Improvements in and Connected with Electric Moto-cars.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
[Communicated from abroad by JEAN JACQUES HEILMANN of 19 Rue Cambon,
Paris, in the French Republic, Engineer.]
Improvements in and Connected with Electric Moto-cars.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 70 Market Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, 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 the construction and arrangement of electrically
propelled carriages destined to run on common roads.
In such vehicles, constructed according to the present Invention, one or more
of the wheels are driven by one or more electro-motors energised by one or more
dynamos carried upon the vehicle itself. The dynamo or dynamos is or are
driven by any suitable prime motor, as for example, by a petroleum motor, a gas
motor, or a steam engine, which is also carried upon the vehicle and drives the
dynamo or dynamos either direct or through the intermediary of belt, chain, or
toothed gearing. Similarly, the electro-motors may 'drive the vehicle wheels
either directly, or by any suitable kind of gearing.
I will more particularly describe the said Invention as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, illustrate different arrangements of vehicles constructed
according to his improved system.
On the vehicle represented by Figures 1 and 2, the generating dynamo G, is
directly driven by a high speed petroleum engine P. If cylinders with radiating
flanges are not employed, a tank e, may be provided for containing water to be used
for cooling the cylinders of the engine.
The current from the dynamo G, on its way to the electro-motor M, traverses a
rheostat r, the resistances in which are controlled through the intermediary of the
hand wheel V, placed under the hands of the conductor. This electro-motor is
wound in series and drives the balance gear T, which is of the "Starley" or other
suitable type, and which allows the wheels to run in different directions. The
motor is suspended at K upon the axle a, and by the springs S.
A switch controlled by the lever C permits the current in the motor armature
to be reversed, and consequently also the direction of travel.
H, is the vehicle steering handle; /, the petroleum tank; and p, a pump for
circulating the water around the engine cylinders. The dynamo may be excited
either in derivation or in series. The diagram Figure 6 shews the connections
in the former case.
But, as indicated by the diagram Figure 5, the field magnets of the dynamo
may be excited by a separate dynamo E, which may be driven by the engine P
or by a separate engine. In this case, the rheostat r is substituted by the rheostat R
as shewn in Figure 6.
Figure 3 represents a modification of the arrangement and construction in which
the dynamo G is driven by a balanced petroleum engine P'. The vehicle wheels

page_text: are driven by an electro-motor through the intermediary of the balance gear
but without intermediate gearing, the motor armature rotating at the same speed
as the axle. The electro-motor is mounted upon the vehicle and its armature
is fixed upon the hollow spindle d which rotates in bearings fixed to the motor
field-magnets.
The axle traverses this hollow spindle, sufficient room being allowed for the play
of the axle arising from the flexure of the vehicle springs. The armature drives
the balance gearing through tension springs.
Figure 4 illustrates an axle a for the same vehicle, upon which there is a
separate electro-motor for each of the two vehicle wheels shewn. Here the wheels
are mounted upon the hollow motor spindles which arrangement permits the
wheels to move independently as in turning corners.
The described motors may be substituted by a balanced steam engine supplied
by steam from any suitable steam generator. In this case, the principal dynamo
may again be separately excited and the engine may have constant steam admission
with a variable speed as described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 5118
dated the 12th March 1894 on a communication to me from abroad by Jean
Jacques Heilmann.
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
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A motor cat for use on common roads, in which the axle or axles are turned
by electro-motors fed by a dynamo mounted upon the same vehicle, constructed
and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a motor car for use on common roads, a completely balanced prime motor
driving a dynamo which supplies an electro-motor for rotating the vehicle wheels,
the engine dynamo and electro-motor being all carried by the vehicle itself, sub-
stantiany as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a motor car for use on common roads a steam engine having a constant
admission with variable speeds, a dynamo driven by the engine, and a motor or
motors fed by the dynamo, the engine dynamo and motor or motors being all
carried upon the vehicle, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
4. Motor cars for use on common roads containing a prime motor, a dynamo or
dynamos, and an electro-motor or electro-motors constituting the driving agency,
the said prime motor dynamos and electro-motors being arranged operated and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated thie 22nd dox of Tanum n 1907