Improvements in or connected with Electric Railways or Electric Transport.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 29th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electric Railways or Electric
Transport.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.1. Mech. E., of Norfolk House,
Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated
to me from abroad by Frederick C. Esmond, of Brooklyn, in the State of New
York, United States of America, Electrical Engineer) to be as follows :-
:-
The present invention relates to an electric railway system. Various systems
have heretofore been devised, in which current is fed to the propelling motors
from an insulated supply conductor through working conductor sections or points,
which are insulated from one another, and normally disconnected from the supply
conductor. Various forms of switching devices have been devised for connecting
the working sections or points which are under or near a car, to the supply conductor,
so that these are the only live working sections.
The difficulty with these systems heretofore, from a practical standpoint, bas
been chiefly due to the connecting switches and means for operating them in the
manner desired and intended. My invention aims to overcome these difficulties
and to furnish a practically reliable and satisfactory system of the general
character described.
In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show in diagram, certain
modifications embraced by the invention, and Fig. 4 shows in detail an accessory
arrangement on the car which sometimes may be used.
In these figures, C C' represent the wheels of a truck or locomotive driven by
one or more electric motors connected to the axles in any desired manner; one
such motor is represented at M, having one terminal grounded through the truck
and rails T, as is customary in other systems such for example as the single
trolley system now in general use, while its other terminal is maintained in circuit
with supply conductor S by a special arrangement of switches and collectors,
constituting the principal feature of the invention. It is, however, not necessary
The invention
that the return branch of the circuit be formed through the rails.
is equally applicable to an all metallic circuit or to one in which the sectional-
conductor system is used in both branches of the motor circuit.
In Fig. 1, a, b, a, b, represent a series of working-conductor sections which are
In each such connecting
joined electrically in pairs by a series of conductors c.
circuit there is included an electro-magnet and a switch s, s', etc., is joined to each
conductor e, so that current flowing over the switch may pass to sections b, b',
through the magnets, and to sections a, a' without influencing the magnets. The
working-conductor sections are insulated from each other, and are disconnected
from the supply conductor at the switches s, s', except as the latter are closed
temporarily by the magnets, as hereinafter described.
If it be assumed that the car is travelling in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1,
and the rear switch s is closed, as shown, it will be evident that if the working
sections be connected in alternate pairs, a, a'; b, b¹, and to the motor, then the
motor circuit will be divided, and the current taken from the supply conductor S
over the switch s will flow to the motor partly through magnet M and working
section b, and partly through magnet M³, so that the advance switch s' will be
thrown before the switch s opens.

page_text: In my invention a special arrangement of collectors on the car is used, bringing
about this division of the motor current for operating the pick-up magnets
successively. For this purpose I use over-lapping sets of collectors, or as they
may otherwise be regarded, a collector with over-lapping sets of contact makers,
the purpose of one set being to connect the sections corresponding to a, a, while
the other set connects the sections b,b, when the proper time comes for closing the
circuit of an advance pick-up magnet so as to operate the corresponding switch.
In Fig. 1, e, e', represent one set of collectors, connected electrically, as shown,
and e², e³, a second overlapping set. The parts are shown in the position which
they occupy just as they close the circuit of the advance magnet M². The
switch is drawn open, to illustrate more clearly the division of the current
flowing from the main conductor through the rear switch s.
Current passes
through the last named switch, and divides at the point, part flowing through
the collectors e, e', working section a', magnet M³, collector e, and to the motor. The
other branch from the part f, includes magnet M', contact e³, and so on to the
motor. At this moment, then, the two magnets are in multiple, and each of
the motor branches will have a substantially equal resistance. I have assumed that
the current passes to the motor over the lead y, connected to the collectors e², ed.
If desired, however, the collectors e, el, may be connected directly to the motor,
as at g', so that the current flowing from section a may again brauch, part flowing
through the magnet M' and part through the direct connection g'. If this is done,
the resistance of the latter path will be made such as not to short circuit the
pick-up magnet. The conductor sections and collector bars will be so proportioned
as to connect the sections in the manner described. For example, with a twenty-
four foot car I use conductor sections substantially four feet long, making eight
feet between the switches. The total distance between the collectors e, e³ would
then preferably be teu feet, the space between collectors e, e¹, and e², e³ being
approximately six feet.
In this figure, B represents a secondary battery which may be connected into
the motor circuit by the switch 2 for charging, and may be used for lighting
purposes, or for picking up the switches in case the line current fails. Assume,
for example, that the switch is thrown so as to close the battery circuit, then, as
the parts are arranged in this figure, the battery would be closed through the
magnet M².
In Fig. 2 a similar arrangement is shown with some modifications. Here, pairs
of contact points, a, b; a, b, are used instead of the longer sections of Fig. 1. The
collectors e, e¹, e², e³, are correspondingly lengthened, so as to bridge the wider
spaces between the contact points. The points are connected in successive pairs
by conductors including the magnets as before, and the collectors are arranged so
as to connect the points momentarily in alternate pairs a, a, b, b, as in Fig. 1,
when a new switch is to be thrown. In Fig. 2 the parts are shown in a different
position from Fig. 1, with two of the switches closed.
Assume that the car has advanced so that the collector e³ rests on the point a²,
the collector e engaging point b and collector e¹ the point . Then there will be
the same division of the current from the switch s' as hereinbefore explained, one
branch passing from point b, by the collectors e, el, to point 1, through the
magnet M³ and to the motor. The other path from the switch s¹ passes through
the magnet M², collector e², and to the motor. The advance switch will then be
thrown, while that portion of the current which flows through magnet M holds
the latter switch closed. In this figure the motor connection, corresponding to gl,
Fig. 1, is shown open at the switch 3. When closed, the circuit is formed through
the battery and resistance R.
The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that in Fig. 1, except that the
battery is located in a different position. It is now connected between the
collectors e, e¹, and the motor, and preferably has a small resistance R in series
with it. When the battery circuit is closed, it therefore forms a shunt to the
normal line circuit.

page_text: When an arrangement like that of Fig. 1 is used it is desirable that a small
resistance be included in that branch of the motor circuit directly connecting the
rear pair of collectors and the motor. In Fig. such an arrangement is shown.
Here the motor connections 9, 7', each have a double set of contacts, the circuit of
one of which includes the necessary resistance. A switch is arranged as shown,
so that when the car is moving to the right, the switch will stand in the full line
position, putting the resistance in circuit to balance the resistance of the advance
pick-up magnet.
When the car travels in the opposite direction, the collectors e², e³,
will, of course, be the rear set, and the switch is thrown to the dotted line
position, so as to cut the resistance out of the lead y', and include the resistance r
in lead y.
In this last figure, the battery has one terminal connected to the
collectors e, e', and a switch is provided for connecting the second terminal either
to g or g', as may be desired.
The relative arrangement of the working sections or points and their switches,
with the collectors on the car, is a principal novel feature of the invention, and
furnishes an effective, and satisfactory means for closing and holding up the
necessary switches at all times, no matter where the car may stop. A further
advantage of the arrangement is, that the current flows through the magnets in
the same direction just before and after the switches are closed. For example, in
Fig. 1 it will be noticed that the magnetizing current applied to the magnet M
from the switch s, flows through the magnet in the same direction as
the flow of the line current after the switch is closed. This avoids certain
objections characteristic of other systems which have been proposed, in which
there is a reversal of the current in a part or the whole of the pick-up
magnets.
Dated this 29th day of June 1895
J. G. LORRAIN,
Chartered Patent Agent.
Improvements in or connected with Electric Railways or Electric
Transport.
1, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E., of Norfolk House,
Norfolk Street, Strand, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me
from abroad by Frederick C. Esmond, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York,
United States of America, Electrical Engineer) and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The present invention relates to an electric railway system. Various systems.
have heretofore been devised, in which current is fed to the propelling motors
from an insulated supply conductor through working conductor sections or points,
which are insulated from one another, and normally disconnected from the supply
conductor. Various forms of switching devices have been devised for connecting
the working sections or points which are under or near a car, to the supply
conductor, so that these are the only live working sections.
The difficulty with these systems heretofore, from a practical standpoint, has
been chiefly due to the connecting switches and means for operating them in the
manner desired and intended. My invention aims at overcoming the difficulties
referred to and to furnish a practically reliable and satisfactory system of the
general character indicated.
In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show in diagram, certain
modifications embraced by the invention, and Fig. 4 shows in detail an accessory
arrangement on the car which sometimes may be used.

page_text: In these figures, C C¹ represent the wheels of a truck or locomotive driven by
one or more electric motors connected to the axles in any desired manner; one
such motor is represented at M, having one terminal earthed through the truck and
rails T, as is customary in other systems such for example as the single trolley
system now in general use, while its other terminal is maintained in circuit with
a supply conductor S by a special arrangement of switches and collectors, con-
stituting the principal feature of the invention. It is, however, not necessary that
the return branch of the circuit be formed through the rails. The invention is
equally applicable to an all metallic circuit or to one in which the sectional-
conductor system is used in both branches of the motor circuit.
In Fig. 1, a, b, a, b, represent a series of working-conductor sections which are
joined electrically in pairs by a series of conductors c. In each such connecting
circuit there is included an electro-magnet, and a switch s, sl, etc., is joined to each
conductor e, so that current flowing over the switch may pass to sections b, b¹,
through the magnets, and to sections a, a' without influencing the magnets. The
said working-conductor sections are insulated from each other, and are disconnected
from the supply conductor at the switches s, s', except when the latter are closed
temporarily by the magnets, as hereinafter described.
If it be assumed that the car is travelling in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1,
and that the rear switch s is closed, as shown, it will be evident that if the working
sectious be connected in alternate pairs, a, a¹; b, b', by conductors P and Qas
shown in the figure and to the motor, then the motor circuit will be divided, and
the current taken from the supply conductor S over the switch s will flow to the
motor partly through magnet M' and working section b, and partly through
magnet M², so that the advance switch s will be thrown or closed before the
switch s opens.
In my invention a special arrangement of collectors on the car is used, bringing
about this division of the motor current for operating the pick-up magnets M', M³
and so on successively. For this purpose I use over-lapping sets of collectors, or
as they may otherwise be regarded, a collector with over-lapping sets of contact
makers, the purpose of one set being to connect the sections corresponding to a, a',
while the other set connects the sections b, b, when the proper time comes for
closing the circuit of an advance pick-up magnet so as to operate the corresponding
switch. In Fig. 1, e, el, represent one set of collectors connected electrically, as
shown, and e, ³, a second overlapping set. The parts are shown in the position
which they occupy just as they close the circuit of the advance magnet M². The
switch is drawn open, to illustrate more clearly the division of the current
flowing from the main conductor through the rear switch s.
Current passes
through the last named switch, and divides at the point f, part flowing through
the collectors e, e', working section a', magnet M², collector e³, and to the motor.
The other branch from the part, includes magnet M', contact e, and so on to the
motor. At this moment, then, the two magnets are in multiple, and each of the
motor branches will have a substantially equal resistance. I have assumed that
the current passes to the motor over the lead g, connected to the collectors e, e³.
If desired, however, the collectors e, el, may be connected directly to the motor,
as at gl, so that the current flowing from section a may again brauch, part Howing
through the magnet M2 and part through the direct connection g'. If this is done,
the resistance of the latter path will be made such as not to short circuit the
pick-up magnet. The conductor sections and collector bars will be so proportioned
as to connect the sections in the manner described. For example, with a twenty-
four foot car use conductor sections substantially four feet long, making eight
feet between the switches. The total distance between the collectors e, e, would
then preferably be ten feet, the space between collectors e, e¹, and e², e being
approximately six feet.
In this figure, B represents a secondary battery which may be connected inte
the motor circuit by the switch for charging, and may be used for lighting
purposes, or for picking up the switches in case the line current fails. Assume

page_text: for example, that the switch is thrown so as to close the battery circuit, then, as
the parts are arranged in this figure, the battery would be closed through the
magnet M
In Fig. 2. a similar arrangement is shown with some modifications. Here,
pairs of contact points, a, b; a', 6', are used instead of the longer sections of
Fig. 1. The collectors e, e, e³, e, are correspondingly lengthened, so as to bridge
the wider spaces between the contact points. The points are connected in successive
pairs by conductors including the magnets as before, and the collectors are arranged
so as to connect the points momentarily in alternate pairs a, a, b, b', as in Fig. 1,
when a new switch is to be thrown. In Fig. 2. the parts are shown in a different
position from Fig. 1, with two of the switches closed.
Assume that the car has advanced so that the collector e rests on the point a³,
the collector e engaging point b and collector e the point . Then there will be
the same division of the current from the switch s¹ as herein before explained, one
branch passing from point b, by the collectors e, e', to point b¹, through the
maguet M³ and to the motor. The other path from the switch s' passes through
the magnet M³, collector 2, and to the motor. The advance switch will then be
thrown, while that portion of the current which flows through magnet M² holds
the switch of the latter closed. In this figure the motor connection, corresponding
to gl, Fig. 1. is shown open at the switch s³. When closed, the circuit is formed
through the battery and resistance R.
The arrangement shown in Fig. 3. is very similar to that in Fig. 1. The battery
is connected between the collectors e, el, and the motor, and preferably has a small
resistance R in series with it. When the battery circuit is closed, it therefore
forms a shunt to the normal line circuit.
When an arrangement like that of Fig. 1. is used it is desirable that a small
resistance be included in that brauch of the motor circuit directly connecting the
rear pair of collectors and the motor. In Fig. 4. such an arrangement is shown.
Here the motor connections g, g', each have a double set of contacts, the circuit of
one of which includes the necessary resistance. A switch s2 is arranged as shown,
so that when the car is moving to the right, the switch will stand in the full line
position, putting the resistance r in circuit to balance the resistance of the advance
pick-up magnet. When the car travels in the opposite direction, the collectors e², e³,
will, of course, be the rear set, and the switch is thrown to the dotted line
position, so as to cut the resistance out of the lead g', and include the resistance r¹
in lead g.
In this last figure, the battery has one terminal connected to the
collectors e, e, and a switch is provided for connecting the second termnial either
to g or g', as may be desired.
It is obvious that when the two collectors or brushes, e', e², see Fig. 1. are in
contact with the same section for example a', and the switch closed, that the
battery will be short circuited and therefore unable to pick up the advance switch.
I surmount this difficulty by making the collectors or brushes movable as for
example by attaching them to a movable frame so that should the car stop in such
position as to bring e¹ and e2 on the same section, the said frame and collectors
can be moved backwards or forwards until e' and e' are on separate sections as
for example is shown in Fig. 1. Such moving of the collectors or contact
brushes backwards or forwards is equivalent to the moving backwards or forwards
of the car and by this means the car can always be started from any position.
The relative arrangement of the working sections or points and their switches,
with the collectors on the car, is a principal novel feature of this invention, and
furnishes an effective and satisfactory means for closing and holding up the
necessary switches at all times, no matter where the car may stop. A further
advantage of the arrangement is, that the current flows through the magnets in
the same direction just before and after the switches are closed. For example, in
Fig. 1. it will be noticed that the magnetizing current applied to the magnet M
from the switch s, flows through the magnet in the same direction as the flow of
the line current after the switch is closed. This avoids certain objections.

page_text: characteristic of other systems which have been proposed, in which there is a
reversal of the current in a part or the whole of the pick-up magnets.
In using the word "sections in the claims hereinafter made I mean to cover
the short sections shown in Fig. 2. sometimes called contact points, as well as
longer rail sections such for example as are shown in the other figures.
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. In an electric traction system the employment of overlapping sets of
collectors or contact makers substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination of a main supply conductor, working conductor sections
normally out of circuit with the supply conductor, electro-magnetically operated
switches for coupling the working sections in circuit with the main conductor, and
collectors on the car overlapping one another in a fore and aft direction, for
establishing a circuit through the pick-up magnet of an advance conductor section,
substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of a main conductor, a single row of working conductor
sections normally insulated from the main conductor and from each other, electro-
magnetically operated switches for coupling the working conductor sections
temporarily in circuit with the main conductor, and collectors on the car
overlapping each other in a fore and aft direction, for establishing a circuit
through the pick-up magnet of an advanced section, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination of an insulated supply conductor, working conductor
sections, switches for connecting the working sections with the supply conductor,
magnets for operating the switches whose coils form part of circuits connecting
succeeding working sections in pairs, and overlapping sets of collectors on the
car, connecting alternate working sections in pairs, for completing a circuit
through the pick-up magnet of an advance section before the switch of a rear
section is opened, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination of an insulated supply conductor, working conductor
sections, switch operating magnets whose coils join the conductor sections in
pairs, and sets of collectors on the car, one of which bridges a given working
section and the second section in advance, at the time when the switch of an
advance section is thrown, while a second set overlapping. the first set, bridges
under the same conditions, the remaining sections of two successive pairs of sections,
substantially as set forth.
6. The combination of an insulated supply conductor, working conductor
sections, maguets whose coils connect the sections in pairs, and collectors on the
car forming a division of the motor current for actuating the pick-up switches
between paths of substantially equal resistance, one of which, starting from a
given switch passes from one of a pair of sections through the magnet of an
advance section, while the second path passes through the magnet of the first
named section, whereby the magnets of successive sections are in multiple at the
time the switch of an advance section is thrown, substantially as set forth.
7. The combination of an insulated supply conductor, working conductor
sections, magnets whose coils join the working sections in pairs, and collectors
baving contact-making parts adapted to engage simultaneously four of such
conductor sections or points and form multiple circuits between the supply
conductor and motor, one branch including the magnet of a given section, and the
other the magnet of an advance section, substantially as set forth.
8. The combination of an insulated supply conductor, working conductor
sections, switches for connecting the different sections with the supply conductor,
conductors joining the working sections in pairs and including an electro-magnet
between one such section and the corresponding switch, and collectors forming a
division of the motor current and placing the magnet coil of an advance section
in multiple with the magnet of a rear section, the connections being so made that

page_text: current flows in the same direction in the magnets just before and after a given
switch is closed, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination of an insulated supply conductor, working conductor
sections, switches and magnets for operating the switches, whose coils connect the
conductor sections in pairs, overlapping sets of collectors for forming a division of
the motor current, and actuating the switch of an advance section by throwing
its magnet in multiple with the magnet of a preceding section, a battery connected
at one terminal to one such set of collectors, and means for connecting the other
terminal of the battery, in the motor circuit, or to the second set of collectors,
substantially as set forth.
10. The combination of an insulated supply conductor, working conductor
sections, switches and magnets for operating the switches, with a double set of
overlapping collectors leading to the motor, and a switch for including a resistance
in the circuit between the motor and the rear set of collectors in either direction.
of motion of the car, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 28th day of March 1806
J. G. LORRAIN.