Improvements in the Electrical Propulsion of Cars.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1894-Accepted, 9th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Electrical Propulsion of Cars.
I, WILLIAM JOSEPH STILL, of the Village of Bracondale, near the City of
Toronto, in the County of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, 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 improved magnetic switch system for the electrical
propulsion of cars by an underground metallic circuit particularly adaptable for
double track street railways and the object of the invention is to devise a simple,
safe and afficient magnetic switch system for the electrical propulsion of cars,
which may be laid at a reasonable cost, the switches being constructed and
operatively arranged, so that their action will not be detrimentally affected by
momentary bad contact with the exposed circuit conductors arising from ice, snow
or other non-conducting material covering such conductors, and the exposed circuit
conductors or plates being of such a size and at such a distance apart that when
the circuit is completed the amount of leakage through moisture on damp or wet
days will be reduced to a minimum and it consists essentially of the peculiar
arrangement of the wiring, switches, connection to the plates by the peculiarly
constructed trolley brushes and other parts involved to effectually put into and
keep in operation my system as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1, is a diagrammatic view showing my system generally and the position of
one car and the trolley wheels on a curved portion of the track and of another car
upon the straight portion of another track.
Fig. 2, is a skeleton view of a car truck with the car body removed exhibiting the
arrangement of the trolley wheels and brushes and arms for supporting the same in
relation to the track and the contact plates.
Fig. 3, is a plan view showing the switch box contact plates, trolley wheels,
reversing switch, storage battery, motor and driving axle of the car and the wire
connections to same.
Fig. 4, is a sectional perspective view exhibiting the construction of the ground
switch.
Fig. 5, is a perspective detail of the trolley wheel, trolley brushes, supporting
arms and contact plates.
Fig. 6, is a perspective detail of the reversing switch.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
A, and, B, are the two generating dynamos, which are arranged in series.
C, C', are the rails of one track and, D, D', are the rails of the other track, all of
which are connected to the common wire, E, leading to the negative binding post
of the dynamo B, and to the positive binding post of the dynamo A. F, are the
cross wires connecting the inner rails, C, and, D, of both tracks. The wires, F,
are situated at desired distances apart throughout the length of the tracks, the
distances between the wires, F, being preferably from thirty to forty feet. G, is
the wire leading from the positive binding post to the dynamo, B, throughout the
length of the system and connected intermediately to switches, H, by the branch
5 wires, g.
I, is a wire leading from the negative binding post of the dynamo, A, throughout
the length of the system and connected by the branch wires, i, to the switch, J.
I show the wires, G, and, I, and switches H, and, J, diagrammatically outside the
tracks but it will of course be understood in practice that they would be laid under-
ground in the.devil-strip and suitably insulated.

page_text: K, K, are a series of pairs of plates laid centrally between the rails of the
track, C, C', each pair K, K¹, being preferably about three feet long and the
distance between each pair, except on curves, being about thirty feet less thin
the length of the car. In curves, however, they would be placed much closer as
indicated. L, L', are a series of pairs of plates arranged parallel to the
tracks, D, D', correspondingly to the pairs of plates, K, K. k, is a wire leading
from the switch box, H, to the plate, K, and, ', is a wire leading from the switch
box, H, to the plate, K., is a wire leading from the switch box, I, to a plate, L,
and,, is a wire leading from the switch box, J, to the plate, L'.
Although I show the switches, H, and, J, diagrammatically outside the rails it
will of course be understood that they might preferably be placed beneath or in
proximity to the plates but insulated from them. The pairs of plates, K, and, K',
and, L, and, L', would when laid in the curved portion of the track be shaped, so as
to conform with the curve of the track. These plates will of course be situated as
indicated particularly in Fig. 5, slightly above the level of the road-bed. The
plates of each are supported at a slight distance apart and have outwardly flaring
ends. Between the two plates and extending throughout their length beyond each
end there is cut in the road-way a groove. K2, is the groove between the two
plates, K, and, K, and L2, is the groove between the two plates, L, and, L'.
In order to effectually carry out my system I provide peculiarly constructed
circuit-closing switches to throw in the current as the car passes over the plates, a
particular construction and arrangement of the trolley wheels and brushes to act in
conjunction with the plates, a reversing switch to change the direction of the flow
of current when the car is going in the opposite direction on the other track or in
the same direction on the same track in case the track is on a heavy grade and the
positive and negative wires have to be crossed over from one track to the other, so
as to equalize the load, and a storage battery and different circuit wire connections
through the storage battery, reversing switch, the trolley brushes, contact plates
and circuit closing switch.
I shall first describe in detail the construction and arrangement of the trolley
brushes and wheels. M, is a bar extending longitudinally throughout the major
portion of the length of the car and centrally located as to its width. N, are a
series of trolley wheels, each of which is journalled in the lower ends of the forked
arms, n. The forked arms, n, have secured to their upper ends the retaining
pins, n', which normally rest at the bottom of the slots, n², made in the sides, n³, of
the double bracket, n, which is suitably secured to the bar, M, (see Fig. 5).
m, is a rod the lower end of which is pivoted in the upper fork of the double-
forked bracket, n. The rods, m, extend through a hole, m', in the bracket, n'.
m², is a spiral spring encircling the rod, m, and extending between the pivoted
point of the rod and the bracket, n'. m³, is a hole made in the bar, M, in order to
permit of the free upward movement of the rod, m, through the bracket, n*.
O, O', are metallic brushes, which are secured to the lower end of the double-
forked arms, n, by the metal straps, 0% 0³, are set screws designed to hold the
brushes in position. The lower ends of the brushes are provided with a double
bevel or are V-shaped, the ends of the brushes being considerably above the bottom
of the trolley wheel, N, ½, and, 3, are the wires leading from the brushes, O, and, ()',
respectively to the wires, 112, and, 10%.
When the car is moving in the direction indicated by arrow in Fig. 2, it will of
course be understood that the arm, n, of the trolley wheels will incline rearwardly
and as the trolley wheels, N, are made of such a size, so that they will not reach
the bottom of the groove between the plates it will be seen that when the trolley
wheels arrive at the contact plates that the brushes, O, O', will ride upon such
plates from end to end. Immediately, however, the brushes have left the plates
the trolley wheel arising out of the groove, the surface of the road-bed will keep
the bottom of the brushes free from contact with the road-bed, so that there will
be no danger of any short-circuiting through such brushes touching the road-bed
or passing over the tracks at a crossing.

page_text: Upon changing the direction of the travel of the car it will be seen that the
ins, n', of the forked brackets, n, will rise up in the slots, n², of the sides, n³, of
he bracket, n', against the pressure of the spring, m2, and as the top of the slots, n²,
are at a greater distance from the plate than the distance between the pins, n', and
the bottom of the brushes it will be seen that the pins, n', will rise in the slots
and allow of the brushes, O, O', to rise to the perpendicular and pass rearwardly
in which position they will be again held against the plates by the pressure of the
spring, m
In passing around a curve it will be understood that as the pins, n', are much
smaller than the width of the slots, n², the said trolley wheels connected to the
bar, M, which are not of a greater distance between the plates and which are thus
necessarily situated between the axles or very nearly so, so as to readily follow
the curve of the track will swivel and pass within the plates and be guided
The trolley wheels situated
between them by their outwardly flaring ends.
outside the axles of the car and towards their ends, which in this instance are
two trolley wheels at each end, will ride over or pass the plates and assume the
position shown as to the car on the curve, as indicated in Fig. 1. It will thus
be seen that in going around a curve, practically only the trolley wheels between
the axles of the car will be used, the pairs of the contact plates being situated close
enough together to properly co-act with the trolley wheels as before described.
On reference to Fig. 4, it will be noticed that the circuit closing switch, H, is
enclosed by a metal box, H', provided with a suitable lid, which is made to fit the
box so that it will be perfectly water tight. The switch is composed of a double
magnet H2, H3, supported on a base, H, of non-conducting material. The
armature, H, is provided, which is pivoted at each end in the tops of the
standard, H. H', is an arched contact plate, which extends over the magnet, H², H³.
H8, is an arm, which is attached to the centre of the armature, H, and extends
inwardly beneath the arched contact plate, H. H³, is a carbon contact block
suitably secured on the end of the arm, H8, and made of carbon so as to prevent
the possibility of fusing with the arched contact plate, H7. 4, is a fine wire
leading from the binding post, 5, around the magnet coils, H2, H3, to the binding
post, 6. 7, is a wire connected to the binding post, 8, and to the top of the
arched contact plate, H7. 9, is a wire leading from the binding post, 5, around
the coils, H2, and, H³, to the inwardly extending arm, H8, to which it is connected.
The major portion of the magnet coil is formed of the fine wire, 4, and but a small
portion of the heavy wire, 9.
In Fig. 6, I show an enlarged view exhibiting in detail the construction of the
reversing switch, used in,connection with the storage battery, so that the current
will always pass through such battery in the proper direction. The reversing
switch, P, comprised of the two stationary electro magnets, P', and, P2, having
double coils, p', and, p². The magnets are supported upon an insulating plate, Q.
R, is a double coil magnet pivoted at, r, in the arc-shaped plate, r, and the
bottom plate, Q, the plate, r¹, being shown in dotted lines. The magnets, R,
having cubical ends, R', which are designed to be brought against the end
5 plates, P³, of the magnet, P', or the end plates, P4, of the magnet, P2, this of
course depending upon the direction of the current through the magnets, P¹,
and, P. S, is a spring contact plate secured at one side of the magnet, R, near
the pivot point. The free end of the plate, S. is designed to be brought in
contact with either of the carbon blocks, S', or, D2, this of course depending upon
O the position of the electro-magnet, R. T, is a spring contact plate secured on
the opposite side of the magnet near the pivot point. The inner end of the
spring contact plate, T, is brought in contact with either the carbon block, T¹,
or the carbon block, T2, this depending upon the position of the magnet. When
the magnets are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the spring plates, S, and, T,
5 are in contact with the carbon blocks, S', and, T', as indicated.
U, is the storage battery and, u, and, u', are the binding posts.
I shall now describe the wiring from the switch connected to the main circuit to

page_text: the plates, trolley brushes, reversing switch, storage battery, motor, and rail t
return the current referring particularly to Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6. The curren
passes from the positive terminal post of the dynamo through the wire, G, an
passes to one switch, H, by the small branch wire, g, as herein before described
The current from the storage battery immediately upon the brushes, O, O¹, coming
in contact upon the plates passes from one of the terminal posts of the storag
battery along the wire, 10, to the binding post, t, the plate, T, through the
block, T, binding post, t', by the wire, 10', to the binding post, s2, of the carbo
block, S, thence by the wire, 10%, to the brush, O¹, plate, K₁, wire, k', to the
switch, H, (see Fig. 4) thence by the wire; 4, around the magnets, H2, and, H
forming their coils and out by the wire, 6, to the wire, k, through the plate, K
brush, O, wire, 112, to the binding post, t¹, of the carbon block, T', through the
wire, 12, binding post s¹, the carbon block, S', plate, S, and wire, 11, back to
the other terminal post of the storage battery. This circuit being completed
from the storage and passing in the direction indicated will draw the switch
armature, H, against the poles of the magnets, H2, and, H³, raising the carbon
block, H, on the end of the arm, H8, against the arched contact plate, H.
The main circuit now will be completed through the short wire, g, and pass
into the switch through the wire, 7, contact carbon block, H, arm, H, and
wire, 9, around the magnet coils, H2, and, H³, in the same direction to which
the fine wire coils from the storage battery pass, so that the current going
through in this direction will pass around the coils, so that the current through
the coils will continue to flow in the same direction as when the storage battery
current passes through the fine wire of the coils thus rendering them of the same
polarity and thereby serving to hold the armature, H, in contact with the poles
and the block, H, in contact with the arched plate, so as to keep the circuit
complete. The current will pass out from the coils by the wire, 9, through the
binding post, 5, along the wire, k¹, through the plate, K', brush, O¹, wire, 102,
wire, 10', block! T', plate, T, wire, 10, and to and through the storage battery,
thus serving to recharge it, back by the wire, 11, plate, S, block, S', wire, 12, to
the carbon block, T2, thence by the wire, 112, and through the motor and by
the wheel, X, to the rail C, across by the wire, F, to and through the motor
of the car on the other track connected to a plate and back through the switch
and negative wire to the dynamo, A. The storage battery current of course
always passes in the same direction and has a by-path around and through the
coils of the pivoted magnet in the direction indicated by arrow.
the trolley brushes come upon the plates and the storage battery current is
As soon as
thrown through the switch, so as to hold it down and the main current in the
reverse direction passes along the wire, 102, in the opposite direction to that
indicated by arrow it will be seen that the current will pass through the block, T',
plate, T, wire, t³, to and through the magnet coils in the same direction and
back by the wire, t, plate S, carbon block, S', and wire, 112, to and through
the motor.
It will thus be seen that the current from the storage battery through the
magnet, R, and the main current through the magnet, R, will be in the same
direction. The remainder of the current, however, will pass through the storage
battery in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow, thus serving
to store it. When the magnet, R, is in the position shown in the drawing it
will be understood that when the main current is thrown in by the switch that
it will pass by the wire, 103, through the magnet, P¹, and, P2, in such a manner
that they will be of opposite polarity and thence out by the wire, 14, to the
rail. For instance the magnet, P₁, will be north and the magnet, 12, south.
The magnet R, will consequently be south as shown by the direction of the
current in the position shown in in Fig. 3.
In passing through the other car it will of course be understood that the current
will first come in through the rail and pass by the wire, 14, in the opposite
direction to that indicated by arrow, thus rendering the magnets, P1, P2, still of

page_text: opposite polarity but the magnet, P2, in this instance will be north and the
magnet, Pl, will be south, so that the magnet, R, will be attracted to the end of
the magnet P2, thereby throwing the plates, T, and, S, against the carbon blocks, T2,
and, S, thereby throwing the current of the battery through the wire, 10, plate, T,
carbon block, T2, back by the wire, 112, in the opposite direction to that indicated
by arrow to and through the brush, O, plate, L, wire, l, to and through. the
switch, in the opposite direction to that before described and out on the wire, l¹,
through the plate, L', brush, O', wire, 102, carbon block, S2, plate, S, and wire, 11,
to the storage battery (see Figs. 1, and, 3). The main circuit now being thrown
in by the switch will pass through the switch in the opposite direction to before
described and pass through the motor, wire, 112, to and through the reversing
switch as hereinafter described. The branch current will pass along the wire, 14,
in the opposite direction to that indicated by arrow and through the magnets, P2,
and, P, by the wire, 10%, brush, O¹, plate, Li, and wire, l', back through the switch
and wire, i, to the return wire, I. The current will be completed through the
reversing switch, P, by the wire, 112, the block, T2, plate, T, wire, 10, to the
storage battery and back by the wire, 11, and plate, S, carbon block, S2, and
wire, 10% to the brush, O', plate, L', and to and through the switch in the manner
hereinbefore described. A by-path is also formed in the same direction as before
described through the magnet, R, thus keeping it of the same polarity.
It will of course he understood that in my system of electrical propulsion of cars
one or more than one of the brushes on each track will always be in contact with
the plates, so that there will be a complete circuit through the wire, G, short
wire, g switch, contact plates, motor, rail, C, wire, F, rail D, motor, contact plates,
switch, J, short wire, i, and the negative wire, I.
It will of course be understood that the voltage will be equally divided between
both tracks, so that in case there is five hundred volts used in running the system
not more than two hundred and fifty volts would ever pass through the plates on
either track although both tracks would be running on five hundred volts.
If there should be an unequal number of cars or an unequal load on the up and
down tracks it will be seen that the over plus of current will pass back to the
dynamos through the rail of the track having the greatest number of cars running
on it. As the voltage is so small on each rail of course the danger incident thereto
will be entirely obviated and the leakage reduced to a minimum.
A momentary bad contact of the trolley brushes with the contact plates will not
affect the system as the switches would then be closed by the storage batteries in
the manner herein before described. It will of course be understood the trolley
brushes are insulated from each other.
Again on account of the trolley brushes being supported considerably above the
bottom of the trolley wheels no insulation of the rails at crossings will be necessary.
The construction of the switch as hereinbefore shown and described, it will be
seen, will be very cheap, on account of its being closed by a current from the
storage battery, and there being no necessity therefore, of having the ground
switch of a high resistance. The storage battery ensures the switch always being
closed but as long as the contact is maintained between the plates and the brushes
the storage battery will not be used but in case of momentary breaking of the
contact at any period the switch is ensured of being closed so as to complete the
main circuit through the motor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In double track electric railways the combination with two dynamos connected
together in series, of two feed wires one of which is connected to the free positive
pole of one dynamo and is carried along the side of the track and connected to a
bare conductor parallel to and in immediate vicinity of the up track and the other
wire of which is connected to the fiee negative pole of the other dynamo and is

page_text: carried alongside the track and connected to a bare conductor parallel to and in
immediate vicinity of the down track and the connections of both wires being
through the motors of the up and down cars, and two sets of rails, which are
electrically connected together and to the two remaining poles of each dynamo as
and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination with a generating dynamo, of a circuit wire leading from
the positive binding post of the dynamo to a series of switches located throughout
the length of the track, which switches are connected to a series of parallel plates
situated between the tracks. at desired distances apart, the plates being connected
by brushes on each side of a trolley wheel supported on trolley arms pivotally
connected to a bar attached to the frame of the car electrical connections being
provided from each brush to a storage battery situated in the car, so that when the
brushes pass over the plate the switch, H, is thrown in to complete the circuit,
which then passes through the plates and brushes in opposite direction to that of
the storage battery current and then through the motor and back by the wheel of
the car to the rails, which are connected by wire to the negative binding post of the
generating dynamo as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with the two dynamos, A, B, connected in series, the positive
wire, G, connected to the switches, H, by the short wire, g, which are connected to
the plates, K, and K', between the rails C, and, C', by the short wires, k, k', and
the negative wires, I, and connected to the switches, J, by the short wires, i, and
connected to the plates, L, and, L' between the rails, D, and D¹, by the wires, l,
and ', of the up and down cars provided with a series of trolley wheels journalled
in the ends of the trolley arms attached to the bar affixed to the truck frame and a
series of trolley brushes affixed one on each side of each trolley wheel and
electrically connected to a storage battery of the car and to the motor, so that
when the trolley brushes are on the plates the switches, H, and J, close a circuit
and the main current passes through the motors of both cars, rails and cross
wires, F, as and for the purpose specified.
4. The combination with the generating dynamos and the positive and negative
wires leading from their binding posts throughout the length of the system and
being connected to a series of circuit closing switches, which in turn are connected
to a series of parallel contact plates between the rails of each track, of the trolley
brushes connected by contact with the plates to the storage battery and to the
reversing switches and to and through the motors to the rails, F, the reversing
switch, P, in the motor car ou one track being oppositely set to the reversing switch
in the motor car on the other track, so that the current from the storage battery to
the reversing switch will pass through the wires, plates, brushes and branch wires
to the circuit closing switch in a different direction on each track as and for the
purpose specified.
5. The combination with the main current circuit wires having short brauch
wires as specified, of the switches, H, and storage battery current wires leading
into the same and so arranged that upon the brushes coming upon the contact
plates the storage battery current is completed so as to throw in the main current,
which passes through the switch in the same manner, so as to keep it closed while
the brushes are on the contact plates as and for the purpose specified.
6. The combination with the main current and the storage battery, the circuit
of which is completed as specified, of the switch, H, suitably enclosed, comprising
the coils, H2, and, H³, pivoted armature, H³ and arm, H³, and arched contact
plate, H', the wires 4, passing around and forming the coils of the magnet and
connected to the binding posts, 5, and, 6, from which lead the wires to the storage
battery and the wire, 9, leading from the binding post, 5, around the magnet coils
to the arm, H³, which when held up by the storage battery current through the
fine wire 4, of the coils completes the main circuit through the arched plate, H²,
and wire, 7, and wire, g, as and for the purpose specified.
7. The switch, H, comprising the coils, H2, and H³, partially of fine wire, 4,
leading from the storage battery and heavy wire, 9, connected to the main circuit

page_text: by the storage current, the armature, H³, carbon contact block, H³, arched
contact plates, H7, connected to the main circuit as shown and for the purpose
specified.
8. The combination with the main circuit wires and circuit closing switches
arranged as specified, of a reversing switch, P, comprised of the double magnets, P1,.
and, P, the swinging magnet, R, contact plates, S, and T, connected near the
pivot point of the swinging magnet, the contact plates, S, and, T, being arranged
to come in contact with the carbon contact blocks, S', and, T', when the magnet is
swung so that its polar ends come against the polar ends of the magnets, P¹, and
the carbon contact blocks, S2 and, T, when the polar ends of the magnet, R, are
swung against the polar ends of the magnet, P, the plates, S, and, T, being
connected by the wires 10, and, 11, to the storage battery, the magnet, R, being
always of the same polarity through its connections to the wires, 10, and, 12, the
magnets, P', and, P2, being connected in the main circuit through the wires, 10, 10%,.
and, 14, leading to the rail, the contact blocks, S', and, T2, being connected by the
wire, 12, and wire, 102, leading to the carbon contact plates, S2, and, T¹, and the
wires, 112, leading out from the contact block, pl, all the parts being supported upon.
the insulated plate, Q, as and for the purpose specified.
9. In a system for the electrical propulsion of cars as described, the combination
with the series of pairs of plates situated at desired distances apart, of a series
of trolley wheels supported and journalled in the ends of suitable arms attached to
a bar running lengthwise of the car and supported on the truck, the wheels and
arms being located at suitable distances apart and each wheel having a pair of
brushes support one on each side and insulated from each other, the brushes being
electrically connected to the storage battery in the car and the contact plates being
connected to the circuit closing switches on the main current wires as and for the
purpose specified.
10. The combination with a series of pairs of contact plates located at desired
distances apart and having a groove between each pair, of a trolley wheel, N
journalled in the ends of the forked arms n, pivotally connected to the bar, M, and
the brushes, O, and, O¹, secured on each side of the trolley wheel, so that the
bottoms of the brushes are above the bottom of the trolley wheel, the brushes
being suitably insulated from each other and electrically connected to the motor of
the car as and for the purpose specified.
11. The trolley wheel, N, supported in the ends of the forked brackets, n, and
having the brushes, O, and, O', located one at each side and suitably insulated from
each other and the pins, n', extending laterally outwardly from the arm, n, into the
slots, n², in the downwardly extending sides, n³, of the bracket, n', as and for the
purpose specified.
12. The trolley wheel, N, supported in the ends of the forked brackets, n, and
having the brushes, O, and O', located one at each side and suitably insulated from
each other, the pins, n', extending laterally outwardly from the arm, n, into the
notches, n, in the downwardly extending sides, n³, of the bracket n', the rod, m,.
pivotally connected within the forked arm, n, and extending through a hole, m³, in
the bracket, n', and a hole, m³, in the bar, M, and the spiral spring, m², encircling
the rod, M, as shown and for the purpose specified.
13. The combination with a series of plates situated at desired distances apart,.
of the brushes designed to come in continual contact with such plates as they
pass over them and means for supporting such brushes from the ground as they
pass over the spaces between the plates as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant..