Improvements in Electric Engines.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE LAWRENCE ELECTRIC Co., of 13, Astor
Place, New York City, U.S.A., Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Electric Engines.
I, REGINALD WALTER BARKER, of Monument Chambers, King William Street,
London, Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in electric street car engines, and has for
its objects, amongst others, first to provide a machine which is capable of propulsion
without the use of gears, &c.; and second, to provide means whereby the mechanism
may be started, stopped, and reversed by a single lever, a description of which
improvements will appear hereunder :-
In my invention the power is applied directly to the axles of the machine from
the magnet plates or armatures through suitable connecting rods.
I will now proceed to describe my invention, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawings forming a part of this Specification. Similar letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a car showing the magnets,
armatures, and connecting rods in their operative positions.
Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of my improved apparatus showing clearly all
the mechanism employed.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shafts, connecting rods, and brushes, also the
rod for controlling the brushes, which in turn control the current of electricity, and
start, stop, and reverse the car.
:
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a set of magnets and armature employed in my
machine.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a modified form of apparatus, wherein the
magnets are placed horizontally one above the other, the armature having a lateral
movement and a direct connection being formed between said armature and the
crank shaft by means of a connecting rod.
Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that four sets of electro magnets A are
employed, each of which sets are provided with a vertically moving armature B.
Connected with or depending from these armatures B are arms or bars C, to
the outer ends of which arms or bars are pivotally secured the driving rods D,
which connect at their opposite ends with connecting rods D'; said rods D¹ in turn
being suitably journalled on the cranks E of the axles E'.
To the underside of the bed F which carries the mechanism are attached four sets
of electric contact brushes G, said brushes being fork-shaped, and preferably formed
from a continuous strip or piece. Said brushes G are preferably pivoted in
supports G, and are connected with an operating rod or bar H by arms secured
to the brushes by said pivot (best shown in Fig. 3), and are operated by said rod
or bar H and a lever I from either end of the car. The current is taken from the
track by the wheels of the car, and passes thence through the axles E' and contacts a,
situated thereon, to the forked brushes G, whence it is conveyed alternately by one
member of the brushes through the wire Ĺ and magnets A.
A current distributer J consisting of a plate of any suitable conducting material,
and of any desired shape and size, is secured to the bed F of the machine by
screws, bolts, or otherwise, and its function is to receive a current of electricity,
and distribute the current through the wires L to the magnets A.
The operation of my improved mechanism is as follows:-
When the lever I is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the car will move in the

page_text: direction shown by the arrow, the current passing in from the track or underground
wire. In the former instance the current is taken from the track by the wheel and
passes through the axle and is then taken from the axle and conveyed to one pole
of the magnets by the brushes G and wires L'; while in the other case the current
is taken from an underground wire and conveyed to the current distributer and
thence through the wires L to the opposite pole of the magnets and to the wheels
and tracks forming a complete circuit, and attracting the armatures, alternately
causing them to communicate motion to the axles through the driving rods
previously mentioned.
To reverse the mechanism the lever I is pushed in the opposite direction, which
movement brings the other member of the brushes into contact with the axles E',
causing the cranks to operate reversely, and thus move the car in the opposite
direction.
To stop the mechanism the lever I is brought to a vertical position, thereby
breaking the circuit.
In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified form of the manner in which the connection is
made between the armature and the driving shaft. In this modification I place the
magnets A in a horizontal position, one above the other, and I adjust the armature B
in suitable bearings fin a vertical position relatively to said magnets, whereby said
armature will have a lateral movement. A direct connection is made between said
armature and one end of the driving shaft E' by means of drive rod D, which in
this modification is seen to be pivotally connected directly with the armature. The
said drive rod is suitably journalled at its other end to the crank of the driving
shaft E¹.
Although I have described and illustrated my invention as applicable to the
propulsion of a car in connection with an underground current of electricity, I am
well aware that the mechanism herein shown may be employed for stationary
engines as well as for the propulsion of boats in connection with any known
electrical storage system. Consequently, I do not wish to limit myself to the use of
my invention for propelling cars.
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 electric propelling apparatus a pair of electro magnets secured in and to
a suitable bed, an armature for said magnets, an arm connected to and operated by
said armature, a rod pivotally secured to the lower end of said arm and connecting
with a rod which is journalled to the cranks formed directly on the axles, all
substantially as and for the purposes shown and described.
2. In an electric propelling apparatus an electro magnet secured in and to a
suitable bed, an armature for said magnet, an arm connected to and operated by
said armature, a rod pivotally secured to said arm and connecting with cranks for
turning axles, contact points suitably secured to the axles for opening and closing
circuits, electric contact brushes secured to the bed and a rod or bar for operating
said brushes, and levers connected with said rod or bar for controlling the movement
of same, and thereby the current of electricity, substantially as shown and
described.
3. In an electric propelling apparatus one or more pairs of electro magnets
secured in and to a suitable bed, an armature for said magnets, an arm connected
to and operated by said armature and magnets, a rod pivotally secured to the lower
end of said arm, and connecting with a rod which is journalled to the cranks formed
directly on the axle, contact points suitably secured to the axle for opening and
closing the circuits, electric contact brushes secured to the bed and operated by a
rod or bar and levers and controlling the movement of said brushes, substantially as
shown and described.
4. The improvements in electric controlling apparatus consisting of a forked
brush formed from a continuous strip or piece, an arm connected with said brush

page_text: for moving the latter, a rod or bar connected with said arm and adapted to be
operated from either end, and a lever for operating said rod or bar to control the
movement of the apparatus and also the current of electricity, substantially as
shown and described.
5. The improvements in electric controlling apparatus consisting of a forked
brush formed from a continuous strip or piece pivoted in a support on the bed of
the machine, an arm secured to said brush for moving it vertically, which arm is
connected to a rod or bar and adapted to be operated from either end of the
apparatus by a lever, and thereby control the movement of the apparatus,
substantially as shown and described.
6. Four or more sets of magnets, armatures therefor, cranks and connections
between said armatures and said cranks, certain of said cranks being set at angles
to each other, combined with contacts connected with said cranks and brushes
therefor, said brushes being arranged to be moved to permit one member at a time
to engage with a contact, whereby the cranks will be moved in opposite directions
according to the positions of said brushes, substantially as described.
7. The improvements in electric engines, substantially as and for the purposes
hereinbefore described, set forth, and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 15th day of August 1893.
REGINALD W. BARKER.