US1569233A

US1569233A - Toy electric railway

Info

Publication number: US1569233A
Application number: US10239A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry E Morton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1925-02-19
Filing date: 1925-02-19
Publication date: 1926-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 1943-01-12

Description

Jan. 12 1926. 1,569,233.

H. E. MORTON TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY Filed Feb. 19, 1925 Patented Jan. 12,- 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Application filed February 19, 1925. Serial No. 10,239.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY E. MORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hyde Park, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Electric Railways; andI do hereby 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.

The present invention relates to toy electric railways and more particularly to devices and methods for controlling the oper ation thereof.

Toy electric railway systems are at present commonly constructed to operate upon the usual house-lighting alternating circuits, a toy transformer being used to give the proper reduced voltage. By means of rheostats or other current regulating devices located at some distance or convenient place in the electric circuit, the speed of the cars is controlled.

It is desirable in such toy railway systems, and this is the main object of the present invention, that not only the speed but also the direction of travel of the cars or trains may be controlled from some distant point so that the operator, without manipulation of the cars and irrespective of their position on the track, may cause them to start or stop and go forward or backward at will.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a control of the above type which may be applied to the present systems without modification or alteration of the track construction and with only slight and inexpensive changes in or additions to the cars or motors.

Still another object is to provide a toy electric railway system that may be operated upon either alternating or direct current and with full control both as to direction and speed.

\V-ith these and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the present invention consists in the devices and the methods hereinafter described and more particularly defined in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings which il lustrate what is now considered the preferred form of the present invention, Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a motor car or locomotive and the control devices with the wiring and various circuit connections indicated; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the movable contact block of the polarized switch carried by the locomotive.

Briefy, in the construction shown in, the drawings, the locomotive is provided with a series motor which has in the power circuit in shunt with the motor-circuit a polarized switch for reversing the armature leads only. Besides the alternating power for driving the motor current there is a direct current supply from a small battery for actuating the polarized reversing switch through the power circuit connections. A combined reversing switch for the direct current and rheostat for the alternating current is also provided together with a supplementary switch to adapt the apparatus for use with either alternating or direct power current.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, these show the traction rails 2 and 4, a con ductor or third rail 6, and a locomotive indicated by wheels 8 and axles 10. The locomotive carries a motor 12, which is of the usual series construction to permit operation on alternating or direct current. Also carried on the locomotive is a polarized switch indicated generally at 14, by which the relative connections between the armature and field of the motor may be reversed to permit the running of the motor in either direction. The motor is mechanically connected to one of the axles of the locomotive in any usual or preferred manner. The

power circuit connections to the motor lead from a contact 16 engaging with the rail 6 through the wire 17 to the field coil 18 of the motor, thence to a wire 20 through switch 14 to the armature of the motor, and thence, as will presently be described in detail, back through switch 14 again and through wire 22 to the axle 10 of the locomotive.

The polarized switch 1 comprises a permanent horseshoe magnet 2-1, having a pivoted armature 26 which is adapted to be energized by the direct current to swing the armature from the position illustrated in the drawing to a position with the armature pole opposite the other pole of the magnet. For this purpose the armature has a winding which in order to reduce resistance is in the form of a double coil winding 28, the two coils being connected together at the center of the armature, and connected by a wire to the lead wire 22, the opposite ends of the coils being connected through a wire 32 with the lead wire 17 from the contact member 16 of the locomotive. It "will thus be seen that the armature is connected directly in the power circuit between the rails 4 and 6 of the track and in shunt with the motor.

The contacts on the switch 14 for reversing the motor armature connections are as follows. Pivoted on the same center as the switch armature 26 is a contact block 34 \(see Fig. 2) which has a single contact 36 and a bridge contact 38 cooperating with the

stationary contacts

40, 42, 44 and 46,

' arranged adjacent the curved middle portion of the horseshoe magnet. The two outside contacts 40 and 46 are connected together and to one of the brushes of the armature of the motor, the other brush being connected to the contact 42, while the remaining contact 44 is connected to the lead 20 from the field'coil of the motor. It will be seen that with the parts in the position illustrated in the drawing, the field and armature of the motor are in series, and if the contact block 34 is moved downward so that the contact 36 engages the contact 40 and the contact 38 bridges the contacts 42 and 44, the connections to the motor armature will be reversed so that a reversal of the direction of rotation of the motor will occur.

The movement of the contact block 34 is effected by movement of the switch armature 28 by means of a pin 48 on the armature and received within a slot 50 in the contact block, the construction being such that upon application of the direct current to energize the armature to move it, the armature will start easily, having no load, and will acquire sufficient momentum before the pin engages with the end of the slot to insure actuation of the contact block. This is of advanta e since, owing to the shunt arrangement 0% the switch and motor circuits the direct current through the switch armature is necessarily light. The inductance of the coils 28 on the switch armature is sufficiently high to prevent the passage of any appreciable alternating current therethrough, and any such current which does ass is ineffective to produce chattering ot the switch armature because of the wide gap provided between the armature pole and the inactive pole of the magnet.

The power circuit for the motor includes a suitable alternating current source, conveniently a toy transformer 51, which is connected by a lead 52 with the third rail 6 and by a lead 54 through a switch 55, wire 56, a rheostat indicated generally at 57 and a wire 58 to one of the traction rails 4. The switch 55, which is for the purpose of enabling the apparatus to be used with either alternating or direct current for the power circuit, will presently be described, has two stationary contacts 60 which are normally connected by a movable bridge contact 61.

The rheostat 57 comprises two

resistance coils

62 and 64, each of which is connected to the wire 56 at one end, the coils being arranged upon the arc of the circle for engagement by a movable contact arm 66 which is connected to the wire 58. A suitablestop 68 is provided between the coils to limit the movement of the contact arm in either direction. It will be seen that the alternating current leads to the rails 4 through one or the other of the rheostat coils, depending upon the position of the contact arm 66, one of the coils serving to regulate the strength of the current for motion of the locomotive in one direction and the other coil serving to regulate the current for movement of the locomotive in the other direction.

The control circuit for operating the motor reversing switch 14 includes a direct current source which may conveniently con sist of one or two dry cells 67 connected by

leads

68 and 70 to a control reversing switch 71 whereby the controlling direct current may be sent through the reversing switch 14 in either direction, as desired. This control switch 71 comprises five stationary contacts 72 and two movable bridge contacts 7 4, which latter are mounted on a swinging contact block 76. As shown in the drawing, the lead 68 is connected to the central stationary contact, and the lead 70 is connected to both of the outer stationary contacts. One of the remaining contacts connects by a wire 80 to the lead 52 and the other by a wire 82 through

contacts

84 and 86 of the switch 55 to a wire 88 leading to a pair of

stationary contacts

90 and 92 which are arranged adjacent to the open ends of the rheostat coils for engagement with the arm 66. The engagement of the arm 66 with either of the

contacts

90 or 92 closes the circuit from the direct current source to the rails 4 and 6 and causes energization of the polarized switch 14.

In order to reverse the direction of the direct current in the leads 80 and 82, the contact block 67 is pivoted at 94 and is provided with two pins 96 adapted for selective engagement with the end of the contact arm 66. With the parts in the positions shown in full lines in the drawings, if the contact arm is moved in a clockwise direction, the end of the arm will engage with the right-hand pin 96 and cause rotamoved in a counter-clockwise direction and has just reached the full line position of the drawings, it will be seen that the contact arm has etl'ected movement of the reversing switch to reverse the direct current connections. Upon further movement of the contact arm to the left, it arrives at the position indicated at A for momentary engagement with the contact 90. The control circuit is now closed and direct current flows through the rails to the polarized switch 1 L causing movement of its armature and consequent reversal of the motor armature connections. The motor being in parallel with the relay, a small amount of direct current will flow through the motor, but owing to the comparatively lowvoltage of the direct current source it has no appreciable effect on the motor. Continued movement of the contact arm to the left takes it out of. engagement with the.contact 90 and into engagement with the rheostat coil 62, as indicated at position B in the drawing. The direct current is thus cut off while alternating current now flows through the connections,

as above described, and, owing to the reversal of motor connections, drives the locomotive in the opposite direction. The speed of the locomotive may be varied by moving the contact arm over, the coil 62, the speed increasing as the arm is moved farther in a counter-clockwise direction. By now moving the arm progressively in a clockwise di-' rection, the power current is first reduced and then cut off, the direct current connections are next reversed, the polarized switch is then actuated, and the locomotive caused to start in a forward direction again.

The purpose of the switch 55 is to provide for entire operation upon direct current. To this end the switch is merely. actuated toward the right or-clockwise so that the bridge 61 no longer connects between the two contacts 60, and the contact 84 engages with the left-hand one of the contacts 60, this position being illustrated in dotted lines in the drawing. The direct current source .for this operation of the system consists preferably of a storage battery which is substituted for the dry cells 67 and is of sufficient voltage to run the motor. According to these connections the current from the direct current source runs through the reversing switch to the lead 80 and third rail 6 on the one hand, and on the otherv hand through the wire 82, contacts 8& and 60, wire 56,

coil

62 or 64, contact arm 66 and wire 58 to the rail 4.

At this time the stationary contact 86 of the switch 55 is dead, and the

stationary contacts

90 and 92 are therefore disconnected from the circuit. The operation of the polarized relay occurs upon engagement of the contact arm 66 with either one of the rheostat coils and simultaneously with the closing of the motor circuit. The relay is continuously energized in parallel with the motor, regardless of the position of the contact arm with relation to the rheostat coils. In this case, as with the use of alternating current for driving the motor, the speed. of the locomotive is regulated by the position of the rheostat contact arm with relation to one or the other of the coils, and the direction of motion ofthe locomotive is controlled independently of the speed and at the will of the operator by the automatic operation of the reversing switch as the contact arm is moved fromone coil to the other.

While in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention the alternating power current is cut off while the direct controlling current is being applied, this is not essential nor is it necessary that the direct current be continuous, as shown.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a locomotive, alternating and direct current sources, conductors connecting said sources with the locomotive, a motor on the locomotive operated from one of s'ai d sources, and means on the locomotive operated from the other source for controlling the operation of the motor. 2. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a locomotive, a lead and a return conductor for the locomotive, alternating and direct current sources connected with the conductors, a motor on the locomotive operated from one of the sources, and means on the locomotive operated by the other source for controlling the direction of travel of the locomotive. I

3. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a locomotive, a lead and a return conductor for the locomotive, a motor on the locomotive, an alternating current source connected with the conductors for operating the motor, a direct current source connected with the conductors, and means on the locomotive operated by the direct current for controlling the-direction of travel of 1 the 1 .by alternating current connected with the conductors for'operating the motor, a direct current circuit connected with the conductors, a reversing switch in the direct current circuit, and means on the locomotive operated upon reversal of the direct current for reversing the direction of travel of the locomotive.

5. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a lm-omotive, a lead and a return conductor for the locomotive, a motor on the locomotive, an alternating current circuit connected with the conductors for operating the motor, a direct current circuit connected with the conductors, a vreversing switch in the direct current circuit, a polarized switch on the locomotive adapted to be actuated upon operation of the reversing switch, and means for reversing the direction of rotation of the motor by the operation of the polarized switch.

6. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a locomotive, an electric motor for the locomotive, a reversing device on the locomotive for controlling the direction of travel of the locomotive, alternating and direct current sources, one of which is adapted for driving the motor and the other for operating the reversing device, common current conducting means connecting both sources with the locomotive, and stationary manually operated means for controlling the alternating and direct currents.

7. 'A toy electric railway having, in combination, a locomotive, a stationary conductor for carrying current to the locomotive, a track, a series motor on the locomotive, a polarized switch on the locomotive connected in parallel with the .motor, a motor driving circuit adapted for connection with an alternating current source and 'connected between the stationary conductor and the track, a direct current controlling circuit connected between the stationary conductor and the track, means for reversing the direction of current in the controlling circuit to operate the switch, and means for reversing the relative connections of the armature and field of the motor upon operation of the switch.

8. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a locomotive, a track, a stationary conductor, a series motor on the locomotive, a switch on the locomotive connected in parallel with the motor and having provision for reversing the relative armature and field connections of the motor, an alternating current driving circuit connected between the track and the stationary conductor, a pair of rheostat coils in the driving circuit for controlling the speed of the motor, one for one direction and theother for the other direction, a contact arm adapted for engagement with either of the rheostat coils, a direct current control circuit connected between the track and the stationary conductor, a reversing switch in the control circuit, and means for operating the reversing switch upon shifting the rheostat arm from one coil to another.

9. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a track, a stationary conductor, a locomotive, a series motor on the locomotive, a polarized switch in parallel with the motor for reversing the relative armature and field connections of the motor, a. driving circuit adapted to be energized from the alternating current and connected between the track and stationary conductor, a direct current control circuit for operating the switch conncctcd between the stationary vconductor and the track, and a single controller for the alternating and direct currents operating upon progressive movement in either direction, first to apply the direct current to control the polarized switch for operation of the motor in one direction or the other, according to the direction of movement of the controller, and then to apply the alternating current to drive the motor.

10. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a track having traction rails and a third rail insulated therefrom, a locomotive, a series motor on the locomotive, a polarized switch in parallel with the motor, connections between the switch and the motor for reversing the relative field and armature connections of the motor upon operation of the. switch, a rheostat having two coils, a contact arm for the rheostat adapted for engagement with either of the coils, an alternating current driving circuit connected with the third rail and one of the traction I rails through the rheostat, a direct current control circuit for operating the switch and connected between the third rail and one of the traction ails, a reversing switch for the control circuit adapted to be engaged by the rheostat contact arm upon the shifting of the latter from one of the coils to the other, and a contact adapted for momentary engagement by the contact arm to close the control circuit to operate the polarized switch before engagement of the contact arm with the rheostat coil.

11. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a locomotive, a motor on the locomotive, a polarized switch in parallel with the motor, means operated by the switch for reversing the direction of travel of the locomotive, stationary conductors leading to the locomotive, a direct current control circuit for operating 'the switch, and a second switch connecting either the alternating current circuit or the direct current circuit with the conductors.

12. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a locomotive, a motor on the locomotive, a polarized switch in parallel with the motor, means operated by the switch for reversing the direction of rotation of the adapted to be engaged by the contact arm, a

reversing switch in the control circuit, and means actuated by the control arm for operiting the reversing switch upon movement of the contact arm from one rheostat coil to the other.

13. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a track having traction rails and a third rail insulated therefrom, a locomotive, a motor on the locomotive for driving the same, reversing means on the locomotive for reversing the direction of travel ofthe locomotive, a source of'alternatingcurrent for driving the motor, a source of direct current for actuating the reversing means, and con- .nections' from said sources to the traction and third rails.

14. A toy electric railway having, in com-.

' tion and third rails for controlling the motor and the reversing means, said devices having provision for connectlng with a source of alternatlng current for driving the motor and comprising a switch for cutting 01? the aldriving the motor, a source of direct current for actuating the switch, and connections between said sources and the locomotive.

16. A toy electric railway having, in combination, a locomotive, an alternating current motor fordriving the same, a polarized switch in parallel with the motor for reversing the direction of travel of the locomotive comprising a pivoted armature provided with an energizing coil, a fixed magnet, a movable contact block and pin-and-slot lost motion connections between the armature and the block, a source of alternating current for driving the motor, a source of direct current for actuating the switch, and connections between the said sources and the locomotive. r

17. The method of operating a to alternating power current to the circuit to drive the motor and in imparting to said circuit a direct current to control the operation of the motor.

18. The method of operating a toy electric railway which consists in applying an alternating power current to the circuit to drive the motor and in imparting to said circuit a direct current of predetermined direction to cause the motor to. operate in a predetermined direction of rotation.

19. The method of operating a toy electric railway which consists in applying an alternating power current to the circuit to drive the motor and in imparting to said circuit momentarily a direct current to reverse the direction of rotation of the motor.

v 20. The method of operating a toy electric railway which consists in applying an alternating power current to the circuit to drive the motor, cutting off the alternating power current, imparting to the circuit momentarily a direct controlling current to shift the motor connections for reverse rotation, and reestablishing the alternating power current.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' HARRY E. MORTON.

a I n o tric rallway whlch consists in applying an