Improvements relating to Means for Carrying Electrical Batteries for Driving Tramway Vehicles and for other Purposes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 29th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 1st June, 1888
Improvements relating to Means for Carrying Electrical Batteries
for Driving Tramway Vehicles and for other Purposes.
I, WILLIAM DANTON SANDWELL, of 151 Mayall Road, Herne Hill, in the county
of Surrey, Electrical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
follows:-
My invention chiefly relates to means for carrying electrical accumulators or
batteries for driving tramway vehicles.
Heretofore in operating tramway vehicles by means of electricity derived from
accumulators it has been customary either to locate the accumulators and the motor
upon the tramcar, or to mount them both in a separate vehicle adapted to serve as a
locomotive and to be attached to the tramcar. In the former case however the weight
of the tramcar is augmented to such an extent as to endanger the safety of the same
and also to damage the road; and in both cases it is necessary when the accumulators
are discharged to remove the same from the vehicle carrying them and replace them
by others, which is a laborious operation, or to allow the tramcar or the locomotive, as
the case may be, to remain at rest while the accumulators are being recharged.
According to my present invention I place the accumulators in a truck or tender
adapted to be attached to the tramcar, while the motor is located beneath the tramcar
in the ordinary manner. By means of this invention I not only relieve the tramcars
of the weight of the accumulators, but at the same time enable a great saving in
rolling stock and machinery to be effected, as after the accumulators in one truck are
exhausted another tender containing another set of charged accumulators can be
substituted therefor.
My invention is also applicable for use in connection with portable electric
machinery of any kind, as the vehicle or truck can be provided with wheels and
springs of ordinary construction and moved from place to place as desired. By this
arrangement the injury to the plates, which is almost certain to occur, when the
machinery and accuinulators are located in the same vehicle, is obviated.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: for Driving Tramway Vehicles. and for other Purposes.
I, WILLIAM DANTON SANDWELL, of 151, Mayall Road, Herne Hill, in the county
of Surrey, Electrical 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:-
My invention chiefly relates to means for carrying electrical accumulators or
batteries for driving tramway vehicles.
Heretofore in operating tramway vehicles by means of electricity derived from
accumulators it has been customary either to locate the accumulators and the motor
upon the tramcar, or to mount them both in a separate vehicle adapted to serve as a
locomotive and to be attached to the tramcar.
Both of these methods present numerous disadvantages.
In the first case, when the whole of the apparatus is carried upon the car itself, the
weight of the same is so considerably augmented that the rails or tracks over which
the car passes are liable to sink and become uneven for the reason that they were not
constructed and laid to carry such a great weight. Again the cars themselves have
to be considerably altered and strengthened before they can receive the accumulators
and are strong enough to carry the motor.. Further when the electricity of the
accumulators. is exhausted. it is necessary either to remove the accumulators and
replace them by charged ones, which is a laborious operation, or to allow the whole
car and apparatus to remain at rest while the accumulators are being recharged
thereby necessitating a considerable outlay of capital. for the reason that the rolling
stock and electrical apparatus are lying idle for a considerable portion of their
time.
In the second case also when the accumulators are mounted on a separate vehicle
with the motor, the last mentioned disadvantage is not removed, as even then. the
motor, itself is lying idle while the accumulators are being recharged.
According to my present invention I obviate the disadvantages above enumerated
by mounting the motor beneath the tramcar and the accumulators in a truck or
tender adapted to be connected to and disconnected from the tramcar it having been
ascertained that an electrical motor can be applied to a tramcar at a very small cost as
no extensive alterations of the framing are required, and that the additional weight of
the motor alone is not sufficient to cause the sinking of the track as the car passes
over it.
After the accumulators in one truck have become exhausted it is only necessary to
uncouple the same from the tramcar and replace it by another truck having a charged
set of accumulators therein. With this arrangement the only part of the apparatus
which need remain at rest is a truck containing a set of accumulators.
My invention is also applicable for use in connection with portable electric
machinery of any kind, as the vehicle or truck can be provided with wheels and

page_text: springs of ordinary construction and moved from place to place as desired. By this
arrangement the injury to the plates which is almost certain to occur when the
machinery and accumulators are located in the same vehicle is obviated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with a tramcar or other vehicle or apparatus adapted to bo
driven by electricity of an electric motor mounted on the said car and a set of
accumulators from which the clectricity for operating the said motor is derived, the
said accumulators being located in a truck or fender adapted to be connected with and
disconnected from the tramcar, or the like, as set forth.
2. In combination with a tramcar adapted to be driven by electricity, a truck or
tender adapted to run in conjunction with the said tramcar and to contain a set of
accumulators from which electricity is derived for operating a motor on the car,
substantially as described.
1
200
1
T
1
1007
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.