Improvements in Electric Fire-engines, also applicable to other Electrically Propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
Improvements in Electric Fire-engines, also applicable to other
Electrically Propelled Vehicles.
I, MARK WESLEY DEWEY, of 150, North Salina Street, in the City of Syracuse,
in the County of Onondaga, in the State of New York, United States of America,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to certain improvements in electrically propelled vehicles
and also in electric fire engines.
The object of my invention is to electrically propel an electric fire engine to and
from the fire, so that it will not be necessary to employ horses for this purpose, and
to save the time heretofore lost in hitching them to the engine, as the electrically
propelled engine is always ready to start at the instant the alarm is sounded, and
does not consume any energy while not in use.
The object of my invention also, is, to electrically steer an electrically propelled
vehicle, or a fire-engine, so that the vehicle may be handled easily and be under the
perfect control of the steersman.
;
To this end my invention consists in providing the electric fire engine with a
secondary battery to be carried thereon, to supply current to the electric motor on
the engine and in providing means whereby the electric motor on the engine for
operating the pump may be disconnected from the pump and connected to the engine
to propel it, when desired, as it is not necessary to operate the pump when the
engine is being propelled to and from the fire.
My invention consists also in the arrangement of the motor on the engine to
accommodate itself to the performance of its several duties, and to allow a suitable
place upon the engine for the battery.
My invention consists further in providing means upon the vehicle for steering it
electrically, either by the propelling motor or a separate motor.
My invention consists still further in certain combinations of parts hereinafter
described and specifically set forth in the claims.
Referring to the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my fire engine with a part of the frame, etc., broken
away to show the gearing clearly,
Fig. 2 is a plan view taken below the body or receptacle containing the battery
and having certain parts broken away to show the apparatus beneath them,
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus, circuits and connections on the
engine shown in Figs. 1 and 2,
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form and arrangement of the apparatus,
circuits and connections for my improved fire engine, and
Fig. 5 is a view of the compensating gear employed.
In the drawings, A represents the electric motor suitably secured to and supported
by the frame B of the engine, but preferably entirely below the back axle C to
allow a battery receptacle D to be placed above said axle. E is a double acting
reciprocating piston pump fixed to the frame B about midway between the two
axles of the vehicle. I is the gearing or mechanical connection between the
motor A and axle C, and F¹ is the gearing or mechanical connection between the
said motor and the pump. In the said connection to, and upon the axle, I preferably
place a well known compensating gear e to facilitate in turning corners, but do not
limit myself to any particular form of mechanical connection either between the
motor and axle or between the motor and pump.
The said compensating gear is shown clearly in Fig. 5 of the drawings.
One

page_text: wheel W is sleeved upon and turns freely on the axle C while the other driving
wheel is keyed fast. The latter is not shown in the figure. A bevel gear is fixed
to the hub of the wheel W and a similar gear is keyed to the driving axle.
Between these revolves a spur gears which is driven by the motor A and which
carries two small bevel pinions tt, the latter engaging both bevel-wheels and p³,
their axles being in the plane of the revolution of the large gears. It will be
obvious that resistances being equal on both wheels, if the spur gear s be turned, it
will carry with it both driving wheels at the same time with equal angular
velocities, the effort exerted by the motor being equal at both wheels at all times.
If the engine be turning a corner, however, the greater resistance on the inside
wheel retards that, while the outer wheel necessarily moves more rapidly over its
longer path, and, while the motor still exerts the same force on both wheels, the
work done is distributed unequally between them through the then revolving
bevel-pinions, without loss and without either wheel being necessarily slipped or
disengaged.
G is a lever to operate the clutch mechanism on the motor shaft a to disconnect
the motor A from the pump and connect it with the axle C, or, vice versa, when
desired. C' is the front axle of the engine, H is a fifth wheel or circle rigidly or
flexibly secured to said axle and having a rack thereon for a gear wheel h² to
work in.
i is an upright shaft extending upward from the gear wheel to a large hand
wheel directly in front of the steersman's seat I. Sleeved loosely upon the shaft i,
but adapted to be fixed or keyed to the same, when it is desired to steer or guide
the vehicle electrically, is a gear wheel & adapted to be rotated by an endless screw
fixed upon a shaft connected to the propelling motor or an independent or separate
electric motor J beneath the seat I.
Either of the electric motors may be started, stopped or reversed when desired
by means hereinafter described. d is the electric circuit for supplying current to
the motor A. and also to the motor J when it is employed, and through any trans-
forming device, for instance, to the electric lamp b. Said lamp 6 may be placed in
a shunt circuit with an adjustable resistance, and the steering motor J is also
placed in a shunt circuit including an adjustable resistance, the said shunt
extending around the propelling motor.
In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the motors are shown as being regulated or controlled in
speed and direction by changing the position of the brushes upon the commutators
of the motors in the well known manner not necessary to be herein repeated.
In order that the steersman may control the motors A and J, pivoted rods connect
the brushes of the motors with levers A' and J¹ conveniently located by the side of
the seat I.
In the same figures the mechanical connection from the motor to the axle is on
one side of the motor, and the other connection, from the motor to the pump, is on
the opposite side of said motor so that it is necessary when disconnecting one
mechanism from and connecting the other mechanism to the motor by means of the
lever G, to shift the armature slightly lengthwise or to provide a connection
between the clutches e e either around or through the armature, as shown. This
connection consists of a shaft a upon which the armature and the gear wheels or
pulleys e and fare sleeved, but not capable of movement in the direction of the
length of said shaft. d' is an adjustable resistance and cut-off in the circuit of the
motor A to regulate the current passing thereto. m is a circuit breaker on
the lever J'and shown in Figure 3 to hold the circuit jopen except when the handle
is grasped by the operator.
In Figure 4 both mechanical connections are on one and the same side of the
motor A. The pulleys c¹ and f are loose upon the motor shaft and the clutches
moved by G are fixed upon a sleeve that is turned by the shaft and is capable of
longitudinal movement thereon to couple either of the pulleys to the shaft as
desired. In this figure the motors are shown as regulated and reversed by varying
the strength of the current through them and changing its polarity through their

page_text: armatures. and are the adjustable resistances in circuit with the motors to
vary the strength of the currents and the speed of said motors, and " and " are
current reversers in circuit with the motors to reverse the currents through their
armatures to change their direction of rotation when desired. These adjustable
resistances and current reversers, commonly called current regulating devices, are
located in place of the levers A' and ' or in a suitable position to be conveniently
handled by the operator in charge.
In Figure 3 is also represented the flexible connections between the axle C¹ and
the fifth wheel H. Said flexible connections are shown as four stiff springs u, two
on each side of the axle, and serve to relieve the gearing from the sudden strains
that it would otherwise be subjected to in moving over rough pavements.
In Figure 4 means are shown in dotted lines for steering the engine by the
propelling motor A, and thus dispensing with the motor J. To accomplish this
the shaft is extended back to the motor A and is provided at its rear end with a
mitre gear wheel which is placed between two other mitered gear wheels fixed to a
counter shaft of the said motor, which shaft can be moved longitudinally to throw
either of its gear wheels in gear with the gear wheel on the shaft by means of a
lever n extending from the said counter shaft to the front part of the vehicle and
pivoted to the frame B at o. The axle C can be cramped in either direction
corresponding to the movement to the right or left of the lever n and the
speed of rotation of the shaft I may be regulated by regulating the speed of the
motor A.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1-
1 The combination of a vehicle having a motor mechanically mounted thereon,
a battery carried upon or moving with said vehicle, an electric circuit on the
vehicle for supplying current from said battery to the motor, a pump carried upon
the vehicle, and means to connect said motor either with the axle or wheels of the
vehicle, or with the pump, as desired.
2-The combination, of an electrically propelled vehicle having an electric
motor mechanically connected with the axle or wheels thereof, a supply circuit
on the vehicle connected to the motor, a pump carried upon the vehicle, and
means to detach said motor from the axle or wheels and to connect said motor with
the pump.
3 The combination in an electrically propelled vehicle, of an electric motor, a
mechanical connection between said motor and axle, a compensating gear in said
connection, connected with the wheels carried by the axle to permit of their
relative movement, and an electric supply circuit on the vehicle connected to the
motor.
4-The combination of a vehicle, an electric motor supported thereon and carried
entirely beneath the back axle, and means whereby the motor can propel the vehicle
or drive a pump carried thereon.
5 In a portable fire engine, the combination of a wheeled vehicle, an electric
supply circuit, an electric motor on the vehicle in the circuit, a double acting.
reciprocating piston pump supported upon the frame of the vehicle, and suitable
gearing connecting the motor with the pump.
6-The combination with an clectrically propelled vehicle, of a supply circuit,
an electric motor on said vehicle connected with the circuit, and a steering
mechanism for one of the axles, mechanically connected with the said motor.
7-In a portable fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled carriage, a secondary
battery supported mostly by the back axle or wheels of the carriage, an electric
motor, electric connections between the battery and motor, a pump mounted on the
frame of the carriage, and a suitable mechanical connection between the said motor
and pump.
8-The combination in an electrically propelled vehicle, of a battery carried
upon or moving with said vehicle, an electric motor, an electric circuit on the

page_text: vehicle for supplying current from said battery to the motor, and a steering
apparatus for the vehicle operated by the said motor.
9-The combination of a wheeled vehicle, an electric motor supported thereon
and carried entirely beneath the back axle, a receptacle above said axle containing
a battery, an electric circuit on the vehicle including the battery and motor, and
suitable connections or gearing between the motor and said axle.
10 The combination with a wheeled vehicle, of an electric motor supported and
carried thereon, a receptacle containing a secondary battery carried upon said
vehicle, one of said elements being carried above the back axle and the other
entirely beneath said axle, and suitable devices whereby the motor can operate the
wheels of said axle.
11 The combination with a wheeled vehicle, an electric motor supported and
carried thereon, and a receptacle containing a secondary battery carried upon said
vehicle, one of said clements being carried above the back axle and the other
entirely beneath said axle, of a pump carried upon said vehicle and mechanically
connected with the motor.
12-The combination with a vehicle, of an electric supply circuit on the vehicle,
a motor connected with the supply circuit and mechanically connected with the
vehicle to propel it, a second electric motor carried on the vehicle and connected
with the supply-circuit, and means to steer the vehicle connected with and operated
by the said second motor.
13--The combination with an electrically propelled vehicle, of an electric motor,
a pump upon said vehicle, means for mechanically connecting the motor with the
pump, and an electric steering apparatus on the vehicle to steer the latter.
14 The combination with an electrically propelled vehicle, of a pump carried
upon said vehicle, and means to connect the propelling motor with said pump to
operate the same, and to disconnect said motor from the vehicle so that the latter
will be at rest during the operation of the said pump.
15 The combination of an electrically propelled vehicle, a pump carried upon
the vehicle, an electric motor mounted upon the vehicle, and suitable means whereby
said motor is connected to the pump or the driving mechanism of the vehicle, to
propel the same, or, to drive the pump.
16 The combination with the axle of a vehicle pivoted in the centre, of an
electric motor supported upon the frame of the vehicle, and flexibly connected with
the said axle to cramp it in either direction to steer the vehicle.
17 The combination of an electrically propelled vehicle having an electric
motor mechanically connected with the axle or wheels thereof, a supply circuit on
the vehicle connected to the motor, a pump carried upon the vehicle, and means to
detach said motor from the axle or wheels and to simultaneously connect said
motor with the pump.
18 In a portable fire engine, the combination, of a wheeled vehicle, an electric
supply circuit, a double acting reciprocating piston pump supported in a vertical
or nearly vertical position between the axles of the vehicle, an electric motor in
the supply circuit on the vehicle, and suitable means whereby said motor is
connected to the pump or the driving mechanism to propel the same, or to drive
the pump.
19 The combination with the axle of a vehicle pivoted in the centre, of an
electric motor supported upon the frame of the vehicle, and connected with the said
axle to cramp it in either direction to steer the vehicle.
20--The combination in an electrically propelled vehicle, of an electric motor
mounted on the vehicle, an axle, wheels on said axle adapted to be turned inde-
pendently of ach other or with different degrees of speed, and suitable connections
between the motor and the wheels to permit of the relative movement of said
wheels.
21 The combination in an electrically propelled vehicle, of an electric motor
mounted on the vehicle, a compensating gear suitably connected to two of the wheels
of the vehicle, and suitable mechanical connections or gearing between the said

page_text: compensating gear and motor to permit of the relative movement of said wheels for
the purpose described.
22 The combination of a wheeled vehicle, an electric motor supported thereon
and carried entirely below the line of the axis of the wheels, means whereby the
motor can propel the vehicle, and a body or receptacle above but in close proximity
to the axle.
23 The combination of a wheeled vehicle, an electric motor supported thereon
and carried entirely below the line of the axis of the wheels, a receptacle above said
line of axis containing a battery, an electric circuit on the vehicle including the
battery and motor, and a suitable connection or gearing between the motor and the
said axle.
24-The combination with a wheeled vehicle, of an electric motor supported and
carried thereon, a receptacle containing a secondary battery carried upon said
vehicle, one of said elements being carried above the back axle and the other
entirely beneath said axle, a pump mounted on the vehicle and suitable devices
whereby the motor can propel the vehicle or drive the pump.
25 The combination in an electrically propelled vehicle, of an electric motor
mounted thereon, a mechanical connection between said motor and two wheels on
opposite sides of the vehicle, means or devices in said connection to permit of the
relative movement of the said wheels, and an electric supply circuit on the vehicle
connected to the motor.
26 In a portable fire-engine, the combination of a wheeled carriage, a receptacle
supported upon the carriage, a secondary battery within the receptacle, an electric
motor on the carriage, electric connections between the battery and the motor, a
pump mounted on the frame of the carriage, and a suitable mechanical connection
between the said motor and pump.
Dated this 21st day of Lenuary 1801
MARK WESLEY DEWEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.