Improvements in and relating to the Propulsion of Tramway Vehicles or Boats by means of Electricity.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1891-Accepted, 25th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Propulsion of Tramway
Vehicles or Boats by means of Electricity.
We, JOSEPH LEOPOLD HUBER of Brauerstrasse 34, and LOUIS JONES MAGEE,
of Michaelisbrücke 1, Hamburg, both in the Empire of Germany, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the propulsion of tramway vehicles or boats by means
of electricity, and is especially adapted for use on tramways where at one time
direct connection with a main current conductor, either above or underground may
be obtained, while at other times this is impossible or inconvenient.
Our method consists in storing the surplus electricity supplied to the motor with
convenient tension from the main circuit in a number of secondary batterics
arranged in the car or cars, at that part of the journey during which contact may
be made with the conductors of the main current, thereby using preferably the
accumulators as regulators instead of rheostats, and then employing the electricity
thus stored, on those parts of the journey where no contact with said conductors
is possible or convenient.
To this effect the accumulators on the car are connected, on the one hand with
cach other by a switch or other convenient mechanical device, in such a manner,
that they may either be joined up in tension or in quantity; and on the other hand
with the electromotor and an arrangement for enabling direct contact with the
above or underground electric conductors in such a manner that the electro-magnet
coil or coils of the electro-motor or motors for driving the car, may either be
connected with the accumulators only, or with the conductors of the main current,
and the accumulators simultaneously, in which latter case the accumulators may be
joined up either in derivation or in series.
We arrange this latter switch preferably in such a manner, that in one position
of the same, the current may pass from the contact point with the positive pole of
the source of electricity, through the switch, to the accumulators, which may be
joined up
in quantity or tension,--back through the switch to the magnet coil or
coils of the electromotor or motors, through the reversing levers to the commutator
and back through the reversing levers and the switch to the ground plate or the
negative pole of the source of electricity.
In the second position of this switch the current may take the following
course.
From the positive pole of the accumulators through the switch to the magnet
coil or coils of the electromotor or notors, then through the reversing lever, to the
commutator, thence back through the reversing lever, the switch and to the
negative pole of the accumulators.
It is obvious that in both cases the tension of the current passing to the motor or
motors depends on the grouping of the accumulators so that in employing the main
current to charge the accumulators no artificial resistance (rheostat) is necessary
and thus no loss of electricity whatever, is occasioned owing to a conversion of the
same into heat.
It is evident that instead of reversing the direction of the current in the armature
or armatures of the motor or motors in order to change the direction of the car or
cars the current may be reversed in the coil or coils of the electromagnet or
magnets. Instead of the switch for reversing the direction of the current, change

page_text: wheels or any other equivalent mechanical contrivance may be employed, without
in any way departing from the nature of our invention.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Propulsion of Tramway
Vehicles or Boats by means of Electricity.
We, JOSEPH LEOPOLD HUBER, of Brauerstrasse 34, and Louis JONES MAGEE,
of Michaelisbrücke, Hamburg, both in the Empire of Germany, Engineers, 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 propulsion of vehicles; boats, or other floating
vessels by means of electricity, and is especially adapted for use on tramways
where at one time direct connection with a main current conductor, either above
or underground may be obtained, while at other times this is impossible or
inconvenient.
Our method consists in storing the surplus electricity supplied to the motor with
convenient tension from the main circuit, in a number of secondary batteries
arranged in the vehicle or floating vessel, at that part of the journey, during
which contact may be made with the conductors of the main current, thereby
using preferably the accumulators as regulators instead of rheostats, and then
employing the electricity thus stored, on those parts of the journey where no
contact with the said conductors is possible or convenient.
To this effect the accumulators on the car or other vehicle are connected on the
one hand with each other by a switch or other convenient mechanical device, in
such a manner that they may either be joined up in tension or in quantity, and
on the other hand with the electro-motor and an arrangement for enabling direct
contact with the overhead or underground electric conductors in such a manner
that the electro-magnet coil or coils of the electro-motor or motors for driving the
car or other vehicle may either be connected with the accumulators only, or with
the conductors of the main current and the accumulators simultaneously, in which
latter case the accumulators may be joined up either in derivation or in series.
In the accompanying drawing we have shown in diagram in two positions a
contact arrangement constructed according to our invention in connection with the
secondary batteries, the coil or coils of the electro-magnet or magnets of the
electro-motor or motors, a commutator, and a switch for reversing the direction of
the current.
In this drawing is the commutator, E M the coil or coils of the electro-
magnet or magnets of the electro-motor or motors, D and + D the contacts in
connection respectively with the negative pole, or the ground plato, and the positive
pole of the source of electricity; A and +Aare the negativo and positive poles
of the switch connecting the accumulators 1, 2, 3, 4,
and S is tho reversing
lover or switch.
-
In the position shown in Figure 1, a main current of sufficiently high tension
passes from the contact point + D in connection with the positive pole of the source
of electricity, through the contact lever a post + A. to the accumulators 1, 2,
3, 4,
which may be joined up in quantity or in tension, charging the same
and passing by A through arm b, contact r, wire d, contact cl and arm through
the coil or coils B M of the electro-magnet or magnets of the electro-motor or
motors then through arm g of the reversing switch S through the commutator C

page_text: and back through lever of the reversing switch S, wire n, contact lever i and
contact point-D to the ground plate or the negative pole of the source of
electricity.
In the position shown in Figure 2 however the current passes from the positive
pole of the accumulator 1, 2, 3, 4. at +A through the lever a, contact k,
wire l, contact m and short arm of the lever to the electro-magnet coil or coils E M
of the electro-motor or motors, then through the arm g of the reversing levers to
the commutator C thence back through the reversing lever h, circuit wire n, short
arm of the lever i, contact o, wire p, contact 7 and the short arm of the lever b at
- A to the negative pole of the accumulators.
It is obvious that in both cases the tension of the current passing to the motor
or motors depends on the grouping of the accumulators, so that in employing the
main current to charge the accumulators no artificial resistance (rheostat) is
necessary and thus no loss of clectricity whatever is occasioned owing to a
conversion of the same into heat.
It is evident that instead of reversing the direction of the current in the
armature or armatures of the motor or motors in order to change the direction of
the car or cars the current may be reversed in the coil or coils of the electro-
magnet or magnets. Instead of the switch for reversing the direction of the
current, change wheels or any other equivalent mechanical contrivance may be
employed, without in any way departing from the nature of our invention.
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 :-
First. In the electrical propulsion of tramway vehicles or floating vessels by
intermittent connection of the motor or motors with the conductors of a main
circuit and accumulators arranged in the vehicle or vehicles or floating vessel or
vessels, the regulating of the tension of the current conducted into the motor or
motors by arranging the accumulators in such a manner, that the employment of
rheostats or like resisting means may be avoided and loss of electricity prevented
substantially as set forth.
Second. In the clectrical propulsion of tramway vehicles or floating vessels by
intermittent connection of the motor or motors with the conductor of a main
circuit and accumulators arranged in the vehicle or vehicles or floating vessel or
vessels, the combination of an electric motor or motors with a secondary battery or
batteries, contacts in connection with the conductors of the main current and a
switch, constructed and arranged substantially as set forth and for the purpose
specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
*1201 an