1. 3059
Mark J T Bowman
M Eng
3059
BRs 4-RES EE Quill & Cup Drive

2. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng2
In 1953 English Electric and the BR(S) Chief Engineer trialled a new
mechanism developed in 1952 by the English Electric Company, Ltd at their
electrical rotating machines branch Phoenix Works, Bradford UK.
This trial was concerned with the traction motors suspension, and differed
from the conventional "through the nose" type, as it used elastic mountings to
suspended the motor parallel to the track.
Fig. 1 – Class 402/2 4-RES of British Railways BR-Southern Region.
This English Electric mechanism was mounted to the four driving axles of both
motor bogies of the class 402/2 4-RES No.3059 of the Southern Region of
British Railways.
Figure 1 above shows the side sketch, issued by the Chief Engineer BR-SR;
and was put into service in the course of 1953, along with another of the same
class, using a mechanism of the SLM-Winterthur type.
The motor group and drive was composed as a result of two "block groups”
relatively independent of one another, which comprised of:
1) the motor with 3 suspension arms E1, E2 & U attaching it to the
Suspension Tube through the resilient mountings, the pinion, the crown gear
and the Gear Case; and
2) the axle with the hub of the gear wheel in which the elastic quill drive is
housed and supported independently of the motor (reference to fig 8 below).
The two block groups will be described separately here in order to illustrate
the engineering behind each part of the mechanism. Firstly the motor
suspension is described.

3. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng3
The most notable difference was the motor at its outer end in relation to the
centre of the bogie was it’s connection to the Suspension Tube (Sus-Tube)
being through the 3 rubber pads (item E & U of fig.2, 5 and 6). This allowed a
limited flexibility between the motor and the axle.
The Sus-Tube was supported independently of the motor itself (therefore
elastically by report to the latter) and follows the vertical (and transverse)
movements of the axle.
The motor yoke comprised, on the axle side three suspension arms: two
above the Sus-Tube (on both sides) and the third below in the middle.
The ends of the three arms were drilled vertically and received detachable
elastic supports E1, E2 and U, between check boxes; sandwiched between
an outer and inner socket, with vertical bolts relative to the Sus-Tube (see Fig.
5 section AA, BB & CC & 7).
The sockets for each of the three elastic supports E1, E2 and U had placed
between them a conical shaped "bush" (see fig. 5 section AA, BB & CC)
which resiliently connected the motor casing and the Sus-Tube.
Fig. 2 - Traction motor of figures 6 (top) and 7, without the axle. This
shows to the right the pinion gear and above that the upper half of the
gear case. E & U are the Silentbloc rubber mounts suspending the Sus-
Tube.

4. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng4
In figures 4, 5 and 6 (upper part), the rubber parts are denoted by heavy
hatching. The elastic support lower U is held in position by a removable cap,
in order to facilitate disassembly of the motor, by allowing the lower half of the
Sus-Tube to be removed, in order to drop the axle.
The nose suspension shaft was absolutely fixed in relation to the motor and
held at its two ends with Pillow Block resilient mountings illustrated in the
centre of the figure 4, attached to the bogie frame transom.
The motor could move around this shaft L, the Silentbloc’s allowing a slight
axial vertical movement of approximately ¼”, which the motor could elastically
rotate in relation to the bogie frame.
The displacement of the motor was limited by the degree of elasticity of the
rubber resilient mountings; however the motor was well protected against
shocks in the vertical, longitudinal and transverse directions.
The most important point of this mechanism, according to BR Chief
Mechanical Engineer (SR), is that the relative movement of the motor axle
was low ¼” , making it possible to reduce the dimension of roller bearings (T
of fig. 6) which turns on the axle gear hub, which is part the resilient elastic
transmission mechanism, as described later (fig. 8).
Fig. 3- Representative of the class 4-COR 3116, outside Wimbledon
maintenance sheds, London The train consists of four cars, with a total
of 8 bogies, of which only the two end bogies are motorised. The figure
9 shows the motor bogie of 3059.

5. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng5
Fig. 4 – Side & Plan elevation showing arrangement of Silentbloc
resilient mounting, E & U being the Sus-Tube mounting, L is the nose
suspension. – Heavy hatching denotes the rubber parts. N.B. - As per
the figures 6 and 7, journals and boxes are not shown.

6. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng6
Fig. 5 - Entire motor suspended with brackets to the Suspension Tube EE Co. Compare figures 6 (top) (top) and 7

7. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng7
Fig. 6 - Upper Part. Elevation View of the traction motor axle hung and
suspended by the nose, but resiliently, thanks to the rubber mountings
E upper and lower U. L is a Pillow Block rubber mounting bush to
support of the "nose" of the motor.

8. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng8
Fig 6 upper diagram illustrates a side elevation of the non-pinion side of the
gear case. The bottom diagram a plan view of the wheel-set and Sus-Tube
illustrating it and gear case are separate, with a 11” diameter X 2 5/8” long
section on the axle with ¾” radius collar representing the end of the cannon
box.
The axle then enters the roller bearing T’s inner race, the outer race mounted
to the flange plate R on the gear crown assembly, encapsulated by the gear
case.
Figure 6 upper diagram also shows the side elevation of the assembly
illustrating the disposition of elastic supports L, E and U. The lower diagram
illustrates the Sus-Tube (visible along the two thirds of the axle shaft) and the
toothed Crown Gear mounting flange plates (R) joined to the axle by bearings
(T) to the right.
The motor was therefore elastically suspended in the frame of bogie by the
Silentbloc mounts L, as well as in relation to the axle by Silentblocs E1, E2 &
U.
With the motor as a whole, elastically suspended relative to the axle and
bogie, the entire drive mechanism was independent of the deflection of the
bogie frame and could be expected to result an elasticity ¼”, corresponding to
that of the motor mounting.
The suspension bearings were of the usual Bronze shell white metal type,
with a copper carbon earth return brush to ensure the passage of the current
for traction return at point A of the axle illustrated in figures 6 and 7.
The second of the two block groups is now described showing the relationship
between the flexibly mounted axle and the motor, describing how traction is
delivered by the Quill drive.
In order to provide drive between the motor and semi floating axle, a very
special quill and cup drive, using rubber springs, was trialled where the elastic
transmission was completely contained in the axle gear wheel.
The mechanism of elastic drive was composed of a crown gear supported by
two flanges R, with the axle, and inner hub of the axle gear journal’d in the
housing through bearings T (fig. 6 lower part, 7 and 8).
The gear case housing is split in two parts, in the usual manner (fig. 2 & 6), to
allow inspection of the axle gear wheel, and allow access for the motor
removal, being fixed by bolts to extensions of the yoke of the motor (see fig.
4).

9. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng9
Fig. 7 - View of the traction motor, with lower half of the Sus bearing
dropped, for mounting the axle in the motor. A = Axle, R and T = Quill
drive bearing and flange plate. E and U = Silentbloc resilient rubber
mounts.
The principle parts of the quill and cup drive are described below:
R = flange of the gear wheel, which locates the crown gear with the gear hub.
The lateral movement of the motor yoke and gear case and the axle is
managed through the bearing journal T embodied in the drive flange plate R
attached to the Gear crown, its outer race interfacing with the gear case.
T = roller bearings allowing the gyration of the gear crown mounted on the two
symmetrical flanges allowing lateral movement of the axle, to the gear crown,
case & motor.

10. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng10
Fig. 8 - View of the constituent parts of a mechanism of the "quill cup
drive“ contained completely in the toothed axle gear wheel.
The lower part of figure 6 shows the cut of the axle shaft, and the relation of
the axle Gear Crown Flange plate R, and roller bearing assembly T; which
enables flexibility between the Sus-Tube axle assembly and the gear crown
and motor.
The flanged bearing assembly R & T supports the outer gear crown, keeping it
dispersed relative to the motor pinion gear wheel, and elastically to the axle
gear hub combination.
The housing and the axle gear crown were fixed in relation to the motor
casing and the pinion. The hub of the elastic gear wheel was keyed on the
axle shaft with torque transmitted to it by six triangular stops integral with the
body of the inside diameter of the crown gear, as illustrated in fig 8.
In the intervals of these abutments are springs made of rubber, and four
intermediate metal discs packed between two cups, and fixed by the arm
placed radially on the periphery of the hub of the gear wheel. This mechanism
is clearly visible in figure 8.
It was thus a perfectly elastic transmission between the axle crown gear
(driven by the pinion gear) and the axle shaft (driven by the gear hub).

11. 3059 4-RES Experimental English Electric Quill and Cup Drive
M. J. T. Bowman M Eng11
The contact surfaces, triangular stops and heads of the cups, were hardened
and lubricated with graphite grease.
The crown gear and pinion gear was lubricated by crater grease, the two
lubricants were separated by the flange plates R, which encapsulate the quill
and cup mechanism.
Fig. 9 – SR 9’ Motor Bogie of 3059 in Selhurst Repair Shops, with a 2-
NOL on the lift road to the right. Compare figure 2, the top of figure 4
and top left corner of the figure 5.