US702427A - Electric railway. - Google Patents

Description

Nb. 702,427. Patented lune I7, |902. J. c. HENRY, new.

S A HENRY Executnx ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application led Apr. 1, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE..

JOHN C. HENRY, OF DENVER, COLORADO; SUSIE A. HENRY, EXECUTRIX OE SAID JOHN C. HENRY, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO STANLEY ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEY JERSEY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 'Patent No. 702,427, dated J une 1'7,l 1902.

Application filed April l, 1901.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN C. HENRY, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city of Denver, county of Arapahoe, and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, of which the following is a speciiication.

The improvement relates to electric railways, and more particularly to that class employing what is known as the multiple-unit system of control, the general plan being to have a plurality of motors and cars of a train operative from either end of the cars.

In the present invention the motor-cars are equipped with individual controllers of any well-known variety. They are all worked in unison a step at a time, performing the different combinations, so as to regulate the speed of the train. They are actuated by a pair of solenoids, one of which is used to compel rotation of the controller in a forward direction, while the other solenoid is used to turn the controller backward. The train is supplied with two local circuits, one of which connects the forward moving solenoids all together in series, the other of which connects the opposite solenoids also in series. These circuits extend through the train, and they are connected together between oars by spring-jacks at the end of each car, these spring-jacks being arranged so as to open the circuit on the insertion ofa portable switch, which is carried around from place to place by the motorman. Said switch has a key or manually-operated circuit-breaker for each of the local circuits. It also has a resistance which regulates the strength of the local circuit to agree with the number of cars to be operated. Said local circuit is supplied kwith current from the main trolley-circuit, which is controllable loy a trolley-switch on each car. Reversing is accomplished by the same circuits which operate the controller in a man ner hereinafter to be described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of several units of a multiple-unit system. Fig. 2 is a plan View of an operating-arm for the reversing-switch.

1 represents a working conductor of an 5o electric railway.

Serial No. 511.002. (No model.)

A, B, and C represent the wirings and equipments on the separate cars.

T, T, and Tl represent the trolleys on the respective cars. For clearness in the illustration the regular trolley-switch is omitted.

Yires 2, 2', and 2f represent the main trainwire, which is connected with the working conductorby the trolley T' of car equipment B.

YVires 7, 7, and 7 are connected to the track-rails forming the return-circuit to the dynamo.

M and M2 represent the lnotors on a car or cars.

N represents a controller, and R the reversin g-switch, belonging to the central car equipment B.

S'B and SSB represent the solenoids, which by step-by-step devices, such as ratchets P and P2, actuate the controller N and reversing-switch R.

L represents a portable switch or springjack having circuit-closing keys and circuitopening plugs, said switch being carried around by the motorman and inserted in any of the cars, suitable arrangements being made to accommodate this switch at either end of the car. In the drawings I have shown for clearness and illustration but one of such spring-jacks. This spring-jack comprises a pair of keys, switches, or circuit-controllers K and K2, a pair of rheostats or resistanceswitches R R2, connected to keys K K2, contact-plugs 1 1,connected to these rheostats and adapted to engage spring-contacts 13 19 on the lcar, contact-plugs 12 13, connected to the other sides or contacts of switches K' K2 and adapted to engage spring-contacts 1/-1 2O on the car, and insulating plugs 1"L 15, adapted to engage between spring-contacts 9 11 and between contacts 16 17 on the car. Vhen the spring-j ack is removed, the springs named come together in pairs, as follows: 9 and 11, 18 and 14,16 and 17, 19 and 20; butwhen the spring-jack is inserted these contacts are opened, springs 11 and 13 then contacting 95 with a block 12 and springs 17 19 with the block 1S, while springs 9 and 16 are moved over into contact with blocks 10 and 1G, connected to train-wire.

The object of the rheostats R R2 is to ad- IOO just the resistance of the local circuits according to the number of cars to be operated, so as to maintain a constant-current value.

II represents a handle whereby the springjack L may be manipulated.

Spring circuit-closers a; are also provided at the ends of the train for cross-connecting the several train-wires, as shown, and spring jacks or couplers y are provided between the several cars for connecting the train-circuits from car to car.

Reversing-switch R is arranged so that when the controller is in an off position an additional step backward makes the arm n on the controller-shaft engage with one of a plurality of pins or projections o on the gear O, and thus moves reversing-cylinder onehalf of a revolution, thereby reversing the motor armature or armatures, this engagement only taking place when the controller is in off position. The reversing-switch will stand in this position until it gets another impulse with the main circuit opened, thus changing it back to its original position. Fig. 2 shows the construction of the arm n, which is provided with a latch, so that it will be operative in but one direction. The shaft n of controller N carries two ratchet-wheels P and P2, having oppositely-pointing teeth and engaged, respectively, by ratchet devices attached to or operated by the cores of solenoids SB S213, respectively, so that on each closure of a circuit by circuit-closers K/ or K2 the energization of the corresponding solenoid will move the controller through the corresponding ratchet-wheel a step in one or the other direction. In connection with the solenoid S213, I have shown a dashpot V, having an opening or passage-way around its piston end and an adjustable valve U in said passageway, the object of this attachment being to cushion or soften the action of the instantly-acting magnet to avoid mechanical shocks.

In tracing the current of this apparatus current is taken from the main working conductor by trolley T' to car equipment B and wires 2, 2, and 2". Thence it passes by the metal spring 14 to key Kvl through the resistance R out of the switch to spring 13, spring 11, thence by wire to the solenoid SB, thence by wire 5 to the spring-jack on car equipment A, springs 9 and 11, thence through the solenoid SA to the spring-jack @c at the lefthand terminal of car equipment A, through car equipments B and C, by wires G and 6 to the spring-jacks 0c at the other end of the train, thence by Wire 5 through spring-jacks 9 and 11 on car equipment C, through solenoid S'C, back by wire 5' to the spring-jack 9 on car equipment B, and to the return-conductor 7. It will be observed that on closing the key K' on the switch device L circuit is completed, which actuates all of the solenoids and controllers one step in, say, a forward direction. The controller positions are spaced regularly to agree with the ratchots P and P2, so that on each closure of the key K the car is speeded up one step. When it is desired to stop the car or cars, the controller is moved back to the off position a step at a time in substantially the same manner. On

'closing the key K2 the local circuit, which controls the reverse operation, closes the circuit in all the right-hand solenoids. Current comes from the main train .-,wire 2 to the springi ack 20, to the key K2, through resistance R2, springs 19 and 17, solenoid S2B, by wire 3 through solenoid S20, spring 15 and 17 to the spring-jacks o; at right-hand end of car equipment C, thence by wires it and 4 to the spring at the left end of the train, thence by wire 3 through solenoid SQA, springs 17 and 16, wire 3Q and then by spring 16 on car equipment B back to return wire 7, so that each closure of the key K2 moves the controller one step backward until the off position is reached.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an electric-railway system where a plurality of cars are controlled simultaneously, controller-magnets on the separate cars, controllers and step-by-step devices whereby said controllers are moved a step at a time by said magnets, the said magnets being arranged in series and a m annually-operated switch located on one of the cars controlling the circuit of said magnets.

2. In a multiple-unit traincontrol system, in combination with the main circuit, a traincircnit connected therewith, controllers connected to said train-circuit, local circuits and electromagnetic devices therein arranged to move all of said controllers in unison in either direction, and a switch located in any part of the train arranged to operate said controllers.

3. In a multiple-unit train-control system, in combination with the main circuit, a traincircuit connected therewith, controllers connected to said train-circuit, a local circuit and electromagnetic devices therein arranged to move all of said controllers in unison, the magnets in said local circuit being arranged in series, and a switch located in any part of the train arranged to operate said controllers.

4. In a multiple-unit trainecontrol system, the combination of a plurality of controllermagnets, local circuits connecting the controller-magnets together, spring circuitclosers at the terminals of the cars, and a portable switch adapted to cooperate with said spring circuitclosers for the purpose set forth.

5. In a multiple-nnit train-control system, the combination of a plurality of controllermagnets, a local circuit connecting the controller-magnets together in series, having circuit-closing springs at the terminals of the car, in combination with a portable switch, adapted to engage said springs.

6. In a multiple-unit train system having local circuits in which are included control ler-operating magnets, and solf-closing cir- IOO cuit-breaking switches at the ends of the cars, a portable key or switch to open said circuit and control it.

7. In a multiple-unit train-system, having local circuits in which are included the controller-operating magnets, a switch arranged to control said circuits having an adjustable resistance, arranged to maintain the current practically constant, irrespective of the nurnber of magnets in the circuits, said switch being removable and adapted to connect with contacts in the several local circuits.

8. In a multiple-unit train system, having a plurality of electromagnetically-operated controllers and local circuits independent of the motorcircuits and including the controller-operating magnets, a switch arranged to control said circuits having an adjustable resistance, arranged to maintain the current practically constant, irrespective of the number of magnets in the circuit.

9. In combination with a controlleradapted to vary the speed of motors and comprising.

two electromagnets and step-by-step devices operated thereby to move the controller in opposite directions, a reversing-switch connecting said controller and arranged to be automatically operated by said controller When the latter is in off position, substantially as set forth.

l0. In combination witha rotarycontroller, a rotary switch adapted to reverse the direc tion of the motor, controlled thereby, such reversing-switch being connected to the controller only When the latter is in 0H position, and being arranged to move only by the backward movement of said controller, substan-l tially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 6th day of March, A. D. 1901, in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN C. HENRY. [L St] Witnesses:

CABLE WHrrEHEAD, D. CARL HENRY.

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