Improvements in and connected with Electrically Propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1892-Accepted, 6th Aug.. 1892
[Communicated from abroad by CHARLES BROWN, of 7, Rue de Florence, I aris,
in the French Republic, Engineer.]
Improvements in and connected with Electrically Propelled
Vehicles.
1, WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 70 Market Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to vehicles propelled by means of electricity upon railways
and tramways.
According to these improvements three pairs of wheels are employed, of which
the front and rear pairs are motor wheels, and the middle pair bearing wheels.
The framing or trucks of the motor wheels are capable of turning around
pivots fixed in the under-framing of the vehicle at one end, and in a bar
A cross bar fixed to each motor
supported below the vehicle, at the other end.
truck has two spherical cavities formed in it carrying two spring boxes, in the
first of which there is a pivot piston and in the second, a piston and rod. The
upper end of each spring box is formed spherically to fit within the spherical
cavities in the cross bar, hence the spring boxes can move freely within the
cross bar so as to permit the free displacement of the motor truck relatively to
the vehicle, for example, in rounding a curve. The centre pair of wheels is
carried in fixed axle boxes as in ordinary vehicles of a like class, the axle upon
which they are fixed having no other play than is necessary for the vertical dis-
placement and for the play of the springs.
The piston rod in the second spring box is joined with the bar below the
vehicle by means of a hemispherical nut, forming with a socket in the bar, a
When the vehicle is travelling
joint which permits motion in every direction.
in a straight line, this spring box is vertical, but when travelling round a curve
it takes an angular position more or less acute according to the length of radius
of the curve.
This inclination of the spring box originates an effort to bring the
truck back into the central position and to resume and preserve its original position
when the curve is passed.
Each of the wheels of each of the motor trucks, has its special motor and the
This
body of each wheel forms a part of the magnetic circuit of its motor.
part of the wheel consists of a hollow iron casing within which are fixed the
motor pole-pieces surrounding the fixed armature, so that the pole-pieces turn
around it. The outer part of the casing is deeply channelled for the purpose
The hollow iron casing
of rapidly radiating any heat developed by the motor.
forming the body of the wheel and the field magnet of the motor is borne by and
rotates upon the fixed armature spindle. The tyre of the wheel is insulated from
the body by means of two annular indiarubber springs. These are arranged in
such a manner that the wheel is not supported by the body but is suspended by
the indiarubber springs. The compressed indiarubber between the upper part of
the tyre and the body produces a sweet easy motion which preserves the motor, the
vehicle and the tyre.
The indiarubber springs may be substituted by any other suitable elastic material
such for example as corrugated steel springs.
Contamhow D 1891

page_text: Improvements in and connected with Electrically Propelled
Vehicles.
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 vehicles propelled by electricity, upon railways and
tramways.
According to these improvements each element of the propelling system consists
of three pairs of wheels of which the front and rear pairs are motor wheels, and
the middle pair bearing wheels, each wheel of each pair of motor wheels being
capable of independent rotation and furnished with an independent motor.
The accompanying drawings illustrate in what manner this invention may be
carried into practical effect, and will be hereinafter referred to.
In these drawings,
Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevation, and Figure 2 a partial sectional
plan of the propelling system constructed according to these improvements.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 represent details.
The trucks or the framing H H of the motor wheels are capable of turning
around pivots J1 J1 fixed to the under side of the vehicle framing or under-
framing I, at one end, and in a bar J supported below the body of the vehicle by
the support J². A longitudinal bearer H₁ fixed to each motor truck, has two
hemispherical cavities formed in it, each of which carries a box jj, in one of
which, j, there is a pivot piston and rod, and in the other, j', a piston and rod each
of the rods being surrounded by a helical spring. The upper end of each box is
formed spherically to fit within the hemispherical recesses in the bearer H¹; hence,
the upper ends of the boxes can move freely within the spherical cavities, so as to
permit the free displacement of the pair of motor wheels relatively to the vehicle,
as for example, in rounding a curve.
Referring to Figures 2 and 5, the line 1 indicates the position when the vehicle
is travelling in a straight line. The framing or truck in which the motor wheels
are carried can oscillate through the angle comprised within the lines 2, 3, in such
a manner that the motor wheels F can accommodate themselves to curves of small
radius.
The centre pair of wheels K¹ is carried in fixed axle boxes as in ordinary vehicles
of a like class, the axle K upon which they are fixed having no other play in the
horn plates than that which is necessary for vertical displacement and for the play
of the springs.
The piston rod in the second spring box j¹ is joined with the bar J by means
of a hemispherical nut forming with a corresponding socket in the underside of the
bar, a joint which permits motion around the axis of the piston rod.
When the vehicle is travelling in a straight line, the spring box j is vertical,
but when travelling round a curve, it takes an angular position more or less acute
according to the length of radius of the curve. (Figure 5.) This inclination of
the spring box puts the contained helical spring in tension and thus originates an
effort to bring back the truck or framing into the central line and to resume and
preserve its original position when the curve has been passed.
Each of the wheels of each of the motor trucks or framing has its special motor,
and the body L of each wheel forms a part of the magnetic circuit of its motor.
This part of the wheel, consists of a hollow iron casing within which are fixed
or cast the motor poles B B., surrounding the fixed armature C, so that the
pole pieces turn around the armature. The outer part of the casing is deeply
channelled for the purpose of rapidly radiating any heat developed in the motor.

page_text: The hollow iron casing L, forming the body of the wheel and the field magnet
of the motor, is borne by and rotates upon the fixed armature spindle F' which
is fixed in the two bearers H2 by means of the strap and the two bolts h h
fitting in recesses formed in the ends of the spindle. The wheels have no arms,
and the tyre F, is insulated from the body L by means of indiarubber bands or
springs m m as indicated in cross section on a larger scale by Figure 3. These
indiarubber springs or bands, are secured between annular flanges ff, formed on
the tyre, the flange b formed on the body of the wheel, and the annular flange 61
formed on the outer cover of the body of the wheel. This arrangement is such
that the wheel is not supported directly by the tyre but through the medium
of indiarubber springs. The compressed indiarubber between the upper part of
the tyre and the body produces a sweet easy motion which preserves the motor,
the vehicle, and the tyre.
The indiarubber springs may be replaced by other suitable elastic materials such
for example as corrugated steel springs as indicated at m' Figure 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,―
1. In an electrically propelled vehicle, a system of three pairs of wheels, of
which the two outer pairs carry an articulated truck or frame which permits them
to traverse curves freely, and the inner pair are mounted upon an axle arranged
in bearings in the ordinary manner, the four wheels of the two outer pairs being
independent of each other and each being driven by a direct acting motor without
reducing gear, all constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In a motor wheel of an electrically propelled vehicle, a deeply channelled body,
forming part of the magnetic circuit, constructed and arranged substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
3. In a motor wheel of an electrically propelled vehicle, the combination and
arrangement of the tyre and body with an indiarubber band, spring, or other
similar elastic device, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. In a motor system of an electrically propelled vehicle, articulated trucks or
frames constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
5. A motor wheel for an electrically propelled vehicle, constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 1st day of June A.D. 1892.
WILLIAM E. HEYS.