US432208A - Electric-motor car - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 15, 1890.

J. F. MoLAUGI-ILIN. ELECTRIC MOTOR GAR.

(No Model.)

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UNrrEn STATES JAMES F. IWICLAUGHLIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC-MOTOR CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part-of Letters Patent No. 432,208, dated July 15,1890.

Application filed April 19, 1890- Serial No. 348,630. (No model .1

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MCLAUGHLIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Motor Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to electricmotor cars of that class in which a continuously-operating electric motor is employed and is coupled with or uncoupled from the drive-wheels of the car by means of a suitable clutch-such, for instance, as shown and described in Letters Patent No. 424,341, granted to me on March 25, 1890, and in Letters Patent No. 424,810, granted to me on April 1, 1890; and its object is to combine the clutch-operating mechanism with a suitable brake or brakes for the car-wheels in such manner that by the simple manipulation of a single lever or similar device the motor may be uncoupled from the drive-Wheels and immediately thereafter the brakes applied, or the reverse of this operation maybe effected. The operation of the clutch and brakes is so timed that they are both out of engagement when the operat ing mechanism is in an intermediate position, and the car is then free to be moved independent of the motor.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, there is shown a practical embodiment of my invention; but it is to be distinctly understood that I am in no wise confined to such identical structures, since the same may be variously modified without departing from the principle of my invention.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the truck of an electric-motor car embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section of the same on the line so at of Fig. 1, showing also a portion of a' car-body and the operating-lever mounted on the car-platform; and Figs. 3 and 4 are views of details which will be referred to in the fol- Referring to the drawings, there is shown an electric motor 1, pivotally supported at one side by a casting 2, on which are brackets 3, having bearin gs embracing the axle 4 of drivewheels 5. The other side of the said motor is supported on a spring-cushion 6, mounted on a cross-bar 7, forming part of the car-truck frame. The armature-shaft of the motor is coupled with a counter-shaft 8, having bearings in other brackets 9 on the casting '2' by means of a loose gear 10 and clutch 11, the said counter-shaft being in turn geared to the axle 4 by suitable gearing 12. The clutch may be of any suitable construction; but I prefer to use a clutch such as is shown and described in my aforesaid patents.

J ournaled in brackets 13, depending from the car-platform 'or other convenient point on the car, is a short rock-shaft14, and from apoint near one end of the same extends the operating-lever arm 15, projecting upward through the platform, and at one side of this lever there is secured a rack-frame 16, having notches 17 on its upper edge, into which engages the nose of a pawl or latch 18, pivoted to the lever-arm and controlled by a thumb-lever 19, which is pivoted to the said operating-lever arm 15 near its upper end and is connected to the pawl 18. From a point near the other end of rock-shaft 14 projects parallel but in the opposite direction to the leverarm 15 another and shorter lever-arm 20, so that the two arms 15 and are connected by or in one piece with the rock-shaft 14, which latter thus constitutes the fulcrum-pivot of the operating-lever, which as a whole is designated by the numeral 20. Between the operating-lever and the clutch there is another rock-shaft 21, having oppositely-projecting arms 22 23 and journaled in brackets 24 depending from the car-platform. The arm 23 of this rock-shaft is connected to the arm 20 of the operating-lever by a rod 25, and the arm 22 is connected to the clutch by a rod 26.

Suspended by links 27 from the truck-frame are brake-beams 28 28one for each pair of truck-wheelsand carrying brake-blocks 29 at the outer ends in operative relation to the said truck-wheels. Each brake-beam 28 has pivoted to it about midway a lever 30, to the ends of which are connected rods 31, extending to and pivoted at'opposite sides of the pivots of upright levers 32 32', mounted in brackets supported. on a cross-bar 33 of the truck-frame. Connected to the upper or free end of the lever 32 there is a rod 34, extending to and connected with the arm 20 of the main operating-lever 20, as shown, and connected to the lever 32 is a rod 35, extending to a brake wheel or lever (not shown) at the other end of the car, or to a fixed point under the ear-platform. This brake mechanism being substantially the same as that ordinarily used, it will not be necessary to describe its operation further than to state that the lever 32 is normally held against movement and holds the corresponding ends of the levers 30 against movement with the brake-beams, and for this reason, when the rod 3t is drawn forward by the lever 20', the lever 32, acting on the rods 31, connecting it to the levers 30, draws the ends of the latter on the same side of the truck toward each other, and thereby applies the brakes in the usual manner.

The connections between the operating-1ever and both the clutch and brakes are such that when the said lever is moved in one direction the brakes are carried clear of the wheels and the clutch is put into operation, connecting the motor-armature with the drivewheel axle, and when the operating-lever is moved in the other direction the clutch is released and the brakes are applied, while when the operating-lever is in a central position both the brakes and the clutch are out of operation, and the car may then be moved in either direction, by hand or otherwise, as occasion may require. Thus it will be observed that a simple movement of the lever 20' in. either direction is all that is necessary to start the car or when it is in motion to disconnect the motor from the drive-wheels and apply the brakes.

While I have described my invention as applied to electric-motor cars, it is clear that the same is applicable to cars propelled by any other power than electricityas, for instance, to cars propelled by steam, or even to cable-roadssinee the broad feature of myinventionviz., the control of the power-coupling and the brakes by a single-switch mechanismis of equal utility whatever the mode of propulsion may be. It will also be under stood that I am not confined to the particular system of brakes described or to a lever and connecting-rods for operating the same.

Any other system of levers than the one herein described may be used for operating the clutch and brake in succession from a single point on the ear, and for the purposes of my invention it is of no consequence whether the levers and connecting-rods are of the character herein shown or whether a system comprising wheels, screws, or other mechanical, elements is used; and by the term system of levers I desire to be understood to cover any combination of mechanical elements by which motion is conveyed from one point to another.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a system of car-propulsion, the combination of a motor carried upon the car anda clutch for applying and disconnecting the motive power, with a brake for the car-wheels and a single-switch mechanism for actuating the clutch and brake or the brake and clutch in succession, substantially as described.

2. In a power-propelled ear, the combination of a normally idly-running motor and a clutch for coupling the motor to propel the ear,with a brake for the ear-wheels and a system of levers for releasing the brake and applying the cluteh and for releasing the clutch and applying the brake, both in succession, substantially as described.

In an electric-motor car, the combination of a constantly-operating electric motor and a clutch for connecting the armature of the motor with and disconnecting it from the drive-wheels, with a brake mechanism and a system of levers connecting the brake and clutch and timed for operating the two in succession, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES F. MCLAUGHLIN. Witnesses:

II. F. REARDON, JOSEPH LYoNs.

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