Patent GB-190701947-A (GB)
Title: An Electrically Operated Installation for Forwarding Postal Letters and the like Through a Tube.
Inventor: HANSEL KARL
Filed: 1907-01-25
Granted: 1908-01-25
Abstract: 1947. Hansel, K. Jan. 25. Electric railways.-Relates to an underground electric system for forwarding postal packages, and consists in the construction of the motor-vehicles and the channels or tubes, and also in the electric propelling, controlling, and signalling arrangements whereby the vehicles can be forwarded from one station to another at any desired speed and their position simultaneously and automatically signalled to both stations, the control being from either or both of the stations. When the vehicles are to be controlled from both stations, the transmitting station forwards them to a certain point and from this point the receiving station determines their travel for the remainder of the journey. In the other mode of working, the transmitting or receiving station determines the complete travel of the vehicles upon a signal exchanged between the two stations, the vehicles being brought to rest at a predetermined point at the receiving station. Fig. 9 shows diagrammatically the arrangements of the circuits 'for the first method of working. The track rails c, which serve as the return lead, are interrupted at a point between the stations I, II, and an insulated signal-rail g inserted which also serves to switch the vehicles from the circuit of the transmitting station to the circuit of the receiving station. To make the portions of the track on both sides of the stations independent of each other, insulated rails h, somewhat longer than the vehicles, are similarly inserted at each station. For signalling purposes, a conductor i, in shunt with the main supply conductor f, is connected to the rail g and the signalling-apparatus, consisting of a bell j and glow lamp k, at each station. The power supply circuit is controlled from the starting-switches m, a movement to the left starting the vehicles, while a movement to the right brakes them and brings them to rest. The reversing-switch n, and an electricallyoperated reversing-switch w on the vehicles, control the direction of movement of the vehicles, and the track switch o energizes either the section preceding, or the one succeeding the station, as desired. The electric motors on the vehicles are provided with an electrically-operated, polarized, reversing-switch w, Fig. 9, consisting of two electro-magnets in series placed in a shunt circuit. The electro-magnets rotate the armature x according to the direction of the current, and, by means of the contacts secured thereto, reverse the current in the field windings of the motor, and the direction of travel of the car. To operate a vehicle, it is first pushed by hand from the insulated rail h, and the switches o, n, m, at the station operated. At the same time, a key r is pressed to send a starting signal to the other station. When the carrier reaches the signal rail g, the signal apparatus in both stations are actuated, and the operator in charge of station I operates his switches to cut the power off, while the operator in station II operates his switches to control the vehicle. In the second mode of working, where the carrier is controlled only from one end, there are two cases to be considered,-(1) the case in which the carriers are intended to travel on the track in both directions, and (2) the case where the carriers always travel in one and the same direction, such as when there are two tracks or when the track is endless. In the first case, the only difference is that the signal rail g is omitted and an insulated rail inserted on each side of each station; such insulated rail commencing at that point in front of each station at which the braking of the arriving vehicle is to begin. These insulated rails are connected to the cable i for signalling purposes. In the second case, the track switch o and reversing-switch n are omitted. To stop the vehicles at a predetermined place in a station, they may be provided with an automatic braking-device consisting of a two-armed lever with an eccentric, which, when the lever is turned by coming in contact with a fixed stop, either applies spring brake blocks to the periphery of the wheels, or liberates such blocks so that they can be raised by springs. Permanent way.-The concrete tube is preferably of an oval cross-section and has either semicircular ribs b, Fig. 1, or vertical ribs b<1>, Fig. 3, embedded in the concrete at suitable intervals for carrying the track rails. Electric locomotives and motor-vehicles.-Three forms of parcel-carriers or motor-vehicles are described, two having their centre of gravity below their points of support, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and one with it above, as shown in Fig. 7. The vehicles carry two electric motors t mounted on, or near to the wheel-axles, and receive their current from the conductor f.