System of and Means for Electrical Transportation.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1896-Accepted, 11th, July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
System of and Means for Electrical Transportation.
1, PHILIP KOSSUTH STERN, of No. 304 North Eighth Street, in the City of
St. Louis, State of Missouri, United States of America, Electrician, 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 :-
Figure 1 is a sectional view, through a car-axle and wheel, upon which is
mounted the motor element of my improved system, the primary or influencing
means being shown in cross-section.
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the motor element, and
Figure 3 is a schematic view of the primary element.
This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a system of electrical
transportation, and consists, generally stated, in arranging along a route or line of
travel, a primary coil or coils,, which are energized by an undulatory or pulsatory
current, preferably in the form of a poly-phase current, which influences the
armature or motor element, mounted on the vehicle, which vehicle is adapted to
travel along said route or line of travel. The passage of the aforementioned
undulatory or pulsatory current through. the primary coils, sets up a magnetic
field, which, by the nature of the current, and the electrical connection, is con-
stantly changing, both in intensity and direction. The field thus set up, acts by
induction upon the motor element or armature carried by the vehicle, causing said
It further
armature or motor element, to, rotate, and thus propel the vehicle.
consists in providing means whereby the secondary or induced currents of the
armature, or secondary coils, may be short-circuited or closed, to control the
rotation of the motor element, and, finally, in the construction, arrangement, and
combination of the several parts, all as will hereinafter be described and afterwards
pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings, I have shown my improved system as adapted to be used in
connection with a car, or other, vehicle, designed to run along a given route of
travel, or on rails. I desire to be understood, however, as not confining myself to
the exact construction shown in the drawings, either in the manner of mounting
the motor element of the means for varying the resistance of the induced current
conductors, as there are different ways by which this can be accomplished.
Referring to the drawings A indicates a car-axle, B, the wheel, and C the rail,
all of such parts being of ordinary or approved construction.
Mounted upon the axle is the motor-element of my improved system, comprising
a laminated wbeel D, the laminations of which are traversed by induced current
conductors. E, preferably located near the periphery of said wheel. In order to
vary the electrical resistance of these induced current conductors, I prefer to vary
the thickness or cross-section of the same near their euds, which ends extend out
beyond the laminated wheel D.
Une method of doing this, consists in slotting or boring a tapering hole as E' in
said conductors so that the resistance is varied depending upon the position of the
short-circuiting rings hereafter referred to.
Slidingly mounted. on these induced current conductors, and arranged on each
side of wheel D, are the short-circuiting conductors, or short-circuiting rings F,
which are preferably provided with a hub portion, slidingly mounted on axle A.
To move these rings F toward and from the wheel D, in order to vary the

page_text: resistance of the induced or secondary circuit, I pivot on suitable projections
extending from wheel D, levers G and H whose ends are forked and embrace
the hub portion of rings F to which they are connected by the slot and pin
connection. These arms G and H are in the form of first and second class
levers, to the power points of which are connected' operating rods I, the ends of
said rods being connected by links to a sliding disk J, feathered on the axle, which
disk is slid along said axle by means of a lever K, pivoted to some stationary part
of the car body, which body is not shown. In this manner, by the adjustment of
the short-circuiting ring F, the resistance of the induced current conducting bars E,
may be varied, and the speed of this motor-element thus controlled.
To prevent
the rings F sliding off the bars E, I prefer to arrange insulating buttons El in the
ends thereof, which' buttons have a shank of sufficient length to afford a seat for
the rings F, whereby when said rings are moved to the outmost extremities, they
will rest on these insulation buttons, not contacting with the bar E, thus completely
opening the circuit and rendering the motor-element inoperative.
The primary along which is propagated a succession of polar waves to influence
this motor-element by induction, consists preferably, of a core L, of laminated
material, the laminations of which are longitudinally disposed. These laminations
are preferably insulated from each other, and also from the conductors carrying
the poly-phase currents, which are wound around or passed through said core.
In Figure 31 have shown a system of winding in which 1, 2, and 3, indicate
conducting wires for a tri-phase current, which wires are wound or arranged in a
zigzag form through suitable perforations near the upper edge of the corc. These
conductors are connected with suitable source of electricity generating a three-
phase alternating current. By this arrangement the phases having a relation
of 120 degrees apart, set up a magnetic field of alternate north and south
poles, which embrace or include the motor-element on the axle of the vehicle,
inducing secondary currents in the bars E, which are, short-circuited by the
rings F, thereby producing a torque on the wheel, which causes the same to
rotate.
To prevent short-circuiting of the conductors 1, 2, and 3, I prefer to surround
the same and the primary core with a casing or shell M of some insulation material,
such as porcelain, vulcanized rubber or the like, which not only keeps out moisture
and water, but which prevents abrasion of the laminations of which the primary
core is composed.
This casing is divided to admit of the insertion of the core, the several
portions of the casing being secured together by screws, or other suitable means.
In the form of winding shown, the laminations of the core will be held together
by the winding, but if some other forms of winding are employed, an insulated
through-bolt could be used, as shown in Fig. 1.
I am aware that many minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and
combination of the several parts of my device can be made and substituted for
those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature
and principle of my invention.
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. An electric transportation system, consisting of a route or line of travel,
a vehicle which is adapted to travel along said route, a primary inducing
element, which is arranged along said route, and a laminated wheel, mounted on
said vehicle, which wheel is influenced by the primary element; substantially as
described.
2. An electric transportation system, consisting of a route or line of travel,
a vehicle adapted to travel along said route, a primary inducing element arranged
along the route, a laminated wheel, mounted on the vehicle and induced current
conductors on said wheel substantially as described.

page_text: 3. The combination with a suitable axle, of an iron wheel mounted thereon,
induced current conductors ou said wheel, a primary inducing element which is
arranged in proximity to said wheel, said element, when energized, by alternating
currents of different phases, generating alternate varying polarities, whereby the
wheel is caused to rotate by induction, and means on the wheel for varying the
resistance of the induced current conductors on said wheel; substantially as
described.
4. The combination with a primary element, which is energized by alternating
currents of different phases, of a wheel mounted in proximity thereto, which
wheel is rotated by induction, induced current conductors of varying resistance
on said wheel, and means for short-circuiting or varying the resistance of said
induced current conductors whereby the movement of the wheel is controlled;
substantially as described.
5. The combination with a primary element, which is energized by alternating
currents of different phases, of a laminated iron wheel located in proximity thereto,
which wheel is rotated by induction, induced current conductors on said wheel,
a netallic ring or rings slidingly mounted upon said conductors for the induced
currents; substantially as described.
6. The combination with a core, composed of a series of laminations, insulated
from each other, electrical conductors on said core, for conducting a polyphase
current, said conductors when energized formning a primary element, a wheel which
is mounted in proximity to said element, induced current conductors in said wheel,
whose resistance increases towards their ends, and a ring slidingly mounted on
said conductors for varying the resistance of the induced currents; substantially
as described.
7. A wheel which is adapted to be rotated by induced currents, said wheel
comprising a laminated ring, mounted upon a suitable shaft or axle, induced
current conductors which are carried by said wheel, said conductors projecting
laterally outside of said wheel, which conductors are so arranged that their con-
ductivity decreases towards their ends, and a ring or rings slidingly mounted
upon said conductors for short-circuiting the induced currents.
8. A wheel, which is adapted to be rotated by induced currents, said wheel
comprising laminated rings, induced current conductors which are carried by said
ring, and which project laterally from said ring, a ring or rings for varying the
resistance of said conductors, said ring being slidingly mounted on the conductors,
and insulation buttons in the ends of the conductors, for limiting the movement
of the rings, said insulations also affording a seat for the rings where said rings
are out of contact with the induced current conductors; substantially as described.
9. In a system of electrical transportation, the combination with a vehicle,
which is adapted to travel along a route or line of travel, a primary element which
is arranged along the said route, a secondary rotatory inducing member, which
is carried by said vehicle, and in inductive relationship to said primary element,
said secondary member being adapted to propel the vehicle, and means for
varying the torque of said secondary member; substantially as described.
Dated the 19th day of May 1896.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
London, Chartered Patent Agent.