US552204A - Territory - Google Patents

Description

rnnvloaex. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. J. SHRADER.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 552,204. Patented Dec. 31, 1895.

2141271665 es m ffw @M/ (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2.

E. J. SHRADER. TRACTION ENGINE.

No.. 552,204. vPatmllxad D60. 31, 1895.

ANDREW BGRAI'IAM. PHOTO-LITIIUWASN'NGION. D C,

3 Sheets8heet 3.

E. J. SHRADER.

(No Model.)

TRACTION ENGINE.

,204. Patented Dec. 31, 1895.

UNTTED STATES EDIVIN J. SI-IRADER, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH TERRITORY.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,204, dat d D emb r 31, 1895.

Application filed August '7, 1895.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN J. SHRADER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake, Utah Territory, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction-Engines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make'and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in traction-engines, and it has more particular reference to that class of tractions which are especially designed for use in general haulage.

The invention has for its object, among others, the provision of a traction-engine provided with automatic steering mechanism, whereby the engine may be guided in its course in either direction automatically, the engine to be used in connection with cars which are provided with like steering mechanism, thereby enabling the engine to move a train at full speed in either direction, regardless of the position of the engine with reference to the cars of the trainthat is, the engine will either pull or push the train whether the cars be coupled to the front or the rear of the engine, or the engine will handle a train in both directions when cdupled in the center of the train.

In the construction of traction-engines heretofore it has been common to make provision for steering the engine in its forward movements only. Hence it has been impossible, owing to the lack of provision for steering the train in its rearward movements, to move a train while backing the engine.

A further object of the invention consists in providing a construction whereby the weight of the engine will be sustained upon springs, as in the case of railway-locomotives, thereby lessening liability to injury both to the engine and also the roadway resulting from continued use of the engine, a construction which is impossible where either spur or beveled gearing is used.

The invention has for a further object the Serial No. 558,519. (No model.)

construction whichw-ill be more fully hereinafter described, whereby the driving-wheels, the auxiliary driver or revolving track, a

frame and the steam-cylinders are self-contained and independent of the balance of the machine and connected therewith by a vertical trunnion which is held central by a kingpin and receiving the weight of the boiler upon balls rolling in a hemispherical groove in the top and bottom members of the trunnion, this construction permitting the entire mechanism connected with the drivers to steer in connection with the guiding-track and steering-trolley, when the machine is running backward, provision being made for holding the front axle rigid when the engine moves rearward.

The invention has for a further object the transmission of power directly from the cylinders to the main driving-wheels through a cross-head and connecting-rod, without the intervention of any toothed gearing whatever, the power being transmitted from the driving-wheel to the auxiliary driver or revolving track by rolling contact solely, provision being had to utilize the Weight of the auxiliary driver or revolving track for traction as well as adhesion by mechanism which draws the periphery or inner tread of the auxiliary driving-wheel or revolving track upward against the outer tread of the main driving-wheel,

the tension between the auxiliary driving wheel or revolving track and the main driving-Wheel to equal the weight of the said auxiliary driving-wheel or revolving track. By this arrangement the auxiliary driving-wheel or revolving track does not hang away from the main driving-wheel and it becomes a part of the driving mechanism instead of being a driven wheel as would be the case were there no other tension between the main and auxiliary driver than that due to the weight rolling on the auxiliary driving-tire.

A further object of the invention resides in the peculiar construction of the guiding-track in connection with trolleys the poles of which have vertically-flexible connections with the front and rear axles respectively, whereby the engine will beautomatically guided in its course in either direction.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists in the peculiar construction and in the novel combination, arrangement and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then specifieally defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tractionengine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view taken through the boiler in vertical transverse section, one half being shown in section and the other half in full lines. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in side elevation, showing the main driving-wheel in its relation to the auxiliary driving-wheel or revolving track, and also illustrating the tension regulating mechanism, the same being a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. Al is a section upon the line :1: et of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the guiding-track and trolley-wheels. Fig. 0 is a side elevation of a modification of the invention.

For the purpose of describing my invention, I have in the accompanying drawings illustrated a suiiicient portion of a traction-engine to clearly show my invention as applied thereto, and referring therefore to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates a traction-engine provided with the usual and wellknown form of boiler, cab, and forward truck, which, as they form no part of the present inventionexcepting in the application of the invention thereto, do not require in this eonnection a detailed description.

For the purpose of automatically guiding the engine in its movements in either direc: tion, I provide the road-bed with a central guiding-slot, the construction of which will be at once understood upon reference to Fig. 5 of the drawings, in whichitis shown in cross-section, upon an enlarged scale, the same consisting essentially of a base-plate A, upon the upper face of which are secured two wooden rails or timbers A A said rails or timbers being parallel and separated a distance slightly greater than the greatest diameter of the beveled horizontally-(lisposed guide-wheel A carried by the trolley-pole B. The said rails or timbers A are inclined inwardly at an angle, as shown, and the upper faces of the rails are inclined or beveled inwardly, as shown, thus providing a bearing-surface for the inclined wheels 0 of the guiding-trolley. It will be at once seen that by this construction the wheel A will at all times be retained within the guiding-slot between the rails, when the engine is in motion, and that in order to remove the same from the slot it will be necessary to move the same out of its engagement with the side rails, with one or the other of which it is at all times in contact when in use.

The engine, as well as each of the cars used in connection therewith, is, it will be understood, provided with a trolley B at each of its ends. The poles of the said trolleys are vertically flexible, the tension of the same tending to normally hold the wheels carried thereby downward, and suitable lever connections, as shown at D and D, being provided for raising the same out of engagement with the guiding-slot, when it maybe desired to use the engine upon ground which is not provided with the guiding-slot. \Vhen it is proposed to use the engine in furnishing power for plowing and for the numerous uses to which traction-engines are commonly put, the

trolleys are raised out of the slot and held by means of any suitable lockin g device adapted to the purpose-such, for instance, as the means which I have shown-and the engine may then be guided in its movements by the use of the ordinary hand-operated guiding mechanism with which traction-engines are usually provided,but which I have not deemed necessary to illustrate in my drawings.

The boiler E is at its rear end mounted. upon a trunnion comprising the part F which is secured to the boiler and the part G carried upon the bolster-frames II, the lower face of the said part F being provided with a hemispherical groove coincident with a like groove in the upper face of the part G, and within this groove is placed a series of balls, as shown.

' At the outer ends of the bolster frame II are provided vertical posts or standards 7L upon which are sleeved the inner ends of the auxiliary driving-wheel centers a, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The king-pin 1 has sleeved thereon a stiff spiral spring through which a tension, in addition to the weight of the boiler, is caused on the balls in the hemispherical grooves above mentioned.

J' represents the main frame of the engine, to which are secured the steam-cylinders J their guides K and the pedestals L, the bolster-plates II, and the steering-trolley B.

From the steam-cylinder J is directly trans mitted the power through the cross-head M, the connecting-rod N and the crank-pin O to the driving-wheel P, which wheel is provided withan axle Q, the driving-boxes, oil-cellars, springs, and spring-hangers, as is common in ordinary locomotive construction.

The driving-wheel P has a plain turned face and rolls on the inner periphery of the auxiliary driving-wheel or revolving track R, annular guards or flanges B being provided upon the said wheel, which serve as a dustguard upon either side of the wheel. Means are provided for producing any required degree of tension between the revolving track R and the driving-wheel P, the same consistin g of the screw S. (Clearly shown in Fig. 8.)

It is at once evident that the construction above described is capable of many modifications in detail, all of which would come within the scope of my invention. In Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings I have shown one of these modifications, in which it might be desired to raise the power-transmitting mechanism a considerable distance above the ground, and in this construction I provide an idler T, which is interposed between the driving wheel P and the auxiliary driving-wheel or revolving track R.

My invention also contemplates the use of driving-wheels and auxiliary driving-wheels, and the mechanism connected therewith, as I have herein described the same, in connection with the forward end of the engine, as well as at the rear end, and it is evident that either one or both ends may be provided therewith, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

IVhile I have shown steam-cylinders as furnishing the motive power, I also contemplate the operation of the engine by the use of electricity and all other sources of power which are applicable thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A traction engine, and a steering mechanism consisting of a trolley pole B connected at one end of the engine, the three wheels A C, 0, combined with the rails of the guide track which are sufficiently separated to allow the wheel A to be raised and lowered between them, substantially as described.

2. A guiding mechanism for traction engines, the same consisting of a trolley pole which is attached to the engine atone end and adapted to be raised and lowered, the two wheels 0 j ournaled upon opposite sides of its forward end, and the wheel A journaled upon its under side, combined with the track rails inclined inwardly toward each other and separated sufficiently at their upper edges to allow the wheel A to be raised and lowered between them, substantially as specified.

3. A traction engine, the trolley pole hinged at one of its ends, the two rollers orwheels O secured to opposite sides of its front end and inclined inwardly toward each other at their upper edges, and the wheel or roller journaled upon the under side of the front end of the trolley pole, combined with the guide track rails which are inwardly inclined at their upper edges so as to stand in a line with the wheels or rollers which run upon them, substantially as shown.

4. In a traction engine, abolster frame provided with vertical posts or standards at its ends, and the sleeved driving wheel centers a vertically movable thereon, combined with the revolving auxiliary drivers or endless tracks and the main driving Wheels, substantially as specified.

5. In a traction engine, the boiler, a bolster frame for supporting one end thereof, steam driving cylinders, driving wheels operated by the cylinders, and the auxiliary revolving tracks which are in direct contact with the driving wheels, and means for regulating the degree of tension of the driving wheels upon the auxiliary drivers or revolving tracks, substantially as described.

6. In a traction engine, the boiler, the trun nion secured to one end thereof, the bolster frame provided with a socket to receive the trunnion, anti-friction devices placed between the trunnion and the socket, the king bolt or pin passing through the trunnion and the frame and provided with a spring, the sup-. porting springs, the main frame J, the steam cylinders, the piston rods, the smooth faced driving wheels, the auxiliary drivers or re- Volvin g tracks in direct contact with the driving wheels, and set screws for regulating the pressure of the driving wheels upon the auxiliary driving wheels or revolving tracks, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN J. SHRADER.

Witnesses ll/IORVEN THOMPSON, FRANKLIN H. HOUGH.

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