Improvements in Electric Current Conducting Apparatus for Electric Railways with Underground Feed.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
Improvements in Electric Current Conducting Apparatus for
Electric Railways with Underground Feed.
We, CARL FRIEDRICH PHILIPP STENDEBACH, Electro-technical Engineer of
45 Plagwitzerstrasse, Leipzig and, OSKAR HERMANN LINKER, Architect, of
Waldstrasse 80, Leipzig both in the Empire of Germany, 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 :-
This invention relates to underground current conductors for electric railways
using a special contact apparatus which is unaffected by damp.
In the annexed drawing
Figs. 1 to 4 show a so-called channel system, that is to say, apparatus arranged
in a special channel leading the whole length of the rail line or formed by means
of the rails themselves and operated by means of a current receiver on the carriage
and guided in this channel.
Figs. 5-7 however show a so called closed conducting system, that is, the
underground main conductor delivers the current uninterruptedly to the carriage
moving thereover without requiring therefor a special channel, in which the current
delivering places are arranged. The current is also here taken by means of a
current receiver, which is fixed on the carriage.
The latter consists however in this case only of a spring like suspended metal
band which is guided at a distance of 6-8 cm., over the street level beneath the
carriage.
As in the construction shown in Figs. 1-7 there is used the Phoenix rail which
will be nearly always found in already existing lines; these can be changed to the
Dew system without interrupting the traffic.
In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 cast iron boxes A are arranged at
distances of 2-2.5 m. from one another along the rail line, which boxes contain
the previously mentioned contact apparatus and serve simultaneously as a solid
bearing for the running rail S and the guide rail S¹.
Towards the street the boxes A. are closed by the covers A' which allow access
to the apparatus B. a is a connection socket, in which the connection of the
main cable K with the apparatus B takes place and lies on the exterior wall of the
box A, being bolted with the flange B' in the interior of the box.
C is a current receiver which is made up of several pieces connected by means of
hinge joints and ball joints C¹ and is connected also by means of several lever
arms H and ball joints H¹ with the carriage in such a manner, that the whole
current receiver can be lifted in a straight line from the channel by a draw rod
with tooth gearing.
The fastening of the current conducting parts of the current receiver which on
account of the curves must be pliant, as well as the secure insulation of these parts
is obtained in the most simple manner by use of a polished copper rope K¹ of
corresponding cross section, on which are soldered wire brushes k at distances
of 20 mm. from one another. Round the thus obtained saw like piece is pressed
caoutchouc K 2, which after having been pressed around the parts is vulcanized.
On the ends of the wire brushes k projecting from the caoutchouc.there are soldered
the real contact pieces joining together so that the current receiving part has

page_text: the form snown cross section in Fig. 1 whereby flexibility of the whole current
receiver is secured in all directions.
In order to prevent the lever arms H from breaking should the carriage get off
the rails, the ball movement H' is provided with a ring H2 over which the
lever H can slide, as soon as an extraordinary side pressure is effected upon the
lever H.
The contact apparatus themselves consist each of a cast iron cylindrically bored
casing B in the interior of which the carbon contact G¹ is arranged, which
with its under part is in a conducting connection with the current conducting
cable K.
Over this contact G' is placed after the manner of a diving bell an iron
cylinder F open at its under end. This iron cylinder F1 is formed as a double
cylinder and dips with its exterior second cylinder into a mercury. seal provided in
the casing B of the apparatus. It is intended to keep out any damp, which on
account of the mercury seal can pass only up to the mercury and thus cannot reach
the real interior of the cylinder F¹, which encloses the contact G'. It is thus
possible, to obtain a permanent closure of the contact box against damp in spite of
movement of the cylinder F¹, even when the whole apparatus stands entirely in
water. Through the cover of the iron cylinder F a contact pin X, which carries
at the top a current delivering roller Ř, is guided and fixed in an insulated
manner.
The interruption of the contact which is effected in the highest position of the
iron cylinder F is obtained by the spiral spring F 5 seated in the cylinder F.
In the operation of the construction shown on Sheet 1 the current receiver Cof
the carriage passing on the rail operates always the apparatus B lying next in the
direction of motion, before it leaves the apparatus previously operated by pressing
down the roller R, so that uninterruptedly always at least one such apparatus B is
in contact with the current receiver C.
The arrangement shown in Figs. 3-4 is similar to that previously described
only with the difference, that the boxes A are built laterally in the guiding rail
and are also made accessible from the outside by means of the cover A¹. The
circuit closure however is effected by a jointed iron current receiver C slid between
the operating rollers R & R¹ whereby by means of lever gear H 3 the apparatus B
is operated. Simultaneously a.contact pin K 3 kept in position under the pressure
of a spiral spring F 2 by means of a lever D and spring F 3, which pin is in contact
with the apparatus B is moved forwards, so that it lies with its current conducting
head against the current receiving metal layers of the current receiver C, whereby
to conduct the current to the carriage motor. For the rest the process is as before,
the current receiver C operates always the apparatus lying next in the direction of
the motion, before the previous one is put out of operation. When the latter is
done, the roller R' returns into its previous position under the pressure of the
spring F 3, the contact in the interior of the apparatus B is interrupted and the
contact pin K 3 is replaced by means of the lever D, the spring F 2 being
compressed.
The construction shown in Fig. 5 relates to an arrangement for railways with
underground current conductors in which a channel for receiving the current
receiver is not used and the apparatus are operated by the wheels of the carriage,
that is to say, the projecting part of the tyre or by other special wheels in such a
manner, that the current is closed by the first down pressing of a lever H 4 seated
in the guiding groove of the rail S and standing under the pressure of the flat
spring F 4 and that in the middle of the line a current deliverer is lifted to the
height of the current receiver arranged on the carriage and thus the electrical
connection of the latter with the main conductor is produced, whilst the next down
pressing of the lever H4 by the next carriage wheel passing over it causes the
interruption of the current and draws the current deliverer back to the level of the
line. The whole arrangement consists for this purpose of the cast iron, cylindrical
casing A 2, Fig. 5, which has laterally a box like. extension A 3 for receiving the

page_text: operating device. In the under part of the casing A·2 the contact apparatus B is
arranged in such a manner that the circuit is broken at G 2 until the steel pin D' is
lifted by the lever H 5 and until the contact button G 3 thereon touches the faces
of the contact G2 whereby the current passes through the copper wire d insulated
in the interior of the pin D to the current delivering stud D 2 which is made of
steel, whence the current is received by the current receiver suspended under the
carriage. D3 is an insulating piece, which avoids the passage of the current to D'.
For the secure guiding of the steel pin D¹ the casing A 2 possesses also a screwed
in cover A 4 in which the real guiding piece A 5 is fixed in an insulated manner.
The space remaining between A 4 and A5 is filled with asphalt. The part of the
pin D guided in the piece A 5 is again separated by means of the steel cylinder d'
from A 5. In order to obtain now by means of the pressure of the tyre alternately
the operation and the interruption of the contact, the lever H5 has at its inner
end also a smaller lever H 6, which is pivoted at a' and has at a 2 an abutment, so
that pressure is effected upon the head of the lever H 6 which reaches under a
projection d2 of the steel pin D'.
Lis a hinged lever, which is brought into combined operation with a dog L' in
such a manner, that it frees the dog L or disengages it under the influence of the
lever H5, whereby the pin D¹ is either kept in its highest position or is again
pressed downwards under the pressure of the spring F, in consequence thereof the
contact is either maintained in the interior of the apparatus B or interrupted.
The operation is as follows:-
In the drawing the steel pin D' is shown in its lowest position and the contact G2
interrupted. As soon as by means of the tyre of the front wheel of a passing
carriage the lever H 4 is pressed down, the lever H 5 turns on its pivot h; the
lever H 6 lies against the undersides of the projection d 2 of the pin d' whereby the
pin a 3 occupies a higher position on the inner side of the lever L and tends to
maintain such position. It presses sidewards the jointed end of the lever L
movable towards this side. As soon as the pin D is lifted so far, that the dog L'
reaches under the projection d 3 and engages it, the pin D' is kept in this highest
position, while the lever H 5 falls back into its first position and the lever H 6 losing
its abutment against the flange d 2 occupies the position shown in dotted lines, also
the lever L takes the middle position because the dog L' extends under flange d 3
less far than in its first position. As soon as the back wheel of the carriage passes
the lever H 4 lever H 5 is lifted again, but now the pin a 3 slides along the other
side of the lever L and pulls the dog L' slowly back, until the lever H6 arrives
against the projection d2 of the pin D' when the projection d3 is freed and the
pin D is driven by the spring f back into its starting position, until another
carriage passes and causes the same operation.
The construction shown in Figs 6 and 7 is in its principle similar to the previous
one only the pin D' is replaced by the eccentric disk E which is operated by means of
the connecting rod P which latter is brought into connection with the lever H 7.
The whole arrangement is equally provided in a cast iron casing accessible from the
street in such a manner, that the disk E lies exactly in the middle between the
rails and the contact apparatus B is arranged to be downwardly movable as
Fig. 1.
as in
When the lever H 4 is pressed down by the passing carriage, the disk E is turned
for a quarter turn by means of the connecting rod P, so that by means of the
eccentric form of its under part the contact apparatus is operated to close the
circuit. The current passes then into the insulated metal plate K 4 and from there
through the screw k2 into the metal plate K5 projecting from the street level which
is equally fixed in an insulated manner, and from which the current is received by
the current receiver sliding thereover.
In the turning movement, which is communicated to the disk E by the connecting
rod P, the pin lies then against the nose of the dog J, turning the same on pin i¹
so that the pawl J has already freed the pin Z, on which the connecting rod P
operates, before the quarter revolution of the disk E is completed. At the moment

page_text: then the latter has taken place the position of the disk E is assured by a ball
stoppage M which standing under spring pressure enters laterally into the disk E,
Fig. 7. As the pawl J has freed the pin Z, the disk E remains standing in the
position shown in dotted lines, whilst the connecting rod P returns into its starting
position. When the back wheel of the carriage presses down the lever H 4 for the
second time, the connecting rod P no longer follows the centric movement round e¹
which it did before owing to engagement with the pin Z, but it takes a straighter
movement under the influence of the two guiding rollers R 2 & R 3, of which R 3
is seated under spring pressure; the nose of the pawl slides over the pin Z and
the whole disk E is returned to its first position by the returning movement of the
connecting rod, while the circuit is again automatically interrupted owing to the
eccentric form of the disc E. N¹ is a guiding nose projecting on both sides.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Underground current conducting apparatus for electric railways, in which by
using a contact apparatus B, closed securely against damp with its contact
place G by means of a double cylinder F¹ and mercury seal Q, the current closure
is operated in the interior of the apparatus by means of a current receiver arranged
ou the carriage or also by means of the carriage wheels or special low running
pressure wheels which run before or behind the carriage wheels; this current
closure being effected in such a manner that the current is cut off once by the
operating device in a special manner described in the other claims, and the next
time led by special current receivers to the carriage motors.
2. The form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 having a contact apparatus B
characterized in the specification and in Claim 1 and for the purpose of the direct
operation of the same and simultaneous current reception, an iron current
receiver C, Fig. 1 which is formed to be flexible in all directions by means of ball
joints and protected on its current receiving place by an insulation of vulcanized
rubber as especially indicated in the specification against contact with the channel
walls and its own iron parts, and which current receiver C slides between the
running rail S. and the guide rail S¹, the current being taken from the contact
apparatus B arranged at distances of 2 to 2,5 m. in cast iron boxes A which serve
simultaneously as carriers for the rails and which are accessible from the street, the
current being conducted to the carriage motors.
3. The form of construction shown in Figs. 3 & 4 having a contact apparatus B
characterized in Claim 1 and for the purpose of the direct operation of the same
and simultaneous current reception, an iron current closer C formed to be flexible
in all directions by means of ball joints and provided with laterally arranged
insulated current receiving parts conducted by the carriage and sliding between the
rollers R and R' whereby the circuit in the interior of the contact apparatus is
closed and the contact pin K 3 is laid on the current receiving part of the current
closer the electric connection of the pin K 3 with the apparatus being effected
by means of an insulated flexible cable piece K 5.
4. The construction shown in Fig. 5, having a contact apparatus B as in Claim 1
and for the purpose of direct operation of the same, by means of the carriage
wheel and for the purpose of current reception by a special current receiver
arranged beneath the carriage at a distance of 5 to 8 cm., from the street level, the
insulated contact pin D standing under the pressure of the spring and brought
into connection with the operating and the stopping device H 4, H 5 & L in such
a manner, that by pressing the lever H 4 down for the first time, the pin D' is
lifted from the street level and the circuit is closed in the apparatus B whereby the
current is received by the current receiver arranged on the carriage the latter
sliding over the head D 2 of the contact pin, whilst by a second down pressing of
the lever H 4, in consequence of the changed position of the lever L, the pin D'
returns into its first position and the contact is interrupted at G 2.

page_text: 5. The construction shown in Figs. 6 & 7. having a contact apparatus B as
in Claim 1 & for the purpose of direct operation of the same by the carriage
wheels & for the purpose of current reception by a current receiver arranged
under the carriage at a distance of 5-8 cm. from the street level, an eccentric metal
disk E which is brought into co-operation with the operating device H4 & H7
by means of a connecting rod P & is pivoted round an axle e¹ & turned for 90°
whereby the eccentric part of the disk E presses the iron cylinder F¹ of the contact
apparatus B down & causes circuit closure in the interior of the apparatus B,.
which latter is transferred to the insulated contact plate K4 of the disk E &:
from there by the screw K 2 also insulated to the contact plate K 5 where the
current is received by the current receiver sliding thereover whereby the disk E is
kept in position by the ball stoppage M, whilst a second down pressing of the
lever H 4 in consequence of the position of the connecting rod P caused by the
guiding rollers R 2 & R 3 & in consequence of the co-operation of the pawl J with.
the pin i, causes the disk E to return into its first position and thus interrupts the-
contact.
1004
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agents to Applicants.