Improvements in Magneto-electric Machines for Cycles or other Vehicles, and Driving Gear for the same.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magneto-electric Machines for Cycles or other
Vehicles, and Driving Gear for the same.
We, ERNEST TILMANN of No. 237 Centre Street, Lamp Manufacturer and
CHARLES KING LEXOW of No. 130 West 32nd Street, Lawyer, both in New York
City, County and State of New York, U.S.A., 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 has reference to an improved magneto- or dynamo-electric machine,
which is intended for the purpose of supplying a current of high intensity to a
small incandescent lamp, said lamp and dynamo being mounted on the frame of a
bicycle, cab or other vehicle, and the latter by a motion transmitting mechanism
from one of the wheels of the bicycle or other vehicle, so as to generate current
when the vehicle is in motion.
The invention consists, in its general features, of a magneto-electric machine,
and of a frictional driving gear, which is driven by one of the wheels of the bicycle
or other vehicle, and connected by suitable transmitting mechanism with the shaft
of the armature of the magneto-electric machine. The magneto-electric machine
is constructed of a permanent field-magnet, provided with arc-shaped pole-pieces,
and of an armature, the shaft of which is rotated in bearings of transverse
non-magnetic pieces that are attached to the sides of the field-magnet. The field-
magnet, as well as the core of the armature, is made of laminated iron, the
armature-shaft being provided with a commutator which is connected by conducting
wires with an incandescent lamp mounted on the vehicle. The core-plates of the
armature are axially shifted on the shaft relatively to each other, so as to produce
a step-shaped armature-core, while the armature-coils are wound longitudinally
around the shanks of the core-plates, one at each side of the shaft.
The driving-gear is composed of a friction-cone, the shaft of which is supported in
bearings of a bracket that is applied by a suitable clamping-device to the fork of the
frame, so that the friction-cone is placed in contact with the rim of one of the wheels,
said bracket being provided with ball-bearings retained at the ends of the brackets
by collars attached to the shaft. The motion of the shaft of the friction-cone is
transmitted by suitable driving mechanism to the armature shaft of the magneto-
or dynamo-electric machine, so as to rotate said armature and generate the required
currents for the electric lamp.
In the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 represents a side-elevation of a bicycle, shown with my improved magneto-
or dynamo-electric machine and frictional driving-gear,
Fig. 2 is a side-elevation of my improved magneto-electric machine, drawn on a
larger scale,
Fig. 3 is an end-elevation of same,
Fig. 4 is an elevation taken from the opposite end,
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the core of the armature, shown before winding the
coils around the same,
Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, showing a plan-view
of the driving-gear in a larger scale, and
Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6, showing the driving-
gear in longitudinal section and the rin and tire of the wheel in vertical transverse
section.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Referring to the drawings, F represents the frame of a bicycle or other vehicle,

page_text: The
Da magneto- or dynamo-electric machine mounted on the same, preferably below
the seat, C an electric incandescent lamp, which with its reflector is arranged on
the front-fork, and B is a frictional driving-gear that is preferably attached to one
of the tines of the rear-fork and rotated by frictional contact with the rim of the
hind-wheel. The magneto-electric machine is composed of a permanent field-
magnet A, which is provided with arc-shaped pole-pieces A' that are made integral
with the U-shaped base A2 of the magnet. The base of the field-magnet is attached
by suitable clamping-devices to the frame of the bicycle or other vehicle.
electric lamp C is connected by suitable conducting-wires arranged on the frame
with a commutator on the shaft of the armature of the magneto- or dynamo-electric
machine, the latter being built in such proportions as to supply a current of sufficient
intensity for the electric lamp. As the lamp however would not supply the required
quantity of light, a parabolic reflector C¹ is used with the lamp, by which the light-
rays of the electric lamp are collected and thrown in forward direction parallel with
the axis of the reflector.
The permanent field-magnet A. is preferably made of a number of lamina, to
which the required degree of magnetism imparted in the well-known manner.
The ends of the arc-shaped pole-pieces of the field-magnet A are connected by
transverse non-magnetic pieces a, which are provided with bearings for the shaft S
of the armature D', which latter is rotated in the magnetic field formed by the
pole-pieces. The armature D' is, like the field-magnet, composed of a number of
faminated core-plates d, of which preferably a very large number are arranged,
while a smaller number are used for the field-magnet. Each core-plate d is formed
of a shank that is placed on the armature-shaft S and of segmental face-pieces d'
at each end of said shank. The core-plates d are shifted axially towards each
other on the shaft S, so that one core-plate is set at a small angle to its adjoining
core-plate, whereby a step-shaped core is formed, as shown in Fig. 5. Around the
shanks of the core-plates; and at opposite sides of the shaft S, are wound two
coils D2, which are connected to a commutator E in the usual manner.
The current
is taken off from the commutator by brushes e, e, and supplied by conducting-wires
to the electric incandescent lamp.
The armature is rotated by a belt and pulley transmission from the frictional
driving-gear B, which is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and which consists of a friction-
cone B¹ of soft rubber or other elastic material, that is mounted on a shaft b¹ which
is supported in bearings of a bracket-sleeve B2. The bracket-sleeve B2 is provided
with a semi-circular recess, so as to fit around the tine of the fork at one side of the
wheel, it being clamped to the tine by a semi-circular piece 62, pivoted to one end
of the bracket-bearing B2, and by a clamping thumb-screw 63, which connects the
opposite ends of the bracket-sleeve B2 and semi-circular 62, as shown clearly in
Fig. 2. The bracket-sleeve B2 has a central core for the shaft b' of the friction-
cone B and also grooves concentric to the shaft in its ends, in which anti-friction
balls are placed, said balls being retained by collars b, b, that are fitted into the ends
of the sleeve and attached by means of set-screws * * to the shaft b', as shown
in Fig. 7. By fitting the collars b** tightly into the ends of the sleeve-shaped
bearing of the shaft, the ingress of dust to the ball-bearings is prevented. A
washer is interposed between the collar 6* and the friction-cone B₁ at one end of
the shaft and between the collar * and the motion-transmitting pulley p attached
to the other end of the shaft, so that an easy motion of the shaft of the friction-cone
in its ball-bearings is obtained. By the clamping mechanism by which the
supporting-bracket-sleeve B2 is applied to the frame, the friction-cone can be
readily adjusted in contact with the rim of the wheel or moved away from the same,
according as the motion of the dynamo is desired to be started or stopped. This is
accomplished by loosening the thumb-screw 6 and setting the bracket-bearing
close to or slightly away from the rim. A belt or cord transmits the motion to the
shaft 6 of the friction shaft from the pulley p to the shaft of the armature and
imparts thereby the required speed of rotation to the same. The parts of the
motion-transmitting mechanism are so proportioned that the dynamo supplies a

page_text: current of sufficient strength for bringing the filament of the lamp to incandescence
when the vehicle is set in motion, the increased speed of the vehicle increasing also
the quantity of the current. The surplus-current can be stored up by any approved
means, so as to be supplied when the vehicle is at rest. As soon as the vehicle is
stopped, the motion of the armature is stopped also, and thereby the generation
of the current discontinued. On the shaft of the armature is arranged the com-
mutator E which may be of any approved construction, and by which the induction-
currents generated in the coils of the armature are collected and changed into
current of uniform direction, which are taken up by the brushes e, e and supplied by
the conducting-wires to the light-giving lamp.
As the magneto-electric machine is of comparatively small size, it adds very little
to the weight of the bicycle, while it supplies a light far superior to the ordinary
oil-lamps, but without the objectionable features of the same, such as the disagree-
able smell and the easy extinguishment of the light when passing over obstructions.
When it is desired to increase the strength of the current, the shanks of the
field-magnets may be wound also with coils, into which a part of the current from
the armature is conducted, so that a dynamo-electric machine is obtained. The
driving-gear is constructed of simple and durable construction, and is operated
from the rim of the wheel of the vehicle, as the pneumatic tires used in bicycles are
not adapted for imparting uniform motion and would be injured by the friction with
the transmitting-gear.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A magneto-electric machine, consisting of a permanent field-magnet having
arc-shaped pole-pieces, an armature rotating within said pole-pieces, said armature
being composed of a series of laminated core-pieces, shifted axially at a small
angle to each other so as to form a step-shaped core, and induction-coils wound
around the shanks of the core-pieces, one at each side of the shaft, substantially as
set forth.
2. An armature for magneto and dynamo-electric machines, consisting of a
shaft, a series of laminated core-pieces which are shifted at a small angle to each
other so as to form a step-shaped core, and induction-coils wound around the
shanks of said core-plates at opposite sides of the shaft, substantially as set
forth.
3. An armature of magneto-electric machines, composed of a shaft, a series of
laminated core-pieces provided with radial shanks and segmental face-plates, said
core-pieces being shifted axially at a small angle to each other so as to form a step-
shaped core, and induction-coils wound around the shanks of the core-plates at
opposite sides of the shaft, substantially as set forth.
4. An armature-core for magneto- and dynamo-electric machines consisting of a
series of laminated core-pieces having segmental face-plates, shifted at a small angle
to each other so as to form a step-shaped core, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination, with the supporting-frame of a bicycle and the rim of one
of the wheels of the same, of a frictional driving-gear composed of a friction-cone
rotated by frictional contact with the rim, bearings for supporting the shaft of the
friction-cone on the frame of the bicycle and mechanism for transmitting rotary
motion from said shaft to the shaft of the armature of the dynamo, substantially as
set forth.
6. The combination, with the frame of a bicycle and the rim of one of the
wheels of the same, of a frictional driving-gear composed of a friction-cone placed
into contact with said rim, a shaft for said friction-cone, a bracket-bearing for
said shaft, and a clamping-device for attaching said bracket-bearing to the fork of
the frame at one side of the rim of the wheel, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination, with the frame of a bicycle and the rim of one of the
wheels of the same, of a frictional driving-gear consisting of a friction-cone placed

page_text: in contact with the rim of the wheel, a shaft for said cone, a bracket-sleeve for said
shaft, ball-bearings in the ends of said sleeve, and fixed collars on the shaft for
retaining the anti-friction balls, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination, with the frame of a bicycle and the rim of one of the
wheels of the same, of a frictional driving-gear, consisting of an elastic friction-
cone placed in contact with the rim of said wheel, a shaft for said cone, a
bracket-sleeve for supporting said shaft, a clamping-ring for applying the bracket-
sleeve to the fork of the frame at one side of the rim of the wheel, and a clamping-
screw for attaching or loosening the bracket-sleeve on said fork, substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 7th day of August 1894.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.