US426382A

US426382A - Electric railway

Info

Publication number: US426382A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 1907-04-22

Description

(No, Model.)

B. M. HUNTER. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 426,382. Patented Apr. 22'. I890.

inventor. m JW 'ruz mums PETERS cm, PNDrO-LITHU., msmmmu, n c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY,

OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

-ELECTRIG RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,382, dated April 22, 1890.

Original application filed September 23, 1886, Serial No, 214,309. Divided and this application filed May 15, 1889. Serial No.

- 310,855. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to electric railways; and it consists of certain improvements, which are fully set forth in the following speci- I o fication, and shown in the accompanying d rawings, which form a part thereof.

This application, Case 96, is a division of my application, Serial No. 214,309, of September 23, 1886. I

r 5 The invention relates to electric railways, in which a suspended conductor is arranged along the railway, and embodies an electrically-propelled car, having the electric motor or motors supported upon the axles preferzo ably independent of the car-body, which rests on springs in the ordinary way, a collecting arm preferably carried above the roof of the car and making a traveling contact with the under side of the conductor, and flexible or 2 5 giving connections from the collector to the motor, including, if desired, the regulating apparatus and any electric translating device, which are desirably secured to the car-body. In this construction of railway I so construct 3c the collecting device and suspended conductor that there is an automatic compensation for any variation in the altitude of either. It is immaterial what the details of construction may be, as any type of motor may be em- 3 5 ployed, and such motor may be supported by the axles or their boxes in any manner desired, so longas it retains its connection with the axle independent of the movement of the car-body, and any form of collecting device 0 may be used which meets the requirements of the invention.

The object of my invention is to enable the motor or motors to have a positive connection with the axles, so as to remain in connection for positive-power transmission, as distinguished from chains and belts, (in which latter vision for maintaining a continuous contact with the suspended conductor. By this means the vertical movement of the car-body and its collector does not affect the perfect working of the motor and driving-gear, and where the conductor is suspended above the car the height of the car is utilized in reaching the conductor and allows of the collector being reduced to small size and weight. These are found of the utmost practical importance in the construction and operation of railways of this class. The flexible conductor-connections are carried by the car and connect the collector with the motor and include the regulator and allow for the rise and fall of the car-body in relation to the motor.

My object is also in such a railway to provide lighting and battery devices on, the carbody with circuits to supply current from the conductors leading from the collector.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electric railway embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a cross section through the suspended conductor and shows the upper part of the collector, and Fig. 3 is a crosssection showing a modification of the collector applicable to my invention.

A are the posts arranged along the side of the railway-track A which may, if desired, form the return-conductor B.

The supply-conductor is B, and is sus pended from the poles either by counterbalancing-arms B or otherwise, as desired.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the conductor B is normally suspended from above, so as to present a clean or unobstructed under surface for the collector wheel or shoe.

In the case of Fig. 3 the normal condition of the conductor B is to rest in the V-shaped frames A but when raised by the collectorwheel 0*, as shown, it presents a clean or unobstructed under surface.

The collector-wheel C is pivoted to the up per or free end of the upwardly-extending arm O, which may be made in any suitable manner and arranged vertically,horizontally, or at any other angle.v I11 Figs. 4 and 5 this arm is shown as adjustable, and while indicated as pressing the collector-wheel upward against the under side of the conductor the collector might be inverted and made to run in contact with the conductor it put at a lower elevation.

In my application of which this is a division the suspended conductor was shown as under the surface in a conduit, above the surface under the car, at an elevation, but

not above the car-body, and also above the car-body.

The car-body Ois supported on the axles by the usual springs I and is free to ride up and down upon the axles.

Carried upon the axles or their boxes is a frame D, upon which the motors D are secured and by it journaled to the axles (1. There may be one or two motors, as desired, and one maybe used for each axle.

The car-wheels are marked D 011 the axles d are secured worm-wheels D', with which worms D on the motor-shafts mesh.

Any other mechanical power-transmitting gearing may be used, if desired.

E E E are the motor-circuits on the car and include the reversing-switches E for each motor and resistance-changers e e for the respective motors.

The regulating apparatus is preferably supported on the car-body, as shown. These circuits form a flexible connection between the vertically-movable collector and the motors supported by the axles, and permit any ver tical movement of the car-body without includes the secondary-battery cells E and a switch. This battery may be thus charged from the line and subsequently used for lighting the car or operating the motors on parts of the railway not supplied with conductors.

The arrows indicate the passage of the current.

Any other translating device may be connected in circuit with the circuit on the car between the collector and motors. It is evident that the motors may be independently controlled, if desired.

The collector-wheel may besim ply a grooved wheel or other contact device suitable to the purpose. As shown it is in the form of a deeply-grooved wheel, in the groove of which the conductor fits and is guided, and the Wheel in turn thereby guided on the conduct-or and following its direction.

It is evident that both the outgoing and return conductors B and B maybe suspended (see dotted lines, Fig. 1) and two current devices be used to complete the circuit through the car.

It will be seen that broadly considered the collector is supported on springs through the frame-work of the car-body and is free to rise and fall independently of the motors which are carried on the axles.

The current-regulating apparatus may be located or connect with either end of the car. The car may be run in either direction.

As before stated, I do not confine myself to the details here shown, as they may be moditied in various ways Without departing from the spiritof my invention.

In this application I do not claim the specific form of collector, arrangement of motors, or support of the conductor, as these matters form subj ect-matter of other applicationsto Wit, Serial Nos. 214,309, of 1886; 239,930, of 1887; 264,456, of 1888; 268,359, of 1888; 290,302, of 1888, and, 304,499, of 1889.

Any matters shown but not claimed are not dedicated to the public, but form subjectmatter of said applications.

I Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. The combination of a railway-track, a suspended conductor arranged along' said track, a car running upon said track, an electric motor supported upon the axle of said car, a current-collecting device carried by the car-body and making contact with said suspended conductor, a motor-circuit carried on the car-body connecting the collecting device with the motor, and current-controlling devices to control the current in said motor-circuit.

2. Th combination of a railway-track, a suspended conductor arranged along said track, a car running upon said track and having its body supported on springs, an electric motor supported upon the axle of said car, a current-collecting device carried by the carbody and making contact with said suspended conductor, a flexible motor-circuit carried on the car-body, connecting the collecting device with the motor, and currentrcontrolling de' vices to control the current in said motor-circuit.

8. The combination of a railway-track, a suspended conductor arranged along said track, a car running upon said track, an electric motor supported upon the axle of said car, a current-collecting device carried by the car-body and making contact with said suspended conductor, a motor-circuit carried on the car-body, connecting the collecting device with the mot-or, current-controlling de vices to control the current in said motor-circuit, a translating device on the car-body, independent of the motor, and a circuit carried by the car connecting with the'motor-circuit and coupling the translating device in multiple or shunt relation with the motor.

' 4.. The combination of a railway-track, a Suspended conductor arranged along said track, a car running upon said track, an electric motor supported upon the axle of said car, a current-collecting device carriedby the car-body and making contact with said suspended conductor, a motor-circuit carried on the car-body, connecting the collecting device with the motor, current-controlling devices to control the current in said motor, a translating device on the car-body, independent of the motor, a circuit carried by the car, connecting with the motor-circuit and coupling the translating device in multiple or shunt relation with the motor, and separate circuitcontrolling devices for the circuit of the translating device.

5. The combination of a railway, a suspended electric conductorarranged along the railway, a traveling car, an electric motor supported on and coupled with each axle, an upwardly-extending collector supported on the carbody, electric motor-circuits leading from the collector to each of the motors, and regulating devices for controlling the current flowing through the motor.

6. The combination of a railway, a suspended electric conductor arranged along the railway, a traveling car having its body supported on'springs, an electric motor supported on and coupled with each axle, an upwardly-extending collector supported on the car-body, electric motor-circuits leading from the collector to each of the motors, and regulating devices arranged on the end of the carbody for controlling the current flowing through the motor.

7. The combination of a railway, an electric conductor extending along the railway and at a considerable elevation, a car, an electric motor supported on the axle, an upwardly-extending collector-arm supported by the car-body, a contact devicecarried by said arm and making a traveling contact on the under side of the conductor, motor-circuits carried on the car-body and connecting the collector with the motor, and a current-regulator to control the currentin said motor-circuit.

8. The combination of a railway, an electric conductor extending along the railway and at a considerable elevation, a car having its body supported on the axles by springs, an electric motor supported on the axle and positively connected thereto independently of the car-body, an upwardlyextending collector-arm supported by the car-body, a contact device carried by said arm and making a traveling contact on the under side of the conductor, flexible motor-circuits carried on the car-body and connecting the collector with the motor, and acurrentmegulator to control the current in said motor-circuit.

9. The combination of a railway, an electric conductor extending along the railway and at a considerable elevation, a car, an

electric motor supported on the axle, an up wardly-extending adjustable collector-arm supported by the car-body, a contact device carried by said arm and making a traveling contact on the under side of the conductor,

motor-circuits carried on the car-body and carried on the car-body and connecting the collector with the motor, a current-regulator to control the current in said motor-circuit, a lighting-circuit on the car in electrical c011- nection with the motor-circuit, electric lamps in said circuit in parallel with the motor, and means to control the current in said lighting circuit.

11. The combination of a railway, a suspended conductor extending along said railway, a' car having a car-body supported on springs, an upwardly-extending collector-arm supported by the car-body and provided with a contact device on its free end for making an under contact with the conductor, a frame supported on the axles independent of the car-body, a motor supported thereby and mechanically connected with the axle, and a motor-circuit carried by the car and connecting the collector with the motor, with provision to permit the rise and fall of the car-body without interrupting the motor-circuit.

12. The combination of a railway, a suspended conductor, a car, a collector-arm supported by the car, with provision for vertical movement, a contact device carried 011 the free end of the col.lectorarm,making an under moving contact with theconductor, an electric motor 011 the axle and independent of the collector-arm, and a motor-circuit between the collector and motor.

13. The combination of a railway, a sus pended conductor, a collector formed of an arm extending upward and making an under contact with the conductor, a motor supported on an axle and adapted to rotate the Wheels thereof, an elastic connection or frame between the collector and motor or axle, whereby while the motor hasa fixed distance above the rails the collector may rise and fall, and an electric circuit connecting the collector with the motor.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER. Witnesses:

Ennnsr HowAnn HUNTER,

T. Ynnxns.