Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, -10th June, -1887
Complete Left, 12th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th Apr., 1888
We ALEXANDER LOGIN LINEFF, and WILLIAM JONES,both of 12, Buckingham
Street,, Adelphi, in the City of Westminster, Consulting Engineers and Electricians
do, hereby declare the nature of this,invention, to be as follows:-
The objects of this invention are to render the motor unaffected by the vertical
movements of the car, whereby the use of flexible joints is rendered unnecessary, and
the friction, and consequent loss of power in transmitting the pull of the motor to the
axle of the car, is reduced, and also to provide means by which, when the car meets
any obstruction, the current is automatically cut off, and is thrown into an electro-
magnet actuating the car brake, the brushes being at the same time .reversed, and
ultimately, when the speed of the motor is sufficiently reduced, the current is put on
automatically again, while the brushes. are in the reversed position, and the car can
thus.be moved backwards until the obstacle in the road is cleared.
In carrying out our invention, we mount the motor in a suitable frame, one end of
which is carried by the car axle, and the other end is supported by a link, or springs,
from the underside of the car floor.
"The end of this frame, which is carried by the car axle, is so constructed as to form
a,chamber in which is enclosed a worm wheel keyed upon the axle, and is provided
with bearings for a prolongation of the motor spindle, on. which is mounted a worm to
gear with 'the worm wheel.
"By these means, the gearing is not in any way disturbed or affected, if the outer
end of the motor, frame is raised. or lowered.
.
The link or other means for supporting the outer end of the frame is preferably
attached to the frame at the centre of gravity of the motor.
The worm and worm wheel chamber is intended to contain a quantity of oil or other
lubricant in which the worm and the lower part of the worm wheel are immersed, thus
reducing the friction to a minimum.
As the worm on the motor, shaft is geared into the lower side of the worn wheel,
the motor shaft is inclined, and on emerging from the chamber, passes. through a
gland with which the chamber is provided, and which prevents any leakage of the
lubricant.

page_text: To further obviate any strain on the motor gearing, through the unavoidable
jolting of the car, the hinged frame or links may support the trunnions of the motor
by means of springs.
The electric motor arranged in the above described manner may be provided with
the usual reversing gear under the control of the driver. But in order to lessen the
chances of accident on the road, through neglect or carelessness on the part of
attendants, we hinge or otherwise movably secure, at each end of the car, a fender or
board, which is kept in its normal position by means of a spring-When pressed
against by any obstacle on the road, the fenders swing inwards through a certain
portion of an arc. This movement of either fender is utilized to actuate a circular
three-way switch at each end of the car, with which the fender is connected by means
of a chain or rope passing round a pulley on the axle of the switch.
The middle (second) way contact piece occupies the greater part of the circumference
of the switch, the two remaining ways (first and third) consisting of narrow contact
pieces.
When the fender is in its normal position, the current on its way to the motor
passes through the above mentioned switches, entering through the centre of the first
switch to the first contact piece, thence through the centre of the second switch
and its first contact piece to the motor; thus both the switches are electrically in
series.
The second (wide) contact piece of each switch is in connection with the Brake
magnet, and the third in direct connection with the motor. When the switch arm of
either of the switches leaves the first contact piece, the motor is cut out; when it
begins to travel over the second (wide) piece, the current is thrown into the brake
magnet, and both car and motor slacken speed. As it is important to do this effectually
before reversing the current in the motor, the other end of the chain or rope attached
to the fender, and which actuates the switch, is connected with the piston of a
pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, the contents of which can be regulated in their
escape (under the pressure of a spring at the back of the piston, or in any other
convenient manner) by means of a cock or valve. Thus the time occupied by the
switch arm in passing over the second contact piece can be regulated at will.-In
some cases we prefer to make the third way of the automatic switch of two or more
separate pieces electrically connected to each other by suitable resistances. Thus,
when the switch arm leaves the second way and slowly passes over the several contact
pieces of the third, the current, before it reaches the motor, has to pass through a
series of resistances, which are gradually cut out until the last contact piece of the
series is reached, when the full power of the current is thrown into the motor.
The fender, while swinging on the hinge and actuating the switch, also reverses
the brushes of the motor. This is effected by means of a sleeve sliding on a rod
flexibly connected to the lever actuating the brushes, and fitted with a suitable
gripping mechanism which is connected by a strut to the fender.-When the fender
moves inward, the strut presses the gripping mechanism against the rod, and thus
jams it against the sleeve, whereby the rod is pushed forward and actuates the
brushes.
When the switch arm comes to touch the third contact piece, the reversing of the
brushes is already accomplished, and the current passes through the motor in an
opposite direction to that in which it was passing when the car was moving
forward.
When the obstruction has been removed, the switch and the other parts will be
returned automatically to their normal position by the fender spring, and the backward
motion of the car will be stopped by the driver reversing the brushes. A bridge piecé
may also be provided to keep the current from the brake magnet while the hand of
the automatic switch above described is travelling backwards over the second (wide)
contact piece, or the current may be split between the brake magnet and the motor
the latter being of comparatively lower resistance, takes the larger part of the current,
while the brake magnet actuates the brake blocks only feebly.-In some cases we
may insert between the third contact piece and the motor a suitable resistance,

page_text: and thus regulate the current while the automatic backward motion of the motor is
going on.
Reversing as well as brake mechanism capable of being operated by hand may also
be provided, such mechanism being of the usual construction. Of course, both
actions (automatic and by hand) of brake, and reversing of the motor, are quite
independent of each other.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Operating Tramcars by Electricity.
We ALEXANDER LOGIN LINEFF and WILLIAM JONES, both of 12 Buckingham
Street, Adelphi in the City of Westminster, Consulting Engineers and Electricians,
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:-
The objects of this invention are to render the motor unaffected by the vertical
movements of the car, whereby the use of flexible joints is rendered unnecessary, and
the friction, and consequent loss of power, in transmitting the pull of the motor to the
axle of the car, is reduced; and also to provide means by which, when the car meets
any obstruction, the current is automatically cut off, and is thrown into an electro
magnet actuating the car brake, the brushes being at the same time reversed, and
ultimately, when the speed of the motor is sufficiently reduced, the current is put on
automatically again while the brushes are in the reversed position, and the car can
thus be moved backwards until the obstacle in the road is cleared.
In the accompanying drawings:-
-
Fig. 1, Sheet I, shows in side elevation, and on an enlarged scale, the arrangement
of the worm gearing which we use in carrying out our invention.
and
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section showing a mode of mounting the worm spindle,
Figs. 4 show a slight modification of the same.
.In Sheets II, III, and IV, we have shown the means we employ for arresting the
motion of the car in case of meeting with an obstruction on the line, Fig. 5, Sheet II,
being a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of a car, with the apparatus in
position; Fig. 6 a partial front view; Fig. 7 a partial plan view of the same.-

page_text: Fig. 8, Sheet III, is a side elevation of the pneumatic apparatus and switch detached,
and Fig. 9 is a plan view, partly in section, of the same.-
-Fig. 10, Sheet IV, is a
diagram showing a mode of changing the brushes of a motor of any suitable
construction, and mounted transversely of the car.-Figs. 11 and Figs. 12, Sheet IV,
show modifications in the arrangements of gripping mechanism, and Fig. 13, Sheet V,
shows an arrangement of brake magnet in side elevation, partly in section. This
part of the invention can be applied to the cars of any other system of electrical
driving.
Referring now to Sheet I, A is the frame of the car, and B the wheel axle, the
periphery of the wheel being shown by the dotted line. C is a metal framework, one
end of which is supported at C₁ from the frame A.-The other end of the frame is
pendent from the axle B, and is constructed so as to form a chamber or casing C,
within which works a worm wheel D and worm D¹, the worm wheel D being keyed
on the axle B. Mounted in bearings in the frame, is a spindle or axle E, upon which
are mounted a commutator or commutators E¹, and an armature of an electro-motor,
of which E are the field magnets.-The lower end of this spindle projects into the
casing C, and carries the worm D¹ (see Figs. 3 and 4). A thrust block or device D²
is provided to take up the thrust arising from the working of the worm, and this
device may consist of a series of annular grooves in the casing, and a series of hall
rings placed round the spindle between collars, as shown at Fig. 3; or in place of the
half rings, we may use rings of the shape shown at Figs. 4, which will be placed in
pairs on opposite sides of the spindle, so that they will cross one another, and thus
form a complete ring, which will have more even bearing surface than two half rings.
These rings can readily be removed when worn, and replaced with new rings, by
removing the lower part of the casing C2-The casing C is kept full of oil or other
suitable lubricant, and thus the worm and wheel will rotate in the lubricant, and the
friction will be reduced to a minimum.
The gearing in the above described arrangement will not in any way be disturbed
or affected, as the outer end of the motor frame C is raised or lowered, by the move-
ment or jolting of the car.
The electric motor will be provided with the usual starting, stopping, and reversing
gear under the control of the driver. But in order to lessen the chances of accident
on the road through neglect or carelessness on the part of the attendants; we hinge or
otherwise moveably secure, at each end of the car, a fender or board, which is kept in
its normal position by means of a spring, and when pressed against by an obstacle on
the road, the fenders swing inwards through a certain portion of an arc.
This move-
ment of either fender is utilized to actuate a switch at each end of the car, by means of
a chain or rope passing from the fender round a pulley on the axle of the switch to a
pneumatic apparatus, to cut off the current, throw it into a brake magnet, and then
gradually to put on the current again, the brushes of the motor having meantime
been reversed also by the movement of the fender.
In Sheets II and III, we have shown our arrangement of automatic apparatus which
comes into operation when the tramcars meet any obstruction on the road.
R is a fender or board, which is hinged or otherwise moveably secured at each end
to, and transversely of the frame of the car, so as to be near the ground. This fender
or board; as shown in the figures, is secured to arms which are pivotted to the car
frame, and it is kept in its normal position by means of springs R¹ secured at one end
to the frame of the car, and at the other to projections of the arms above the pivot or
hinge, either direct or through an arrangement of rods and levers, as shown at
Figs. 6 and 7.
A chain, band, or rope R2, which passes round a chain wheel or pulley R³ (Fig. 9)
on the axle of a switch S, is connected at one end to the fender R, and at its other
end to the piston rod of a pneumatic apparatus R*, suitably carried by the car frame.
This apparatus consists of a cylinder I (see the detail views Figs. 8 and 9) containing
a piston, on the rod of which, inside the cylinder, is mounted a coiled spring R, the
tendency of which is to drive the piston forward as soon as the tension of the spring R¹
is overcome by an obstacle in the road forcing back the fender and slackening the

page_text: .
chain R. The opposite ends of the cylinder are connected by the pipe R°, which is
provided with a throttle valve to regulate the flow of air from one end to the other of
the cylinder, according to the speed at which it is desired the piston should move.
Other means may of course.be provided for regulating the escape of the air from the
cylinder. The outer end of the cylinder may be provided with a valve opening inwards,
so that as the piston returns to its normal position, air may be drawn in to fill up any
vacuum that may be formed, and the inner end of the cylinder may be more or less
open for the exit of air, so that there shall be no unnecessary pressure on the back of
the piston during its return movement.
The switch S may be said to be an ordinary switch, though certain modifications
are made therein to adapt it for our purposes. Round a disc or plate of insulating
material, are secured insulated contact pieces 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.-A fixed arm-S', mounted
on the axle S3 of the switch, extends beyond, the periphery of the disc, and forms the
road by which the current enters the switch. The axle S3 works in a metal sleeve S¹
(see Fig. 9), and on its rear end; and insulated therefrom, the chain wheel R³ before
referred to is mounted. On the front end of this axle S³ is mounted an arm S4; provided
at its outer end with a sleeve S³, in which a rubber S° slides, pressure being applied
to the rubber by a spring, S. If desired, the rubber may press against an arm of
copper S, also mounted on the axle S³, and which serves to somewhat shorten the
circuit.-S and S10 are stops. to arrest the movement of the switch arm S on one or
other of the contacts. 1 or 6, as required:
The electric current will always enter the switch by the arm. S, and under normal
conditions will: pass. out at contact 1: to the motor. Should an obstruction take place;
the switch arm S will be moved off contact, 1. by the pneumatic apparatus R (which
will cut off the current from the motor), and: onto. contact 2: This contact is in
connection with the brake magnet, so that the current will then pass to that mechanism,
and put on the brake. As the current to the brake magnet must be maintained for
some time, to allow for stopping the car, we make the contact piece 2 of considerable
length, nearly half the circumference of the disc; so that as the arm S is moving over
the face of the switch, ample.time will be allowed for the action of the brake.
The switch arm S' will next. pass successively over contacts 3, 4, 5, and 6, between
each of which a resistance is or may be placed, so that the current will pass through
varying resistances to the motor on the car, and will. gradually, owing to the changed
position of the brushes, drive the motor and the car in the reverse direction, so as to
clear the obstruction, which can then be removed. The action of the pneumatic
apparatus will be somewhat slow towards the end of the stroke of the piston, and this
will give ample time for the motor to be driven in. the. reverse: direction, without
unduly heating the wires.
The diagram on Sheet II shows how the several operations which take place when
the tramcar meets an obstruction are effected. The entry and exit of the current is
indicated by the arrows. S1 S2 are the automatic: switches at: opposite ends of the
car, connected in series. R represents resistances, HS a hand-switch, B M brake
magnet, M motor, and D dynamo.-Under normal conditions, the current enters the
wire 1, and passes through S¹, wire 2, S2, wire 3 to H S, thence by wire 4 and M to
earth. In this case, the contact arm of the HS would be. over contact r².
If an obstruction occurs, the current passes from either S¹ or S2 according to the
direct in which the car is moving, by wire 5, to B M, and then, as the arm of switch S¹
or S2 passes over the contacts successively through the wires 6, 7, and 8, the gradually
decreasing R, and wire 4, to M. When the full power is attained, the current will
pass direct from either S¹ or S³, by lines 9, to M, and thence to earth.
The hand switch is used for starting and stopping the car under ordinary circum-
stances. When the handle is in the position shown in the diagram, the car is standing
still, and no current passes to M. By moving the handle successively over the
contacts, the current passes through R with gradually increasing force
until contact is reached, when the current passes direct to M by line 4.
To stop
the car, the handle is moved, to ³, and the current then passes by lines 5* and .5
to B M.

page_text: We may here mention that the hand switch forms no part of the present
invention.
The reversing of the brushes of the motor by the movement of the fender R is
effected by means of the rod R' attached at one end to the fender, and carrying at the
other end a lever gripping device, through which passes a cord or rod R connected
with the brushes of the motor, which cord or rod R is gripped as the rod R' advances,
and is drawn or pushed forwards to change the position of the brushes. This lever
gripping device is indicated at Figs. 11.
In place of a lever gripping device, I may use a ring gripping device, as shown at
Figs. 12. R is the ring, which placed on the rod R3, and inside a recess in the
sleeve R, with a slight spring behind it. This spring is formed with a lug at its
lower part, to which the rod is attached. As this rod is pushed forward by the
fender R, it causes the ring to cant and grip the rod R³.
We have shown, at Fig. 10, a well known arrangement for changing the brushes
for the purpose of illustrating our invention; thus the brushes T of the motor are
carried at opposite ends of two bell cranks T¹ pivotted to a plate T2 secured to the
motor frame. At their lower ends, the two bell cranks are connected by the rod T³,
to which is secured the notched plate T. This plate is held in position by the spring Ts,
and it is also connected to the rod, cord, or chain R. As the rod R8 is pulled in
either direction, the plate T is pulled with it, which rocks the bell cranks on their
pivots, and brings, say, the top right hand, and the bottom left hand brushes, into
contact with the commutator.
To change the direction of the current, the rod R³ is pulled in the opposite direction,
which draws the brushes above named out of contact, and throws the other two in.
The notches on the plate T catch against the shoulders of the plate T2, and are thus
held in position against the jolting of the car.- -When the current is to be cut off
entirely, the plate T is brought to a central position, in which case none of the brushes
touch.
In some cases, we may dispense with the automatic reversing of the motor, the
action of the fender being limited to simply put the brake on, and when the car is thus
arrested, the obstacle is removed, which brings the fender to its normal position. In
such case, the gripping arrangement and the pneumatic device become unnecessary,
the fender actuating a modified two-way switch by means of a lever or levers and
connecting rods.
In Sheet V, we have shown the form of brake magnet which we propose to use.
It consists of two sucking bobbins U U, which are conveniently secured to the frame
or bracket U¹, and a horse shoe magnet or armature U2, the two arms of which enter
the bobbins. The ends of these arms are rounded off so as to make the magnetic
action equal through the whole length of the stroke. They are each provided with a
non-magnetic guide a to keep the cores of the armature central of the bobbins, and a
similar washer 6 to prevent the opposite poles touching one another.
The frame or bracket U¹ carries two pieces of metal V, which project into the
bobbins about one third of their length.-These pieces are cup shaped at their upper
ends, to correspond to the cores of the armature, and they are drilled centrally right
through to receive the guides a.
The armature is connected with a lever, which is arranged to actuate the brake
blocks. The electric current passes the bobbins in such a manner as to produce the
polarity as marked on the figure.
In Sheets VI and VII, we have shown a general view of a tramcar, with the
mechanism for stopping the car when meeting an obstruction in position, Sheet VI S
showing a side elevation, partly in section, and Sheet VII and underside plan view.
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 :-
1st. The arrangement of worm driving gear for electrical tramcars substantially as 5
herein shown and described

page_text: 2nd. The means substantially as herein shown and described for arresting the
motion of, and backing the car, in case of meeting with an obstruction on the track,
as set forth.
3rd. In means for arresting the motion of the car, the application and use of a
fender, or equivalent apparatus, in combination with a switch for diverting the electric
current from the motor to a brake magnet, as described.
4th. In means for arresting the motion of the car, the combination of a fender
or equivalent apparatus, a switch, and a pneumatic apparatus, substantially as
described.
5th. The modified construction of switch herein described.
6th. The combination of a fender, a gripping device connected with the fender, and
a rod, chain, or rope in connection with the brush, ring or carrier, as and for the
purpose set forth.
7th. The construction of brake magnet substantially as described