US555783A - Electric propulsion system for cars - Google Patents

Description

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(No Model.) i v G. H..1VIELOTTB l ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR CARS. L No. 555,783. Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

(No Model.)

G. H. MELOTTE.

ELBGTRIC PROPULSIUN SYSTEMy FOR GARS.-

Il Il 1| Il Il Il Ii Patented Mar.

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lhvirnn @rares GEORGE II. MELOTTE, OF MARSH, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,783, dated March 3, 1896. Application filed August 15, 1395. Serial No. 559,327. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE ll. Mnnorrn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marsh, in the county of Chester, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Systems for the Propulsion of Gars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in electric systems for the propulsion of cars, and has for its object to provide such devices as will render the construction of underground and overhead systems more economical and effective than has heretofore been the case; and with these ends in view my invention consists in the details of construction an d combination of elements Ihereinaftersetforth and then specifically desi gnated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same I will describe its construction and operation in detail, referring by numbers to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication, and in which- Figure lis a sectional elevation of a car and conduit, showing the relative position of the feed-wire and the accumulator-bar carried by the car, by which the electric current is taken from said feed-wire to the motor; Fig. 2, a plan view of a track, showing a conduit in the center thereof with the arrangement of feed-wires therein; Fig. 3, a cross-section at the line m of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a similar view showing a modification of the Stringing of the line-wire; Fig. 5, a section taken at the line y y of Fig. d, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. G, a plan view showing the arrangement of an overhead feed-wire; Fig. 7, an elevation of a car provided with a modiiied form of insulator, and Fig. S a plan view showing a modification of an overhead feedwire.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, and 3, in which my improvement is shown in connection with an underground conduit, l represents a car of usual construction, which may be provided with the ordinary electric motor and mechanism for its propulsion, and 2 are brackets depending from either end of said car and 4adapted to travel in an ordinary slotway 3,

formed in the road-bed.

4 represents a conduit, which may be of any desired shape, covered by the cap-rails 5, whose edges so terminate in proximity to each other as to form the slotway 8. G are insulating-hooks secured to J[he cap-rails in such manner as to form supports for the feedwire 7 These hooks are arranged in pairs opposite each other upon either side of the conduit, so that the feed wire in passing from one to the other is bent at right angles to form the contact-sections 8, and as these sections cross the slot 3 at right angles it will be seen that they are in the path of travel of the accumulator-bar 9, which is supported by the brackets 2 and extends beneath the car from one end to the other. These contactsections are so disposed relative to the length of the accumulator-bar that the latter will at all times be in contact with one or more of said sections. Thus it will be seen that a car passing along a track will be kept in constant communication with the source of electric power.

In order to prevent leakage from the feedwire, it maybe covered by a suitable insulating material throughout its length, except at the contact-sections, and as these form but a small proportion of the total length of the wire the amount of lost current will be proportionately smaller.'

To obviate the liability of a cross being had with the contact-sections through the slot, I may arrange a frame l0 to one side of the cond uit, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and Zigzag the feed-wire across this frame or cross the contact-sections vertically, similar to those shown in Fig. 2, and the accumulator-bar vto be used in connection with this arrangement would be offset to one side of the brackets 2, in order that it may readily come in contact with the feed-wire thus arranged.

By my improvement, as above described, I am enabled to equip a surface-road that has been provided with cable-propulsion with but very little expense, as no alteration is necessary in the conduit or road-bed, and the only addition necessary would be the insulatinghooks, when the feed-Wire could be strung thereon, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, when the IOO system would be ready for the use of properly-equipped cars. rihis is of great advantage to roads which have been equipped with a cable system, as it obviates the necessity of the reconstruction of their road-bed or the placing of poles and Stringing of wires overhead.

To use my improvement in connection with heavy and long-distance transportation, such as that carried on by steam-railroads, it is only necessary to place a suitable frame or trough, similar to that shown in Figs. i and 5, upon the ties of such road, either in the center of the rails or upon either side thereof, and so string the feed-Wire upon this frame as to afford it proper protection and provide the locomotive or motor with a suitable accumulator-bar, so that it will be seen that by this arrangement power may be transmitted to railway-trains with but little expense of equipment.

In applying my system to overhead feedwires, as shown in Figs. G, 7 and S, I place the poles 11 alternately upon either side of the road-bed and string the wire zigzag, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, or run it longitudinally, as shown in Fig. G, with the cross contact-sections 12, and provide the car with an accumulator comprised of the levers 13, which are pivoted to lugs 14. Upon the top of the car and journalcd in the upper ends of these levers are the pulleys 15, around which passes the endless accumulator -wire 1G. '17 are springs adapted to bear upon the arms 1S, so as to force the pulleys from each other, which will have a tendency to keep the accumulator-wire taut.

The operation of this construction will be as follows: `As a car passes beneath the contact-section 19 the upper side of the accumulator-wire 1G will come in contact with said section, making the circuit between the feed wire and the motor, and, as the accumulatorwire is free to travel around the pulleys 15, it follows that but little friction will be generated at the points of contact, as the upper side of said accumulator-wire will travel rearward at about the same rate of speed as the car travels forward. The pulleys being springactuated, the wire 16 will accommodate itself to varying pressures of the feed-wire, or, in case it is desired to adapt the wire 1G to raise and lower, in order that it may be accommodated to a feed-wire which varies in height from the ground, the levers 13 may be made longer and set at an angle after the manner of the ordinary trolley-pole, when they will workin unison. It is obvious that this arrangement of accumulator-wire will work equally as well in connection with the form of feed-wire shown in Fig. 6, as it is only necessary to provide contact-sections which cross the path of travel of said accumulatorwire. The electric current after passing from the accumulator to the motor completes its circuit through the wheels of the car and rails of the track, as is usual.

I am aware that a number of modifications might be made in the exact construction of the accumulator and the mode of stringing the feed-wire without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the exact constructions and modes shown and described, as my invention rests in the broad idea of so Stringing the feedwire as to present contact-surfaces athwart the path of travel of the accumulator adapted to transmit the current from said wire tothe motor.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful isy 1. A trolley-wire so strung as to cross the path of the trolley at definite intervals in alternate directions and a trolley of such a length as to always be in contact with one or more of such crossings, as and for the purpose described.

2.' An insulated feed-wire strung s o as to cross the path of a trolley at definite intervals in alternate directions, said crossings being bare of insulation and a trolley of such length as to always be in contact with one or more crossings, for the purpose described.

3. An underground feed-wire inclosed in a casing and strung alternately from top to bottom of said casing and a trolley adapted to make contact with said feed-wire between the points of connection with the casing, as and for the purpose described.

4. A feed-wire strung so as to cross the path of a trolley at definite intervals and a trolley composed of a iiexible conductor strung on wheels which are journaled to arms, said arms being pivotcd to lugs and spring-pressed so as to keep the iexible conductor taut said wheels being of sufficient distance apart to keep the flexible conductor in contact with one or more crossings, as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE II. MELOTTE.

lVitnesses S. S. WILLIAMSON, SAMUEL L. TAYLOR.

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