US867486A - Electric locomotive. - Google Patents

Description

No. 867,486. PATENTED 001. 1, 1907.

' s. T. DODD.

ELECTRIC LOGOMOTIVE. APPLICATION rum) r mma. 19oz.

WITNESSES) INVENTDR W P -j 'Y WWW.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL T. DODD, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. '1, 1907.

' Application filed February 18, 1907. Serial No. 857,905.

To all whom it may concern: v v

Be it known that I, SAMUEL T. Donn, a citizen of the United States, residingat Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Locomotives, of which the following isa specification.

My inventionrelates to-electric locomotives having driving-wheels and idlers, and its object is to provide a novel arrangement for automatically increasing the pro-.

ried on the drivers at full speed results in overheating or excessive wear of driving axles and journals.

By my invention the variation of \load distribution is made automatic,or rather, placed under the control of thesame switches that control the motors. By placing an electromagnet in the motor-circuit, which responds to an increase of current in the motor-circuit above a predetermined amount, and by controlling the load-shifting device by this electromagnet, the load is shifted automatically when the motor-current and torque rise above a predetermined amount. The magnet is cut into circuit by the switch which controls the motors,' and is controlled automatically by this switch in its ordinary operation to vary the current supplied to the motor.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows in elevation one-half of a double truck electric locomotive provided with a load-shifting device adapted for control in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 shows a I of these pills on the equalizing links determines the'proportions of the weight of the frame carried by the driving-wheels and idlers; the weight carried by each wheel being inversely proportional to the distance of its axle from the pin D. F F represent levers each of which may be formed with a pin D as single forging as shown which rocks on the pin D as on a pivot, and carries another pin or projection D nearer the axle of the driving-wheel than the pin D. Pull-rods f f connect levers Y F to a rod 9 which extend across the frame and is connected to the piston of an air-cylinder G, so that when air is admitted to the cylinder to movethe piston toward the left, strains are placed on the levers F F, tending to rotate them on the pins D D. The pull on the right-hand lever F as viewed in Fig. 1 is in a counterclockwise direction, and on the left'hand lever in.a clockwise direction. This pull, acting on these levers, tends to shift the load on the links C from the pins D to the pin D thereby shifting the effective points of support on the equalizer links toward the driving-wheels,

and thereby increasing the proportionate weights carmission of air from the main reservoir H to the cylin ders G and the exhaust from the cylinders. This valve is controlled by a magnet J, which, in turn, is controlled by an overload magnet K placed in the circuit with the driving motor M. This magnet is shown inserted between the trolley or current-collecting device L, and the switches 0, shown diagrammatically which control the supply of current to the motors M. Whenever either switch 0 is moved to close the motor-circuit, current passes through the magnet K, and if the current admitted to .the motors rises above a certain limit, magnet K draws up its armature, thereby energizing magnet J and shifting valve I to admit air from the reservoir H to the cylinders G. Thus, at starting, when the maximum traction effort is required, the magnet K will be energized, since the starting-current is large; and in general, whenever current above a predetermined amount is admitted to the motors, so as to increase their torque above a certain amount, the magnet K will be energized sufliciently to close its contacts, and the proportionate load on their drivers will be increased. When the current falls below the predetermined an'iount, magnet K drops its armature, do

energizing magnet J and allowing valve I to be returned to its normal position by a spring or other suitable mechanism. The load is thus shiited automatically to meet the traction requirements, and the load- 7 shifting devices require no attention from the operator; but are controlled in a proper manner merely by the usual manipulation of the motor-controlling switches.

I do not desire to limit myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts here shown, but aim in the appended claims to cover all modifications which are Within the scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idler-s, means operative upon a predetermined variation of load on the driving motors for varying the distribution of weight on the wheels.

In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idlers, means for automatically increasing the proportionate load on the driving-wheels when the motor current reaches a predetermined value.

3. In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idler-s, an electromagnet in the motor circuit and means controlled thereby for varying the distribution of load on the wheels;

4. in an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idlers, an electromagnet in the motor circuit, a valve controlled thereby, and pneumatically-actuated means controlled by said valve for varying the distribution of load on the wheels.

5. In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idlers, an electromagnet, a switch controlling both the driving'motors and said electromngnet, and means controlled by said electromagnet for varying the distribution of load on the wheels. I

G. In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idler-s, means controlled by the motor-controlling switches for varying the distribution of load on the wheels.

7. In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idlers, pneumatically-actuated means for varying the distribution of load on the wheels, and means controlled by the motor-controlling switches for controlling said pneumaticaliynctuated means.

amass 8. In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idlers, pneumatically-actuated means for varying the distribution of weight on the wheels, a controlling valve therefor, and means controlled by the motoncontrolling switches for controlling said valve.

9. In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idlers, an equalizing link suspended between a driving wheel and idler and supporting a portion of the weight of the locomotive frame, and means operative upon a predetermined variation of load on the driving motors for shifting the effective load-point on said link.

10. In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idlers, an equalizing link suspended between a driving- 'wheel and idler and supporting a portion of the weight of the locomotive frame, and means controlled by the motoreontrolling switches for shifting the effective load-point on said link.

11. In an electric locomotive having drivingwvheels and idlers, an equalizing link suspended between a drivingwheel and idler and supporting a portion of the weight of the locomotive frame, an electromagnet in the motor circuit, and means controlled thereby for varying the effective load-point on said link.

12. In an electric locomotive having driving-wheels and idlers, an equalizing link suspended between a driving wheel and idler and supporting a portion of the weight of the locomotive frame, pueumaiicaliy-actuatcd means for shifting the effective load-point on said link, and menus controlled by the motor-controlling switches [or controlling said pneumatically-aetuated means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of February, 1907.

SAMUEL T. DODD.

Witnesses BENJAMIN B. HULL, IlnLnN ORFORD.

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