US469656A - Electric-lighting system - Google Patents

Description

t e e h S w Bu 8 h S 3 Y 0 R L E 0 M R l a d 0 M 0 W ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM.

N0 469,656. Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

JEFF/M07:

Jam/MI (No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2.

J. F. MOELROY.

ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM.

, N6. 469,656. Patented P6 261692.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. F. MoELROY. ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM.

No. 469,656. Patented Feb. 23,1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MCELROY, OF ALBANY, NElV YORK.

ELECTRIC-LIGHTING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,656, dated February 23, 1892.

Application filed June 4, 1891. Serial No. 895,139. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. MOELROY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Lighting (Jars by Electricity, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The primary object of my invention is the lighting of cars by electricity, and niyinvention consists in the means and apparatus provid ed therefor. The ordinary system of lighting by electricity cannot be applied to carlighting without meeting serious obstacles. First, if a dynamo is applied and run by connection with any of the moving parts of the train, it must stop and start with the same,

and the supply of current is therefore sub jected to constant interruption, which of course would make the system a failure. To meet this difficulty storage-batteries may be used; but to rely altogether on such a source of electricity is objectionable, as it is practically impossible to supply in this manner a series of lights on a long train for any considerable length of time on account of the large amount of space which would have to be reserved for these batteries, and besides the recharging or replacing would be expensive and involvelossof time. Again, as the speed of a train varies within considerable limits, the velocity of the armature will at certain times not be sufficient to produce any appreciable current, or at least not enough to operate electric lights, and therefore the train must attain a certain speed before a current can be generated to run electric lights or before it can be stored in accumulators. It is therefore obvious that provision has to be made to operate the electric lights independent of the generator when these conditions exist. It must also be taken into consideration that at very high speedssay fifty miles an hourthe supply of current would be so great that the brushes of the dynamo will be burned and the storage-battery plates or la mpfilaments be destroyed unless the current can be kept under control, and even if the dynamo should have a suitable cutrout-regulator or means for cutting out the storage-battery and lamps constant trouble is to be expected from the rapid wearing out of the brushes and the liability of the armature to heat and burn out, and it has been demonstrated that the construction of dynamos heretofore used for stationary lighting plants is not at all suitable for lighting railway-cars, especially if it is desired to locate it on the axle of a truck where it must turn under conditions altogether different from those in stationary lighting plants. Consequently in order to carry out successfully my system of lighting trains my invention embodies the following provisions: A single generator for the train is carried by the locomotive, preferably on the front axle of the forward truck, where, among other advantages, it is quite accessible and is less exposed to dust than anywhere else outside the cars. This generator I construct in a peculiar manner, requiring no brushes or wire on the armature, and securing it in' such manner that the jolting and jarring due to unevenness of grade or imperfections in the road-bed will not make it a source of danger to the axle of the truck. A further provision consists in employing in connection with the generator a storage battery or batteries. This battery or these batteries are intended to feed the lamps, while the generator is merely required to feed the stor age battery or batteries. The capacity of the storage-batteries is made ample to supply the lights during any desired periodsay one or two hours, if the car should have to wait such length of time at some station. The feeding of the storage battery or batteries I accomplish by means of three leads, two of which at the same time form the lighting-circuit. These three leads, which represent two feeding-circuits, extend from the generator, preferably, the whole length of the train, with suitable couplings between the cars of the train. Two of the leads0ne positive and one negativeforin a lamp-circuit supplied from the storage-battery, while the third lead, which has an alternating-current, forms, in connection with the other two leads, the feeding-circuit for the storage-battery, the lights and the generator being therefore on different circuits, the generator supplying the storagebattery and the storage-battery the lights. Automatic means are provided for switching the dynamo in when the speed of the train is sufficient to generate electro-motive force enough to overcome the electro-motive force of the storage-battery and to cut it out when it is not snfficient. by reason of slowing down or stopping the train, thus preventing the battery from short-circuiting itself through the coils of the dynamo. This switch also opens the circuit when the motion of the 10- comotive is reversed. My provisions also contemplate means for providing the magnetic field of the dynamo as soon as coupled up with a minimum amount of current, so that the dynamo will at once become operative upon starting the train. They also contemplate means for automatically regulating the dynamo, so as to maintain a uniform current, notwithstanding variations in the speed of the moving train. These provisions, as stated in a general way, comprise the several prominent features of my invention, and I will now proceed to describe in detail the construction and arrangement of the parts by means of which I intend to practically carry out my invention, and then pointont specifically in the claims what I believe to be new and wish to protect by Letters Patent.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram matic illustration of my Whole system. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic elevation of alocomotive, showing the preferred position of my genera or. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through my generator as secured in position on the axle of the truck. Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sections of the dynamo on lines a: w and y y, respect ively. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are details of a potential switch for automatically connecting and disconnecting the dynamo and storage-battery.

The generator is inclosed in an outer dust-- proof casing A, mounted upon the axle B of the truck, preferably the front axle of the forward truck of the locomotive, as shown in Fig. 2.1-.2'5In this position Isupport it by means of journal-boxes 0, formed on the heads of the casing and lined with brasses D, which extend entirely through the journal-boxes, and which are held against lateral displacement therein by the annular flange E, seated .in a corresponding recess and secured therein by the plate E. These brasses are made to abut against collars F, formed or shrunk on the axle, and by these means the axle is prevented from end-play in the bearings, and the brushes may be readily renewed or adjusted when necessary.

. The journal-boxes have oil-boxes C, with tight cover 0 and oil-ducts 0 leading therefrom to the axle, and annular grooves C are formed in the casing to collect the waste oil on the inside of the bearings and conduct it through a small channel 0 to the outside. By these means the dust and oil are eifectively excluded from the inside of the casing and the bearings may be efiectively lubricated. If desired, so-called dust-guards C may be placed at the points where the axle passes into the casing.

would otherwise produce.

The weight of the casing is partially or wholly supported from above by means of a system of hangers G, pivotally secured on opposite sides of a compensating lever G, fulcrumed upon the frame of the truck. The hangers pass through vertical guide bearings or ears A, formed on the outside of the easing and have coil-springs G2 sleeved upon them, all so arranged that the weight of the casing rests upon the springs, the tension of which is adj ustable by means of the nuts G By these means the weight of the casing may be entirely taken off the axle, while at the same time the casing is perfectly free to adjust itself to the axle, thus reducing the wear and tear which the constantj arring or changes of grades and imperfections in the road-bed The casing is made cylindrical and preferably in sections to be readily mounted upon or dismounted from the axle, and to facilitate access to the interior one head is made independently removable.

To the inside of the cylindrical wall of the casing are secured two systems of electro-magnets H H, and upon the shaft are secured,

free to revolve within the electro-magnets, the two armatures I I, one armature for each series of magnets. The armatures are built up of thin laminae of iron mounted upon spools J J, which are secured in position by clamping-disks K K K which in turn are one or all secured to the axle. One head of each spool engages loosely upon the body of the spool, and bolts L pass longitudinally through the clam ping-disks, the heads of the spools, and the laminae of which the arma ture is composed, and thereby rigidly connect the parts to the axle. The clampingdisk K in the middle is preferably made with an extended bearing on the axle, and is firmly secured thereto, While the outer ones may be loose, so as to form clamping-heads for the two armatures. The armature I is composed of horseshoe laminze forming a series of poles corresponding with the number of magnets of the series H, and are adapted to revolve in close proximity thereto and to coincide therewith simultaneously. The ar mature I is composed of annular disks having polar projections I at like intervals and corresponding to twice the distance of the magnets H, whereby these polar projections are adapted to coincide alternately with onehalf at one phase and with the other half at the next phase in the revolution of the armature. The series of magnets H are divided into two groups by being connected in different circuits. The magnets belonging to one group alternate with the magnets of the other group. The two circuits are the exciter-circuit i, which, as will hereinafter appear, is fed by the secondary battery and comprises the alternate magnets, and the other circuit 0 d is the one from which the useful currents are taken off from the generating-magnets. The magnets inthe exciter-circuit are preferably Connected in series and alternately wound in opposite directions, so as to produce alternate positive and negative poles, and the magnets in the generatorcircuit are connected either in series or in multiplex or in multiple series, according to the potential desired, the drawings showing the magnets in multiple connection. It is evident that by revolving the armature a magnetic circuit is closed at rapid intervals between the groups of magnets II, and therefore at each coincidence of the armature-poles with the poles of these magnets currents are induced in the coils of the generating-magnets which flow through the circuits 0 cl in the form of an alternating current. Thus the system of magnets II, together with the armature I, constitute a generator for the production of alternating currents.

As I have made this construction of generator the subjectmatter of a separate application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 377,383, I will omit further description, but call attention to the special adaptation of this generator to my system of lighting cars, as it meets thev important provision of generating a current without the use of brushes or wire in the armature. The system of magnets H, together with the armature I, constitutes a current-director, and its operation in connection with the generator I will now proceed to explain in connection with Figs. 4 and 5 and with diagram shown in Fig. 1, in which 6 (If are three leads extending from the locomotive to the cars preferably the whole length of the train, and which, as usual in car-heating systems, are provided with suitable couplings (not shown) between the cars. The lead rl constitutes one of the main conductors of the generator proper, and the leads cf are branches of the other main conductor c. The main conductor 0 branches into the two leads 6 immediately after leaving the generator proper, and one branch passes through one pair of coils H and the other through another pair of these coils, each pair of coils comprising two diametrically-opposite magnets. The armature I is adapted in its revolution to close alternately a magnetic circuit between the magnets of each pair whenever the poles of the magnets and the polar projections of the ar mature coincide; but whenever the magnetic circuit is thus closed through one pair it is open through the other pair. By this arrangement the current from the generator has two paths provided for it through the current-director; but it will be seen that by the operation of the revolving armature I the two paths will offer different resistances to the flow of the currentthat is, the pair of magnets which is connected by the poles of the armature will offer a relatively high resistance, while the other pair, which is not so connected, will offer a comparatively low resistance, owing to the different magnetic conditions which the current in flowing through the coils produces. Thus if this resistance is high enough the flow of current instead of dividing between the two paths will be entirely diverted over one onlythat is, the one including the open magnets. Enough resistance may thus be produced in one path to divert the whole of the current impulse through the other path. Considering that the magnetic resistance in the coils H is produced synchronously with the current generated it will readily be seen that a current of one sign will be resisted by one pair and the current of opposite sign by the other pair of magnets H, and thus while the current alternates through the lead d it will flow in one direction only through the leads cf. The storagebatteryO (or batteries) is placed in multiple are between the three leads d e f, which form the charging-circuits, whereby one half of the storage-battery is charged in one phase and the other half in the second phase of the alternating current, as shown by the arrows. Thus with a dynamo of, say, twenty-six volts pressure in an alternating current I am enabled to charge a storage-battery of nearly double the voltage. The lamps P are connected between the leads 6 f, which represent the feed-circuit from the storage-battery, and thus the current from the generator can have no appreciable effect upon the lamps, as the storage-battery alone takes care of thelamps. Considerable fluctuation of the current in the gen erator-circuit th us cannot effect the lamps, and the matter of regulating the dynamo-current becomes a matter of secondary importance and may be even disregarded.

Each car is preferably provided with a secondary battery intended to remain permanently in the car and to be always charged from the generator. All these batteries, being connected in multiple in both the feed ing-circuits, will thus tend to equalize each other, and after one becomes fully charged its increased resistance to the charging-current will divert the current to the ones charged the least. It is evident, however, that the train-lighting could be accomplished with one battery, which my be placed in the baggagecar.

The means I have provided to automatically control the charging of the storage-bat teries I will now proceed to describe. These means contemplate a potential switch which automatically switches the dynamo in and out of the charging-circuit whenever its current is not of the required electro-motive force or when it should become reversed by reason of the locomotive running backward. The switch which I preferably use for the purpose is a mechanically-operating switch Q. (Shown in vertical central section in Fig. 6, Fig. 7 being a section on line .2 z of Fig. 6, and Fig. 8 a plan View of Fig. 6.) The construction is as follows: The equalizing-lever G, from which the dynamo-casing is suspended, has an extension g, preferably made of spring metal, to which is secured a plunger,

which consists of the jointed plunger-rods h h, connected together and to the extension g by means of two universal joints h 7L To the plunger-rod h is secured a head 7L of insulating material, which at the base is pro- .vided with the metal ring it and bears a metal cap h, terminating into a guide-stem If. The

' plunger-head is inclosed in a barrel 71 provided with an insulating-head 77,, in which the stem of the plunger has a guide-bearing h. In this head are secured three metallic contacts h h 71 which are insulated from each other and adapted to make electric contact with the metallic cap h of the plunger-head. The three contacts h h it have suitable binding-posts, two of which are for the switchterminals of the lead 6 and the third for the terminal of the exciter-circuit 1'. Within the barrel are secured two contact-springs h h, which are adapted to make and break contact with the ring it on the pIungerhead. The contact-springs 71 71, electrically connect with the binding-posts h h", which are secured to and insulated from the barrel and to which the switch-terminals of the lead f are secured. The lower end of the barrel is closed by a head h, through which the plunger-rod h is guided, and between this head and cap h, secured upon the plunger-rod, a spring 71 is interposed, and by its tension tends to break the contact of the spring h 71, on the ring 72, and of the contacts h h h on the cap it of the plunger-head. When the locomotive is moving, the equalizinglever G will be tilted by the casing on account of the magnetic pull of the armature on the magnets secured to the casing. The tilting of the casing is, however, resisted by the spring 71, of the switch, which spring holds the switch open until th'e pull becomes too great, when the spring will be compressed and the switch be closed. Thus when a sufficient current is generated by the forward movement of the locomotive the arm or extension g will tilt up and actuate the plunger to close the contacts; but when the locomotive runs backward the casing tends to tilt in the opposite direction and thus holds the switch open. By a proper adjustment of the parts the closing of the switch in the forward movement of the locomotive is accomplished when the current generated is sufficient to overcome the potential of the storage-battery, while the switch is open as long as the current is not strong enough or when there is no current generated. The switch is also kept wide open when the locomotive runs backward. The spring h spring-arm g, and spring G ease the movement of the switch, and the spring it automatically effects the opening of the swith when the current decreases below a desired potential. It will be noticed thatin this construction of switch all the contacts are inclosed and are thus protected from all destructive influences. The exciting-magnets, which constitute the field of the dynamo, are energized from the storage-battery under the control of two instrumentalities. One of these is a current-regulator, which may be of any known construction and which is only represented diagrammatically in Fig. 1, in which represents the usual resistance; 7c, the fixed contacts; 70 the moving contact or hand operated by suitable motor devices (not shown) to switch resistance in or out; 7;, the exciter circuit, one terminal of which is connected to the binding-screw of the contact h of the potential switch Q and the other terminal of which is connected to the lead f at the point f, which point, as will be seen, is between the switch and the storage-battery. The operation of this regulator (provided the exci tercircuit is closed by the switch) is like any other regulatorthat is, it regulates the electro-motive force of the generator by increasing or reducing the amount of resistance in the eXciter-circuit and consequently decreasing or increasing the charge of the field-magnets. The other instrumentality which controls the field-magnets is the potential switch, the operation of which has been before described. nection of the exciter-circuit with the lead e is also open, and therefore no current can pass through theregulator. WVhen this contingency arises, however, the field-magnet coils are still connected in the exciter'circuit by means of a separate branch 2'', which connects with the resistance 70 at its highest point and with the lead a at a point t, which is between the potential switch Q and the storage-battery. By this arrangement a shuntexciter circuit is formed, in which is included the whole resistance of the regulator, and through which a minimum current from the storage-battery will always flow through the coils of the exciting-magnets whenever the 10- When this switch is open, the concomotive is coupled to the train and while the switch is still open, so that the field is always primed, and thus the generator enabled to develop current enough to close the potential switch when the train gets under way.

The two instrumentalities together control the field of the dynamo in the following manner: When the train is coupled, the storagebattery charges the exciting-magnets; but the amount of current received will be very small, owing to the whole resistance being now included in the 'eXciter-circuit. As the train gets under motion, a current will develop, which as soon as it has power enough will close the potential switch. Thisswitch closes the eXciter-circuit through the regulator and closes the charging circuit to the storage-battery, and thus throws the regulator into operation to regulate the current by throwing resistance in or out, as required, to keep the charging-current uniform. Should the locomotive slacken its speed, the potential in the dynamo will fall and the regulator will keep throwing out resistance until the hand of the regulator finally passes from the contact of lowest'resistance to the next contact of highest resistance, and thus all resistance being thrown in the power of the dynamo will cease. The moment this occurs the dynamo will mechanically operate to open the potential switch, and thus break the circuit between the storage-battery and the dynamo.

hat I claim as my invention isl. The combination, with a dynamo-electric generator operated by the motion of the train, of a potential switch in the circuit of said dynamo, said switch being operated by the magnetic pull of the revolving armature on the field-magnets mechanically transmitted to said switch, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a dynamo-electric generator having its armature mounted upon the axle of a truck, of a casing journaled upon said axle and inclosing said armature, lieldmagnets secured to said casing, hangers pivotally suspended from said truck and supporting said casing at diametrically-opposite points, and springs interposed between said hangers and the casing, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a dynamo-electric generator having its armature mounted upon the axle of a truck, of a casing inclosing said armature and provided with journal-bearings through which the axle passes, field-magnets secured to said casing, a compensating lever fulcrumed upon the truck, hangers pivotally suspended from opposite ends of said lever and supporting said casing at opposite sides,

and springs interposed between said hangers and casing, substantially as described.

at. The combination, with a dynamo-electric generator having its armature mounted upon the axle of a truck, of a casing journaled upon said axle and inclosing said armature, field-magnets secured to said casing, a compensating lever fulcruincd upon the truck, hangers pivotally suspended from opposite ends of said lever and supporting said casing upon opposite sides, springs interposed between said casing and hangers, a mechanical switch in the circuit of the dynamo, and mechanical connection between the compensating lever and said switch for operating the same, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the dynamo-electric generator having its armature mounted upon the front axle of the forward truck of the locomotive, of a casing journaled upon said axle and inclosing said armature, fieldnnagnets secured to said casing, a compensating lever fulcrumed upon said truck, hangers pivotally suspended from opposite ends of said lever and supporting said casing on opposite sides, springs interposed between said casingand hangers, a charging-circuit extending from said dynamo to the cars of the train, a potential switch placed upon said truck and carrying contacts to make and break said circuit, and a mechanical connec tion between said compensating lever and switch to operate the same, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the truck of a traveling vehicle, of a dynamo-electric generator having its armature mounted upon an axle of said truck, a casing inclosing said generator and carrying the stationary electromagnets thereof, journal-boxes in the heads of said casing and provided with brasses secured laterally removable in said journalboxes and forming bearin gs in which the casing is supported upon the axle, collars secured upon the axle, against which the inner ends of the brasses abut, and yielding means connecting the casin with the truck, substantially as described.

'7. The combination, with the truck of a traveling vehicle, of a dynamo-electric generator having its armature mounted upon an axle of said truck, acasing formed in sections and inclosing said generator, yielding means connecting the casing to the truck, journalboxes formed in the heads of said casing and provided with brasses secured laterally removable in said journ al-boxes, collars secured upon the axle, against which the inner ends of said brasses abut, and annular grooves or channels in the casing around the inner ends of the brasses to collect and remove the waste lubricant from the journal-bearings,

substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the truck of a traveling vehicle, of a dynamo-electric generator having its armature mounted upon an axle of said truck, a casing inclosing said generator and carrying the stationary electromagnets of said generator, the equalizing-lever G, fulcrumed upon said truck, the hangers G, pivotally suspended from said lever and supporting the casing of the generator upon opposite sides of the axle, the springs interposed between said hangers and the easing, a mechanical switch mounted upon the truck and carrying suitable contacts adapted to make and break the circuit of the generator, and the spring arm or extension to which the movable part of said switch is attached, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with a dynamo-electric generator having its armature mounted upon an axle of a traveling vehicle and having its field-magnets secured to a frame or casing journaled upon said axle and connected to the frame of the vehicle, whereby the pull of the armature in operation rocks said casing, of a storage-battery in circuit with said generator, a switch in said circuit having contacts for opening and closing said circuit, and mechanical connection whereby the rocking of the casin g of the generator opens and closes said switch, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with a dynamo-electrio generator having its armature mounted upon an axle of a traveling vehicle and having its fieldanagnets secured to a frame or casing journaled upon said axle and connected to the frame of said vehicle, whereby the pull of the armature in operation rocks the casing, of a charging-circuit connecting said generator with a storage-battery, an excitercircuit supplying the field-coils of the generator with a current from the storage-battery, a current-regulator for the generator in one branch of said circuit, a permanent resistance in another branch of said circuit, and a switch operated by mechanical connection with the casing of the generator and having contacts for simultaneously opening and clos- IIS ing the charging-circuit of the generator and the branch in the exciter-circuit in which the current-regulator is placed, substantially as described.

11. In a system of electric lighting for cars, the combination of a dynamo-generator organized for the production of alternating currents, a main conductor leading from one pole of said generator, two branch conductors leading from the other pole of said dynamo, current-directing devices in said branch conductors, a storage-battery coupled between said main and branch conductors, whereby one half of the battery is charged in one phase of the current and the other half of the battery is charged in the other phase of the current, and lamps, as required, for the cars, coupled between the branch conductors only, substantially as described.

12. In asystem of electric lighting for cars, the combination of a dynamo-generater organized for the production of alternating currents, a main conductor leading from one pole of said generator, two branch conductors leading from the otherpole of said dynamo, a current-director in said branch circuit, a storagebatterycoupled between said main and branch conductors to charge each half of the battery separately by the alternating-current phases, lamps, as required, coupled between the branch conductors, and a potential switch in the two branch conductors, substantially as described.

13. In a system of electric lighting for cars, the combination of a dynamo-generator organized for the production of alternating currents and operated by the movement of the train, a main conductor leadingfrom one pole of said generator, two branch cqnductors leading from the other pole of said generator, a current-director in said branch conductors, storage -batteries, as required, for the cars coupled in halves between the main conductor and two branch conductors, respectively, lamps, as required, coupled between the branch conductors, an excitercircuit connecting the field-magnet coils of the dynamo in multiple between the branch conductors, two branches in said excitencircuit, onecontaining a currentregulator for the dynamo and theotherincluding permanently thewhole resistance of said current regulator, and a potential switch between the generator and the storage batteries and lamps, said switch having three make-and-break contacts, two in the branch conductors from the generator and one in that branch of the exciter-circuit in which the current-regulator is placed, substantially as described.

14. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination of a dynamo-generator organized for the production of alternating currents and'having its armature mounted upon the axle of a traveling vehicle, a main conductor leading from one pole of said generator, two branch conductors leading from the other pole of said generator, and a currentdirector consisting of stationary electro-mag nets having their coils included in said branch circuits and an armature mounted upon the same axle with the armature of the generator, around which said magnets are grouped in pairs on opposite sides thereof, whereby the magnets included in one branch conductor and the magnets included in the other branch conductor are alternately magnetically connected to create a magnetic resistance in one of the branch conductors synchronously with the current phases of the generator, substantially as described.

15. In an electricsystem of lighting cars, the combination of an alternating-current generator and a current-director included in two branches of the circuit of said dynamo, each comprising a series of stationary magnets and an armature, said armatures being secured upon one axle of a traveling vehicle and said series of magnets being secured to anouter casing completely inclosing said armature and magnets, substantially as described.

16. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination of an alternating-current generator consisting of an armature secured upon the axle of a traveling vehicle and a series of stationary electro-magnets, a currentdirector consisting of a revolving armature secured upon the same axle with the armature of the generator, and a series of stationary electro-magnets arranged in two branches of the circuit of said dynamo, an outer casing journaled upon said axle and completely inclosing said generator and current-director, and a series of stationary electro-magnets arranged in two branches of the circuit of said dynamo, an outer casing journaled upon said axle and completely inclosing said generator and current-director and carrying the sta tionary electro-magnets thereof, an equalizing-lever provided with hangers supporting said casing upon opposite sides from the frame of the traveling vehicle, and a potential switch on the circuit of said dynamo and operated by mechanical connection with said equalizing-lever, substantially as described.

17. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination of an alternating-current generator comprising an armature secured upon the axle of a traveling vehicle and a series of stationary electro-magnets, a currentdirector comprising a revolving armature secured uponthe same axle with the armature of the generator, and a series of stationary magnets arranged in two branches of the circuit of the generator and adapted to produce magnetic resistances in said branches synchronously with the current-waves of the generator, an outer casing supported free to rock upon the axle to which the armatures are secured and carrying the electro-magnets of said generator and current-director, a potential switch in the circuit of said generator, and a mechanical connection between said switch and the casing for operating the switch by the rocking movement of said casing,substantially as described.

18. In an electric car-lighting system, the combination, with an electric generator and its frame, a storage-battery, and a circuit connecting the same with the generator, of a switch for the circuit, a connection between the switch and generator, and means for actuating the switch upon the movement of the generator, substantially as described.

19. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination, with the generator having its armature secured to an axle of the locomotive, of the casing A, the eqnalizing-lever G, from which said casing is suspended free to rock, the spring-arm g, secured to said lever, the switch provided with stationary and movable contacts, the plunger carrying the movable contacts, intermediate connection between said plunger and the arm g, and the spring 7L2, arranged to oppose the closing of the switch, substantially as described.

20. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination of an alternating generator operated by the motion of the train, a main conductor extending from one pole thereof, two branch conductors extending from the other pole thereof, a current-director in said branch conductors, a storage-ha ttery coupled between said main and branch conductors, field-magnet coils in an eXciter-circuit supplied with a current from the storage-battery, two branches in said eXciter-circnit, a currentregulator in one of said branches, a permanent resistance in the other branch, and a potential switch arranged to simultaneously open and close the dynamo circuit and that branch of the eXciter-circuit in which the current-regulator is placed, substantially as described.

21. In an electric system of lighting cars,

the combination of a car provided with a positive lead, a negative lead, an alternating-current lead through which the current Waves of an alternating-current generator are distributed to the cars, a storage-battery having one half thereof coupled between the alternating and the positive lead and the other half between the alternating and the negative lead, translating devices in multiple between the positive and negative leads, and a current-director, substantially as described.

22. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination of a generator of alternating currents carried by the train and provided with means for directing the current in two branch conductors connected to one pole thereof, a circuit extending from said generator to each car of the train and consisting of said branch conductors and a main conductor connected to the other pole of said generator, a storage-battery in each car coupled in halves between said main conductor and the branch conductors,respectively, and a series of lamps in each car in multiple between said branch conduct-011s, substantially as described.

23. In an electric system of lighting cars, the combination, with a generator, the lamps, and storage-battery of a car, of a positive lead, a negative lead, an alternating-current lead extending through the car and forming two independent feed-circuits, one from the generator to the storage-battery on the car and the other from the storage-battery to the lamps, and means for directing the current, substantially as described.

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

JAMES F. MOELROY. iVitnesses:

H. J. Norma, EDWIN A. SMITH.

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