US380781A

US380781A - Halsey h

Info

Publication number: US380781A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 1905-04-10

Description

(No Model.)

H. H. BAKER.

PROPELLING CANAL BOATS. No. 380,781. Patented Apr. 10-, 1888.

l v E l M 1- N PETIRS. Plmm Lmu phcr Wash nglnlv D C NiTED STATES PATENT tribal HALSEY H. BAKER, OF PLA INFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD A. DEVEAU, OF SAME PLACE.

PROPELLING CANAL- -BOATS.

SPECIFICATIOEQ' forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,781, dated April 10, 18 88.

Application filed July 5, 1887. Serial No. 243,3).

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HALSEY H. BAKER, of Plainfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Propelling Canal-Boats, of which the following is a specification.

In Letters Patent No. 131,839, granted to me October 1, 1872, a device is represented for propelling canal-boats in which a rail and rack are laid along the bank of the canal and the power isupon the boat and it acts to drive a pinion which runs upon the rack to draw the boat, and there is a tow-line extending from near the pinion to the boat, and in Letters Patent No. 139,996 a peculiarly constructed pinion is represented, and a reference is hereby made to the said patents for a more full description of the devices and their mode of operation.

My present invention relates to an improvement upon the driving-pinion and shaft-connection adjacent to said pinion for facilitating the connection of the pinion and shaft and for keeping the pinion in its proper position upon the rack, and also for guiding the pinion to its proper position when again placed upon the rack after having been lifted off such rack while one boat is passing another.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of the pinion, arm, and shaft. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same; and Fig. 3 is a section at the line as :r, Fig. 1.

The shaft D'is to be provided with any suitable universal-joint connection, and it extends to the engine or other motor upon the canalboat in a similar manner to that shown in my Patent No. 131, 839 5 and the rail G is supported by suitable posts or sleepers, and it has a rack, N, between the two flat-topped bars 0 O. This rail G is supported above the posts or sleepers, so that the flanges 2 of the propelling-pinion G extend 'down at each side of the rail G a sufficient distance to guide and steady the pinion as it rolls upon the rack with its teeth meshing with the teeth of the rack N. In consequence of these flanges 2 extending down at each side of the rail, it is unnecessary to have any other guide-rollers or any frame for the same, and there is no risk of the pinion becoming disconnected from the rail and rack.

(No model.)

In order to make the pinion sufficiently small in proportion to the guiding-flanges 2, it is necessary to construct a universal joint that can be introduced into a very small opening through the pinion. I therefore make a flaring mouth, 3, where the shaft passes into the pinion, and I introduce the joint-block 5 between jaws 6 at the end of the shaft, the joint-block having trunnions that pass into eyes in the jaws 6. Thisjoint-block and the jaws nearly fill the hole in the middle of the pinion,and I insert a transverse pin,7, through the pinion and through thejoint-bl0ck,which pin, occupying a position at right angles to the trunnions, allows the swiveling or turning movement necessary as the pinion and shaft revolve, the shaft occupying aninclined position to the axis of the pinion. By this improvement a very strong universal joint is constructed, and one that occupies but little space.

As an additional means for guiding the pinion as it runs along upon the track, I make use of the conical collar F, that is clamped by a screw, 8, to the shaft D, and the conicalface of this collar bears against the surface of one of the flanges 2, near the edge of the flaring mouth in the same. By adjusting this collar upon the shaft it aids in keeping the axis of the pinion at the proper angle to theinclined shaft that passes up to the canal-boat. The inclination of the shaft will be less when the boat is loaded than when it is empty, and the collar F should be adjusted to suit the angle, 8 5 and the parts roll against each other with but little friction.

Around the shaft B, adjacent to the collar F, is a ring with a draft-eye, H, to which a line is to be attached and led to the boat near 0 the middle part thereof, as in my aforesaid patent, and around the shaft D, between the draft-eye H and the collar I, is a sleeve, K, within which the shaft turns freely, and the V pendent flange 10 has an inclined under edge, 5; and it extends down as far as the lower edge of the inner flange, 2, in order that when the arm and shaft are carried out from the canalboat and above the rail G the parts may pass over the rail and be drawn back freely, and too the lower edge of the flange 10 overrides the rail and lifts the parts, so that the innerflange passes over the rail and the pinion drops upon the track in its proper position. This is very convenient, especially in connecting with the track at night-time. To lessen the friction of the parts as they revolve, I provide a jaw in the flange 10, adjacent to the side of the flange 2, and insert therein the conical roller L.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in an apparatus for propelling canal-boats, ofa stationary rail and rack, and the supports therefor directly below such rail, a pinion, and flanges at the ends of the pinion and forming guides that extend down at each side of and below the bottom of the rail to hold the pinion in position, and a shaft and universal joint Within the pinion, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in an apparatus for propelling canal-boats, of a shaft to be propelled by power on the boat, a stationary rail and rack at the side of the canal, a'pinion running upon the rack, and flanges at the ends of the pinion extending down the sides of and below the bottom of the rail to guide the pinion, a jaw at the end of the shaft, and ajoint-block and transverse pin passing through the hollow pinion and forming a universal joint within the pinion, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in an apparatus for propelling canalb0ats, of a shaft to be driven by power upon the boat, a stationary rail and rack upon the bank of the canal, a pinion with guide-flanges running on the rail and rack, an adjustable conical collar upon the shaft adjacent to the end of the pinion, and a universal joint connecting the shaft and the pinion, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in an apparatus for propelling canal-boats, of a shaft to be driven by power, a stationary rail and rack upon the bank of the canal, a pinion withguide-flanges at the sides of the rail, a universal joint connecting the shaft and pinion, a sleeve around the shaft, and a pendent flange with an inclined lower edge for guiding the pinion to place upon the track, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in an apparatus for propelling eanal-boats,-of a'shaft to be driven by power, a stationary rail and rack upon the bank of the canal, a pinion running upon the rack with guide-flanges at the sides of the rail, a universal joint connecting the shaft and pinion, a sleeve around the shaft, and a pendent flange with an inclined lower edge for guiding the pinion to place upon the track, a jaw in the flange, and a conical wheel running against the inner flange of the pinion, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 1st day of Jnly,A.D.1887.

H. H. BAKER.

It is hereby certified that the residence of the assignee in Letters Patent No. 380,781, granted April 10, 1888, upon the application of Halsey H. Baker, of Plainfield, New Jersey, for an improvement in Propelling Canal Boats, was erroneously written and printed of same place, (i. e. Plainfield, New Jersey), whereas said residence should have been written and printed Brooklyn, New York,- and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correct-ion therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 17th day of April, A. D. 1888.

D. L. HAWKINS,

[SEAL.] V

Assistant Seoretai'y'of the Interior.

Countersigned:

BENTON J. HALL,

Commissioner of Patents.