US295231A - Steam traction tug-boat - Google Patents

Description

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DAVID W. GOOKF, OF FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE.

STEAM-TRACTION TUG-BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,231, dated March 18, 1884. Application filed August 2, 187). Renewed July 20, 1881. Again renewed July 25,1833. (Model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that 1, DAVID W. 000KB, of Franklin, Williamson county, in the State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Traction Tug- Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification, is a description of myinvention suflicient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

This invention relates to a submerged traction tug-boat which runs upon rails laid upon the bottom of a canal for the purpose of towing canal-boats and barges, &c.

The invention consists in the pecular construction of a traction tugboat, and the construction and arrangement of the internal parts thereof. The bow of this traction boat is made sharp, while its stern is made concave; and, also, the boatis made with three water compartments, one of which is situated at the bow of said heat, while the other two are upon sides of said boat, and extending from the stern to about onet-hird the length of said heat. These tanks or water-compartments are connected bya system of pipes, which are provided with valves, so that the quantity of water can be equalized within said tanks, or made to maintain a constant level, according to the inclination or pitch of the boat. A pump is employed to pump waterfrom the loow-tanlc when vrequired. are provided, in'whieh the traction-wheels are located. Said wheels revolve upon journals which are supported by standards projecting fronr a horizontal swinging platform, said platform being pivoted at one end, while its other end is provided with a vertical screw, which, on turning, causes the platform, with the traction-wheels thereon, to rise and fall, as circumstances require. Upon each side of the stern of this traction tug-boat 1' affix two guide-brakes, which are for the purpose of being thrown out at right angles to the sides of the boat when said boat is to be stopped.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved tract-ion tugboat. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 1. Fi 3 represents a plan view of Fig. 1. Fig. .4: represents the stern, end view of the improved tractioutug, with Two well-spaces the traction-wheels resting upon rails laid upon the bed of a canal. tion of the traction tug-boat, cutting through the two stern water-compartn1ents Like letters refer to corresponding parts in all of the figures.

In Fig. 1, A represents a tug or tow boat mounted oh traction-wheels G and trucks m at, said wheels and trucks running upon submerged rails H, laid on the bottom of a canal.

' K is a valve upon the sides of the boat, closing an orifice which opens into water-coinpartments, and for the purpose of filling said compartments with water and discharging the same whennecessary. B is the boiler, which supplies the motive power for driving the traction tug-boat, and for pumping water out of the bow-tank by means of engineeand pump it, 3 being an induction-pipe leading from the interior of the tank, at or nearits bottom, to

the'pump, and J the eduction or discharge pipe therefrom. Z is a steering or guide wheel secured to a vertical shaft, Z, which extends through the bottom of the boat, where it is attached to the frame-work which connects the four guide-trucks'm. I is a pipe for conducting steam from the boiler to engine a is a capstan-wheel. "b is a pipe or red connecting with and supporting the rear of the swinging platform. D is a steanrcylinder, and k a pis- Fig. 5 is a cross-sec ton-rod thereto, which connects with the t-iller-cords, said cords extending over and connecting with the tillers of a train of boats or barges. a is apipe for conducting steam from the boiler to cylinder D. c is awheel secured to a vertical screw-shaft, c, said means being for the purpose of elevating and depressing theswinging platform and tractionovheels attached thereto. L is a pin secured to the deck of the traction-tug, to which is secured the draft connecting-link b. E represents a rudder er guide-brake attached to the side or corner of the stern of the tug-boat.

In the longitudinal vertical section Fig. 2, A represents the traction tug-boat, and Ba vertical steam-boiler therein. G is a tractionwheel resting upon the track H. Said wheel is provided with a central shaft and crank thereon. The journals of said shaft rest and turn in a box secured to standard (I, which platform rests upon two extension-bars, which sistance to be overcome.

eXtend from standards (I, and with offsets therein, which inclose the boiler, to the bowtank, where they unite and rest upon-a fulcrum, g; and, also, another support is provided, which consists of two supporting-rods, g, connecting with the driving-enginef and extending forward, where they are connected by swivel or other suitable joints, h h, to rod 1), said rod being attached to the upright boiler B. The opposite end of the platform rests upon a screw, 0, said screw being turned by wheel a when the platform is to be elevated or depressed. G arepartition-walls which separate the interior of the boat from the wellspaces in which the traction-wheel is located. Said walls are provided with curved slots, in which the aXle'or wheel-shaft rises and falls when operated by screw 0. -D are cylinders for operating the guide-brakes upon a train of boats. at are pipes for conducting steam to said cylinders. 1 represents pipes connecting the tanks, the water being controlled by valve 0. z and k are the means for pumping water from tank to when required, said means being driven by steam conducted from the boiler through pipe I. m m are guide-trucks, which are steered by the wheel Zupon the vertical shaft Z.

.In Fig. 3, A represents the boat, and B a steam-boiler therein. 0 O are two tractionwheels, located in wells 1 t. Said wells are built within the boat, and have open ends within the concave stern. Between each one of these wells and the sides of the boat the tanks G G are formed, for the purpose of receiving water as a ballast and weight, to give a greater traction to the traction-wheels when required to overcome the resistance offered by a train of heavily freighted boats. By this means the traction can be regulated according to the re- H H are the rails on which the traction-wheels run. E E are .two guide-brakes secured to the corner of the stern of the boat. F is the swinging platform, from which standards (I (1 project and support the traction-wheels when not resting upon the track; but when said wheels rest upon the track these parts rest upon the wheels, together with the weight of the boat, and the water contained within the tanks, minus the buoyancy due to the displacement of the surrounding waters by the traction tug-boat, and the weight which rests upon the forward guide-trucks. The traction driving-wheels are driven by two engines, ff. These engines are located upon the platform F, and are elevated and depressed with said platform. The fulcrunrpoint of said platform is at the eX- trernity of the offset-rods q q, at or near the bow-tank M, or at the ends of the rods 9 g at the sides of the boiler, as shown.

I do not limit myself to the method herein shown and described for driving the tractionwheels, for I am aware that they can be driven by a toothed wheel and pinion arranged in a suitable manner between the center of said 'wheel and the circumference thereof, in which transmitted through or by means of a belt or a chain composed of suitable links to correspond with spuds or projections projecting from suitably-arranged wheels. Either one of the above devices can be arranged upon the swinging frame, or a part thereof, and in such a manner that all of the parts will act in unison.

19 are two pipes connecting the forward and aft tanks. Said pipes are located at or near the bottom of said tanks, and are for the purpose of equalizing or allowing the water to flow from tank to tank when a change in the level of the boat occurs, or when the rear of the boat is depressed. By raising the platform by the screw the water in the forward tank will be higher than the water in the rear tank. Now, in order to equalize the two columns, the valves 0 v0 are opened, and the waterflowsfrom the bow-tank to the tractiontank until the two columns are equal; and, also, when the stern of the boat is elevated, which is done by depressing the platform, the water will flow back through the pipes 10 p into the bow-tank until the column is again equalized.

In the rear end view of the traction tugboat, Fig. 4:, A represents the boat; B, the

boiler therein. 0 O are the traction-wheels thereto, resting upon the rails H H. E E are the guide-brakes, which are operated by the steam-cylinder D D.

In the crossseetion Fig. 5, A represents the boat, and G G the water-compartments; W- WV the water thereimwhich 'is-represented as being higher than the surrounding water in the canal. p p are ends of the pipes 12 1), which connect the two tanks G G with the bow-tank, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. d d are standards, to which the traction-wheels are secured, and rise and fall with said standards and platform. 1) v are slots in the well-space partition for the rise or fall of the tractionwheels, aXle,-or shaft.

The operation of my traction tug-boat is as follows: The bottom of a canal is provided with asingle or double track railroad, as shown in the drawings at Figs. 4 and 5., These fig ures represent a cross-section of a canal, with two traction tug-boats partially submerged therein, and with its traction-wheels resting upon the rails. Said traction-wheels can be made of any suitable material, and also the track; but those made of iron will be the most durable, but have less traction force than if made from wood. In order to use the traction boat, it is floated on over the track, and then the traction-wheels are let down upon the track by turning the vertical screw-shaft, which causes the platform to be depressed toward the bottom of the boat, and at the same time the forward guide-track can be brought in contact with the rails by filling the bow tank with a sufficient amount of water to cause a depression of the forward part of the boat, until said trucks come in contact with said rails. It will now be observed that the traction-wheels and trucks rest lightly upon the rails, and that if the motive power should be applied to the traction-whecls it would require but a slight resistance to hold the boat, although the wheels would make their customary revolutions; but when a freighted canal boat or barge or a train of them are to be drawn, the traction-wheels must be weighted down until the friction of the wheels upon the rails will overcome the resistance to be drawn or towed. Now, in order to produce the necessary amount of friction, I open the side valves, which let water into the tractiont-anhs until weight enough is applied to the wheels to overcome theresistance. By leaving the valves in the circulating pipe open, the forward or how tank will be filled to an equal height with the water in the traction-tank, and within the same time. 'When great friction is required to overcome the resistance, the screw can be turned so as to let the boat down to its lowest limit or upon the track and y the tractiontanks allowed to fill, after which the boat can be elevated by reversing the turn of the screw, thus bringing the water in the tank above the surface of the external water.

When it becomes necessary to remove the boat from the track, the pump is employed to pump the water fronrthe forward tank, and, with the valves left open in the connectingpipes, the tractioirtanks will also be emptied, thereby causing the boat to rise, wherebythe traction-wheels and trucks are cleared from the track, thus allowing the boat to float to any place desired, and again placed on the track by repeating the operation above described.

"What I claim, and desire to secure by ters Patent, is-

1. A. steam traction tug-boat provided with two well-spaces open at their stern ends, and with traction-wheels therein, in combination with avertically-swingi'ng horizontal platform, with motor or motors thereon for driving said traction-wheels, substantially as described.

2. A steam traction tug-boat provided with a water-compartment at or near the bow end thereof, in combination with the aligning Let- . guide-trucks beneath said bow and water-compartment, as described, and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. A steam traction tugboat provided with traction-driving wheels and aligning guidetruclrs thereto, the two water traction-compartments and bow-tank therein, in combination with connecting and circulating pipes and valves thereto, substantially as described, and for the purposes herein set forth.

4:. In combination with the swinging platform F, with supporting-standards d d, and traction-wheels 6, supported thereon and driven by engines f f, connected thereto and supported upon and swinging with said plat .partments form, the vertical shaft 0, with screw 0 thereon for elevating and depressing said tractionwheels and parts connected therewith and thereto, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The two traction water compartments filled or partly filled with water as a means for affording additional weight and traction force,. in combination with the elevating-shaft c and screw a, swinging platform 1*, engines ff, and tractionwheels O 0, connected thereto and therewith, whereby the accumulated weight derived from the water in said tanks and increased weight due to the elevation of said boat is transferred to the said tractionwheels, as described, and for the purpose herein set forth.

6. In combination with the supporting-rods b I), attached to boiler 13, rod or bars 9 g, and jointed connection h' h, in combination with the engines f if and platform F, substantially as arranged, and for the purpose specified.

7. In combination with the bow end of a steamtraction tug-boat provided with a water-ballast compartment therein, the aligning guide-trucks m m, provided with the vertical shaft Z, with hand-wheel Z thereon for elevat ing and depressing the bow end of said boat when more or less traction is required upon the submerged rails. 8. In combination with a steam tug-boat provided with well-spaces and traction-wheels therein, and. water traction and ballast comwithin said boat, and connecting pipes therewith and valves thereto, constructed and arranged as shown and described, the pump k, with induction and eduction pipes 3 and j, and external valve, K, for opening and filling said tanks, as arranged, and for the purpose herein set forth.

9. In a steam traction tug-boat having acoucave stern, the water-ballast compartments,

and well-spaces with traction-wheels therein,

all located at the stern end of said boat, in combination with the track on which said tractionwheels roll. p

10. Ina steam traction tug-boat having a concave stern and well-spaces opening through said stern, said well-spaces and traction-wheels therein, in combination with the water-ballast compartment and submerged track, for the purpose specified.

11. In a steam traction tug-boat, a frame horizontally located, or nearly so, and swing ing about a pivotal point at or near one of its ends, while at or near its opposite end a traction wheel or wheels are located and caused to rise and fall with said frame by means of a screw or its equivalent, and the packed slides, which are caused to rise and fall by means of the traction-wh eel axles, or by some other equivalent devices, in combination with the motive or transmitting power located upon and swinging with said frame and traction wheel or wheels.

W'itnesses: DAVID IV. OOOKE.

J OHN BLEWI'IT, A. G. GUN.

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