Improvements in Electrically Propelled Motor Cars.
Year: 1898

page_text: 1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrically Propelled Motor Cars.
I, LÉONCE COUDAT, of 9, Rue des Villas, St. Mandé (Seine), in the Republic
of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
1
This invention relates to motor cars propelled by means of electrical accumu
lators or storage batteries, and has for its object to provide vehicles which,
whilst comprising a motor or motors, fed by storage batteries, differ from exist-
ing vehicles of the same class in that they are restricted to no limit as regards
the distance they will run with one charge and that for recharging their storage-
batteries, neither a central station nor any system of conductors or mains need
be provided.
According to my invention I erect upon the vehicle itself a generating dynamo
actuated by a motor. This dynamo enables current to be supplied to the accumu-
lators either continuously or intermittently according to requirements.
of
The advantage of this type of motor car is that an energy-producing set of
apparatus (viz. a generating dynamo and a motor), representative of the average
power necessary for the propulsion of the vehicle, is all that it requires, inasmuch
as the variations in the tractive strain or "pull" merely influence the supply
of energy by the storage batteries. Therefore the charge of the storage battery
increases whenever the amount of work to be performed by the vehicle is less
than that obtained from the energy-producing apparatus; and conversely the
charge becomes less, whenever the resistance to be overcome exceeds the amount
of power yielded by the said energy-producing apparatus.
Where the invention is applied to a tramear, for example, the car,—with or
without seats on its roof and supported by either single axles or bogies,—may
carry one or more receiving dynamos actuating the necessary number of axles.
Current is supplied to the receiving dynamo or dynamos from storage batteries
placed under the seats either in a case suspended underneath the carriage frame
or in a compartment provided for the purpose, or on or in any other convenient
point of the vehicle.
For the purpose of keeping up the charge of the storage-batteries, any suit-
able motor, coupled to a generating dynamo, either direct or through the
medium of any desirable driving gear, is arranged either upon one of the plat-
forms at the ends of the car or in any situation conveniently selected for the
purpose. This motor, which need not exert power in excess of the average
tractive force, will consequently operate at uniform rate and durability and
reliable operation are ensured.
The electrical equipment of the car may be of any suitable construction and
may include suitable rheostats and manipulating devices.
The vehicle made in accordance with this invention is independent_and_can
travel any road and any distance provided fuel be available as required, and so
long as 'the demands upon the vehicle are not in excess of that for which it is
constructed.

page_text: No external system of wires for the supply of current and no central works
for the production of electrical energy need be provided.
The improved arrangement affords the advantage of producing energy at a
uniform rate, the motor at all times operating with a constant charge while the
rate of supply of energy is comparatively slight. It further affords the advantage
of utilizing the stoppages and the periods of motion alike in restoring energy.
T
1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
I, LÉONCE COUDAT, of 9, Rue des Villais, St. Mandé (Seine), in the Republic
of France, 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 motor cars propelled by means of electrical accumu-
lators or storage batteries and has for its object to provide vehicles, which
whilst comprising a motor or motors, fed by storage batteries, differ from exist-
ing vehicles of the same class in that they are restricted to no limit as regards
the distance they will run with one charge and that for re-charging their storage-
batteries, neither a central station nor any system of conductors or mains need
be provided.
According to my invention I erect upon the vehicle itself a generating dynamo
actuated by a motor. This dynamo enables current to be supplied to the accumu-
lators either continuously or intermittently according to requirements.
The advantage of this type of motor-car is that an energy-producing set of
apparatus (riz. a generating dynamo and a motor), representative of the average
of power necessary for the propulsion of the vehicle, is all that it requires, inasmuch
as the variations in the tractive strain or "pull" merely influence the supply
of energy by the storage batteries. Therefore the charge of the storage battery
increases whenever the amount of work to be performed by the vehicle is less
than that obtained from the energy-producing apparatus; and conversely the
charge becomes less, whenever the resistance to be overcome exceeds the amount
of power yielded by the said energy-producing apparatus.
Where the invention is applied to a tramcar, for example, the car, with or
without seats on its roof, and supported by either single axles or bogies,--may
carry one or more receiving dynamos actuating the necessary number of axles.
Current is supplied to the receiving dynamo or dynamos from storage batteries
placed under the seats either in a case suspended underneath the carriage frame
or in a compartment provided for the purpose, or on or in any other convenient
point of the vehicle.
For the purpose of keeping up the charge of the storage-batteries, any suit-
able motor, coupled to a generating dynamo, either direct or through the
medium of any desirable driving gear, is arranged either upon one of the plat-
forms at the ends of the car or in any situation conveniently selected for the
purpose. This motor, which need not exert power in excess of the average
tractive force, will consequently operate at uniform rate, and durability and
reliable operation are ensured.
The electrical equipment of the car may be of any suitable construction and
may include suitable rheostats and manipulating devices.

page_text: The vehicle made in accordance with this invention is independent and can
travel any road and any distance provided fuel be available as required, and so
long as the demands upon the vehicle are not in excess of that for which it is
constructed.
No external system of wires for the supply of current and no central works
for the production of electrical energy need be provided.
The improved arrangement affords the advantage of producing energy at a
uniform rate, the motor at all times operating with a constant charge while the
rate of supply of energy is comparatively slight. It further affords the advantage
of utilizing the stoppages and the periods of motion alike in restoring energy.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
An electrically propelled motor car comprising a motor or motors operating
at a uniform speed and actuating a generating dynamo, and storage batteries
charged thereby and a motor or motors driven from the said batteries, the
operation of the motor driving the generating dynamo being constant, whether
the motion of the car be continuous or intermittent, substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of February 1899.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn l'ields, London, W.C., Agents.