IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION AND OTHER ENGINES, AND IN WHEELS FOR TRACTION ENGINES AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND IN GIVING MOTION TO PLOUGES AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL MACHINES
Year: 1861

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Abraham Pullan and William
Lake at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition;
on the 4th December 1861.
We, ABRAHAM PULLAN, of New Cross, in the County of Surrey, Engineer,
and WILLIAM LAKE, of the same Place, Mechanical Draughtsman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRACTION
AND OTHER ENGINES, AND IN WHEELS FOR TRACTION ENGINES AND OTHER CARRIAGES,
AND IN GIVING MOTION TO PLOUGES AND OTHER AGRICULTURAL MACHINES," to be as
follows
The improvements in traction engines relate, first, to means for preventing
the communication of the vibration of the driving wheels to the parts of the
engine generally. For this purpose, the driving wheels are connected to the
power employed by means of a stud and sort of socket of the character of an
universal joint; or the bearing and driving wheels may be connected to the
toothed wheel, which is driven by the engine by means of pins working in
slots aided by springs, which also avoid any violent concussion to the teeth of
the gearing.
Also, the improvements relate to means for keeping the pinion on the
driving shaft in connection with the teeth on or giving motion to the driving
wheel. For this purpose, the axle of the driving wheel and that of the
driving shaft are borne together by springs, with facility for adjustment to wear
or otherwise when required.

page_text: When springs are used to the traction engines with chains or ropes, we
connect the shafts together by frames or links, and these frames or links we
tic together with transverse braces or frames, so as to keep the shafts parallel
with each other, and when the chains or ropes require tightening, we have
screws and sockets in the frames or links so as to shorten them or lengthen
them, or we use the arrangement hereafter described.
The improvements also relate to a former Patent granted to one of us, the
said Abraham Pullan with Richard Longstaff, bearing date the 14th day of
July 1859, No. 1670, and consist in obtaining increased width of bearing
surface to the bearing wheels by an additional wheel which is brought into
position when required, and which, when not in use, will remain stationary,
and in coming into and going out of action, will move in a vertical direction.
For this purpose, this additional wheel rotates on a collar with slotted opening
in it to embrace the axle of the driving wheel, and admit of its rising and
falling vertically on that axle when operated by screw or other gear. Motion
is then given to the additional wheel in order to its moving with the ordinary
wheels by means of teeth connecting them together. This additional or sup-
plemental wheel may have teeth, if desired, to take on to the land or other
surface run upon, or a flange or groove to enable it to run on a rail. In
place of an additional wheel, a series of radial arms or surfaces may be
similarly employed.
The improvements also relate to preventing the slipping of wheels of
traction-engines. For this purpose, pins or teeth are acted upon by springs
in the peripheries with a tendency for these pins or teeth to be forced out-
wards-into the ground. When acting ou stone or other hard surface, the
force of the springs will be overcome, so that the pins or teeth will simply
recede, by which any prejudicial jumping of the wheels will be prevented, and
when not likely to be required, these pins or teeth may be kept back by cotters
or other suitable means. The depth of working of these pins or teeth may be
varied at pleasure; and in place of being borne out by springs, they may be
simply adjustable by nuts or other means at the peripheries, of the wheels.
When-nuts-are-used-one-end-thereof-will-by-preference, be made solid to
keep the dirt from the threads; or the pins or teeth may slide.on arms of the
wheels, and be adjusted by pins or cotters.
Also the improvements relate to applying teeth or grippers to the metal
surface.or tyre of wheels upon wood felloes, such tyres projecting on each side
beyond the felloes-to facilitate the affixing-of fresh teeth or grippers; when
required. The teeth or pins, before referred to, may be caused to act inter-
mediate of these fixed teeth or grippers.

page_text: Also, the improvements relate to when supplemental 'rails or sliões are
employed in connection with the bearing wheels of traction engines and other
carriages. The adjoining shoes are connected together by means of a link or
a pair of links, and there are teeth on the peripheries of the wheels to tako
into teeth in the shoes or supplemental rails to prevent the driving wheels
slipping round on the rails. When the supplemental rails or shoes are not
required, by removing the pin or pins connecting one of the links or pair
of links to one of the shoes, the supplemental rails or series of shoes wilk
fall off.
Also the improvements relate to the application of teeth on axes, and
moving on the side surfaces of driving wheels, such teeth being connected.
together by links, and worked by a rod or rods from an eccentric on the
driving shaft..
Also the improvements relate to communicating motion to the driving
wheels of traction engines by an endless band or endless bands of wire rope,
aided by clip sheaves or drums; the sides of such sheaves being carried so
as to have a tendency to spring towards each other, and thereby effect a better
hold of the rope:
Also the improvements relate to the use of wire ropes with projections
formed thereon to run upon wheels, whose surfaces are provided with holes or
recesses for the projections to work in..
.
Also the improvements relate to means of giving motion to the main wheels
of traction engines: For this purpose we use common cable chains with
wheels suitably formed for the links to work upon; this kind of chain being
cheaper, more durable, and easier of repair than the flat-linked chain now in
general use for the above purpose. Where the wheels are driven by means
of opes or chains we place an intermediate pinion on a shaft, which is carried
across the boiler with a bearing at each end, instead of letting the pinion run
loose upon the end of a projecting stud or pin. This arrangement adds con-
siderably to the strength and durability of the gearing, and enables us to adapt
a better arrangement for tightening the ropes or chains as they become loose.
We also propose to provide the engine with two or more speeds, so that when
going, over bad roads or taking heavy loads a slow speed can be used, and.
when circumstances permit the engine to proceed more rapidly a faster speed.
can be substituted. The different speeds are obtained by means of suitable.
sized wheels and pinions working together and thrown in or out of gear.
When the ropes or chains require tightening upon the wheels or pinions we
propose to use the following arrangement:-We apply an eccentric tube,
through which works the axle carrying the driving wheels. On one end of this

page_text: eccentric tube is keyed or otherwise fixed a worm wheel or other means for
turning the tube round in its bearings, and when the tube is moved round
in the right direction it increases the distance between the driving axle and
countershaft, giving the chain or rope any required amount of tightness. Or
this may be effected by the use of simple eccentrics carrying the sheaves. To
enable the engine to travel round sharp corners by the aid of only one pair of
cylinders without difficulty, the intermediate or countershaft that carries the
pinions by which motion is transmitted to the driving wheels, is made in 'two
parts. At one end of one part a socket is formed, and the end of the other part of
the shaft is adapted to fit into it, so as to turn therein. When it is required to
turn the engine in either direction, either of the driving wheels can be driven
faster than the other by the following method:-On each part of the counter-
shaft two wheels of different sizes, cast or otherwise secured together, are
firmly keyed, and are capable of being driven by either of two other wheels
or pinions on each end of the crank shaft. These toothed wheels on the crank
shaft are capable of sliding endwise upon such shaft, and yet of turning with
it by means of feathers, and are suitably proportioned as to speed with the
wheels on the countershaft. If the fast speed of one part of the countershaft is
thrown in gear at the same time as the slow speed of the other part, one part of the
countershaft driving one driving wheel will revolve faster than the part driving
the other driving wheel, thus causing the engine to turn; and when it is required
to drive the engine straight the two ends of the countershaft may be firmly
secured together, causing both driving wheels to move at the same speed. If
necessary a bearing may be provided for the socket to work in. To avoid
making the shaft in two parts a similar result may be obtained by means of a
long socket carrying the pinion for one driving wheel, on which are placed two
wheels or pinious to gear-with other wheels on the crank shaft, as previously
described. The countershaft will carry the pinion for the other driving wheel
and the other two pinions, as in the first arrangement, and these wheels can
be similarly arranged for being thrown in or out of gear for driving in a
straight or circular direction. The socket may also work with the counter-
shaft, when required by éitlier of these arrangements, the necessity of throwing
out of gear the pinions, which communicate motion to the driving wheels. is
avoided, enabling-these-pinions to be made stronger by having a flange on
each side, and will enable us to make the engines narrower. In-place-of
töotbed frictional gear may be employed. When the engine is used for
threshing or other work where the power of one cylinder only is required by
making the crank shaft in two parts, as previously described for the coutiter-
shaft or otherwise, one cylinder alone may be used.

page_text: The improvements relate also to forming boilers and fire boxes for traction³
engines and other purposes of tubes which are smaller at their necks or junctions
with their end plates than at other parts in order that they may lie closer'
together, and in forming the fire-box part of a boiler we carry the upper part
of the tubes above the roof of the fire-box, so that in going down steep inclines
the roof of the fire-box may not get uncovered. Or the upper parts of the
tubes may open into separate chambers and these chambers may also serve
as stays for the top of the fire box. The water may be shut back into the
-fire-box tubes or chambers when required. The outer surface, of the tubes or of
the outer row of tubes is coated and filled in with fire clay, and that covered with
sheet iron for the purpose of aiding to keep in the heat.
>
. When our improved engines are required for hoisting purposes for con-
tractors or wharves, or in dockyards, where it is required to lift and carry a
weight from one place to another, or for unloading ships, or other purposes,
we erect at the smoke box end of the boiler a king post, from this we carry
a jib with tension rods coming on to the driving axle of the engine. By
this means we obtain the weight of the entire engine as a counterbalance*
for, the, lift ; underneath the barrel of the boiler we carry the barrel for the
chains or ropes: The same multiplying power is used for the hoisting as for
the propelling of engines and load.
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When chains or ropes are used for hoisting purposes we use the method'
for tightening such chains or ropes as previously described; the engine may also
be worked as a common portable engine. The king post is formed so that
when desired it may pass into the ground for greater leverage.::
1
The improvements also relate to parts of the steam cylinder, and parts of
traction and other engines. We connect the piston to the piston rod 'by a
joint, and the piston rod direct to the crank shaft passing through one end!
of the cylinder, which, to allow of the vibratory motion of the rod has a slotted
opening in its cover, in which works a sliding rod or bar of a curved form.
This sliding rod or bar is packed and carries the stuffing box for the passage
of the piston roil; and the stuffing box is of a curved form to admit of its
accommodating itself to the vibrations of, the piston rod. The ends of this
sliding rod may be continued to work pumps; or the piston may have pins
on the opposite sides of it passing into similar sliding circular rods packed in
slots in the sides of the cylinilers, such rods having pins by which they are
connected to the ends of a fork for communicating motion.
The improvements also relate to rotary engines adapted to traction and
other engines. We form rotary engines with the piston of a curved figure
fitting into a curved form of cylinder so as to avoid angles, and when there are

page_text: two pistons on the opposite side of the axle, semi-rotary or vibratory, we pack
the axis on the opposite side between the two pistons to avoid the escapement;
of steam at those parts. The steam passages to each piston are worked from
one slide valve.
The improvements also relate when forming rotary steam engines for traction
and other purposes in which the piston travels in an annular space, to forming
the bar or radial rod connecting the piston to the axis with a ring moving in
packing adapted to keep the passage in the annular space in which the radial
rod or bar traverses closed.
The improvements also relate to connecting the piston rod of a steam
cylinder of traction or portable engines to the piston rod of another cylinder:
for pumping or forcing water or other fluids, whilst at the same time an arm
is worked to act by suitable gear when required with the driving wheels..
Also the improvements relate to giving motion to ploughs and other agri-
cultural implements by means of a cord, rope, or chain operated by either of a
pair of drums or pulleys on the traction engine, and passing over so as to.
operate a pulley or drum communicating motion to the axle of the driving,
wheels of ploughs or other agricultural apparatus, so as to move such plough
or other agricultural apparatus in either direction: The wheels of the plough
or other agricultural apparatus being aided in their grip by suitable teeth, or
other holding means.
Also the improvements relate to arranging the steering apparatus of traction
or other engines so as to admit of one fore wheel rising higher than the other;
in passing over irregular_ground; for this purpose the fore axle is carried by a
frame capable of vibrating vertically in the fore carriage. Or by taking out
a cotter or other connecting means the steering apparatus may be removed and
horses attached in the ordinary manner.