Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-27
LOCAL FIRM LANDS
TWO LARGE ORDERS
Simplex Surface Contact Co. Will
Furnish Wireless Electrical Pro-
pulsion Equipment

The Simplex Surface Contact COM
pany, with offices in the Union Trust
Building, this morning received two
large contracts; one from the Bethle-
hem Steel company of South Bethle-
hem, Pa. and one from the Lehigh
Coal and Navigation company for its
Lansford colliery. The securing OF
these contracts was through the efforts
OF ID. l.. Diehl, president of the Sim
pick Construction company, and is of
particular interest for the reason that
the Simplex system is an innovation
and a revolution in electric transpor-
tation.
A year ago a small stretch of
track was installed at the Pennsyl-
vania Efficiency convention held in
Harrisburg which attracted the atten-
ton OF engineers and layInen from the
point that II was possibly the solution
of the overhead wires nuisance.
In the operation of the Simplex sys-
TEN the wires which furnish the cleo
tricity to the cars or locomotives are
placed in a pipe under ground. At
fixed intervals in the track are switch
boxes which automatically turn on and
off the current to moving cars or loco
motives as they pass along the track.
The mechanism in the box is actuated
by magnetism, generated from the car
car and the switches are so construct
ed that magnetic influence on the car
is the only means by which they can
he operated at all 1t is only possi-
BILE for them to be in. a live position
directly under car. At any point
on the line, it is as safe to work or
travel over the tops of these boxes
as it is on any other part of the rail
or street, as they are absolutely dead.
John +. Whitaker of this city is
vice president of the company. S. r.
Nipple is one of the inventors and is
at present general manager of the
Offices in this city. w. E. Orth has
recently been elected treasurer. There
are n great many other Harrisburg
people interested in the firm.
Local Invention
Surface contact has been a tempt
ing way of operating street and cleo
trio cars and locomotives for a num-
Der of years. The first electrification
attempted to propel cars was by this
means. Inventors have ever since en-
deavored to perfect and make prac-
tical the theory but by reason of tre-
mendous discouragements and appar-
emily unsurmountable difficulties, the
idea had never been perfected. Seven
years ago a poorly clad man presented
to Mr.. Nipple a scheme through which
he said ii was possible to operate
electric cars and locomotives by means
of the much priced surface contact
The idea was finally carried to New
York and met with some encourage
ment on the part of competent engi-
Ineers. Later funds were furnish ed
and the first installation was placed
on the Lewisburg, Milton and Watson
town Passenger Railway, where 1t was
conclusively shown that the idea had
merit Since that time the Idea wat
lpersistently followed and finally
brought to a state of perfection thai
eclipses the operation of any Other
f1rm of electric propulsion.
Many Plants Equipped
Two years ago the first installation
was made at the Logan Iron and Stee
company's plant at Lewisburg. 1t ha,
given satisfaction. Another installa
| ton was later made at the Wheeling
Sheet and Tin Plate company's plan
at Yorkville, Ohio. This further prov
ed the merit of surface contact under
industrial conditions.
Last week Prof. Charles L. Kinsloe
dean of engineering, Pennsylvania
State College. who is consulting engi
neer for the local concern, read a pa,
per to the engineers society of Scran.
| ton. There seems to be a well found
| ed connection between the present
contracts and tn presentation of the
system TO these engineers and the
company is early anticipating it's uni
versal adoption in industrial plants
and mines.