Improvements in Devices for Controlling the Operation of Electric Motors.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1898—Accepted, 14th Jan., 1899
United States of America, Engineer.]
Improvements in Devices for Controlling the Operation of
Electric Motors.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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: —
The object of the invention is to provide a manually operated controlling.
device for an electric motor, so constructed and arranged that the motor armature
shall be caused to rotate in a direction corresponding to the direction of move-
ment of the controlling hand lever and for a period corresponding to the extent
of said movement.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of the controlling device,
the motor, and the connecting circuit. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the con-
trolling device. Fig. 3 is an end view of the hollow pivoted arm showing the
contact plates carried thereby and the locking dogs. Fig. 4 is a side view of
the same showing also the engagement of the dogs with one of the spring stops.
Both Figs. 3 and 4 show the various parts in detail and on a larger scale than
appears in Figs. 1 and 2.
Similar numbers and letters of reference indicate like parts.
1 is a metal case, covered by a glass plate 2. Within the case 1 are vertical
stops in any desired number and regularly spaced. Eleven stops, marked 3 to 13
inclusive, are shown in the drawings, between which are spacing blocks 14 which
carry a ring 15 against which the stops are pressed by the spiral springs 16.
Below the stops is a spider 17, which has a central bearing 18 for the pivot 19
threaded above and held by nuts 20 and 21. The upper part of the pivot 19
forms a hub 22 receiving the hollow cylindrical arm 23 which carries an electro-
magnetic coil 24. In the magnet coil is a plunger 25 which carries a spindle 26
which extends longitudinally through the hollow arm 23 and has a head 27 which
normally (Fig. 2) protrudes and bears upon one of the stops 3 to 13. Between
the head 27 and a perforated fixed partition 28 in the arm 23 is a spiral spring 29
bearing respectively upon head 27 and partition 28. This spring holds the
head 27 against the stop as 8, Fig. 2. opposite to it with some pressure which
is counteracted by the spiral spring 6 between the stop and the wall of the case.
30 is the operating handle of the device on the lever 31 which turns freely
upon the enlarged portion 32 of the pivot 19 and lies between nut 20 and hub 22.
Lever 31 has two arms 33 and 34 fast upon it. Spiral springs 35 and 36 connect
ends of these arms to eyes fast on hub 22. The arms 33 and 34 carry blocks
of insulating material 37 and 38, and on each side of lever 31 are similar
blocks 39 and 40. To these insulating blocks are attached. arc-shaped contact
plates 41, 42, 43 and 44. The ends of plates 41 and 42 are connected to the

page_text: block 39 and their middle portions are supported by the block 38, and their
opposite ends are free. The ends of the plates 43 and 44 are connected to the
block 40, their middle portions are supported by the block 37, and their opposite
ends are free.
On the under side of arm 23 are two projections 45 and 46 Fig. 3 between
which is pivoted by pin 47 a shoe of insulating material 48 which carries contact
plates 49 and 50. Plates 49 and 50 are placed in circumferential line with the
curved plates 41, 42, 43 and 44. Lever 31 passes through slot 51 in case 1 and
when turned by means of the handle 30 in one direction or the other, the curved
plates 41 and 42 or 43 and 44, as the case may be, run under and so come in
contact with the plates 49 and 50.
On arm 23 is a collar 52, which carries brackets 53 and 54 in which are
pivoted dogs 55 and 56. On said dogs are upwardly projecting pins 57 and 58
Fig. 3, drawn together by a spiral spring 59. The dogs are of substantially the
shape shown in plan and have a curved outer contour, shown in Fig. 1.
When the head 27 rests against a stop as 8, the shouldered outer portion of
the dogs bears against the sides of said stop, and so normally prevents the arm 23
from being turned on its pivot.
60 represents an electric motor receiving current from brushes 61, and the
field of which is energized by current from the plus main A and minus main B.
On the armature shaft 62 is a worm wheel 63 engaging pinion 64, on which are
pins 65 to 74 inclusive. 75 and 76 are contact springs, normally separated, but
capable of being brought into contact by any one of the pins 65 to 74 pressing
against them as the pinion 64 is rotated.
The circuits in the apparatus are as follows: From plus main A a wire C
connects by branch D with the plus contact plate 42 and by branch E with the
plus contact plate 44. From minus main B a wire F connects by branch G
with minus contact plate 43, and by branch H with minus contact plate 41.
Brush 61 of the motor connects by wire I with contact plate 50 on shoe 48 of
arm 23.
A similarly supported block 49 connects by wire J with the other
brush 61 of the motor and also by branch K to the spring contact plate 75 near
the pins on the pinion 64. The other contact plate 76 similarly located connects
by wire L with one terminal of the electro-magnet coil 24. The other terminal of
that coil connects by wire M with wire I.
The operation of the entire apparatus is as follows: When the parts are in
the position shown in Fig. 1, the contact plates 75 and 76 adjacent to the
pinion 64 are separated, hence no current passes through the magnet coil. 24.
As contact plates 49 and 50 on arm 23 are not in contact with either pair of
plates 41, 42, or 43, 44 no current goes to the motor which is at rest. The
logs 55 and 56 then engage with each side of the stop 8, and the spiral spring 29
forces head 27 outward against that stop. It is now desired to set the motor
in operation, so that it will turn in a definite direction for a given length of
time to produce some desired result depending upon its direction and the time
during which it operates. Assume handle 30 to be moved to the left in the
drawing Fig. 1 into the position shown in dotted lines, and over such an angle
as that a line passing through the pivot center will also pass through the middle
of the next stop 9. When the handle is so displaced it will carry the curved
contact plates 43 and 44 underneath and into contact with the plates 49 and 50
on arm 23, thus establishing circuit from the main A and B through contact
plates 49 and 50, contact plates 43 and 44, through the wires I and J to the
motor brushes. The motor will then be set in operation, turning in a definite
direction and through the rotation of its shaft 62 and worm wheel 63 it will also
rotate the pinion 64 until a pin on said pinion, as for example, 74. meets contact
plates 75 and 76 and forces them together, thus establishing circuit between
The effect of this establishment of circuit
said plates and the wires K and L.
is to close circuit through the electro-magnet 24, which acting as a sucking sole-

page_text: noid, draws in the plunger 25 against the action of the spring 29, thus removing
the head 27 from contact with the stop S, and holding it so removed from such
contact as long as the current in the magnet is maintained. When however
the pin on the pinion 64 shall have passed over the plates 75 and 76, they will
spring apart again' thus breaking circuit through the magnet and allowing
head 27 to be thrown violently outward by the action of the spiral spring 29.
The combined momentum of the head, spindle and plunger is sufficient to force
the stop 8 back against the opposition of its spring, and thus release dogs 55
and 56 from engagement with the edges of said stop. When arms 33 and 34
on lever 31 are displaced to the position shown in dotted lines, the spiral springs 35
and 36 thereon are also displaced, and have a tendency to turn the hub 22 of
the hollow arm 23 into such position as to bring that arm 23 again in line with
the lever 31. This they can now do because the dogs have been released from
the stop.
As the hollow arm 23 thus moves into its new position, namely, in line
with the lever 31, the curved outer edge of dog 55 runs over the edge and face
of the next stop 9, but the shoulder of the opposite dog 56 engages with the
edge of said stop and arrests any further motion of the arm 23; both dogs then
fall into the same position with respect to stop 9 as they are shown to have with
respect to stop 8.
At the end of each dog is a tooth 77 and the face of the head 27 is recessed
on its under side 78.
As the curved outer edge of dog 55 runs over the edge
and face of stop 9 this tooth 77 bears against the recessed portion of head 27
and forces said head inwardly, thus bringing the face of the head in proper
position in front of stop 9 and preventing the side of the head from meeting the
edge of said stop. Meanwhile, the arm 23 in moving in the manner described
carries its contact plates 49 and 50 off of the contact plates 43 and 44, thus
breaking circuit through and stopping the motor.
It will be seen therefore that the effect of moving the lever 31 by handle 30
to the extent described, is to set the motor in operation in a given direction
depending upon the polarity of plates 43 and 44, and to permit that motor to
continue operating until one pin on the pinion 64 shall have temporarily closed
and passed the spring contact plates 75 and 76. Suppose now it be desired to
have the motor operate twice as long while running in the same direction, then
the handle 30 is carried over so as to bring the lever in line with stop 10, for
example, the next in succession. Then a similar action to that already stated
will he repeated twice. If it be desired that the motor shall run a still longer
period in the same direction the handle 30 may be carried over to bring the
lever into line with stop 11, and then the motor will run three times as long
and so on for each and every plate. If it be desired that the motor shall turn
in the opposite direction, then instead of moving the handle 30 to the left, as
above described, it is moved to the right, so bringing the curved plates 41 and 42
under contact plates 49 and 50 carried by the arm 23, and as these contact
plates 41 and 42 are of reverse polarity to the plates 43, 44, the motor turns
in the opposite direction for a period of time as already explained, depending
upon how many contact plates are passed over.
It will be observed that it is not necessary in order to cause a reversal of the
motor to carry the handle 30 back to its central position as represented in Fig. 1,
that is so that it will be opposite the stop 8, but that no matter from what
position it may start from, the motor always operates in the direction the lever
he carried in. The net result is complete control of the motor in accordance
with the movement of the lever handle. It will always run in a direction corre-
sponding to the direction of motion of that handle, and will run for a period
of time corresronding to the angular extent of movement of that handle.
Although the initial movement of handle starts the motor, the action of the
motor in the direction and to the extent desired finally permits the arm 23 to
assume its new position and locks it therein so that, in other words, the move-

page_text: ment of the handle indicates, so to speak, to the motor what work it has to do,
and the motor after it has done that work places the controlling apparatus to
show that it has done it, and also prevents further movement of the controlling
device.
All the controlling apparatus, excepting the worm wheel 63 and pinion 64 is
located within case 1 at the transmitting station, and as the pinion 64 and
associate parts are placed directly at the motor there is nothing between the
controlling apparatus and the motor itself except the ordinary leading wires
and the control of the motor is direct and not made through the interposition of
translating devices which automatically throw in or out switches or resistances
or work of that kind.
This device is susceptible to many useful applications; among which may
be especially noted the control of the helm of a vessel, the training of guns from
a distance, the turning of turrets on war ships, the manipulation of signals
of all kinds whether on railways or elsewhere, from points distant therefrom,
the governing of elevators or hoists; and in brief the control of electric motors
under all conditions which it may be desirable to govern their time and duration
of movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the 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 combination with an electric motor and a controlling device therefor
located at a distance therefrom of means in said device for establishing current
in the motor armature to actuate said armature in predetermined direction, and
for a predetermined period, and an electro-magnetic device as hereinbefore
described controlled by said armature for arresting said-armature's motion at the
end of said period and for causing an indication thereof at said controlling
device, substantially as described.
2. The combination with an electric motor and a controlling device of an
actuating lever in said device, means controlled by said lever for establishing
current in the motor armature to actuate said armature in a direction depending
upon the direction of movement of said lever and for a period depending upon
the extent of said movement, and an electro-magnetic device controlled by said
armature for interrupting said current at the end of said period and of causing
an indication thereof at said controlling device, substantially as described.
3. The combination with an electric motor and a controlling device therefor,
of a pivoted actuating lever in said device, a pivoted arm normally not in circuit
with said lever, a locking device retaining said arm in normal position, a retract-
ing spring between said arm and said lever, means controlled by the motor arma-
ture for unlocking said arm and permitting its retraction by said spring, and
circuit connections substantially as set forth the aforesaid parts being con-
structed and arranged so that when said lever is moved in predetermined direction
the line of tension of said retracting spring on said arm shall be altered, and
circuit shall be established between said lever and said arm and the motor
armature to cause said armature to rotate in corresponding direction, and there-
after at the end of a predetermined period said armature shall control said locking
device to unlock the same and permit said arm to be retracted by its spring into
position to break circuit with said lever, substantially as described.
4. The combination with an electric motor and a controlling device therefor.
of a pivoted actuating lever in said device, a pivoted arm normally not in circuit
with said lever, a locking device on said arm. two fixed stops supported in
position to be successively engaged by said locking device as said pivoted arm
is turned on its pivot, a retracting spring between said pivoted arm and said
lever, means controlled by the motor armature for unlocking said pivoted arm and
permitting its retraction by said spring, and circuit connections substantially

page_text: as set forth; the aforesaid parts being constructed and arranged so that when
said lever is moved into line with a stop other than that one with which said
pivoted arm is normally locked, circuit shall be established between said lever
and said pivoted arm and the motor armature to cause said armature to rotate
in corresponding direction, and thereafter at the end of a predetermined period
said armature shall control said locking device to unlock the same from the
stop with which it is normally engaged and permit said arm to be retracted by
its spring to break circuit with said lever, and to allow said locking device to
engage with said stop, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of November 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.