Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 30th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 28th Sept., 1900-Aocepted, 8th Dec., 1900
I, BENJAMIN GARVER LAMME, of 230, Stratford Avenue, Pittsburg, in the County
of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Electrical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention relates to current collectors for electrical machines such as
alternating current generators and motors and rotary transformers.
Hitherto difficulty has arisen in connection with collecting rings of these
machines because the heat generated in said rings has been communicated to
the insulation surrounding the same in such a quantity and to such a degree as
to either destroy it or cause it to shrink and warp, and thereby interfere with
the operation of the machine.
The present invention has for its object to provide an improved collector ring
which shall have sufficient current carrying capacity, and shall at the same time
dissipate the heat generated therein and prevent its transfer to the insulation
adjacent to the ring.
In the drawing:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shaft of an electrical machine provided with
four collector rings constructed in accordance with my invention, the rings being
shewn in section.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of my improved collector rings applied to an
electrical machine.
Each ring consists of a rim 6 of sufficient cross sectional area to carry the cur-
rent for the machine to which it is applied connected by a number of supporting
and conducting arms 8 to a band 7 supported on a sleeve 2 secured to the shaft
of the machine in any ordinary manner; insulation 10 is of course interposed
between the band 7 and the sleeve 2 so as to prevent electrical connection
between adjacent collector rings. The band 7 is preferably made up of two
concentric parts joined by arms 5 and at least one of the arms for each ring is
provided with a screw-threaded orifice into which is screwed the end of a rod 9
to which the conductors on the rotary portion of the machine are connected.
The rods 9 will of course be of different lengths for each ring. In the drawing
two such rods are shewn, one of them being screwed into the ring at one end
and the other into the ring at the other end; the rods are insulated where they
pass through rings to which they are not intended to be connected. Two or
[Price 8d.1

page_text: more rods may be provided for each ring according to the current which it is
desired to pass through them. Adjacent rings are separated by insulation 11
and the rings and insulation are clamped tightly between a flange 3 on the
sleeve 2 and a nut 4 which is screwed on the end of the sleeve. This is a con-
venient method of securing the collector rings to the sleeve which is on the shaft
of the machine, but other well known arrangements may be employed.
In Figure 2 the brushes which co-operate with the rings to lead the current
away from or into the same are indicated at 12; they may be of any suitable
design.
It will be readily understood that by reason of the open construction and owing
to the fact that the arms 8 act to some extent as fan blades and maintain a
circulation of air around the collector rings, the heat generated will be sub-
stantially confined to the rim 6 and therefore the insulation 11 and 10 will not
be subjected to any serious rise of temperature.
It will of course be understood that the number and form of the supporting
arms & and the precise shape of the inner band 7 may be varied to a considerable
extent without departing from the scope of the invention.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
I, BENJAMIN GARVER LAMME, of 230, Stratford Avenue, Pittsburg, in the County
of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Electrical
Engineer, 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 invention relates to current collectors for electrical machines such as
alternating current generators and motors and rotary transformers.
Hitherto difficulty has arisen in connection with collecting rings of these
machines because the heat generated in said rings has been communicated to the
insulation surrounding the same in such a quantity and to such a degree as to
either destroy it or cause it to shrink and warp, and thereby interfere with the
operation of the machine.
The present invention has for its object to provide an improved collector ring
which shall have sufficient current carrying capacity, and shall at the same time
dissipate the heat generated therein and prevent its transfer to the insulation
adjacent to the ring.
In the drawing filed with my Provisional Specification,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shaft of an electrical machine provided with
four collector rings constructed in accordance with my invention, the rings
being shown in section.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of my improved collector rings applied to an
electrical machine.
Each ring consists of a rim 6 of sufficient cross sectional area to carry the
current for the machine to which it is applied connected by a number of sup-
porting and conducting arms 8 to a band 7 supported on a sleeve 2 secured to
the shaft 1 of the machine in any ordinary manner; insulation 10 is of course
interposed between the band 7 and the sleeve 2 so as to prevent electrical con-

page_text: nection between adjacent collector rings. The band 7 is preferably made up
of two concentric parts joined by arms 5 and at least one of the arms for each ring
is provided with a screw-threaded orifice into which is screwed the end of a rod 9
to which the conductors on the rotary portion of the machine are connected.
The rods 9 will of course be of different lengths for each ring. In the drawing
two such rods are shown, one of them being screwed into the ring at one end and
the other into the ring at the other end; the rods are insulated where they
pass through rings to which they are not intended to be connected. Two or
more rods may be provided for each ring according to the current which it is
desired to pass through them. Adjacent rings are separated by insulation 11
and the rings and insulation are clamped tightly between a flange 3 on the
sleeve 2 and a nut 4 which is screwed on the end of the sleeve. This is a con-
venient method of securing the collector rings to the sleeve which is on the
shaft of the machine, but other well known arrangements may be employed.
In Figure 2 the brushes which co-operate with the rings to lead the current
away from or into the same are indicated at 12; they may be of any suitable
design.
It will be readily understood that by reason of the open construction and owing
to the fact that the arms 8 act to some extent as fan blades and maintain a
circulation of air around the collector rings, the heat generated will be sub-
stantially confined to the rim 6 and therefore the insulation 11 and 10 will not
be subjected to any serious rise of temperature.
It will of course be understood that the number and form of the supporting
arms 8 and the precise shape of the inner band 7 may be varied to a considerable
extent without departing from the scope of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;-
1. For electrical machines a collector ring comprising an outer contact rim
connected by conducting arms to an inner supporting band secured to the machine
shaft.
2. The modification in which the inner supporting band is made in two parts
connected by radial arms into which a rod or rods is or are screwed for conducting
currents towards or away from the ring.
3. For electrical machines collector rings constructed as described with
reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated the Twenty-eighth day of September 1900.
Dated the Twenty-eighth day of September 1900.
F. W. LE TALL,
Chartered Patent Agent,
The Westinghouse Patent Bureau,
Westinghouse Building, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C.