Year: 1899

page_text: A communication from THORSTEN VON ZWEIGBERGK, Electrician, of 44, Chestnut
Street, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, Holborn Circus, in the County
cf Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows;-
The invention relates to controllers primarily adapted for electric railway or
tiamway motors. One of its objects is to provide a simple and efficient emergency
brake. This is accomplished by giving the main or governing controller a posi-
tion where the motors shall be closed upon themselves, so that the simple revers-
ing by the reversing switch shall cause the motors to act as generators on a closed
circuit and thus brake themselves. Other parts of the invention are concerned
in a magnetic blow-out, in the construction of the reversing switch, in a magnetic
lock preventing the operation of the reversing switch under certain conditions,
and in a
simple form of cutting-out contact finger. The invention may thus be
best summarized as consisting of the combinations of the parts hereinafter
described.
seg-
On a suitable frame are journalled a governing switch and a reversing switch,
each consisting of a body which may be turned on its axis and carries contact
segments which are adapted to engage with contact fingers in various
orders, according to the positions of the switches. The contact
ments on the governing switch are all separated from the central shaft by an
insulating sleeve and are divided into groups by insulating collars. This governing
switch is of the series-parallel type and it operates first to connect a plurality of
motors in series through interposed resistance, and then at subsequent positions
gradually cuts out the resistance until they are connected in series without any
resistance, then connects them in parallel with resistance, and finally cuts out
this resistance.
This governing controller moreover carries segments or plates, which, at the
"off" position, are engaged with contact fingers so connected that they
close the motors upon themselves. This is done by connecting the line
which leads to the first motor with the line which leads from
that motor, and by connecting the line which leads to the second motor with the
ground, to which that motor is connected. The motors being thus closed upon
themselves at the off position, a simple reversal of the current at the reversing
switch causes them to operate or act as an electric brake, the current which they
generate from the momentum of the car acting to retard them.
On the upper end of the governing controller is a detent wheel having peripheral
notches into which takes a roller carried by an arm drawn toward the detent
wheel by an adjustable spring, whereby slight forces cannot displace the controller.
The reversing switch includes a wooden body of a generally cylindrical form,
but having flattened sides and two sets of contact segments secured to the oppo-
site cylindrical surfaces thereof. One of these sets of segments are of double

page_text: length so they are adapted to contact each with two contact fingers, while the
other set only contact each with one contact finger, while alternate segments are
extended onto the flat sides of the body and are there connected by metallic.strips
set into those flat sides.
Secured to the lower end of the body by wood screws is a socket plate into which
projects a pivot pin carried by a bracket extending from the same block of wood
which carries the contact fingers. At the upper end, the wooden body extends
into another; socket which is on the lower end of the sleeve and is secured thereto
by screws which pass diagonally through a laterally flaring wall by which the
sleeve joins the socket. Near its upper end, this sleeve has formed integrally
with it a notched detent pláte. With this plate engages a roller carried by a
lever and pressed toward the plate by a spring. A shaft, on the upper end of
which the reversing lever takes, stands within this sleeve and is rigidly secured
to it. This construction reduces the cost of making the reversing switch, and,
by having the reversing switch body made of a solid piece of wood, instead of wood
around a shaft, it is much reduced in size.
The reversing switch cooperates with two sets of contact fingers, either row of
plates engaging with aither set of fingers,-one position thus connecting the
motors ahead and the other reverse.
66
The current from the trolley or source of supply passes to the governing con-
troller and through such resistance as it cuts in, then to the raversing switch,
then through the first motor, then back to the controller, then, if the motors are
in series, back to the reversing switch and through the second motor to the
ground; if the motors are in parallel, the line leading from the first motor goes
from the governing controller directly to the ground, and the line from the.
governing controller to the reversing switch for the second motor is placed in
parallel with the similar line for the first motor.
Now, if either motor burns out, it may be cut out by simply disconnecting at
the reversing switch the line. which leads from the governing switch for this
motor and operating the governing: switch on the parallel positions, the line being
simply open on the series positions. This disconnection is caused by withdrawing
either of the contact fingers which contact these lines at the reversing switch,
from the path of the switch. This is accomplished very simply as follows: These
fingers normally bear against the flattened surface of a bar which lies in a groove
in an arm which extends on the inside of the contact fingers. The ends of this bar
are secured to a forked arm, and through the opening of the fork the contact finger
extends. If this arm is turned to swing the bar about its axis, the bar constitutes
an eccentric and forces the contact finger out of the path of the segment. The
resilience of the contact finger keeps the bar and arm in place in either of their
positions.
The method of braking, which the present controller provides, is that of an
emergency brake (the motors being closed upon themselves), it not being the
intention to vary the braking force. It is desirable, however, in order to prevent
too severe braking action that there shall be resistance in the brake circuit. In
order also to prevent movement of the reversing. switch while the brake current
is flowing, which might severely burn the reversing switch, a magnetic lock is
provided which comes into action as so soon as the braking current begins to flow
and locks the reversing switch until the stoppage of the car discontinues the
current.
This magnetic lock consists of a magnet core having a pole-piece, an armature
lever which the pole-piece is adapted to attract, and two independent windings
around the core which are part of the lines leading from the two motors to those
plates on the governing switch which come into action at the off" position.
The armature lever has a. tail, which, when the armature is attracted, stands just
behind the detent lever which carries the roller engaging with the reversing
switch. Ordinarily this tail is out of the path of this lever, but when the motors
are closed upon themselves by the main controller being at the "off" position, the

page_text: circuit leads through this lock, and, when the motors are reversed and the brake
current builds up, the magnet becomes energized and the tail is swung into the
path of the detent lever, and the reversing switch cannot be changed in position
until the car has come to a stop and the current thus dies down. Suitable resist-
ances are in the lines which lead through the lock and come into action only when
the brake is applied.
In order that the spark at the governing controller shall be rendered as harm-
less as possible, a very simple and efficient blow-out and deflector is provided.
This consists of a vertical iron bar pivoted axially and having projected from it
rigid iron plates which extend between the contact fingers. Surrounding the bar
between the plates is a coil of wire, the coil winding in opposite directions between
successive plates; thus, when the current is flowing, each pair of plates and the
bar between them make a horse-shoe magnet, and lines the force pass across from
the free poles and blow out the arc formed by the segments separating from the
contact fingers.
These iron plates are enclosed in insulating boxes, and the coils are protected.
by insulating sleeves. The ends of the coils pass out of these sleeves at their
upper and lower ends and are connected across the edges of the insulating boxes,
and a protecting wooden strip lies along the sleeves and covers this connection.
At the upper and lower ends of this iron bar are secured to it fiber plates which
funish means for locking the whole blow-out in active position,these being hooks
or hasps which swing over the ends of these plates.
The insulating boxes extend upward and downward at their front and outer sides
in the form of shields to prevent the spark at the contacts from passing to the
frame or injuring the rest of the machine. These shields terminate near the con-
troller in blocks made preferably of slate. This block has its face parallel with
the tangent of the controller segment at that point and is as near the segment
as practicable and stands in front of the contact finger; thus, as the segment
retires from the contact finger, the corner of this block extends into the are and
prevents it travelling backward on the contact segment and confines it to the
extreme end thereof.
Dotod this 15th or of V... 1900
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Controllers.
A communication from THORSTEN VON ZWEIGBERGK, Electrician, of 44, Chestnut
Street, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
I, ALFRED JGLIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, Holborn Circus, in the County
of Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The invention relates to controllers primarily adapted for railway motors. Que
of its objects is to provide a simple and efficient emergency brake. This is
accomplished by giving the main controller a position where the motors shall be
closed upon themselves, so that the simple reversing by the reversing switch
shall cause the motors to form an electric brake. Other parts of the invention are
concerned in a magnetic blow out, in the construction of the reversing switch, in

page_text: á magnetic lock preventing the operation of the reversing switch under certain
conditions, and in a simple form of cutting-out contact finger. The invention may
thus be best summarized as consisting of the combinations of the parts hereinafter
described and set out in the claims.
In the drawings, which clearly illustrate the invention, Figure 1 is a front
elevation of a controller with the usual covering removed. Figure 2 is the said
elevation partly sectional of the reversing switch and its co-operating parts, the
contact fingers being omitted. Figures 3, 4, and 5 are horizontal sections on the
lines 3 3, 4 and 5-5 respectively in Figure 1. Figure 6 is a horizontal
section through the blow-out, being on the line 6-6 of Figure 1. Figures 7
and are respectively, a plan partly sectional of the cut outs and a perspective
view of one of the cut-out levers. Figure 9 is a developmental diagram of the
controller and its connections.
Referring to the parts by letters, D represents a suitable frame which carries
bearings in which the shaft of the main or governing cylinder E is jour-
nalled. On this shaft are the contact segments el to e, which are separated from
the shaft by an insulating sleeve e21 and are divided into groups by the insulating
collars Thus the plates e¹ to care all electrically connected together; like-
wise the plates elo, ell and e¹2; and the plates e3 and 4 are electrically connected
together and both connected to the ground. These plates engage with contact
fingers, designated K, which receive the terminals from the resistance and revers-
ing switch, as illustrated in diagram.
The controller is of the series-parallel type and its electrical operating for the
series and parallel positions will be readily understood from the diagram, where
Trepresents the line from the trolley, q the line to the blow-out Q; R¹ to R³ the
line from the resistance; A1, A2, F and 12, the armatures and fields of the two
motors; B, C, and C¹ lines to the reversing switch; f¹ and f lines from the first
motor; L L2 lines to the magnetic lock through the resistances R and R; and
G the ground.
The controller carries plates, designated e¹ and e", which, at the off.position,
are engaged by contact fingers connected so as to thereby close. the motors upon
themselves. Thus, the line f¹ coming from the field of the first motor, is con-
nected by the plate. el2 with the line L', which leads through a magnetic lock to
the line B, to the other side. of the armature of the first motor; and the line f
from the field of the second motor being connected with the ground, the plate e¹4
connects the line C from the other side of the armature of this motor with the
ground, from the magnetic lock. This closing of the two motors upon themselves
allows the simple reversal of the current at the reversing switch to cause the
motors to operate as an electric brake.
On the upper end of the main controller cylinder is a detent wheel J, having
peripheral notches into which takes a roller carried by the arm j and drawn
toward the detent wheel by an adjustable spring j¹.
The reversing switch includes a wooden body N, of the mutilated cylindrical
shape shown, and contact segments n¹ to no, secured to the cylindrical surface
thereof. The alternate segments and and the segments and are
extended on the flat sides of the body and connected together by integral vertical
metallic strips 7 and 8, set into those flat sides.
Secured to the lower end of the body N by wood screws, is a socket plate N',
into which projects a pivot pin N2, carried by a bracket N³ extending from the
wooden block N which carries the contact fingers. At the upper end, the wooden
body extends into a socket N on the lower end of the sleeve N, screws №6 passing
diagonally through the laterally extending wall N10 of the socket into the wooden
body. Near its upper end, this sleeve N has formed integrally with it the
notched detent plate N'. With this plate engages a roller m carried by a lever M
and pressed toward the detent plate by a spring m². A. shaft N8, on the upper
end of which the reversing lever takes, stands within the sleeve N and is rigidly
secured to it. The construction just described reduces the cost of making the

page_text: reversing switch, and, by having the reversing switch body made of a solid pièce
of wood instead of around the shaft, it is much reduced in size.
"
The reversing switch engages with two sets of contact fingers K¹ and K², either
row of plates n¹ and n² or n³ to n6 engaging with either set of fingers,-one
position thus connecting the motors "ahead" and the other " reverse.' The
electrical connections from these fingers will be apparent from the diagram.
From the connections shown in the diagram, it will be seen that if either motor
burns out, it may be cut out simply by disconnecting at the reversing switch the
line B or C which leads from the main controller for this motor, and operating
the controller on the parallel position, the line being simply open on the series.
This disconnection is caused by withdrawing either of the upper contact fingers
from the path of the switch. These fingers normally bear against the flattened
surface of the bar k lying in the groove in the projecting arm of the
bracket which carries the contact finger. The ends of this bar are secured to
the forked arm, through the opening of which extends the contact finger. The
arm normally stands about parallel with the bracket 3, but it may be turned
forward into the position shown in full lines at the right of Figure 7. In this
movement, the bar constitutes an eccentric and forces the contact finger out of
the path of the segment, the resilience of the finger keeping the bar and arm in
place in either of their extreme positions.
The method of braking, which the present controller provides, is that of an
emergency brake (the motors being closed upon themselves), it not being the
intention to vary the braking force. It is desirable however, in order to prevent
too severe braking action that there shall be resistance in the brake circuit. In
order also to prevent subsequent movement of the reversing switch after it has
established the brake circuit, which might severely burn the reversing switch, a
magnetic lock is provided which comes into action as soon as the braking current
begins to flow and locks the reversing switch until the stoppage of the car lis-
continues the current. This magnetic lock consists of a magnet core O, having
the pole-piece o (both preferably made integral with the back plate of the frame 1)).
the lines L1 and L2 wound independently around the core, and the armature
lever O, which the pole-piece is adapted, to attract. This armature lever has a
tail o', which, when the armature is attracted, stands just behind the toe m¹ on
the detent lever M. Ordinarily, this tail is out of the path of the detent lever,
but when the motors are closed upon themselves by the main controller being at
the off position, the circuit leads through this lock, and, when the motors are
reversed and the brake current builds up, the magnet becomes energized, and
the tail is swung upwards into the path of the lever M, and the reversing
switch can not be changed in position until the car has come to a stop and the
current thus dies down. The brake resistances R and R are in the same branch
lines with the lock, and come into action only when the brake is applied.
In order that the spark at the main contacts of the main controller shall be
rendered as harmless as possible, a very simple and efficient blow-out and deflector
is provided. This consists of a vertical iron bar P pivoted axially by means of
the screws and having projected from it the rigid iron plates p. Surrounding
the bar P, between the plates, is a coil of wire Q-the coil winding in opposite
lirection between the successive plates; thus, when the current is flowing, each
pair of plates and the bar between them make a horse-shoe magnet, and lines
of force pass across from the free poles and tend to blow out the arc formed by the
egments separating from the contact fingers.
The plates are enclosed in insulating boxes S, having covers $1 and the coils
re protected by insulating sleeves S2, against which the floors of the boxes $1
and the covers abut. These sleeves are flattened on their front sides, and the
nds of the coils pass out to the front at the upper and lower ends of the sleeves,
nd are connected across the edges of the boxes S, the connections being desig-.
ated in Figure 1 and lying in a groove in the protecting wooden strip S³.
ecured to the sleeves.

page_text: At the upper and lower ends of the bar P, it has secured to it the fiber plates S',
which furnish means for locking the whole blow-out in active position,--there
being hooks or hasps U which swing over the ends S5 of these fiber plates.
The cover S and the insulating box S extend upward and downward at the front
and outer sides in the form of shields $6. At its front, this shield terminates in
the block S7, made preferably of slate. This block has its face parallel with the
tangent of the controller segment at that point and is as near the segment as
practicable; and thus as the segment retires from the contact fingers, the corner
of this block extends into the arc and prevents it travelling backwards on the
segment, and confines it to the extreme end thereof.
The bar P is pivotted axially in order that it may be turned and its attached
parts swung out from the contact fingers for the purposes of cleaning &c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The controller substantially as herein shown and described.
2. The magnetic lock, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. The reversing switch, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. The magnetic blow-out, substantially as herein shown and described.
5. The cutting-out contact-finger, substantially as herein shown and described.
G. The method of applying an electric brake, which consists in turning the
governing controller to the "off" position, where it is provided with means for
short circuiting the whole motor which has its field and armature connected in
series and then reversing the motor while the momentum causes it to generate
current.
7. The combination, with one or more motors, of a reversing switch and a con-
troller which has one or more contact segments which come into action at the
usual "off" position of the controller and close the motor or motors upon them-
selves, said closure being normally inoperative but allowing the brake to be
applied by a reversal of the motor or motors by the reversing switch, substantially
as described.
8. The combination, with a series wound motor, of a controller having a contact
plate which, at a position of the controller where the source of supply is cut off,
closes the motor as a whole upon itself, a reversing switch, means for locking the
reversing switch when the current is on but allowing it to reverse the motor when
said contact plate is in engagement, substantially as described.
9. The combination, with a controller, a reversing switch and a motor, of a
line leading from a contact finger at the controller to the reversing switch, lines
leading from the reversing switch to the armature and field of the motor, a line
leading from the motor to another contact finger on the controller, and a contact
plate on the controller which comes into action at the off position and connects
together said two contact fingers and thus closes the motor upon itself, substan-
tially as described.
10. The combination with a motor, and means for closing it on itself and for
reversing it, whereby a braking current is generated, of a lock which automatically
comes into action when said braking current is flowing, and prevents the sub-
sequent reversal of the motor until the braking current dies down, substantially
as described.
11. A motor, a switch for reversing it, a governing controller, a branch line
leading from one side of the motor to the controller and adapted to be connected
at the controller with a line from the other side of the motor, thus closing it
upon itself, in combination with a magnetic lock in said branch line adapted to
lock the reversing switch, substantially as described.
.
12. The combination, with a series wound motor and a resistance, of a controller
which at the off position closes a series circuit through the resistance, the arma-
fure and the field of the motor, with a reversing switch adapted to reverse the
motor when the controller is in such off position, substantially as described.

page_text: 13. In an electric switch, in combination, an insulating body which is a muti-
lated cylinder having two cylindrical surfaces and two flattened surfaces, contact
segments secured to said cylindrical surfaces, one of said sets of segments extend-
ing alternately onto said two flattened surfaces and longitudinal strips on the
fattened surfaces connecting said alternate extended segments together, substan-
tially as described.
14. An electric switch having an insulating body, an operating shaft axially
in line with said body a sleeve surrounding said shaft and having a socket in
which said body extends, and means for securing said body in said socket, sub-
stantially as described.
15. The combination with a movable switch of a contact finger adapted to stand
in the path of said switch, an eccentric bar between said finger and a rigid
member, and an arm secured to said bar and adapted to turn it axially to force
the finger away from the switch, substantially as described.
16. The combination with a switch and a series of contact fingers of a blow
out extending between the contact fingers and having shields around them the
whole being arranged on a pivoted bar whereby the blow-out may be swung away
from the contact fingers for purposes of cleaning, etc., substantially as described.
17. The combination with a controller having a series of contact segments, and
contact fingers adapted to engage therewith, of insulating blocks $7 supported
close to the contact segments and near the contact fingers, said block having its
corner extending into the arc caused by the separating contact plates and fingers
and thus preventing the arc travelling back on the segment, substantially as
described.
Dated this 24th day of January 1900
BOULT, WADE, & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.