Improvements relating to Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements relating to Vehicles.
I, PERCY RICHARD JULIUS WILLIS, of 55, Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a
communication to me from abroad by James Allen Justice, and Peter Johnson,
both of Macey, Ark., U.S.A., Inventors), to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the wheels of vehicles
are prevented from sinking into soft earth, and further, whereby a powerful brake
can be readily applied.
By this invention a chain, composed of a series of suitably coupled linka having
flat or curved bases and side flanges, travels over and beneath the rims of the
wheels.
The brake comprises a shoe having a lever or stem pivoted at its upper end
to the framework, and a rod connecting it to a hand-lever situated near the driver.
The shoe, when the brake is applied, bears upon the links pressing them against
the ground.
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I, PERCY RICHARD JULIUS WILLIS, of 55, Chancery Lane, in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a
communication to me from abroad by James Allen Justice, and Peter Johnson,
both of Macey, Ark., U.S.A., Inventors) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in traction-
wheels and traction engines; and it has for its object, among others, to provide
a simple and cheap construction whereby the wheels carry their own track or
path which is novel construction, so arranged as to prevent slipping of the wheels
and yet permitting of ready turning of the wagon when desired. The chains
which are endless, and within which the wheels travel, are composed of an inner and
an outer section or, track arranged within the other; the wheels travelling
within the inner one, and the outer one adapted to travel along the ground. In
this way the wheels are kept from contact with the ground and the outer track
CD 971

page_text: may be as wide as may be desired, while the inner track is of a width that will
just allow the wheels to travel therein and prevent lateral movement thereof.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the
novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended.
The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with
the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in
which―
Figure 1 is an elevation of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section,
and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, through one of the chains. Fig. 4 is
an enlarged detail of a portion thereof. Fig. 5 is a plan view shewing a construc-
tion of frame which permits the wagon to be turned without slackening or
tightening either chain.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the several views.
Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the
wheels; B, the axles; C, the truck frame, and the draft appliance of any well
known or approved form of construction.
E, are the chains, which are constructed as shewn.
F are the outer links, having the flanges f at the sides, the tread of which may
be as wide as desired.
Gare the inner links, which are provided with flanges g, which are convex upon
their adjacent faces, so that the opposite ends of the space enclosed thereby will
be flared to better receive the wheel and the space between the central points of
the flanges is substantially the same width as the wheel, so that the latter will
readily enter into the space between the flanges and be held against sidewise move-
ment therein. These inner links are provided at their ends with extensions H, which
are passed through openings h in the outer flanges f and are then bent in opposite
directions, so as to hold the inner links to the outer links, so as to constitute a double
flexible chain, the outer links being designed for travel upon the ground and the
inner links to receive the wheels upon which they run. These chains are made
endless as shewn, and of course travel with the wagon. They may be made
sufficiently long to allow of ready turning of the vehicle.
I, is a brake shoe which travels in the inner chain, being pivotally mounted
on the truck frame, as seen at I¹, and connected by a rod J with the brake lever K,
pivotally mounted, as at k, and carrying a pawl L, adapted to engage a notched
segment M on the frame. This brake serves also as a plough to throw out mud,
gravel, or other refuse that may fall in the track or chain, as will be readily
understood.
Modifications in details may be resorted to without departing from the spirit
of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.
In Fig. 5 I have shewn a construction of the frame which permits of the turning
of the wagon without slackening or tightening either chain. In this view the
front cross bars N are pivotally connected together at their centres as at n, by the
tongue or draft appliance D. The opposite ends of these bars N are pivotally
connected by the bars O, while to the end of the rear bar N are pivotally connected,
as at p, the cross bars P, which constitute the reaches, their rear ends being
pivotally connected, at q to the ends of the bar R, the ends of which are also
pivotally connected to the bars S, which at their rear ends are pivotally con-
nected, as at s, with the rear cross bar T, the bar T and the front bar N being
supported from the bolster and receiving the axles in any suitable manner.
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 traction engine a chain composed of inner and outer sections, the
outer one forming a track and the inner one a path on which the wheels travel,

page_text: combined with a brake shoe arranged within the inner section, substantially as
described.
(2) A chain for a traction vehicle comprising outer links having flanges and
inner links of less width having their ends connected with the outer links and
their flanges convex upon their adjacent faces, with the flanges of the inner links
disposed opposite the spaces between the outer links, substantially as described.
(3) A chain for a traction vehicle comprising outer links having flanges and
inner links of less width having their ends connected with the outer links and
their flanges convex upon their adjacent faces, combined with a shoe pivotally
mounted on the frame and travelling within the inner section of the chain,
substantially as described.
(4) A chain for the purpose described, comprising outer links having flanges
and inner links of less width having flanges which are convex on their adjacent
faces and extensions passed through transverse slots in the body portions of the
outer links and bent in opposite directions to flexibly connect the inner and
outer links to form a double chain, substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of February 1898.
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Applicant.