Improved Construction or Arrangement of Appliances for Under- ground or Conduit Traction by Electricity.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1900
PROVISIONAL 135
Improved Construction or Arrangement of Appliances for Under-
ground or Conduit Traction by Electricity.
We, JOHN HENRY ROSE, of 64, Frithville Gardens, Shepherds Bushi, London,
Electrical Engineer, and COLLINSON HALL, of 51, Springfield Gardens, Hamp-
tead, London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
s follows:-
This invention has for object, an improved system or apparatus for under-
ground or conduit traction by electricity.
To carry our invention into practice, we prepare segments of tubes or trough like
receivers of contact shoes or other contact devices supported by or suspended from
fork shaped carriers forming part of the conductor rod of the car, said fork also
carrying a scraper or brush for keeping the lower part of the tube or trough
clear of and free from accumulation of foreign matter that may get through
the gap of the top plates which are or may be bolted to flanges of the tube or
trough, the space between the top plates being for the car conductor rod to
ride in.
The electrical conductors are preferably of trough shrape secured inverted
to rails within the tube or trough by side bolts or other means, such as brackets
insulated from the tube and which are of such shape that steam, hot water, hot
air, or other means may be adopted or passed through for imparting dryness to
the hollow of the tube to prevent escape of current, such as by surrounding
dampness.
The top plates may be laid on the tubes or troughs below the surface of the
ground, or they may be level or about level therewith, and their upper portions
may be shaped for receiving wood blocks to form the roadway on which vehicles
can travel.
Catch pits can be arranged at intervals along a line for receiving
the refuse scraped into them.
We purpose first digging a channel in the roadway and making concrete
bedding and side walls for our tubes or troughs to lodge in before fixing the top
plates, which if on or forming part of the roadway can be readily removed
for repairs.
The tubes and top plates are in lengths, and in order to assist in preventing
the accumulation of light dust in the tubes, the car or cars can be provided with
fans or other methods for forcing air into the gap and tube while the car is
running.
The electrical conductors if inverted trough shape on the inner rails may be
5 of iron or like metal having conductive properties, but of flat or other shaped
ribbon if of copper secured (insulated) to the rails.
The principal tubes or troughs may be of metal or of stoneware, or the like.
" La 1899.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said John Henry Rose and Collinson Hall.

page_text: Improved Construction or Arrangement of Appliances for Under-
ground or Conduit Traction by Electricity.
We, JoHN HENRY ROSE, of 64, Frithville Gardens, Shepherds Bush, London,
Electrical Engineer, and COLLINSON HALL, of 51, Springfield Road, Hampstead,
London, Gentleman, 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 has for object, an improved system or apparatus for under-
ground or conduit traction by electricity.
Our invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, Figure 1 being a
perspective view partly in section showing a portion of roadway with a trench
cut out between tram rails, in which trench our tube segments are laid together
with the top plates which carry wood blocks to form the roadway over the
trench. Figure 2 is also a perspective view, and Figure is a sectional view
of one of the top plates removed from the tube showing how these top plates
can be lifted out in lengths bodily without breaking up the roadway, such as
when the interior of the tube is to be inspected, or the fittings repaired.
To carry our invention into practice, we prepare segments of tubes or trough
like receivers A in which travel contact shoes B supported by or suspended from
fork shaped carriers C forming part of the conductor rod D) of the car, said fork,
or it may be a separate rod from the car, also carrying a segmental scraper E
or brush right handed, left handed or centrally arranged so that each car on
following will assist in keeping the whole of the lower part of the tube or
trough A clear of and free from accumulation of foreign matter that may get
through the gap F of the top plates G which are or may be bolted to flanges H
of the tube or trough A, the space between the top plates G being for the
car conductor rod to ride in. The electrical conductors 1 are preferably of
trough shape secured inverted to tubular rails J within the tube or trough by
side bolts or other means, such as brackets K insulated from the tube A, and
steam, hot water, hot air, or other means may be adopted or passed through the
tubes J for imparting dryness, to the hollow of the tube A. to prevent escape of
current, such as by surrounding dampness.
The top plates & may be laid on the tubes or troughs A below the surface
of the ground, as shown in the drawings, or they may be level or about level
therewith, and their upper portions may be shaped for receiving wood blocks L
to form the roadway over which vehicles can travel.
Catch pits are arranged at intervals along a line for receiving the refuse scraped
into them.
We purpose first digging a channel in the roadway and making concrete
bedding and side walls for our tubes or troughs to lodge in before fixing the
top plates which, if on or forming part of the roadway, can be readily removed
for repairs by merely unscrewing the bolts and lifting out a section of top
plate (Figure 3), which may be provided with lugs N taking under brackets P
cast in the trough, as seen in Figure 1.
The tubes and top plates are in lengths, and in order to assist in preventing
the accumulation of light dust in the tubes, the car or cars can be provided with
fans Q or other methods for disturbing any dust in the trough or tube while
the car is running.
The electrical conductors I of inverted trough shape on the inner tubular

page_text: rails J may be of iron or like metal having conductive properties, but of Hat
or other shaped ribbon, if of copper, secured (insulated) to the rails.
The principal tubes or troughs A may be of metal, or of stoneware, or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
-
1. The improved system of underground or conduit traction by electricity
comprising segments of tubes or trough like receivers carrying top plates for
supporting wood blocks or roadway, said troughs having internal tubular rails
for hot air, steam or hot water, to which tubular rails, electrical conductors are
secured, connection being made with the car by contact shoes suspended from
fork shaped carriers on conducting rod which conducts the current to the motor
on the car, also the segmental scrapers and the air fan for disturbing any dust
as described and substantially as shown in the annexed drawings.
2. In a system of underground or conduit system by electricity, the employ-
ment of segments of tubes or troughs fitted with top plates for carrying the road
surface, and with internal bot water, hot air, or like pipes for imparting dry-
ness to the tubes or troughs, and for supporting the conducting rails, as described
and substantially as shown in the drawings."
The 26th day of March 1900
R. CORE GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said John Henry Rose and Collinson Hall.