Improvements in Electric Controller Mechanism, Primarily Adapted for Railway Motors.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Controller Mechanism, Primarily Adapted
for Railway Motors.
A communication by THORSTEN VON ZWEIGBERGK, of 446, Euclid Avenue, Cleve-
land, in the County of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, United States of
America, Electrical Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester,
both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 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 following
statement:-
This invention relates to controllers primarily adapted for railway motors. One
of its objects is to provide an arrangement whereby the usual governing cylinder
may be operated by a separate brake-applying handle for governing a brake, thus
obviating the necessity of a separate brake governing cylinder or special brake
positions of the governing cylinder or its handle. Another object is to provide
a controller adapted to govern and reverse motors and establish an electric brake,
which shall have a separate handle to be operated for each of these results but in
which only two controlling cylinders are employed, thus reducing the size and
cost of the controller without altering its method of operation by the motorman.
Another object is to so connect the parts of the controller and to insert cut
out switches at such points that if either motor burns out it may be conveniently
cut out and the controller used on the other motor.
All the
In the drawings, which clearly disclose the invention, Figure 1 is a front eleva-
tion of the controller with the usual cover removed; Figure 2 is a plan of the
same; Figure 3 is a plan with the top cover removed: Figures 4 and 5 are
horizontal sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 1.
figures above mentioned show the governing and braking parts of the controller
at the "off" position and the reversing parts at the "ahead" position. Figure 6
is a detached view of the yoke for interlocking the operating handles, as herein-
after described; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic plan of the gears operating the
main controller cylinder; and Figure 8 is a diagram of the controller and its
connections with the motors and resistance.
65
The controller shown includes three operating handles connected as hereinafter
explained with a governing and reversing switch, each consisting of a row of
contact-fingers and a cooperating contact-cylinder, the term cylinder" being
used in its ordinary acceptation in the controller art and meaning a shaft and
various contact-segments carried thereby through the intervention of suitable
insulation.
H represents a suitable frame which supports the various parts of the con-

page_text: troller. The shaft of the main or governing cylinder J is journalled in suitable
bearings carried by the frame and may be rotated therein. "On this shaft are the
contact segments to which are separated from the shaft by the insulated
sleeve and divided into groups by the insulating collars . The plates to 2
are all electrically connected together, and likewise the plates 10 to 13, and the
plates 14 to 15, and each of these three groups are insulated from each other and
from the shaft. This construction results in the electrical connection of two
contact fingers which at the same time engage with any two plates of the same
group. These fingers are shown in the drawing at K. They are connected with
different portions of the resistance R and with the reversing switch, as shown in
the diagram (Figure 8), and their purpose is to electrically connect the lines
attached to them with whatever contact plates they may be in engagement with.
The governing portion of the controller is of the series-parallel type and the
rotation of the main cylinder first establishes a circuit through the motors and
the resistance in series, then successively cuts out resistance until the motors are
in circuit alone, and then inserts some of the resistance and couples the motors
in parallel, and then cuts out the resistance entirely leaving the motors alone in
parallel. As an illustration,-if the controller is in position No. 2 (which is the
first running position, and in which the parts would be in the position shown in
the diagram Figure 8 if the contact fingers at the right were on the line
marked "2") the current would come from the trolley T through the reversing
switch to the top contact finger and pass through four portions of the resistance R,
from the conductor R to R2, and from there to the plate and from there
to the plate and from there to the contact finger in contact
therewith and back to the reversing switch via the line B¹ and through the motors
in series. Turning the main cylinder to positions 3, 4, 5 and 6 successively cuts
out resistance; turning to position 7 inserts some of the resistance and connects
the parts in parallel, the current from the line 13¹ dividing and part passing back
to the governing cylinder via the line D, thence via plates 20 and " to the line E
and back to the other motor; and turning to positions 8 and 9 cuts out more of
the resistance, and then the whole of it. This will be very clear from reference
to Figure 8. The contact fingers at the left of the figure occupying, at the
different positions of the controller, the positions with reference to the plates
indicated by the lines having numbers corresponding to the controller positions.
On the upper end of the controller is a detent wheel having a notch
which takes a roller carried by a spring-pressed arm, in the usual manner of
controllers, this construction being simply to normally hold the cylinder in
place. Below the detent wheel is a gear jo which is adapted to mesh with a guar p
on the shaft P, to the upper end of which is secured the handle p¹, which is the
operating handle for governing the motors. The result of this is that when the
handle p is turned, the gear p at the lower end of its shaft is also turned and
this turns the gear 75 and rotates the cylinder. A detent wheel 2 is on the
shaft P, and in its notches a spring-pressed roller på takes, which operates to hold
the cylinder in whatever position it is left until a force of proper degree moves it.
The reversing cylinder is shown at the right of the main cylinder. It is built
up on a shaft & around which is placed an insulating sleeve q, and the contact
segments, which are carried by hubs q surrounding the sleeve, are divided into
horizontal groups by the insulating collars q². The connection of the segments
on this cylinder may be easily understood from reference to Figure 8, where the
double horizontal lines represent the arms supporting the plates and connecting
them together, and the single horizontal lines represent a connection between
the single segments on each side of the double segments without touching the
latter.
in
The single segments are alternately connected together and thus the movement
of the cylinder, from a double segment in contact with two consecutive fingers,
to a pair of single segments in contact therewith, reverses the connection, as
shown. As an illustration, if the reversing cylinder is in the "ahead" position,

page_text: the current coming in by the conductor B would pass to the contact plate q³ and
by the connection to the line A¹ and around the armature of motor No. 1 to
the line A A¹ and thence via the connection q³ to F F¹ and through the field
of motor No. 1 back to the main controller via F¹; passing similarly through
the motor No. 2, in series or in parallel according to the position of the governing
cylinder. If the reversing switch were moved to position reverse "it will be seen
that the current coming in from B will pass around the armature in a reverse
direction. Thus the position of the reversing switch governs the direction the
current takes through the motors.
This turning of the reversing switch is caused by the turning of the notched
head attached to the shaft Q. A usually notched detent wheel 97 on the
shaft Q and engaged by the spring-pressed roller 98 holds the wheel in the usual
desired position but allows it to be moved therefrom by a pull of the proper amount.
The head 9 is turned by the engagement with one of its notches q° q¹ by one of
the rollers carried on the under side of the plate which is secured to the
shaft L journalled in bearings carried by the frame and having at its upper end
the reversing lever 13. This lever, when operated, partially rotates the shaft. I
and turns the plate 7, and its rollers engage with the notches of the head q³ turning
the reversing cylinder. The plate 7 and lever 13 are normally held in place by
the roller spring-pressed into one of the notches in the plate l.
The braking, in the controller shown, is accomplished by opening the connec-
tion from the trolley and reversing the motors and short-circuiting them through
the resistance, thus causing them to generate current which retards them and the
carriage. As the electro-motive force dies down from the decreasing armature-
speed, the resistance is successively cut out. The car is thus brought to a stop
by the current which its motors generate. The establishment of the brake con-
nections is provided for by such connection between the brake handle and the
governing cylinder and reversing cylinder that when the brake handle is turned
the reversing cylinder will be turned to open the connection to the trolley and.
connect the reversing cylinder with the ground (with which the last motor
is also connected) and the further movement of the brake handle will move the
governing cylinder to cut out resistance.
As will be seen from the drawing, the teeth on the gear wheel p are stripped
at the point which comes opposite the gear wheel j when the governing handle is
at the off position, and thus the governing cylinder is rendered independent of
that handle and may be turned without disturbing it. Likewise, when the
reversing lever is either at the ahead or the reverse positions the rollers carried
by its plate are disengaged from the head 76 and the reversing cylinder may be
turned independently of the reversing lever. Now the brake lever, which is desig-
nated u, is secured at the top of a short shaft U journalled in suitable bearings
and carying a detent wheel with which a usual spring-pressed roller u³ engages,
holding it in different positions except against a reasonably heavy pull. This
shaft carries a gear which may engage with the gear 5. The teeth on the
gear are also stripped opposite the gear 5 (when the gear ³ is in the "off"
position) so that it normally does not interfere with the operation of that gear ja
or the main cylinder.
Carried on the under side of the detent wheel u¹ is a roller 5 which is adapted to
engage with one of the notches 911 912 of the head 96 but is normally free there-
from. Thus, when the brake lever is at its off position it, and its immediately
connected parts, are independent of and do not interfere with the governing or
reversing parts. When, however, it is desired to apply the electric brake, the
lever is drawn toward the operator into the position marked in Figure 2. This
causes the roller us to engage with one of the notches in the head and shifts
the reversing switch so as to open the line to the trolley and substitute a line
to the ground therefor and reverses the motors, and after this is done the teeth.
of the gear 3 engage with the gear and rotate the main cylinder so as to
establish the connection through the resistance, and a continued rotation of the

page_text: handle cuts out resistance until the position 6 is reached, when the whole re-
sistance is cut out and the motors are simply short circuited. In this position
the handle must stop as the last notch on the detent wheel ¹ is reached and as
shown it is of such construction that the detent wheel can not be revolved beyond
it, the roller u² preventing. In the construction shown, the detent wheel is cut
away at to allow room for the roller in this sixth position.
The opening of the trolley line and the connection of the conductor it usually
connects with the ground, is established by the upper portion of the reversing
switch. As will be seen by the diagram Figure 8, in either the ahead or the
reverse positions, the plate 713 or the plate 95 connects the line from the trolley,
designated T, with the line Re to the main cylinder, while in either of the electric
brake positions the line from the trolley is open and the plates q¹ or q¹ connect
the line R6 with the ground G. With the exception of changing the line Re
from the trolley to the ground, the connections for the "ahead" position of the
reversing switch and for the "electric brake reversed are the same, and like-
wise those for "electric brake ahead" and "reverse."
"
It will be seen that if the reversing switch has been turned to the reverse
position by the movement of the reversing lever it will be moved to a different
position by the brake lever u than if the reversing lever were at the ahead position.
This is caused by the roller u5 engaging with the notch q12 of the head q instead
of with the notch q". Thus if the reversing lever moves the reversing switch
to the "ahead" position it leaves it in a position to be engaged by the roller
and moved by it to the "electric brake ahead" position, which, as shown by
the diagram, is between the " ahead and reverse positions, whereas if the
reversing lever has left the switch in the "reverse" position the same movement
of electric brake handle moves it to the "electric brake reverse position, which
is still farther to the left.
"
"
33
In order that neither the electric brake handle nor the reversing handle may
he operated when the governing handle has the current on, and in order that
likewise the governing handle and the reversing handle may not be operated when
the brake is applied, and that neither the governing handle nor the brake handle
may be operated when the reversing lever is at the off position (thus allowing
the simple removal of the handle at the off position to lock the whole machine).
the following system of interlocking members is provided: On the shafts P U
and L are collars 4 and 14 respectively, and a yoke V, formed as shown in
Figure 6, rides above the gears and loosely takes around each of said shafts and
has on it rollers which are adapted to engage respectively with notches
in the collars pu and . As shown, the notches to be engaged by the rollers
are on the left hand side of the shafts U and L and on the right hand side of
the shaft P. Thus when the roller is in engagement with the notch of the
collar (which it is only when the governing handle is at the off position)
the rollers 3 are out of the notches of the other two collars; when, however,
the governing lever is turned to any operative position, the collar acting on the
roller forces the whole yoke to the right and the rollers 2 3 take into the
notches in the other two collars, the notch in the collar being such that it holds
the braking lever at the "off" position, and there being two notches in the
collar one for the "ahead" position of the reversing lever and one for the
reverse" position. Thus when the governing handle is at an operative position
neither the braking handle nor the reversing handle can be moved.
<<
If the brake lever be turned to a brake position, a portion of the collar 4 where
there is no notch bears against the roller and prevents the shifting of the
yoke and locks the governing handle against movement, while a portion of the
head which the rollers on the plate 7 are not adapted to take into comes
into the path of those rollers and prevents movement of that plate and thereby
locks the reversing lever, so that after the braking lever has started it alone
can move. When the reversing switch is at the ahead position the portion of
the head 6 which comes into the path of the roller by the turning of the

page_text: When
brake lever is that where the notch 9 is located and in order that the roller "
may not be taken into this notch the notch is only made of half depth and the
roller is made short enough to go into it while the roller can not.
the reversing lever is at the reverse position the roller 2 is in the position in
front of the notch and the movement of the brake lever brings a concentric
portion of the head beyond the notch in front of the roller, and thus locks
the parts. When the governing handle is at the off position, if the reversing
lever is moved to its "off" position a part of the collar which has no notch
comes opposite the roller and prevents the shifting of the yoke, and this locks
the governing handle against movement, at the same time the head q on the
reversing switch is turned just enough to bring the projecting portion between
the notches and 2 into the path of the roller u so that the braking lever
can not be turned, thus the "off" position of the reversing lever locks the whole
machine.
In order to provide simple and efficient means for cutting out either motor
when it burns out, switches are connected with the lines from the main controller
to the reversing switch and from the field of the first motor as follows: The
line B which conveys the current from the plate to the reversing switch passes
through the switch S¹. The line leading back from the field of the first motor
to the controller has connected to it the switch St, which may connect it to the
ground G. The line leading from the controller back to the second motor passes
through the switch S2, and the line leading from the line B back to the controller
(for use when the motors are to be in parallel) passes through the switch S³. The
switches S1 S2 are connected by a cross bar to operate in unison and likewise
the switches S3 S4. When the switches S¹ S2 open the lines from B¹ to B and
from E to C it connects together (by the conductor s) the line 13¹ and C,-that
is, the line which normally goes to the first motor is connected to go directly
to the second motor. If both the switches are closed, which is the position
shown in the drawing, the current, after passing through such portion of the
resistance as the position of the main controller causes, goes from the contact
plate via the line B¹ through the switch S₁ around the armature and field
of the first motor and back via the line F1 to the plate 13 (if the main controller
is in series position), from there to the plate 12, via the line E through the
switch S2 to the line C and around the armature and field of the second motor
to the ground. If now the motor No. 1 burns out the switches S¹ S² are simply
thrown over to the left and are connected by the lines and thus the line B¹
is connected directly with the line C and the current passes from the controller
through the second motor to the ground, leaving the first motor out. If the
second motor burns out, the switches S3 S4 are opened. This connects the line F¹
returning from the first motor directly with the ground and thus the first motor
is in and the second motor is idle.
When the controller is in parallel position the current passes from it via the
line B to the line B and through the first motor to line F1, to plates 4 and 5
and the ground, and also from the line B beyond the switch S¹ back through
the switch S3 to the line D to the plates 10, to the line E, and back through
the switch S2 to the line C and through the second motor to the ground. Thus
the motors are connected in parallel. If the first motor burns out, the first switch
is opened and the current passes directly from B¹ via switch S¹, connections and
switch S to the line C, and through the second motor to the ground, while
the line D back to the controller for the second motor is of no avail since the
switch S¹ is opened. Thus, when the first motor is out, the parallel positions
onerate the second motor the same as the corresponding series positions. Like-
wise, if the second motor burns out, switches S³ S are opened and the line from
the controller passes directly to the first motor and through it to the ground and
the line to the second motor is opened by the switch S3, and thus when this motor
is cut out the connection through the other motor is the same for the parallel
positions of the controller as for the corresponding series positions. It thus

page_text: results that when either motor is cut out the remaining motor may be operated
by the controller the same on the parallel positions as on the corresponding
series positions. This is important, for, although there is no necessity for turning
the controller to the parallel positions, no harm now results if it is done, and
thus locks preventing it so turning are rendered unnecessary by this invention.
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 governing, reversing and braking controller constructed and operating
substantially as herein shown and described.
2. The combination of a single governing cylinder and a pair of independent
handles, either adapted to operate the governing cylinder, one to govern motors
in running and the other to apply an electric brake.
3. A controller having a governing lever, a reversing lever and a braking lever
and provided with the interlocking means substantially as herein described for
preventing wrong movements of either of said levers.
4. In a controller, the combination of a governing cylinder, two shafts indepen-
dent of the cylinder, one operated by a governing handle and the other by a
braking handle, and a suitable connection between each of said shafts and the
governing cylinder whereby either handle may operate the governing cylinder
when the other handle is at the off position without displacing that other handle.
5. In a controller, the combination of a governing cylinder, a gear wheel
secured thereto, a governing handle and a braking handle, each on shafts indepen-
dent of each other and independent of the governing cylinder, each of said
shafts having a gear adapted to mesh with the gear on the shaft of the governing
cylinder whereby either handle may turn the cylinder.
6. The combination of a governing cylinder, a reversing cylinder, an indepen-
dent handle for each cylinder adapted to operate the same, and a braking handle
adapted to operate both said cylinders without disturbing their handles.
7. In a controller, the combination of a governing cylinder, two handles for
operating the same, each independent of the other, one of said handles adapted
to operate the cylinder for the usual governing of motors and the other handle
so connected that its operation reverses the motors, disconnects the trolley from
them and puts the motors in such circuit that the turning of the cylinder governs
them to cause electric braking.
8. The combination of a controller frame, a governing cylinder and a reversing
cylinder suitably journalled therein, three independent shafts P, U, L, journalled
in said frame, an independent operating lever for each of said shafts, suitable
connections between the shafts P and U and the governing cylinder, and between
the shafts U and L and the reversing cylinder, whereby the shaft P may operate
the governing cylinder, the shaft L the reversing cylinder, and the shaft U the
two cylinders.
9. The combination of a controller frame, three independent shafts journalled
therein, an independent operating lever for each of said shafts, said levers operat-
ing through said shafts to govern motors, to reverse them and to apply an electric
brake respectively, each of said shafts having on it a notched collar, and a
suitable yoke V carrying rollers adapted to engage with said notches and thus
interlock the shafts.
10. The combination with a series parallel controller for governing a pair
of motors, of a cut out switch for each motor and such connections that when
either motor is cut out by its cut out switch the remaining motor may be operated
on the parallel positions of the controller the same as on the corresponding series
positions, and thus locks preventing the turning of the controller to the parallel
positions when a motor is cut out are rendered unnecessary.
11. The herein described method of connecting up a controller which consists
in running a line for the first motor from the governing controller to the

page_text: reversing switch, a line from the first motor back to the controller, a line from
the controller to the reversing switch for the second motor, a branch line from
the line first mentioned back to the controller (and adapted to be connected by
it to the second motor line from the controller to place the motors in parallel)
and placing switches in these lines which are adapted to open the series lines
to the first and second motors and connect the line normally for the first motor
with the second motor, thus cutting out the first motor, and are also adapted to
open the branch line mentioned and connect the line from the first motor back
to the controller with the ground, thus cutting out the second motor.
12. The combination of a series parallel governing controller, a reversing
switch, a line B leading from the governing controller to the reversing switch
and passing through a switch S', lines leading from the reversing switch to the
first motor, a line F¹ from the first motor back to the controller, a switch S
adapted to connect said line with the ground, a line as adapted to carry the
current from the governing controller in series position through switch S² to
reversing switch, lines from the reversing switch passing to the second motor.
a line from the second motor to the ground, a branch line, connected with the
line B from switch S¹ to the reversing switch, and passing through switch S³
back to the controller and adapted to be connected by it when in parallel
position with the line E, and means for connecting together the lines B and E
when the switches S¹ S³ are opened, whereby the opening of said switches S¹³
cuts out the first motor and the opening of the switches S³ S+ cuts out the
second motor.
1000