Improvements in the Method and Means for Increasing the Frictional Contact between the Wheels and Rails in Railways.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in the Method and Means for Increasing the Frictional
Contact between the Wheels and Rails in Railways.
A communication from ELIAS ELKAN RIES, Electrician, and ALBERT HENRY
HENDERSON, both of Baltimore, State of Maryland, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. 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:-
This invention relates to an electro-magnetic traction system for railways, and has
for its object to increase the traction or friction between the wheels of railway cars
and the track rails by means of magnetism whereby a greater co-efficient of traction
or friction is produced between the points of contact between the wheels and rails for
the reason that a radical change in the relative position of the molecules of metal com-
posing the respective structures due to the establishment of a closed magnetic circuit
therethrough obviously increases the tenacity of bearing of the wheels upon the rails
and as in this invention the wheels have the same polarity at all points of their
peripheries this tenacity is obtained without adding to the weight of locomotion or
occasioning the use of objectionable traction expedients such as sand etc.
With this object in view the invention consists in establishing a metallically closed
magnetic circuit travelling with the vehicle and including the driving wheels of the
same and that portion of the rails intervening between said wheels; which magnetic
circuit is produced by passing an energizing electric current through magnetizing
coils carried upon the vehicle and in inductive proximity to said magnetic circuit.
This invention consists further in providing a suitable current regulating switch or
equivalent construction for varying the quantity of the charging electric current pass-
ing through the magnetizing coils and consequently correspondingly regulating the
amount of magnetism produced in the aforesaid travelling magnetic circuit so that
the amount of traction may be proportionally increased or decreased according to
requirements at the will of the conductor.

page_text: This invention consists, further in a certain organization of apparatus, arrangement
of circuits, and combination of parts all of which will be more fully and accurately
described hereinafter.
In the accompanying drawings are shown certain appliances and modifications
thereof which are deemed to be advantageous in carrying out this invention, but I
wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular form of
construction so long as the features hereinafter set forth are embodied therein.
Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view showing a skeleton truck of a street car the helix
of wire wound upon each axle, and electrically connected by brushes with a branch
circuit from the current collecting wheels which derive their current from the line,
which in turn, is arranged below in a conduit the two helices being in series, as shown
and preferably connected in such a manner as to induce magnetic lines of force to
flow in a continuous direction around the magnetic circuit formed by the axles, driving
wheels and track rails as hereinafter described.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the manner of arranging the helices upon a
street car truck where an electric motor is used as the propelling power there being in
this instance four helices instead of two, arranged similarly in series, the energizing
current being obtained from a source separate from that of the motor.
Like numbers of reference indicate like or similar parts in the several views of the
drawings.
For carrying out this invention a helix of wire is permanently wound concentrically
around a suitable core said core being magnetically in circuit or contact with the said
wheels, say for example, the axle which carries a pair of wheels on each side. A
current of electricity derived from some convenient and constantly available source is
passed through said helix instantaneously energizing the axle and converting its
respective extremities (the wheels) into magnetic poles of opposite polarity and conse-
quently, imparting magnetism to the rails upon which said wheels are bearing; the
magnetic circuit being completed through the rails intervening between the front and
rear car wheels on each side, thus forming a complete magnetic circuit.
Figure 1 which shows the arrangement as applied to an underground conduit rail-
way indicates the car-truck consisting of the flange wheels 2 2 the axle 33 and the
brace rods 44 supporting the cross bars 5 5 which carry each a pair of metal contact
brushes 6 6.
7 7 are the slot rails of the conduit shown broken away underneath the truck 1 for
the purpose of exposing to view the ordinary current conducting rails 8 8; and 9
designates the current collecting wheels or travelling contacts (shown conventionally)
which make contact with the rails 88 as the car proceeds along the line of way;
10 10 are the helices wound respectively around the axles 3 3 and having their terminals
(not shown) electrically connected respectively with the metallic discs 11 11 each of
which is insulated from the body of its respective helix 10 and from the axle 3.
From the circuit which extends from the collectors 9 to the motor a branch
shunt 12, 13 is taken one wire 12 leading to the brush 6 on the lower rear side, and the
other wire 13 passing to the lever switch 14 the contact point of which is electrically
connected by wire 15 with the corresponding brush 6 on the lower front side of the
car; 16 is the wire connecting the two remaining brushes 66 with each other.
Thus as the car proceeds should it be desired to increase the tractive effects between
the wheels 22 and the rails 17 17 the conductor adjusts the lever switch 14 upon its
contact point thereby closing the circuit through the helices 10 10 magnetizing the
axles and converting the wheels 2 2 into enlarged pole pieces of opposite polarity.
Now commencing at the swstch 14 the current flows over its circuit through the
helices in the direction of the arrows; when these helices are thus energized they
induce magnetic lines of force in the iron axle and wheels in the direction of the
arrows a a these lines being conducted along the iron rails intervening between the rear
and front axles forming thereby a complete and unbroken magnetic circuit. It will be
fairly apparent that these magnetic lines of force must pass serially and successively
through all the wheels 22 before the magnetic circuit is complete. Therefore a powerful
attraction or adhesion of the different molecular structures will be produced at the

page_text: points of contact between the rails and wheels, at which point the degree of magnetic
saturation is greater owing to the relative difference in the mass of magnetic metal
and the position of the, molecules of iron in the said rails and wheels which are thus of
uniform direction throughout the circuit.
Referring now to figure 2 the arrangement is substantially the same except that
owing to the construction and gearing of the motor 18 there must be four helices
instead of two a pair for each axle a neutral line of magnetism being preferably
mid-way between the two helices on each axle. In order to prevent diffusion of tlie lines
of force from the magnetic circuit in figure 2 the motor and its supporting frame are
magnetically insulated from the axles.
As in figure 1 these helices are connected in series as shown, but are in this instance
energized from a separate source from that of the motive current which source is
conventionally shown as a battery either of the primary or storage type.
Again another difference between these arrangements is that there is shown a regu-
lating switch 19 whereby it can be shifted so as to change the direction of the current
through the several helices; furthermore an adjustable resistance 20 is introduced
intermediately in the circuit from the battery.
The helices 10 10 in figure 2 may be either mounted loosely on their axles, or may
revolve therewith as in figure 1 and may be connected in series or in any other
convenient manner whereby the lines of force will pass serially and successively
through all the wheels, rails, and axles as is well known and obvious to those skilled
in this art.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The method of increasing the frictional contact of a vehicle travelling upon a
magnetic surface which consists in establishing an energized closed magnetic system
including the magnetic surface below the vehicle and a portion of the latter
substantially as described.
2. The method of increasing the frictional contact of a vehicle travelling upon a
magnetic conductor, which consists in establishing a magnetic system including the
conducting surface below the vehicle and a portion of the vehicle substantially as
described.
3. The method of increasing the traction of a vehicle travelling upon magnètic
rails which consists in producing a metallically closed magnetic circuit including four
wheels of the vehicle and the rails between the same substantially as described.
4. The method of increasing the traction of a vehicle travelling upon rails which
consists in producing a closed magnetic circuit including four wheels of the vehicle
and the rails between the same substantially as described.
5. The method of increasing the traction of a vehicle travelling upon magnetic
rails which consists in producing alternating magnetic polarities in the successive
wheels of the vehicle which together with their axles and with the rails between the
same constitute a closed magnetic system substantially as described.
6. Means for increasing the traction of a vehicle provided with magnetizable
wheels travelling upon rails of magnetizable metal comprising a closed magnetic
system including four wheels of said vehicle all of that portion of the axle between
any two wheels and the sections of rails extending from wheel to wheel; the said
rails and wheels and the said axles and wheels repectively being magnetically in
contact in combination with magnetizing coils having for their respective cores two
or more axles an inducing electric circuit for charging said coils and a source
of electricity for charging said circuit independently of the motive power of said
vehicle.
7. Means for increasing the traction of a vehicle provided with magnetizable wheels
travelling upon rails of magnetizable metal comprising a closed magnetic system
including four wheels of said vehicle all of that portion of axle between any two
wheels and the sections of rails extending from wheel to wheel; the said rails and

page_text: wheels and the said axles and wheels respectively being magnetically in contact in
combination with magnetizing coils having for their respective cores two or more
axles an inducing electric circuit for charging said coils means for varying the
magnetic influence of said circuit and a source of electricity for charging said circuit
independently of the motive power of said vehicle.
8. Means for increasing the traction of a vehicle provided with magnetizable wheels
travelling upon rails of magnetizable metal comprising a closed magnetic system
including four wheels of said vehicle and all of the axles and rails between any two
wheels; magnetizing coils.in inductive proximity to said magnetic system having for
their respective cores all of the axles of said vehicle and a source of electricity.
independent of the motive power of said vehicle for charging said coils.
9. Means for increasing the traction of a vehicle provided with wheels of
magnetizable metal travelling upon rails of magnetizable metal comprising a closed
magnetic system including four wheels of said vehicle and all of the axles and rails
respectively between any two wheels; magnetizing coils in inductive proximity to
said magnetic system having for their respective cores two or more axles an electric
circuit including said magnetizing coils, means for varying the magnetic influence of
said electric circuit and a source of electricity feeding said circuit independently of
the motive power of the vehicle.
10. In combination two helices of wire located in inductive proximity to their
respective cores and in circuit with each other and included in an independent electric
circuit two car axles forming the magnetic cores of their respective helices, wheels
entirely of magnetizable metal forming the respective poles of said cores an independent
electric circuit including said helices and a source of electricity for charging said coils
independently of the motive power of said vehicle.
11. The combination with two helices of wire wound around and insulated from
their respective cores, two car-axles forming the magnetic cores of their respective
helices four car wheels magnetically in circuit with their respective cores and formed
entirely of magnetizable metal sections of track rails extending from wheel to wheel
and means for varying the magnetic saturation of the axles. wheels and rails.
12. The combination with car-axles and a motor mounted upon the car-truck and
geared to the axles of a divided helix of wire arranged on each side of the motor
gearing upon the axle for the purpose set forth.
13. The combination with the complete magnetic system including four wheels of a
vehicle and the axles and rails respectively between any two wheels of divided
magnetizing coils upon the axles a motor geared to the axles, and an electric circuit
for charging said coils.
14. In a self propelled vehicle the combination with means for increasing the
traction of said vehicle travelling upon rails of magnetizable metal comprising a
closed magnetic system including four wheels of said vehicle and the axles and rails
respectively extending between any two wheels; the said rails and wheels and the said
axles and wheels being respectively magnetically in contact and magnetizing coils in
inductive proximity to said magnetic system and having for their respective cores the
axles of said vehicle of an electric motor for propelling said vehicle, and two
circuits feeding severally the magnetizing coils and the electric motor.
Dated this 20th day of March 1888.