Improvements in Crossings for Electric Railways.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1888-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Crossings for Electric Railways.
I, JOHN MCLEOD MURPHY, of Torrington, in the County of Litchfield, and
State of Connecticut, United States of America, 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;-
This invention is in the nature of a road way cross-over for double or single
track third rail surface or button-contact electric systems, and seeks to provide
a construction in which the continuity of the ground or return rail is not broken
and the button or rail contact maintained in a practically continuous line, and
particularly arranged to avoid short circuiting during the passing of the trolley
over the crossing.
In the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a plan view of my cross-over.
Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of a portion of one of the ground rails having
a detachable insulated section.
Fig. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the main rail.
Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the detachable rail section and the insulated
chair therefor.
This cross-over is applicable to any form of surface-contact electric railways
having separated button or rail section current collectors.
1-1 indicate the main track rails of one line, and 2-2 the main track rails
of the cross line. 1-2* indicate the sectional or third rail conductors of lines 1
and 2 respectively, and 4-4ª the electro-magnetic switches, for the conductor
rail sections, each of which has a lead 5, in line with the main feeder duct 6,
and the return 7, with one or both of the rails 1–2.
The pick up or conductor sections between the main rails consist of cross
rails X, the ends of which stop short of the main rails and abut non-conducting
blocks 8, which form practically a continuation of the cross rail X, so that the
continuity of the third or trolley rail is not broken, whereby to keep the trolley
in a proper contacting position.
At the points where the non-conducting portions 8 engage the main rails, such
rails are cut out to form seat portions 9, and in such portions 9, insulated
chairs 10, are snugly fitted, the end members 10", of which have the same con-
tour as the main rail.
Short rail sections 11, are fitted into the chairs 10, which with the chairs form
practically a part and continuation of and complete the rails 1-2 at their
crossing.
The chairs 10 and sections 11, are rigidly held by insulated fish plates 12,
the metallic fish plates 13, and the insulated bolts and nuts 14, see Figs. 2 and 4.
By providing the main rails with sections 11, as stated, it is evident the main
rails will be held out of circuit with the trolley as it passes over and all danger
of short circuiting from the feeder current through the trolley to ground rails

page_text: is positively overcome, and as the continuation of the main rails is maintained,
the use of bond wire at the crossing points is unnecessary.
The sections 11, need only be a length approximately that of the width of the
trolley wheel, shoe or straddle brush and, although such blocks, as the trolley
passes thereover will be momentarily electrified, such electrification would be of
no consequence by reason of the insulated chairs 10.
The rails 1-2 at their crossing have the usual wheel flange depressions 15-15".
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 a cross-over, a main track rail having a portion or portions for the pur-
pose of insulating passing current collecting devices from the tread rails of a
cross line.
2. The combination with the main crossing rails having insulated portions at
their point of intersection with the third or conductor rails, of a contact section,
comprising a cross member, the ends of which terminate short of the main rails
and adjacent the insulated portions, an independent section forming part of the
contact rail section and connecting the ends of the cross portion of the contact
rail with the main line rails.
3. In a cross-over, a continuous main track rail having a cut out seat portion
in line with the contact rail or buttons, an insulated chair fitted in such seat,
a rail portion fitted on the chair, and means for securing such insulated and
rail portion to the main rail.
4. A road-way structure, comprising in combination the intersecting or track
rails, having insulated portions at their point of intersection with the conductor
rails, said conductor rails at their point of intersection comprising a cross mem-
ber having the ends stopped short of the insulated portions of the main rails,
and non-conducting members connecting the ends of the conductor rail sections
with the main track rails.
5. A main rail having a cut out portion, a. U-shaped insulator chair fitted
therein, a metallic rail section seated in the chair, the insulated fish plates, the
metallic fish plates and the insulated bolt and nut connections.
Dated this 15th day of November 198
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.