An improved System of Electric Traction
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May 1895-Accepted, 8th June, 1895
An improved System of Electric Traction
We, OTTO LINDNER, of 148 Rue de Merode, Brussels, in the Empire of
Belgium, Engineer and CHATES VAN SWFFV FIT of 98 Boulevard du Midi,
in the city afore and Engineer 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 an improved system of electic tinction, and it consists
in the use of an automatic running communicator which communicates or transmits
the electic current from cable, wire or other suitable conductor to the electric
motor driving the car or its equivalent, the said automatic running communicator
being located in a closed channel in the permanent way
In the accompanying diawing which illustrates our invention
Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section showing the construction of our
improved system, and
Figure 2 is a view in transverse section thereof
Throughout both views similar parts are muked with like letters of reference
The automatic running communicato indicated generally by F runs in a small
channel A constructed between, and preferably in the middle of the permanent
way, the said channel being made of metal, brickworl, cement or other suitable
material The channel A is completely closed in any convenient mannet so that
no water or dut can enter or peneti ite therein It is preferred th it at least a
portion of its upper part or cover B be made removable On the bottom of the
channel A are placed two small rails C which are preferably used as conductors
for the electic curient The upper part or cover B of the channel has on its
exterior surface a series of metallic plates D of any suitable shape and placed a
convenient distance apart Tach of these plates D is connected by a metallic
connection, such as a bolt, screw etc with nother metallic plate or its equivalent E
fixed on the inside of the upper part or cover B of the channel, the length of each
of the plates L being about three times the lengths of the plates D as shown by
the diawing The automatic running communicator consists of a small car the
platform G of which is mounted on four wheels adapted to run on the tail in
the chai nel A On the platform Cr is pliced an electric motor operating in any
convenient manner two or more wheels of the communicator At one end of the
platform G are fitted a pair of rollers J, J, and at the other end of the platform
are a pair of similar rollers K, K These rollers are mounted on spring bearings
or then equivalents so as to act is contact makers with the plates E on the upper
part or cover B of the channel It is not obligatory to use such rollers as any
other suitable contacts may be used
Carried by the underfiame of the tramcar T is a contact maker L adapted to
slide or otherwise move in contact with the plates D on the upper part or cover B
of the channel A, the said contact maker being connected with the electric
motor M of the tramcar in any suitable manner
The action is as follows When the tramcar is stopped the communicator F
is in communication with the sliding contact L on the tramcar through the
medium of the two pans of rollers and K and the plates E and D The
communicator in that position can neither go forwards or backwards as the
rollers J, J, give the motor H the current for a forward motion of the com-
municator F while the current passing through the 1ollers K, K, operates to turn
the motor in the opposite direction, the result being that the forces balance each
other and the communicator has no motion imparted to it

page_text: The electric current is transmitted to the motor M on the tramcar T in the
following manner -The electric current from the rails C, C, passes through the
communicator F by its wheels platform, first brush to the armature then through
the second brush and field inagnets of the motor II, then through the two pairs of
rollers J, J, and KK, simultaneou ly and thence through the plates L and D to
the contact maker L
If the tramcar is to advance the motor M of the tramcar is set to work and the
tram will then move in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1 I he contact L
will thus leave the plate D in communication with the particular plate E with
which the rollers K are in contact Immediately upon this the electric curient
will go through the rollers J, J, only to the dynamo M of the tramcai_and
consequently the communicator F will receive motion through the dynamo H to
cause it to advance in the same direction as the tramcar which will thus be
automatically supplied with the necessary electric cuirent, to dive it a small
portion of the current being utilized for the locomotion of the communi ator
When the traincar stops, the communicator will still advance slightly until
the rollers K, K, will again touch a plate L in communication with a plate D in
contact with the contact maker L when the electric curient will pass through the
rollers K, K, and thus bring the communicator to rest
In order that the communicator F should not un ahead of the tramcar if the
latter should be suddenly stopped a separate resistance is fitted to the motor M by
which the curent from the communicator F is only broken after the communicator
has been stopped by the reversal of the armature as hereinbefore explained
When the tiamcar is running in the opposite direction the rollers K, K will
transmit the current during running and the rollers J, J will keep behind
disconnected until the tram stops again
-
The automatic reversal of the direction of running of the communicator F 18
obtained in the following matiner - Ihe field magnets of the notoi H of the
communicator are coiled with two wires one of which is in communication with the
rollers J, J and the others in communication with the rollers K, K The electric
current from the rails C in the channel A pass through the wheels platform and
one of the brushes into the aimature of the motor H and through the commutator
to the second brush which is connected with two of the ends of the wes coiled
upon the field magnets whereas the two other ends of these wines are connected
respectively with the rollers J, J, and K, K, as before set forth
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion an in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
-
(1) The improved system of electric traction, as set forth
(2) For electric traction, an automatic communicator adapted to run within a
closed channel and to transmit from a cable, wire or other conductor in the said
channel the electic curicnt to the motor diving the tramcar or the like outside
the closed channel and thereby effect the locomotion of itself, as set forth
(3) In combination with the automatic communicatol as claimed by the
preceding claint, the arrangement of two pairs of rolls or other contacts and
their alternate communication with the wires of the held magnets of the motor of
the communicator in order to obtain an automatic reversal of the motion of the
said communicator, as set forth
Dated this 3rd day of May 1895.
ROBERT E PHILLIPS, Assoc M Int CE, MI Mech E,
Consulting Lngineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, WC Agent for the Applicants