Improvements in or relating to Conduits, Conductors, and Collectors for Electric Railways.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
TRUVIDIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Conduits, Conductors, and Collectors
for Electric Railways.
I, EDUARD LACHMANN of 15-17 Grosse Reichen Strasse Hamburg in the
Empire of Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows
This invention relates to condunts for clectic railways.
One of the principal parts of this invention consists of a subterranean curent
conducting channel or conduit, the outer walls of which are formed by two rails
running parallel to each other, which are held together by means of chairs or
supports.
These parts are first land and form a construction independent of the electric
conducting aangement which 1 tter is sub-equently built into the conduit
The
electric conducting device, hereinafter described, is then, after the laying of the
ails 16 entirely completed, inserted into the channel through the space of about
30 millimeters in width, which is formed between the heads of the rails and which
serves as the groove for the flange of the cartage wheel, the said electric conducting
device being suspended within the said chanuel oi conduit in such a manner that
parts of the conductor can be at any time exchanged for other parts, without the
outer channel or conduit being taken to pieces
The electric con luctor proper is an nged in sheet metal casings of about three
meters in length and connected in sentes; these casings are supported by hooks
and held in position against the muc wall of the web of one of the tails by means
of bolts and shoes. These casings are at the upper part thereof hermetically closed
by wedge shaped portions which consist of mulating material By this means an
cu-ons are pioluced in the upper part of the casing which seives for receiving
the groove shaped electric conductor, the said air cushions prevent the contact of
smince water with the electure conductor The wedge shape of the inserted
insulating pieces serving as transverse walls po sesses the special quality of allowing
of a easy passage of the hei catter described current iccerveis from one air-
compartment of the insertion casing to the other.
This
The electite conductor is made groove-shiped in order to receive the brushes of
the hereafter descubed current receiving aims and to guide the sand arms
groove shape of the conductor is continued into each halt of the wedge shaped
insulating pieces.
The passage from one wedge to the next as effected by the heteinbefore mentioned
groove shaped shoes so that the curent receiving arms are forced to run in these
grooves A three current receiving airns are employed for one overland railway
catinge, a complete interruption of the main conductor of electricity may take
placa in the witches. A guide groove, on a switch tongue is displaced against
another fixed groove, moving the switches so that the curent receiving arma
aualogous to the flange of the wheels will pass either in a straight line or devinte
from this line Both of sand grooves of the switches are arranged lower than the
aforesaid main current groove and each receiving am traversing the same is, as
will be hereinafter described, turned to such an extent that the connection between
the same and the carriage motor is interrupted.
The current is passed around the aforesaid guide grooves by means of a special
conductor, and a sufficient current is supplied by one receiving arm to the motor
carriage, whilst the two other arms slide along in the said guide grooves.

page_text: The aforesaid insulating wedge pieces are at their upper part perforated in the
longitudinal direction. Through this perforation passes air tight an insulated
copper wire which serves together with its adjacent wire to connect the main
electric conductor of one sheet metal casing with the main electric conductor
of another sheet metal casing. The connection of both these wires by means
of an insulating socket is effected outside the outer rail channel, and the wire
ends, touching each other inside the socket, are then forced to the channel,
after the connection bas taken place. Thereupon the sheet-metal casings are fixed
to the one web of the nil by means of bolts provided with split pin, and the
continuation of the electric conduction is effected.
The arms or catchers required for receiving the electric current must be arranged
so as to spring and to easily nove Three such arms or catchers are provided for
one railway caringe in vider that on disconnecting one arm or catcher, there will
be two more left in action Owing to the gient speed and the concussions caused
by the atoresaid wedge-pieces the aims or catchers will always tend, especially at
the points of transition between the conductor and the wedge-pieces to periodically
and abruptly spring off the electric conductor. Sparking would consequently
ensure on using only one catcher. But where two or three nins or catchers are in
action at the same time, the curient will, when one of the arms or catchers is
thrown out of contact with the electric conductor, re-enter the second aim or
catcher and thus sparking is avoided.
Morcover the thice aims or catchers are at ranged respectively in front, between
and behind the axes of the railway eniriage in order that at least one arm or
catcher be always in action, when the other aims or catchers traverse the guide
grooves of the switches.
The characteristic feature of the catcher arms, consists in having then point of
suspension and rotary axis above the rails Each arm or catcher 15 made of a bent
conducting wie, msulated with the exception of the upper and lower extremities
which are provided with an exchangeable bush, the said aim or conducting wire
being suspended by a pivot upon a sleeve This latter is capable of being slid up
and down upon a conducting cable aud is separated from the same by several
Insulating tubes. The end of the said conducting cable which leads to the
is held by a bearing on the bottom frame of the carriage, whilst the aforesaid
sleeve is retained in its lower position by means of a coll on a plunger sleeve
suspended from the conducting cable, and in its upper position by means of a pu
passing through the plunger sleeve and cable. The upper conducting extremity of
the arm or catcher is by means of a sping forced through openings in the sleeve
against the non-insulated extremity of the cable and the bush ngainst the
conductor and thus a connection is made between the conductor inside the rail
groove on the one hand and the carage-motor on the other hand. But while the
bush of one aim or catcher slides aloug in the lower arranged switch grooves, the
aim has been turned around its bearing axis to such an extent as to have bioken
contact with the cable extremity
By taking out the respective bolt each catchici am can be at any time removed
from the groove
The aforesaid sleeve is then capable of being lifted, and can be
turned around an angle of 180 degrees and slid down again The catcher aim can
then be reinserted and fixed by the aid of the said bolt, the overland carriage being
then enabled to run in the opposite dnection. The sleeve causing the catcher
arms, may also be permanently fixed in the upper position by means of a
pin. The rotatability of the 'sleeve further serves to facilitate the passing of
cul ves.
On each sleeve of the three catcher aims is fixed one of three cleaning devices.
The foremost arm is provided with a scraper which cleans and keeps the conduit or
channel free from solid substances, the second arm bas a brush fixed thereto
serving to clean the heads of the rails and on the third is ariauged a broom serving
to clean the sole of the channel. All extraneous substances are pushed forward by
these cleaming devices along the sole of the channel and fall into mud-boxes which

page_text: are arranged between the rails at distances of about 300 meters apart along
the line, and provided with perforated discharge pipes. Above the said mud boxes
the feet or lower flanges of the rails are slotted and openings formed in the ground
so that foreign matter contained in the channel will be emptied at these places into
the said mud boxes
In
The insulating wedge pieces may also be replaced by india rubber wedges or
by displaceable flaps. Said india: ubber wedges are divided centrally and then
halves are pressed together by the elastic outer sheet metal case aforesaid
this construction only a simple bent copper conducting plate need be auanged as
catcher arm which is insulated, by a cover from the point where the same moves
along inside the groove up to its brush end which is in contact with the conductor
The aim o catcher arranged in this manner traverses the two respective halves of
indiarubber wedges, though which a conducting cable passes in the same manner
as in the former instance for connecting the different couducting portions
The said groove shaped conducting portions of the conductor ate suitably held in
position by porcelain-caliers which are fixed at suitable distances apart below the
cover of the sheet-metal casing by fastenings on the walls of the sheet metal cising
Dated this 14th day of May 1895.
IIASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Sonthampton Buildings, London, W.C, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Conduits, Conductors, and Collectors
for Electric Railways.
I, EDUARD LACHMANN, of 16-17 Grosse Reichen Strassen, Hamburg, in the
Empire of Germany, 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 has relation to underground electric railways in which is arranged
a bare main line or supply conductor, and it has for its object means whereby water
that may accumulate in the underground conduit is prevented from reaching the
baie conductor and establishing a ground connection for, or diverting the main
line current, it has for its further object certain improvements in the construction
and arrangement of the main line or supply conductor; in the construction of the
contact cariying devices and switches, and in the means for keeping one of the
tiach nails as well as the undergiolind conduit fiec from obstructions and dust or
dat, as will now be fully described, reference being had to the accompanying
diawings, in which-
Figure 118 a cross sectional view of the underground conduit through one of the
sulating supports for the main line or supply conductor,
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of the said underground
conduit illustrating the mode of forming air chambers along one side of the conduit,
along which an chambers the main conductor is carried,
Figme 3 is a section on line I-I of Figure 2, and
Figures 4 and 5 are detail views ;
Figure 6 is a plan viow, and
Figure 7 a sectional side elevation of a portion of a track and underground
conduit illustrating my unproved tiam switch;
Figures 8 and 9 are transverse sections taken on line II-II of Figme 6, showing
the switch tongue in its different positions;
Figure 10 is a like siow taken on line III-III of said Figure 6,
Figure 11 is a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of like underground
conduit, illustrating one form of contact carrier ;

page_text: Figures 12 and 13 are transverse sectional views of the conduit and cartier shown
in Figure 11;
Figme 14 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the underground conduit,
and a side elevation of a portion of the motor cai and contact carriers supported
theicfiom.
Figure 15 is a transverse sectional view of an underground electie railway line
illustrating means for collecting mud and other solid substances swept along the
underground conduit
Figures 16 and 17 are sectional detail views of a preferred form of contact
carriel,
Figure 18 being a cross sectional detail view thereof.
1
One of the important features of my invention lies in the construction of the
underground conduit hereinafter referred to as the main conduit, and in the means
for establishing along one side of the same a series of au chambers open at their
lower eud, along which the main line or supply conductor hereinafter referred to as
the main conductor, is carried, the construction being such as not only to admit of
the establishment of these au chambers after the conduit has been completed, but
to admit of the removal of any one or more of the air chambers without disturbing
the main conduit. These au chambers practically form an auxiliary conduit for
the main conductor, and will hereinafter be referred to as the auxiliary conduit.
The main conduit extends along one side of the surface track and is constructed
of parallel rails a secured by bolts to suitable yokes, so as to leave a continuous
passage or slot, hereinafter referred to as the slot, between the rail heads, the outer
one of the two rails constituting one of the track rails, the slot serving not only as
a passage for the contact carrier, as usual, but also as a groove for the flanges of
the wheels on one side of the cais, see Figure 15 Along the inuer vertical face
of the outer rail I establish an auxiliary conduit open at its lower end constincted
to form a series of an chamber. The auxiliary couduit is constructed of sheet
metal casings U-shaped in section, and of such a diameter as to be readily introduced
into the main conduit through the slot thereof In practice I make these sheet
metal casings & Figmes 1, 2 and 3, about ten feet long, more or less, for convenience
of handling, and airange them in an inverted position under the head of the outer
ail of the main conduit so as to practically form a continuous dising bell auxihaty
conduit extending along the web of the said outer tail of the main conduit. The
outer side of said casings is wider than the inner side, and is supported by hook-
shaped bearers secured at suitable distances apart to the web of the outer main
condust rail, the casings being further secured to said web by means of bolts 1,
Figure 3.
The auxiliary diving bell conduit constructed as described, is divided by cross
partitions arranged at suitable distances apart into a succession of an chambers
This accomplish by filling the proximate ends of two casings, for instan. e,
with a non-conductive material m, so that the outer faces will conveige downwardly
and form reverse inchines, the lowermost edge of which is on a line with the lower
edge of the inner shorter wall of the casing k, the filled in portion being closed at
bottom by channelled ails m'. e., rails of an inverted U-shape in section, to form
a track for the contact brushes, as hercinafter described. The ever-ely inclined
tracks formed by the rails m' are budged by means of channelled bridge pieces of
shoes scented to the web of the outer main conduit rail by the bolts above
referred to. Figures 2, 4 and 5, thus forming an uninterrupted tinck from one end
of the reverse inclines to the other
The main conductor e, consists of sections of channelled metal rails e, re, of
inverted U-shape in cross section, supported from the roof of the auxiliary condut
between the partitions by means of suitable insulation supports, as porcelain
supports P, said rail sections being electrically connected at the points where the
continuity of the auxiliary conduit is interrupted by the insulation partitious m m
as follows:-
A copper wire e is embedded in the insulating material m of adjacent casings k,

page_text: the outer ends of said wines being connected with the channelled mam conductor
rails e on opposite sides of the partition formed by said insulating material while
the inner ends of said wires are connected together by insertion into an insulation
block or socket o, Figure 2, which connection is made after the partitioned sections
of the auxiliary conduit have been introduced into the main conduit, the insulation
block is then utioduced through the slot into said main conduit between adjacent
partitioned sectious, after which the latter are secured to the web of the outer main
conduit rail by means of the bolts I, and a suitable pin or key 1 passing through
the bolts, Figure 3.
It will readily be seen that should water from any cause accumulate in the main
conduit and use therein, the au in the several a tight chambers will be compressed
thereby until the pressure in said chambers is equal to the pressure of the water on
the condunt, so that if the depth of the main conduit and the length and depth of
the air chambers are properly proportioned, the water in said mam conduit will be
prevented from 11sing into contact with the main conductor e, thus preventing the
grounding of the electric ement
The bridged reverse inclines m¹³, m' present the advantage of forming inclined
tacks over which the contact bush or brushes can travel without shock or jerking
motion, as would be the case if said partitions were simple septums, such as have
heretofore been used.
Instead of constructing the partitions mas described, they may be formed by
wedge-shaped rubber blocks M. Figures 11, 12 and 13 inserted in and held between
the walls of the auxiliary conduit k to divide the same into chambers, said block>
being grooved longitudinally for the passage of the contact bushes H, the main
conductor being aanged at the upper end of the groove.
In order that the supply of current may not be interrupted when the contact
bush travels over the insulated reverse inclines m¹ m³, each motor car will be
provided with, preferably, three contact canus, at such distances apart that the
brushes of two of said carriers will be in contact with the main conductor e, while one
of them is travelling over the said reverse inclines Although two contact brushes
may be used, I prefer thiec, so as to absolutely insure a proper supply of current
to the electric motor
These contact carriers are of course so constructed that the brushes thereof can
follow the irregular track resulting from the subdivision of the auxiliary conduit
into an chambers. Inasmuch as the cars usually travel at a comparatively high
rate of speed, the passage of the contact bushes from an inclined face of the
partition to a main conductor section is a more or less abrupt one that tends to
thion the end brush out of contact with said man conductor and form an me.
This is, however, effectually avoided where a plurality of contact cuiries are
employed and so arrangel that the brush of one of the carriers is at all times in
contact with the main conductor, or 18 in contact with said conductor dining
the passage of one of the brushes from an inclined face of a partition to said
conductor.
1 propose, however, to provide means for interrupting the electric encuit when-
ever, from any cause, one of the brushes is moved out of contact with the main
conductor e. us will now be described, reference being had to Figures 14, 16, 17
and 18, which, as her embelore stated, illustrates the piele red construction of
contact carlier.
To one of the longitudinal gits of the motor car on the conduit side of the road
are secured contact brackets t, Figure 14, clectically connected together by a
suitable conductor C, and with the electric motor on the motor car by a branch
conductor C. The conductor C is electically connected, either directly or through
a bianch *conductor *, with a conductor or cable contained in and projecting
from the lower end of a tubular holders secured to the contact bracket t and
msulated from the cable + The lower end of the conduct is secured within a
socket of a cylindrical bearing, having at its lower end au annular flange or

page_text: collar which forms an abutment for and limits the downward motion of the
contact carrier proper, which is adapted to slide upon the tubulat holder s2, sand
flange or colla determining the uormal operative position of the carrier
76
The
latter consists of a sleeve s, lined with an insulating material, as shown at s', and
has sliding motion on the bearing and tubulai holder s2, said sleeve being provided
with perforated lugs in which is pivoted the contact arm, consisting of an insulated
wire terminating at one end in a contact brush and at the other end in a baie
portion that normally projects through an opening in sleeve & below the tubulai
holders, and is held in contact with the cable or conductor at a point between
sand holder and the bearing by a spring w.
The contact arm, as shown in the drawings, is suitably bent and extends under
the outer side wall of the auxiliary conduit and upwardly into the channel of the
main conductor e, with its brush in contact with said conductor
It will be observed that the contact arm is held in contact with the conductor,'
by a yielding connection, namely, the spring 10, so that whenever said arm is moved
out of its normal position, as is the case when its bush is tavelling along the
reversely inclined channelled track m of the insulated partition m, the cucuit is
interrupted, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 16
If, from any cause, it becomes necessary to remove the contact arm r, this may
be readily accomplished by simply removing its pivot pin p, when the arm may be
dropped sufficiently to clear the outer side wall of the auxiliary conduit, as will be
readily understood, and wheu so removed, its carrier may be moved up along the
holder and secured in this elevated position by means of a pint adapted to be
passed through canes, the holder and conductor, as shown in Figure 17.
From the description of the construction of the carriers and its support u, s³,
it will be understood that said cartier is evoluble upon its sand supports, so that
upon removal of the contact aim and hifting of the cater to remove its plow or
brush, hereinafter referred to, from the main conduit, said carrier can be turned
upon its support to bring the brush or plow in proper position for a reversal of the
direction of motion of the car
Instead of the contact arm r above described, a suitably bent contact plate, such
as a plate of copper G, Figues 11, 12 and 13, may be used, especially when the
partitions are constructed of rubber blocks M, as above set forth, said contact plate
being insulated by any stable material from a point where it enters the slot to
near its edge in contact with the main conductor, as shown in said Figures 11, 12
and 13, sand contact plate travelling along the channel in said rubbet blocks M
with its baie edge in contact with the main conductor, or a connecting wire for the
main conductor sections, thus providing an uninterrupted circuit throughout the line,
the channel in the blocks M extending of course from their lower edge to the
mam conductor embedded in said blocks near the 100f of the auxiliary conduit.
As herembefore stated, I prefer to employ thice contact aims and carters, one
in front and one in rear of the motor car wheels, and one between said wheels, as
shown in Figme 14, and as the partitious m in the auxiliary conduit are some
distance from one another, especially upon level or approximately level stretchies
of the road, and as said partitions are not as long as the distance between two
contact bushes, two of said brushes will at all times connect the main conductor e
with the motor, thus ensuring a sufficient supply of electricity to such motor, and
even upon steep gradients the partitions will seldom require to be placed so close
together as to prevent this, yet should this become necessary, one of the arms will
always connect the main conductor with the motor.
Inasmuch as one of the conduit rails beves also as a track inil, I prefer to
provide means for keeping this tail free from dust, dut, snow and the like, and to
this end provide one of the contact cartiers, preferably the cential one, with a
binshy Figme 14, bolted thereto It is also desnable in underground clectic
tramways to keep the main condunt free from dut and the like, especially when the
bush y referred to above is used To this end movide the real contact carrier

page_text: with a brush z, that sweeps along the floor of said conduit, and the forward carrier with
a plow or shovel that carries along such dirt and the like, the brush sweeping
along what the carrier may have left behind.
As it would not be practicable to carry the dut from one end of the line to the
other, 1 provide at suitable points along the oad collecting chambers R between
the tracks adjacent and leading to the mam conduit by a suitable opening in the
foot of the rails 2, 1, Figure 15, there being a diam S provided for water and such
solid mattei ns may be cuited by such water, while any solid matter that may
other wise accumulate in said chambers can be removed from time to time by the
removal of the cover for such chamber.
I will now describe my improved switch, referring to Figures 6 to 10, in which
indicates the switch tongue, which is of course not included in the electric circuit,
and is provided on its underside with a guide channel e¹ for the contact brush or
bare edge of plate G, said channel e registering with a corresponding diveiting
guide channel which diverts the brushes from their normal channelled track mito
the switch tongue channel e whatever may be the position of said tongue, as more
clearly shown in dotted lines in Figure 7. The guide channels and are located
below the main conductor e.
As the contact bushes move from the main conductor into the guide channels e²e',
o ele, ns the case may be, the contact arins are depressed against the stress of
their springs wo, thereby interrupting the electric circuit
It will be seen by an inspection of Figures 89 and 10, that the switch tongue n
is of a width substantially equal to the depth of the main conduit, and in order to
facilitate the movements of said tongue, I provide a suitable bearing plate laid on
the feet of the conduit rails, as shown in said figure, this construction practically
precluding the breaking of a switch tongue.
The electric connection between two main conductor sections e at the branching
of two tracks is effected by means of a wire e, Figure 6, and during the passage of
a train from one track to another one of the contact brushes remains in contact
with a main conductor section 6, and before said brush leaves the said section
another has moved in contact with the next main conductor section, the same as is
the case when the cars cross the partitions m, except that in the case of a switch
connection which requires gientei leugth of space, one brush only remains in
contact with the main conductor, whereby sufficient electricity is supplied to the
motor to canly the car or tram over the switch connection
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 electric aile ays, a main underground conduit, an auxiliary conduit open
at its lower end extending along one side of said main conduit, and partitions
having downwardly converging faces dividing said auxiliary conduit into air
chambers, for the purpose set forth.
2 In electie railways, a main underground conduit, an auxiliary conduit open
at its lower end extending along one side of sand main conduit, a main electric con-
ductor strung along the roof of the auxiliary conduit, and insulating partitions
having downwardly converging faces, dividing the auxiliary conduit into air
chambers, for the purpose set forth.
3. In electric railways, a main underground conduit, an auxiliary conduit, open
at its lower end, extended along one side of said main conduit, insulating partitions
having downwardly converging faces dividing the auxiliary conduit into air
chambers, main electric conductors extending along the roof of said air chambers,
and connecting electric conductors extending through the partitions and connecting
the main electric conductors in adjacent air chambers, for the purpose set forth.
4 In electric 1ailways, a main underground conduit, an auxiliary conduit open
at its lower end extending along one side of such main conduit, insulating partitions
having downwardly converging faces, and a space between their proximate vertical

page_text: edges, said partitions dividing the auxiliary conduit into air chambers, main
conductor sections strung along the roof of said air chambers, and electric con-
nections between said conductors consisting of two wires embedded in the misulating
material of the partitions electrically connected in a block of insulating material
in the space between the partition sections and electrically connected with the main
conductor sections of adjacent air chambers, for the purpose set forth
In electric ailways, a main underground conduit, an auxiliary conduit open
at its lower edge extending along one side of said main conduit, insulated partitions
having lower horizontal and upwardly unverging channelled faces, raid partitious
dividing the auxiliary conduit into air chambers, and a main conductor carrier
along the 100f of the auxiliary conduit, the sections of said main conductor within
the air chamber being channelled to correspond with the channels in faces of the
Jaititious, for the purpose set forth.
6 In electric railway, an underground main conduit, an auxiliary conduit open
at its lower end, partitions having downwards converging faces dividing the
auxiliary conduit into au chambers, and a main conductor caited along the roof
of the auxiliary conduit, in combination with a motor car, an electric motoi thereon,
and a contact canter electrically connected with said motor and main conductor,
said care adapted to follow the irregular track formed by the said main conductor
and partitions, for the purpose set forth.
7. An underground slotted conduit constructed of continuous rail sections of
substantially the form of railway rails the webs and feet of said rail sections
constituting the side walls and bottom of the conduit respectively, the slot for such
conduit being formed by and between the rail heads, substantially as set forth.
8. In electric railways, an underground slotted conduit the outer wall of which
is formed by one of the track rails, said slot constituting the groove for the flanges
of the wheels on one side or the cars.
9. In electric railways, an underground conduit constructed of rails, and
yokes, said inils aanged to form the conduit slot between then heads, the outer
rail serving as a tinch rail and the slot as a groove for the flanges of the wheels ou
one side of the cars, substantially as set forth.
10. In underground, electic railways the combination with the underground
conduit and the main conductor therein, of a travelling conductor and a contact
carrier tinvelling with said conductor and provided with contacts for both the
aforesaid conductors, said carei movable out of the conduit along the travelling
conductor, for the purpose set forth
11. In underground electic railways, the combination with the underground
conduit and the main conductor therein, of a travelling couductol, a contact carrier
travelling with said conductor and provided with contacts for both of the aforesaid
conductors, said carer movable out of the conduit along the travelling conductor,
and a locking device for locking the cartier against movement when out of such
conduit, for the purpose set forth.
12. In underground electric railways the combmation with the underground
conduit and the main conductor therein, of a travelling conductor and a contact
carrier provided with contacts for both of said conductors, said carrier movable out
of the conduit along the travelling conductor, and means for interrupting the
contact between said travelling conductor and one of the contacts of the cauler
when so moved, for the purpose set forth.
13. In electric ailways, the combination with a motor car and an electric
conductor depending therefiom connected with the motor on the car; of a contact
carrier arranged to revolve and slide along said conductor, and a sping controlled
contact aim hinged to the callier and adapted to contact with the conductor, for
the purpose set forth.
14 In electric railways, the combination with a motor car, an electric conductor
connected with the motor on said car a tubular holder for said conductor rigidly
connected with the car, and a cylindrical bearing to which the lower end of the
conductor 18 secured, of a contact carrier loosely mounted on said bearing

page_text: and holder, and provided with an orifice leading to the couductor between its holleı -
and the aforesaid bearing when said carrier 18 in its lowermost position, a contact
arm hinged to said carrier and provided with a contact at each end, one of said
contacts adapted to pass through the hole in the carrier into contact with the
conductor, aud a spring holding one of said contacts normally in contact with the
conductor, for the purpose set forth.
15. The combination with the motor car, the tubular support s' rigidly connected
therewith and the conductor extending through and projecting from the lower
end of said support, and the flanged bearing & secured to the lower end of the
conductor; of the carrier sleeves loosely mounted on said beating and support and
provided with a radial opening leading to the lower end of the conductor, and a
sping controlled contact aim pivoted to said sleeve and provided with a contact
projecting through the sleeve opening into contact with the conductor, for the
purpose set forth.
16 In clectic railways, the combination with the motor
car, the tubular-
support igidly connected with said car, the conductor r³ extending through said
support, and the cyhudnical flanged bearing u secured to the lower end of the
conductor below the support; of the carrier sleeve, evoluble and movable
vertically on sand bearing u and support, and provided with an opening leading
to the lower end of said conductor r', a spring-controlled contact arm pivotally
connected with the carrier sleeve and provided with a contact projecting through.
the sleeve opening into contact with the conductor, and a cleaning device, as a
brush, plow or sciaper carried by said carriet sleeve, for the purpose set forth.
17. In electric railways, the combination with the main line, the underground
conduit, the main conductor therem and a guide track as e, a branch line, its under-
ground conduit and main conductor therein and a guide track as '; of a switch
tongue provided with a guide track e' adapted to register with the aforesaid guide
tracks, for the purpose set forth.
18. In electric railwaye, the combination with the main line, the underground
conduit, the main conductor therein, a branch line, its underground conduit and
main conductor therein both conductors called along the upper portion of the
conduits, and guide tracks converging downwardly from the respective conductors,
of a switch tongue interposed between the main and branch lines, provided with a
guide track adapted to register with the terminals of the conduit tracks, and
suitable electrical connections between the main and branch line conductors, for
the purpose set forth
19. In electric railways, a main underground conduit provided with the usual
Burface slot, and an auxiliary condunt open at its lower end insertable into the main
conduit through the slot thereof, for the purpose set forth.
20 In electric railways, a main underground conduit provided with the usual
surface slot and a sectional auxiliary conduit insertable into and removable from
said main condunt through the slot thereof, and means for securing the auxilary
conduit sections to one side of the main conduit, for the purpose set forth.
21. In electric railways, a main underground conduit provided with the usual
surface slot and a sectional auxiliary conduit open at its lower end and partitioned
off into air chamber, said auxiliary conduit insertable into the main conduit through
the slot thereof, for the purpose set forth.
22. The combination with the underground slotted conduit, of an auxiliary
conduit composed of an inverted U-shaped sheet metal casing of a diameter less
thau that of the conduit slot, and having one side longer than the other, and means
for securing said casing to one of the side walls of the conduit through its slot, for
the purpose set forth.
23. The combination with the slotted underground conduit, of an auxiliary
conduit consisting of an inverted U-shaped casing of a diameter less than that of
the conduit slot and having one sile longer than the other, fastening bolts passing
through the longer side of said casing and through one of the side wall of the
conduit, and a nut for and screwing onto the outer end of said bolts whereby said
B

page_text: auxiliary conduit can be introduced into the main conduit through the slot of the
latter and secured in position from the outside of said main conduit, substantially
as set forth.
24 The combination with the underground slotted conduit, of an auxiliary
conduit consisting of an inverted U-shaped casing of a diameter less thau that of
the couduit slot, aud having one of its sides longer than the other, a wedge shaped
Biller m at each end of said casing whereby reverse inclines are formed by abutting
casшnge, means for securing the filler within the casing, bolts passing through the
longer side of said casing and through one of the walls of the main conduit, aud a
nut for screwing onto the outside of each bolt, for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 14th day of February 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.