Improvements in Electric Locomotives.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMI LUIE DIECIFICATION,
[Communicated from abroad by LOUIS WARFIELD, of No. 516 Jefferson Avenue,
Detroit, Michigan, United States of America, Director of Street Railway
Companies.]
Improvements in Electric Locomotives.
J
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent-
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 relates to electric locomotives and more particularly to that class
in which the motor and its equipment are mounted on a truck, which, in turn, is
mounted on the axles, which serve to drive the locomotive and carry the wheels on
which it is supported and travels. The object of my present invention is to so
support the motor, and its gearing as to reduce to a minimum the shock to said
parts of the mechanism due to obstructions or unevenness of the track thus i
preventing any sudden strain on the gearing, while at the same time the truck is
allowed the greatest possible flexibility of movement and the weight of the motor
and its equipment is distributed in the most advantageous manner. To these ends,..
my invention consists in certain novel features which I will now proceed to describe
and will then particularly point out in the appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus
embodying my invention in one form; Figure 2 is a detail sectional view of the
same, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure I and looking in the direction of the arrows;
Figure 3 is a transverse section, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 and locking in
the direction of the arrows."
In the said drawings, A represents the truck frame, which is preferably
rectangular in form and composed of channel beams, or other suitable material.
This frame is provided with suitable' boxes, a, in which are mounted the axles, B,
which carry the wheels, b, on which the locomotive is supported and travels.
These boxes b are desirably spring boxes of any approved type.. C represents the
motor, which is of any approved type and which, along with its associated driving
gear, is mounted in a supplemental frame, D, which latter is supported from the
truck frame A in any suitable manner. The construction and arrangement of this
supplemental frame shown in the drawings is that which 1. prefer to employ. As..
shown this frame comprises two channel bars, d, which, at their central portions,
are sufficiently, far apart to admit of the mounting of the motor C between them...
At this point each of the channel bars d passes under and is secured to a
casting, D¹, to which castings the motor proper is secured and by means of which.
it is supported. Each of these castings D is provided with two outwardly.
diverging arms, d', which extend over the side rails, a', of the truck frame A.
A bolt, a³, extends upward from a shoe, A, attached to the side rail a' through a
suitable aperture in each arm, d, and a spring, a, is'interposed between the shoe A
and the arm d', the bolt a passing through said spring. Above the arms' d' there
is placed upon said bolt a², a.spring, a', and above, this spring there is mounted, on
the bolt, a washer, as, and a suitable nut, as, to retain the several parts in position.!
Any suitable. spring connection may be substituted for that just described and, it
will be understood of course, that a similar construction exists at each of the four

page_text: points where the supplemental frame is connected with the truck frame. Unde
certain circumstances 1 may deem it desirable to connect the supplemental fram
directly to the truck frame without the interposition of springs.
Those portions of the bars d, which pass under aud. are secured to the castings D
are desirably parallel and from these points the bars d converge towards each othe
in each direction until they approach the axles B. Those portions of the bars
which pass underneath the axles B are parallel and their ends, beyond the said
axles, are connected by transverse bars, d. In the construction shown these end
bars are not connected with the end rails, a', of the truck frame, but if desired
they may be connected thereto, either by a spring connection or rigidly, as
desired.
On each side of the motor proper, the supplemental frame D is provided with
cross-bars, d, which carry the bearings, d, for the motor shaft, c.
shaft is provided at each of its ends with a bevel-pinion, c', which meshes with a
This latter
bevel-gear, E, supported and connected in the manner hereinafter described.
F is a sleeve mounted in suitable bearings, f, supported by the parallel portions
of the bars d of the supplemental frame which extend under the axle B. The
axle B extends loosely through this sleeve F without contacting therewith at any
point and the said sleeve is a split sleeve, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings,
in order to permit it to be placed around the axle and removed therefrom without
displacing said axle. On the sleeve F is mounted the bevel-gear E, already
referred to, the said gear being a split gear, so as to permit it to be readily placed
upon and removed from the sleeve F.
On each end of the sleeve F there is mounted or formed a disk, F', provided
with pins, f, projecting outward from the face thereof, two pins being shown in
the present instance, although a greater or less number may be employed. Opposite
to and at a suitable distance from each of the disks F₁ there is secured on the
axle B a disk, B', having similar pins, 61, extending from its face towards the
disk F. The disks B' are desirably split in the manner indicated, or in any other
suitable manner, so as to permit their ready application to and removal from the
axle B. The pins f1 and are connected with each other by means of spiral-
springs, &, so that motion imparted to the sleeve F will be transmitted to the
axle B through the medium of said springs in an obvious manner.
It will be understood, of course, that the description just given applies to both
ends of the truck, the construction being in duplicate, but reversed.
It will be noted that the motor and all the gearing connected therewith are
mounted on a supplemental frame, which is in turn supported upon the truck frame
in such a manner as to permit a perfectly free movement of the truck frame in
accommodating itself to the unevenness of the track, or to any obstructions thereon
without transmitting the shock, jar or vibratory movement due to such causes to the
supplemental frame, or to the mechanism mounted thereon.
construction takes the weight of the motor proper away from the bearings and
Moreover, this
transmits it directly to the truck frame A where it is distributed to the axle
This is obviously advantageous for the reason that these axle boxes are
better fitted for carrying this weight, being close to the wheels or axle supports,
and being easily lubricated and readily accessible for this purpose.
reduced frictional resistance results from this construction, thus increasing the
A greatly
efficiency of the motor.
boxes a.
The mode of connecting the axle with its driving-gear by means of a sleeve
mounted in or upon a separate frame and driving the axle through the medium of
spring connections possesses many obvious advantages. In the first place shocks
are not transmitted directly from the wheels and axles to the gearing and sudden
strains on the bevel-gears and bevel-pinions are thus prevented. The bevel
gearing which is employed to trausmit the power at right angles is mounted in a
supplemental frame in such a way that there can be no possibility of their varying
from their proper relative positions, since they are supported independently of the
axle, and wear or damage to the said gearing is thus prevented. The axles may

page_text: given end play to any reasonable extent, which will greatly facilitate the
rounding of curves, and the axles may vary in their angular positions both with
respect to each other and with respect to the driving gear without materially
affecting the transmission of power and without straining or damaging the
5 gearing.
It is to be noted that, according to my construction, the motor frame has no
immediate connection with the axles. It is supported wholly by the truck frame,
and receives only indirect support through the intermediary truck frame from the
said axles. The tubular driving shafts are mounted in bearings on the motor
frame and therefore are carried thereby and so ultimately by the main frame.
There is no dependence placed upon the axles for the support of either the motor
frame or the tubular driving shafts mounted in bearings thereon.
also from the description above that the motor and all the driving gear, up to and
It will be noted
including the tubular shafts, are mounted entirely upon this supplemental frame,
and so are free from any dependence upon the axles for support the same as the
motor frame itself. The motor frame may yield vertically, either bodily, at either
end, or either side; but as the motor and driving gear, as stated above, are
mounted wholly upon this motor frame, all such vibrations of the latter will be
harmless so far as disturbing the motor or its driving connections is concerned.
The provision is complete for relieving the motor and the driving mechanism from
all shock due to the movement of the truck wheels along the track.
If the main or truck frame is elastically supported on the axles the supplemental
motor frame may be rigidly connected to the truck frame and the elastic connection
therewith, described above, dispensed with.
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 correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. In an electric locomotive, the truck-wheels and axles, in combination with a
truck-frame mounted thereon, sleeves surrounding the axles but not in contact
therewith, an elastic connection between said sleeves and axles, a supplemental
frame separate from and independent of the axles, arranged in the space between
the latter, mounted on the truck-frame and connected at its respective ends with
the sleeves, an electric motor mounted wholly on said supplemental frame, and
gearing connecting said motor with the sleeves, substantially as described.
2. In an electric locomotive, the truck-wheels and axles, in combination with a
truck-frame mounted thereon, a supplemental frame connected to and elastically
supported on the truck-frame and extending from axle to axle, tubular sleeves of
greater diameter than the axles surrounding the latter and having bearings in the
respective ends of the supplemental frame, elastic connections between said sleeves
and the axles, a motor mounted on the supplemental frame, and a driving connection
between said motor and the said sleeves, substantially as described.
3. In an electric locomotive, a truck-frame separate from the car body, in
combination with a motor frame also separate from the car body and constructed
ndependently of the truck-frame but connected to and supported by the latter,
evoluble tubular shafts mounted in suitable bearings at the respective ends of the
aid motor frame, driving gears connected to the said shafts, truck axles passing
hrough the said tubular shafts but not in contact therewith, an elastic or yielding
onnection between the said axles and the tubular shafts, and an electric motor
ounted wholly on the motor frame and having its armature shaft provided with
ears engaging respectively with the driving gears on the tubular shafts,
bstantially as described.
4. In an electric locomotive, the truck-wheels and axles, in combination with a
uck-frame separate from the car body and mounted on said axles, a motor frame
so separate from the car body and constructed independently of the truck-frame
at arranged in the space between the car axles and supported by the respective
le bars of said truck-frame, tubular sleeves of greater diameter than the truck

page_text: axles, arranged to surround the same without contact therewith and mounted in
bearings on the respective ends of the motor frame, a yielding connection between
the said sleeves and axles, a motor mounted wholly on the said motor frame, and a
driving connection between the motor and one or both of said tubular sleeves,
substantially as described:
5. In an electric' locomotive, a truck-frame, in combination with the truck wheels
and axles mounted therein, a supplemental motor frame arranged between the
axles and provided with lateral extensions elastically, supported on the respective
side bars of the truck-frámé révoluble tubular, shafts, mounted in bearings at the
respective ends of said supplemental frame and surrounding the respective axles
but not in contact therewith, elastic connections between the said shafts and their
respective axles, gear wheels mounted on the respective tubular shafts, and an,
electric motor mounted wholly on said supplemental frame and having its armature
shaft arranged lengthwise of the truck and provided with gears at its ends engaging
respectively with the gears of said shafts, substantially as described.
6. In an electric locomotive, the truck axles, in combination with revoluble
tubular shafts, F, enclosing the axles but not in contact therewith, an elastic
connection between the axles and their respective shafts, a. motor frame; D,
arranged between the axles and connected at, its ends.to the said tubular shafts by
suitable journal bearings in which the latter may turn, beveled gears, E, secured to
the tubular shaft, an electric motor, C, mounted wholly on said frame and having
its armature shaft, c, arranged lengthwise of the truck, and beveled gear pinions, o,
fixed on the ends of said armature shaft and arranged to engage respectively with
the beveled gears on the tubular shafts, substantially as described...
7. In an electric locomotive, the wheels and, axles and the truck frame, A, in
which they are mounted, in combination with the supplemental frame, D, supporting
the motor gearing, the castings, D1, at the sides of said frame connected with the
truck frame, the supporting springs, a, and the motor, C,,mounted on the frame,
substantially as described.
8. In an electric locomotive, the truck wheels and axles, in combination with a
truck frame mounted thereon, a supplementary motor frame arranged in the space
between the axles, independent of the latter and connected to said truck frame,
revoluble sleeves independent and outside the motor and enclosing the axles, but
not in contact therewith, and mounted in said supplemental frame, an electric
motor mounted wholly on said supplemental frame independent of and separated
from said axles and sleeves, a driving connection between the motor and said
sleeves, and elastic connections between said sleeves and axles, substantially as
described.
1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.