US451648A - dakling- - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N. L. DARLING.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 451,648. Patented May 5, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NAAMAN L. DARLING, OF BENICIA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BENICIA AGRICULTURAL IVORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 45 1,6418, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed February 4, 1891. Serial No. 380,199. (No model.)

To all whom it new concern:

Be it known that I, NAAMAN L. DARLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Benicia, Solano county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Traction-Engin'es; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improved coir struction for traction-engines.

It consists in the novel application and transmission of the power from the engine to the driving-wheels and in certain details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing one of the wheels removed. Fig. 3 is a plan View showing the connection of the draft-bar. Fig. 4 is a rear View of the guides between which the draft-bar passes. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged views of the sprocket and clutch upon the engine-shaft.

A is the boiler, which may be of the usual or any suitable construction. Upon each side of this boiler extends the angle-iron framework B, which also extends out a sufficient. distance beyond the front end of the boiler to be supported upon the front or steeringwheel C. This wheel is journaled in the fork D, having a vertical shaft E extending up through suitable hearings in the front end of the frame B, and its upper end is also journaled in the frame-work E, which extends out from the front end of the boiler for the purpose.

Upon the u er end of the steering-shaft is fixed a horizontal gear G, and this is operated by means of a worm or screw II, and a shaft I extends from this worm backward to the point where it may be operated by the engineer or an assistant, so as to steer the machine in any desired direction.

The rear end of the boiler is supported upon the bearing-wheels J, having the shaft K, upon which they are journaled. This shaft extends behind the boiler and beneath the rear extension of the fire-box, and it passes through heavy brackets L, which are strongly bolted to the boiler and also to the rear ends of the inclosing frame B. B are channelirons strongly bolted to this frame and extending downwardly at' right, angles therefrom, and M M are brace-rods extending from the lower ends of B upward and forward to the front of the frame B and backward to the brackets L, to which they are strongly secured, thus making a powerful truss-frame, within which the boiler is contained, and by means of this frame all the strain is taken oif from the boiler proper.

Through the lower ends of the channel-irons B and the brace-rods M and M a rod Nextends from side to side, and the ends of the triangularly-shaped bar 0 also fit upon this rod on shaft. From these ends this bar converges to an apex centrally beneath the boiler, and through the apex of this bar passes a strong rod or bolt P, having a stout spiral spring Q surrounding it, the tension of which is adjusted by nuts R. The rear end of the rod P has swiveled to it the draft-bar S, so that it may turn in a horizontal plane about the swivel-pin S, which unites the two. The rear end of this barS passes between the two bars T, which are bent into the arc of a circle and are bolted upon the ends of the anglebars T, so as to leave a sufficient space between them for the travel of the rear end of the bar S. The angle-bars T extend forward and are bolted upon the bottom or sides of the boiler or frame, as shown.

Surrounding the rod or shaft N, and inside of the ends of the triangular frame 0, is a tube or sleeve N, and against the ends of this tube the ends of the frame 0 abut, and when the strain is brought upon the draft-bar S, and through it upon the frame 0, it will be manifest that the whole strain of the draft will be brought upon the lower end of the frame B, and the tension-rods M and the ends of the triangular frame Q will be prevented from drawing toward each other by means of the sleeve N, before described.

By reason of the swiveling of the draft-bar S and allowingit to turn within the segmental guide '1 the engine may be turned at any time without being affected by the load which is being hauled by the engine on account of the swiveling of these about the point S, which is approximately in line beneath the center of the shaft of the driving-wheels.

T are brace-rods extending upwardly from IOO the rear ends of the frame T, and are bolted to the sides of the boiler so as to support the ends of this frame, upon which, however, there is no strain brought-by reason of the draft; but they simply serve to support the guidesegment of the draft-bar.

The cylinders U, of which I have shown two in the present case, are secured at the front end of the engine 01' bed frame, which is made intwo parts and bolted together, as shown at V. From the point where the cylinders are secured to it the two parts of the bed-piece extend back parallel with each other, forming the semi-cylindrical guides \V, within which the slides travel, which unite the piston-rods with the connecting-rods X.

From the rear end of the cylindrical portion \V the two parts of the bed-piece diverge in arcs of circles, as shown at W, and these diverging parts are also made oval in shape vertically, and have a large oval opening, as shown in side elevation, Fig. 2. In the rear ends of these segments W, which are sufficiently separated by their curvature for this purpose, are fixed the boxes V in which the engine-shaft Y is jonrnaled. The cranks of this shaft are connected by the rods X with the slides and piston-rods and pistons of the engine, in the usual manner.

Between the boxes W and the cranks are fixed the eccentrics Z, and the two eccentric rods a and a extend from the eccentrics through the oval openings in the frame \V and connect with the link Z), which is suspended exterior to the guides \V of the bedplate, as shown.

The link-motion and its connection with the valves through the valve-rod c, sliding within the guides d, is of the usual construction of these parts, and needs no further description at this point, the design being only to show the peculiar construction of the bedplate, which enables me to make a very compact and direct-acting engine.

Beneath the ends and the journal-boxes i T2 of the bed-plate are the brackets e, which have a curvature corresponding with the out line of the boiler at this point, and these brackets are securely bolted to the boiler, and thus serve to support the rear end of the bedplate.

At points beneath the rear end of the guide portion IV and the junction with the segmental portions W of the bed-plate are other supporting-brackets f, which are bolted upon the top of the boiler, and each end of each of the cylinders is supported bybrackets 9, also bolted to the top of the boiler. By this construction I distribute the points of support for the bed and cylinders, so that they are very firmly united to the boilers and at so many points that little orno strain is brought upon the shell of the boiler itself.

Upon one end of the engine-shaft Y is a balance-wheel h and upon the opposite end of the shaft is a sprocket-wheel t and a sliding clutch mechanism and lever j, whereby the sprocket may be thrown into or out of engagement and the engine run independ ently, if desired.

In order to use a clutch in the necessarilycontracted space which is available the sleeve y is keyed to the engine-shaft and has a flange at one side with the clutch-teeth y upon the inner side. The sproc'ket portion '11 of the clutch slides upon the sleeve l] and has engaging clutch-teeth upon the end corresponding with the teeth This gives the necessary length of bearing to each part and occupies the smallest possible length on the shaft.

From the sprocket-wheel i a driving-chain 7a extends forward and passes around the sprocket-wheel Z. This sprocket-wheel has within it an equalizing-gear of any suitable or well-known form. In the present case I have shown it as consisting of the beveled pinions m, fixed upon shafts, which radiate from the main two-part shaft 0, upon which the sprocket-wheel l is mounted, these pinions engaging in corresponding beveled gears m in the well-known manner for this form of equalizing-gear; but I do not especially confine myself to this, as any other suitable or desirable well-known form may be used.

The shaft upon which the sprocket-wheel Z is fixed is shown at 0. This shaft extends entirely across just in front of the upper portion of the boiler, and it is journaled in boxes 1), which are cast 'with brackets q. These brackets are made segmental in shape, so as to fit around the upper curved portion of the boiler to which they are bolted, while the front end plates of the brackets abut against the front end of the boiler where it meets the sides, and I thus have a very strong connection and support for the shaft 0.

Upon the outer ends of the shaft 0 are the sprocket-pinions r, and chains 8 pass around these pinions and extend rearwardly therefrom, passing around the large sprocketwheels 2, which are fixed upon the main bearing and driving wheels J. By this construction it will be seen that the power of the engine is transmitted through the chains to the shaft 0, which is journaled across the front end of the boiler, and by means of the equalizing gear m it will be seen that the two parts of the shaft 0 will be allowed to turn independently when the machine is turning corners, as the wheels J turn independently upon their shaft. From the sprocket-pinions 0', one of which is fixed to each part of this shaft 0, the driving-chains s transmit the power to the large sprocketwheels t, fixed upon the main drivingwhecls, as before described, and I am thus enabled to transmit the whole power of the engine by means of these chains and without the intervention of any driving-gear whatever.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

1. In a traction-engine, the boiler having a IIC'.

supplemental frame B B fixed along its sides,

the tension-rods M M connected therewith, the brackets L, the traction-wheel axle supported therein, and the steering-wheel having the steering-head journaled in the front of the frame, and mechanism whereby it may be turned therein, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination, with the boiler of a traction-engine and the driving and steering wheels located at opposite ends thereof, of a truss-frame upon which the boiler is supported, said frame connecting the bearings of the traction-wheel and steering-wheels and relieving the boiler of end strains, substantially as herein described.

. 3. A traction-engine having the boiler, the v traction and steering wheels, and the supplemental truss-frame, in combination with the draft-bar connected with the lower part of said frame so that the pulling strain is transmitted to the frame in line with the tensionrods thereof, substantially as herein described.

4. In a traction-engine, the boiler, the driving and steering wheels, the truss-frame connecting the shafts thereof and supporting the boiler, the V-shaped-rod 0, having its ends connected with the shaft which unites the tension-rods of the truss-frame, a rod passing through the rearwardly-presented apex of said bar, and the draft-bar connected therewith by a pin, around which it turns in a horizontal plane when the engine is turned from side to side, substantially as herein described.

5. In a traction-engine, the boiler, the traction and steering wheels at opposite ends thereof, a truss-frame supporting the boiler and connected directly with the axle and steering-head of said wheels, a V-shaped bar 0, having its ends connected with the rod which unites the lower end of the frame and thetruss-rods M M, a rod P, extending through the rearwardly-directed apex of the bar 0, the draft-bar connected with said rod so as to swivel about the rear end in a horizontal plane, and a spring surrounding the rod P, with adjusting-nuts, substantially as herein described.

6. In a traction-engine, a draft-bar connected with a truss-frame upon which the boiler and traction and steering wheels of the engine are mounted,aswivel connection around which the draft-bar turns, and the segmental guides T, between which the rearend of the bar is guided, substantially as herein described.

7. In a traction-engine, a boiler mounted upon traction and steering wheels, the engine bed-piece formed of two pieces bolted together and having the rearwardly-extending guides, the cylinders fixed at one end of the bed-piece and a crank-shaft journaled at the other, and standards bolted upon theboilerand supporting the cylinders, the rear ends of the bed-piece, and the central portion thereof, respectively, substantially as herein described.

8. In a tractionengine, the boiler having the traction and -steering wheels at opposite ends thereof, the engine bed-piece composed of two parts bolted together and having the cylinders supported thereon at the front end and forming guides in the line of travel of the piston-rods and slides, the outwardlycurving extensions \V, extending rearwardly from the guides. with journal-boxes at the rear ends in which the crank-shaft turns, said extensions having openings made in the sides, through which the eccentric-rods pass from the eccentrics interior to the forks, to the links, and valve-rods which are exterior to the guides of the bed-piece, substantially as herein described.

9. In a traction-engine, the two-part bedpiece having the cylinders fixed to the front end and bolted together at that point, the rearwardly-extendin g parallel guides, and the outwardly-arching forks with journal-boxes at the rear ends for the crank-shafts, openings made through the arched portion for the passage of the eccentric-rods, and standards bolted to the bed-piece and boiler beneath the journal-boxes, the rear ends of the guides, and the cylinders, respectively, substantially as herein described.

10. In a traction-engine, the boiler, a traction-wheel shaft secured to the rear end thereof and a steering-wheel at the front end, an i engine mounted upon the boiler, a sprocketwheel fixed to the crank-shaft thereof, a twopart shaft journaled across the front end of the machine, a sprocket-wheel mounted thereon with an equalizing-gear, a chain uniting the sprocket-wheel of the engine-shaft with the equalizing sprocket-wheel, sprocket-pinions fixed upon the outer ends of the equalizing-shaft, traction-wheels turning loosely upon the main bearing-shaft, sprocket-wheels fixed thereto, and chains connecting the sprocket-pinions upon the equalizing-shaft with the sprockets upon the traction-wheels, substantially as herein described.

11. In a traction-engine, the driving-wheels mounted upon the shaft or axle and turning independently of each other, a boiler, an engine supported thereon, a truss-frame supporting the boiler and connecting the wheels at the front and rear, a sprocket or chain driving-wheel mounted upon the engine-shaft and sprocket or chain wheels mounted upon each of the traction or driving wheels, an intermediate shaft having an equalizing-gear, and chains connecting the engine-shaft and the traction-wheels therewith without the intervention of other gearing, substantially as herein described.

12. In a traction-engine, the boiler, the independently-journaled bearing and driving wheels at one end of the boiler, the steering-wheel at the other end, atruss-frame supporting the boiler and connecting the wheels at the front and rear, an engine mounted upon the boiler, a sprocket or chain driving-wheel fixed to the crank-shaft of the engine, sprocket-wheels fixed to each of the driving or traction wheels of the engine, and an intermediate shaft journaled upon the front of the boiler or truss frame and connected by sprocket-wheels and chains, respectively, with the engine, crank-shaft, and the tractionwheels, substantially as herein described.

13. In a traction-engine, a boiler, traction and steering wheels upon which it is mounted, an engine having a sprocket-wheel upon the crank-shaft, with chains and equalizing-gear through which power is transmitted to the traction-wheels, and a clutch mechanism by which the sprocket driving-wheel and engineshaft may be engaged or disengaged, substantially as herein described.

l4. In a'traction-engine, the combination &51,648

Images