Patent GB-190422372-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Means for Trolleys or Vehicles to Pick Up and Return Electric Current from and to Conductors they Traverse, and Obtain Motion.
Inventor: SAYER ROBERT COOKE
Filed: 1904-10-18
Granted: 1905-08-03
Abstract: 22,372. Sayer, R. C. Oct. 18. Electric railways and tramways on the surfacecontact system. Collectors conductors electric locomotives and motor vehicles.-The positive conductor is laid in a longitudinal trough and covered by a protective covering which carries two negative conductors and is raised, to allow the collecting-trolley to pass, by a series of vertical hydraulic cylinders, to which water is distributed by a series of cocks operated automatically, as the trolley travels along, through special arrangements of levers &c. The rising and falling action of the protective covering serves to move forward, or retard, the trolley, which consists of a body having contact-wheels running on the positive and negative conductors. The trolleys may pass one over the other, and may be guided at the switches or junctions by tongues. Fig. 1 shows an elevation of a portion of the trough with the vertical hydraulic cylinders, Fig. 4 a diagrammatic plan, and Figs. 9 and 11 sections through the cylinder and trough respectively. The positive conductor d is laid between insulating-material in a trough a and is covered by a continuous, flexible, protective covering which is formed of metal plates m, m<1> and carries the negative conductors q, q<1>. This covering is raised, to ailow the collecting-trolley r to run along the conductor, by means of a series of hydraulic cylinders k to which water is distributed by fourway cocks f operated automatically through bars e and levers f<2>, the bars e being arranged so as to be depressed by the trolley as it runs along. Normally, the piston only rises to the position shown in dotted lines, but, for the insertion of the trolley into position or for allowing one trolley to pass over another, the piston rises to the top of the cylinder. To obtain the necessary control, the pistons k<4> in the cylinders k have hollow rods k<5> containing central spindles l connected by arms k<3> to drums k<2>. When the piston k<4> rises, a projection k<12> engages a helical groove l<3> and rotates the drum k<2> through a right-angle, and the cord k' moves a controlling-arm g, Fig. 11, into a raised position, where it may be thrown over by the contact of a bar u on the trolley. This movement of the arm g turns the drum k<2> and spindle l through another right-angle and removes a stop l<5> out of the path of the piston, which is then raised to the top of the cylinder. When the trolley leaves the bars e, the four-way cock f is reversed by a weighted cord f<7> around a pulley f and the piston is caused to descend, the lug k<12> returning the controlling - arm g by engaging a helical groove l<6> and turning the shaft l and drum through two right-angles. The cover m is held in position by the pressure on the upper side of the piston. The water is discharged from the cylinders into pipes f<10> leading to grooves between the rail c and the soft insulating-parts c<1>, c'. The collecting-trolley is formed of a body r having a double-flanged wheel r<2> for making contact with the positive conductor d, and two contact-wheels s<4> for making contact with the negative conductors q, q<1>. The trolley is fitted at the ends with inclined arms or switches s, Fig. 18, and also with vertically-sliding shoes w<3> for operating the bars e; it is connected with the vehicle by a flexible tubular connection r<13>, r<14>, or it may be formed in connection with the vehicle. The axle of the roller r<2> forms a cylinder for a ram r<6> which rocks a shaft r'‹ and through levers r<8>, r<9> raises the inclined arms or switches s, when the trolley is to run over another trolley, or is to be guided on to a branch line, by the switches bearing against the negative conductors. This movement also lowers the bar u to meet the lever g as described above. Pressure for operating the ram r<6> is obtained by moving a ram t<1> in a cylinder t by means of a hand-wheel and screw t<5> and levers. The shoes w<2> are moved by rams x, x<1>, Fig. 20, to rise and fall alternately, other rams y<1>, y<3> operated through a hand-screw and levers supplying and withdrawing the pressure. The cocks f for controlling the water supply to the cylinders k have hollow spindles f enclosed in sleeves f<8>, and they are pressed on their seats by springs f<4> ; a lubricant is supplied through the spindles f <3>. For traversing vertical or inclined surfaces, the conductors may be arranged outside the track, which is duplicated at the vertical or inclined parts. The vehicles z', Fig. 25, remain in a horizontal position, being fitted with bogies having pairs of wheels which are capable of assuming a horizontal, inclined, or vertical position. The two tracks c<6>, c<7> are made of different gauge, automatic switches consisting of centrally pivoted rail pieces being provided to guide the rear bogie on to the wider track. The bogies have telescopic axles to enable them to run on either track, and they are fitted with guide-rollers which bear against the under part of the rail to prevent derailing.