the edge of the perimeter of the wheel opposite to the said inwardly projecting
flange and in such manner as to engage with and hold the ends of the shields
placed over the elastic blocks
The invention consists further in a traction wheel of the class described having
its spokes arranged at right angles to the hub thereof, a removable axle box
having a circular flange surrounding and projecting at right angles to the inner
end of said box and abutting against the inner end of the spokes.
The invention further consists in the construction of the perimeter of the wheel
with a series of transverse partitions which are projected outwards in radial lines
and which are so arranged as to divide the perimeter into narrow chambers which
are adapted to hold the small detachable elastic blocks above referred to, said blocks
being held in place by the overlaid metallic shield or retaining clamp. By means
of the above recited improvements, I obtain a traction wheel of great strength and
[Price 6d1

page_text: when the elastic blocks are all in position as secured by means of the shield or
clamp, an approximately continuous elastic surface is provided and their lateral
movement or slipping on the periphery prevented by the partitions. The ends of
the several clamps and the shields fit snugly against the partitions and when all are
in place they are so firmly held and braced, that it is impossible for one to be bent
forward or backward in the direction of the circumference of the wheel. By reason
of the improved construction any one of the shields or blocks may be readily
removed and replaced by others when this becomes necessary. from any cause.
The shields being arranged close together a practically continuous metallic perimeter
is provided for the wheel. The blocks of rubber have an equal width with the
shields and are so protected that no part of their surface even comes in contact with
the ground
The rubber blocks cannot be displaced. Their spring or elastic action is always
directly outward because of the controlling power of the partitions.
The partitions serve to keep dirt etc, from getting between the adjacent blocks
and they also form substantial walls between which the rubber blocks are confined
and prevented from spreading or expanding laterally, when compressed by the
weight of the engine.
The elastic blocks become gradually firmer and consequently have a greater
resisting power as they are pressed into smaller compass between the partitions.
It will be seen that I have furnished a wheel which has a yielding surface and
at the same time is free from the objections to traction wheels of ordinary
construction.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Julius Boult in the "Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th October 1883.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex
IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM ROAD ENGINE TRACTION WHEELS, a communication to
me from abroad by Joseph Enright of San Jose in the County of Santa Clara and
State of California in the United States of America
This invention consists in a traction wheel having at its periphery and on one
edge thereof, an inwardly projecting flange, an elastic removable block placed on
the perimeter of the wheel, a shield adapted to be placed over the elastic block and
engaged with the inwardly projected flange and removable clamps arranged on the
edge of the perimeter of the wheel opposite to the inwardly projected flange and so
that they engage and hold the ends of the shields placed over the elastic blocks.
It consists further in a traction wheel having spokes arranged at right angles to
the hub thereof in combination with a removable axle box having a circular flange
surrounding and projecting at right angles, to the inner end thereof and abutted
against the inner end of the spokes. It consists further in the construction of the
perimeter of the wheel with a series of transverse partitions which are projected
outwards in radial lines and which are so arranged as to divide the perimeter into
narrow chambers which are adapted to hold small detached elastic blocks which
are held in place by an overlaid metallic shield or retaining clamp, In the drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel constructed according to this invention a
small portion of the perimeter of which is broken away to show the partitions and
the elastic blocks. Figure 2 shows the wheel partially broken away on vertical
line Figure 1. Figures 3, 4 and 5 are detail views of the removable shields
and the removable clamps. Figure 6 is a vertical section of the axle-box, and
Figure 7 is a plan of a small portion of the perimeter of the wheel, having the
shields and elastic blocks removed. Figure shows the hub and Figure 9 is a
cross section of one of the spokes. A is the wheel composed of the hub F, the
outer end plate H, the inner spokes G, the peripheral cross plate or covering A¹
affixed on the ends of the spokes G and to the end plate H, all constructed and
adapted to receive the several parts hereinafter fully described. The spokes G are
placed at the inner end of the hub and project outward at right angles thereto and
on their outer ends I affix a circumferential angle iron G¹ which is riveted securely
in place.
The end plate H is placed at the outer end of the hub and extends outward
parallel with the spokes G. The end plate H is made of a solid piece of metal so
that it completely closes-in the outer side of the wheel. Near the periphery and on
the inner side of the end plate H, I secure an angle iron H'. The angle iron 'H'
extends around the wheel and is arranged opposite to and in the same plane with
the angle iron G'. The peripheral cross plate A¹ rests on and is secured to the
angle irons G' H¹. The end plate H is projected slightly outward from the
peripheral plate A¹ and is provided at its rim with an inwardly projected flange K.
CC are a series of removable clamps held by suitable bolts to the angle iron 'G¹
They have their outer ends bent inward so as to provide a short lip or boss C¹
adapted to engage the end of the shield B. B is the shield for holding the elastic
blocks to the perimeter of the wheel. It has its ends bent outward, and adapted to
fit under and be held by the flange K and the clamp C.
The periphery of the wheel is provided with a series of partitions D arranged
transversely to the face thereof and which project outward radially and form a

page_text: "
series of small parallel compartments D' open at their outer sides and adapted to
receive and hold the elastic blocks a. The outer edges of the partitions D are made
to project slightly beyond the inwardly projecting lip C¹ of clamp C, the latter
being so constructed that it slips between two adjacent partitions. a are the
elastic blocks which are made nearly rectangular in cross section so that they fit
into the compartments D' and are long enough to extend nearly across the
peripheral plate A¹. They are made large enough to project about one-third of
their radial depth beyond the outer edges of the partitions D., They are held in
place by the shields B which lie flat on the top or outer faces thereof, The bent
ends of the shields pass down close to the ends of the elastic blocks and between
the adjacent partitions and are bent outward and under the flange K and the
clamp C. When the whole series of elastic blocks and shields are placed in
position and secured as hereinbefore explained it will be seen that an almost
continuous elastic surface is provided. The blocks are each separated, Lateral
movement or slipping on the periphery is prevented, by the partitions. The ends
of the several clamps and the shields fit snugly against the partitions and when all
are in place they are so firmly held and braced that it is impossible for one to he
bent forwards or backwards in the direction of the circumference of the wheel. If
from any cause any one of the elastic blocks or shields should become useless it can
easily be replaced by a perfect one without disturbing the position of any of the
others. The axle-box E is provided at its inner end with a circumferential flange E¹
which is projected outward at right angles thereto and is arranged and adapted to
lie snugly against the sides of the spokes G to which it is made fast by suitable
bolts. It may be easily removed when desired by first removing the bolts E².
In this invention, the shields are arranged close together so that practically, I
have presented an almost continuous metallic perimeter for the wheel.
The blocks of rubber have an equal width with the shields and are so protected
that no part of their surface ever comes in contact with the ground. The rubber
blocks cannot be displaced. Their spring or elastic action is always directly
outward because of the controlling power of the partitions, The partitions serve
to keep dirt etc from getting between the adjacent blocks and they also form
substantial walls between which the rubber blocks are confined and prevented
from spreading or expanding laterally when compressed by the weight of the
engine.
The elastic blocks become gradually firmer and consequently have a greater
resisting power as they are pressed into smaller compass between the partitions
.It will be seen that I have furnished a wheel which has a yielding surface and
at the same time is free from the objections to traction-wheels of ordinary con-
struction. In Figure 8 I have shown the manner of constructing the hub of the
wheel, The hub is made with a rim, at its inner end projecting at right angles
thereto. In this rim I cut the cross slots to receive the main stem of the T shaped
spoke G. The spoke G is made T shape as shown and has its main stem inserted
in the slot G³ while its wings extend laterally along the face of the hub as shown
and are firmly secured in place by any suitable means. Near the opposite or outer
end of the hub, a circumferential ring G³ is provided to which the centre of the
end plate H is secured.
In the manufacture of the wheel I make the perimeter or peripheral plate A' of
a series of shaped sections D². These sections are laid side by side on the angle
irons G H to which they are made fast. When all are fixed in position they fortn
together the peripheral plate or covering and provide the partitions D. By con-
structing the wheel in this manner I am enabled to repair broken or injured sections
without great cost or much trouble.
Having thus fully described the invention what I claim as new is:—
1st In a traction-wheel the combination of the inwardly projected flange K
removable clamps C having their ends bent inwards and arranged on the sides of
the wheel opposite to the flange K, the rubber blocks a placed on the periphery of
the wheel and the shields B having their ends bent outwards and fitting under the

page_text: flange K and under the inwardly projected end of the clamps C substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
2nd In a traction-wheel the combination of the peripheral plate provided with a
series of transverse radially projected partitions, a series of elastic blocks fitting
between the adjacent partitions, a shield placed over and covering the elastic
blocks and means for holding the shield adjustably in place substantially as set
forth.
3rd In a traction-wheel the combination with the series of elastic blocks arranged
around and transversely to the surface of the wheel and means for holding the
elastic blocks in place, of a series of partitions arranged transversely to the face of
the wheel, and projected outwards between the adjacent blocks and nearly to the
outer face thereof as and for the purposes set forth.
4th In a traction-wheel, the combination of the hub, the spokes G, angle iron G',
plate H, angle iron H¹ and I shape sections elastic blocks placed in the spaces
formed by the shape sections and means for securing the elastic blocks in place
as set forth.
"
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Julius Boult have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fifteenth day of October in the year of our Lord, One thousand Eight
hundred and Eighty three
ALFRED J. BOULT (LS.)