IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL RAILWAYS
Year: 1886

page_text: "
I, ELIAS ELKAN RIES, of the City of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, one
of the United States of America, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL RAILWAYS," 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 electric railways of that class in which either the track
rails or extra conducting rails convey the electric current from stationary generators,
to brushes, wheels or wipers, in frictional contact with the said rails and connected
with electric motors mounted upon cars, and employed to propel the same.
The object of the invention is to provide means whereby designated sections of
the rails used as conductors may be automatically cut out of circuit under certain
circumstances, and the circuit preserved by means of loops or shunts bridging such
cut out sections, and connecting the conductors which are severed from one or both
ends thereof.
The chief circumstances under which it is desirable that sections or portions
of the conducting rails shall be cut out, are as follows, though the invention is
applicable for cutting out sections for other purposes.
First, When the said sections or portions are submerged by freshets or over-
flows, as for instance, in low lying districts, or when the conducting rails are
arranged in conduits in which water accumulates from rain, melting snow,
defective drainage or extraordinarily high tides rising through sewers connected
with the conduita In any of these cases the current would be diverted by the
water from the conducting rails to the earth, or from one conductor to the other in
case of two insulated conductors being employed, to such an extent that not only
would an insufficient portion of the current reach the motors upon the cars upon
such portions of the railway as are adjacent to the submerged section, but the
potential of the current upon the conducting rails would be so seriously disturbed,
even if a number of generating stations are used, that the motors or such portions.
of the road as are still supplied with current could be operated only under great
disadvantage.

page_text: '
Second, When the conducting rails are exposed upon the surface of the earth
it is desirable that the portions of such rails at crossings, shall be cut out or
deprived of current at all times except when in actual use, in order to obviate
injury by the electric current to living beings coming in contact with said rails,
and to prevent interference with the motors on the line by temporary short-
circuiting of the current due to the passage of vehicles etc. over such crossings.
The invention consists mainly in the novel combination with the electric railway
conducting rail or rails, of a loop or loops bridging a section or sections of said rail,
and automatic switching devices by means of which the portion or portions of said
conducting rails bridged by said loop or loops, may be cut out of the direct circuit,
which is preserved at such times by said loop or loops. The invention also consists
in certain novel details of construction by which are carried out the main principle.
The invention will be fully understood from the following particular description
in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line ¹¹ of figure 2, through
a portion of a conduit enclosing an electric railway conducting rail, a portion of
which traverses a depressed or low lying portion of the route.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the conduit and side chamber on the line.xx
of figure 1.
Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the principle of construction in figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an electrical railway using two conducting
rails, and employing a current of low potential which is supplied to the motors in
multiple arc.
Figure 5 is a cross section of the conduit and side chamber of such a road, say at
the point x, of figure 4.
Figure 6 is a diagram also illustrating an electrical railway using two conducting
rails and traversing in part, a low lying district liable to overflow.
Figure 7 is another diagram illustrating a double conductor electric railway
traversing, in part, a low lying district and having its conductors arranged in a
conduit.
Figure 8 is a cross section of the conduit and side chamber of such a road, at, say
line x, of figure 7, and
Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the conductors of an
electrical railway using two conductors, arranged in a conduit, and having a simple
mechanical switch for cutting out sections of the main conductors.
Figure 10 is a cross section of the conduit and side chamber of such a road, at
the lowest portion of a low lying mechanically detached section of the main
conductors, or in a plane corresponding to that of the line x, x, in figure 1.
Figure 11 is a view of a device for taking the current from an overhead
conductor when the underground conductor is cut out.
•
In the various figures I have not deemed it necessary to show the surface or
track rails upon which the cars travel, the road bed being supposed to be con-
structed in any ordinary or desired manner, as my invention may be applied to
any ordinary surface construction.
:
Referring to figures 1 and 2, the letter a indicates the side walls of a conduit,
supposed to be arranged longitudinally between the surface track rails of an
electrical railway. These walls are preferably formed of concrete, but may be made
of any other suitable material, The conduit is covered at top by curb plates b, b,
resting upon the walls and having their inner edges separated at c, by a space or
slot through which the wipers, or brushes, or other current collecting devices from
cars on the railway extend into the conduit, and come in contact with the con-
ducting rail d, which is mounted upon a non-conducting foundation e, at the bottom
of the conduit, As shown in figure 1, a section of this conducting rail between
the points y and y¹ is severed at each end from the main portion of the conducting
rail, and is bridged by an insulated wire loop, or cable f, the ends of which are
connected with the conducting rail at opposite ends of the detached intermediate

page_text: section. This bridge or loop is preferably. located inside of the conduit and sup-
ported by pins g, though of course, the loop or cable may be differently located, so
long as it accomplishes the object of making metallic connections between the
portions of the main conducting rail at opposite ends of the detached section.
This detached section of the conducting rail traverses a low lying district in
which water is liable to accumulate in the conduit and submerge the rail, and the
object of its detachment is that it may be readily electrically disconnected; or cut
out from the main circuit when submerged, so as to obviate the dissipation of the
current. At one side of the conduit at its lowest portion, where the cross section
is taken on the line x¹, is a side chamber having outer side walls a¹, inclined
bottom wall a', and a removable top plate 61. In this side chamber, and fastened
against one of the walls of the conduit, is a water tight box h, from one wall of
which projects a metallic pin i, connected with the wire loop f by a conductor k, a
portion of which passes through the wall of the conduit as shown in dotted lines.
From the wall of the conduit a metallic pin 7, projects within the water-tight box,
and has pivoted to it a metallic switch arm m, which is normally pressed against
the pin i, by a spring n. The pin l, is connected with the detached section of the
conducting rail by means of an insulated conductor ¹, shown in dotted lines as
embedded in the conduit wall and foundation of the conducting rail. In the wall
of the water-tight box h, is a stuffing box o, through which plays a pin p, of
non-conducting material, the inner end of which is arranged opposite the switch
lever m, while its outer end is arranged to receive the pressure of the upper end of
a bent lever q, which is pivoted at its elbow to a projecting lug of the box h, and
has secured to its lower downwardly inclined arm a float r. The conduit is con
nected with the side chamber by an opening through the lower part of the conduit
wall at 8. Normally the float r, will rest on the bottom wall of the side chamber,
thus allowing the spring n to force the switch lever m in contact with the metallic
pin i. By referring to the diagram figure 3, it will be seen that thus the detached
rail section d, is brought into metallic connection with the main portion of the
conducting rail through the conductor k¹, pin l, switch lever m, pin i, conductor k,
and wire loop f, and now if a motor on a car were connected with the rail section d',
said motor would receive the direct electrical current which is supplied to the
conducting rail from a stationary generator, located at any suitable point on the
line of the road, the return circuit in this case being supposed to be formed by the
earth, or by one of the surface or track rails. If the parts were to remain in this.
position and the low lying rail section d¹ should become submerged either wholly
or partially, by water accumulating in the conduit, it is obvious that the electrical
current will be diverted from the conducting rails. to the earth, and the motors on
the cars would not receive a sufficient portion of current to operate them at any
point of the line of railway. By my invention, however, this great loss of current
is prevented, and the continuous operation of the motors secured, for, as soon as
water shall rise sufficiently high in the conduit to come in contact with the con-
ducting rail as indicated by the dotted lines 2, 2, it will raise the float r, causing
the lever q to press inwardly the pin p, which forces the switch lever m out of.
contact with the pin i, thus breaking metallic connection between the rail**
sections d', and the main portion of the conducting rail, so that the current
instead of being diverted to the earth; will travel from one portion of the main
conducting rail to the other by way of the loop f.
When a low detached section of the conducting rail is thus submerged, the cars
upon the corresponding portion of the track must be propelled by some other
means than a current taken from the conducting rail, of course, as the current
carrying portion of said rail is then not in contact with the wipers or brushes of
The cars may be propelled over such portions of the road by horses,
or any other suitable temporary means, but preferably by means of electrical
current.from accumulators or secondary, batteries, located on the cars, and charged
and brought into action, in the manner shown and described by me in a separate
the cars.

page_text: application for letters patent to be made therefor, or the connecting loop may be
carried across the cut-out or submerged section on upright posts, as shown in
Fig. 11, and the propelling current supplied to the motors at such points by means
of a pivoted collecting wheel or brush which may be operated from the car to
make contact with the overhead or aerial loop or bridging conductor, which of
course, is left partially bare for this purpose, to insure proper electrical contact.
In Figure 11, A-X represents the car on which the motor is mounted, B-X the
motor, C-X the aerial conductor, and D-X the lever pivoted on top of the car,
and having the contact wheel at its upper end for making connection with the
conductor. The lower end of the lever is provided with an operating handle, and
moves along a sector shaped guide plate E-X, which has an insulated portion ė―x,
with which the conducting portion of the lever is in contact when lying upon the
top of the car, as shown in dotted lines. One terminal from the motor may be
connected with the sector guides E-X so that when the lever is thrown up it will
be switched in circuit automatically, the return circuit being completed through
the generator and ground, to the wheels of the car, or, if desired, double-contact or
two contact wheels, and two aerial conductors may be employed, and the current
taken from and returned through the aerial lines.
In the diagram Figure 4, and cross section Figure 5, the conduit is supposed to.
be provided with two conducting rails d, d, the low lying sections d³, d³, of which
are separated only at one end from the main portions of the conducting rails, and
are bridged by insulated wire loops f, f, which lead from the high portions at
one side of the low sections to contact plates t¹, t, at the opposite upper ends of
the low lying sections, which are respectively connected by wires k, and k³, with
switch contact plates and t. The main portions of the conducting rails where
severed from the low lying sections at the point c³, are connected by wires k, ks,
with switch levers m³, m³, which are normally held in contact with the plates t³, t^,
by a spring n¹. The levers m³, m³, are connected by a non-conducting bar u, so
that they will move together, and to the lower end of this bar is attached, the
longitudinally movable core of a solenoid V. One terminal of this solenoid is by
wire ke, connected with the rail section d², in the conduit, and the other terminal is
by wire, connected to a metallic plate j, carried by a pivoted float at the
bottom of the conduit very near to, or at its lowest portion. A similar plate j¹,
attached to one of the side walls of the conduit is connected with the rail section d³,
and extends a little below the same.
Now, in the normal condition of affairs, and with the conduit clear of water, or
at most, having the water not high enough therein to raise the float j³, so that its
plate j, will contact with the plate 1, the spring n¹, will hold the switch lever m¹,
and m³, in contact with the plates 3, t and metallic connection is complete from
portions of the conducting rails on the left of the low lying sections d³, and d³,
through the wires k, k³, the switch levers, contact plates to, t, and wires k³, k³, and
if the parts should remain in this position and the low sections d', and d³, should
become connected to the earth, and with each other by water rising in the conduit,
the main portion of the current would be short-circuited between the rails where
thus connected, and a portion would be diverted to the earth. However, when the
water rises in the conduit to a sufficient height to connect the metallic plates j,
and ¹, a circuit will be completed from the positive conducting rail to the negative
or return conducting rail through the solenoid V, which will thus be caused to
draw the core v downward, moving the bar u, to shift the switch levers into
contact with the plates t', t in which position the low lying sections of the con-
ducting rails will be bridged by the loop wires f1, fs, and these low lying sections
will be practically cut out of circuit, inasmuch as in this arrangement of the
rails and circuits is used a current of low electro-motive force and the loop wires
equal or exceed the rails in conductivity. Even when the two rail sections are
directly connected by the water, a metallic circuit will still be complete through the

page_text: Bolenoid, so that it will hold the switches in position to cut out the submerged
sections.
Figure 5, illustrates a cross section of the conduit, and the side chamber of an
electrical railway as just described, the loop wires being supported by the pins g,
and the switching devices being shown as supported by a non-conducting plate h¹
located in the side chamber and fastened at one edge to the wall of the conduit.
Figure 6, is a diagram illustrating the electrical features of an electric railway
employing two conducting rails in a conduit, one being the direct and the other the
return portion of the circuit. In this arrangement it is designed to supply the
motors with a current of high electro-motive force, though. it is applicable also to
multiple are systems. In this diagram the conductor sections d', ds, which traverse
a low lying district are at each end severed mechanically from the main portions d
of the conducting rails, and cross sections at the points c³ and c, are substantially
the same as shown in Fig. 5. In this view, similar letters indicate parts similar
to those shown in figures 4 and 5.. The loop wires f³, f, connect the contact
plates t¹, t, at the left hand ends of the low lying conducting rail sections with
the pivoted ends of the switch levers m³, m², and the main portions of the con-
ducting rails severed from the low lying sections on the right. Normally, the
springs n¹, hold the switch levers at: both ends of the low lying sections in contact
with the plates t, t, and then electrical connections are made from the main
portions of the conducting rails d through the wires k, s, contact plates t³, t, and
wires k², k³.
.
The brushes or wipers from the cars on the track thus take the current from one
of the conducting rails and return it to the other. The current having a high
potential, quickly goes to earth if either or both of the conducting rails should be
grounded, and the efficiency of the circuit would be fatally impaired. The switch.
operating solenoids V are included in a circuit formed of conductors k, and k³, and
having its terminals formed by metallic plates j, jo, arranged in the conduit below
the conducting rails at the lowest point of said conduit. This circuit also includes
a galvanic battery X³, which I have simply shown conventionally in figure 6, but
which may be encased in one of the side chambers, which are understood to enclose
the switching devices the same as in figure 5. When the plates j*, jo, are.electri-
cally connected by water rising in the conduit, as shown at W, the current of the
battery X³ flows over the circuit of 'the solenoids V, V, which will thus be caused to
simultaneously draw down their cores, which will shift the switch levers from their
normal positions, as shown in dotted lines, to the position shown in full lines, so
that the loop wires f³ and f*, bridge the conducting rail sections d, and d³, and
these sections are completely cut out from electrical connection with the main
portions of the conducting rails, the electrical continuity of which is maintained
by the loop wires as long as the plates j, and it, are electrically connected by the
water in the conduit, and the circuit of the battery X³, is closed through the
solenoids causing them to draw downward their cores.
While these cores remain drawn downward, the switch levers will be so connected
with the loop wires that said loop wires will bridge the cut out low-lying sections
of the conducting rails, and this condition of affairs will continue so long as the
plates,j, are connected by the water whether the conducting rail sections are
submerged or not.
The sectional portion of the figure at the lower part of the diagram figure 6,
represents a cross section on the dotted lines x, x².
In figure 7, I have shown a diagram of a modified arrangement of electrical
railway circuits suitable for either multiple are or series systems of supplying
currents to motors on track. In this arrangement, two conducting rails are used
in the conduit, and sections are detached electrically from the main portions of the.
conducting rails where the conduit traverses districts liable to overflow, and these
detached sections receive their current in multiple arc from the loop conductors..
The detached conducting rail sections in this diagram, as also in figure 6, are.

page_text: .
designated by the letters d', and d³, and are separated at points c³, c, from the
main portions of the conducting rail d. These detached conducting rail sections
are completely bridged by loop or cable wires k³, 10, which permanently connect
the main portions of the conducting rails around said detached sections. These
loop or cable wires are connected by conductors k¹¹, k¹, with contact points to, to,
and the detached conducting rail sections are connected by wires 13, 14, with
contacts t7, 8. A solenoid V₁ has its core v, connected to a bar u¹ of non-conducting
material which carries two metallic cross bars m³ and m², and is normally drawn
by a spring n³, in a direction to cause the cross bar m³, to connect the contact
points to and t, and the cross bar m' to connect the contacts to and t. One of the
terminals of the solenoid V₁ is connected with the loop wire 10, and the other
terminal is connected by a wire 16 with a metallic plate j, arranged in the con-
' duit below the conducting rail sections, while a similar metal plate j³, at about the
same level, but insulated from the plate j³, is connected by a wire k¹, with the
bridge loop. The preferred arrangement of the plates 3, ja, is shown in the cross
section figure 8, the plate j³, being against the wall of the conduit below the
conducting rail and the plates, standing out at a little distance from the other
and supported by an interposed insulating block. When the water rises in the
conduit sufficiently high to connect the plates 3, 3, a portion of the current will
flow from the positive rail over loop, conductor k, plate, through the water to
plate, thence over conductor 1, to the solenoid through the solenoid to loop k¹º
and the negative conducting rail. An electrical circuit being thus completed
through the solenoid it will draw in its core, causing the switch cross bars to break
connection between the contact points and thus cut the detached conducting rails
sections d*, d, out of the electrical connection with the main portions of the
conducting rails, and this state of affairs will continue as long as the plates ³, ³,
are both submerged, even though the water should rise high enough to submerge
the conducting rail sections. In the present instance, figure 8, I have indicated the
leop conductors ko, k10, as being embedded in the walls of the conduit, this being
a preferable condition when said walls are made of concrete. The cross section
figure 8 is supposed to be taken in the plane of the lowest portion of the detached
conducting rail sections, the side chamber containing the switching devices, being
located at this point, and made preferably water tight. It is not, however, essential
to so locate the switching devices, as they may be placed at any other desired
point, and the various conductors may be disposed in any convenient manner,
while performing their essential functions. If found convenient, the switching
devices may be placed in suitable boxes upon posts along the line of way, or at
other points convenient for purposes of inspection and occasional testing, the
proper electrical connections being made through the circuit wires or under-
ground cables.
In the double conductor systems, which I have heretofore described, I have
shown only electrically operated switching devices, but in such systems, I may use
a double mechanical switch, such as is illustrated in figures 9 and 10. The switch
contacts and connecting devices are located in a water tight box h, as in figure 2,
the detached conductor sections being separated from the main portions of the
conductors at the points y, and y¹, as in figure 1. The loops f, f¹, are supported by
the pins g, the loop f is connected with the contact ¹, which is a metal pin
projecting from one wall of the water-tight box h, and the loop f¹, is connected by
a wire 1, with a similar contact i; one of the conductor sections is connected by
a wire ¹, with a contact i³, and the other is by a wire 80, connected with a
contact. When there is no water in the conduit, the float r, attached to the
lever q, lies on the bottom of the side chamber, or against any suitable stop, and
through the bar p¹, draws the metallic cross bars m³, m³, respectively in contact
with the pairs of pins ¹³, and ³, *, thus bringing the low lying or detached
conductor rail sections in multiple are electrical connection with the main portions
of the conducting rails, through the loops f, and f¹. It is obvious that when water

page_text: rises in the conduit and flows therefrom into the side chamber through the passage 8,
the float will be raised before the water reaches the conducting rails, and this float
acting through its lever and the bar.p¹, will cross the cross bars to break connection
between the contacts in the water-tight box, and the low lying or detached con-
ductor sections will be thus disconnected from the main portions of the conductors
and so kept, as long as there is sufficient water in the conduit and side chamber to
raise the float.
The object in placing the switch contacts and connections in the water-tight box
in this arrangement, as well as in Figure 2, is to prevent the making of electrical
connection between the contacts by water in case it should rise sufficiently high to
fill the side chamber or submerge the switching devices, as it is necessary that these
mechanical switches shall be located at or near the lowest portion or portions of
the conductor sections.
In all the arrangements illustrated, it will be understood that the cars are to be
propelled over the portions of the surface rails corresponding to the cut-out sections
of the conductors, by some motive power supplementary to the electric current
derived from stationary generators through the conducting rails, the preferred
means of propelling the cars at such times being electrical current supplied by
accumulators or secondary batteries, as shown and described in another application
for letters patent to be made therefor, or by means of current from the overhead
loop conductor, as shown in Figure 11.
"
Having now described my invention as applied to conducting rails located in
conduits, it will be obvious that similar or suitable switching devices may be
applied in the case of drawbridges, and also, to detached sections of surface con-
ducting rails, such, for instance, as located at crossings, in order that they may be
normally cut out of circuit and automatically thrown into circuit by the action of
approaching cars, which may also automatically cut out such sections by operating
switches as they pass therefrom.
I do not limit myself, of course, to any positions of the conductors, switches or
connections.
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 an electrical railway, the combination with the conducting rail or rails
having a detached section, a loop or loops bridging said section, and an automatio
switch device operated by a rise of water tending to short cirouit the conducting
rails, to cut said detached section out of circuit; substantially as described.
2. In an electrical railway, the combination with the main conducting rail or
rails having a detached section located at portions of the railway, subject to
inundation, a loop or loops bridging said detached portion and switching devices
arranged to be operated by a rise of water tending to short circuit the conducting
rails, to cut said detached sections out of circuit; substantially as described.
3. The combination with the conducting rail or rails, a break therein, a loop
bridging said break and extending some distance on one side thereof, and switching
devices for cutting out of circuit the portion of the conducting rail or rails lying
between the end of the loop and the break; substantially as described.
4. The combination with the conducting rail or rails located in conduits, and
having electrically detached sections, one or more, of a loop or loops arranged to
bridge said detached sections, electrically operated switching devices arranged
to shunt the current from said detached rail sections to the loop or loops and
circuit closing devices arranged to automatically close the circuit of said electrical
switching devices; substantially as described.
5. The combination with the conducting rails located in the conduit, and having
electrically detached depressed sections, of the loops arranged to bridge said section,

page_text: the switches and connections for bringing said loops into or out of connection with
other conductors, the solenoid or solenoids arranged to operate said switches, and
means, substantially as described, for automatically closing an electrical circuit.
through said solenoid or solenoids, essentially as set forth.
6. In an electrical railway, the combination with conducting rails having
depressed electrically detached sections, of loop conductors permanently bridging
said detached depressed sections, and switches and conductors arranged to connect
Baid depressed sections in multiple arc with the bridging loops and to automatically
break such connection as required; substantially as described.
7. The combination with the conducting rails having depressed detached sections,
the loops bridging said detached sections, the switches and conductors arranged to
connect said detached sections with the bridging loops, a solenoid arranged.
to actuate said switches, and the terminal plates arranged to close an electric
circuit to said solenoid when water rises in the conduit to connect said terminal
plates, as set forth.
8. In an electrical railway, the combination with the conducting rails enclosed
in a conduit and having detached sections, of the loop or cable conductors bridging
said detached sections, and suitable switches for connecting the bridging loops to,
and automatically disconnecting them from said detached conducting rail sections;
substantially as described.
9. In an electrical railway, the combination with the conducting rails enclosed
in a conduit and having depressed or low-lying detached sections, a loop for
connecting said depressed sections electrically with the main portions of the
conducting rails, and a switch device operated by a rise of water in the conduit to
automatically break the connection between the detached section and the main
portion of the conductors; substantially as described.
10. In an electrical railway employing conducting rails enclosed in a conduit,
and having detached sections, the combination with the conduit,. of the side
chambers, the switching devices arranged in said side chambers, and suitable
electrical connections whereby said switching devices are adapted to make or break
electrical connection between the detached sections and the main portion of the
conducting rails, said switches being arranged to be operated by the rising of water
in the conduit, as set forth.
11. In an electrical railway having one or more conducting rails provided with
detached conducting sections, said sections being normally in electrical connection
'with the main portions of the rails, switch devices operated by a solenoid in
a derived circuit, and means for completing said derived circuit, for breaking said
electrical connection; substantially as described.
12. In an electric railway, the combination with the main conducting rails
enclosed in a conduit, and having detached or insulated low-lying conducting
sections, of the loop conductors or cable, bridging said detached sections, suitable
switches for alternately connecting the main conducting rails with their detached
sections and with the loop conductors, one or more solenoids or equivalent electro-
magnetic devices for operating said switches, a source of electricity, and means,
substantially as described, consisting of a suitable arrangement of circuit con-
nections and terminal or circuit closing plates, whereby when water rises in the
conduit beyond a predetermined height, the solenoid or solenoids, or their equivalent
devices will be energized to cut out the said detached or low-lying sections,
substantially as set forth.
13. In an electric railway, the combination with the conducting rail or rails
having low-lying detached or insulated conducting sections normally in electrical
connection with the main portions of said rail or rails, and carried in an under-
ground conduit, of automatic switching devices operated by the action of water
rising in the conduit to shunt the current around said detached or insulated
low-lying sections through one or more supplementary overhead loop conductors,

page_text: connected with the main portions of the conducting rail or rails at both sides of
said sections, and means, substantially as described, whereby an electric-motor
travelling upon said detached or cut out section of the railway, may be supplied
with current from the supplementary conductor or conductors, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth."