IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRACTION ROAD WAGONS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS ROAD STEAMERS, WHICH MAY ALSO BE USED AS A STEAM PLOW OR FARM WAGON, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC TIRES OR TREADS FOR TRACTION WHEELS;
Year: 1872

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ETTERS PATENT to Oliver Hyde, of Oakland, County of Alameda,
State of California, in the United States of America, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STEAM TRACTION ROAD WAGONS, COMMONLY KNOWN
AS ROAD STEAMERS, WHICH MAY ALSO BE USED AS A STEAM PLOW OR FARM
WAGON, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC TIRES OR TREADS FOR TRACTION
WHEELS; IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STEAM BOILERS TO BE USED ON SAID TRACTION
ENGINES; ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN MOUNTING AND OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY
AT THE REAR OF SAID WAGON A. SERIES OF REVOLVING. SCREW-SHAPED.
CULTIVATORS.'
"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Oliver Hyde at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and Declaration,
on the 15th July 1872, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent
Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, OLIVER
HYDE, of Oakland, County of Alameda, State of California, in the
United States of America, send greeting.
:

page_text: WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STEAM TRACTION ROAD WAGONS, COMMONLY KNOWN AS ROAD STEAMERS, WHICH
MAY ALSO BE USED AS A STEAM PLOW OR FARM WAGON, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELASTIC TIRES OR TREADS FOR TRACTION WHEELS; IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
STEAM BOILERS TO BE USED ON SAID TRACTION ENGINES; ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN 5
MOUNTING AND OPERATING INDEPENDENTLY AT THE REAR OF SAID WAGON A SERIES
OF REVOLVING SCREW-SHAPED CULTIVATORS," and have petitioned Her Majesty
to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal
Letters Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that I
really believe myself to be the first and true Inventor thereof.
1
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Oliver Hyde, do hereby declare that
the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed (that is to say)
My Invention relates to improvements in steam traction wagons such 1
as are employed for travelling upon common roads, ordinarily upon the
ground without the intervention of rails or a prepared track.
The object of my improvements is, first, to provide the wheels of said
wagons with an improved elastic face or tread, commonly known as
elastic tires, which will not only be cheap, strong, and durable, but
will possess superior advantages as a traction wheel over those at present
in use.
c.
Secondly. To provide à boiler for said engine which will generate
steam with great rapidity without additional expense for fuel. It also
consists in attaching to the rear of said traction wagon a series of
revolving screw-shaped cutters or blades for digging, cutting, or turning
the soil when it is desired to convert said steam wagon into a steam plow
or cultivator. These cutters or revolving blades are attached to the
wagon frame in such a manner that each cutter will have a motion
up and down independent of each of the other cutters of the series,
thus permitting them to follow the inequalities of the ground and cut
a furrow of equal depths at all times, or a series of common plows may
be used, in which case: I have provided a device for allowing each an
independent action in the same manner, and which allows me to lift
them simultaneously out of the ground.
s
For the
purpose of explaining my Invention so that others will be
able to understand its construction and operation the following detailed

page_text: description is given, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
in which-
Fig. 1,
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Sheet 1, is a longitudinal section of my machine.
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.2,
"
"
.3,
"
"
1
4 and 5
39
22.
6,
"
7,
23
"
8,
"
9, .
"
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10 and 11
12
13
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14 to 18.
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is a plan of the rear portion showing the cutters..
is a view of the shoe.
are views of the box.c...
is an end view of the cutter.
is a diagram of the cuts made in the soil.
2, is a transverse section of a wheel for my wagon.
is a side view of said wheel.
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"
33
"
are.views showing the manner of securing the
elastic cylinders. or balls upon the surface of
the wheel.
are views of a form of plow which is sometimes
used.
are details, of the shoes or plates employed upon
the periphery of the wheel in connection with
the elastic cylinders.
The frame of my wagon I construct in the usual way, and it may be
arranged to be borne upon three or four wheels as desired. This frame
I mount upon the wide bearing wheels B, B, which in their general
construction are similar to the wheels employed on other steam traction
road wagons. To facilitate the movements of the machine over very
soft ground I have an an additional wheel to be placed on each side of the
main wheels to run loose on the axle to act only as an extra support to.
the machine, giving it thereby a wide surface to roll upon; the driving
or traction part of the wheel to be' fast on the axle shaft, and the.
supplemental, wheel loose on the same shaft. When required only for
traction the loose supplemental wheel could be removed.
In my first experiments upon this class of road wagons I was led to
apply an elastic tire or tread to the wheels composed of elastic blocks,
slabs, or sections, which were placed at regular intervals around the
entire circumference or face of the wheel in order to obviate the great
expense and trouble of moulding large masses of india-rubber to form a
continuos tire, and also on account of the facility for replacing damaged
sections which would otherwise injure the entire tire. Instead of, slabs
or sections I at present employ elastic blocks C which are cylindrical or
polygonal in shape, and which may if desired be provided with a hole"

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running longitudinally through their centers in order to give them a
greater facility for contracting and expanding. These cylinders may be
arranged around the face of the wheel either in single lengths, Fig. 15,
Sheet 2, or if desired in two or more rows each covering a portion of
the face of the wheel, Fig. 8, Sheet 2, or instead of cylinders round balls
of elastic material can be used in the same manner as the cylinders.
In order to secure these blocks upon the face or felloe of the wheel I
construct the felloe with transverse corrugations or channels d, Fig. 9.
Sheet 2, of a proper depth and shape to form a bed or seat for the elastic
cylinders or balls C. The sides e of the wheels extend above the felloe
far enough to prevent any side movement of the cylinders. It is evident
that when thus placed a triangular space with curved sides will be left
below and above the point of junction of each two cylinders or balls,
and in order to unite the whole into a compact tire and to prevent the
elastic cylinders or balls from becoming displaced I employ either
wooden or metallic wedge blocks fon the under side of the shoe E, which
are made into the proper shape to fit into the outer triangular spaces
so as to bind the cylinders or balls in place when the proper fastenings
are applied. The wedge blocks may either be formeḍ solid on the under
side of the shoe, out of the same piece of material as shown at Fig. 16,
Sheet 2, or a V shaped piece of sheet metal may be bolted or otherwise
secured to the under side, as shown at Fig. 17, Sheet 2, and in some cases
I will construct the shoe and block entirely out of sheet metal, Fig. 18.
The fastening which I sometimes employ to bind these wedge blocks
in place consists of a bolt or link or hinged T shaped projection g, which
passes directly through the middle of the wedge blocks down between
the elastic tire blocks and through the metallic tire or felloe, where.it
is provided with a large strong head so that the wedge blocks will simply
be fastened at their centers, and be capable of moving up and down
at either end about the middle fastening. Also when the pressure or
weight of the wagon comes upon either of the wedge blocks the rubber
will be compressed, the bolts moving through the felloe towards the
centre of the wheel; the reaction of the cylinders or balls when the
pressure is removed drawing the bolts back to place. Usually I shall
employ two or more rows of cylinders or balls at short distances apart
which will extend entirely around the face of the wheel, and the shoes
will be large enough to cover two or more adjoining cylinders or balls
in each row and extend entirely across the face of the wheel. This shoe
will then be attached to the felloe of the wheel from its under center
.

page_text: by means of two or more links which connect at the lower end with an
eye bolt. A nut is screwed upon this eye bolt, and it is then passed
through a hole in the felloe, when another nut is screwed on it thus
binding the felloe between two nuts and securing the connection. By
means of these nuts the shoe can be adjusted upon the cylinders or
balls as it shall be desired to hold them upon the wheel with more or less.
firmness. This device is shown at Figs. 10, 11, 14, Sheet 2.
In some instances I shall secure the shoes or wedge blocks upon the
elastic face by means of lugs at each end, which extend towards the
center of the wheel upon each side, and hook over a circular rim which
is attached to the side of the wheel, as shown at Fig. 15, Sheet 2. The
valve of these elastic cylinders or balls when applied in the above manner
will be readily understood by comparing the cost of supplying and
applying them to the wheel with the cost of the endless elastic band,
and in case any one or more cylinders should become injured and unfit
for duty the tire can be readily repaired by substituting new cylinders
for the ones injured. In operation the compression of the cylinders or
balls by the superincumbent weight, will cause two or more of the
wedge blocks to bear upon the ground at the same time, thus giving a
firm foothold, and in travelling forward as the weight is being removed
from each wedge block, the expansion of the corresponding cylinders
will cause them to revolve gradually in their channel or seats so as to
wear equally all around. The boiler H is provided with vertical tubes
or flues I, I, which pass directly through it from bottom to top, through
which the products of combustion can pass from the fire-place to the
smoke stack, so as to give a large amount of heating surface for pro-
ducing steam. Around each of the tubes I, I place a shell or tube J
of larger diameter than the tube I but much shorter. Two or more
longitudinal ribs or vanes K are secured to the inside of the shell J at
equal distances apart at their extremities extending beyond the shells
át each end so as to provide legs or supports to prevent the ends of
the shells from coming in contact with the crown sheet of the boiler,
which would otherwise close the passage to the space or jacket between
the tubes I and J. The internal ribs prevent the outer shell from
being shifted to one side, and' preserve a uniform space on all sides.
between the two tubes. In operation the heat from the furnace passing
upward through the numerous flues or heat passages I, will readily
heat the water in the jacket or space between the tubes I and shells J
F

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to the steam generating point. The. steam thus generated will rise in
this jacket to the steam space above the water in the boiler, and by
producing a partial vacuum in the jacket by its upward passage will
cause the cooler water in the boiler to be drawn into the jacket at the
bottom, thus producing a constant circulation of the water in the boiler.
By confining the water which is subjected to the greatest amount of
heat in the space or jacket, the steam which is generated from it rises
into the steam space above without becoming cooled or saturated with
water of a low, temperature, as would be the case if it had to pass
through'a body of water more remote from the heating surface than
that at the point where it was generated. This shell or outer tube J
can be made of various forms, but the intention is to separate by means
of suitable diaphragms the water which is in direct contact with the
heating surface from that which is more remote and consequently of a
lower temperature.
In order to render the machine also valuable for agricultural purposes
I have devised an improved rotary cultivator which I mount at the
rear of the machine in such a manner that a combined series of cutters,
wheels, or cultivators will cut and turn the soil for any required width.
The shafts S are driven from the engine by suitable connections.
Bearing upon the rear end of the frame is. a transverse beam, from which
depend a sufficient number of vertical hanging guides to provide a space
between each two for a block or head to be fitted and slide up and down
between them. The number of spaces thus provided is equal to the
number of cutter wheels employed on the machine. At each side of
the frame are supporting legs, the lower end of which is provided with
a wheel or a plate of metal, or an elastic shoe may be used which moves
upon the ground and supports the frame which carries the blocks. One
of the blocks is arranged to slide up and down between each two of
the hanging guides, and each one has a square hole through it inside
of which a box is placed. The upper and lower sides of the square
hole are so rounded as to allow the box to change its level as the
blocks rise and fall in the slide.
Another method of supporting the outer end of the cutter wheel
shafts, and that which I am at present making use of is shown in Fig. 1,
Shoet 1, which is a view from the side of the engine.
a, a, represents the mitre or other bevel gearing connecting the cutter
shaft S with the countershaft d; b is the cutter wheel, side view.

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The cutter shaft passes through the square boxe', which is, held firmly
fixed to the rear of the machine by the braces f¹ hinged to wagon
frame at g. These braces extend from the box and flare or spread out
to a width apart where attached to the machine 'equal or nearly so to
the distance between two cutter shafts. The box e' rests upon and has
attached it by set screws and legs the flat shoe h, which is fastened
to the braces at its upper end.k. This shoe being, adjustable through
legs i is the means of increasing or decreasing the depth of furrow or
cut of the cutters. The cutter shaft S within the box e¹ passes through
the box C, Figs. 4, 5, which is arranged with trunnions at the sides t,'t,
Figs. 4, 5, and the end protected from the entrance of dust and dirt by
a leather washer & held snugly against the end of the box C₁ by the
collar n made fast to the shaft. The box el is made with longitudinal
recesses along the sides, in which are check plates in which the trunnions
rest, thus permitting the box C₁ to oscillate vertically and slide back-
ward and forward, and yet prevent any side motion or spring, of the
cutter shafts. This arrangement will always be found necessary in order
to permit shorter and stiffer braces to be used than the length. of the
plow shaft, and thus allowing perfect freedom in the rise and fall of
the cutter shafts and wheels without any lateral movement. The cutter
shafts & pass through the box c¹, and are supported in them so that each
one is free to move up and down independent of the others, thus per-
mitting each one to accomodate its movements to the uneveness of
the ground over which the plow is moved. Each of these cutter wheels
consists of central hub R from which two or more blades or cutters T
radiate; being curved in the manner of a screw or of the mould board
of an ordinary plow. Each cutter wheel is secured to the outer end of
a horizontal shaft extending from the rear of the machine, and which
is allowed to vibrate out. of a horizontal position according to the
irregularities of the ground. The blades, cutters, shares, or mould boards
of this wheel or propeller plow are so secured and arranged that as the.
whcel revolves and moves forward each blade will enter the ground.
and scoop out a slice of carth, lifting it, and at the same time turning
it over in part or in whole, similar to the operation of the mould board
| of an ordinary plow.

page_text: the outters or blades on the central hub. If any of the blades of the
cutters while in the ground were intersected by a plane beneath and
parallel to the surface of the ground, as at Fig. 6, Sheet 1, the inclina-
tion of the line of intersection to the pitch line of movement would be
generally as shown by the line a, b, Fig. 7, Sheet 1, where G, H, shows
the line of travel of the blade, and the sharper inclination of the face
of the blade, as a, b, must necessarily force the slice cut backward, and
this movement in combination with a vertical curve similar in a greater
or less degree to an ordinary plow mould board forces the slice in whole
or in part backward and also lifts and turns it over. The amount of
the vertical curve given to the blades and their width determines their
turning capacity, which can be graduated from slices left standing or
broken up in almost the natural position of the earth, to slices lifted,
broken, and turned completely over as the cutter wheel leaves them.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is,-
First. An elastic tire for traction wheels composed either of elastic
cylinders or polygonal blocks C, in short or long sections, or of elastic
balls as an equivalent, constructed and applied substantially in the
manner specified.
Second. In combination with the elastic cylinders C I claim the shoe E
provided with the wedge block f, when attached to the face of the wheel
by either of the methods above described.
Third. The boiler H, with its flues I, I, in combination with the
shells J, with their ribs K and legs or supports 1, substantially as and for
the purpose above described.
Fourth. The propeller plows above described, each consisting of a
central hub R, from which radiate one or more blades T, forming a screw-
shaped wheel or propeller plow, substantially as and for the purpose
above described.
Fifth. A series of plows or cutters, each of which has an up-and-
down movement independent of each of the other plows or cutters of
the series, as and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. The arrangement of the independently moving shafts S and
blocks V, with the runner h and braces Z, substantially as and for the
purpose above described.
:

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Seventh. The arrangement of the independently moving shafts .S,
boxes e¹, and braces f, with supporting shoe or runner h, with trunnion
box C', substantially as and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Oliver Hyde, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witnesses,
W. GERLACH.
C. M. RICHARDSON.
OLIVER HYDE. (L.S.)