Improvements in Electric Locomotives and in Electric Conductors for use therewith.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 18th May, 1892-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Locomotives and in Electric Conductors
for use therewith.
We, LLEWELYN BIRCHALL ATKINSON, CLAUDE WILLIAM ATKINSON,
Civil Engineers and FREDERICK HURD, Mechanical Engineer all of Woodfield
Works, Woodfield Road, Harrow Road in the County of London, W., do hereby
declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the construction of electric locomotives
and in electric conductors for use therewith and is especially applicable to such as
are used in underground mines or collieries or confined spaces.
In locomotives as hitherto constructed, the wheel base is wanting in flexibility
and on the uneven roads existing in mines & collieries, loss of tractive force results,
owing to the uneven & varying pressure of the four wheels.
This defect we overcome and entirely obviate in our invention by providing a
flexible wheel base.
In the usual method employed hitherto of collecting the current from the
roadway conductor, an overhead conductor or a conductor arranged at the side of
the road has been used, the rails being utilised as the return conductor.
These methods of working render the roadway dangerous for use by men or
animals, owing to the liability which exists for them to come in contact with the
conductor.
Our invention provides for the use of a double conductor of a form which admits
of its use either on the sides or overhead whilst it is protected in such a manner
that except intentionally it cannot be touched by men or animals.
Our improved locomotive comprises an electro motor, (preferably of the enclosed
type protected by casings as described and illustrated in Patents No. 1267687
1662387 and 536",) mounted on springs.
These springs are carried upon a light framing. This framing is carried upon
4 wheels, but is itself made in two parts, each part relating to one axle and a pair
of wheels.
The two parts are pivotted one upon the other so as to have a relative movement
about an axis in the direction of the length of the locomotive, so as to allow each
pair of wheels to rest independently upon the rails. The two pair of wheels are
preferably connected to each other by coupling rods.
One pair of wheels is driven either by gearing or a chain.
When gearing is used it is necessary to provide means whereby the gearing from
the motor shaft to the wheel shaft is kept in proper relative position.
We prefer to effect this as follows:-
The motor shaft carries a pinion, which engages with a gear wheel carried by a
2nd shaft which is carried upon the motor itself or on a rigid extension of the
same.
This shaft carries a 2nd pinion which engages with a gear wheel on the
locomotive driving axle.
The relative positions of these wheels are secured by a system of links.
On each side of the locomotive is a link pivotted at a point between its two ends,
upon the locomotive driving axle.
At one end of this link is hung the under frame of the locomotive and at the
other end of the link is hung the motor.
By this means the motor as it moves upon the springs carrying it is maintained
properly in gear with the driving axle, as such movement is made round the centre
of the driving axle.

page_text: The locomotive is provided with starting and regulating apparatus operated from
either end, seats being provided for the driver.
The electric current is conveyed to the motor by a flexible conductor which is
connected to and draws a light trolley along the conductors.
This trolley is provided with contact wheels or brushes to collect the current.
The conductor is constructed as follows:-
Two angle or flat bars of iron or other suitable material are arranged so as to
form when placed at the side of the road, an upper & lower ledge or edge, corre-
sponding to the out & return conductors.
These are separated & insulated by earthenware or porcelain pieces carried
by the bolts & fixings which secure the double conductor to the side or roof
timbers.
In order to protect the conductor from being touched by men or animals, a
continuous board is carried in frant by the same bolts, that carry the insulators;
this board being of slightly greater width than the two conductors, it forms a fence
or guard.
Suitable frogs or crossings are provided for branches or crossings.
The separate lengths of the main conductor are connected by copper rivets and
feeders may be led in at intervals from the generating dynamo.
Dated this 17th day of August 1891.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Locomotives and in Electric Conductors
for use therewith.
We, LLEWELYN BIRCHALL ATKINSON, and CLAUDE WILLIAM ATKINSON,
Civil Engineers, and FREDERICK HURD, Mechanical Engineer, all of Woodfield
Works, Woodfield Road, Harrow Road, in the County of London, W. do hereby
declare the nature of our invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
Our invention relates to improvements in the construction of electric locomotives
and in electric conductors for use therewith, and is specially applicable to such as
are used in underground mines or collieries or confined spaces.
In locomotives as hitherto constructed the wheel base has been wanting in
flexibility, and on the uneven roads existing in mines and collieries, loss of tractive
force results, owing to the varying and uneven pressure of the four wheels upon
the road.
This defect we overcome and entirely obviate in our invention by providing a
flexible wheel base.
In the usual method employed hitherto of collecting the current from the roadway
conductor, an overhead conductor or a conductor arranged at the side of the road
has been used; the rails being utilised as the return conductor.
These methods of working render the roadway dangerous for use by men or
animals owing to the liability which exists for them to come in contact with the
conductor.
Our invention provides for the use of a double conductor of a form which adinits
of its use either on the sides or overhead whilst it is protected in such a manner that
except intentionally it cannot be touched by men or animals.
In order that our invention may be the better understood, we will now proceed
to describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being
had to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved electric locomotive,

page_text: Figure 2 is a sectional view of the conductor showing the method of fixing them,
nd also the trolley mounted thereon.
Figure 3 is a view from the back of the conductors with trolley thereon.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of modified construction of conductors and their
upport.
Our improved locomotive comprises an electro motor A (preferably of the
enclosed type protected by casings as described and illustrated in Patents
Nos. 1267687, 1662387, and 536") mounted upon springs B.
These springs B are carried on a light framing C which is mounted upon four
wheels D.
The framing C is made in two parts, each part relating to one axle and a pair
of wheels.
The two parts are pivotted one upon the other at E so as to have a relative
movement about an axis in the direction of the length of the locomotive.
This disposition of parts will allow each pair of wheels to rest independently upon
the rails.
The two pair of wheels D D are preferably connected to each other by coupling
rods F journalled on cranks pins fon wheels D D.
One pair of the wheels D only is driven from the motor which may be effected
by either tooth gearing or a chain.
When gearing is used it is necessary to provide means whereby the gearing from
the motor shaft to the wheel shaft is kept in proper relative position to effect
efficient driving effort.
We effect this as follows:-
The motor shaft G carries a pinion H which engages with a spur wheel K
carried by a second shaft k.
This shaft kis mounted to journal on the motor A or on a rigid extension
thereof.
This shaft carries a second pinion L which engages with the gear wheel M
which is carried by the locomotive driving axle d.
The relative positions of these wheels are secured by a system of links arranged
as follows:-
On each side of the locomotive is arranged a link N pivotted at a point between
its two ends upon the driving axle d.
At one end O of the link N is pivotably hung the under frame C of the
locomotive, and at the other end P is hung the motor, the point of suspension
being upon the shaft k or coincident with the axis thereof.
Now it is obvious that by this means the motor A as it moves relatively to the
under frame C, due to the elasticity of the springs B, must make such movement
round the centre of the driving axle d and thus the gearing is maintained in gear
in a proper manner. The locomotive is fitted with starting and regulating and
reversing apparatus with levers R so as to be operated from either end, and seats Q
are provided for the driver.
Electric current is conveyed to the motor by a flexible conductor which draws a
light trolley along the road conductors.
In Figures 2 and 3 we show the method of mounting the conductors and of
collecting the current therefrom.
In Figure 2, S is a wooden support which carries the conductors.
The conductors consist of two angle irons T of iron or other suitable material, or
equivalently flat bars may be used.
These conductors are supported by and insulated from each other at intervals by
insulating pieces s, s', or porcelain or other suitable material, small pieces of wood
being inserted between the conductor and the porcelain piece to provide an
elastic packing piece to prevent the fracture of the porcelain piece when screwed
up tight by the bolt t which passes through the pieces s and s¹ into the roof or side
timber S,
"

page_text: In order to protect the conductors from being touched by men or animals a
continuous board U is carried in front of the conductors T by the bolts that carry
the insulators, and being of slightly greater width than the two conductors it forms
a fence or guard.
Suitable frogs or crossings are provided for branches or crossings and the separate
lengths of the main conductors are connected by copper rivets, and feeders may be
led in intervals from the generating dynamo.
In Figure 4 we show a modified arrangement of conductors in which the
insulating piece S is provided with channels into which the flange of each
conductor T is inserted, the piece S₁ supporting them in position by the strain
obtained from the bolt t, and the protecting board U being fixed in a similar
manner as before described.
The trolley V Figures 2 and 3 may have 3 collecting wheels running in contact
with the conductors T, the lower wheel being elastically mounted upon this
trolley to allow of the collecting wheels being always in contact with the
conductors irrespective of the depth of the same being non-uniform. If necessary
the wheels may be substituted by collecting brushes.
The leads are taken from the collecting wheels to a terminal W from which the
flexible traction double conductor cable X is taken to the electric locomotive.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. An electric locomotive in which the electro motor is mounted elastically upon
the carrying frame, and connected by chain or toothed gearing to the driving axle,
the relative positions of the motor and driving axle to one another being maintained
constant by links connecting the motor and carrying frames and adapted to turn
about axes which coincide with the axes of two of the rotating axles of the
gearing, one being on the motor frame, and the other on the carrying frame
substantially as described.
2nd. In such an electric locomotive the carrying frame formed in two halves,
each having a pair of wheels, the two halves being jointed together and adapted to
turn relatively to one another about an axis situated in a horizontal plane, and in
the direction of the length of the locomotive, substantially as described.
3rd. The arrangement and construction of an electric locomotive substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
4th. In combination with a locomotive as claimed in Claim 1 a double conductor
and protective board, mounted and insulated, and a collecting trolley substantially
as described and illustrated in Figure 2, 3, and 4, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of May 1892.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicants.