Improvements relating to Electric Railways.
Year: 1890

page_text: Improvements relating to Electric Railways.
I, MARK WESLEY DEWEY, of 150 North Salina Street Syracuse, in the County of
Onondaga, in the State of New York, United States of America, Electrician,
do heroby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to electric railways, with special reference to lighting apparatus
therefor and heating apparatus similar to that shown and described in my United
States Patents, No. 401,182, dated April 16th. 1889; No. 406,890, dated July 16th,
1889, and No. 418,911, dated January 7th, 1890.
As now commonly constructed, electric railway cars receiving current from lino
working conductors, are lighted by means of incandescent lamps included in a shunt
circuit around the propelling motor, and, on account of the high voltage of the line
and the low resistance of the lamps, said lamps are connected in circuit in series.
The filaments of said lamps often break when lighted, which is due among other
causes to the vibration or jolting of the car. When one of the filaments of said lamps
break the shunt circuit is entirely broken, all the lamps are extinguished, and the car
is left in darkness. It is impossible then to distinguish which lamp is broken and this
necessitutes often the completion of the trip without light. The lamps being connected
in circuit in series, they must all be lighted, if one is lighted, for, if one or more are
shunted and the current is permitted to pass through the others, their life will be
shortened and considerable current wasted, if they are not instantly broken. Several
(five) high resistance lamps are simultaneously employed on each car, when in some
cases one or two would be sufficient, simply to create the required resistance in the
lamp circuit. If at any time one or two moro lamps are needed than usual, it is
necessary to provide another shunt circuit with five or six lamps, according to the
voltage.
The object of my invention is to obviate these objectional features of our present
system of lighting electric railway cars, and this I accomplish by providing suitable
apparatus for transforming or converting the current or a portion of the current
received on the car into a current of lower voltage and larger volume and by placing
the lamps in multiple connection with a secondary circuit through which the trans-
formed current flows, and further in providing switches for each of said lamps in
circuit so that one or more of the lamps may be lighted while one or more others are
not lighted.
The object of my invention also is to provide apparatus whereby the current
supplied will be varied with and in proportion to the number of lamps in circuit
without waste.
The above applies equally to the heating of electric cars as well as to the lighting
of the same.
In my prior Patents herein before referred to, the heaters or translating devices were
place in circuit in series and a shunt path for the current around each heater was
provided to cut the latter out, allowing an increased current to flow through the other
heaters in circuit, and the current flowing through the primary coil of the transformer
was regulated by an adjustable resistance, but in my present invention it is
regulated by changing the conductivity of the secondary circuit or as before
explained, said current is automatically varied with and in proportion to the number
of heaters in circuit, and the number of heaters may be varied as desired, as they are
adapted to be placed in circuit in parallel.
By combining the lighting and heating systems, which in fact should go together
in an equipment for electric railway cars or trains, both economy and simplicity of
construction is derived, as but one pulsator is required for both systems, one motor to

page_text: operate the pulsator and in some cases, but one transformer and one consumption
circuit. Furthermore, this apparatus may be used for one or both purposes at a time,
and does not remain idle as much of the time as when employed for but one purpose,
besides affording a very convenient and efficient system.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 reprosents a sectional olevation of an electrically propelled car and a
portion of another coupled to it, showing circuits and apparatus thereon in accordance
with my invention and receiving the current by movable contacts on stationary line
working conductors arranged along the railway."
Fig. 2 is a modification of Fig. 1 and shows a single transformer having two
secondary circuits one for the lamps and the other for the heaters.
Fig. is also a modification and shows a dynamo operated by a motor for
transforming the current, and producing a current in a circuit having two branches,
one containing the lamps and the other the heaters.
Fig. 4 represents a simple form of pulsator and transformer that may be employed
in my system.
Similar letters of reference in liente corresponding parts.
Referring specifically to the drawings, A represents the motor car; A' the car
coupled to it; Band 13 the supply or line working conductors arranged along the
railway or path of the car or vehicle; the vehicle conductor or electrical connection
on the car connected movably to the line conductors; and E denotes the source of
electricity.
I do not limit myself to the location of the said line conductors, as they may be
arranged in a conduit beneath the road bed, overhead, or alongside of the track; neither
do 1 limit myself 10 the form of the cars or the contacts and e' carried thereon in
movable connection with the line conductors.
The motor is located as usual in the vehicle conductor containing current
controlling devices, preferably a pole changing switch (and an adjustablo
resistance (
in the figures is a shunt circuit connected with the motor circuit (and around
the motor D and its controlling devices and "; 1 is a suitable electric motor in
the shunt circuit F for operating a pulsitor or dynamo. I preferably employ a second
or separate motor for this purpose, but it will be obvious that the propelling motor
may be employed if desired, especially if it is adapted to rnu continuously as shown
and described in one of my prior Patents before mentioned.
Fis an adjustable rheostat and circuit maker and breaker in said shunt circuit for
regulating the current therein, and thereby controlling the motor.
P is an alternator or a rotatable pole-changer in shunt circuit, and is rigidly con-
nected to the shaft of the motor. The pole-changer may be either connected in the
shunt circuit with said motor in series, or in a derived circuit of said shunt as indicated
in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings or in a separate shunt-circuit as shown in
Fig. 1. By the operation of the pole-changer the current in the portion of the shunt-
circuit containing the primary coil of the transformer is alternated or changed into an
alternating current.
The current is alternated for the purpose of inductionally transforming the direct
current supplied to the car for the propeling motor into a current of lower voltage
and greater volume to be passed through the translating devices in circuit, as the
lamps and heaters. If the current supplied to the ear is of an alternating character
the pulsator and motor for operating the same may of course be dispensed with.
Referring particularly to Fig. 1, M and M' represent two inductional transformors
having preferably closed laminated magnetic circuits with their primary coils in
parallel or multiple are connection with the shunt circuit J containing the pole-
changer P. The secondary circuits S and S' of the transformers M and Mi are
of larger wire than their primaries and are wound a less number of times around
the cores in order to reduce the electro motive force and increase the volume of the
currouts as required. The secondary circuit S is connected with the leads l
Letween which the incandescent lamps n nn etc, are connected in multiple aru.

page_text: The said leads may be arranged upon the car A only, or may extend through
suitable couplings 6 to one or more other cars coupled to it as A'.
The secondary circuit S¹ is of lower resistance than the other secondary circuit S
and contains the heaters hhh in multiple are connection between the supply
conductors thereof. These transformers are preferably constructed so that the
currents in the primaries will he varied with and in proportion to the conductivity
of the secondaries or the number of translating or consumption devices in circuit.
The heaters hhh shown in Figure 1, may be the samo or similar to the heaters
described and shown in my prior United States Patent No. 423,223, dated March 11,
1890, a a a indicating the current regulators or switches on each heater represented
more clearly in Fig. 3, and a' is a switch located near the transformer for opening the
supply conductor to cut out all the heaters simultaneously.
In the same figure e e e etc., indicate the switches or circuit makers and breakers at
each lamp n n n etc., to enable one or more to be lighted without lighting the others
or to allow any desired number of lamps to be placed in circuit, and e¹ is a switch for
opening or closing the circuit to all the lamps simultaneously.
In Figure 2 the motor I is shown connected in series with the alternator P and a
single inductional transformer M having the two secondary circuits wound upon its
core. The motor I may be placed in a derived circuit of the shunt J or have a shunt
placed around it and its controlling device F as indicated in dotted lines at d. The
current regulating device F' in Fig. 2 may be also used to regulate the current Howing
through the primary coil of the transformer independently of the current flowing to
the propelling motor D.
(in Fig. 2 indicates the controlling devices of the motor D and the same may be
placed at both ends of the car as usual. In Fig. 3 the motor 1 operates a dynamo R
which generates a current of lower voltage and greater volume when desired and takes
the place of or acts as a transformer. In this case the lamps n n n etc., are arranged
in multiple are in a branch of the circuit leading to the heaters hhh.
The simple form of pulsator shown in Fig. 4 and designed to be used in place of the
alternator if desired, consists of a metallic wheel mounted on a shaft m and having a
segment of non-conducting or semi-conducting material g in its periphery and forming
preferably about one-half of the latter. i is a stationary brush bearing upon the periphery
of the wheel and is a brush bearing upon the shaft. When the wheel is rotated, if
the segment g is non-conducting the circuit will be made and broken, but if said
segment is of semi-conducting material the circuit or current will not be broken,
but simply pulsated, and will be maintained in a direct condition continually.
The segment g may be made of carbon or a mixture of carbon and some other
resisting material.
The inductional transformer M shown in circuit with this pulsator is a common
straight core transformer, but it will be obvious that any suitable form of transformer
may be used with the same.
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 1
claim is :-
1. The combination, with an electrically propelled vehicle, working-conductors
supplied with direct current along the path of said vehicle, conductors on the vehicle
in contact with the working-conductors and the electric motor for propelling the
vehicle, and controlling devices connected with the vehicle-conductors, of a shunt-
circuit of the vehicle-conductor around the said motor and its controlling devices, a
second electric motor and controlling device in said shunt-circuit, a second shunt-
circuit around both motors and their controlling devices, a pulsator operated by the
second motor and a primary coil of an inductional transformer in the second shunt-
circuit, a secondary circuit of low resistance in circuit with the secondary coil of
said transformer, a plurality of lamps in multiple arc connection with the secondary
circuit, and means for switching each of said lamps out of circuit independently
of the others.

page_text: 2. The combination with an electrically propelled vehicle, working-conductors
supplied with direct current along the path of said vehicle, conductors on the
vehicle in contact with the working-conductors and the electric motor for propelling
the vehicle, and controlling dovices connected with the vehicle-conductors, of n
shunt circuit of the vehicle conductor around the said motor and its controlling
devices, a second electric motor and controlling device in said shunt-circuit, a second
shunt-circuit around both motors and their controlling devices, a pulsator operated by
the second motor and a primary coil of an inductional transformor in the second
shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit of low resistance in circuit with the secondary coil
of said transformer, a plurality of lamps in multiple are connection with the secondary
circuit, and means for cutting said lamps ont of circuit.
3. The combination, with an electrically propelled vehicle, working-conductors
supplied with direct current along the path of sail vehicle, conductors on the vehicle
in contact with the working-conductors and the electric motor for propelling the
vehicle, and controlling devices connected with the vehicle-conductors, of a shunt
circuit of the vehicle-conductor around the said motor and its controlling devices, a
second electric motor and controlling device in said shunt-circuit, a second shunt-
eirenit around both motors and their controlling devices, a pulsator operated by the
second motor and a primary coil of an inductional transformer in the second shunt-
circuit, a secondary circuit of low resistance in circuit with the secondary coil of
said transformer and a plurality of lamps connected in the secondary circuit in
multiple arc.
4. The combination, with an electrically-propelled vehicle, the supply-conductors on
the vehicle and the electric motor for propelling the vehicle, and controlling devicos
connected with the said supply-conductors, of a shunt-eirenit of the said supply-
conductors, a second electric motor in said shunt-circuit, a pulsator operated by the
second motor, and a primary coil of a transformer in shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit
including the secondary coil of said transformer, and a plurality of lamps connected in
the secondary circuit in multiple are.
5. The combination, with an electrically-propelled vehicle, the supply-conductors on
the vehicle and the electric motor for propelling the vehicle, and controlling devices
connected with the said supply-conductors, of a shunt-circuit of the said supply-
conductors, a second electric motor in said shunt-circuit, a pulsator operated by the
second motor, and a primary coil of a transformer in shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit
including the secondary coil of said transformer, a plurality of lamps in multiple arc
connection with the secondary circuit, and means for cutting each of said lamps out of
circuit.
6. The combination, with a vehicle, the conductors on the vehicle connected with a
source of direct current, and a translating devica and means for controlling the same
connected in circuit with said conductors, of a shunt-circuit around both the said
translating and controlling devices, an electric motor in the shunt-circuit, a pulsator
operated by the motor and a primary coil of a transformer in shunt-circuit, a secondary
circuit including the secondary coil of the transformer, and a plurality of lamps con-
nected in the secondary circuit in multiple arc.
7. The combination, with a vehicle, the conductors on the vehicle connected with a
source of direct current, and a translating device and means for controlling the same
in circuit with said conductors, of a shunt-circuit around both the translating and con-
trolling devicos, an electric motor and resistance in the shunt-circuit, a second shunt-
circuit around said motor and resistance, a pulsator operated by the motor, and u
primary coil of a transformer in the socond shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit of low
resistance, including the secondary coil of the transformer; and a plurality of lamps
connected in the secondary circuit in multiple arc.
8. The combination, with a vehicle, the conductors on the vehicle connected with a
source of direct current and a translating device and controlling devices therefor in
circuit with said conductors, of a shunt-circuit around said devices, an electric motor
and a rheostat in the shunt-circuit, a second shunt-circuit around said motor and
rheostat, a pulsator operated by the motor and a primary coil of a transformer in the

page_text: second shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit of low resistance, including a secondary coil
of the transformer, and a plurality of lamps connected in the secondary circuit in
multiple arc.
9. The combination, with a vehicle, the conductors on the vehicle connected with a
source of direct current and a translating device and controlling devices therefor
in circuit with said conductors, of a shunt-circnit around said devices, an electric
motor and a rheostat in the shunt-circuit, a second shunt-circuit around said motor
and rheostat, a pulsator operated by the motor and a primary coil of a transformer
constructed to vary the current flowing through said primary coil in proportion to the
number of lamps in circuit and in the second shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit of
low resistance including the secondary coil of the transformer, and a plurality of
lamps connected in the secondary circuit in multiple arc.
10). The combination, with an electrically propelled vehicle, working conductors
supplied with direct current along the path of suid vehicle, conductors on the vehicle
in movable contact with the working-conductors, and the electric motor for propelling
the vehicle and its controlling devices in circuit with the vehicle-conductors, of a
shunt-circuit on said vehicle around the motor and its controlling devices, a second
electric motor and adjustable resistance in said shunt-circuit, a second shunt-circuit
around both motors and their controlling devices, a pulsator operated by the second
motor, a primary coil of a transformer in the second shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit
of said transformer, and a plurality of lamps connected in the secondary circuit in
multiple arc.
11. The combination, with a vehiclo, working-conductors supplied with direct
current along the path of said vehicle, the conductors on the vehicle, and a translating
device and controlling devices therefor in circuit with said vehicle-conductors, of a
shunt-circuit around said devices, an electric motor in the shunt-circuit, a second
shunt-circuit around said devices, a pulsator operated by the motor, and a primary cil
of a transformer in the second shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit of low resistance, and
a plurality of lamps connected in the secondary circuit in multiple are.
12. In an electric railway, a line working-conductor, a travelling vehicle, an electric
motor to propel said vehicle, an electrical connection between said vehicle and working
conductor, an inductional transformer on the vehicle, a secondary circuit of low
resistance upon and moved by the vehicle, electric lamps connected in the secondary
circuit in multiple are, and means to control the current passing through the trans-
former independently of the propelling motor.
an
13. In an electric railway, a line working-conductor, a travelling vehicle
electric motor to propel said vehicle, an electrical connection between said vehicle and
working conductor, an inductional transformer on the vehicle, as condary circuit
upon and moved by the vehicle, electric lamps conn cted in the secondary circuit in
multiple arc, and means to control the current passing through the transformer inde-
pendently of the motor.
14. In an electric railway, a line working conductor, a travelling vehicle, an electric
motor to propel said vehicle, a movable contact in connection with the working con-
ductor, an electrical connection between said vehicle and movable contact, an induc-
tional transformer on the vehicle, a secondary circuit of low resistance upon and moved
by the vehicle, and electric lamps connected in the secondary circuit in multiple arc.
15. In an electric railway, a line working-conductor, a travelling vehicle, an electric
motor to propel said vehicle, an electrical connection between said motor and working-
conductor, a current transformer on the vehicle in electrical connection with the
working-conductor, a secondary circuit of low resistance upon and moved with the
vehicle, electric lamps connected in the secondary circuit in multiple arc, and means
to control the current passing to the transformer independently of the motor and
to vary said current in proportion to the number of lamps in circuit.
16. The combination of a vehicle, a line working-conductor arranged along the
path of said vehicle, a translating device on the vehicle, an electrical connection
Letween said translating device and working-conductor, a current-transformer on the
vehicle in electric connection with the working-conductor, a secondary circuit of

page_text: lower resistance thin the working-conductor, and upon and moved with said vehicle,
eletrie lamps connected in the secondary circuit in multiple are, and means to control the
currents passing to the translating device and transformer independently of each other.
17. The combination with an electrically propelled vehicle, working-conductors
supplied with direct current along the path of said vehicle, a conductor on the vehicle
having its terminals in movable connection with the working-conductors, and an
electric motor in the vehicle cometor for propelling the vehicle, of a shunt-circuit
around the motor, an electric pulsator in said shunt-circuit, an inductional transformer
having its primary in the shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit, and translating devices
connected in the secondary circuit in multiple are.
18. The combination with an electrically propelled vehicle, working conductors
supplied with direct current along the path of said vehicle, a conductor on the vehicle
hasing its terminals in movable connection with the working conductors, and an
electric motor in the vehicle conductor for propelling the vehicle, of a shunt-cirenit
around the motor, an electric pulsitor in said shunt-circuit, means for inductionally
transforming the current in the shunt-circuit, two secondary irenits of different con-
ductivity and translating devices connected in each of said secondary circuits in
multiple are.
19. The combination with an electrically propelled vehicle, working conductors
supplied with direct current along the path of said vehicle, a conductor on the vehicle
Imving its terminals in movable connection with the working conductors, and an
electric motor in the vehicle conductor for propelling the vehicle, of a shunt-circuit
around the motor, an electric pulsator in said shunt-cirenit, two inductional trans-
formers having their primaries connected in the shunt-circuit in multiple are relation
secondary circuits of different conductivity for the transformers and translating
devices connected in each of said secondary circuits in multiple are.
20. The combination with an electrically propelled vehicle, working conductors
supplied with direct current along the path of said vehicle, n conductor on the vehicle
having its terminals in movable connection with the working conductors, and an
electric motor in the vehicle conductor for propelling the vehicle, of a shunt-circuit
around the motor, an electric pulsator in sai i shunt-circuit, an inductional transformer
having its primary in the shunt-circuit, a secondary circuit, translating devices con-
nected in the secondary circuit in multiple are, and means for cutting one or more of
said translating devices out of circuit.
21. In an electric railway, a line working-conductor, a travelling vehicle, an electric
motor to propel said vehicle, an electrical connection between said vehicle and working
conductor, an inductional transformer on the vehicle, a secondary circuit of low
resistance upon and moved by the vehicle, and electric translating devices connected in
the secondary circuit in multiple are.
22. In an electric railway, a line working conductor, a travelling vehicle, an
electric motor to propel said vehicle, an electrical connection between suid vehicle and
working conductor, an inductional transformer on the vehicle, a secondary circuit of
low resistance upon and moved by the vehicle, electric translating devices connected
in the secondary circuit in multiple are, and means for switching each of said trans-
lating devices out of circuit independently of the others.
23. In an electric railway, a line working-conductor, a travelling vehicle, an
electric motor to propel said vehicle, a movable contact in connection with the
working conductor, an electric connection between said motor and movable contact,
a suitable current pulsator, and an inductional transformer in circuit on the vehicle, a
secondary circuit of low resistance, and electric lamps connected in the secondary
circuit in multiple are.
MARK WESLEY DEWEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.