Improvements in Systems of Electric Train Control.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Systems of Electric Train Control.
We, THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON COMPANY, LIMITED, of 83, Cannon
Street, in the City of London, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of our said invention (which has been communicated to us from abroad by
William B. Potter, residing at Schenectady, in the County of Schenectady, State
of New York, United States of America, Electrical Engineer,) and in what man-
ner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement: -
This invention is a system of electric train control. Its object is to provide
means for operating trains in a safe and convenient manner, and it consists in the
application of electrical devices to electric circuits in such manner and to exer-
cise the functions as hereinafter described, and particularly distinguished in the
claims.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of a train, some of the cars of which are provided with
electric motors.
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the system, and Fig. 3 is a similar
illustration of an electro-magnetic control for the above-mentioned devices.
The system is particularly adapted for trains for short lines, which trains
move back and forth without turning, but it can be applied to any other desired.
The train may be composed of any number of cars, including any number of
cars C unprovided with motors, but a cable D' for train conductors should extend
the length of the train.
Each motor-car B, B₁ is provided with a motor controller H, and any or all of
the cars may carry master controllers K, preferably one at each end of the car
and collecting devices I for contact with the line conductor A.
An extra train conductor D is provided, for carrying a motor current from
one car to the others. This conductor may be separate, or included with the
master controller conductor within the cable D¹.
A switch E. El comprising two members insulated from each other, is placed on
each car, and is adapted to operate in connection with the conductor D. The mem-
bers or effective contacts of this switch might be arranged on the motor-controller,
and be electrically operated at any desired time for each car by a master-con-
troller, but for clearness the switch is shown separate, and in Fig. 2 each switch
adapted to be operated by hand, but they may be electrically operated as shown
in Fig. 3. As shown the invention is applied to only two sets of motors B, B¹,
but it may readily be extended to apply to any number of 'sets of motors.
In connection with Fig. 2, it is to be assumed that the train is moving to the
left and the motors on all the motor-cars receiving current from the collectors I
of the leading car B. To the motors M1, M2, of the car B, the circuit is through
circuit-breaker F', conductors L2 and L³, switch-contact 2, through the right-
hand member of the switch, and conductor L' to motor-controller H.
The circuit-breakers F and FI provide means for protecting the motors in all
connections of the latter and also for cutting out either set of motors on the
cars B. B' at will. Thus if the leading car B becomes derailed, or if for any other

page_text: reason the collecting devices fail to make contact, current will be cut off from the
motors of all the cars, irrespective of the management of the operating train con-
troller. Furthermore, the train operator can cut out any set of motors on the
following car or cars, motors at will by operating the circuit-breaker in the lead-
ing car in that motor circuit.
In Fig. 3 is shown means for electrically reversing the relative position of the
switches E and E¹ when they are constructed independent of the controllers, so
that from any one point the switch E¹ is removed from the contacts e¹, e², and
engages the conducting piece e, and the switch E in the other car is disengaged
from the conducting piece and moves upon the contacts e¹, e². Thus the car B₁
becomes the leading car, for movement to the right, the current for all motors
being taken through the collecting devices of this car. This arrangement might
also be desired when the train was still to be moved to the left, but the leading car
collecting devices had become disabled.
In this Fig. 3 are shown the battery circuits for operating the switches in the
various cars simultaneously from a given point.
The parts at the left are on the leading car, and those at the right on the fol-
lowing motor-car, a trailer being supposed to be between, through which pass the
train conductors T for the battery circuits, connected from car to car at the loops R.
The hand-operated switches S and S¹ are located at opposite ends of the leading
car, and S2 and S3 at the opposite ends of the following motor-car. The switch S
in the position shown completes the following circuit:-
N, 1, 2, 3, S, 4, 5, 0, 6, 7, whereat the core Q will be drawn forward, and with
it the rod P; the switch E shown as a cylinder with surface contacts will rotate
to change the motor circuit in the first car, as indicated in Fig. 2. At the same
time a second circuit is completed through S¹, 1, 2, 3, S, 8, 9, R, T, R, 10, 11, 12,
03, 13, 14, N¹, 15, 16, R, T, R, 17, whereat the core Q3 is drawn within the core 0³,
and with it the rod P¹ the switch E being rotated in the opposite direction to
change the motor circuits on the following car. Each of the switches S¹, S
and $3 operates in a similar manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention (as communicated to us from abroad) and in what manner the same is
to be performed we declare that what we claim is :---
1-The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on the cars, collect-
ing devices for each motor equipment, and means whereby the failure of current
supply to the motors on the leading car causes the supply to be cut off from all
the motor-cars.
2 The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on some of the cars,
collecting devices for each motor equipment, and means operative at any common
point, for cutting out the motors on any car at will.
3 The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on any of the cars,
collecting devices for each motor-car, and means for supplying any car or cars
through the collecting devices on any car.
י
4 The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on any of said cars,
collecting devices for each motor-equipment, means for supplying any car or cars
through the collecting devices of any car, and means controlled on the latter car
for cutting out the motors on any car.
5 The combination with cars in train, of electric motors on any of the cars,
collecting devices for each motor-car, and means adapted to be operated on each
car for supplying its own motors independently through its own collecting devices.
6-The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on any of the cars,
collecting devices on each motor-car, and means adapted to be controlled on each
car for supplying its motors independently through the collecting devices of
another car.
7-The combination with a train of cars, of electric motors on any of the cars,
collecting devices on each motor-car, and means adapted to be controlled on each

page_text: motor-car by which all the motor cars can be connected through the collecting
devices on any car.
8 The combination with two or more motor-cars in train, of electric motors
and collecting devices on each motor-car, and a switch on each motor-car, all the
switches being adapted to be operated to connect all the sets of motors through
the collecting devices of any car.
9- The combination with two or more motor cars in train, of electric motors
and collecting devices on each motor-car, and a switch on each motor-car, all the
switches being adapted to be simultaneously operated electrically from a common
point, to connect all the sets of motors through the collecting devices of any car.
10 The combination with motor-cars in train, of electric motors and collecting
devices on each motor car, a switch on each car, all the switches being adapted to
be operated to connect all the sets of motors through the collecting devices of any
car, and a circuit-breaker in each car for cutting out the motors of each car.
11 The combination with motor-cars in train, of collecting devices on each
motor-car, motors on each motor-car adapted to receive current through the col-
lecting devices on any other car, and a circuit-breaker on each car in each motor-
circuit.
1
1000
THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO. LTD.,
ALFRED CLEMENTS,
Assistant Secretary.
A. R. MONKS,
Managing Director.