AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING CARRIAGES AND VEHICLES BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harry Whiteside Cook, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, a Minor, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING CARRIAGES AND VEHICLES BY MEANS OF
ELECTRICITY."
Sealed the 22nd August 1862, and dated the 25th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harry Whiteside Cook
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th February 1862.
I, HARRY WHITESIDE COOK, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
a Minor, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING CARRIAGES AND VEHICLES BY MEANS
OF ELECTRICITY," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a new and improved mode of and apparatus
for propelling carriages by means of electricity. In order to effect this
object, I make use of that attractive power or force which a coil or
helix exerts upon or induces in a bar of soft iron placed within its spiral
during the passage through the length of the wire of an electric current
and which attractive force is the force or power known in physics as the
axial force. The iron bar being about the length of the coil, an attrac-
tive force is exerted or set up, and tends to bring the centre of the coil
to a position identical with that of the centre of the bar. I propose,
then, by an arrangement now to be described to make use of this force

page_text: for the production of motion in a continuous rectilinear or other
direction. The arrangement of parts I intend to employ to effect this
object is as follows:-A core is formed of alternate lengths of iron and
hemp, or some other suitable non-magnetic substance; these parts are
so connected as to form one continuous flexible rod, line, or cable, over
and along which the coil can pass, and which extends throughout the
entire length of the road to be traversed by the coil, and any carriage,
sledge, or other weight which it may be intended to draw forward or
propel along the road. The length of the coil being determined, the
bars of iron in this compound core, rod, or cable are made of a length
about equal to that of the coil; the intervening or connecting portions of
the core or cable are to be of such a length that the coil, in passing
over them, may never be within the attractive limits of more than one
of the iron portions at one and the same time. Now, the attractive
force commences when one-third of the length of any one of the before-
mentioned iron portions of the core has been introduced within the coil,
and its effect continues until the centres of the core and coil coincide,
but the impetus acquired carries the centre of the coil or core (as one or
the other may be fixed or moveable) beyond the centre of the other; the
current continuing to pass through the coil, the attractive force has a
tendency to draw the moveable portion back again towards its original
position. Let us suppose, however, that we are speaking (as is practi-
cally the case in my Invention) of a coil running over or along a fixed
core. If at the moment the two centres coincide the electric current
be cut off the attraction ceases instantaneously, and the impetus acquired
will carry the coil not only beyond the centre but over the intervening
portion of the core, and with a proper battery power it will carry the
coil to within the attractive limit of the second iron. At this moment
the voltaic circuit is again automatically completed, the attractive force
will be again set up, and the coil be impelled or dragged forward until
its centre coincides with that of the second iron portion of the core.
The current being again broken, the momentum of the carriage, or the
impetus given to it by the attractive force exerted will bring the coil
within the attractive limits of the third iron link, and so on with ever
increasing speed until it arrives with its freight at its destination, or is
stopped by the driver. This latter operation can be effected at any
moment by breaking the voltaic contact; he will also have the power (by
regulating the periods at which the circuit is completed) of reversing
the motion of the coil. As to the mode of supporting the coil and core,
I propose to support the coil upon wheels running upon rails, & the
core upon props, eccentric wheels, or any other convenient or suitable
contrivance which may be found most practical. The battery will be

page_text: connected with the coil in any convenient manner; it may form a portion
of the travelling apparatus, or it may be stationary, as may be thought
most desirable, the proper relative arrangements for effecting these
objects being simple and easy.
This Invention may be employed for the transport of parcels, luggage,
papers, passengers, or for any other purposes for which the present loco-
motive engines are employed. The present railway system is peculiarly.
adapted for the developement of the present Invention, which would not
necessitate any own
altonationg in the now
armenent
SPECIFICATION in pursu ice of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed,
by the said Harry Whiteside Cook in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 25th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, HARRY
WHITESIDE COOK, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, a Minor,
send greeting.
2
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth.
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Harry Whiteside Cook, Her special license that
I, the said Harry Whiteside Cook, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Harry Whiteside Cook, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE
AND APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING CARRIAGES AND VEHICLES BY MEANS OF
ELECTRICITY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Harry
Whiteside Cook, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Harry Whiteside Cook, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to

page_text: My Invention relates to a new and improved mode of and apparatus
for propelling carriages by means of electricity. In order to effect this
object, I make use of that attractive power or force which a coil or helix
exerts upon or induces in a bar of soft iron (placed as a core within its
spiral) during the passage through the length of the wire of an electric
current, and which attractive force is the force or power known in physics
as the axial force. The iron bar being about the length of the coil, an
attractive force is exerted or set up, and tends to bring the centre of
the coil to a position. identical with that of the centre of the bar. I
propose then, by an arrangement now to be described, to make use of
this force for the production of motion in a continuous rectilinear or
other direction.
The arrangements of parts I intend to employ to
effect this object are as follows:--A core is formed of alternate lengths
of iron and hemp, or some other suitable non-magnetic substance; these
parts are so connected as to form one continuous flexible rod, line, or
cable, over and along which the coil can pass, and which extends
throughout the entire length of the road to be traversed by the coil, and
any carriage, sledge, or other weight which it may be intended to draw
forward or propel along the road. The length of the coil being deter-
mined, the bars of iron in this compound core, flexible rod, or cable are
made of a length about equal to that of the coil. The intervening or
connecting portions of the core or cable are to be of such a length that
the coil in passing over them may never be within the attractive limits
of more than one of the iron portions at one and the same time. Now,
the attractive force commences when one-third of the length of any one
of the before-mentioned iron portions of the core has been introduced
within the coil, and its effect continues until the points equidistant from
the ends of the core and coil coincide, but the impetus acquired carries
the middle of the coil or core (as one or the other may be fixed or move-
able) beyond the middle of the other. As the current of electricity con-
tinues to pass through the coil, the attractive force has a tendency to
draw the moveable portion back again towards its original position.
Let us suppose, however, that we are speaking (as is practically the case
in my Invention) of a coil running over or along a fixed core. If at the
moment the points equidistant from the ends of the coil and core coin-
cide, the electric current be cut off, the attraction ceases instantaneously,
and the impetus acquired will carry the coil not only beyond this central
point, but over the intervening portion of the core, and with a proper
battery power it will carry the coil to within the attractive limit of the
second iron of the flexible core. At this moment the voltaic circuit is
again automatically completed, the attractive force will be again set
up, and the coil be impelled or dragged forward until its central point

page_text: coincides with that of the second iron portion of the core. The current
being again broken, the momentum of the carriage, or the impetus given
to it by the attractive force exerted, will bring the coil within the attrac-
tive limits of the third iron link, and so on with ever increasing speed
until it arrives with its freight at its destination, or ist stopped by the
driver. This latter operation can be effected at any moment by break-
ing the voltaic circuit, and applying a break to overcome the momentum
acquired by the carriage. The driver will also have the power (by.
regulating the periods at which the circuit is completed) of reversing
the motion of the coil, and consequently of the carriage in which the
coil is placed. As to the mode of supporting the coils and core, I pro-
pose to use two or more, and to support the coils in a carriage or fram-
ing mounted on wheels which are made to run upon rails. The core may
be supported upon props, excentric wheels, or any other convenient or
suitable contrivances, or simply allowed to lie in a trough laid along
the line between the rails. The battery will be connected with the coil
in any convenient manner; it may form a portion of the travelling
apparatus, or it may be stationary, as may be thought most desirable.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn the battery as placed
in the carriage with the coils, as I consider this the preferable mode.
This Invention may be employed for the transport of parcels, luggage,
papers, passengers, or for any other purposes for which the present loco-
motive engines are employed. The present railway system is peculiarly
adapted for the developement of the present Invention, which would not
necessitate any expensive alterations in the permanent way.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents in longitudinal
vertical section an apparatus constructed according to my Invention for
propelling carriages on railways; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the
same.
a, a, a, is a flexible core composed of alternate lengths of bar
iron and gutta percha or other non-magnetic substance, the dark parts
in the Drawing representing the iron, and the light parts the gutta
percha. The mode of constructing this core will be best understood by
referring to Figures 3 and 4, which represent plan and edge or sectional
views of the flexible core, drawn upon an enlarged scale; the central
part of the core is composed of a hempen band 1, on to which are
secured by rivets, screws, or otherwise, iron plates 2, 2. Flat pieces of
gutter percha 3, 3, are also secured to the hempen band 1. It will be
seen, on referring to Figures 3 and 4, that the iron and gutta percha are:
arranged alternately in equal lengths, or nearly so, throughout the entire
length of the flexible core a. This flexible core is stationary (that is) it'
is secured at both ends, so that it cannot be pulled longitudinally out of
its place; it is, however, capable of being lifted up out of the trough b

page_text: in which it rests. This trough extends along the entire length of the
line of railway between the rails, and simply serves to support the
flexible core a, and preserve it from being damaged. The flexible
core a passes through two or more coils c, c*, which are secured in
frames d, d, attached to the carriage e, which being provided with
running wheels f, f, will run on the ordinary rails f', f', 'of the line.
In order to facilitate the entrance of the flexible core into the coils c, c,
and to prevent it from rubbing the interior thereof, the core a, as the
carriage advances, is lifted up and supported in a horizontal position by
the carrying wheels g, g, g, g. The coils c are as usual made of a long
length of insulated wire, one end of which is connected with the positive
pole of a battery h, and the other end with the negative pole of the
battery, in the well-known manner of producing electro-magnets, by
A
passing a current of voltaic electricity around a coil of soft iron.
commutatori (which is shewn detached at Figures 5 and 6 in front and
sectional views drawn upon an enlarged scale) interposed in the circuit,
and is employed for making and breaking the voltaic circuit at the proper
moment of time, and for regulating the time at which these operations.
are to be effected. As the proper moment for making and breaking
the circuit depends upon the speed with which the carriage is advancing
and the coils are passing over the stationary flexible core, the motion of
the arms of this commutator must be governed by the speed of the coil,
and consequently of the carriage. This is effected by means of the
vibrating arms j, j, and vertical rod, which by means of a pall or
click at its upper end actuates a ratchet wheel 1, on the axle of which
is keyed a spur wheel m, which gears into and drives a toothed wheel n
on the spindle or shaft r of the commutator arms q, q'. The requisite
up-and-down motion of the vertical rod k, in order to drive the ratchet
wheel, is effected by means of two small cranks o, o, Fig. 1, jointed
to the ends of the arms j, and mounted on the shafts of the toothed
wheels p, p, which run on the top side of the flexible core a, and are
driven by their teeth being made to take into holes in the face of the
flexible core, as seen in Figures 3 and 4. It will now be seen that as the
wheels p pass over the flexible core a, they will be made to rotate and
carry round with them the cranks o, and consequently will communicate
an up-and-down motion to the rod k, and by this means actuate the
ratchet wheel and toothed wheel m, which drives the commutator
arms q.
Upon referring to Figures 5 and 6, it will be seen that the commutator
is composed of two rings i and i', and that the surface of each of these
rings is subdivided into four parts, two of which, coloured yellow, are
made of brass or copper, while the other two are made of ivory or some

page_text: other suitable non-conductor of electricity. Against the surface of cach
of these compound rings bears a metallic arm q, q', and both of these
arms are mounted on the same shaft r, which carries the toothed wheel
n, Fig. 6 (and shewn by red lines in Fig. 1). One of the brass segments
of the ring i is connected by a wire c', with a brass segment w on the
reversing plate (see Fig. 1) and by means of the spring hands 1
(colored red in the Drawing) the ring i is put in connection with the
coil c.
The other segment of the ring i is similarly connected with
the brass segment on the reversing plate v, and by means of the spring
hands 2 (colored black in the Drawing) the ring i of the commutator is
put into connection with the coil c*. The brass segments of the other
ring are connected with each other, and with the battery by the.
wire s. It will now be evident that whenever the arm q is in contact
with either of the brass segments of the ring i, this arm and also
the other arm q', which is in metallic contact with it, will be in con-
nection with the battery, and therefore if the arm q¹ of the ring i¹ be
also in contact with one of its brass segments, there will be a perfect
circuit, and one of the coils c will be clectrized, and consequently will
have an attraction for the iron core. The carriage in consequence of
this magnetic attraction of the coil c for the core a will advance, and
in so doing will actuate the gearing and shaft of the commutator i,
and by carrying round the arms q, q', will cause the arm g to pass from
the first brass segment of the ring on to the ivory segment, and thereby
break the circuit. The momentum of the carriage e will, however, be
sufficient to carry it forward, and by so doing, will bring the arm g on
to the second brass segment, and thereby complete the circuit through
the other coil, which in its turn will exert an attractive force on the
core a, and give the carriage a second impetus. In order to start the
apparatus it will only be necessary to bring one of the irons of the
core a within the influence of one of the coils, and this is effected by
means of the toothed gearing t, t, which, by means of the toothed
wheel w taking into the holes of the core a, will draw forward the
carriage a few inches upon the gearing t, being actuated by means of
the winch handle t¹. In order to reverse the direction of the carriage,
the circuit must first be broken by means of the contact breaker v¹.
This carriage or core is then to be moved, so as to bring one of the irons
of the core a within the influence of the coils c*, and the handle v*
upon the reversing plate c, being moved round in the direction of the
arrow, will carry with it the spring hands 1 and 2, which will then be
thrown into the position shewn by dots in Fig. 1; the circuit may then
be again completed by the contact breaker v', and the current of
electricity will proceed from the battery through the commutator, and

page_text: by the wire c' to the segment piece w on the reversing plate v, and by
the red hands 1 to the segment piece z, and from thence by the wire z'
to the coil c*. It will be seen that the upper ring i' of the commutator
can be moved partially round by means of the handle i*, Figures 5 and 6.
By this means the time during which the hands q, q' will be in contact
with the segmental plates on the rings i, i', can be increased or
diminished, and consequently the length of time during which the
circuit of electricity is completed can be controlled at pleasure.
Having now described my Invention of an improved mode of and
apparatus for propelling carriages and vehicles by means of electricity,
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I
claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,
the mode herein set forth of applying or using the axial force or power
of electro-magnets, for the purpose of drawing or propelling carriages
on railways; I claim particularly the combination of a stationary flexible
core with a moveable electric coil or coils, for the purpose above set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Harry Whiteside Cook, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-third day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
HARRY WHITESIDE COOK. (L.S.)