Improvements in the Method of and Means for the Electrical Propulsion of Railway, Tramway, and other similar Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by JEAN JACQUES HEILMANN, of 19, Rue Cambon,
Paris, in the French Republic, Electrical Engineer.]
Improvements in the Method of and Means for the Electrical
Propulsion of Railway, Tramway, and other similar Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE HEYS, of 70, Market Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to the method of and means for the electrical propulsion
of railway, tramway, and other similar vehicles in which the electric motor drives
the axle of the vehicle. Its object is to enable the motor to drive the axle effect-
ively without the transmission of shocks from the latter to the former.
I will particularly describe my said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illus-
trate a motor and its driven wheels and axle and in which:-
Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section:
Figure 2, a sectional plan;
Figure 3, a vertical transverse section:
Figure 4, a side elevation:
Figures and o, details:
Figures 7, 8, and 9, modifications which will be described hereinafter.
In each of the figures similar letters of reference are employed to denote similar
parts.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the motor M is fixed to the
framing L L by the feet, lugs, or projections P P. Wedges may be interposed
between the feet or lugs and the framing to permit the adjustment or the lowering
of the motor. The spindle of the motor armature carries a spur pinion which
engages with a spur wheel R fixed upon a hollow shaft T concentric with the
axle A. The hollow shaft T is carried in two bearings C C which also may be
fixed upon the framing L L' as shewn. The hollow shaft is therefore constantly
parallel with the armature spindle. The allowance for play between the axle A
and the hollow tube T is at least equal to the amount of motion allowed for the
axle boxes B B, that is to say, whatever may be the amount of relative displace-
ment of the axle owing to irregularities in running, this displacement must never
bring the axle into contact with the hollow shaft.
The axle and wheels are driven from the hollow shaft by means of an elastic
Figures and o, detans:
Figures 7, 8, and 9, modifications which will be described hereinafter.
In each of the figures similar letters of reference are employed to denote similar
parts.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the motor M is fixed to the
framing L L by the feet, lugs, or projections P P. Wedges may be interposed
between the feet or lugs and the framing to permit the adjustment or the lowering
of the motor. The spindle of the motor armature carries a spur pinion p which
engages with a spur wheel R fixed upon a hollow shaft T concentric with the
axle A. The hollow shaft T is carried in two bearings C C₁ which also may be
fixed upon the framing L L' as shewn. The hollow shaft is therefore constantly
parallel with the armature spindle. The allowance for play between the axle A
and the hollow tube T is at least equal to the amount of motion allowed for the
axle boxes B B, that is to say, whatever may be the amount of relative displace-
ment of the axle owing to irregularities in running, this displacement must never
bring the axle into contact with the hollow shaft.
The axle and wheels are driven from the hollow shaft by means of an elastic

page_text: connection. Such a connection is illustrated in side view by Figures 3 and 8,
in which case it consists of three series of strong spiral metallic springs R' R' R¹
but other equivalent known elastic connections may be employed.
It will be obvious that the motor may be mounted and the hollow shaft run in
bearings arranged and connected to the vehicle framing in a manner other than
that shown. The method illustrated has however been found to be convenient in
practice. For example, the motor framing may be so constructed that the bear-
ings CC can be attached to it instead of to part of the framing L L'.
By reference to the drawings it will be seen that the motor is suspended by the
vehicle springs and that in consequence it is protected from the deterioration and
injury which would arise from shocks in running. The only parts which are
not suspended by the vehicle springs are the wheels and axle.
Figures 5 and 6 shew a detail of construction which may be adopted when it is
desired to provide means for permitting the complete separation of the axle from
the motor mechanism. The hollow shaft T is divided longitudinally and the two
moieties are connected by the bolts bb. Similarly, the wheel R and the other
parts fixed to the hollow shaft are also split and connected by bolts in such a
manner that they may, with the hollow tube, be entirely removable from the axle.
Instead of the single pinion p and spur wheel shewn by Figure 2, these may be
duplicated as shewn by Figure 7. One pair is then fixed at one end of the motor
and the other pair at the opposite end, and the gearing instead of being of the
ordinary spur type may be helical as indicated in the Figure 7. In order that the
driving at the two ends may be equalised, a little side play may be allowed in
the bearings of the armature spindle.
The method of suspension usually employed with geared motors (in which the
motor rests directly upon the axle by two bearings), demands that the axis of the
axle and that of the motor should be about in the same horizontal plane. Other-
wise, the effects of inertia produce strong reactions upon the teeth of the wheels.
This condition is no longer necessary and the motor can, according to this inven-
tion, be mounted in any position whatever as shewn for example in Figure 8.
Figure 9 illustrates a case where the diameter of the motor is considerable. In
this modified construction, the hollow tube T, instead of being in a single length
is divided transversely into two parts leaving a space between them into which
the motor framing may penetrate. Each of the two short hollow shafts T¹ T¹ is
geared with the armature spindle, and drives the axle by a flexible connection
such as R R R already herein before described. In this case also, the tubes,
wheels and accessories may be split as before described with reference to Figures 5
and 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is: -
1. In railway, tramway, and other vehicles in which the axles are driven by
electro-motors, attaching the motor rigidly to the framing of the vehicle, trans-
mitting the motion of the motor by toothed gearing to a hollow shaft concentric
with the axle and from the hollow shaft by means of elastic connections, to the
axle and running wheels, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
2. In railway, tramway, and other vehicles in which the axles are driven by
electro-motors and in which the motion is transmitted from the motor to the
wheels through
a hollow shaft concentric with the axle, dividing the hollow tube
and the gearing and other parts thereon longitudinally, substantially as and for
the purpose herein before described with reference to Figures 5 and 6 of the acconi-
panying drawings.
3. In railway, tramway, and other vehicles in which the axles are driven by elec-
tric motors and in which the motion is transmitted from the motor to the wheels
through the intermediary of a hollow shaft, dividing the hollow shaft transversely

page_text: into two separated portions between which space is left for the reception of part
of the motor or its framing, substantially as herein before described with reference.
to Figures 9 of the accompanying drawings.
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.