Improvements in Lighting Trains by Electricity.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lighting Trains by Electricity.
We, CHAIMSONOVITZ PROSPER ELIESON, of 75, Edith Road, West Kensington,
and WILLIAM SLATER NAYLOR, of 4, Greenland Place, Camden Town, both in
the County of London, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
--
Our invention relates to the lighting of trains by electricity and to that system
of lighting wherein a dynamo electric machine driven from one of the axles
of a carriage or train and an electrical accumulator are made use of, the chief
object of our invention being to provide improved means for automatically
maintaining a uniform E. M. F. at the lamp terminals whether the current is
obtained wholly from the accumulators or wholly from the dynamo or partly
from the accumulators and partly from the dynamo, and also to provide improved
means for automatically causing the current charging the accumulators to flow
in the same direction without regard to the direction in which the armature
of the dynamo is rotated.
According to our invention we arrange in the dynamo circuit a switch (and
preferably a mercury switch of the kind described in the Specification of former
Letters Patent granted to one of us No. 433 of 1894) in connection with a
governor or other controlling device in such a manner that when the dynamo
is at rest or running below a predetermined rate of speed the dynamo circuit
will be broken so that the lamps will be supplied wholly from the accumulators,
but that when this predetermined speed is exceeded the dynamo circuit closes
automatically, the current generated then flowing through the accumulators and
lamps, any insufficiency in the supply of current from the dynamo to the lamps
being supplied by the accumulators." When the dynamo and accumulators are
working conjointly the electro motive force of the accumulators is more or less
increased according to the speed of the dynamo, we therefore provide for auto-
matically introducing one or more resistances into the lamp circuit in order to
maintain the E. M. F. at the lamp terminals uniform.
We also sometimes arrange in the charging circuit of the accumulators a
second mercury switch in connection with a resistance in such a manner that
when a certain speed is attained the circuit through the switch shall be broken
so that the current shall be compelled to pass through the resistance.
Any suitable form of resistance may be used in the lamp circuit, but we pre-
ferably use resistances with which contact is made by means of mercury switches
advantageously operated by an arm in connection with a piston (hereinafter
referred to as the regulator piston) working in a cylinder connected with a
small air compressor driven from any convenient source of power, the said
regulator piston having in it a hole of such dimensions that when the air
compressor is running at a relatively low speed the air which is forced thereby
into the cylinder of the regulator piston more or less lifts the said piston to
move the contact arm whilst if the compressor is working at a relatively high

page_text: speed the air being unable to escape with sufficient facility through the hole
in the piston will lift the latter to such a point in its cylinder as to uncover
an opening therein through which the surplus air will escape. In this arrange-
ment the mercury switch in the dynamo circuit is preferably connected with
the said contact arm and moves therewith to close the dynamo circuit when a
certain speed is reached or exceeded. The centrifugal governor may be used
to operate the above mercury switches.
In another suitable arrangement of resistances the latter are arranged between
two drums carrying contact pieces rotary motion being imparted to the said
drums through the medium of a centrifugal governor, or the regulator piston
and air compressor arrangement described above or any other suitable means.
In order to provide that the direction of rotation shall have no effect upon
the direction of the current going to the accumulators we arrange two pairs
of brushes in conjunction with the commutator of the dynamo. Each pair of
brushes is advantageously connected with a sliding device actuated from the
wheel axle or a connected shaft, in such a manner that when the shaft is rotating
in one direction the said sliding piece will be in one position whilst when the
shaft is rotating in the opposite direction it will move the sliding piece to the
opposite position. Each pair of brushes is electrically connected by separate
mains to mercury switches operated by the said sliding pieces so that they
will receive the required movement for completing the circuit in connection with
the particular pair of brushes which is in operation; or one pair of brushes only
may be used and the dynamo designed accordingly so that there shall be no
sparking at the brushes.
In transmitting the motion of the wheel axle to the dynamo we prefer to
make use of a combination belt and chain transmitter (which allows a certain
amount of slip when required) of the kind described in the Specification of
former Letters Patent Nos. 10861 of 1896 and 4456 of 1897.
It is to be understood that the apparatus herein before described may be so
arranged that it will control the lights of an entire train or so that it will con-
trol the lights of one carriage or of a group of carriages.
In order to provide for lighting a train in the day time when entering a
tunnel and extinguishing the light when leaving the same we provide a device
which can be caused to project from the train in order to strike a device fixed
upon or adjacent to the permanent way for obtaining the required movements.
Dated the 18th day of January 1899.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Lighting Trains by Electricity.
We, CHAIMSONOVITZ PROSPER ELIESON, of 75, Edith Road, West Kensington,
and WILLIAM SLATER NAYLOR, of 4, Greenland Place, Camden Town, both in
the County of London, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
Our invention relates to the lighting of trains by electricity and to that system
of lighting wherein a dynamo electric machine driven from one of the axles
of a carriage or train and an electrical accumulator are made use of, the chief
object of our invention being to provide improved means for automatically
maintaining a uniform E. M. F. at the lamp terminals whether the current is

page_text: obtained wholly from the accumulators or wholly from the dynamo or partly
from the accumulators and partly from the dynamo, and also to provide improved
means for automatically causing the current (supplying the lamps or) charging
the accumulators to flow in the same direction without regard to the direction
in which the armature of the dynamo is rotated.
In the accompanying drawing,-
Figure 1 is an underside view of part of a railway carriage having our improved
apparatus depending from the floor; and
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view shewing the arrangement of our apparatus
in connection with a set of accumulators and a series of lamps to be lighted:
Figures 3 to 12 are views drawn to a larger scale than figures 1 and 2 illus-
trating the construction of details:
Figures 13 to 16 are views illustrating modifications hereinafter described.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the
drawings.
A is a dynamo of any ordinary or suitable construction, B indicates a set of
accumulators, and C, C'a series of lamps to be lighted.
The shaft a of the dynamo is mounted in hangers or brackets b, b and adapted
to be driven from one of the wheel axles c through the medium of a belt or
chain e running upon the pulleys d, d' on the wheel axle and dynamo shaft
respectively. In practice, however, we prefer to transmit the motion through
a metallic belt as such a belt is less liable to be effected by climatic or other
conditions than a leather or like belt. A suitable metallic belt is shewn in plan
and edge views in Figures 3 and 4 respectively, the said belt simply consisting
of a series of links which are connected together in the same manner as the
leaves of a hinge, the surfaces of the pulleys d, dare faced with leather or like
material in order to afford a grip for the metallic chain or belt whilst at the
same time allowing of the belt slipping if necessary as described in the Speci-
fication of former Letters Patent granted to me No. 4456 of 1897.
f is a drum the development of which, shewn in Figure 5, is drawn to a
larger scale than Figures 1 and 2. This drum has upon its periphery but
insulated from each other the contact strips g, g', g, g³, the resistance wires h,
which are connected to the insulated sections of the strip g, and the resistance
wires which are connected to the insulated sections of the strip g² and non-
resistance wires or strips j, j, 2, which respectively connect the strip g¹ to
the strips g, g² and g³.
13
k, k, are fixed brushes which operate in conjunction with the strips 9, g¹, g³
respectively, the brush in certain instances also making contact with the
strip g. This resistance drum f is mounted on a shaft f and is adapted to
receive rotary motion through the medium of a centrifugal governor 1; as shewn
in Figure 1, this governor is mounted on the armature shaft of the dynamo so
as to rotate therewith and is arranged to operate a sleeve sliding on the said
shaft. The sleeve , as shewn in Figure 1 and in Figure, G which is a section
on the line 6-6 of Figure 1, is connected by a chain to a pulley 13 on a shaft 14
the said pulley 3 having affixed to it a multiplying pulley from which a chain
extends to another pulley 16 on the shaft f¹ of the drum f, the chains being so
arranged upon the pulleys that when the sleeve 4 is moved in the direction of
the arrow 1, Figure 6, the pulley will be moved in the direction of the arrow 2
and transmit motion to the drum f in the direction of the arrow 3 to rotate the
drum. is a spring connected by a chain with the pulley 16 the said chain
being so arranged upon the pulley 16 that when the sleeve is moved in the
direction of the arrow 1 by the governor, under the action of the governor balls,
the spring will be extended and when the balls, under the reduction of the
speed of the governor, move in the reverse direction the spring will react
to move the drum into or towards its original position.
m is a switch which is shewn drawn to a large scale in Figures 7 and 8, Figure 7
being a longitudinal section of the switch and Figure 8 an elevation of one

page_text: side of the same. This switch as shewn is composed of two approximately
similar sections mo, mo bolted together to form a chamber m¹ and having secured
to them flanged rings m², m² which fit over and rotate upon bearing rings m³, m³
carried by brackets m, m³, the said bearing rings m³, m³ being preferably split,
as shewn at m³ in Figure 8, so that they can be made to exert a spring like
action to produce sufficient pressure upon the insides of the rings m², m² to
prevent the switch from rotating too freely. The chamber m' is partially filled
with mercury and has within it at one end two contact plates me, ms which are
insulated from the walls of the chamber m¹ but studs m³, m on the back sides
of which are in electric contact with the flanged rings m², m²; these 'flanged
rings m², m², however, are insulated from the parts mo, m° of the chamber. With
this arrangement it will be understood that when the chamber m¹ is turned so
that the mercury lies between the plates m³, me current can pass through the
switch from one bracket m' to the other but that when the chamber is in the
reverse position so that the mercury is out of contact with the plates m6, m6 no
current can pass.
It will be noticed that the studs m² serve for securing the chamber m¹ to the
flanges of the rings m² at one end, studs m³, m8 being provided for securing the
other end.
In order to prevent any oxidation upon the surface of the contact plates and
of the mercury by reason of sparking when the circuit is broken through the
switch we provide for exhausting the air from the chamber m¹; as shewn in
Figure 7 a small hole m³ normally closed by a screw valve m10 is provided and
one of the screws m8 is formed with a central hole (indicated by dotted lines) to
which the nozzle of an exhausting pump can be applied. It will be obvious that
when a pump is applied and the valve mo is loosened, air can be exhausted
from the chamber m¹ and that when exhausted the screwing down of the valve m¹º
will prevent readmission of air.
Rotary motion is imparted to the switch by the following means:
Upon the shaft f¹ of the drum is mounted a disc n, shewn detached in
Figure 9, having on the interior surface of a projecting flange thereon two sets
of teeth n', n2; to the chamber m² of the switch is attached one end of a shaft n³
the other end of which carries a pinion n arranged in the recess of the disc n
in such a position that the teeth n³, n² can engage therewith.
With this arrange-
ment when the drum f has received a certain amount of rotary motion the
teeth n will engage with the pinion n and commence to turn over the switch m;
if the rotation of the drum continues far enough, the teeth n will engage with
the said pinion and will again turn over the switch for a purpose which will
be hereinafter described.
In order that the switch m may quickly turn over to make or break the
circuit, the shaft n³ is formed in two parts, the one part having a tooth n5 en-
gaging a slot or recess n in the other part so that after the tooth n has revolved
the switch a little more than a quarter of a revolution the slot n enables the switch
to overbalance and complete its movement to make or break the circuit inde-
pendently of the tooth no.
The connections between the several parts hereinbefore described will be
understood by the following description:
Assume a train to be at rest with the accumulators charged, the switch m
being then in the position shewn in Figure 7 so that the circuit through the
same is interrupted, and an ordinary hand switch o, Figure 2, (which is provided
for completely shutting off the current when required) in position to complete
the circuit of the accumulators through the lamps, the current then flows from
the accumulators through the wires 1 and 2 to the lamps, then through the wires 3
and 4 to the brush k, thence through the strips g, j and g' to the brush k¹ and
thence through the wire 5 back to the accumulators.
Assume now that the train commences to run so that the dynamo is driven.
So long as the train is running below a certain predetermined speed no action
:

page_text: by the governor will take place, when, however, this speed is reached the
governors commence to act and through the chains and pulleys described rotate
the drum f to cause the teeth n¹ to engage with the teeth n and turn over
the switch 'm to complete a circuit through it. A portion of the current from
the accumulators then flows through the wire 1 and the wire 6 to the switch m,
thence through the switch to the wire 7, thence through the shunt wire 8 to
the coils 9 of the dynamo field magnets for energizing the same and thence
through the wire 10, the wire 4, brush k, strips g, j and g', brush and wire 5
back to the accumulators. The current which the dynamo generates owing to
the energization of the magnets then flows from one brush through the wire 11,
coils 12 in the windings of the electro-magnet (the current passing through
which coils tends to neutralize the magnetism of the magnets) and the wire 13
and through the wire 7, the switch m and the wires 6 and 2 to the lamps and
thence through the wires 3 and 4 to the brush k, thence through the strip g
and to the strip gl and from thence through the strip to the brush whence
the current passes through the wire 14 back to the other brush of the dynamo.
Should the current generated by the dynamo be less than that required for
the lamps any deficiency in the supply of current produced by the said dynamo
will be supplied from the accumulators. Should, however, owing to the increase
in the speed of the dynamo, the E. M. F. of the dynamo be greater than that
necessary for the lamps resistance must be thrown into the lamp circuit so as to
check the E. M. F. of dynamo, this will be accomplished by the continued rotation
of the drum f under the action of the governor which will bring one or more of
the sections of the contacts g beneath the brush k and so compel the current
to pass through one or more of the series of resistances h before passing through
the wire back to the dynamo as before described. The excess quantity of current
which is not taken by the lamps passes to the accumulator, the circuit from which
to the dynamo is completed through the wire 5 and the brush k', at which point
the current unites with that from the lamps and returns to the dynamo.
When, owing to increase of speed the dynamo would generate a current which
might injure the insulation of the winding of the armature of the dynamo,
the drum f has turned to such an extent as to place a further resistance in the
circuit of the dynamo, that is to say, the drum has moved so far that the sections
of the strip g commence to pass beneath the brush so that the current which
comes from the lamps and passes to the dynamo has, after traversing the resis-
tances h, wire j, contact strip gl and strip, to pass through one or more of the
resistances i before it reaches the brush . If after the brush 2 has reached
the last of the sections of the strip g² the train should run at an abnormal speed
we provide that the further movement of the drum f under the action of the
governors would bring the teeth n² of the disc n into contact with the pinion n
to again turn over the switch m and break the dynamo circuit so that the dynamo
will then run idly without generating current, at the same time, however, we
provide that the strip g shall have come into contact with the brush k so that
the accumulator current will flow in the same manner as if the train was at
rest with the exception that instead of passing from the contact strip g to the
contact strip g through the strip it will flow to the said strip through the
strips and As the speed reduces and the drum f turns backwards the
accumulator current will be cut off and the circuit of the dynamo again com-
pleted through the switch m, a further decrease in speed causing the resistance
to be again cut out and when a minimum of speed is reached the accumulators
to be again thrown into the lamp circuit.
Although we have described a dynamo wherein the field magnets of which
are initially energized by the accumulators it is to be understood that the use
of the accumulator current is not necessary if the field magnets possess
sufficient residual magnetism. Also the neutralizing winding 12 may be dis-
pensed with.
As thus far described we have assumed that the dynamo is only running in one

page_text: direction. In order to provide that the current, which is generated when the
dynamo is running in the reverse direction, shall flow in the same direction as
that described, we advantageously provide the following arrangement. Upon
the shaft a of the dynamo we mount a changing block p, shewn in Figures 1
and 2 and drawn to an enlarged scale in Figure 10 and in development in
Figure 11. This changing block has upon its periphery two insulated contact
rings p, which are stepped or overlapped, as clearly shewn in Figures 10
and 11, and four brushes q, r, s, t, the two former of which are respectively con-
nected with the ordinary brushes q', r¹ of the dynamo and bear permanently
upon the strips pl, p2 respectively, whilst the other two brushes are respectively
connected to the wires 14 and 11 and are arranged so that they may respectively
bear upon the strips 72, 21 or vice versa, but so that they cannot both bear upon
the same strip simultaneously.
we fix
It will be obvious that a slight movement of the changing block ? relatively
with the brushes will produce the desired change. For effecting this change
we make the following arrangement, that is to say, the changing block pis
not fixed to the dynamo shaft a but is loosely mounted thereon with the result
that when the shaft a is rotating the changing block p will tend to rotate
therewith owing to its contact with the shaft. Upon the bearing b of the dynamo
shaft adjacent to the said changing block
a stud u, Figure 10,
which projects into slot
ย
u¹ of such length that it will permit
of the movement of the said changing block sufficiently far to move
the strip into contact with the brush s and the strip p² in to contact with
the brush t or vice versa. Assume now the brushes r, s to be in contact with
the strip p and the brushes t, q in contact with the strip p¹, also assume the
armature to be rotating in the direction of the arrow, Figure 2, and the
positive current to be flowing from the dynamo through the brush q¹. The
dynamo current will now run from the brush q¹ to the brush q, thence through
the strip pl to the brush t and thence to the wire 11 and thereafter as herein-
before described. If the direction of rotation is reversed the changing block p
will be allowed to move a distance regulated by the pin and slot u so that the
brush s will be in contact with the strip p and the brush t in contact with the
strip 2 The positive current which will then flow from the dynamo through the
brush will pass to the brush and thence through the brush t to the wire 11
whilst the return current which flows through the wire 14 to the brush s will pass
through the strip to the brush q and thence to the dynamo brush g¹.
In order to provide that the dynamo brushes q', ri shall only bear upon the
dynamo commutator when the current of the dynamo is being used, we provide
the arrangement shewn in sectional elevation in Figure 12. In this arrangement
the said brushes are carried by two arms v, v pivoted at one end and carrying
at the other end metal rods or cores, which are arranged within a solenoid
coil 2 included in the same circuit as the field magnet coils 9 so that when the
switch m is operated to close the dynamo circuit the portion of the current which
flows from the accumulators through the coils 9 will also flow through the
said solenoid and attract the cores so as to cause the brushes to bear upon the
commutator. A spring is arranged between the said cores for the purpose of
separating the same and lifting the brushes from the commutator when the flow
of current through the solenoid coil ceases.
It is to be understood that we do not limit our invention to the details of
construction herein before described as it will be obvious that any form of
governor mechanism, switches and resistances, circuit changing devices and the
like may be adopted without departing from the nature of our invention; for
instance we show in Figures 13 and 14 which are respectively a front and side
elevation a modified arrangement for operating the cutting out switch m and
inserting the resistances h, h. In this arrangement the resistances h, h, instead
of being arranged on a drum are arranged in connection with a series of tumbler
switches w, w of similar construction to the switch m and operated by a cam

page_text: bar which also serves to operate the main switch m; the said cam bar x is
moved longitudinally by the governor and is provided with cam surfaces z¹, ², ;
also in lieu of the strips j, we provide an additional tumbling switch which
works in unison with the switch m but is arranged so that when the circuit
through the switch m is broken the circuit through the switch is completed
and vice versa.
The switches w, w are normally in the position in which the circuit of the
dynamo is completed without any resistance but when the cam bar is moved
under the action of the governor the said switches will be successivey turned over
so that the current will be caused to flow through the resistances. In order that
the said switches w and m may quickly turn over they are not permanently con-
nected to the rods w¹ which operate them, but each of the said rods ¹ is provided
with a slot or recess w², Figure 14, which allows of the movement of the switches
independently of the rods. With this arrangement it will be understood that
when the rod w¹ has acted upon the pin of the switch and has moved the
said switch into say a horizontal or slightly over a horizontal position the mercury
in the said switch will overbalance the same and complete the movement rapidly.
Another modification of our invention is shewn in Figures 15 and 16 which
represent respectively a diagram and an elevation. This modification relates to
the means whereby the direction in which the dynamo current flows shall remain
constant notwithstanding the direction in which the dynamo rotates is reversed.
In this arrangement the commutator of the dynamo has two pairs of brushes y, y,
y, y bearing upon it, one pair of which serves for the passage of the current
when the armature is rotating in one direction and the other pair when it is
rotating in the opposite direction These pairs of brushes are respectively
connected to the opposite ends of a pair of rocking tubular mercury
switches z, z by the wires y³, y²*, y³, y** as shewn in Figure 15. With this
arrangement it will be understood that assuming the switches z, z are turned
so that the terminals at the end z' of the two switches are in electrical connection
the current flowing from say the upper brush y of the pair will flow through the
wire and the switch to which it is connected to the line wire 11 and after
having performed its work returns through the wire 14 to the switch connected
with the wire y* back to the lower brush y. When the dynamo is reversed
the pair of switches z, z are turned over so that the contacts at the end 22 are
in electrical connection then the current which flows from the dynamo through
say the upper brush y will pass through the wire ³ to the line wire. 11 and return
to the lower brush y through the wire 14 and the wire y
The automatic reversal of the switches 2, z when the direction of the rotation
of the dynamo is altered is represented in Figure 16 as being effected through the
medium of a loose pulley 24 (which is mounted in the same manner as the
changing block p hereinbefore described and capable of partaking of a movement
which is limited by a pin u and slot in the same manner as described for the
said block). This pulley 2 is connected by a band or bands with the pair of
switches 2, so that the partial rotation of the pulley in one or the other
direction wil serve to rock the said switches to make the contact in the required
manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a system of train lighting wherein a dynamo electric machine is driven
from one of the axles of the train and wherein an accumulator is provided for
the supply of current during the time when the train is at rest or running at
slow speed, the combination with the said dynamo of a centrifugal governor
operating in conjunction with a series of resistances arranged in circuit in
such a manner that when the speed of the dynamo increases and the E. M. F.
rises more or less resistance will be thrown into circuit to keep the E. M. F.

page_text: at the lamp terminals uniform the said governor having combined with it a
switch which when a certain speed is exceeded will break the dynamo circuit,
the circuit of the accumulator being at the same time closed, substantially as,
and for the purpose, described.
2. In a system of train lighting of the kind claimed in the preceding claiming
clause for electrically lighting railway trains the use of a mercury switch operated
by the governor, substantially as described.
3. In a system of train lighting of the kind claimed in the first claiming
clause for electrically lighting trains the arrangement of a metallic driving
chain in connection with leather surfaces, substantially as, and for the purpose,
described.
4. In a system of train lighting of the kind claimed in the first claiming
clause, the combination with the dynamo of commutator brushes carried on
levers arranged in conjunction with a solenoid designed to be energized by a
current from an accumulator or accumulators when the main switch is operated
to close the dynamo circuit, substantially as described.
5. In a system of train lighting of the kind claimed in the first claiming
clause, the combination with the dynamo of means whereby current generated
by the dynamo will always be caused to travel in the same direction notwith-
standing the rection in which the dynamo is driven, substantially as described
by reference to Figures 2, 10 and 11 and Figures 15 and 16 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. In a system of train lighting of the kind referred to in the first claiming
clause an arrangement of a series of resistances upon a drum adapted to be
or less rotated by the governor, substantially as, and for the purpose,
more
described.
7. In a system of train lighting of the kind referred to in the first claiming
clause the combination with a series of resistances of a corresponding series of
mercury switches arranged to be operated by a governor, substantially as described
by reference to Figure 13 of the accompanying drawings.
Deted the 14th day of October 1899
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.