Patent GB-117445-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Electrical Installation Systems.
IPC: H02J7/14
Filed: 1918-06-07
Abstract: 117,445. Ateliers H. Cuenod, Soc. Anon. June 21, 1917, [Convention date]. Lighting systems; regulation, automatic systems and apparatus for; systems of charging galvanic batteries.-In a railway vehicle &c. system supplied by a variable-speed generator and a storage batterv and using two automatic regulators, one regulating the voltage of the mains independently of -that of the generator and of the storage battery, and the other regulating the voltage of the 'generator according to the requirements of the battery and independently of the voltage of the mains, the regulators are actuated by a motor H fed from the generator. The regulator D controls the voltage of. the generator B by inserting or'removing resistances f, f<1> in the circuit of its shunt field coil b. The regulator E controls a resistance in series with the lamps, &c. The motor actuates, through worm gear and linkwork, a rocking lever j on the axis of the regulator E, and this by a pin-andslot connexion rocks the lever d of the regulator D. The lever carries pawls j<2>, j<3>, either of which may be brought into engagement with the wheel j<1> to turn it in one direction or the other; the shaft of the wheel carries the contact arm of the regulating-switch. The lever d in the same way actuates a wheel d<2>, the spindle of which is geared to the spindle of a contact arm for the resistances f<1>. The spindle last named drives by pinwheel gear, a contact arm for the resistances f<1>. At N is shown a dash-pot device for the regulator D. The pawls j<2>, j<3> are thrown into action by means of teeth j<4>, j<5> on a lever j<6>. The lever j<6> carries a movable coil k connected in series with a stationary coil k<1> and a resistance k<2> as a shunt to the lamp circuit. As the voltage rises and falls, the attraction between the two coils is greater or less and the position of the lever varies; when on one side of the normal, it causes one pawl to be thrown in, when on the other side, the other pawl. The tail of the lever is under the control of a spring k'. Similarly the lever d<6> of the regulator D is actuated by a movable coil l connected in series with a fixed coil l<1> and a resistance l<3> as a shunt across the terminals of the generator. This lever is also under the control of a third coil l<2> in series with the generator. The oppositely directed pawls of this regulator turn the wheel d<2> on a central shaft which through spur gearing turns the arm of the rheostat f<1>; an arm on this shaft carries a pin which gears with a wheel on the shaft of the rheostat f and turns the wheel one notch for each complete turn of the arm of the rheostat f<1>. To connect the generator to the battery when its voltage is sufficiently high, and to disconnect it when the current in the generator is about to reverse, an electro-magnetic switch M is employed. The windings m<3>, m<4> of this switch are in shunt and in series respectively with the generator, and the armature lever carries three brush contacts m<5>, m<6>, m<11>; when the vehicle is stationary, the fixed contacts m<8>, m<9> are bridged by the brush m<11>, and the resistances of the regulator E are short-circuited, but the contacts m<7>, m<8> and m<9>, m<10> are not connected, and the generator is not in circuit. The battery C can now supply the lamp circuit through the lead 1, coil l<2>, and lead 4. When the generator has attained the required voltage, the switch is closed by the winding m<3>, the contacts m<8>, m<9> are opened, and' the contacts m<7>, m<8>, and m<9>, m<10> are bridged; the generator is now connected to the battery by the lead 1, coil l<2>, lead 2, bridge m<5>, lead 11, and winding m<4>. The winding m<4> retains the armature in its attracted position, and the coils k, k<1> of the regulator E are thrown into circuit by the bridge m<6>. The motor H has already come into action to rock the levers j, d; to enable it to .continue in rotation after the stoppage of the generator, for the purpose of restoring.the contact arms to their normal positions ready for the next operation of the regulators, the motor may be provided with a fly-wheel. The winding m<3> of the switch M may have a resistance in series with it and coiled upon it; this resistance is short-circuited in the open position of the switch by means of a small contact arm, connected to the armature lever by a pin-and-slot connexion, and controlled by a spring engaging a contact on a stationary part of the apparatus. When the winding m<3> is energized, in consequence of the pin-andslot connexion, the small contact arm is not moved until the armature has almost completed its movement; the separation of its contacts throws in the resistance and causes a reduction in the magnetic effect of the winding m<3>. On the reverse action, the resistance is not short-circuited until the armature has moved up. When the battery is fully charged, the supply of current may be cut off by a device including a resistance in series with the coils l, l<1> of the regulator D which.is short-circuited when charging is to cease. This device consists of a motor p, Fig. 5. in shunt in the battery circuit and having its field formed by permanent magnets, and a train of reducing gearing which drives a screw p<2> and causes the axial movement of a nut p<2> ; after. a given number of revolutions, a stop on the nut comes into the path of a projection on the rotating wheel p<8>, whereupon the nut, and with it its spring- constrained guideway p<5>, is swung round, bringing a contact p<10> on the guideway up to a fixed contact. This short circuits the resistance, and the point of adjustment of the regulator D is thereby lowered to the extent required for the generator to work in parallel with the battery,..and the charging of the battery ceases. When the generator ceases to work, current is taken from the battery and the motor runs in. the opposite direction, moving the nut down the screw and taking out the resistance. In a modified arrangement, the guide p<5> is connected to the spring of the lever carrying the coil l. In order to allow for battery losses and to permit a small overcharge of the battery, the resistance may be arranged as a winding on the permanent field-magnets of the motor.