Improvements in and connected with Electric Motors for Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Electric Motors for Vehicles.
I, CHARLES FREDERICK WINKLER of Kingston in the County of Ulster, and
State of New York, United States of America, Electrical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, 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 electric motors and their application to cars. It relates
more particularly to the construction of the motor, which comprises two armatures
secured respectively on two axles of a car, and a single field magnet in which
there is but a single magnetic circuit which includes both armatures. The field
magnet as hitherto constructed consists of two bodies of iron surrounded by coils
of wire, rigidly connected together and supported by the car axles. In such a
structure it is necessary that the axles shall always be in the same horizontal plane,
otherwise the field magnetic structure would be subject to severe strains. As it is
impossible to maintain the road bed perfectly accurate these strains will necessarily
occur.
The object of this invention is the utilisation of the type of motor described and
to this end certain modifications in the construction of the motor are introduced
whereby the axles may be permitted to move out of their coincident planes without
straining the parts of the motor.
The invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1 represents a transverse section through the motor and car axles, and
Figure 2 represents an end elevation of one-half of the motor separated on the
line X-X of Figure 1.
Referring to the drawings, A. A respectively represent the two axles of a car,
and a a the car wheels carried thereby. Mounted directly upon each axle is a
rotary armature B. C represents the field magnet of the motor, under the influence
of which both armatures are placed. Magnetically speaking, this field magnet
consists of two iron bodies, c c located on opposite sides of the armatures, and
supported upon the axle by means of bolsters or other devices connecting offsets or
brackets, shewn in dotted lines in Figure 2, attached to the sides of the pole pieces.
Each of these iron bodies is surrounded by coils of wire, d, through which the
electric current passes in such a direction as to establish a single magnetic circuit
which shall include both iron bodies and the armatures in series.
On the line X-x of Figure 1, the two iron bodies are separated but abut
squarely against each other, the abutting surfaces being smooth and in intimate
contact. The abutting ends are provided exteriorly with flanges e which are
surrounded and held together by curved yokes f having a U-shaped cross section.
The extremities of the yokes have formed upon them bosses, f', which are
perforated vertically to receive bolts f¹. Two of these bolts are used, one on
each side, and their purpose is to clamp together the two yokes, which stand
diametrically opposite each other, and thus couple the parts of the field magnet.
These bolts are of brass, and between the yokes they are surrounded by brass
sleeves, which limit the amount of pressure and which may be put upon the
field magnet parts. In the same plane with these yokes and between the iron parts
of the field magnet are inserted two brass or other non-magnetic spacing blocks
The flange e and the yokes are formed on concentric circles, the centre of which is
in a line drawn through the two car axles. The energising coils d are located on
each side of the joint.
9.

page_text: It will now be obvious that if the car travels over inaccuracies in the road bed,
so that one or more wheels will drop below the others, the axles are free to assume
corresponding positions, and the two parts of the field magnets in following the
axles, will twist or slide upon each other at the joint, and will suffer no ill effects
from strain. The yokes hold the parts together, but at the same time permit them
to move upon each other. When the abutting surfaces are made true, the joint
will offer very little resistance to the lines of force, and in fact, when the magnets
are energised the contact between the parts is much more perfect than when they
are de-energised.
It will be observed that although I have described this motor as connected
directly upon the axles, separate armature shafts may be provided which shall gear
to the axles through any suitable train.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
1. A single electric motor provided with two rotary armatures geared
respectively with two car axles and with a single field magnet acting upon both
armatures, the field magnet being formed in two parts flexibly connected together,
constructed and arranged substantially as herein before described and as illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination with two car axles of an electric motor having its field
magnet rigidly connected to both axles and provided with a joint which permits the
axles to move out of coincident planes aud thereby cause the parts to slide or twist
upon each other, substantially as described.
3. An electric motor having a field magnet consisting of two substantially
parallel iron bodies, each of which is divided into two parts and connected rigidly
and respectively to two supports which are movable with respect to each other,
said parts being connected together by a yielding joint, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
4. In an electric motor, a field magnet having two abutting parts, each of which
is provided with a flange in combination with a yoke or collar surrounding and
embracing said flanges to hold the parts together.
5. In an electric motor, a field magnet consisting of two parallel iron bodies
surrounded by coils of wire and mechanically connected together to form one
structure, the same being divided into two parts which abut against each other to
maintain the magnetic circuit, the abutting edges provided with flanges, in com-
bination with yokes which surround and embrace said flanges, the yoke being
clamped together, substantially as described.
6. The combination of two car axles, a motor armature geared or otherwise
connected to each, a field magnet structure having a single magnetic circuit which
includes both armatures in series, the field magnet having a yielding joint between
the axles, substantially as described.
7. An electric motor, having two armatures included in a single field magnet
circuit, two car axles respectively with said armatures and a field magnet divided
into two parts magnetically connected together, the joint being yielding and in a
vertical plane, substantially as described.
8. The combination of two armatures and a single field magnet structure'
acting upon both, said field magnet being divided at a point between the armatures
and parallel to their shafts; the parts being held in contact with but permitted to
slide upon each other.
Dated this 18th day of December A T 1002