Improvements in the Electric Propulsion of Vehicles, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Berlin, in the German Empire, Electrical Engineers.]
Improvements in the Electric Propulsion of Vehicles, and Apparatus
therefor.
We, SIEMENS BROTHERS & CO., LIMITED, of 12, Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster,
in the County of London, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the electric propulsion of a tramway or railway vehicle
having on it a motor worked by alternating electric currents derived from a conductor
or conductors extending along the track, this motor acting in conjunction with other
apparatus so arranged as to provide against excess or deficiency of propelling power.
For this purpose, the alternate current motor is applied to drive one or more of
the axles, another or others of the axles being arranged so as to drive a continuous
current generating dynamo, or to be driven by it acting as a motor. This dynamo
is connected to an accumulator battery carried on the vehicle, which it charges when
it acts as a generator, and from which it receives current when it acts as a motor.
This apparatus operates in the following manner.
When the alternate current motor has sufficient energy it propels the vehicle and
the axles, connected to the dynamo being thus caused to revolve cause the dynamo
which acts as a generator to charge the battery. When the alternate current motor is.
deficient in energy it is aided by the dynamo acting as a motor being supplied with
current from the battery. Where the track has a descending gradient much of the
power of the motor may thus go to the charging of the battery; and when the track
has an ascending gradient, the battery charge may be utilised in aiding the.
motor.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Electric Propulsion of Vehicles, and Apparatus
therefor.
We, SIEMENS BROTHERS & CO. LIMITED, of 12, Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster,
in the County of London, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention (as communicated to us from abroad by Siemens & Halske,
94, Markgrafenstrasse, Berlin, in the German Empire, Electrical Engineers) and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:—
When the length of an electric railway is such that it can no longer be economically
upplied with continuous current, it is necessary to work the line by a single or
Polyphase alternating current supply. In this case however difficulties arise, in the
Case of single phase currents more particularly owing to their requiring complicated
arrangements for starting, and in the case of polyphase currents owing to the
complicated installations necessitated thereby more particularly at crossings.
The present invention has for its object to facilitate the employment of single or
polyphase alternating currents while avoiding the above named disadvantages, for
which purpose, we provide on a single motor car such as D on the accompanying
drawing, or on a train of cars D D D, firstly, alternate current motors W that drive
the axles m, and secondly continuous current dynamos g that are coupled to other
axles n of the cars in such manner that when these are propelled at the normal
speed by the alternate current inotors the wheel axles n work the dynamos g, and the
currents thus produced are employed for charging accumulator batteries E on the
cars. When the speed of the train is reduced to a certain limit, the accumulators
will supply the stored energy to the dynamos, which will then be made to act as
motors in assisting to propel the cars.
In such cases the continuous current machines, which are generally arranged
as shunt wound motors, can either be used alone for propelling the cars, or they
The continuous current
can work conjointly with the alternate current motors.
dynamos will mostly be required to work as motors for starting the cars, and also in
such cases where the working circuit has to be interrupted, for example at
station installations and on up-hill sections of the line for supplying the cars with
increased energy.
The arrangement will also enable the cars to be propelled when from any cause the
working circuit gets out of order.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
or more
In electrically propelled cars, providing the cars, in addition to one
alternate current motors supplied by the working circuit, with one or more continuous
current dynamos, operating in combination with one or more accumulator batteries
on the cars in such manner that when the cars are running under normal conditions,
the dynamos are made to supply current to the accumulator batteries, while, when
an increased consumption of energy is required, or when the supply of energy to the
alternate current motors is interrupted, the stored energy of the accumulators is
supplied to the dynamos which then act as motors for propelling the cars in
combination with or in lieu of the alternate current motors substantially as
described.
Dated this 21st day of December 1897.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.