Improvements in Controlling Electric Motors and Electrically Propelled Railway Trains.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 13th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 13th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 18th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Controlling Electric Motors and Electrically
Propelled Railway Trains.
I, EDWIN W. RICE, Junior, of Schenectady, in the County of Schenectady, 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:
or
more
My invention relates to the means employed for controlling one
motor cars, whether single or united to form a train. It has been proposed
in electric traction work to provide each motor car with a controller for its
propelling motor or motors, and with electro-magnetic means; as, for example,
an electric motor for one or more electro-magnets receiving current from the main
source of supply, for operating the controller or its contacts; the regulation of
the electro-magnetic means being accomplished by means of a master controller
located at any selected point. It has also been proposed to provide each motor
car with a suitable cable, to which is connected the means employed for operating
the motor controller, so that the various cars may be united in any suitable manner
to form a train, and the regulation of all the motor controllers, accomplished by
any one of the master controllers.
Within certain limits, this arrangement is satisfactory, but when, for any
reason, the main source of supply fails, it is impossible to return the motor
controllers to their off position until current is again restored to the line. This
interruption is liable to occur at a time when the controllers are in their full
on position, and a sudden rush of current with the motor standing still or moving
slowly, is liable to injure them seriously. It has been proposed to obviate this
difficulty by providing a separate source of energy, as a storage battery, for
example, for furnishing current to return the controllers to their off position
when the main source of current fails, but this arrangement necessitates the
care and expense of maintaining a storage battery or like apparatus.
My invention has for one of its objects to overcome the objections above pointed
out, and to provide means whereby the propelling motors themselves may be

page_text: employed to return the motor controllers to their off position. It has been
proposed, in train work, to operate the motor controllers in the forward direction
by pilot motors, and in the backward direction by springs, acting at once upon
failure of current in the pilot motors. Various other suggestions have been made
for bringing the motor controllers. to the off position either upon interruption of
the main current, or immediately after its restoration. All such devices are open
to the objection that they operate when, for any reason, one car of the train loses
current for a small fraction of a second, as, for example, when its contact shoe
passes over a piece of paper or dirt on the third rail. The instantaneous with-
drawal of current from any car may itself cause that car to drag behind the
others, and to cause a bumping, but this effect is greatly magnified by the action
of the various safety devices above described. To avoid all such difficulties and to
equalize the torque in all of the motors of the train, I provide a train wire"
connected to all the contact shoes or other collecting devices of the train, and
also to all of the translating devices of the various cars. This train wire neutralizes
the effect of a merely instantaneous interruption of the current supply to any
particular car, while allowing the safety devices, if any are provided, to act at
once, and in all of the cars, upon a general interruption of the current.
"
My invention also has for its object to improve the construction and arrange-
ment of the various controllers, whereby the regulation of the train may be
rendered more positive, and the motor controllers actuated in synchronous step-by-
step manner.
In the accompanying drawings, which show an embodiment of my invention,
Fig. 1 represents in diagram the circuits of a single motor car; Fig. 2 represents
diagrammatically a four-car train comprising three motor cars and one trail car;
Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the various motor combinations, and Fig. 4 is a
diagram of the circuit combination when one of the propelling motors is employed
to return the motor controllers to its off position. Extending through the cars of
the train is a cable A containing a number of wires for completing the circuit
of the several master controllers, also containing the train wire 2", to which all the
contact shoes C on the train are connected in multiple, as above explained.
As the car wiring of all the motor cars is similar, a detail description of the
circuits of only a single car will be given. The train cable à consists of a number
of wires having reference numerals from 1 to 11" inclusive. Connected with the
wiring of the cable are wires leading to and from various switches, which will be
described more in detail hereinafter. Mounted under the car, or at any other
convenient point, is a motor controller E, provided with the usual contacts for
regulating the circuits of the propelling motors, and in addition with a set of
contacts shown on the left-hand-end for regulating the step-by-step action of the
pilot motor F. The contacts on the controller are shown developed in a single
plane for the purpose of illustration, but in practice they are mounted on .a
cylinder, or other support, and the support actuated in a step-by-step manner
by a pilot motor, or other electro-magnetic means. The pilot motor may be of any
desired type, and is shown as geared on the shaft of the motor controller by
suitable reducing gear F2. Mounted on the shaft of the controller is a brake
disc E, in operative relation with a brake shoe which, as shown, is carried by a
pivoted arm E2, and is held in engagement with the brake disc by tension spring E³,
except when, by the action of current flowing through the armature circuit of the
pilot motor, the coil is so energized as to cause it to attract its armature and
withdraw the brake shoe from the disc.
The motor reversing switch consists of a pivoted insulating support which is
actuated by solenoid magnets G1, G2; in the present instance, magnet G² 13
supposed to have been energized, and to have moved the upper row of contacts into
engagement with the stationary brushes.
To control the action of the pilot motor and motor controller a master controller H
is provided, which consists of three separate switches; switch H₁ being employed
to regulate the action of the pilot motor backward and forward; switch H2 to

page_text: control the action of the motor reversing switch G, and switch H³ to regulate the
action of one or more of the propelling motors when acting to generate current
for the pilot motor or other electrical apparatus employed to actuate the motor
controller E. The switch H³ is not used in the normal operation of the system, but
is intended for use only when the main source of energy fails.
In the circuit with the contact shoe C is an automatic circuit breaker I, which,
under ordinary running conditions, is held in the position shown by a shunt
coil I; but as soon as the main source of supply fails, coil I is de-energized, and
the circuit breaker opens. This prevents the motor from feeding current back
to the line after it has been converted into a generator.
In Fig. 2 my invention is shown as applied to a four car train in which
a trail car is placed between the motor cars K. Each car, including the trail car,
is provided with a cable A, the wires of which are connected to the cars in
advance and in the rear by suitable couplings L. In circuit with the cable and
mounted in any suitable manner on the car, as many cars as may be desired and
preferably each, is a master controller H, each master controller being connected
in circuit, in such manner that the entire train may, if desired, be controlled
therefrom.
Switch His provided with a double set of contacts which are mounted for
simultaneous movement one set being arranged to establish the proper circuit
connections to cause the armatures of the pilot motors to revolve in a clock-
wise direction, and the second set to cause them to rotate in an anti-clock-wise
direction,
Assuming that it is desired to propel the car or train in a forward direction,
the master reversing switch He is moved to a position where the contacts now
situated on the right will engage with the vertical row of stationary brushes.
As soon as the reversing switch has been moved to this position, a circuit is
created from the contact shoe C to train wire 2, to, point 50, by wire 2b, to the
reversing switch, by cross connected contacts to brush 10°, by wire 10b, to cable
wire 10, to wire 10, through the solenoid magnet G2, to wire 5, cable wire 5", to
brush 5 of the master switch H¹, to brush 7, to cable wire 7", to wire 7 and to
ground. This energizes the solenoid magnet G2, which attracts its core, and
moves the motor reversing switch G to the position shown.
The switch H is then moved to a position where the brushes 1 to 9 inclusive
rest on line 2-2, and the circuit is as follows: Current enters at contact shoe C
and passes to train wire 2" and to brush 2, where the current divides, one path
being by cross connected contacts to brush 1, to cable wire 1, through the field
of the pilot motor in the direction indicated by the full-line arrow, to wire 8b, to'
cable wire 8", to brush 8, by cross connected contacts to brush 7, to wire 7b, to
ground.
Returning to brush 2, a second path is by way of cross connected contacts to
brush 3, to cable wire 3, by wire 3b, to brush 3 on the motor controller E, by
cross connected contacts to brush 9, thence through the magnet coil F' in
the direction indicated by the arrow, through the armature of the pilot motor F,
to brush 10 on the motor controller, by cross connected contacts to brush 6º, by
wire 6b to cable wire 6, to brush 6 on the master controller, by cross connected.
contacts to brush 7, cable wire 7", wire 7%, to ground: This completes the circuit
of the pilot motor and at the same time raises the brake shoe E2 out of engagement
with the brake disc E', and motion is imparted to the motor controller by the
gearing F. The motor controller will continue to run until the brushes rest
upon the line a--a, which will cause the circuit of the pilot motor to be interrupted
at brushes 3 and 6; the brake shoe E2 to be automatically applied to the
controller, and contacts 4 and 5d to be moved to a point where they engage with
brushes 4 and 5° and are in a position to complete the circuit of the pilot motor as
soon as the master controller switch H' has been advanced to position 3-3. By.
arranging the circuits of the pilot motor in such manner that the interruption takes

page_text: place at a plurality of points, as at brushes 3° and 6°, for example, I am enabled
to interrupt the circuit without destructive arcing.
The brushes of the motor controller E are thus caused to rest on the line a-a
and the circuit through the propelling motors is as follows: Current enters the
contact shoe C, and passes by wire 30, contact 30", by cross connected contacts
to 31", to brush 30, thence through the first section of resistance R, to the motor
reversing switch G, to the armature of motor M¹, to the reversing switch G, through
the field of the motor M, by wire 32 to brush 33, by cross connected contacts
on the cylinder to brush 34, to brush 35 on the master controller switch H³,
to brush 36, by wire 36" to the motor reversing switch G, through the armature of
motor M², to the reversing switch G, to brush 37 of the master switch h³, to
brush 38, by wire 38, through the field of motor M², to cable wire 7", wire 7b,
and to ground.
With the connections as above described, the propelling motors are connected in
series with full resistance, as shown in Fig. 3.
If it is desired to increase the speed of the propelling motors, the master
switch H is moved to a point where the vertical row of stationary brushes rests on
the line 33, and the circuit is as follows: Current enters at trolley C, and passes
to train wire 2", thence to brush 2, where the circuit divides, one path being by
cross connected contacts to brush 1, to cable wire 1" and thence as before through
the field of the pilot motor, and to ground. The second circuit from brush 2,
leads by the cross connected contacts, to brush 4, cable wire 4", wire 4b, to brush 4º,
by cross connected contacts to brush 9, through the magnet coil F¹ and armature
of the pilot motor, to brush 10°, by cross connected contacts to brush 5", to cable
wire 5", brush 5, by cross connected contacts to brush 7, to cable wire 7, to wire 7b,
and to ground. With the circuits arranged as described the magnet coil F will
attract its armature and withdraw the. brake shoe E2 from engagement with the
brake disc, and motion will be imparted to the motor controller E from the pilot
motor by means of the gearing F. The motor will continue to run at a speed
suitable to cause proper acceleration of the car motors, until contacts 4° and 5°
leave the brushes 4 and 5d; as soon as this occurs; the circuit is interrupted; but
brushes 3 and 6° are in engagement with the contacts 3 and 6d, and in readiness
to complete the circuit of the pilot motor as soon as the master switch H¹ is
advanced to its next position. It will be seen that brushes 3 and 6", and 4° and 5º,
are connected in such manner that they work in pairs; that is to say, for the first
step, brushes 3 and 6 are in operation, for the second position they are open
circuited but brashes 4 and 5° are in electrical connection with the circuit. With
the brushes resting upon the line b-b of the motor controller which represents
the conditions of the circuit corresponding to the position 3-3 of the master
controller, all of the graded sections of the resistance R are cut out of circuit, and
the motors are connected in series between the trolley and ground without
resistance, as shown at b-b, Fig. 3.
If it is desired to still further increase the speed of the propelling motors,
the master switch His moved to a position where the brushes rest upon line 4-4;
this completes the circuit of the pilot motor, and the motor controller E will
advance to a position where the brushes rest upon the line cc which interrupts the
circuit of the pilot motor at brushes 3 and 6°, and the propelling motors will be
connected in parallel, with full resistance, as shown at cc, in Fig. 3. By advanc-
ing the master controller to a point where the brushes rest upon the line 5-5,
the motor controller C is advanced to a position where the brushes rest upon the
line dd, and the two motors are connected in full parallel as shown at d, d, in
Fig. 3, as will be readily seen by tracing the connections. Assuming that the
motor controller switch E is in other than its off position, and that it is desired
to return it to its off position, switch H¹ of the master controller is moved to the
position shown in the drawing, and the circuit is as follows: Current enters at
contact shoe C and passes to the train wire 2, to brush 2, by cross connected
contacts to brush 8, to cable wire 8", to wire 8b, through the field of the pilot

page_text: motor in the direction shown by the dotted arrow to cable wire 1ª, to brush 1, by
cross connected contacts to brush 7, to cable wire 7", to wire 7b, to ground. This
completes the circuit of the field of the pilot motor.
The armature circuit is from train wire 2", to brush 2, by cross connected
contacts to brush 9, to wire 9b, through the magnet coil F" in the direction of the arrow,
through the armature F of the pilot motor to brush 10°, by cross connected
contacts to brush 5 or 6º, depending upon the position of the motor controller E,
(in this case it is assumed that brush 5 is in contact), to wire 5b, cable wire 5",
brush 5, by cross connected contact to brush 7, cable wire 7", to brush 7b, to ground.
This completes the armature circuit, and at the same time energizes magnet F,
which attracts its armature and raises the brake shoe E2 out of engagement with the
brake disc E'. As soon as this is accomplished, the pilot motor starts into opera-
tion, and drives the motor controller to its off position, since when the contact 5d
leaves the brush 5°, the brush 6º, also connected through the contact on H¹ to
contact 7, is energized by one of its proper contacts. A suitable stop is provided
at the off position to limit the movement of the motor controller. If the master
controller is allowed to remain in the position shown in the drawing, current will
continue to flow through the pilot motor after it has driven the motor controller
to its off position, but as soon as the motor controller has reached its off position,
the master controller switch H should be moved to a point where the brushes 1 to 9,
inclusive, are situated between the lines 1-1 and 2-2. This interrupts all the
circuits of the pilot motor so that no energy is being consumed during the time that
the motor controller is at its off position."
Assuming that, for some reason, the main source of supply fails and the motor
controller E is standing, for example, at the full on position; with the ordinary
arrangement of the pilot motor or other electric apparatus for actuating the motor
controller, it would be impossible, without the use of some separate source of power,
to return the motor controller to its off position. In order to provide means for
returning it to its off position under such circumstances, I provide a switch H",
which is normally in the position shown, but which, when thrown, converts one or
more of the propelling motors into generators, and supplies current to the pilot
motor for driving the motor controller.
Assuming that the main source of supply has failed, the shunt coil I will be
de-energized, and the circuit breaker I will automatically open, either by a spring
or gravity as desired. The switch H³ should then be thrown so that its brushes rest
upon the position indicated by the broken and dotted line, those of switch H
being as shown in the drawing, when the circuit will be as follows: From the
brush on the left hand side of the armature of the motor M², to the motor reversing
switch G, by wire 36", to brush 36, on the switch H³, by cross connected contacts
to brush 38, by wire 38, through the field of the motor in the direction indicated
by the full line arrow, to cable wire 7", to brush 7, where the circuit divides one
path being to brush 5, to cable wire 5", to wire 5b, by cross connected contacts
on the switch E to brush 10°, through the armature of the pilot motor in the
direction indicated by the dotted arrow, through the magnet coil Ft, to wire 9b, to
cable wire 9", to brush 9, by cross connected contacts to brush 2, train wire 2ª,
to wire 2 to switch H³, by cross connected contacts to resistance R', through the
several sections of resistance, to brush 40, by cross connected contacts to brush 37,
to reversing switch G, to the armature of motor M. Returning to brush 7, a second
path is by cross connected contacts to brush 1, to cable wire 1, through the field
of the pilot motor to cable wire 8", to brush 8, where it unites with the current from
the armature of the pilot motor.
With the circuits as above described, the motor M2 and pilot motors are arranged
as shown in Fig. 4, motor M¹ being open circuited. The motor M2 is thus caused
to act as a generator to supply current to the pilot motor, and the pilot motor
will drive the motor controller E to its off position; the speed of the pilot motor
being controlled by varying the resistance R' in any desired manner by further
manipulation of the switch H³. By this arrangement it will be seen that the.

page_text: action of the pilot motor can readily be controlled, irrespective of the condition
of the main source of supply. This is a very important feature as it renders the
action of the pilot motors certain at all times.
The method of actuating the reversing switch G from the master switch H2
has been already described. Its operation and functions are the same as in an
ordinary series parallel controller, and need not be more fully described.
One important result of the improvements described is that I am able, with
a small number of train wires, to secure any desired number of positions of the
motor controllers, owing to the arrangement of the contacts 3, 4, 4ª, etc. I am
also able to stop the motor controllers at sharply defined points, entirely inde-
pendent of the current flowing in the main motors. Further, the motor controllers
can stop only on points at which their brushes are in full contact with their
respective segments. I thus avoid the danger of stopping the controllers with
certain fingers in bad contact, which would tend to cause injurious heating.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1 In a system of control for electric motors, the combination of a motor con-
troller, a pilot motor for driving the motor controller a set of contacts for
regulating the pilot motor, which are so arranged that the circuit of the armature
of the pilot motor is automatically interrupted only after it has made a pre-
determined number of revolutions, and a second set of contacts which are brought
into operative relation as soon as the circuit of the first set of contacts is
interrupted.
2-In a system of control for electric motors, the combination of a motor con-
troller, a pilot motor for actuating the motor controller, a master controller for
regulating the pilot motor, a set of contacts on the motor controller for completing
the circuit of the pilot motor, and a second set of contacts also mounted on the motor
controller, which are employed to complete the circuit of the pilot motor, the
arrangement of contacts being such that when the first set of contacts is energized
the second set is inactive, the two sets being arranged to come successively and
alternately into action.
3-In a system of control for electric motors, the combination of a motor con-
troller, a pilot motor for moving the motor controller in a step-by-step manner,
and two sets of contacts which are employed to complete the motor circuits, one,
set being in service while the controller advances a step, and the second set while
the controller advances a second step, the two sets being arranged to come
successively and alternately into action.
4 In a system of electric motor control, the combination of a controller for
regulating the motor, and means actuated by the motor for operating the
controller.
5 In a system of electric motor control, the combination of a controller, for
regulating the motor, and means actuated by the motor for moving the controller
to a predetermined position.
G-In a system of electric motor control, the combination of a controller for
regulating the motor, and electro magnetic means receiving current from the
propelling motor, for returning the controller to the off position.
7 In a system of electric motor control, the combination of a motor regulating
controller, a pilot motor which is geared to the controller, and means for supplying
the pilot motor with current from the main motor when it is desired the controller
to the off position after the failure of the main line current.
8- In a system of control for electric motors, the combination of a controller
for regulating the propelling motors, electro-magnetic means for actuating the
motor controller, and a switch arranged to convert one or more of the propelling
motors into generators and to supply the current thus received to the electro-
magnetic means for actuating the controller.

page_text: 9 In a system of control for electric motors, the combination of the controller
for regulating the propelling motors, a pilot motor which is geared to the motor
controller, a switch for controlling the action of the pilot motor under normal
conditions and a second switch for converting the propelling motor into a generator,
and supplying the current thus generated to the pilot motor.
10 In a system of control for electric motors, the combination of a controller
for regulating the propelling motors, electro-magnetic means for actuating the
controller, a master controller for regulating the action of the motor controller,
and a switch for converting the propelling motor into a generator, supplying the
current thus produced to the electro-magnetic means, and regulating the current
flowing in said means.
11 In a system of train control, the combination of a plurality of motor cars
united to form a train or a portion of a train, controllers for regulating the
propelling motors of various cars, a master controller for regulating the action of
the motor controller, and means actuated by the propelling motors for driving the
motor controllers.
12 In a system of train control, the combination of a plurality of motor-cars
united to form a train or a portion of a train, controllers for regulating the
propelling motors of various cars, on each car, electro-magnetic means for actuating
the motor controllers, a master controller for regulating the said means, and
a switch for converting one or more of the propelling motors into generators
and supplying the current to the electro-magnetic means for actuating the motor
controller.
13 In a system of train control, the combination of a plurality of motor-cars
united to form a train, controllers for regulating the propelling motors of various
cars, a pilot motor for driving each motor controller, a master controller located
at any selected point for regulating the action of the pilot motors, and a switch for
converting one or more of the propelling motors into generators, supplying the
current thus generated to the pilot motors, and regulating the current flowing
therein.
14 In a system of electric motor control, the combination of a motor-regulating
controller, electro-magnetic means for actuating the controller in a step-by-step
manner, and a switch for interrupting the circuit of the electro-magnetic means, at
a plurality of points after the completion of each step.
15 In a system of electric motor control, the combination of a motor regulating
controller, a pilot motor for actuating the controller in a step-by-step manner, and
a switch for interrupting the circuit of the pilot motor at a plurality of points each
time the motor controller advances a definite amount.
16 In a system of electric motor control, the combination of a motor regulating
controller, a pilot motor for driving the controller both forward and back, and a
plurality of contacts carried by the motor controller, for simultaneously interrupt-
ing the circuit of the pilot motor at a number of points each time the motor
controller advances a step.
17 In a system of electric motor control, the combination of a motor regulating
controller, a pilot motor for driving the controller, a magnetically controlled brake
for stopping the motor controller at the various steps, and a coil for actuating
the brake included in the circuit of the pilot motor, the whole being so arranged
as a stop the motor controller only at the off position or at a definite running
point.
18 In a system of train control, the combination of a number of motor cars
united to form a train, one or more motor controllers each driven by a pilot motor,
a master controller for regulating the operation of the motor controller or controllers,
a collecting device for each motor car, and a train wire extending through the
train, to which all of the contact devices of the motor cars are connected in
multiple.
19 In a system of control for electric motors, the combination of a motor
controller, electro-magnetic means for actuating the same, and a master controlier

page_text: for regulating its action, provided with a double set of contacts, one set being
arranged to produce rotation of the master controller in a clockwise direction, and
the second set to produce rotation in an anti-clockwise direction.
20 In a system of control for electric motors, the combination of a motor con-
troller, electro-magnetic means for actuating the same, and a master controller
for regulating its action, and a double set of contacts on the master controller,
one set being arranged to produce a step by step rotation of the motor controller
in a forward direction, and the second set to produce a continuous movement of the
motor controller towards its off position.
21 The combination with a master controller, of a motor controller, a pilot
motor driving the motor controller, and electrical means, controlled by the master
controller, for interrupting the supply of current to the pilot motor in such a way
that the motor controller can stop only in the off position or in some definite
running position.
22-The combination in a train system, of a plurality of motor cars each equipped
with a motor or motors, a motor controller therefor, and a pilot motor for driving the
motor controller, one or more motor controllers situated upon the train, and electrical
means controllable by each master controller for interrupting the supply of current
to the pilot motors in such a way that the motor controllers can stop only in the off
position, or in some definite running position, and with the segments and fingers in
good contact.
Dated this 12th day of October 1898