Improved Means for Conducting and Collecting Currents in Electric Rail or Tramway Systems.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improved Means for Conducting and Collecting Currents in Electric
Rail or Tramway Systems.
I, MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH of Royal Insurance Buildings, Halifax in the
County of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to that class of rail or tramway systems in which the
electric current is taken from a main conductor and is used to actuate a motor carried
by the car.
The invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts, the nature of
which is hereinafter described, with reference to what are known as overhead systeins,
although the invention may be adapted for underground or side systems.
The main conductor is preferably carried in an underground or covered conduit,
and is tapped at different points by branches which lead up to an insulated supporting
piece or bolt carrying a saddle or bracket piece, within which angle iron or other
conductors are so bolted as to leave a slot or space between them and clearance between
their upper surface and the under side of the saddle or bracket. Said saddles or
brackets are arranged along the line, the distance separating them depending upon the
length of the conductor sections which need not be continuous, but may be arranged
in electrical sections of every few hundred feet or yards.
The travelling collector is flexibly and electrically connected to the car by which it
is drawn and consists essentially of shoes or gatherers pivoted on to cross frames, to
which draw bars are also pivoted, the stems of which project out between the adjacent
edges of the two angle iron or other conductors.
When reaching a switch the faces of the inner and adjacent conductors are cut
so as to fit together and form practically a single one terminating in a spring tongue
which is forced out as the collector passes and forms a support for it until it gets
upon the main liné conductors, after which the tongue returns to its normal position.
Said tongue may of course be actuated mechanically if preferred.

page_text: The return current may pass by the rails or may be returned through a
travelling slipper carried on conductors supported by the saddle piece but insulated
therefrom.
1000
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Applicant's Agent.
Improved Means for Conducting and Collecting Currents in Electric
Rail or Tramway Systems.
1 MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH of Royal Insurance Buildings Halifax in the County
of York Engineer 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 relates to that class of rail or tramway systems in which the
electric current is taken from a main conductor and is used to actuate a motor carried
by the car.
The invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts the nature
of which is hereinafter described, with reference to what are known as overhead
systems, although the invention may be adapted for underground or side systems. .
The component parts of this invention are applicable to tram and railways
generally. In this specification they are described with special reference to tunnels
or subways.
Fig. 1. (Sheet 1) is an end elevation and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of a tunnel
with a single track. The main supply cables 1. 1 may be placed in suitable troughs 2
under the sleepers Fig. 1 but I prefer supporting them at the sides by brackets 3.
(In ordinary tunnels containing two lines of rails, the main cables may be placed
between them.) From the main cables 1 an insulated wire 4 passes through a box 5
containing a switch & "cut out" to the exposed conductor 6 held in insulated
supports, 7' from these conductors the current is taken by means of the collectors 8
and flexible cable 9 to the motor on the car or train. The exposed conductors 6 may
be in sections of lengths to be determined by the traffic and other circumstances and
each section having a separate connection with the main cable they are independent.
one of another. Where the traffic is heavy they are arranged in duplicate as shown
at Fig. 1. so that should a section upon one side of the tunnel become deranged the
section on the other side would be available.
Figs. 3&4 (sheet 2) show in detail a method of constructing the exposed con-
ductors 6. 6. are the conductors of angle iron or other metal bolted to the supporting
saddle 10 which spanning over them leaves room for the gatherer 8 to roll or slide
upon their surfaces whilst the mechanical and electric connections with the car or

page_text: train passes through the slot or space between them. The saddle 10 may be held by
a bolt 11 that passes through an insulator 12 supported by the bracket 7 which may
be of wood or metal as circumstances may require. In order to lessen the risk of
fracture of the insulators through vibration, india rubber leather, or other yielding
material is introduced at 13. 13 and to further secure insulation the nut of the bolt is
covered by a cap 14.
Electric connection may be made between the insulated cable and the exposed
conductor in the manner shown by the wire 4 or the wire could be taken to the
nut 11 or attached direct to the conductor 6.
A modification is shown in Figs. 5 & 6 (sheet 3) where the saddle is provided
with an aperture containing the insulator 12 and the whole can be supported by a
rope, bolt, pin or other device passing through the hole in the insulator. When
wires, cables, or rods of circular section are employed as the exposed conductors they
may be attached to the saddle in the manner shown in Figs. 5. 6 & 7 thus preserving
uniformity of surface for the passage of the slider 8 over the point of attachment,
15 is hard sheet metal bent into the form shown 16 is a metal block fitted into 15 and
hollowed on the under side to fit the rod 17, the ends of the saddle 18 are also hollowed
on the upper surface for the reception of the rod 17, and have a space or cavity in
the middle.
By laying the rod 17 in the hollow across the cavity and placing the block 16 over it,
then by means of a clamp pressing against the heel 19 the rod can be bent into
the cavity, Fig. 7, until the holes in the sheet 15 and fixings 18 are brought opposite
one another when the bolt 20 is inserted and the attachment sécured.
Figs. 8. 9. 10. 11 (sheet 4) illustrate two forms of collectors or gatherers, but I do
not limit myself to these devices, 21. 21. 21 are the shoes or contact makers. In
order that they may accommodate themselves to any inequality between the two
conductors they are in Figs. 8 & 9 attached to springs 22. 22 and in Figs. 10, 11 & 4
they are pivoted to rocking bars 23. 23 these and also the springs 22 are attached to
stems 24 that pass between the adjacent edges of the two angle iron or other con-
ductors, and are coupled together by a flexible strip 25. Electrical & mechanical
attachments can be made between these collectors and the cars by any modification
of the methods for which patents have previously been granted to me.
It will be seen that these collectors are easily lifted when required from their
position on the conductors; in Fig. 8 a strap 26 of leather or other insulating material
is shown for this purpose.
Figs. 12 & 13 (sheet 5) show how readily this system lends itself to the formation
of points and crossings in Fig. 12 the inner and adjacent conductors 27. 27 are cut so
as to fit together and form practically a single one terminating in a spring
tongue 28 which is forced out as the collector passes and forms a support for it
until it gets upon the main line of conductors 29 after which the tongue returns
to its norinal position.
Where moveable points are required for guiding the collector in either direction
at a branch the tongue 30 (Fig. 15 & 15a) can be actuated mechanically by a
lever 31 operated from the same source that moves the rail points that controls the
direction of the train.
Fig. 13 is a plan of a crossing and Fig. 14 a vertical section of the same through
line A-B. Figs. 16 & 17 show a method of dealing with points when a single
conductor is used.
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 exposed conductors for electric traction the employment of dual conductors
supported by saddles and insulated, substantially as illustrated and described.
2. When solid rods or strands are used as exposed electric conductors, the attach-
ment of them to the supporting device in a manner.substantially as illustrated. and
described,

page_text: 3. The combination of the main insulated cables, switch boxes, connecting wires
and exposed conductors, as and for the purpose illustrated and described.
4. Exposed electric conductors so arranged that the gathering device can be
supported by, and rub against, or slide upon the upper surface, whilst the mechanical
attachment for moving or propelling the same is actuated from below in the manner
substantially as illustrated and described.
5. In exposed electric conductors the construction of points, crossings and switches
substantially as illustrated and described.
6. In combination with electric conductors automatically adjustable collectors with
renewable shoes or contact making parts substantially as and for the purpose illustrated
and described.