Improvements in Electric Locomotives.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 15th Oct., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Locomotives.
We, WILLIAM HENRY SOLEY, Machinist, of 1926 Harrison Street, Frankford,
Philadelphia, WILLIAM WASHINGTON PERKINS, Electrician, of Longshore
Street, Tacony, Philadelphia, JAMES WOLSTENCROFT, Manufacturer, corner
Harrison & Willow Streets, Frankford, Philadelphia, WILLIAM O'NEILL,
Manufacturer, of Dyer & Main Streets, Frankford, Philadelphia, and WILLIAM
HENRY YELLAND, Builder, of Penn Street, Frankford, Philadelphia, in the State
of Pennsylvania, United States of America, 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, reference being had
to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say:
The object of our invention is to provide an electric locomotive having traction
wheels of substantially the same size, and differential driving mechanism between
the motor and the front and rear axles, which will permit the car to run at a high
low rate of speed as desired, while the speed of the motor is maintained at a uniform
rate.
or
In providing the differential mechanism we aim to use such a gearing as will
avoid the objectionable rattle and noise noticable in many of such apparatus as
heretofore built, will admit of compact arrangement of parts, will not be subjected
to undue wear and tear in starting or when thrown into gear, and will permit the
truck to run free when descending a hill.
Our invention includes the combination of devices hereinafter set forth.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a side view of a truck embodying our invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 3 is a detail view of one of the boxes enclosing the worm gear and
clutch.
In these drawings the framework A, the axles B, and the traction wheels C, are
of the usual construction. We aim to maintain the traction wheels of equal size
and to secure the variations of speed and power by providing a driving gear between
one axle and the motor shaft which will be differential relatively to the gearing
between the opposite end of said shaft and the other axle.
The motor is located between the axles, and its shaft 2 extends from each side
over the front and rear axles. Its ends are journalled in casings or boxes 3,
supported on the axles, and braced by the rods 4. On the ends of this shaft and
within the casing are secured the worms 5 and 6. Within the casing are also the
worm wheels 7 and 8 loose on the axles. Each worm wheel has a friction surface
on its side to be engaged by the friction shoes 9, of the toggle arms 10, pivoted to
the sleeve 11 which projects through a packing gland on the casing, and is engaged.
by a bell crank lever 12. The sleeves are splined to the axles and when either one
or the other of the clutch shoes is thrown into engagement with its worn wheel its
axle will be revolved accordingly. The clutch and gearing is thus located within
the box or casing which may be filled with oil to keep the parts properly
lubricated.
The worm wheels and worms of each pair of driving connections, while being the
same as to size, differ in respect to the pitch and number of teeth, so that the motion
of the motor shaft may be communicated to the axles differentially while maintaining
itself a constant unvarying rate of speed. That is to say, the pitch of the teeth
and threads of the rear pair is such as to drive the rear axle at a lower rate of 'speed
than the gearing at the front axle, but with greater power, and in order that the

page_text: two sets of gearing may be thrown into and out of gear with their respective shafts
alternately, connections 14 and 15 are made from the bell crank levers 12, and these
are pivoted to the lever 16 above and below the fulcrum 17 thereof so that the
motion of the lever which throws one clutch out of gear will throw the other into
gear, or by moving the lever to its intermediate position both the clutches will be
out and the locomotive will run free, as when going down grade, or when at rest,
the speed of the motor being maintained at all times.
It will be seen from the above that the differential driving mechanism consists in
arranging between the ends of the motor shaft and the front and rear axles respec-
tively gearing which is different at one end from that of the other with respect to
the pitch and number of teeth, while the sizes of the parts together with the traction
wheels are maintained equal with regard to each other.
Ir starting the car the rear slow speed gearing is first employed, and the friction
clutches may be manipulated so as to allow the shoes to slip at first to secure the
gradual action and avoid straining the parts, and the car having started the shoes
are forced hard into place and the full power obtained, after which the rear gearing
may be released and the front high speed gearing thrown into action.
The same action will take place in going around curves or climbing hills where
the greatest power is obtained, the rear low speed connection being employed, while
the front connection is thrown out of gear.
In order that the two axles may be connected independently of the motor con-
nections, above described, so that both axles will be driven simultaneously whether
the front or rear driving connection is in gear, we employ a shaft 18 having beveled
pinions 19, at its ends meshing with the pinions 20 on the axles. This shaft is
journalled in boxes on the axles and its intermediate portion may serve as a support
for the motor frame.
Should the front gearing be in use and the front traction wheels slip, then the
traction will be secured through the rear wheels, and on the other hand if the rear
gearing be used the front traction wheels will act to supplement or take the place
of the rear traction wheels.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
1. In combination the truck, the motor, a driving connection between the front
of the motor shaft and the front axle and a second driving connection between the
rear of said shaft and the rear axle, said connections being differential with respect
to each other, clutches on the axles, and idler connections between the axles
iudependent of the motor and its connected mechanism, substantially as described. .
2. In combination the truck, the motor, the driving connections therefrom to the
front and rear axles respectively, the clutches, the idler connections between the
axles comprising a shaft and the miter gears, the said shaft being in connection
with the motor frame, substantially as described.
3. In combination the truck, the motor, the differential worm gearing between
the front and rear ends of the motor shaft and the front and rear axles, the casings
or boxes enclosing said gearing, the frictional clutches also located within said
casings and having sleeves extending through packing glands thereon to the outside,
and means for operating the clutches connected to the projecting sleeves, substan-
tially as described.
Dated this 13th day of September 1892