IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING PERSONS OR OBJECTS FROM ONE LOCALITY TO ANOTHER BY ELECTRO-MOTIVE POWER
Year: 1880

page_text: «
LETTERS PATENT to Carl Heinrich Siemens, of No. 12, Queen Anne's Gate,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING PERSONS OR OBJECTS
FROM ONE LOCALITY TO ANOTHER BY ELECTRO-MOTIVE POWER." A communi-
cation from abroad by Dr. Ernst Werner Siemens, of Berlin, in the German
Empire.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Carl Heinrich Siemens at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th February 1880.
CARL HEINRICH SIEMENS, of No. 12, Queen Anne's Gate, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
CONVEYING PERSONS OR OBJECTS FROM ONE LOCALITY TO ANOTHER BY ELECTRO-
MOTIVE POWER." [A communication from abroad by Dr. Ernst Werner Siemens,
of Berlin, in the German Empire.]
This Invention relates to improved means and apparatus for conveying persons
and objects in vehicles along a line of rails by electro-motive power. For this
purpose an electric current produced by a stationary dynamo-electric machine or
other suitable powerful source of electricity is conveyed by suitable means, which
I will presently describe, along the line and to a dynamo-electric machine fixed on
a vehicle running thereon, so that the armature of this dynamo electric machine in
being made to revolve by the action of the current imparts rotary motion to the
wheels of the carriage, and thus propels it along the line.
According to one arrangement for conveying the electric current from the
stationary dynamo-electric machine to that on the vehicle a wire or wire rope,
stretched along the line on insulated standards between or at the side of the rails,
is electrically connected to the one pole of the stationary dynamo-electric machine,
and upon this wire-rope is situated a set of contact rollers, which are attached by
an insulated connection to the vehicle so as to be hauled along thereby, and they

page_text: are also electrically connected by a wire to the one pole of the dynamo electric
machine on the vehicle. The other pole of this machine is electrically connected
to the wheels of the vehicle and through them to the rails, which may either be
insulated and be connected to the other pole of the stationary dynamo-electric
machine, or this pole and the rails may each be connected to earth to complete the
circuit. The wire rope conductor is so supported on its standards that as the
contact rollers pass along with the vehicle they raise the wire rope off its
supports.
According to another arrangement instead of a wire rope conductor a rigid
longitudinal metal bearer is fixed upon insulated standards, such bearer being by
preference constructed of an iron or steel beam, on which is fixed a copper rail in
order to combine lightness with good conducting power. On this rail is a small
contact truck composed of a set of wheels running in spring-bearings so as to insure
contact with the rail, from which wheels is suspended a weight in order to keep
them well in contact. This contact truck is electrically connected to the one pole
of the dynamo-electric machine on the vehicle by an insulated cord or rope by
which the vehicle hauls the truck along on its bearer.
The vehicle with its dynamo-electric machine may either serve as a locomotive
engine for hauling along other vehicles, or it may itself serve to convey passengers
or goods.
According to another part of the Invention, instead of employing a third rail,
rope, or longitudinal bearer for completing the circuit of the stationary dynamo-
electric machine, each of the two ordinary rails of the line is made to form a
separate insulated conductor, the one rail being connected to the one pole of the
stationary electro-magnetic machine while the other rail is connected to the other
pole. The wheels on the one side of the vehicle are on separate axles from those
on the other side, and these axles run in insulated bearings, those on the one side
being electrically connected with each other and with the one pole of the dynamo-
electric machine on the vehicle, while those on the other side are connected to the
other pole thereof. Thus the electrical current produced by the stationary machine
passes through the one rail and the one set of wheels to the machine on the vehicle,
and thence through the other set of wheels and the other rail back to the stationary
machine. Instead of making both rails serve as conductors the one rail only may
be so used, and the other rail and the second pole of the stationary machine be put
to earth to complete the circuit. In this arrangement if the line of railway be
arranged in a raised position upon a line of iron standards these are put in electrical
connection with the last named rail, so that the current passes through them to
the ground. In constructing such raised railway lines for ordinary traffic the rails
are by preference laid upon longitudinal girders, which act together with the rails
as conductors of the electric current, the girders being laid upon transverse bearers
of insulating material, such as wood or toughened glass, carried by standards.
In employing a line of railway raised on standards, as above mentioned, the
vehicles running thereon are provided on either side with claws or strong brackets
passing down and projecting under the undersides of the longitudinal bearers, so
as to prevent the vehicles from tipping off the line.
According to another arrangement, more particularly adapted for the conveyance
of letters, telegrams, or parcels, the line of rails is enclosed in a tubular iron casing,
and by preference raised upon standards, the said casing being insulated from the
standards but electrically connected to the one rail, so as to form with the latter
the conductor leading from the one pole of the stationary machine, while the other
rail is electrically connected to earth through the standards as in the previous
arrangement. In this case instead of driving the wheels of the vehicle by means
of belts or straps from the dynamo-electric machine the cylindrical armature of the
latter is by preference mounted upon the axle of one pair of wheels but insulated
therefrom, so that its rotation directly effects the rotation of the wheels and the
propelling of the carriage.

page_text: The axles of the wheels are in this case each formed of separate lengths, secured
to but insulated from each other by means of interposed insulating material, such
as hardened glass.
The tubular enclosure may be of box form, the two sides of which act as girders
for supporting the line, the top being by preference made removeable to gain access
to the interior.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Carl Heinrich Siemens in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
August 1880.
CARL HEINRICH SIEMENS, of No. 12, Queen 'Anne's Gate, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
CONVEYING PERSONS OR OBJECTS FROM ONE LOCALITY TO ANOTHER BY ELECTRO-
MOTIVE POWER." A communication from abroad by Dr. Ernst Werner Siemens, of
Berlin, in the German Empire.
This Invention relates to improved means and apparatus for conveying persons
and objects in vehicles along a line of rails by electro-motive power.
According to the present Invention there is arranged in combination with a line
of rails one or more stationary dynamo-electric machines, whose armature is driven
by any suitable motor; the conductors to and from which stationary machine for
conveying the electric currents produced along the line are formed partly or wholly
by the rails themselves, while the currents are caused to pass continuously from
such conductors to one or more dynamo electric machines upon carriages or vehicles
running on the line of rails, so that the armature of such dynamo-electric machine
iu being made to revolve by the action of the current imparts motion to the wheels
of the vehicle so as to propel it along the line. The continuous electrical connection
between the conductors and the dynamo electric machine on the vehicle is main-
tained as this travels along, either wholly by the wheels thereof, or partly by the
wheels and partly by rollers, springs, or brushes. A variety of arrangements may
be employed for carrying this Invention into effect, and I will proceed to describe
some of those which I employ by preference, for which purpose I will refer to the
accompanying Drawings. Fig. 1 shews a sectional side view, and Fig. 2 a
transverse section of a line of rails A, A¹³, raised on standards B, B, which rails,
together with their longitudinal bearers C, C', each form an insulated conductor to
and from the stationary dynamo-electric machine at D, as indicated by the diagram
plan, Fig. 3, the one rail and bearer, say A, C, serving to convey the current from
the machine D along the line to the dynamo electric machine on the carriage, while
the other, say A', C¹, serves to close the circuit either by direct connection with the
dynamo-electric machine D or by connection with earth.
For the above purpose the rail and bearer A, C, are insulated from A¹, C', and
from the supporting standards B by means of transverse bearers E, of wood,
toughened glass, or other suitable insulating material, the stays F for bracing the
'

page_text: bearers C, C¹, being also of wood. If the current from the rail and bearer A¹, C¹,
is to be put to earth, as above stated, they are electrically connected in any suitable
manner with the iron standards B that are carried on a suitable foundation in the
ground. The carriage G has its wheels H, H, on one side insulated from those
H¹, H¹, on the other side and from the carriage, for which purpose I by preference
mount each wheel on a separate axle, as shewn at Fig. 2, the bearings of which are
insulated in any suitable manner. The axles of the wheels H are electrically
connected with the one pole of the dynamo-electric machine I fixed under the floor
of the carriage, while the axles of the wheels H¹ are electrically connected with the
other pole of the machine. The axis of the revolving armature of the machine has
a pulley K at each end, over which and over pullies L, fixed or formed on the
sides of the wheels H, H, pass belts or cords M, by means of which the rotary
motion of the armature is imparted to the wheels so as to propel the carriage.
The dynamo-electric machines employed for the purposes of this Invention may
be of any suitable known construction, but by preference I employ the construction
for which Letters Patent Nos. 261 of 1867, 2006 of 1873, and 3134 of 1878 have
been granted.
In constructing electric railways according to this Invention, particularly when
passing through towns, I prefer to arrange the line in a raised position upon
standards at such a height as not to interfere with the traffic. In this case, in
order to prevent accidents by the carriages falling off the line should an axle break
or from any other cause, I provide on the underside of the carriage strong claws N,
as indicated at Fig. 4, which pass under the flange of the longitudinal girders.
Fig. 5 shews a longitudinal section, and Fig. 6 a transverse section of an
arrangement in which the one continuous conductor from the stationary dynamo-
electric machine is formed by a stretched wire rope or rod O carried in forks on
standards P, which are either themselves of insulating material or are insulated
from the ground. Both rails A, A¹, in this case may form the conductor for the
return current, and may either be insulated from the ground or they may conduct
the current directly to earth.
The current is conveyed from the rope O to the one pole of the dynamo-electric
machine of the carriage by means of grooved rollers Q, Q1, of which those Q have
the rope resting upon them and raise this up out of the forks of the supports P as
they pass along, while those Q' press the rope down into its supports again. The
other pole of the dynamo-electric machine is electrically connected with the wheels
of the carriage. The rope conductor O may either be arranged between the rails,
as shewn, or on one side thereof, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6. Instead
of a wire rope might be used a rigid conductor fixed on insulating standards, such
conductor being by preference composed of an iron or steel beam, on which is fixed
a copper rail in order to combine lightness with good conducting power. On this
rail is placed a small contact truck composed of a set of wheels running in spring
bearings so as to insure perfect contact with the rail, a weight being suspended
from below to press the wheels down and to insure equilibrium. This contact
truck is electrically connected by a wire to the one pole of the dynamo-electric
machine on the vehicle by an insulated conducting cord, by which the vehicle also
hauls the truck along on the conductor.
In both the before described arrangements a sliding spring or brush-contact may
be substituted for the roller contact, though I prefer the latter.
Vehicles provided with dynamo-electric machines operating according to the
above described Invention may either serve only as locomotive engines for hauling
along other carriages, or they may themselves constitute passenger carriages, as
shewn at Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawings. The before described system of electric
railways may also be employed as auxiliary traction power for ordinary railways
at inclines, the arrangement indicated at Figs. 5 and 6 being assumed to be so
applied, the rails being the ordinary ones of the railway and the vehicle an
ordinary railway van.
Figs. 7 and 8 shew a vertical section and plan of an arrangement of the electric

page_text: railway for conveying letters or small parcels for postal and other purposes. In
this arrangement the rails A, A¹, are insulated from each other by wood or glass
transverse bearers E, by preference raised somewhat from the ground line by
standards B, as in the first described arrangement. The line is entirely enclosed
by an iron or steel casing R with removeable top R¹ secured by screws, which
casing forms a tubular bearer for the railway and which is electrically connected
in any suitable manner to the one rail A so as to form with this the one conductor,
and thus afford large conducting surface for the current, the other rail A¹ being
either connected to the other pole of the stationary dynamo-electric machine or
through the standards B with earth. The carriage in this case consists of a
framing S, the wheels T, T¹, of which are carried by axles U made in two parts
securely fixed together, but insulated from each other and from the framing, so that
the wheels on the one side of the carriage are insulated from those on the other
side, as in the first described arrangement. The framing S carries, firstly, the box
or receptacle V, containing the letters or parcels to be conveyed, and secondly, the
dynamo electric machine W, whose revolving armature X is in this case fixed
directly upon the one compound axle U, so that every revolution of the armature
produces one revolution of the wheels, of which those on one side are in electrical
connection with the one pole of the dynamo-electric machine, while those on the
other side are in connection with the other pole. The standards B are by
preference arranged at such a general height as to insure a practically level line of
rails irrespective of irregularities of the ground along which it passes. At crossings
a gradual rise of the railway may be formed to the required height for affording
headway beneath with a corresponding fall on the other side.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim,―
First. Constructing electric railways wherein one or more stationary dynamo-
electric machines are in electrical connection with conductors extending along the
whole line and formed partly or wholly by the rails themselves, on which rails are
vehicles having dynamo-electric machines fixed thereon, excited by the stationary
dynamo-electric machines, and serving to impart motion to the vehicle, the electrical
connection between the dynamo-electric machines on the vehicles and the
stationary dynamo-electric machine being maintained continuously by the wheels
of the vehicle with or without the aid of contact rollers, springs, or brushes,
substantially as herein set forth.
Second. Constructing electrical railways, the rails of which are insulated from
each other, the one rail being electrically connected to the one pole of a stationary
dynamo-electric machine, while the other rail is electrically connected to the other
pole of such machine either directly or through earth, substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth.
Third. The use for electric railways of a vehicle whose wheels on one side are
insulated from those on the other side, and are connected to the one pole of a
dynamo-electric machine mounted on such vehicle, the other pole of such dynamo-
electric machine being electrically connected to the wheels on the other side,
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Fourth. The use for electric railways of a vehicle having a dynamo electric
machine, whose armature imparts motion to the wheels of the vehicle, which at
the same time serve to convey the electric current for exciting the said dynamo
electric machine from a stationary dynamo-electric machine, substantially as herein
described.
Fifth. In electric railways the combination of rails A, A', and longitudinal
bearers C, C, acting as conductors, and insulated from each other by insulating
transverse bearers E on standards B, substantially as herein described with reference
to Figs. 1 and 2 of the Drawings.
Sixth. In electric railway vehicles the combination of the wheels H, H¹, on
separate axles running in insulated bearings with the dynamo-electric machine I,

page_text: with the poles of which the wheels H, H¹, are respectively connected, and whose
armature imparts motion by pullies K and belts or cords M to pullies L fixed or
formed on the said wheels H, H', substantially as herein described with reference
to Figs. 1 to 4 of the Drawings.
Seventh. In electric railway vehicles the wheels T, T¹, mounted on an axle U,
consisting of two separate parts insulated from each other and from the framing S,
in combination with the dynamo-electric machine W, with the poles of which the
wheels T, T¹, are respectively connected, and whose armature is fixed upon the
axle U so as to impart its rotary motion directly to the wheels, substantially as
herein described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Carl Heinrich Siemens, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty first day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CARL HEINRICH SIEMENS. (LS.)