Improvements in Electric Railway Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 17th May, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Railway Apparatus.
I, JOHN BYRON ODELL, residing at Chicago, in the County of Cook, in the State
of Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby solemnly declare the
nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC RAILWAY APPARATUE,'
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My present invention, whilst applicable, so far as certain of its features are con-
cerned, to that system of electrical railway's, commonly known as the multiple system,
in which the current from the generator is split up and distributed through the
motors of the various cars upon the route, is more particularly directed to the
improvement of the system known as the "series system" in which the main body of
current is passed through the motors of all the cars on the route. My present inven-
tion has for its object, first, to improve the construction of the conduit, within which
will be placed the conductors for current, and within which will travel the contact
brushes or wheels that serve to deliver current from the conductors to motors upon
the cars. A further object of my invention is to improve the construction of arm that
carries the contact brushes or wheels, and the means for sustaining and operating said
arm from the car. A still further object of my invention is to provide improved
means whereby the movement communicated from the motor of the car to the driving
wheels can be graduated in order to permit the easy starting and stopping of the car
without necessarily diminishing the speed of the motor. My invention also consists
in a novel arrangement and connection of the conductors, and means for controlling
the passage of current therethrough. These several objects of invention I have
accomplished by the novel construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out by the claims at the end of this
specification.
Figure 1 is a view in vertical transverse section through a sub-way embodying my
invention, this view illustrating in front elevation my improved construction of contact
arm and means for sustaining the same, and the car embodying other features of my
invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing in side elevation my improved sub-way, and
showing also the car, and in side elevation, the mechanism sustained thereby, portions
of the car being broken away for purposes of better illustration. Fig. 3 is a
diagramatic view illustrating the improved arrangement of conductors and means for
controlling the passage of current therethrough. Fig. 4 is a detail view in side
elevation of one of the yokes or braces of the sub-way or conduit.
The sub-way or conduit embodying my improved construction comprises a bottom
formed of plates A preferably of concavo-convex shape, that are sustained by means
of suitable yokes or braces B, that are located at convenient distances apart, the
bottom plates A being in sections, the ends of which rest upon the correspondingly
curved portions of the yokes or braces, and enter seats beneath the depending
shoulders 6 of the braces. The sides of the conduit are formed by the plates C, that
are removably held within suitable flanges 2, projecting from the sides of the yokes B,
and by preference the bottom edges of these plates Care sustained by the flanges 3
also projecting laterally from the yokes. The top of the sub-way is formed by two
plates D that rest upon the upper ends of the arms of the braces B, the depending
portions d of these plates D resting preferably upon the shoulders, formed upon the
outer edges of the braces B near their tops. The top plates D are separated a
sufficient distance to form the usual slot through which can travel the arm that
serves to carry the contact wheels or brushes which take the current from the con-
ductors within the conduit. The yokes or braces B are preferably formed or provided
with the laterally projecting flanges 5, to which will be bolted, as at 6, the ends of

page_text: suitable stringers E and E', preferably of wood, that serve to carry upon their lower
edges the conductors F and F, through which current for the propulsion of the cars
will be carried. The stringers E and E' will be suitably insulated, as for example, by
coating the same with asphalt or in other well-known manner. My purpose in
forming the conduit with the removable plates C preferably of sheet iron, and
removable cover-plates D, is not merely to afford a simple construction of
conduit, but to enable the interior of any part of the conduit to be more readily
reached for the purpose of repairs than with existing constructions of conduits, and
it is plain that when any section of the conduit, or the conductors therein are to be
repaired, it is only necessary after removing the paving and earth adjacent the upper
portion of the conduit, to lift off the top plates D and withdraw the side piates C, one
or. both as may be necessary. The side plates (are by preference arranged in
vertically inclined position, and by preference, the lower edges of these plates over-
lap the upper edges of the bottom plates A since by such arrangement not merely is
the water better deflected from the sides of the conduit, but the upper exposed portion
of the conduit is made smaller and the plates are held in convenient position for
ready withdrawal.
Within the sub-way or conduit, and upon the conductors F and F' travel the
contact brushes or wheels G and G¹, these wheels being preferably of copper and
having their axles extending through and revolving in steel hubs or bushings 10, that
are held within the yoke-shaped ends hand of the contact arm H. The ends
and of this contact arm are shown as formed of suitable insulating material, such
as vulcanized fibre or the like, and between these arms are held the flexible contact
plates 20 and 21 that bear against the ends of the journals g. With these contact
plates 20 and 21 are connected respectively the ends of the conducting wires 22
and 23 that are properly insulated and extend upwardly through the stem of the
arm H, and thence beneath the car to the respective binding posts of the motor W.
The upper portion of the stem of the contact arm H is by preference rounded, and
passes through the brackets 30 and 31 that are sustained by the sectional journal
box 32, the brackets being held in position by the tie-rods 33, the upper ends of
which extend through suitable holes within the angle-plates 34 that depend from the
bottom 4 of the car. The upper portion of the stem of the contact arm H is formed
with a shoulder 36 against which bears the coiled spring 37, the opposite end of this
spring resting upon the lower bracket 31, the spring thereby serving to lift the
contact arm and consequently to hold the contact brushes or wheels G in proper
bearing against the conductors F and F¹ within the conduit. My object in thus
sustaining the contact-arm from the axle of the car is to avoid the motion which
would be given to such arm if it were sustained by any part of the car subject to the
action of the usual car-spring. The tie-rods 33 projecting through the angle plates 34
serve to hold the box 32 in proper position, whilst allowing for the motion of the
car-body upon its springs. In order to move the contact wheels or brushes G away
from the conductors, I provide a throw-off lever K pivoted at one end to a bracket k,
and having its opposite end perforated and encircling the upper end of the stem of
the contact arm; and the movement of this lever K is effected by means of a screw-
stein K that passes through a threaded nut 38 and is controlled by means of a band-
wheel 39. From this construction it will be seen that when it is desired to move the
contact wheels or brushes G away from the conductors F and F¹, it is only necessary
to turn the hand-wheel 39, thereby causing the lever K to bear upon and depress the
stem of the contact rod H, against the force of the spring 37. When, however, the
throw-off lever K is released, the coiled spring 37 will restore the brushes or wheels G
to proper bearing position against the conductors F and F.
In order to effect the gradual starting and stopping of the car, I have provided
improved means whereby the rotation of the motor-shaft may be communicated to
the drive-wheel Y without necessarily diminishing the speed of the motor, this being
accomplished by connecting the motor and the drive-wheel by means of a variable
friction device. I prefer to mount the motor W upon a movable base-plate W1
that rests upon the rails 40 of the bed-plate 41, and is guarded against lateral

page_text: movement by suitable side plates 42, and from the pulley of the motor-shaft leads
a belt 50 that passes over the drive pulley upon the axle of the drive-wheels Y.
From this construction, it is plain that if the motor be in such position with respect
to the drive-pulleys 51, as to cause the belt 50 to impart rotation from the motor to
the drive-wheels, and it is desired to gradually stop the car, it is only necessary
to gradually move backward the motor to such extent as to permit the belt 50 to slip
more or less between the pulley of the motor-shaft and the drive-pulley until the belt
ceases to transmit motion to the drive wheels Y. In order to effect the movement of
the motor I prefer to provide a hand-lever M pivoted as at 60, to a frame 61, and
connected at its lower end with the bed-plate of the motor by the rod 62, and provided
with a suitable spring pawl 63 that engages with the notched rim of the segment
plate 64, this pawl 63 being controlled by a suitable clutch rod 65 in well-known
manner. From this construction it will be seen that by merely moving the hand-
lever M, the motor can be shifted back and forth and by means of the pawl and rack
can be held at any desired position.
Referring to the diagramatic view, Fig. 3, it will be seen that the conductors F
and F are arranged in separate sections or blocks suitably insulated from each other.
Two sections only are illustrated, although it will be understood that
any
desired
number of sections may be employed according to the length of the railway line.
The conductor F is connected by a wire 70, with the dynamo V, that is grounded, as
at v,
and from a point adjacent the end of the section of the conductor F leads a
branch wire 71. to a resistance coil 72, a wire 73 leading from this coil to a contact
point 74 against which a contact point 75 carried by the armature 76 is at times
drawn by a suitable spring 77. From the opposite end of this armature 76 leads a
branch wire 78, to the end of the conductor of the next block or section. From
the conductor F, leads a branch wire 79 to a magnet 80, a wire 81 leading from such
magnet and connecting with the branch wire 78.
Assuming the contact points 74 and 75 to be together as illustrated in Fig. 3 of
the drawings, it is plain that the passage of current from the dynamo V will be in
the direction of the arrows, that is to say, through the wire 70, the conductor F, the
wire 71, the resistance coil 72, the wire 73, contact points 74 and 75, the armature 76
and branch wire 78 to the next adjacent section of the conductor F. When, however,
a car carrying a motor passes on to a portion of the road corresponding to the
first sections of the conductors F and F¹, it is designed that the passage of current
shall occur entirely through brushes or wheels of the contact arun that bear against
the conductors, so much of the current being delivered through the motor as may
be necessary, whilst the remainder is automatically switched so as to pass from the
car to the conductor F¹. In order to insure the passage of the current through the
brushes or wheels of the contact arm, and through the branch wires 79 and electro
magnet 80, the operator of the car, as soon as the car comes upon the section of road-
way corresponding with any section of conductors F and F', should operate the
switch of his motor so as to permit the passage of current through the contact
brushes or wheels and round the motor from the conductor F to the conductor F¹.
The instant that current is thus caused to pass from conductor F to conductor F¹, it
will pass through branch wire 79 to magnet 80, thereby energizing this magnet, and
causing it to attract the armature 76 so as to break the connection between the
contact points 74 and 75 and prevent the passage of current through the branch
wire 70 and resistance coil 72. As this energization of the magnet 80 and consequent
breaking of the circuit through the wire 71 is instantaneous, the operator of the car
can immediately restore the switch so as to cause the passage of current through the
motor in order to propel the car, and at such time, the passage of current will be from
the dynamo by way of wire 70, conductor F, through the contact portions and motor
of the car, to conductor F¹, and thence by branch wire 79, magnet 80, wire 81, and
branch wire 78 to the next adjacent section of the conductor F. As soon as the car
has proceeded so far in its travel as to cause its contact arm to pass from one section
of the conductors to the next adjacent section, the spring 77 will so move the

page_text: armature 76 as to bring the contact points 74 and 75 together, thereby permitting
the passage of current through branch wire 71, resistance coil 72, wire 73, armature 76,
and branch wire 78, to the adjacent section of the conductor F. The current is thus
delivered to the conductor F, throughout each of the sections of the conductors along
the route, and consequently any car upon any section will be supplied with current in
the same manner as the car upon the first section. If several cars should at any time
be upon the same block or section of the conductors, the current would be divided
between the motors of these cars, as in the "multiple" system. My object in
employing a resistance coil 72, as I prefer to do, is to insure the passage of current
through the wheels or brushes of the contact arm and magnet 80, when the operator
of the car has switched out his motor, since if no such coil were employed, there
might be danger that the current, seeking the shortest course, would pass through
wires 71 and 73, armature 76, and branch wire 78, instead of passing through the
brushes or wheels of the contact arm and branch wire 79, to the magnet 80.
While I regard the use of the resistance coil, as specially advantageous, I do not
wish my invention to be understood as restricted thereto, nor to the precise con-
struction of circuit-controlling or switch mechanism by which the passage of current
through branch wires 71 and 79 is determined.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1.-A sub-way or tunnel comprising suitable lateral braces arranged at convenient
distances apart, bottom sections attached to said braces, removable side plates, over-
lapping said bottom sections, and cover or top plates, substantially as described.
2. A sub-way or tunnel comprising suitable yoke-shaped braces arranged at
convenient distances apart and having flanged sides, removable vertically inclined
side plates, sustained by the flanges of said braces, and suitable top plates above said
inclined side plates, substantially as described.
3. A sub-way or tunnel comprising suitable braces arranged at convenient
distances apart, said braces having over-hanging shoulders b to retain the bottom
sections in place, substantially as described.
4. A sub-way or tunnel comprising suitable braces arranged at convenient
distances apart, and provided with flanges 5, and insulated stringers bolted to
the flanges of said braces, and provided with suitable conductors, substantially as
described.
5. In an electric railway car, the combination with the contact arm, of a suitable
box for sustaining said arm, said box being carried by the car-axle, a spring for
lifting said arm to hold its contact-wheels or brushes against suitable conductors, and
a pivoted throw-off lever for moving said brushes out of engagement with said
conductors, substantially as described.
6. In an electric railway car, the combination with the car-body, of a contact arm
having a yoke-shaped head, brushes or wheels sustained by said head, and having
journals extending between the arms, and suitable conductors, connecting said journals
with the motor and the car, substantially as described.
7. In an electric railway car, the combination of the drive-wheel, the motor
sustained by the car in a manner permitting it to be freely moved by the operator, and
suitable connecting mechanism for uniting the drive-wheel and the motor-shaft,
and suitable means for moving the motor back and forth in order to impart gradual
inpvement therefrom to the drive-wheel of the car, substantially as described.
8. In an electric railway-car, the combination with the motor, sustained by the car
10 a manner permitting it to be freely moved by the operator, suitable means
connected with said motor for moving the same back and forth, and a belt for
connecting the motor shaft with the drive-wheel of the car, substantially as
described.
9. In an electric railway car, the combination with a motor; of a movable base

page_text: plate for sustaining said motor, a hand-lever suitably connected with said base plate
for shifting the motor, and a belt for connecting the motor-shaft with the drive-wheel
of the car, substantially as described.
10. An electric railway-system comprising main conductors arranged in series of
insulated sections, branch conductors uniting the ends of both conductors, of a section
to the same conductor of the adjacent section, and a switch mechanism arranged to
break the flow of current through one of said branch conductors, and establish
the flow of current through the other of said branch conductors, substantially as
described.
11. An electric railway-system, comprising a dynamo suitably grounded, main
conductors, one of which is connected at one end with said dynamo, and one of
which is grounded at the opposite end of the line, said main conductors being arranged
in series of insulated sections, branch conductors uniting the ends of both conductors
of a section to the same conductor of the adjacent section, and a switch mechanism,
arranged to break the flow of current through one of said branch conductors and
establish the flow of current through one of said branch conductors, and establish
the flow of current through the other of said branch conductors when connection
is made between said main conductors by the car, substantially as described.
12. An electric railway-system comprising main conductors arranged in series
of insulated sections, branch-conductors uniting the ends of both conductors of a
section to the same conductor of the adjacent section, a switch mechanism arranged to
break the flow of current through one of said branch conductors and establish the flow of
current through the other of said branch conductors, said switch mechanism consisting
of an electro-magnet and contact points interposed in the branch conductor that
unites the end of the main conductor F of one of the sections to the main conductor F¹
of the adjacent section, substantially as described.
13. An electric railway-system comprising main conductors arranged in series of
insulated sections, branch conductors uniting the ends of both conductors of a section
to the same conductor of the adjacent section, a switch mechanism consisting of an
electro-magnet and suitable contact points to break the flow of current through one of
said branch conductors and establish the flow of current through the other of said
branch conductors and a resistance coil or medium interposed in one of said branch
conductors, snbstantially as described.
Unicago, is,..., Apr 3rd A.D, PO
Witnesses:
GEO. P. FISHER, Jr.
T. B. CARPENTER.
JOHN BYRON ODELL.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.