Improvements in and in the Application of Electric Motors for Automobile Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by EUGENIO CANTONO, of 15, Via Degli Astalli,
Rome, in the Kingdom of Italy, Captain of Engineers.]
Improvements in and in the Application of Electric Motors for
Automobile Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and
Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The object of the present invention is a system based on the employment of
the motors of my invention the details of which have been set forth in the pre-
ceding British Patent applications 25247 of 1897 and 3218 of 1898 with variations
in the intermediate plate, obtained by slight variations in the excitation.
When the speed varies between restricted limits so that variations can be
obtained without sparking at the collector by simple variations in the excita-
tion, this system is intended to be used with the same inventor's motors, but
with the omission of those parts which cause variation in the intermediate plate
The aforesaid motors have a flat ring inductor the construction of which forms
an important feature of my previous applications.
These flat rings which are very strong are able to attain very high speeds
without there being any fear of damage to them.
The motors can be employed connected behind reproducing the light motor
of the same inventor, and in this case each of the shafts of the two inductors
actuate, independently of each other, a motor wheel by means of gearing (see
Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings); or the two motors are separated and
then each of the transmission shafts actuates a motor wheel by means of a double
reduction consisting of a worm and worm-wheel and of a pair of gear wheels
(see Fig. 3).
For the driving of omnibuses and heavy vehicles where the axles are long,
the second method is preferable because the increase of weight acquired by the
motors is largely compensated for by the decrease in the length of transmissions
and number of supports rendered necessary by the said reduction.
Owing to maximum speed of heavy automobiles being moreover low and the
necessity of passing over holes and so forth in the ground, it is not advisable to
employ wheels of too small a diameter; so that in order not to be obliged to
employ exceedingly large motors, a considerable reduction of the speed between
the inductor of the said motor and the motive wheels becomes necessary in any
case Consequently the worm gear is the most suitable arrangement for effect-
ing this reduction without causing the inconveniences of noise and loss of power
which a considerable reduction by means of gearing would cause.
The worm gear is a device which is regarded as giving poor results when used

page_text: for transmissions, but on the contrary these results depend on the manner in
which it is applied. In fact, if worms with four or five threadings are employed
of such a pitch that the progression is equal to the diameter not only will good
results be obtained but also a perfect reversibility of the motion, so that the motors
can be revolved by the wheels, and act as electric brakes.
With the Cantono motor the worm yields greater results, because part of the
usual loss by friction is avoided. Thus the tangential reaction of the wheel on
the screws ordinarily causes a very severe end thrust along the worm shaft. Con-
sequently this pressure has to be taken up by bearings which causes the expen-
diture of a considerable amount of energy.
In the Cantono motor the pressure along the shaft is counterbalanced by the
attraction in the opposite direction exercised by the inductor upon the induction
ring; therefore with the aforesaid system there is realized a kind of magnetic
⚫ suspension which by counteracting part of the loss augments the efficiency of the
transmission. Moreover the worm employed in the manner indicated above
offers other incontestable advantages-thus (see Figure 3) the worm keyed on
the induction shaft is placed so as to be moveable in the longitudinal direction; it
is held in place by the action of the two springs 7 and 7 (Fig. 3). Under these
conditions there is obtained:.
-
1. The starting of the motor before that of the vehicle, that is to say, the
wheel is not turned by the motor until after 'the armature in turning has, by
the action of the worm which revolves tangentially to the worm-wheel, so com-
pressed one of the springs that its reaction is stronger than the resistance opposed
by the said wheel. This arrangement allows the starting rheostat and therefore
the number of contact pieces of the commutator and the amount of power wasted
to be greatly reduced which power would be absorbed or lost. During the
journey, this gearing which is very flexible, protects the armature from all shocks
or jolting.
In its application to automobiles the worm gearing is completely enclosed and
works in a bath of oil.
The motor being arranged with the axis almost vertical, the lubrication of the
transmitter shaft is effected by letting oil flow into the top of its bearing. The
oil runs down along the shaft and finally drops into the perfectly tight box
enclosing the worm; the lubrication of the shaft is thus abundantly effected with-
out fear of oil entering into the interior of the moter.
The motors can be applied either to the front part of the vehicle or to the back
part or to both at the same time; when the vehicle changes its direction, the
motors change speed which is effected by altering their exciting current by
means of the controlling handle.
In heavy automobiles the steering can be operated directly by the motors by
applying the electromechanical device which is about to be described, and which
allows of great facility in operating the front part of the vehicle.
In Figure 3 is represented diagrammatically the application of a motor M to
a wheel at the front part of the vehicle which drives the motor wheel by means
of a double transmission consisting of worm gear and cog wheels. Figure 2
also shews a front part of the vehicle the wheels of which are driven independently
by the armatures of two motors connected behind by means of a double reduction
by gear wheels. It will be obvious therefrom that if in the said front parts, one
of the motors turns more quickly than the other, the driving axle will leave its
position which is at 90° with regard to the axis of the vehicle and will incline
towards the said axis more and more quickly as the difference of speed between
the two motors becomes greater.
This compensating device is obviously a desideration for driving an electric
automobile, but in order to be put into practice many constructional details are
necessary in order to fulfil the following requirements:-
(a) To maintain a direct mechanical control over the movement of the front part
of the vehicle.

page_text: (b) To allow of the position of the front part to be mechanically fixed by means
of a flexible connection between the handle which takes certain positions on the
cover of the regulator, and the axle-tree, the ends of which should be able to
yield slightly so as not to transmit violent jolts to the rest of the vehicle when
it passes over obstacles.
(c) The electric regulator should provide such a distribution of power that the
two motors can be grouped in series or in parallel, while the operating of the
handle of the front part of the vehicle for obtaining the desired difference of
speed in the motors, remains the same.
(d) The speed variations of the automobile produced by a simultaneous varia-
tion in the excitation of the two motors should not prevent the variations of
speed required separately from the two motors for changing the direction.
Finally a very important condition to fulfil is that, for the semi-automatic
control of the front part, it should not be necessary to alter any connection when
the automobile passes from an ascent to a descent, the motors then ceasing to
operate for driving and commencing to act as brakes with or without an arrange-
ment for restoring the energy thus reproduced or not.
All these above mentioned conditions are fulfilled by the adoption of the whole
apparatus including the connections and the box with the controlling handle,
illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing in
which:-
The letters c¹ indicate the collectors of the two motors; e e¹ their circuits of
excitation B the large accumulator battery; b the small battery for the sepe-
rate excitation of the motors; C the commutator for reversing the direction of
the vehicle. R the regulators providing for different speeds, stoppages and so
forth; the rheostat for changing the direction: in the said box, m is the handle,
a a button which must be pressed in order to allow the handle to turn, f f f f
copper rings for establishing with the help of the commutator g the different con-
nections of the point with the points ¹n the pillar having above the
two arms and t the first of which serves to displace the commutatory when the
handle is turned and the bar i which moves the front part of the vehicle resists
the movement. The bar has at its end two arms s and s¹, the first of which
bears the pivot of the commutator g and the second divides into two branches
so as to enclose the arm t¹. Between the two branches s there are springs which
ease the movements of the arm t with regard to the branches s. Between these
two systems the movements are limited mechanically by a projection on the
support and a slot p¹ in the lower part of the support ; the extreme limits
of the relative movements of the pieces and n correspond to the connections of
the commutator with inner and outer rings f and f whilst the relative position
of the two pieces n and when the springs are equally stretched corresponds to
the connection of the commutator g with the ring f¹.
The dotted lines on the commutator R indicate:"
1. The position of the connection brushes, when the vehicle is stopped:
2. The position of the connection brushes so that the rheostats r, are cut out
and the current from the battery 6 goes direct to the coils e, el of the magnetic
fields of the motors: the armature brushes are short circuited; this position con-
stitutes the magnetic brake;
أمر
are
3. The position of the connection brushes so that the rheostats, r¹ are cut
out and the current from the battery b goes direct to the coils e, el of the mag-
netic fields of the motors. The armatures are arranged in series on the battery B;
4. The position of the connection brushes so that the rheostats r,
inserted for the excitation and the armatures are in series on the battery B:
5. Indicates the passage from the armatures in series to the armatures in
parallel; during the passage the size of the brushes operating on the contact
pieces v, 1, 1, 1 cuts out momentarily the rheostats r, r;
6. Indicates the working position with the two armatures in parallel with the
controlling rheostat inserted.

page_text: By aid of any mechanical coupling device the arrangement is so made that
before passing from the position 4 to the position 5, the rheostat (Figure 1)
is completely inserted by a movement of the arm u towards the right and on
the controller contacts arriving at the position 5 the handle u of the excitation
rheostat automatically cuts out and the said rheostat again becomes reinserted
while the controller contacts are travelling towards the dotted position 6.
For reversing the direction of travel the commutator C is alone employed and it
serves as may be easily shewn to reverse the direction of the excitation current.
Finally the system described offers the following advantages:-
1. The motor of the front part of the vehicle responds with great facility to the
control of the driver whether the motors are used for driving or as a brake with
or without storage of energy.
2. The accumulator battery always remaining with all its cells grouped in
series.
3. The jerks in starting and changing speed are lessened.
4. The electric regulator is simplified.
5. The transmitting devices between the motor and the wheel cause the
minimum of friction while effecting a maximum of reduction in the speed ratio
and they are placed in such a way as to be well 'lubricated and consequently
well preserved from wear.
6. The weight of the electric and mechanical part for a motor of a given horse-
power is considerably reduced.
7. The motors are able to provide power proportionate to the requirements of
different speeds, including starting, while doing away with the losses caused by
employing the rheostat various speed reducing devices and the like.
8. The control of the excitation of the motors is so arranged as to be effected not
only by the operating handle, but also, when the handle is secured in a fixed posi-
tion, by the driving wheels themselves in such a manner that if a wheel has
been momentarily stopped by an obstacle, the motor itself accelerates its speed
until the wheel has recovered its normal position.
9. When motors are likewise placed on the hind axle of the vehicle or on this
only they facilitate by their changing speed, the movements for changing the
direction given by the steering device, both where this latter is simply mechani-
cal, or where it is electro-mechanical acting on the front axle of the vehicle by
the motors themselves.
10. Finally by reason of the simplicity of all the parts of the automobile, it
is much cheaper, and this system can be applied to any existing vehicle by simply
changing the axles and the wheels.
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and in the Application of Electric Motors for
Automobile Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, and
Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil 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 fol-
lowing statement:-
The object of the present invention is a system based on the employment of

page_text: the motors of my invention the details of which have been set forth in the pre-
ceding British Patent applications 25245 of 1897 and 3218 of 1898 with variations
in the intermediate plate, obtained by slight variations in the excitation.
When the speed varies between restricted limits so that variations can be
obtained without sparking at the collector by simple variations in the excita-
tion, this system is intended to be used with the same inventor's motors, but
with the omission of those parts which cause variation in the intermediate plate.
The aforesaid motors have a flat ring inductor the construction of which forms
an important feature of my previous applications.
These flat rings which are very strong are able to attain very high speeds
without there being any fear of damage to them.
The motors can be employed connected behind reproducing the light motor
of the same inventor, and in this case each of the shafts of the two inductors
actuate, independently of each other, a motor wheel by means of gearing (320.
Figure 2 of the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification);
or the
two motors are separated and then each of the transmission shafts actuate a
motor wheel by, means of a double reduction consisting of a worm and worm-
wheel and of a pair of gear wheels (see Figure 3).
For the driving of omnibuses and heavy vehicles where the axles are long,
the second method is preferable because the increase of weight acquired by the
motors is largely compensated for by the decrease in the length of transmissions
and number of supports rendered necessary by the said reduction.
Owing to maximum speed of heavy automobiles being moreover low and the
necessity of passing over holes and so forth in the ground, it is not advisable to
employ wheels of too small a diameter: so that in order not to be obliged to
employ exceedingly large motors, a considerable reduction of the speed between
the inductor of the said motor and the motive wheels becomes necessary in any
case Consequently the worm gear is the most suitable arrangement for effect-
ing this reduction without causing the inconveniences of noise and loss of power
which a considerable reduction by means of gearing would cause.
The worm gear is a device which is regarded as giving poor results when used
for transmissions, but on the contrary these results depend on the manner in
which it is applied. In fact, if worms with four or five threadings are employed
of such a pitch that the progression is equal to the diameter not only will good
results be obtained but also a perfect reversibility of the motion, that the motors
can be revolved by the wheels, and act as electric brakes.
With the Cantono motor the worm yields greater results, because part of the
usual loss by friction is avoided. Thus: the tangential reaction of the wheel on
the screws ordinarily causes a very severe end thrust along the worm shaft. Con-
sequently this pressure has to be taken up by bearings which causes the expen-
diture of a considerable amount of energy.
In the Cantono motor the pressure along the shaft is counterbalanced by the
attraction in the opposite direction exercised by the inductor upon the induction
ring; therefore with the aforesaid system there is realized a kind of magnetic
suspension which by counteracting part of the loss augments the efficiency of the
transmission. Moreover the worm employed in the manner indicated above
offers other incontestable advantages--thus (see Figure 3) the worm keyed on
the induction shaft is placed so as to be moveable in the longitudinal direction; it
is held in place by the action of the two springs r and r¹ (Fig. 3). Under these
conditions there is obtained: -
1. The starting of the motor before that of the vehicle, that is to say, the
wheel is not turned by the motor until after the armature in turning has, by
the action of the worm which revolves tangentially to the worm-wheel, so com-
pressed one of the springs that its reaction is stronger than the resistance opposed
by the said wheel. This arrangement allows the starting rheostat and therefore
the number of contact pieces of the commutator and the amount of power wasted
to be greatly reduced which power would be absorbed or lost. During the

page_text: journey, this gearing which is very flexible, protects the armature from all shocks
or jolting.
In its application to automobiles the worm gearing is completely enclosed and
works in a bath of oil.
The motor being arranged with the axis almost vertical, the lubrication of the
transmitter shaft is effected by letting oil flow into the top of its bearing. The
oil runs down along the shaft and finally drops into the perfectly tight box
enclosing the worm; the lubrication of the shaft is thus abundantly effected with-
out fear of oil entering into the interior of the motor.
The motors can be applied either to the front part of the vehicle or to the back
part or to both at the same time; when the vehicle changes its direction, the
motors change speed which is effected by altering their exciting current by
means of the controlling handle.
In heavy automobiles the steering can be operated directly by the motors by
applying the electromechanical device which is about to be described, and which
allows of great facility in operating the front part of the vehicle.
In Figure 3 is represented diagrammatically the application of a motor M to
a wheel at the front part of the vehicle which drives the motor wheel by means
of a double transmission consisting of worm gear and cog wheels. Figure 2
also shews a front part of the vehicle the wheels of which are driven independently
by the armatures of two motors connected behind by means of a double reduction
by gear wheels. It will be obvious therefrom that if in the said front parts, one
of the motors turns more quickly than the other, the driving axle will leave its
position which is at 90° with regard to the axis of the vehicle and will incline
towards the said axis more and more quickly as the difference of speed between
the two motors becomes greater.
This compensating device is obviously a desideration for driving an electric
automobile, but in order to be put into practice many constructional details are
necessary in order to fulfil the following requirements:
(a) To maintain a direct mechanical control over the movement of the front part
of the vehicle.
(b) To allow of the position of the front part to be mechanically fixed by means
of a flexible connection between the handle which takes certain positions on the
cover of the regulator, and the axle-tree, the ends of which should be able to
yield slightly so as not to transmit violent jolts to the rest of the vehicle when
it passes over obstacles.
(c) the electric regulator should provide such a distribution of power that the
two motors can be grouped in series or in parallel, while the operation of the
handle of the front part of the vehicle for obtaining the desired difference of
speed in the motors, remains the same.
(d) The speed variations of the automobile produced by a simultaneous varia-
tion in the excitation of the two motors should not prevent the variations of
speed required separately from the two motors for changing the direction.
Finally a very important condition to fulfil is that, for the semi-automatic
control of the front part, it should not be necessary to alter any connection when
the automobile passes from an ascent to a descent, the motors then ceasing to
operate for driving and commencing to act as brakes with or without an arrange-
ment for restoring the energy thus reproduced or not.
All these above mentioned conditions are fulfilled by the adoption of the whole
apparatus including the connections and the box with the controlling handle,
illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 1 of the drawings accompanying the
Provisional Specification in which,
The letters c c indicate the collectors of the two motors; e e¹ their circuits of
excitation B the large accumulator battery; the small battery for the sepe-
rate excitation of the motors; C the commutator for reversing the direction of
the vehicle. R the regulator providing for different speeds, stoppages, and so
forth; the rheostat for changing the direction; in the said box, m is the handle,

page_text: a a button which must be pressed in order to allow the handle to turn, f f fu fui
copper rings for establishing with the help of the commutator g the diferent con-
nections of the point h with the points ¹; the pillar having above the
two arms tt, the first of which serves to displace the commutator y when the
handle is turned and the bar i which moves the front part of the vehicle resists
the movement. The bar has at its end two arms s and s¹, the first of which
bears the pivot of the commutator and the second divides into two branches
so as to enclose the arm t¹. Between the two branches there are springs which
ease the movements of the arm t with regard to the branches st. Between these
two systems the movements are limited mechanically by a projection p on the
support and a slot p' in the lower part of the support n the extreme limits
of the relative movements of the pieces and n correspond to the connections of
the commutator with inner and outer rings f and f whilst the relative position
of the two pieces n and when the springs are equally stretched corresponds to
the connection of the commutator g with the ring f¹.
The dotted lines on the commutator R indicate:
1. The position of the connection brushes, when the vehicle is stopped;
2. The position of the connection brushes so that the rheostats r, are cut out
and the current from the battery goes direct to the coils e, e¹ of the magnetic
fields of the motors; the armature brushes are short circuited; this position con-
stitutes the magnetic brake;
3. The position of the connection brushes so that the rheostats r, r¹ are cut
out and the current from the battery b goes direct to the coils e, e of the mag-
netic fields of the motors. The armatures are arranged in series on the battery B;
4. The position of the connection brushes so that the rheostats r,
inserted for the excitation and the armatures are in series on the battery B;
are
5. Indicates the passage from the armatures in series to the armatures in
parallel; during the passage the size of the brushes operating on the contact
pieces,,, cuts out momentarily the rheostats r, rl;
6. Indicates the working position with the two armatures in parallel with the
controlling rheostat inserted.
By aid of any mechanical coupling device the arrangement is so made that
before passing from the position 4 to the position 5, the rheostat (Figure 1)
is completely inserted by a movement of the arm u towards the right and on
the controller contacts arriving at the position 5 the handle u of the excitation
rheostat automatically cuts out and the said rheostat again becomes reinserted
while the controller contacts are travelling towards the dotted position 6.
For reversing the direction of travel the commutator C is alone employed and it
serves as may be easily shewn to reverse the direction of the excitation current.
Finally the system described offers the following advantages:
1. The motor on the front part of the vehicle responds with great facility to the
control of the driver whether the motors are used for driving or as a brake with
or without storage of energy.
2. The accumulator battery always remaining. with all its cells grouped in
series.
3. The jerks in starting and changing speed are lessened.
4. The electric regulator is simplified.
5. The transmitting devices between the motor and the wheel cause the
minimum of friction while effecting a maximum of reduction in the speed ratio
and they are placed in such a way as to be well lubricated and consequently well
preserved from wear.
6. The weight of the electric and mechanical part for a motor of a given horse-
power is considerably reduced.
7. The motors are able to provide power proportionate to the requirements of
different speeds, including starting, while doing away with the losses caused by
employing the rheostat various speed reducing devices and the like.
8. The control of the excitation of the motors is so arranged as to be effected not

page_text: only by the operating handle, but also, when the handle is secured in a fixed posi-
tion, by the driving wheels themselves in such a manner that if a wheel has
been momentarily stopped by an obstacle, the motor itself accelerates its speed
until the wheel has recovered its normal position.
9. When motors are likewise placed on the hind axle of the vehicle or on this
only they facilitate by their changing speed, the movements for changing the
direction given by the steering device, both where this latter is simply mechani-
cal, or where it is electro-mechanical acting on the front axle of the vehicle by
the motors themselves.
10. Finall by reason of the simplicity of all the parts of the automobile, it
is much cheaper, and this system can be applied to any existing vehicle by simply
changing the axles and the wheels.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:--
1. The method of application of electric traction of flat ring motors of the Can-
tono type, having variation of the solenoid by means of varying the excitation,
or motors deprived of apparatus for the variation of the solenoid when their
speed is limited to narrow limits; by which mode of application it is possible to
suppress every differential motion apparatus for changing the direction of the
vehicle. Said device being applicable to motors whether attached to the front
wheels or to the rear wheels or to both pairs of wheels at the same time; and
which permits, moreover, of a very simple electric control of the movements of
the front wheels, all as described and illustrated in the accompanying specification.
2. The application to electric traction of the combination of parts formed by
the motor having transmitter in the form of a flat ring and effecting the reduction
of the speed ratio by means of a worm gearing all arranged so as to improve the
efficiency of the said worm gearing.
3. The application to electric traction of the method of attachment of the worm
to the transmitter shaft, said method effecting a remarkable flexibility in the
transmission, all as described in the accompanying specification and in the
drawing.
4. The combination of parts forming electromechanical steering gear comprising
the arrangement of the circuits and the mechanical parts which enable the
machinist to give to the vehicle the required direction and which cause the
vehicle to maintain automatically the direction which has been so given to it.
5. The combination of parts forming the arrangement of the circuits permitting
the steering gear to operate in the same direction whatsoever be the nature of the
combination of the motors and the mode of their operation either for tractive
purposes or for a brake.
Dated the 9th day of April 1900.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.