Improvements in Electric Apparatus for Transmitting Motion.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Apparatus for Transmitting Motion.
I, MARK WESLEY DEWEY, of 150 North Salina Street in the City of Syracuse, in
the County of Onondaga, in the State of New York, United States of America,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING MOTION," and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to means for transmitting motion from a motor to a shaft or
wheel to be driven thereby, and for maintaining the motion of said shaft or wheel at a
lower rate of speed than that of the motor.
The object of my invention is to provide a simple, regulable, flexible and frictionless
connection between a motor, preferably an electric motor, and a shaft or wheel to be
driven thereby, to dispense with the rigid connections, as cog wheels, chains, etc.,
usually employed.
It is well known that the common gearing, such as gear wheels, which was required in
order to reduce the speed from the motor is objectionable for the reasons that it quickly
wears out, is noisy, cumbersome and requires to be cushioned in some way to prevent its
breaking when the motor is started or stopped suddenly. My invention is devoid of
all such objections, the motor may be rigidly mounted upon the truck, the gear-
wheels may be entirely or partly dispensed with, the motor can be run at a high speed,
and the shaft, wheel or axle, or the part to be driven, operated at any desired lower
rate of speed with the greatest case and safety; and, although the motor is not
cushioned, there will be no jerking motion if started or stopped suddenly.
Another great advantage derived by my invention is, that the motor can be run
continuously, if desired, without couplings or mechanical clutches of any kind, and
the movement of a car can be governed without changing the strength of the current
flowing through the motor.
My invention consists in the combination, in a mechanism for transmitting a
reduced speed to a shaft or wheel to be driven, of a series of magnets connected with
an electric circuit and arranged to be moved, a conductor arranged to move in
proximity to the poles of said magnets, and a motor to move either the magnets or
the conductor, while one of said parts is mechanically connected to the said shaft or
wheel.
My invention consists also in certain other combinations of apparatus hereinafter
described and more specifically set forth in the claims.
In the drawings forming a part of this Specification,
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a car-axle and wheels, and having an electric motor and an
electric motion-transmitting and speed-reducing mechanism, in section, mounted
thereon,
Fig. 2 is a view partly in section of the mechanism taken on line x, x, of Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is a modification of Fig. 1,
Fig. 4 shows a plan for connecting the mechanism directly with the motor when its
armature is not sleeved upon the axle,
Fig. 5 represents a modified form of the speed reducing mechanism wherein the
conductor or plate is formed into a cylinder and the poles of the magnets are in
proximity to its periphery, and
Fig. 6 is a diagram of circuits and apparatus upon a car provided with my
invention.
Referring specifically to the drawings, A represents a shaft with wheels thereon, or
the axle and wheels of a car, B is an electric motor for driving the said shaft or axle,
and C is the mechanism for transmitting a reduced motion from the motor to the axle.

page_text: ates my preferred arrangement of the apparatus for transmitting
motion to the axle A from the motor B and consists in mounting the armature of the
motor loosely upon the said axle and axially concentric with the same, thus dispensing
with all gear wheels or equivalents. To effect this, the armature & or moving part of
the motor is sleeved upon the axle, while the field magnet is held stationary by
suitably securing it to the truck-frame. Upon one end of the armature shaft
opposite the end carrying the commutator e, is fixed or secured a part of the electric
speed transmitting and reducing mechanism C which is also sleeved loosely upon the
axle A. In this case the part c of the said mechanism fixed to the armature shaft is
preferably formed integral with the same, and consists of a frame resembling two
disks d da distance apart, arranged facing each other, and coupled together at their
peripheries by a ring or cylinder du encircling them and bolted or otherwise secured
thereto. Upon the inner faces of each of the disks d and d and near their peripheries
are fixed a series of electro magnets and g' (shown also in Fig 2) with the poles of
one series opposite to and facing the poles of the other series, but a distance apart.
9
The coils of the magnets are wound so that north poles will face south poles, but
the magnets of each series may either all present poles of the same polarity or different
polarities as desired, and said coils are preferably connected in circuit in series. In
order to conduct the current to the said magnets I provide a two ring commutator f
which is mounted upon, but insulated from an extension of the hub of the outer disk d¹
and shown in Fig. I in section and in Fig. 4 in elevation.
Fixed brushes f₁ f¹ connected with the terminals of the electric circuit / bear
yieldingly upon the rings, which are connected to the terminals of the conductor
containing the coils of the magnets. Between the poles of the magnets g and gl is
arranged a circular plate or disk c' of conducting material as iron or copper, preferably
the latter, and is fixed to or forms a part of a hub which is securely keyed or fastened
to the axle A by set screws i i. This plate or disk and its connection constitutes the
second part of the power transmitting and reducing mechanism.
It is well known that if a metallic or copper disk is rotated under and near a
magnetic needle, that the needle will rotate with the disk, or, in the same direction
but at a slower speed than the disk, and vice versa.
currents in the copper by the movement of the needle, these currents being such as to
This is due to the induction of
oppose that motion of the needle which is the origin of the induction. My speed
transmitting and reducing mechanism acts on the same principle but is, of course,
more powerful, as many powerful magnets are employed to act on both sides of a
disk or a plurality of disks, as shown in Fig. 3.
The operation of the mechanism in this case is as follows:
The armature of the motor B rotates the part of the mechanism carrying the
electro magnets, at the same speed as the armature, and the disk, forming the
conductor of the induced currents is both attracted and repelled vigorously, in 4
the same direction, as the movement of the magnets, but at a reduced speed, depending
upon the speed of the magnets and the strength of their magnetism.
It will be obvious that either the magnets g g' or the conducting disk can be fixed
to and rotated with the armature with equal effect, and to illustrate such transposition
of parts, Fig. 3 shows a plurality of metal disks c' securely fastened to the armature 4
sleeve or shaft b, and the part e carrying the magnets yg loosely mounted upon the
armature shaft, but rigidly fixed to the axle, as by set screws i i.
It will be noticed that one of the parts of the transmitting mechanism is directly
connected to the motor, or the moving part of the same, as the armature. This is
done, if the armature is not sleeved upon the axle, or supported by the same, by 50
providing the periphery of the cylinder with cogs as shown in Figure 4, to work
directly in mesh with a pinion on the armature shaft 6". The term "directly" I
desire to be understood as including any arrangement by which motion can be
imparted from the motor to a part as c without the employment of an intermediate
gear and counter-shaft.
I do not limit myself to a conductor or plate e' in the shape of a disk or a
of disks, as said plate can be made in various other forms, as in the form of a cylinder,
plurality
51

page_text: as shown in Fig. 5, in section. In this case, the magnets are shown in one series and
secured to the ring or cylinder du and with their poles extending quite close to the
cylindrical plato c¹.
Referring now to Fig. 6 of the drawing, to explain ny preferred arrangement of
electric circuits, represents an overhead line working conductor of an electric railway;
the track or return conductor, the trolley carried by the car and m the main
vehicle conductor leading to and from the motor B and connected to the trolley t and
track contact t¹. A indicates the axle and wheel of the vehicle and the speed
transmitting and reducing mechanism. The motor B is shown separated from the
axle A for the sake of showing the electric connections clearly, but may be understood
to be mounted upon the axle as shown in Fig. 1.
his a shunt circuit around the motor B and includes the magnets go of the
mechanism ( and are adjustable resistances in the shunt circuit and at each
end of the car to regulate the current flowing through said magnets to control their
magnetisın.
The position of the resistances are for a car supposed to be moving in the direction
of the arrow.
The switch arm of the resistance is open or in its inoperative
position, while the switch arm of the other resistance is closed through more or less
resistance, depending upon the speed of the car. When the car is moving in the
opposite direction, is open and closed, but when it is desired to stop the car both
resistances are opened, thus preventing entirely the passage of current through the
mechanism C. The movement of the car may be reversed in any suitable manner.
but have shown in the last figure a rod o connecting a current reverser s, located
near the motor, with crank-arms at each end of the car. The current can be
interrupted through the motor if desired by a partial movement of the reverser s
which places the free ends of its levers between and not upon its contacts.
Other arrangements of circuits and connections may be employed, and I therefore,
do not limit myself to the arrangement herein shown and described.
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 of a shaft to be driven, an electric motor having its armature
mounted loosely upon said shaft and axially concentric with the same, electric speed
reducing mechanism for transmitting motion from the armature to the shaft and
connected to the said armature and shaft, consisting of one or more magnets in circuit
with a source of electricity and a conductor in proximity to said magnets.
2. In combination with an electric motor and a shaft or wheel to be driven, of a
speed reducing mechanism directly connected to the armature or the rotating part of
the motor and to the said shaft or wheel to be driven, and consisting of one or more
magnets in circuit with a source of electricity, and a conductor in proximity to said
magnets.
3. In combination, with an electric motor and a shaft or wheel to be driven, of an
electric speed reducing mechanism directly connected to the moving part of the
motor and to the said shaft or wheel to be driven, and consisting of two parts in close
proximity to and adapted to electrically attract each other.
4. The combination, with an electric motor and a shaft or wheel to be driven, of an
electric speed reducing mechanism for transmitting motion from the motor to the
shaft or wheel consisting essentially of two parts-one or more magnets, and a
conductor arranged. to move in proximity to the poles of said magnet or magnets-
one part being connected to the motor, and the other connected to the shaft or
wheel.
5. The combination, in a mechanism for transmitting a reduced speed to a shaft or
wheel to be driven, of a series of magnets connected with an electric circuit and
arranged to be moved, a conductor arranged to move in proximity to the poles of said
magnets, and mechanically connected to the said shaft or wheel, and a motor to move
the magnets.

page_text: 6. The combination, in a mechanism for transmitting a reduced speed to a shaft or
wheel to be driven, of two parts, one consisting of one or more movable plates or
disks of conducting material, and the other of a series of magnets arranged to be
moved with their poles in proximity to both sides of the one or more plates or disks,
and means connected to one of the said parts to rotate the same, as and for the purpose
described.
7. The combination, in a mechanism for transmitting a reduced speed to a shaft or
wheel to be driven, of two parts, one consisting of one or more movable plates or disks
of conducting material, and the other of a series of magnets arranged to be moved
with their poles in proximity to both sides of the one or more plates or disks, a circuit
including said magnets, means to control the energy of the same, and a motor
connected to one of the said parts to rotate the same..
8. The combination of a car-axle to be driven, an electric motor having its
armature mounted loosely upon said car axle and axially concentric with the same,
and electric speed reducing mechanism for transmitting motion from the armature to
the car-axle, consisting of one or more magnets in circnit with a source of electricity
and a conductor in proximity to said magnets.
'
9. In combination, with an electric motor and a car-axle or wheel to be driven, of
a speed reducing mechanism directly connected to the armature or the rotating part
of the motor and to the said car axle or wheel to be driven, and consisting of two
electric conductors in inductional relation to each other, and a source of electricity
connected to one of the electric conductors.
10. The combination with an electric motor and a car-axle or wheel to be driven,
of an electric speed reducing mechanism for transmitting motion from the motor to
the car-axle or wheel, consisting essentially of two parts-one or more magnets, and
a conductor arranged to move in proximity to the poles of said magnet or magnets-
one part being connected to the motor and the other connected to the car-axle or
wheel.
TARKKAL CATAN
MARK WESLEY DEWEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.