Improvements in Electro-magnetic Brakes for Railway and similar Vehicles and in Means for Increasing the Adhesion between the Wheels and Rails.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electro-magnetic Brakes for Railway and similar
Vehicles and in Means for Increasing the Adhesion between the
Wheels and Rails.
A communication from ELIAS ELKAN RIES, Electrician, 430, South Broadway,
Baltimore, Maryland, and ALBERT H. HENDERSON, Merchant, 443, East First
Street, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.L.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
This invention has reference to a system of electro-magnetic brakes for wheeled
vehicles, more especially for railway cars, and the same is combined with and is
designed to operate in conjunction with a system of electro-magnetic traction
increasing devices heretofore invented by my correspondents, and for which Letters
Patent have been obtained of Gt. Britain No. 4280 datod 20th March 1888.
In the aforesaid patent is shown and described means for establishing a complete
magnetic circuit comprising the axles and two or more pairs of wheels of a railway
car and the rail sections extending between these pairs of wheels whereby the friction
between the wheels and rails is increased, so that if either of these wheels is used as
the driver of a motor-car the traction will be increased, permitting the car or the
train to ascend steeper grades than is otherwise practicable
In the prosent invention use is made of the electro-magnetic traction increasing
system for aiding the operation of the brakes of the car, and the traction system is
rendered subservient to the purpose of braking a car or a train so as to increase the
braking effect and to stop the car or train more quickly than if the brako-shoes alone
were depended upon. This result is accomplished by providing for each pair of
wheels which is included in this electro-magnetic traction system, or for as many
pairs as is desired, pivotted brake beams of iron, cach provided with shoos, the beau
itself being surrounded by a magnetizing coil, so that when an electric current is
passed through said coil, the brake shoes become the pole-pieces of an electro-magnet.
It will now be seen that if in the operation of the electro-magnetic traction system,
the wheels of the car are magnetically polarized and if at the same time the brake
shoes are magnetically polarized so that each shoe has the opposite polarity from that
of the wheel upon which it is designed to act, the brakes will at once be applied with
force; and by reason of the increased friction between the wheels and rails, the
sliding of the former will be impeded at the same time that the turning of the wheels
is impeded by the brake shoes.
Thus, if in the operation of a railway train, the motive power be withdrawn, the
electro-inagnetic traction devices brought into action, and at the same time, this
electro-magnetic brake applied in the manner indicated, the car or train will be
rapidly brought to a stand-still.
If now while the system is in this condition, the polarities of the brake shoes be
reversed by a reversal of current through the coils, so that each brake-shoe will
now be opposite a wheol having the same magnetic polarity, there will be repulsion
between each wheel and brake shoe so that the latter can be more promptly withdrawn
and the car or train released to the action of the motive power while the electro-
magnetic traction system is still in operation.
The fundamental idea of this invention thus delineated, may be carried into effect
by a great variety of instrumentalitios, and in the following a convenient apparatus
is described with reference to the accompanying drawing; but I desire it to be
understood, that I am not limited to the exact detail shown and described, since the

page_text: same may be greatly varied without departing from the invention, which, generally
stated, consists ;-
1st. In establishing two independent electric circuits travelling with the vehicle or
train approximately of equal resistance and fed by a single source of electricity one
of said circuits including magnetizing coils, so arranged in inductive relation to each
pair of brake shoes as to produce magnetism of opposite polarity, respectively, therein
by the passage of currents of electricity therethrough; and the other electric circuit
including magnetizing coils so arranged in inductivo relation to each axle of the
vehicle carrying a pair of wheels, that a closed magnetic circuit is completed through
the axles, wheels and intervening track rails, and the successive wheels of said vehicle
are converted into poles of opposite polarity.
2nd. In a manual switch controlling the path of the currents preferably from the
single source of electricity into the two independent circuits, whereby the direction
of the currents travorsing the respective circuits may be changed at will and con-
sequently the relative polarities of a brake shoe and wheol may be made like or
dissimilar according to the occasion or demands of the moment.
3rd. In utilizing the magnetic force of attraction between the driving wheels and
rails produced by the magnetizing influence of the traction circuit for increasing the
retardation of the train on down grades when slowing down or coming to a stop,
that is to say the traction of the wheels upon the rails produced by this improved
traction increasing system is designed to be utilized in conjunction with the electro-
magnetic brakes solely for assisting the braking agency thereof, as will appear
hereinafter.
This invention consists further in certain details of construction, combination
and arrangement of parts and connections all of which will be more fully described
hereinafter.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification
Fig. 1 is a plan view partly in section and partly in diagram of a railway car-truck,
equipped with this invention and showing conventionally the source of electricity the
circuits and electrical connections.
Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation partly in diagram of figure 1.
Like numerals of reference indicate like or corresponding parts in the two views.
As shown in both figures of the drawing the car is propelled by an electric motor
of any approved type which may derive its actuating current from any convenient or
available source which may be from overhead or underground line conductors or from
a storage system carried upon the vehicle.
1 indicates the car provided with the flange wheel 2 2 mounted upon the axles 33
supported in hearings 44. The motor 7 is centrally supported between the front and
rear axles of the car by the side-bars 88 and has its armature shaft 9 geared at each
end to one of the axles at about the middle thereof.
In order that the armature shaft may be thus mechanically connected to each
axle 33 it will be obvious that the magnetizing coils 56 which are wound respectively
around the axles 3 3 must be divided at the point 10 and the divisions 5 5 and 6 6 of
each coil must consequently be electrically connected by loops 11.
It will be apparent that these coils 5 and 6 may be arranged stationary and inde-
pendent of their respective axles or may be constructed to revolve with said axles as
may be desired; however in the drawing the helices 5 and 6 are shown mounted
rigidly, free of the driving axles 3 3.
One of the two terminals of each coil 5 6 is connected by a conductor 12 with one
of the switch levers 13 and the other terminals of the coils 5, 6 are connected together
by the conductor 14. Thus it will be seen that there is a closed metallic circuit from
one switch lever 13 to the other through the helices and 6.
When the magnetizing coils are placed upon the axles of a vehicle propelled by an
agency other than an electric motor or when the motor used is not geared in the
manner shown to the axles, it will be apparent that a coil may envelope the entire
length of the axle.
The two coils 5 and 6 are well insulated from the adjacent parts of the truck and

page_text: are preferably protected by a shield or wrapping 15 as shown clearly in fig. 1; and
the four wheels 2, 2 of the vehicle are in magnetic contact with their respective axles
thus forming a closed magnetic circuit through the two axles their attached wheels
and the intervening track whether the vehicle is at rest or in motion.
16, 16 designate the magnetizing coils for the brake-shoes 23 23 wound around the
brake beams 17 17 one of these coils having one terminal connected electrically by a
conductor 18 with the switch contacts 19 and 20 and the other coil having the like
terminal connected with the switch contacts 19 and 20° while the two remaining
terminals of the coils 16 16 are electrically in circuit with each other by the
conductor 21. The coils 16 16 are so wound as to be approximately of equal resistance
to the magnetizing coils 5 and 6; they are well insulated from the surrounding
structure, and are provided with protecting shields of insulation similar to those of the
coils 5 6.
At each end of a brake beam 17 is a brake shoe 23 forming an enlarged pole-
piece of the same and rigidly secured thereupon in any suitable manner, as shown,
for instance by nuts 22 22 placed on the screw threaded ends of each brake beam.
Referring to figure 2 the brake shoes 23 23 are supported in operative relation to
the driving wheels by the depending bars 25 25 which are each secured at their lower
ends to the brake beams 17 17 and at their upper ends are pivotted to the brackets 21*
by the pins 24.
28 28 indicate horizontal extensions of the pivotted bars 25 25; they are each
provided with a screw threaded perforation in which is placed the correspondingly
screw threaded limiting pin 27 whose upper end normally bears against the bracket 21ª.
26 is a depending arm formed integral with the bracket 21" and serves to support the
adjusting device of the retractilo spring 27" attached respectively to the bar 25 and to
the adjusting device.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that each brake beam 17
carries a pair of brake shoes which latter are moved in unison to or from their
respective wheels in a manner hereinafter explained.
As above explained the two conductors 18 18 terminate respectively in two sets of
switch contacts 19* 20 and 20" 19 each contact being connected with its respective
conductor 18 by a branch 28 as shown and the relative arrangement and situation of
those contacts is such that when one switch lever 13 is upon the contact 19" the other
will be upon a contact 20" and when one switch arm is upon contact 19 the other
switch arm will be upon contact 20. Both lovers 13 13 are pivotted beyond their
respective central points by the pivots 29 29 which in turn are severally in electrical
contact with the conductors 12 12 leading to the magnetizing coils 5 and 6.
30 is a cross bar of insulating material pivotted to the two switch levers 13 13 so
that the latter shall move together. The source of electricity 32 for the magnetizing
coils 56 and 16 is in electrical communication with the terminal plates 31 31 by the
conductors 33 33 and as shown clearly in fig. 1 the rear ends of said levers 13 13
are normally out of contact with the terminal plates 31 31 so that no current passes
through the magnetizing coils until the switch is manipulated in a manner hereinafter
explained.
The terminal plates 31 31 arranged under the rear ends of the switch levers, are
shaped to allow the rear ends of the said levers 13 13 to be in electrical contact there-
with only when the forward ends of these levers are upon either of the two sets of
contacts 19 20 and 19 20.
The source of electricity has been conventionally shown in the drawing as independent
of the motor circuit so that the operation of the brakes may be entirely independent of
that of the motor.
The operation of this invention is as follows;-
Should it be desired to apply the brakes for slowing down or stopping a vehicle
under headway, the operator simply adjusts the switch levers 13 13 upon the switch
contacts 19 20 (as shown in dotted lines in figs. 1 and 2) which action will bring the
rear ends of said levers respectively in contact with the terminal plates 31 31 throwing

page_text: the current from the source of electricity 32 simultaneously through the magnetizing
coils 5, 6 and 16 over the following paths ;-
From the pole of the source 32 the current will pass over 33, 31, 13 to the
point 29-now, the magnetizing coils 5 and 6 being equal in resistance to the
magnetizing coils 16 the current will divide into two equal parts at the switch
lever 13 and will pass at the same time through both the magnetizing coils 16 16
and 56; or in other words, will traverse simultaneously the two circuits which I
shall hereinafter call the brake and traction circuits respectively.
In the brake circuit the current will continue from switch lever 13 over 19, 28, 18,
16, 21, 16, 18, 28, 20, 13, 31, 33 back to the minus pole of the source 32. Thus a
closed electric circuit is established through the magnetizing coils 16 16 of the brake
shoes thereby producing magnetism in the brake beams 17 17 and in their respective
pole pieces 23 23.
By the circuit thus established the first pole induced will bo, perchance, plus, and
the next minus, then plus, then minus, thereby making brake shoes 23 23 which
are magnetically attached to, and form the pole pieces of one brake beam 17 of
opposite polarity.
As to the traction circuit, the current dividing at the pivot 29 then passing
over the traction circuit will traverse 29, 12, 5, 11, 5, 14, 6, 11, 6, 12, 29, 13, 31, 33
back to the minus pole of the source 32. Thus the magnetizing coils 5 and 6 will
be charged at the same time that the coils 16 16 are charged and successive poles
of opposite polarity will be established in the respective driving wheels 22 and
a closed magnetic circuit formed by the wheels intervening rails and axles; but
it will be understood that when the coils are specially wound for this purpose the
polarity of any one driving wheel 2 may be made unlike that of its respective
brake shoe when the switch-lovers are in the position shown in dotted lines. Con-
sequently the pivotally supported brake shoes will be attracted to the wheels 22
and the arc-shaped recesses of the former will bear upon the periphery of the latter
and retard the rotation of said wheels. All four brake shoes are simultaneously
attracted, and two closed magnetic circnits are established through the respective
wheels, brake shoes, brake beams and axles. Since, however, the rails are bridging
the space between the wheels on each side there will be in fact, three closed
magnetic circuits travelling with the vehicle, and the brake shoes will retard the
rotation of the wheel, while the adhesion of the whool to the rail will have an
auxiliary braking or retarding tendency, thus assisting the operation of the brakes.
By this arrangement I am enabled to attain a double braking effect viz. one
due to the frictional adhesion of the brake shoes and the other due to the increased
adhesion of the wheels to the supporting rails. Consequently it will be obvious
that by utilizing both of these co-operating features a train can be slowed up and
effectually checked by the mere adjustment of a hand-switch.
If now the train is brought to a stop the brake shoes should be withdrawn and
this is effected by throwing the switch levers 13 13 first upon the contacts 19° 20°
and then continuing the movement of the switch levers until they are in the position
shown in full lines. When the switch-levers are upon the contacts 19" 20" the
traction circuit will be the same as before while the brake circuit will be reversed ;
for in this case the current from the positive pole of the generator 32 dividing
at 29 one half of it will pass through the traction circuit as before, while the
other half will pass as follows;-from 29 over the switch lever 13 to contact 19ª
branch wire 28, conductor 18, through the coil 16 of the brake beam on the left
hand side of fig. 1 and then by conductor 21, through coil 16 of the brake beam
on the right hand side of fig. 1 and by conductor 18 on that side and one of its
branch wires 28 to contact plato 20" and the other switch-lever 13 and by contact
plate 31 and conductor 33 to the negative pole of the generator. The brake
circuit being thus closed, each brake shoe becomes a magnetic pole of like name
with the magnetic pole constituted by the wheel upon which it acts; and the brake
shoes will consequently be repelled from the wheels and this movement will be

page_text: aided by the action of the retractile spring 27* until stopped by the limiting
screw 27.
In this condition of the apparatus the traction circuit alone will be active, and if
it is desired to make use of the magnetic traction system alone, the switch is left in
this position. If however neither the traction nor the braking devices are to be used,
the movement of the switch is continued until it arrives in the position shown in
solid lines in which case both the traction and braking circuits are open.
Thus it will be seen that by a simple movement of the switch levers I can call into
operation the traction increasing device combined with the braking apparatus for
slowing down or stopping the train; or I can withdraw the brakes and make use of
the traction increasing devices alone; or I can withdraw both the braking and
traction agencies successively.
The several parts of the apparatus are durable and cheap in first cost and main-
tenance, and any ordinary railway car can be equipped with the same with compara-
tively small cost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In a railway vehicle or train wheels of magnetizable metal; brake-shoes of
magnetizable metal for said wheels; magnetizing coils respectively for said wheels
and brake shoes and a source of electricity for charging said coils all arranged for
the purpose set forth.
2. In a railway vehicle or train wheels of magnetizable metal, brako shoes of
magnetizable metal for said wheels magnetizing coils respectively for said wheels and
brake shoes, an electric circuit including said magnetizing coils and a switch for
reversing the brake circuit, all arranged for the purpose set forth.
3. In a railway a closed magnetic circnit including wheels of a railway vehicle and
the track rails extending between the same magnetizing coils for said wheels brake-
shoes for said wheels magnetizing coils for said brake shoes and a source of electricity
for charging said coils, all arranged for the purpose set forth.
4. In a railway a closed magnetic circuit including wheels of a railway vehicle
and the sections of track extending between the same of brake-shoes for said wheels,
an electric circuit for energizing the closed magnetic circuit magnetizing coils for
the brake shoes and a source of electricity for charging said coils all arranged for the
purpose set forth.
5. In a railway a closed magnetic circuit including wheels of a railway vehicle
or train and the sections of track extending between the same, of brake shoes for said
wheels an electric circuit for energizing said closed magnetic circuit magnetizing
coils for the brake shoes a source of electricity for charging said coils and a
circuit changer for controlling the flow of currents from said source all arranged
for the purpose set forth.
6. In a railway a closed magnetic system including the wheels of a vehicle or
train and the rails extending between the same said magnetic system having
alternating magnetic polarities in the successive wheels of said vehicle an electric
circuit for establishing said alternating magnetic system brake shoes for said wheels
magnetizing coils for the brake shoes included in said electric circuit all arranged for
the purpose set forth.
7. In a railway a closed magnetic system including the wheels of a vehicle and the
rails extending between the same said magnetic system having alternating magnetic
polarities in the successive wheels of said vehicle an electric circuit for establishing
said magnetic circuit or system brake shoes for said wheels magnetizing coils for said
brake shoes included in said electric circuit, and a circuit changer for the circuit all
arranged for the purpose set forth.
S. The combination with the wheels and brake shoes of a railway vehicle of two
branch circuits travelling with the vehicle and including magnetizing coils respectively

page_text: for the brake shoes and wheels a circuit changer controlling both circuits and a single
source of electricity for charging both circuits.
9. In a railway the combination with the axles and wheels of a travelling vehicle
and the rails extending between said wheels of magnetizing coils in inductive proximity
to said axles and wheels pivotally supported brake shoes for said wheels magnetizing
coils in inductive proximity to said brake shoes and an electric circuit including said
magnetizing coils.
10. In a railway the combination with the axles and wheels of a travelling vehicle
and the rails extending between the same of magnetizing coils in inductive proximity
to said wheels pivotally supported brake shoes for said wheels magnetizing coils in
inductive proximity to said brake shoes and an electric circuit respectively for said
magnetizing coils fed by a single source of electricity.
11. In a railway the combination with the axlos and wheels of a vehicle and the
rails extending between said wheels of magnetizing coils in inductive proximity to
said wheels pivotally supported brake shoes for said wheels magnetizing coils in
inductive proximity to said brake shoes an electric circuit respectively for said
magnetizing coils and a circuit changer for said circuit.
12. The combination with magnetizable wheels of a railway vehicle of brake
shoes respectively therefor magnetizing coils in inductive proximity to the said
brake shoes a source of electricity for charging said coils and a circuit changer
for varying the direction of flow of current through the magnetizing coils sub-
stantially as described.
13. The combination with wheels of a railway vehicle or train of magnetizing coils
in inductive proximity to said wheels brake shoes for said wheels magnetizing coils for
said brake shoes approximately of equal resistance to the magnetizing coils of the
wheels an electric circuit including said magnetizing coils and a circuit changer
for said circuit.
14. The combination with the wheels of a railway vehicle of pivotally supported
brake shoes respectively therefor magnetizing coils in inductive proximity to
said brake shoes an olectric circuit including said coils and a circuit controller for
said circuit.
15. The combination with a pair of magnetizable wheels and a pair of pivotted
brake shoes therefor of an inducing electric circuit and circuit controller for said
circuit for establishing magnetic polarities both in the brake shoes and wheels sub-
stantially as described.
16. The combination with a closed magnetic system for increasing the traction or
adhesion of a wheeled vehicle travelling upon a metallic track and inducing electric
circuit for energizing said magnetic system and a circuit controller for said circuit of
electro-magnetic brakes for the said vehicle controlled by the said inducing electric
circuit and circuit controller; whereby both the traction and braking instrumentalities
can be utilized for braking the vehicle substantially as described.
17. The combination with electro-magnetic means for increasing the traction or
adhesion of a wheeled vehicle travelling upon a metallic track of electro-magnetic
brakes for the said vehicle controlled by the said means for increasing the traction
thereof whereby both the traction and breaking instrumentalities can be utilized for
braking the vehicles substantially as described.
18. The combination with a pair of wheels and a pair of pivotted brake shoes
therefor arranged to operato in unison of means for establishing like or dissimilar
polarities between said wheels and brake shoes and retracting and limiting agencies
for said pivotted brake shoes.
Dal 10 J
ג
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.