US417654A - System of electrical distribution of currents - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Mo del.) 6 SheetsSheet 1.

G. J. VAN DEPOELE. I SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GURRENTS.

No. 417,654. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

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SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION OF 'GURRENTS.

No. 417,654. I Patented De0. 17, 1889.

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SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION OF CURRBNTS-.

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G. J. VAN DEPOELE. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GURRENTS.

No. 417,654. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

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C. J. VAN'DEPOELE.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION OFOURRENTS.

No. 417,654. Patented Dec. 17, 1889.

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- gcther with numerous details of construction UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION OF CURRENTS SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,654, dated December 17, 1889.

Application filed September 21, 1889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LCHARLES J. VAN DE- POELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Distribution of Currents, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to improvements in electric-railway systems, a prominent object being to safely and economically use continuous electric currents produced at any distance from the line of the railway, said currents being transmitted at a high potential over relatively small and cheap conductors, which maycome from any practical distance and are run to points in proximity to the line of the railway, although not necessarily parallel therewith. The high-tension continuous current is then led to suitable converters arranged along the line of the railway and by them transformed into currents of alternating polarity and supplied to the working-conductors. The converters are located at desirable intervals along the line and are arranged and adapted to supply alternating currents. The particular character of the currents supplied from the secondary circuits of the converters will depend upon the species of motor employed, my improved motor, which I have called an induction-motor, requiring but two conductors,whereas another form of alternate-current motor devised by me would require athree-wire system in order to produce the desired eifects. This, however, is all comprised within the present invention, and as such will be covered by the claims. Various means for converting the current and supplying the same to the lines of conductors will also be pointed out, to-

and arrangement shown for the sake of illustration.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of an electric railway embodying the invention, means for automatically controlling the circuits of one of the converters being shown in detail upon an enlarged scale. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view, partly in elevation, showing a converter system for trans- Serial No. 324,625. (No model.)

forming a continuous current into an alternating one and supplying the same to a single circuit of working-00nductors. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of the transformer seen in Fig.2. Fig. 4is a diagrammatic view resembling Fig. 1, and also showing an electric railway embodying the invention, but differing therefrom in employing a three-wire system of working-conductors. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing a mechanical converter arranged to produce double alternating currents in a three-wire circuit. Fig. 6 is a view in elevation showing a mechanical embodiment of the apparatus diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view in elevation showing a motor-generator for producing double alternating currents. Fig. 8 is a sectional end view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic elevation showing a motor and a three-wire circuit therefor, together wit-h connections and a reversing-switch.

As indicated in the drawings, Ais a source of continuous currents located at any convenient point. 1 2 represent a circuit extending therefrom and traversing the vicinity of the line of' railway to be supplied.

B B are the track-rails of the line of railway, and 3 4 indicate exposed working-conductors constituting the supply-circuit of the line of railway, and from which currents are collected by the travelingmotor-cars to operate the motors thereon. Current'is supplied to the working-conductors 3 4 at appropriate points along the line of the road by secondary conductors 5 6, extending from converters O O C 0 the terminals 7 S of the primary circuits of which are in connection with the supply-conductors 1 2. A number of alternating or discontinuous current-translating devices, as motor-cars D D D D, are indicated in operative relation to the working-conductors. Cross-connections 9 10 serve to connect adjacent portions of the workingconductors, so that on a tortuous line of railway, where the route bends back upon itself, or two lines of track approach in places, a single converter located at a favorable point may supply current to several sections thereof through very short connections, assuming, of course, that both or all the sections capable of receiving current from the converter do not each call upon it for its maximum output at the same time. This, however, will be very unlikely to occur, and at the worst would only necessitate the momentary stoppage of one of the cars.

The working-conductors are normally continuous, although, as will appear, they maybe subdivided or divided into sections in case of danger, damage, or accident, and yet constitute an operative system.

The converters, being designed to transform the supply-current into one of lower tension, are not designed to deliver theircurrent over very long distances, and they should be located at such relative intervals as can be readily supplied by each converter, and the secondary circuit of each converter is, moreover, provided, with means for automatically controlling the operation of each piece of apparatus, so that those sections of the railway uponwhich cars are actually moving may be supplied with current, while the converters of other. sections uponwhich no work is being performed will be sloweddown or stopped entirely until the demand for current is again made manifest by the drop of potential in the vicinity of the converter, which said fall of potential will actuate the automatic controlling devices and start the converter into-full action. The means for controlling the said converters are seen in Fig. 1, being the same as in the present case, and while many other forms might be employed th at here shownan d described I find to be well adapted for the purpose.

As shown in connect-ion with converter C, two solenoids (Z d are provided. The solenoid-(Z is of relatively-high resistance, and is permanently connected in derivation from the working-circuit by conductors d (Z and is provided with an iron plunger E, suitably laminated or subdivided, and to the lower portion of which is attached a circuit-breaker e. The solenoid d is of relatively-low resist ance, and is connected with the conductor 1), extending from the secondary circuit. of the converter, and its terminal extends to a contaet 6, arranged in juxtaposition to a contact 6 carried by the circuit-breakin g lever c, actuated by the plunger E of the other solenoid d. The contact 6 of the lever c is connectedby conductor 6 with the working-eondnctor. 10. The solenoid d is provided with an iron plunger F, also subdivided and connected to a pivoted lever G, provided at its opposite extremity with an adjustable ten sion-spring g. The lever G is connected with the primary supply-conductor N, as. by conductor g, and carries acontact f in j uxtaposition to a contact f, extending by conductor f to the negative primary circuit of the c011- verter. The cores or plungers. E F are mechanically connected, so that they move together. The normal action of the springg is to raise its end of the lever and force down the plungers E F, closing both sets of contacts e e and f f, thereby closing both circuits of the converter and causing it to become active. As the potential in the working-circuit increases or reaches the predetermined standard, the resistance of the solenoid (Z being appropriately adjusted, the said solenoid will at such point becomesufliciently energized to raise its core E, and with it the core F, against the tension of the spring g, and by opening both the primary and secon dary circuits of the converter stop its action. A fall of potential in the working-conductor, as on the consumption of current by a motor traveling within the limit of supply of said converter, will' weaken the solenoid d to such an extent that the tension-spring Q will force down the cores E F, close the contacts, and start the converter, the primary circuit closing first and the secondary lastly. In practice it is, however, found desirable that one or more of the .converterssay, for example, 0 C should be kept continuously in operation, in order to furnish current to energize the solenoids d of the automatic controlling devices with which the automatic converters are provided-in other words, to-maintaiuthe potential of the line and prevent thestarting of the converters upon the sectionswhere no current is-being consumed. These main converters may be provided with automatic controllers also for use in case of accident; but when operating continuously the automatic devices are cut out of circuit and direct connections made. When current is consumed within the limit. of supply of an automatic converter, the potential will at once drop,when the converter will start and feed into the working-circuit, as described. Unless one or more converters are kept constantly in operation all the converters would start at once, raise the potential of the WOPkll'lgCllCl1lt to the desired point, and then all stop. Therefore the working-conductors must be supplied continuously with current of suflicient strength to operate the converter-controlling mechanism, which will then automatically produce the described effects. In this. manner great economy in the'consumption and production of current can be effected, but at the same time any desired quantity can be supplied at any part of the line.

The converters C C (J C in Fig. 1 may be of an infinite variety of forms, since the character of current required can be produced by various forms of apparatus, and since I have shown and described various forms of apparatus for producing discontinuous currents I may use any form found most fitted for the purpose, whether the same be particularly hereinafter described or not.

In Fig. 2 is indicated a form of converter such as is shown and described in Letters Patent No. 400,809, granted to me April 2, 1889. In this figure is seen aconverter H, arranged to supply currents of alternating polarity to a working-circuit 7L3 h, corresponding with the working-circuit 3 a of Fig. 1. The details of the said converter Hare fully ICC ITO

given in my said patent, and for the present purpose it is enough to state that the rate of phase of said current is controlled by a commutator operated byan independent motor H. Suitable alternate-current motors D D are indicated as being in circuit with the converter H. These motors should be of any type suitable for use with what I have termed a single alternating current, such, for example, as are referred to in my patent, No. 408,642, dated August 6, 1889. The form of converter seen in Fig. 3 resembles that seen in Fig. 2, except that it is entirely self-contained. The said converter H comprises an annular -iron core h, wound with two separate closed circuits h 712, precisely as in the converter H. Thewinding h is the primary and the windingh is the secondary, and said windings may be arranged in alternate sections, or one upon the oth er, as found most convenient. Conductors 71. h extend from opposite points upon the secondary winding 7L2. The primary winding hisconnected .at intervals with the sections of a commutator 715. The commutator 72 is mounted upon an axis H upon which is also mounted an electro-magnet h, so arranged that its polar extensions are at right angles with the poles in the core 71, thereby causing it to revolve upon the said axis H Positive and negative commutator-lwushes are pro vided and carried by the said rotating elec-.

tro-magnet h, andthe continuous-supply current for the prlmar 1 circuit h is supplied to said brushes from insulated annular contactable contacts bearing upon the said annular also that of the electro-magnet h.

torsH H may readily be arranged to givecontact-surfaces. As the electromagnet it" rotates, thecontinuous current is admitted successively through the several sections of the commutator hZand being thus caused to traverse, the primary wire will create currents in the said secondary winding, which currents being sent to line through two conductors, one will constitute what I have called single alternating currents, the phases thereof following each-,other with adegree of rapidity depending uponthc speed of the electro-magnet h, or, as in Fig. 2, upon the speed of the motor H. The speed of. the motor H may be limited by means of an adjustable resistance or other device, as may The moat any rate without com mutators of the delicate and troublesome form used in all e011- tinuous-current devices hitherto employed. Two general types of such motors may be referred to, one in which the phases are displaced by self-induetion and the other in which a plurality of sets of field-magnets or field-magnet cores are used, together with a corresponding number of circuits, with the phases of the supply-current being distributed among said circuits, so as to produce alternate field-magnet poles, and so cause progressive rotation of the armature. Such a motor is seen in Fig. 9, and will be hereinafter referred to.

The leading feature of the'invention, which includes the translation of high-tension continuous currents into discontinuous or alternating currents of much lower tension at or near the point of eonsumption,is equally well embodied in the double-circuit or three-wire system as in the single-circuit system which is illustrated in Fig. 4, or in the single-circuit system of Fig. 1. In said Fig. 4; the motors D D D D are arranged and connected for operation upon the double-circuit system, traveling connection being maintained between said motors and the three conductors 1 2 3, which are provided for the purpose of conveying two set-s of currents differing in phase, conductors 1 Teach representing one side of an outgoing circuit, and the conductor 3 (shown in dotted lines, for convenience) representing a common return, so that the currents flow through the motors alternately from the conductors 1 2, and thence to the return-conductor 3. p

In Fig. 4 the working-conductors of the railway are shown as divided into four sections. This also 'is indicated in theparent case and its obj ect fully described, the same being that in case of accident or damage to one section the remaining portions of the workingconductor will not be incapacitated thereby and may remain in operative condition. For further details as to this feature of the invention reference is made to the parent application.

The sections of outgoing conductors 1 2 are all normally connected by switches I l 1 by the opening of any two of which a section will be cut out. Converters O C G O are indicated diagrammatically, each of the said converters being provided with branch conductors leading to the positive and negative supply conductors. and with three circuit connections extending between the several portions thereof and the working-conductors. A great advantage incident to .the employment of this system is thatit can be normally operated with the sections separated, if desired, and that the converters need not necessarily be operated in synehronism with each other, as would have to be the case where a plurality of converters were arranged to coact in supplying a set of continuous workingconductors. One or more of the converters may be provided for each section of the work- .in g-con d uctors, andthey may be operated con- IIO tinuously or interinittingly and be controlled by hand or automatically, as desired.

One form of converter, whet-her adapted to supply double or alternating currents, is seen in Figs. 5 and 6.

In Fig. 5 the two generator-armatures J J are seen, said armatures each comprising a continuous iron core provided with a continuous winding j. Two contact-surfaces j 9" r are provided for each armature, and the armatureconductor j is in each case connected to the two contaet-surfaces-as, for example, by conductors j j 7' W, the said conductors being desirably so arranged upon their axes that the connections of one armature shall be at right angles with respect to the connections of the other, as illustrated in the diagram Fig 5. Asuitable contact brush or block is providedfor each of the contactsurfaces, and the main conductor 1 is connected to the contact-surface j and the conductor 2 to the contact-surfacej The return-conductor 3 is connected to the contact-surfaces r 0" of the said armature through conductors R, extending between said conductor 3 and the contact devices bearing upon said contact-surfaces. It will thus be evident that if the armatures J J are rotated at the same speed, in the same field of force, with the arrangement of circuits and connections just referred to they will furnish current impulses alternately to the conduct- The device seen in Fig. 6 resembles in many respects the inductorium patented to me May 13, 1884, No. 298,431, being in fact an improvement thereon. The said inductorium or converter comprises a horizontal field-magnet K, which may be energized in any convenient manner; From the outer extremities of the said field-magnet K extend polar extensions L M L M, the same extending above and below the magnet K. A centrally-located shaft m passes through the central part of the core of the field-magnet K, and is provided with suitable bearings at top and bottom. Upon the upper portion of the shaft on are mounted the armatures J J, said armatures being of such size that they may be placed at a safe distance from each other and yet remain within the field of force of the polar extensions L M. The contact-surfaces may be disposed in any convenient manner. As seen, however, they are substantially asin the diagram. The said generatorarmatures are -rotated within their field of force by a third armature J which is located below the field-magnet K, and receives currents from the main circuit through a suitable commutator and brushes thereon. Obviously the speed of the generator-armatures can be regulated by any known means for regulating the motor-armature J and the device be thus readily adjusted to the demands of the working-circuits.

An arrangement very closely resembling that just described, and also similar in most respects to that seen in Fig. 2 of the parent application, is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. In said Fig. 7 is illustrated a form of cu rrentconverter or motor-generator. The machine comprises two sets of field-magnets O Q and separate armatures S T. Both armatures are mounted upon a single shaft U in operative position between the pole-pieces of the fieldmagnets O Q. One armature, as S, acts as a motor to rotate the shaft U and the armature T, and the said armature S receives current from the contiuuous-supply circuit. The armature T is provided with a continuous winding upon a suitable continuous core, and said winding is divided by cross-connections substantially as indicated in Fig. 5. The winding of the armature T may be divided into two or four sections, or even more, according to the number of circuits it is desired to supply with currents (littering in phase. As indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, the armature T is provided with four terminals connected to four contact-rings T T T T. The said four contact-rings may be connected to constitute a three-wire system, substantially as is indicated in Fig. 5. As is well understood, the conductor with which the armature T is wound should be of a size suited to the production of current of the desired tension. The automatic controlling device indicated in connection with the converter seen in Fig. 1 can of course be wound to any of the converters hereinbefore described, such application being obvious to a practical electrician.

As indicated, the motor part of the motorgenerator seen in Fig. 7 is provided with compound winding; but since this forms no particular part of the present invention the said apparatus may be wound or connected in the manner best calculated to secure the desired results.

Referrringto Fig. 9, the motor V comprises two pairs of fieldmagnet poles it a a u. The poles u 16 constituting one set, are arranged to receive current from one of the main outgoing conductors. The poles w" a constitute a second set, and are placed at right angles to the first-mentioned poles, and they in turn are connected to the other outgoing main conductor. As indicated, the conductor 1 supplies current to one set of poles and the conductor 2 to the other set, suitable energiZing-conductors being wound upon the said polar extensions and connected with the supply-conductors. The inner ends of both sets of field-magnet conductors are united and connected to the common return 3. The four field-magnet poles or cores are preferably scoured to and project inwardly from an exterior iron casing or shell V, and the said cores being thus magnetically united their rapid magnetization and demagnetization, or, so to speak, the shifting of polarity from one to the other, will be greatly facilitated, the said cores themselves being, furthermore, constructed of suitably-subdivided iron, according to the rate of phase of the current employed. An armature V is rotatably mounted Within the double field of force formed by the field magnets u a a a and said armature is wound with continuous conductor 11. The armature -conductor 1) is to a certain extent divided into sections by being provided with terminals 1 at suitable distances apart, which said terminals are all interconnected by being joined to a continuous conductor V conveniently disposed upon and moving with said armature.

The specific application of the system herein described to electric-railway motors, notbeing claimed, need not be herein referred to, since the mechanical connections between the armature-shafts of the motors and the runninggear of thevehicles to be propelled and the particular structure or arrangement of the motors themselves do not necessarily form a part of the present invention, which, as previously stated, refers to a system of distributing currents whereby certain mechanical, electrical, and commercial advantages are attained.

Although I have described the apparatus in detail, it Will be understood that no special form thereof is essential and that the same may be Varied in many ways without departing from the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. A system of supplying and distributing currents for electric railways, comprising normally-continuous working-conductors along the line of way, a source of continuous current of relatively-high potential, a supplycircuit extending from said source to points adjacent to the Working-conductors, and a plurality of transformers adapted to be operated by the continuous-current supply and to deliver alternating or discontinuous currents to the working-conductors.

2. A system of supplying and distributing currents for electric railways, comprising normally-continuous working-conductors along the line of Way, a source of continuous current of relatively-high potential, a supplycircuit extending from said source to points ad acent to the working-conductors, and a plurality of transformers adapted to be operated by the continuous-current supply and to deliver alternating or discontinuous currents to one or more sets of working-conductors.

currents for electric railways, comprising normally-continuous working-conductors along the line of way, a source of continuous current of relatively-high potential, a supplycircuit extending from said source to points adjacent to the working-conductors, and a plurality of tension-reducing devices distributed along the line of way and arranged and connected to receive the high-tension continuous-current supply and to deliver to the said working-conductors alternating or discontinuous current of a lower potential.

4:. A system of supplying and distributing currents for electric railways, comprising working-conductors along the line of way, a circuit supplying continuous current of relatively-high potential to points adjacent to said working-conductors, current-converters distributed along the line of way and arranged to receive the continuous-supply current and to deliver continuous, discontinuous, or alternating currents to the working-conductors, and automatic means for closing the circuits and rendering the converters operative upon a fall of potential in the workingconductors.

5. A system of supplying and distributing currents for electric railways, comprisin g normally-continuous working-conductors along the line of way, a source of continuous current of relatively-high potential, a supply-circuit extending from said source to points adjacent to the conductors, and a plurality of motor-generators comprising a motor part actuated by the continuous current and a generator portion acting under the influence of the motor to produce alternating or discontinuous currents, and connections between the generative portions of the motor-generators and the working-conductors.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. STAGG, J. SORIBNER.

3. A system of supplying and distributing

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