IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC-LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY TRAINS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sydney Pitt, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC-LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR
RAILWAY TRAINS AND OTHER PURPOSES." A communication from abroad
by Eli T. Starr, of the City and County of Philadelphia, and State of
Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Sydney Pitt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st December 1881.
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRIC LIGHTING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY TRAINS AND OTHER PURPOSES.”
A communication from abroad by Eli T. Starr, of the City and County of
Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America.
The Invention relates to an improved organization of instrumentalities for
producing the lights which are required on board of railway trains for illuminating
the track at night in advance of the locomotive, and for exhibiting a warning signal
in the rear of the train, or for other analogous purposes.
I make use of apparatus for generating or producing electric currents by the
conversion of mechanical energy derived from the motion of the train itself into
electricity, store a portion of the electricity so produced for use at such times as
the train is not in motion, and apply the same to the developement of light from
electric lamps placed at suitable points upon the train. The Invention consists
in certain new organizations and combinations of parts or devices which are
particularly recited at the close of the Specification.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a locomotive and
a portion of a train to which the Invention has been applied; Figure 2 is an
inverted plan of a portion of the same; Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the
locomotive showing a portion of the apparatus; and Figure 4 is a theoretical
diagram illustrating the electrical connections which unite the different portions of
the apparatus with each other.
-Referring to Figure 1, A represents a locomotive of the ordinary construction,

page_text: and B is its tender consisting of a separate vehicle coupled to the locomotive, and
upon which the necessary supplies of fuel and water therefor are carried; C is a
car which either alone or in connection with a number of other cars or like vehicles
is attached to the locomotive and tender, and constitutes the train.
In carrying out the Invention I make use of a magneto or dynamo electric
generator D of the ordinary or any suitable construction, preferably placed beneath
the floor of the tender B, and near its forward end, as best seen in the inverted
plan, Figure 2. The armature of this dynamo electric machine is provided with a
driving pulley d, which is mechanically connected with another pulley e upon the
axle E of the tender B by means of a belt or band d', so that when the tender is in
motion and its axle revolving, the armature of the dynamo electric generator D
will be caused to revolve thereby. Any other suitable or convenient mechanical
instrumentalities may be employed in lieu of those I have described, whereby the
necessary motion of the armature of the generator may be derived from one of the
axles of the tender or other vehicle upon which it is mounted. I prefer to couple
one of the two pulleys & and e to its axis by means of a suitable clutch, so that the
armature of the generator may be set in action only when the locomotive is moving
forward, and not when as is sometimes necessary, it is required to move temporarily
in a reverse direction.
Upon some convenient portion of the train I place a box or case containing a
liquid condenser or storage battery F. I prefer to place this storage battery or
accumulator upon the locomotive, and perhaps the most convenient place for the
same is underneath the platform of the cab, as illustrated in Figure 3. This
storage battery may be constructed in a well known manner of plates of thin sheet
lead immersed in dilute sulphuric acid. When a storage battery thus constructed
is connected with the conductors leading from an electric generator, the anode
plates become coated with per oxide of lead, and the cathodes in a similar manner
with a gray compact film. Such a battery will accumulate and retain a large
quantity of electicity in what may be termed a static condition, and will produce
a strong and continuous electric current for a considerable time after the generator
has been disconnected therefrom, if a connection be formed between its opposite
electrodes.
Upon the front of the locomotive, in the place ordinarily occupied by a powerful
oil lamp, which is technically termed the head light, I place an electric lamp G,
which may be either an incandescent or an arc lamp, both of which are of well
known construction, and at the rear of the car or train I also place another electric
lamp H, which is termed the tail light, and is principally useful as a signal light.
This last named lamp may be covered with a transparent screen of red glass, in
order to distinguish it from the ordinary white lights of the train, and it will then
act as a warning or danger signal for the information of the engineer of any other
train which may approach too near to the preceeding one upon the same track.
The manner in which the electrical connections are arranged is clearly shown in
the Drawings, and will be best understood by reference to the diagrain, Figure 4.
J is a switch board whereby the various electric circuits are controlled. This is
preferably placed within the cab upon the locomotive, so as to be conveniently
accessible to the engineer. The switch board may be constructed of any convenient
form. I have shown a suitable organization for this purpose in Figures 1 and 4,
consisting of a metallic plate j mounted upon an insulating base i, and connected
by means of a suitable binding screw or otherwise with a conductor 1 leading to
one of the terminals of the storage battery F marked +. k¹ is a switch button
which may be turned on or off the plate j, and which is connected by means of a
conductor 2 with one pole of the dynamo generator D. The other pole of the
generator is permanently connected by means of a wire 3 with the negative pole of
the storage battery F. The button when closed upon the plate j, as shown in
the Figure, connects the + pole of the storage battery with the electric lamp Q
of the locomotive head light by means of the wire 4, and the circuit of the lamp is
completed by the wire 5 extending therefrom to the negative pole of the storage

page_text: battery. In the same manner the button ³ when closed upon the plate j forms a
connection between the + pole of the storage battery and the tail light H through
the wires 6, 7, and 8. These several conducting wires are to be enveloped in
suitable insulating coatings, and may be extended lengthwise underneath the
locomotive tender or cars or other vehicles. They may be coupled together by
means of any suitable or well known coupling device which is to be applied at the
points where the conductors pass from one vehicle to another.
The operation of the improved system is as follows:-
When the apparatus is connected and arranged in the manner shown in Figure 4,
the switch buttons 1, 2, 3, being closed upon the plate j and the locomotive and
train are in motion upon a railway, the dynamo-electric generator D is kept in
continuous action by the revolution of the axle of the tender with which it is
mechanically connected, as hereinbefore explained, and a powerful electric current
is generated thereby, which having first charged the accumulator or storage
battery F to its utmost capacity divides at the point J and passes over the circuits
herein before described leading respectively to the head light G and the tail light H,
the current being divided between these two circuits in the ratio of their respective
resistances in accordance with the well known laws of electric conduction; thus a
powerful illumination is produced upon the track in advance of the locomotive,
while at the same time if desired an equally powerful light may be exhibited at
the rear of the train, although I may remark that in general the last named light
may be of less volume or intensity than the head light as is well understood.
Either of the lamps G or H may be disconnected from the storage battery and
generator at pleasure by means of the buttons and which are under the
immediate control of the train engineer or other proper official.
It is desirable and necessary at night to exhibit a distinctive light at the rear
of each train as a danger signal, and this may be accomplished as herein before
stated by screening the light giving portion of the electric lanp H by a transparent
colored glass. I have devised a much more effective organization for this purpose,
which may be employed either with or without the screen of colored glass; this
consists essentially of a mechanical circuit breaker placed in the electric circuit of
the tail lamp, which circuit breaker is actuated continuously and automatically by
the train itself while in motion, thus producing an interrupted or flashing light. I
prefer to employ for this purpose a toothed circuit breaking wheel or mechanical
interrupter L, which is caused to rotate continuously by means of a band 1 or
other equivalent device connected with an axle E' of the rear vehicle of the train.
A spring finger contact M rests upon the circuit breaking wheel L, and is
electrically connected with the wire 8, while the wheel itself is in like manner
connected with the wire 7; thus it will be obvious that so long as the train is in
motion the circuit of the tail lamp H will be alternately closed and broken, and
the lamp will emit a continuous series of luminous flashes, which will form a most
efficient danger signal, and one moreover which will indicate to the engineer of an
approaching train whether the train bearing the signal is standing still or is in
motion, and if in motion at what rate of speed it is moving. The circuit breaking
device which has been described may.with advantage be provided with a switch
or button whereby it may be shunted or cut out when desired, so that a
continuous light may be exhibited.
In making practical use of the improved apparatus it will be found advantageous
to charge the storage battery (which should be of as large capacity as possible
within the limits of space rendered necessary) by placing it in circuit through the
switch J with the generator D at such times as the power and momentum of a
train requires to be checked, as for example in approaching a station or running
down an inclined plane, as in that case the dynamo generator will act as a brake
to check the momentum of the train, and the retarding force instead of being
converted into heat and wasted as in the application of the ordinary friction
brakes, will be converted into electricity and stored in the accumulator F, from
whence it may be drawn as required for illuminating purposes.

page_text: The Invention may without essential modification be applied to steam vessels of
every description, the dynamo generator in such case being attached to any con-
venient part of the machinery which is employed to propel the vessel, and the
storage battery lamps and switches for controlling and regulating the same with
their electrical connections being arranged in substantially the same manner in
any convenient locality therein.
I claim as my Invention,-
First. The combination, substantially as herein before set forth, of a vehicle or
train of vehicles, a dynamo electric machine carried by said vehicle or train, and
mechanically connected with an axle or moving part thereof so as to be driven; a
storage or secondary battery also carried by said vehicle or train to be charged by
the dynamo machine, an electric lamp mounted at the front of said vehicle or train
so as to constitute the head light, an electric lamp mounted at the rear of said
vehicle or train to constitute the tail light, and the circuit connections between
said dynamo machine, storage battery, and lamps, whereby the head and tail lights
of a vehicle or train of vehicles are produced automatically by the power which
puts said vehicle or train into motion, and continue in force during temporary
stoppages of said vehicle or train.
Second. The combination, substantially as herein set forth, of an electric
generator, an electric lamp electrically connected with said generator so as to
produce an electric light, a circuit breaker forming part of the electric circuit to
alternately make and break said circuit in order to make the light an intermittent
one consisting of a continuous series of luminous electric flashes, and a switch to
cut out or shunt said circuit breaker.
Third. The combination, substantially as herein set forth, of a vehicle or train of
vehicles, a dynamo electric machine driven by the motion of the vehicle or train,
an electric lamp carried by said vehicle or train in electrical connection with said
dynamo electric machine to receive the current generated by it, and an automatic
circuit breaker between said dynamo electric machine and said electric lamp to
alternately interrupt and restore the current traversing the lamp, whereby an inter-
mittent electric light is produced.
Fourth. The combination, substantially as herein set forth, of the vehicle or
train of vehicles, the dynamo electric machine driven by the motion of said vehicle
or train, the storage battery, an electric lamp, a connection between said dynamo
machine, storage battery, and lamp, to transmit the electric current generated by
said machine to said battery, and the current of said battery to said lamp and
mechanism, substantially as described, under the control of the engineer to
electrically connect and disconnect said battery and said lamp at will during the
motion of the vehicle or train.
Fifth. The combination, substantially as herein set forth, of a vehicle or train of
vehicles movable upon or along a railway, a dynamo electric generator driving
mechanism therefor connected with an axle of one of said vehicles, a storage
battery or liquid condenser, one or more electric lamps mounted upon said vehicle
or train of vehicles, circuit wires connecting said generator battery and lamp or
lamps, a circuit changer for completing or interrupting the electric connection
between said generator and the storage battery, and a circuit changer k², k³, for
completing or interrupting the electrical connection between the storage battery
and the lamps.
Sixth. The combination, substantially as herein set forth, of a vehicle or train
of vehicles, a dynamo electric generator driven by said vehicle or train, an electric
lamp mounted upon said vehicle or train, circuit wires connecting said generator
and said lamp, a circuit breaker between said generator and said lamp to auto-
matically alternately interrupt and restore the current traversing said lamp, an
axle or moving part of said vehicle or train, and a connection running from said
axle or moving part to said circuit breaker to operate it.
Seventh. The combination, substantially as herein set forth, of a vehicle or train
of vehicles, a dynamo electric machine driven by said vehicle or train, an electric

page_text: lamp mounted upon said vehicle or train, circuit wires connecting said dynamo
machine and said lamp, a circuit breaker between said dynamo machine and said
lamp, an axle or moving part, or the vehicle or train, a connection between said
axle or moving part and said circuit breaker to operate said circuit breaker, and a
switch O for shunting or cutting out said circuit breaker.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sydney Pitt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this 21st day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
SYDNEY PITT. (L.S.)