Patent GB-191116160-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Electric Transportation Systems.
IPC: B61L23/00
Filed: 1911-07-12
Granted: 1912-07-11
Abstract: 16,160. Seaman, A. G., and New Transport Co. July 12. Systems with motor-vehicles having external control.-Electric transportation systems, of the type in which a number of independent vehicles or units taking their energy from a line conductor are arranged to travel on the main track at predetermined intervals of time or space, are provided at the bays, sidings, &c. with control gear whereby the vehicles are automatically dispatched therefrom on to the main lines when a suitable space or time interval occurs between the vehicles travelling thereon. Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically an arrangement suitable for the case where " time interval " control is used, a' representing a bay or siding and a the main line. On the main line is placed a tread rail n in such a position that a vehicle travelling at full speed therefrom would be in the danger area DA at the same time as a vehicle dispatched simultaneously from the bay. The vehicles on the main line " beat time " on the tread rail, each beat opening the contacts k in a circuit through the electro-magnet S which operates the switch M controlling the supply to the line conductors x, y, z, in the bay, a starting-switch J, which is operated by hand when the vehicle is ready to be dispatched, and contacts g<3>, g<4>, Figs. 1 and 4, kept open by the withdrawal of the conducting-piece i<2> so long as the solenoid i is energized. This solenoid is de-energized by short-circuiting its terminals through the contacts g<1>, g<2> and arm g carried on the shaft d<1> driven by the motor d. This motor is controlled so that the closing of the contacts g', g<2> synchronizes with the opening of the contacts k, whereby the switch M can only be closed when the tread rail is not operated owing to a gap in the vehicles on the main line. The vehicle in the bay is dispatched by the closing of the switch M, which is again opened by the release of the catch o on the depression of the tread-rail p. The motor d is controlled by the cutting out of the resistance f<1> for a longer or shorter period according to the relation uf the closing of the contacts e<1>, e<2>, by a second contact e on the shaft d', and the closing of the contacts h by another tread-rail h<1> placed opposite the tread-rail n. In a slight modification, the motor is controlled by the cutting- out of a resistance in series with the motor armature. When " space control " is used, a continuous series of tread-rails is used extending from the danger area DA to a distance about twice as far as the tread-rail n. This distance equals the minimum space interval necessary to leave room for a vehicle to be dispatched on to the main line. The treadrails are connected in series and each rail when in its normally raised position bridges a pair of contacts so that the circuit is only completed when there is no vehicle on these rails. In a modification suitable for a " space control " system a controller such as described in Specification 17,344/08, [Class 78, Lifting &c.], is used. At each end of the length of track representing the minimum space interval tread-rails i, o, Fig. 7, are mounted the depression of which cause the solenoids V<0>, V<1> to become energized. Each solenoid rotates the shaft t of the discriminating controller one tooth each time it is energized but the solenoids act in opposite directions as regards each other so that the contacts g<1>, g<2> are only bridged when all the vehicles that have entered the section have also cleared it.