Improved System of Conduits for the Underground Conductors of Electric Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved System of Conduits for the Underground Conductors of
Electric Railways and Tramways.
I, ALESSANDRO STERZA, of Mantova, Via Massari No. 16, Italy, Professor, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
_
The different systems of underground electric conductors as at present known
exhibit the inconvenience of being either very complicated or very costly or
difficult to repair in case of a rupture of the conducting wire. These incon-
veniences are obviated by my invention which consists of a rail in two parts one
of which can easily be taken off or made to turn upon itself so as to discover
the part to be repaired this system not only simplifies the construction and
reduces the cost but also ensures the greatest safety for the public.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto two sheets of drawings upon which
I have illustrated an example of my improvements.
Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of my rail.
Figure 2a horizontal section on the line--y of Figure 1.
Figure 3 a longitudinal section on the lines zu of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an upper view of the rail.
Figures 5 & 6 are a cross section and a horizontal, projection of the rail accord-
ing to a modified form.
Of the 2 rails forming the track, one is of the ordinary class and serves also
for the returning current. The other contains the wire and is what I claim as
new and desire to protect by Letters Patent. This rail consists of two pieces,
one of which is the iron rail W, provided with a basis w on which roll the wheels
of the trams or train cars. This basis is provided with a solid rib C serving to
protect the conducting wire and forming on the bottom two grooves p and q
the other piece is the upper part W₁ bearing the conducting wire P and connected
with the piece W by means of the screws R: the part Wends at the bend V,
lying perpendicular above the rib C, but being so distant from it as to leave a
free passage for the fixing how S. It is understood that the upper part W₁ is of
the same length as the rail W, forming with
the complete
rail WW! Inside this rail a chamber is provided for the passage
of the copper brush K. When the rail W W is fixed on the sleepers by means
of hooks r it shows a continued rift or opening comprised between the lines
and d. These lines are diverging from the top so that no foreign body can
stick between them. The rift serves for the passage of the metallic rod H coming
077
it
a
b

page_text: from the car and connected with the electric motor, and bearing the fixing
bow S and the brush K. Beneath the sleepers in the town lines there is a sewer,
whereas for the country lines the sleepers being partly uncovered, the discharge
of the water and the cleaning of the rails take place naturally. The water or the
filth penetrating into the rift ab cd goes out through the openings B in the
bottom, made between every two sleepers and a little shorter than the distance
between them. The water and filth which occasionally enter the chamber O are
discharged through similar openings D.
The part is formed inside with the groove m, ny, in which the bearings Q
of isolating material say ebonite are fitted at short intervals and in these bearings
are fitted the binding-screws or clamps R¹ for holding the conducting wire P
and provided with screws 11. The fitting up is easily and readily effected. Having
placed on the sleepers the part W of the rail, the ebonite bearings with the
binding screws or clamps are put in the joints m, n, y, of the piece W₁ then
the wire P is put into the binding screw or clamp straightened and fixed by the
screw r1.
Having done this, the piece W¹ is jointed to the piece W and fastened with the
screw R, and the rail is ready for use. The rail W, W as described, serves at the
same time as a guide for the wheels and as a receptacle for the conducting wire.
In case a third middle rail should be used for the electric wire, the two outside
rails serving as a guide, and for conducting the returning current, may be
reduced in size as it would serve only as a protector of the wire. Besides the
opening of the bottom can be omitted, simplifying the shape of the basis w¹ of
the piece W, as shown by Figs. 5 and 6. From the specification and the drawing
it is easily seen that the conducting wire is always and perfectly isolated and does
not exhibit any risk for the public it being impossible to introduce the hand into
the rift ab cd, and bend the fingers so as to reach the conducting wire P. It
is obvious that owing to the great simplicity of the system, the cost of the rail
is greatly reduced. It must be observed that in
case of a breakage
of the conducting wire, the repair is easily effected. In fact suppose
the conducting wire of a rail to be broken then I proceed to repair it as
follows;
-
The rail W is disengaged from the hooks r and the junction plate and the
screws Rare disengaged, then the rail W is moved along a short distance.
The piece W is thus set free and can be turned on its back so that the regular
junction of the wire can be made at the part required. It must be observed
that by this means the wire is always kept in its right position.
The junction
being effected, the piece W is made to revolve upon the wire taken as an axis
of revolution and replaced in its former position; then the rail W is joined to the
piece Wi
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
-
CLAIMS.
First: A rail with an internal chamber (0) containing the conducting wire,
consisting of two parts, that is, a simple rail (W) having a wide basis w with
grooves (p,q) and openings (B, D) for the flowing out of the water and the dis-
charge of the filth, and a piece Wi provided with ebonite or other non conducting
bearings (Q) and binding screws or clamps (R¹) for suspending the
conducting wire (B); an opening or cleft between the piece (W)
and the rail (W) sufficiently wide for the passage of the metallic rod in
connection with the electric motor, but not sufficiently wide for allowing the
hand to reach the wire; the parts (W, WI) being joined by screws or the like in
the manner substantially as herein set forth and as shewn upon the drawings.

page_text: Second: A modification of the system as claimed in Claim 1 consisting in a
simplified form of rail in which both the grooves (9) and the opening (D) are
dispensed with as shewn at Figures
and 6.
Dated this 1st day on January
ALESSANDRO STERZA.
By George Barker,
Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.