Means for Use in Lighting Railway Cars or Carriages by Electricity and for Regulating the Current for the same.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
Means for Use in Lighting Railway Cars or Carriages by Electricity
and for Regulating the Current for the same.
I, STEPHEN WATKINS, of Prince's Chambers, Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Civil Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad from the American Railway
Electric Light Company, a corporation organized under the laws of West Virginia,
domiciled at 14, Stone Street, New York City, one of the United States of America),
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 electrical apparatus mainly designed for use in lighting
railway cars or carriages from a generator mounted on the axle of the car or
carriage; and the object of the invention is, in part, to provide automatic means
for regulating a current flowing in an exterior circuit fed by a dynamo, in order to
render said current substantially uniform, and to adapt such regulating means
automatically to altered conditions when a series of electric lamps, for example, is
cut out. It relates also, in part, to mechanism for preserving the signs of polarity
in an external circuit fed by the dynamo when the direction of rotation of the
armature of the dynamo is reversed, so that in whatever direction the armature
may rotate the current in said circuit will flow in the proper or desired direction.
This device is important in electric lighting systems for railway cars or carriages
as the car or carriage may be run in either direction on the track. It relates also,
in part, to a bearing sleeve for the axle of the car or carriage, which facilitates the
mounting of the parts on the axle without turning or cutting the latter.
An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,
wherein
Figure 1 is a side view of the dynamo and its appurtenances, the side-plate of
the enclosing casing being omitted and the car-axle and sleeve being in transverso
section.
Figure 2 is a side view, on a larger scale, from the same point as Figure 1, but
showing only the current-regulating devices; and Figure 3 is a view of the same
mechanism, as seen from the left in Figure 2.
Figure 4 shows the resistance disk or dial, detached, one figure being a face view
and the other a vertical section of said disk.
Figures 5 and 6 are views on a large scale illustrating the ratchet mechanism,
through which the resistance in the field-magnet coils is increased or diminished.
Figure is a diagrammatic view showing the circuits.
Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of the shifting helix of the pole-changing
mechanism, and Figure 9 is a similar view of the stud on the shifting lever, which
plays in the groove of the said shifting helix.
Figure 10 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a pole-changing switch, illustrat-
ing the operation of the shifting helix.
Figures 11 and 12 are sectional views illustrating the construction of the bearing

page_text: sleeve on the axle of the car or carriage and Figure 13 is a view of the sleeve on
the axle drawn to a smaller scale than the preceding views.
Let Trepresent the truck-frame of a railway car or carriage; A, an axle of the
latter, and W, one of the wheels on the axle. The dynamo is represented in
Figure 1, as a whole, by D. It will be sufficient to say that the dynamo and its
appurtenances are enclosed in a dust-proof casing and supported, in part, on the
axle A, its frame being furnished with a lug, d, which has a cushioned support in
a pendent portion †, of the truck-frame T. The armature of the dynamo (a in
Figure 3) is driven from a gear wheel on the axle A.
The features that relate to the regulation of the current from the dynamo will
now be described.
A resistance-box or rheostat, R, in the field-magnet circuit of the dynamo, is
mounted on the frame of the latter, and the various coils in said box are adapted
to be thrown into the circuit through the field-magnet coils in series, to gradually
increase the resistance in said circuit. The terminals of said coils are arranged in
a circle on a fixed disk or dial 1. (Fig. 4). Fixed on a shaft 2, mounted in hearings
on the dynamo casing, is a contact-finger, 3, adapted to traverse the dial 1 and
throw in or cut out more or less of the rheostat coils by contact with their
terminals, 4, thus varying the resistance in the field-magnet coils of the dynamo.
The movement of the finger 3 is effected by means which will now be described.
A solenoid, 5, the coil of which is in the main exterior circuit fed by the dynamo,
has a movable core, 6, coupled at its lower end to a lever, 7, to the outer end of
which is coupled the lower end of a coil spring, S. The upper end of this spring
is compled to a slide-rod, 9, adapted to play in a hole in a fixed part and provided
with a nut or head 9. The spring 8 tends to press the core 6upward in its coil,
as the parts are here shown disposed, and the current flowing through the solenoid
coil tends to press the core downward, with a force proportioned to the strength of
the current.
On a shaft, 10, rotatively mounted in the dynamo frame, is fixed a worm wheel, 11,
in with a screw, 12, on the arbor, a*, of the amature a. Through this gearing
gear
the armature rotates the shaft 10. On the shaft 10 is a crank, 10* (Figs. 5 and 6),
which engages a fork-bearing in a rocking pawl-carrier, 13, which rocks about the
shaft 2, carrying the finger 3. To the respective arms or branches of the carrier 18,
are pivotally attached spring pawls, 14 and 14, arranged in different planes and
one above the other, and adapted to engage, at proper times, respectively, the teeth
of reversed ratchet wheels, 15 and 15*, fixed on the shaft 2.
On the upper end of the core 6, of the solenoid, is a prolongation, 6, of the core,
which has two lifting branches, 16 and 16%, adapted to engage studs. 17 and 173, on
the respective pawls, the branch 16 taking under the stud on pawl 14, and the
branch 16 taking over the stud on the pawl 14. Rotation of the crank 10* imparts
a rocking motion to the pawl-carrier and inparts operative movements to the
pawls, and the direction of rotation of shaft 2 will depend on which of the two
pawls is in engagement with its ratchet wheel, as only one pawl at a time will be
operative. Normally the spring draws up the core of the solenoid and allows
the lower pawl to rotate shaft 2 to the left as seen in Fig. 5. The effect of this will
be to move the finger 3 to the left and increase the strength of the current through
the solenoid; but when the current is strong enough, the spring 6 will be overcome,
the core will now move down, disengage the lower pawl, and allow the upper pawl
to engage, thus moving the finger & in the opposite direction and throwing resistances
into the circuit. In one position of the core neither pawl will be in operative
position, and consequently the finger 3 will remain stationary until the strength
of the current in the solenoid either increases or diminishes. Thus a delicate and
efficient regulator or governor is provided in the main, exterior circuit.
At its upper end the solenoid core is coupled to a guide arm, 19, the free end of
said arm being limited by nuts on a rod, 19³.
It will be obvious that the tension of the spring 8 marks the limit which the
strength of the current flowing through the solenoid coils must reach before

page_text: resistance is thrown into the field-magnet circuit; hence, by carefully adjusting
the tension of this spring the maximum strength of the current can be regulated
very exactly. In some cases, however, it is desirable to automatically reduce the
tension of the spring 8 to a considerable degree, as when a dynamo is feeding a lamp-
circuit in a railway car or carriage, and the lamps are all turned off for a daylight
run. To effect this a mechanism is employed which will now be described.
Over an electro-magnet, 20, is situated an armature lever, 21, one arm of which
carries an armature, 22, adjacent to said magnet, the other arm being coupled to
the upper end of the spring S. When the magnet is excited, it acts on the armature
to put said spring under tension. Now when a current is flowing through the magnet
coils a tension is put on the spring 8 which must be overcome by the current flowing
through the solenoid coil, and consequently, the current in the main exterior circuit
fed by the dynamo will be at its maximum or standard; but when the lights aro
cut out the circuit through the coils of magnet 20 is broken and the tension on
spring 8 greatly reduced. The result is that a considerable resistance is at once
thrown into the field coils of the dynamo, as will be understood. This reduces tha
minimum or standard of strength of the current in the main circuit to the degree
predetermined.
Figure 7 shows the circuits, switches, etc., in a diagrammatic manner.
M is a meter in the main, exterior circuit, S is a storage battery or accumulator
in multiple in said circuit, and L is a lamp-series, also in multiple in the main
circuit. L. S, is the switch for cutting out the lamps; D, S, is the switch for cut-
ting out the dynamo from both the lamp and accumulator circuits, and A, S, repre-
sents, as a whole, an automatic switch which, when the generator is not operating,
cuts the latter out from the lamp circuit, leaving the latter to be supplied from the
accumulator only, but it automatically switches in the generator when the strength
of the current fed by it rises to a predetermined point. This switch is not of itself
new and will need but a brief description.
An electro-magnet, c, is pivotally mounted in the manner of a lever and carries
on one of its arms two circuit-closers, e and e* a spring, i, tends to keep the
closer e up to two circuit-terminals, h, normally, thus closing the break in a circuit
between said terminals; but when the lever-magnet is moved in the other direction,
against the tension of the spring i, the closer e, closes a circuit of which h* are
terminals.
The main exterior circuit, C, fed by the dynamo, is represented in Fig. 7 by a
heavy black line. The current flows from the positive brush, 2, of the dynamo D,
to the solenoid 5, thence to a binding post, thence to the meter M, thence through
one branch of the switch D, S, to a binding post, y, shown as at the switch A, S.
thence to a terminal and through the closer c to the other terminal h, thence
through the coils of two electro-magnets j. j, arranged at opposite sides of the
respective arms of the lever-magnet c. thence through the other branch of the
switch 1). S. to one pole of the accumulator S, thence from the other pole of said
accumulator to a binding post, and thence to the negative brush, n, of the
dynamo. There is a split in the circuit at the poles of the accumulator S, forming
the lamp-circuit, k, which is represented in Fig. by a repetition of a long dash,
a dot, and a short dash. The current flows through this circuit from the positive
pole of the accumulator through a resistance coil, 23, to the switch L, S., thence to
the series of lamps L, and thence back to the negative pole of the accumulator.
This circuit is always closed to the accumulator except when broken at the
switch L, S.
From the binding post y there is a branch, m, of the main circuit, which is
designated by a repetition of a dash and dot. Through this circuit m a current
flows through the coils of the lever-magnet e, thence to a binding post, z, and thence
to the negative brush of the dynamo. This circuit is always closed to the dynamo
when the switch D, S, is closed.
Another branch, o, from the main circuit is indicated by the repetition of a dash.
and two dots. The current in this circuit flows from the positive pole of the accumu-

page_text: lator to one of the terminals at the switch A, S, thence through the circuit-
closer e to the other contact h, thence to the switch L, S, thence through the lamp-
circuit, and thence back to the negative pole of the accumulator. When the circuit
is closed at the terminals h, h, and the main circuit is open at the terminals h, h³,
the lamps will be fed from the accumulator only by this circuit o, but when the
main circuit is closed at the terminals, h, and the circuit o is broken at the
terminals h, h, the lamps and accumulator will both be in circuit with the generator.
Now let us suppose, at starting, that the accumulator is charged, the generator
not in operation, the circuit o closed at the terminals h, h. by the spring, and the
switch L, S, open. If we close the switch L, S, the lights L will be supplied from
the accumulator S.
If we now set the generator in motion, a current will flow through the circuit m,
and excite the electro-magnet e, causing it to move toward the poles of the electro-
magnets as soon as the current becomes strong enough to overcome the spring i.
This movement causes the circuit-closer e* to close the main circuit at the
terminals h, h, the magnets, will now he strongly excited and hold the magnet
firmly in this position: the circuit is broken and the current flows, as before
stated, from the dynamo to the accumulator and lamps.
The magnet 20 is in a circuit . indicated by a repetition of a dash and four dots.
The current flowing through this circuit leaves the lamp-circuit at a binding post,
beyond the switch L, S, flows thence through the coils of magnet 20, thence to the
binding post, and thence to the negative brush of the dynamo. When the lamps
are turned out this circuit is broken.
F. in Fig. 7, represents the field-magnets. The current flows through a circuit r
indicated by a repetition of a dash and three dots, from the binding post y, to and,
through the rheostat R. thence to and through the coils of the field-magnets 1,
thence to the binding-post, and thence to the negative brush of the dynamo.
The resistance coil 23 serves to reduce the strength of the current flowing to
the lamps, and its value in ohms will be governed by the difference in the voltage
desired in the lamp-circuit and the maximum voltage liable to accumulate in the
storage battery.
By opening both branches of the switch D, S, the dynamo is cut out and the
main circuit and its branches are opened.
The means for preserving the signs of polarity in the external circuit, whereby
the car or carriage may be run with either end foremost, will now be described with
especial reference to Figures 1. 8, 9 and 10.
On the shaft 10 is fixed a shifting helix, 25, which is driven through the medium.
of the mechanism heretofore described. A lever 26 (Fig. 10), is fulcrumed on the
frame and carries at one end a stud. 27 (Fig. 9), which engages the groove in the
helix. In order to make clear the function and operation of the helix 25, its
peculiar construction will now be described with reference to Fig. 8, and that of
the stud 27, with, reference to Fig. 9.
The helix is conveniently formed of a cylinder of metal in which are cut, near
its respective ends, two relatively shallow circumferential grooves, and b (in
Fig. 8), and these are connected by a deeper helical groove, c, thereby forming
shoulders, d, where the side-walls of the groove e intersect the grooves a and b;
but at its extreme ends the helical groove merges into the shallower circumferential
groove by easements or inclines. The stud 27 on the lever 20 has on it a roller-
sleeve, 27, which engages the grooves of the helix and may slide longitudinally
on the stud. being backed by a spring, 27, as seen in Fig. 9. To understand the
operation, suppose the helix to be rotating in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 8
and the stud 27 to be in the groove a. As the helix rotates, the stud will
the shoulder at that end at each rotation of the helix, the spring-actuated sleeve
on the stud 27 being protruded or pressed back to adapt the stud to the varying
depths at different points in the groove. So long as the helix is rotating in this
direction the stud will remain in the groove a. but if the rotation of the helix be
reversed, as it will be if the railway car or carriage is drawn with the other and
pass
off

page_text: foremost, the stud will engage the oblique shoulder d, be deflected into the oblique
groove c, and carried by the rotation of the helix over to the circumferential
groove b, where it will remain until the direction of rotation of the helix is again
changed, when it will be carried back again to the groove a.
The effect of this operation is to swing the shifting lever 26 from side to side
and through it, by suitable mechanism, to change the poles in such a manner as
to preserve the signs of polarity. This may be done by shifting the brushes on the
commutator, two pairs of brushes being used, or by means of a switch, as
shown in Fig. 10. In this figure 28 is the commutator and 29 the brushes. Six
contact-terminals, arranged abreast, are adapted to be put in contact with a forked
switch-point, 30, pivotally mounted in the usual way. The contact-terminals 31
and 32, are, respectively, the terminals or electrodes of the positive and negative
brushes 29, of the exterior circuit; the outer contact-terminals, 33, are connected
together electrically, and form the positive terminal of the exterior circuit, and the
inner contacts, 34, are connected together electrically and form the negative terminal
of the exterior circuit. As shown in Fig. 10, the right-hand branch of the switch-
point connects the negative terminal-contact 32 with the contact 34 at that side,
and the left-hand branch thereof connects the positive terminal with the contact 33
at that side. If the switch-point be shifted to the right, obviously the signs of
polarity in the exterior circuit will be changed: but as the switch-point is coupled
by a link 20 with the shifting lever 26, and will be shifted only when the direction
of rotation of the armature is reversed, and in consequence the signs of polarity
at the brushes is changed, it is obvious that the signs of polarity in the exterior
circuit will be maintained constant.
The axles of railway cars or carriages are usually made to taper from each wheel-
bearing, to a point at or near the middle of the axle, and they are, also, usually
more or less irregular in taper and contour; and those in control of railways object
to having the axles of the cars or carriages cut or dressed to fit them to receive
and form supports for gearing and electrical apparatus. Hence, when a railway
car is to be fitted up with a generator to be driven from the axle it is desirable
to provide bearings which may be fitted onto the car-axle at any point
in its length without cutting or turning the axle. The construction illus-
trated in Figures 1. 11. 12 and 13 provides for such bearings by providing a bear-
ing sleeve which is simple in construction and application and provides a bearing
concentric with the axle. The sleeve-body, 35, is made of two like halves separated
by a longitudinal division. This body is of tubular form, somewhat larger,
interiorly, than the axle so as to fit over it loosely. At each of its ends the body
has formed on it a pair of collars, 36, and between these collars, at each end of thio
body, is mounted a sectional screw-ring, 37. Each ring 37 is made up of, two
sections provided with suitable flanges and bolted together when in place. The
ring is rotative about the sleeve and has bearing shoulders which rest on correspond-
ing shoulders on the body. The object of this will appear when it is noted that
the rings are bored out tapering and have internal screw-threads. As the shoulders
on the ring supply bearing surfaces the screw-threads are thus held out of contact
with the outer surface of the sleeve-body between the collars. This is clearly
shown in Fig. 11.
When the sleeve-body is in place on the axle. the rings 37 in place on the body,
and the bolts in the flanges on the rings tightened up, the screw-threads in each
ring engage corresponding screw-threads on the backs of a series of tapered
jaws, 38, which occupy guide-slits formed in the ends of the sleeve. There should
be at least three of these jaws 38 in each set, equally spaced, but there may be more;
it is preferred to use four jaws, as herein shown.
The jaws 38 are tapered on their inner faces to fit the taper of the axle so as to
bear evenly thereon, and are tapered exteriorly to correspond with the taper of the
inner face of the ring 37. The jaws may be conveniently made by turning up a
tubular piece of metal, cutting a screw-thread on its exterior face, and then slitting
it longitudinally.

page_text: By rotating the collared rings 38, after the parts have been fitted on the axle,
the jaws may be driven outward, or toward the wheels, and thus caused to wedge
the sleeve fast on the axle, at the same time centering with the axle.
When the
adjustment shall have been completed tlie nuts on the bolts in the flanges on the
rings are screwed up tightly so as to clamp all of the parts fast.
The outer surface of the sleeve-body may be formed and turned up to provido
such bearings as are required. For example, a long bearing to support the frame
of the dynamo, and a bearing to receive a split gear-wheel for driving the armature
of the dynamo.
It is not absolutely essential that the screw in the interior of the ring 38 shall be.
tapered and the backs of the jaws tapered correspondingly, although this construc-
tion is preferred. The taper on the inner faces of the jaws will usually suffice to
make all tight.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me from abroad, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In an electric lighting system suitable for railway carriages, the combination
with a dynamo, an external circuit fed by said dynamo, a rheostat in the field-
magnet circuit of the dynamo, and a solenoid in the said external circuit, said sole-
noid having a movable core and a spring connected therewith, of the
said spring and core, the latter provided with pawl-operating branches 16
and 16, the rotatively mounted shaft 2, the contact-finger 3, carried by said shaft
and adapted to move over the coil terminals of the rheostat, the ratchet-wheels 15
and 15, fixed on said shaft 2, the crank shaft 10, driven from the armature of the
dynamo, the rocking pawl-carrier 13, rocked by said crank-shaft and the spring-
pawls 14 and 14*, carried by said pawl-carrier and adapted to engage the respective
ratchet-wheels 15 and 15, the branches 16 and 16 on the core of the solenoid being
adapted to shift said pawls, respectively, into and out of engagement by the move-
ment of the solenoid core, substantially as set forth.
2. In an electric lighting system suitable for railway carriages, the combination
with a dynamo, an external circuit fed by said dynamo, a solenoid in said external
circuit, the movable core of said solenoid and its spring, a rheostat in the field-
magnet circuit of the dynamo, and mechanism, substantially as described, whereby
the movements of the solenoid-core controls the resistance in the said field-magnet
coils, of a branch circuit from the main exterior circuit, means for breaking said
branch cinquit, an electro-magnet 20 in said branch circuit, an armature lever,
one arm of which is coupled to the spring of the solenoid-core and the other pro-
vided with an armature in the field of force of said electro-magnet 20, and said
armature, whereby, when said branch circuit is broken the tension of said spring
is reduced, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In an electric lighting system suited for railway carriages, the combination
with a dynamo, an external circuit fed by said dynamo, a solenoid in said external
circuit, the movable core of said solenoid and its spring, a rheostat in the field-mag-
net circuit of the dynamo, and mechanism, substantially as described, whereby the
movements of the solenoid-core controls the resistance in the said field-magnet coils.
of a branch circuit from the main exterior circuit, lamps in said branch circuit,
means for breaking said lamp-circuit, an electro-magnet in said lamp-circuit, and
means between said electro-magnet and the core-spring of the solenoid, whereby
the tension of said spring is increased when the said electro-magnet is excited, sub-
stantially as set forth.
4. In an electrical system, the combination with a dynamo, of a shifting helix,
having two relatively shallow circumferential grooves and a deeper, spiral groove,
connecting said two circumferential grooves and forming deflecting shoulders at
the points of intersection therewith, a shifting lever, having a stud which engages a
groove in said helix, gearing between the armature of the dynamo and said helix,
whereby the former rotates the latter, and a pole-changer connected with and

page_text: adapted to be operated by said shifting lever when the direction of rotation of the
dynamo is reversed.
5. In an electrical system, the combination with a dynamo, the helix 25, driven
from the dynamo, the shifting lever 26, having a stud engaging the groove in said
helix, and a switch or movable commutator brushes coupled to said shifting lever,
whereby, when the direction of rotation of the armature of the dynamo is changed,
the signs of polarity in exterior circuit will be maintained.
6. In a
pole-changing mechanism, the combination with the shifting helix 25.
having circumferential grooves a and b, a deeper spiral groove c, connecting the said
circumferential grooves. and deflecting shoulders d. d, as described, of the shifting
lever 26, having a fixed stud, a sliding sleeve on said stud, and a spring bearing on
said sleeve, said sleeve and stud engaging a groove in said helix, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
7. The bearing-sleeve for the axle of the railway carriage, comprising a longi-
tudinally divided tubular body, having near each end a collar-bearing for a sectional
screw-ring and at each end longitudinally extending guide-ways to receive
tapered jaws, the said screw-rings rotatively mounted in said collar-bearings, and
the said jaws, mounted in said guide-ways and embraced by said rings, said jaws
having screw-threads on their outer faces which engage the threads of internal
screws in the rings, whereby the rotation of the screw-rings serves to drive the
tapered jaws longitudinally of the bearing sleeve.
8. The combination with the tapering axle of the railway car or carriage, of a
bearing-sleeve therefor, said sleeve comprising a tubular body, divided longi-
tudinally and having three or more slits or guide-ways in each end, said guide-ways
extending longitudinally of the tubular body, tapered jaws which occupy the
respective guide-ways in the body, screw-rings which embrace and rotate about
the said tube and jaws, and have internal screw-threads which fit and engage
similar screw-threads on the backs or outer faces of the jaws, and means for pre-
venting the movement of the said rings longitudinally of the body.
9. In a bearing-sleeve for the railway carriage axle. the combination with the
longitudinally divided sleeve-body, having slits or guideways in its respective ends
to receive the jaws, and collars in pairs near its ends, of the said jaws, having screw-
threads on their backs or outer faces, and the sectional screw-rings mounted on said
boly between the respective collars, said collars having raised bearing surfaces, and
said rings having bearing surfaces to bear on said surfaces, and having each an
internal screw to fit and engage the screw-threads on the jaws.
add this 20th day of November 1897