Railway System.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Electric Railway System.
I, WILLIAM EDWIN IRISH of Cleveland Ohio United States of America,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to an electric railway system, and the object of the inven-
tion is to provide means for thoroughly insulating the conductors, protecting them
from coming in contact with persons or animals, and for employing the electrical
energy economically and efficiently.
The mechanical construction is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a cross section of a railway and of the conduit, pavement, ties and
trolley. Parts are broken out so that the construction may be shown on a large
scale within the limits of the page. The phase is that in which the trolley is not
in contact with the conductors.
Fig. 2 is a view of the conduit, shown partially in exterior; partially in interior,
and partially in section, whereby in one figure many details are set forth. The.
phase is the same as that shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view similar to that in Fig. 2, except that a portion of the conduit
is omitted and the phase is that in which the trolley wheel is in electric contact
with a main line conductor.
Fig. 4 is a cross section of the conduit, somewhat modified at the man hole,
as it is provided with means for drainage, with a manhole for the removal of
mud, etc., and with a hole for the removal of trolley, and collection of foreign
matter entering the conduit.
Fig. 5 shows the mechanism whereby the engineer may apply or release the
trolley. The view is an elevation and a portion of the conductors and flexible tube
is in section.
Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section intended to show particularly the means for
joining the ends of the main line conductor.
Fig. 7 is a longitudinal elevation of the joint between the ends of the rubber
tube. A portion of the exterior sectional conductor is shown in section and also
the sleeve or cylinder which joins tubes, and is cemented thereto so as to make a
water tight joint.
Fig. 8 is a cross section of the rubber tube and the conductors, and is intended
to show the rubber tipped screw for clamping the main line conductor in place.
The rubber tube is divided into water-tight compartments by elastic diaphragms
not shown.
Fig. 9 is the same as Fig. 8, except that the phase is that in which sectional and
main line conductor are in contact.
Fig. 10 shows a cross section and elevation in section of two conduits crossing
each other. The conductors and flexible tubing in both conduits bend at the
junction of the conduits, so as to admit of the trolleys passing freely through.
Throughout the bend, the sectional contact pieces are omitted. The conduit is
slightly modified to admit of this arrangement.
a and b are the two main conductors. The junction between the two different
parts of either conductor is made by tube or sleeve c, fitting over the ends, and by
a helical spring conductor d connecting the ends. e and are flexible tubes,
preferably of rubber, shown as taking an oval shape. In the upper parts of the
tubes, there are located the conductors a, b, while sectional conductors g, h, i, etc.,
are located in the lower parts, and attached thereto, and to exterior sectional
conductors, l, m, and n, of the same length as those inside by screws j. Normally

page_text: the conductors.g, h, i, etc., are not in contact with the conductors a, b, but will touch
them when pushed upward, because the tubes e, f, are easily flexible. The screws k
retain the conductors a, b, in place, because they are held by the sides of the con-
dnit and press upon the rubber tube opposite the conductors a, b. It is necessary
that the sections g, h, i, and l, m, n, etc. should be separated from one another to
such a distance, that one section may be pushed forward independently of con-
tiguous sections. The tube will bend as represented in Figures 3, 5 and 9, and
form a flexible hinge. The rubber tubes are contiguous throughout the length of
the railroad and are closed at the ends, and intermediate points to form water-tight
compartments, therefore, the main line conductors and the sectional conductors are
hermetically sealed and efficiently insulated from water, dirt and the conduit
itself. In fact, no foreign object ever comes in contact with them. They may be
sealed at the time of the installation, and will need no cleaning thereafter. The
system is absolutely free from danger to human life, and, as the usual large loss of
electricity is prevented, the advantage of the flexible rubber tube far out-weighs
its first cost, which may be a trifle more than the over-head system.
Upon the outside of the rubber tube and just beneath the sectional con-
ductors, g, h, i, etc., are sectional conductors l, m, n, etc., which are attached to the
former sectional conductors, through the walls of the rubber tube, by screws,
which are also conductors. The trolley wheels o and o¹, are located normally just
out of contact with any one of the conductors l, m, n, etc., and are carried by a
pivoted lever P under the car. A handle q is engaged to the lever p by the spring r,
which insures a flexible pressure.
When the handle g is pushed forward in the direction of the arrow, it is held
by the pawl, and, as it is moved along, the wheels o and o', not only come in
contact with sectional conductors l, m, or n, but the conductors g, h or i are pushed
upward, and come in contact with the main conductors a, b, and therefore the current
is established from the conductor a, b, to the trolley wheels. The trolley may be
released by pressing upon the treadle A, which trips the pawl t, pivoted upon the
handle y, or by pressing on the hand grip lever W.
u represents insulators separating the wheel or wheels o & o' from each other and
from the lever p. » and indicates the conductors which pass from the wheels to
the motor (not shown) on the car.
In Fig. 4, w is a valve for the exit of water entering the conduit through the
slot, which is intended for the reception of the trolley arm p. y is an opening
in the bottom of the conduit at the manhole for the passage of the whole trolley
when it is to be repaired or exchanged, and for the collection of foreign matter.
is the cover for the man-hole. B. B. are tie rods for holding the rails C
and the conduit D. rigidly. E represents a sleeper; F. indicates the pavement
stones.
G. is a tube joining the ends of the rubber tube e, which is necessarily so long
that it cannot be manufactured in a single length, but must be made of several
lengths.
H. is the cover of conduit.
The form of conduit, insulated conductors and trolleys given in the drawings are
to be taken as illustrations. I do not confine myself to the exact arrangement and
relative position of the parts, as shown, although preferring it to other arrangements
which may simply be modifications thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of a contiguous flexible insulating tube; a continuous
electric conductor therein; a sectional conductor in the said tube, substantially
parallel to the first named conductor, and normally out of contact therewith, a
corresponding sectional conductor on the exterior of the tube and electrically and
rigidly connected to the interior sectional conductor; a trolley wheel and the

page_text: means for pressing the said wheel upon the exterior sectional conductor, for the
purpose as set forth, of bringing the interior sectional conductor into contact with
the said continuous conductor and the trolley wheel in electrical connection with
the said continuous or main line conductor.
2. The combination of a trolley: a conduit having a slot therein for the passage
of a trolley.arm; rubber tubes on each side of the slot; continuous conductors in
the upper parts of said tubes and sectional conductors in the lower parts; screws k
carried by the sides of the conduit and pressing upon the tubes and continuous
conductors, for the purpose as set forth, of holding the same in a fixed position;
sectional conductors on the outside of said tubes; screws j electrically connecting
the inner and outer sectional conductors; wheels carried by the said trolley arm,
& means for pressing the same upon the outside sectional conductors, for the
purpose set forth.
3. The combination of a closed tube containing a continuous conductor; inner
and outer sectional conductors, electrically connected to each other and carried by
the side of said tube, and means for bringing the continuous and sectional con-
ductors in contact with each other; said means consisting of a wheel bearing upon
outside conductors; a pivoted arm p, carrying said wheel, and a pivoted handle
connected to the said arm by a spring.
4. In an electric railway, a metallic conduit for electric conductors, comprising
a hollow slotted conduit, one or more conductors contained within a flexible and
insulating tube which also contains, but normally, out of contact with said con-
ductors, sectional metallic pieces, which are rigidly secured metallically through
the walls of the insulating and flexible tube, to similar sectional metallic pieces
outside the tube.
5. In electric railways a metallic conduit for electric conductors and trolley;
compressing a hollow slotted conduit, an elastic water-tight insulator tube, divided
into water-tight compartments and containing, First:-one or more conductors
or wires. Second :-short sectional metallic pieces, separated by insulated space
from each other, each piece being metallically secured through the wall of the
elastic tube to similar sectional pieces on the outside of the tube. Trolley bearer
with wheel or wheels arranged to run against the outside sectional pieces and
compress the flexible tube or tubes, so as to cause the inner sectional pieces to
come in contact with the conductors, so as to convey the current therefrom through
the trolley to the motor.
6. A conductor for electric railroads, enclosed in an elastic non-conducting and
water-tight tube; the tube also containing sectional metallic contact pieces,
insulated except where metallically secured through the walls of the tube, to similar
metallic pieces on the outside, which are also insulated; each contact pair being
separated from the next by a space so as to admit of their independent motion; the
intervening rubber tube forming a flexible hinge between successive pairs.
Dated this 24th day of October 1892.
PAGE & SCORER,
Agents.