US706685A - Traction-engine. - Google Patents

Description

No. 706,685. Patented Aug. 12, I902.

J. S. PFREMMER.

TRACTION ENGINE.

(Application filed Apr. 28, 1902.)

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m: mums warms co., PHDTO-LITHO WASNINGTON, by c No. 706,685. Patented Aug. I2, I902.

J. s. PFR'EMMEB.

TRACTION ENGINE.

, (Applicatidn filed Apr. 28, 1902) (No model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JOSEPH s. PFREMMER, OFLFOUNTAIMTMINVNESOTA.

TRACTION-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 706,685, dated August 12, 1902. Application filed hp ril 28,1902. Serial No. 105,100. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. PFREMMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fountain, in the county of Fillmore and State of Minnesota, have invented certain newan'd 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 thesame. The invention relates to traction-engines. The object of the inventionlis to provide a traction-engine the boiler of which is capable of vertical adjustment at one end, whereby it may be maintained in a true horizontal position while the engine is in the act of either ascending, or descending a hill, thus equally distributing the Water throughout the entire length of the boiler.

With the above and other objects in View, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, said invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully.

described, defined in the appended claims,

and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tractionengine illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the forward end of the engine, taken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front end view. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the axleblock, the forward end of the reach, and a fragment of the axle. Fig. 5 is an end view of the same and a fragment of the axle. Fig.

6 is a cross-sectional View through the line Fig. 7 isa view of the clutchgdovetail construction.

in the form of a yoke, the vertical members 7 of which have a dovetail connection with the guideways 5 to permit of the raising and lowering of the forward ends of the boiler in a manner presently'to appear. The lower end 8 of'this frame is provided with a longitudinal guideway 9, of dovetail construction, adapted toengage a block 10, preferably of This block 10 is secured to a bail portion 11, and between the bail portion 11 and the block 10 extends the axle 4. A king-bolt '12 passes through the block 10, axle 4, and hail l1 and is provided with the usual clampingnut 13. 12 denotes a reach, the forward end of which is hinged to the block 10 and the rear end to a fixed part of the traction-engine-as, for instance, the boiler fire-box.

In raising or lowering the forward end of the boiler it describes the arc of a circle whose center is coincident with the rear axle 14 of the engine. Hence there must be a relative movement between the axle 4 and the frame 6 to permit'of the raisingand lowering of.-the forward end of theboiler. By connecting the frame 6 to the axle in the manner just described such movement is permitted.

1 15 denotes thepower-shaft of the engine, and lfi-idenotes a counter-shaft, each shaft being journaled in suitable bearings attached to the shell of the boiler. 1 '7-denotes a gear- Wheel loosely mounted on said shaft 15, and 18 denotes a clutch of any suitable form and construction, also mountedon said shaft, the

construction being such as to permit of the locking of the gear-Wheel to said shaft to rotate therewith.

19 denotes an operating-lever, and 20 denotes a link connecting said lever to the clutch.

i 21 denotes a crank-wheel fixed to one end of the shaft 16, and 22 denotes a crank-arm ,fixed to the opposite end of the shaft 16.

23 denotes a gear-wheel, preferably of the worm type. This gear-wheel may be formed integral with or on the periphery of the crankwheel 21 and is engaged by a worm 24, fixed to a shaft 25, journaled in bearings 26 and. having a gear-wheel 2'7 in mesh with the gearwheel 17.

28 denotes a link, the upper end of which is connected to a wrist-pin 29, projecting from the face of the crank-wheel, and the lower end of which is pivoted to one of the arms 7 of the supporting-frame 6. A similar link 30 is connected to the crank 22 and to the other arm 7 of the frame 6 on the opposite side of the machine.

In operation, assuming the traction-engine to be traveling upgrade and it be desired to maintain the boiler in a true horizontal position, the lever 19 is operated to fix the gear 17 to the shaft 15, thus causing said gear to rotate said shaft and through the intermediate gearing to impart a rotary movement to the crank-wheel 21 and crank-arm 22. Assuming the parts to be in theposition shown in Fig. 1 and the crank-wheel to be rotatingin the direction of the arrowindicated thereon,the forward end of the boiler will be lowered, and when it reaches a true horizontal position the lever 19 is operated to disengage the gear 17 from the wheel 27 and the worm 24 will lock the Worm-wheel 23 from rotation, and thus hold the boiler in a true horizontal position. When the engine reaches a horizontal grade, it of course will be necessary to lower its forward end, so as to make the boiler parallel with the grade. The lever 19 is again operated to set the crank-wheel in motion, and this wheel rotatingin the same direction will at the instant it carries its crank-pin 29 past a vertical line drawn through the axis of the Wheel begin to elevate the forward end of the boiler until the boiler is in the true horizontal position and the crank-pin is at a point directly opposite the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The engine is now traveling upon a level road; but supposing a downgrade is encountered the wheel 21 is again set in motion and rotates in the same direction, and at the instant the crank-pin 29 passes a line drawn horizontally through the axis of the wheel the forward end of the boiler will be elevated. The cran k-wheel is free to make a complete rotation, and when the crank-pin thereof is at its highest point of rotation the forward end of the boiler is at its lowest point of adjustment. When the crank-pin is at its lowest point of rotation, the forward end of the boiler is at its highest point of adjustment, and when the crank-pin is upon either side of a line drawn vertically through the axis of the crank-wheel and is equidistant between the highest and lowest point of the crank-wheel the boiler isin a true horizontal position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, mode of operation, and advantages of my improved traction-engine will be readily apparent without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a traction-engine, the combination with a boiler and the front axle and Wheels journaled thereon; of a supporting-frame having a longitudinal sliding engagement with the axle and a sliding engagement with the boiler, and means for vertically adjusting the boiler with respect to the supportingframe.

2. In a traction-engine, the combination with the boiler, its traction-wheels and the forward supporting-wheels and their axle; of a frame having a longitudinal sliding connection with said axle, said boiler having a vertically-adjustable connection with said sup porting'frame, and means for adjusting said boiler.

3. In a traction-engine, the combination with a boiler and its traction-wheels and its forward supporting-wheels and their axle, a frame connected to said axle and having vertical standards, guides fixed to the sides of the said boiler and engaging said standards, a shaft journaled to said boiler, cranks connected to said shaft, links connecting said cranks to the vertical members of the supportingframe, a worm-wheel mounted to turn with said shaft, a Worm in mesh with said wheel, and means for rotating said worm.

4. In a traction-engine, the combination with a boiler, its traction-wheels and its forward supporting or steering wheels and their axle, a frame connected to the axle and having vertically-disposed members, guideways secured to the sides of the boiler and having a dovetailed sliding connection with said vertical members, a shaft extending across the boiler and provided at one end with a crank and at the other end with a crank-wheel having formed thereon or made integral therewith a worm-wheel, links, one connecting the crank-wheel with one of said vertical members and the other connecting the crank with the other vertical member, a worm in engagement with the worm-wheel, and means for 1'0- tating the worm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH S. PFREMMER.

Witnesses:

THOMAS I. GARRATT, ROBERT E. LINN.

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