Tramway Cars, Locomotives, and other venicies.
Year: 1889

page_text: Tramway Cars, Locomotives, and other venicies.
I, HARRY LEE VANZILE, of No. 55 North Pearl Street in the City of Albany,
County of Albany, State of New York, United States of America, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what manner the samo is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My improvement relates to traction mechanism where used for propulsion, and the
purpose of my improvement is to increase the tractional capacity of a motor-car or
locomotive without adding to the weight of the motor-car or locomotive to accomplish
it. This result I obtain (as will be more fully detailed hereinafter in connection with
its illustration) by combining with the ordinary two rail track, a center rail, with a
traction wheel or driver operated to engage with the opposite sides of the center rail
by the power applied to said drivers for propulsion when the car is running on a
level, and when ascending a grade, by the power applied for propulsion in connection
with the component force of gravity acting in the line of the grade descent.
To have the power that is applied for propulsion, cause the drivers to make a
tractional engagement with the opposite sides of the center-rail, and to cause the com-
ponent force of gravity acting in the line of the grade descont to produce additional
tractional capacity when ascending a grade, each of the drivers operating in connec
tion with the center rail is journaled on to the outer end of an arm which at its front
end is pivoted to the truck, and therefrom extended rearwardly (with reference to the
direction of movement) on an angle to where the drivers have their journals and
bearings.
Accompanying this statement and specification to form a part thereof, there are two
plates of drawings illustrating my improvement with the same designation of parts
by letter reference used in all of them.
Of these illustrations Figure 1, shows a top view of a motor-car truck, or locomo-
tive truck, having four wheels to support the weight of the car, or locomotive upon
the two rails of an ordinary truck, with said wheels shown as adapted to be used for
propulsion, and showing also a center rail, and supplemental drivers arranged to be

page_text: operated to make a tractional engagement with the opposite sides of said center rail
by means of oscillating steam cylinders and a crank connection made with the pistons
thereof. Figure 2, shows an end view of the mechanism shown at figure 1, and taken
from what is its rear end when moving.
Figure 3, shows a top view of the end part of a motor-car truck wherein the
weight of the car is supported on the rails of an ordinary two-rail track, by means of
the usual wheels running thereon, and showing also two drivers operated to engage
with the opposite sides of a center rail by means of a geared connection made
between said drivers, and an actuating shaft.” Figure 4, shows a rear end view of the
parts shown at figure 3.
The several parts of the mechanism thus illustrated are designated by letter
reference and the function of the paris is described as follows. The letters R',
designate the rails of an ordinary two-rail track, and R, a rail that is placed midway
between the two former, and termed herein as the center-rail.
The letters D,
designate drivers that are journalled on to the outer ends e³ of arms A, which as
shown at figures 1 and 2, are illustrated as pivoted to brackets b', at p', on the truck-
frame T, and which arins from where thus pivoted are extended rearwardly on an
angle; said drivers having journals J, arranged in the outer ends e³, of said arms, on
which journals said drivers are actuated to turn by the crank connection C, made
with the piston rod P, of the oscillating steam cylinders O. As shown at figures 1
and 2, the drivers D, are adapted to be used as supplemental drivers in connection
with the ordinary drivers designated at W, which also supports the weight of the car
or locomotive on the rails R', and are operated by the connecting bar B³, the piston
rod P, and the steam cylinders C³.
As shown at figures 3 and 4, where my improvement is illustrated as adapted to he
operated by an electric or other motor, the arins A, are made to pivot at p", on the
lower end of the pivot-bar p', the latter by means of the stirrup S₁ being adapted to
embrace on each side the cross-braco B, of the truck-frame T, and to be secured
thereto at a, a.
The letters N, designate a bar of which there is one for each driver,
that also pivots at its outer end on the pivot-bar p, and in the inner end of which the
journal of each of the drivers turn. As shown at figures 3 and 4, the letters G',
designate a gear-wheel arranged on each end of the axle A2, cach of which gear-
wheels is adapted to receive actuating power from the said axle, or from an electric
or other motor. Each of these gear-wheels G', meshes into a gear-wheel G³, (each of
which latter gear-wheels has one bevelled gear face, and a direct gear-face") said
gear-wheel G, turning on the pivot-bar p. The letter G³, designates a gear-wheel
that is connected to the upper side of each of the drivers D, so as to move with the
latter and to mesh into the gear-wheel G².
When power is applied to the axle A2, with the gear-wheel G¹, secured thereto or
to the latter when arranged to turn on said axle, it communicates motion to the gear-
wheel G, and the latter to the gear-wheel G³, by the operation of which, motion
is given to the drivers D. When motion is so communicated to said drivers,
through their pivotul connection by means of the arms A, this power tends to
force said drivers against the opposite sides of the center-rail so as to make a
tractional engagement therewith. When the car is ascending a grade the com-
ponent force of gravity acting in the line of the grade descent cause the drivers
to press against the opposite sides of the center rail and thus increasing the capacity
of the traction when it is most needed.
In older devices wherein traction was employed for propulsion by means of
driving wheels engaging with the opposite sides of a center rail, such traction was
caused by means of power applied to the shafts of the drivers which forced the
shafts towards, and the drivers thereon to engage with, the opposite sides of the
center rail; the mechanism thus producing the traction operating independently
and separately from that applied to the drivers for propulsion. By my improve-
ment the mechanism which operates the driving wheels produces the traction when
the car is running on a level, and when ascending a grade then the component
force of gravity operating in the line of the grade descent increases the traction

page_text: capacity by crowding the traction wheels towards the center rail; this result being
due to pivotal connection made by the arms on the outer end of which the drivers
are operated.
As my improvement relates more particularly to the drivers D, arranged upon
a pivotal connection with the truck frame and rearwardly extended therefrom (with
reference to the direction of movement) so as to tangent on the opposito sides of
the center rail I do not limit my improvement to the particular method of commu-
nicating power to said drivers, and any well known means that will operate them
to perform the same function in relatively the same manner may be used.
As thus shown and described the drivers D, may be used alone without the application
of power to the wheels W, which support the weight of the car or locomotive upon
the usual rails of a two-rail track, or if desired power may be applied to the
wheels W, and to the drivers D, as supplemental drivers.
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
First. The combination with a locomotive or motor-car truck having wheels to
support the weight of the locomotive or motor-car upon a two-rail track; of a
center rail and drivers operated to make a tractional engagement with the opposite
sides of said center rail by the same mechanism that operates said drivers for
propulsion, substantially in the manner as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination with a locomotive or motor-car truck having wheels for
supporting the weight of the locomotive or motor-car upon the rails of a two-rail
track said wheels being operatod for propulsion; of a center-rail, and supplemental
drivers operated to make a tractional engagement with the opposite sides of said
center rail by the mechanism operating said supplemental drivers for propulsion,
substantially in the manner as shown and described.
Third. The combination with a locomotive or motor-car truck having wheels to
support the weight of the locomotive or motor-car upon the rails of a two-rail track;
of a center rail traction wheels or drivers arranged upon each side of said center
rail that are operated to make a tractional engagement with the opposite sides
thereof by the power operating them for propulsion, and each of the said tractional
wheels or drivers mounted upon an arm which at its front is pivoted to the truck,
and therefrom extended rearwardly to receive the driver or traction wheel journals
substantially in the manner as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The combination with a locomotive or motor-car truck having wheels to
support the weight of the locomotive or motor-car upon a two-rail track, said wheels
being operated for propulsion thereon; of a center rail; supplemental traction
wheels or drivers operated to engage with the opposite sides of said center rail ;
arms each of which at their front ends are pivoted to the truck, and therefrom
extended rearwardly to support the journals of said supplemental traction wheels or
drivers, substantially as shown and described.