Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1886
Complete Left, 27th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Oct.. 1887
1, FREDERICK CHARLES ALLSOP, of Bexley, in the county of Kent, Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved method of conducting and collecting the
current on electrical tramways and railways whereby I greatly simplify the appliances
employed therefor and effect a great saving in the usual loss from leakage.
In carrying out my invention I employ a continuous prime conductor supported on
insulators and contained in a channel or casing formed by the side of one rail and
suitable side plates. The top of the channel comes flush with the road or rail, a slof
running the entire length of the line being formed by the rail and the other side of
the channel. Above the usual or prime conductor and inside the channel I provide a
second conductor not continuous but formed in sections, such sections being entirely
insulated one from the other from the channel and from the usual conductor. Each
section of my additional conductor is by reason of its elasticity or from being hinged
and weighted capable of being depressed independently by pressure acting downward
through the slot and when so depressed such section will make contact with the prime
conductor and will move up on removal of such pressure. For this purpose to the
wheel or wheels of the car which runs or run on the rail serving to forin the channel
an insulated rim is fixed which running in the slot depresses each section as it passes
so as to make contact with the prime conductor and collect the current. From the
said insulated rim the current is collected in any suitable manner such as by means of
a spring affixed to the frame of the car and from there by a wire or the like to the
motor.
In some cases the insulated rim may collect directly from the prime conductor
without the intervention of the sectional conductor.
Suitable provision is made for draining the channel containing the conductors.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: 1, FREDERICK CHARLES ALLSOP, of Bexley, in the county of Kent, Electrical
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 :-
My invention relates to an improved method of conducting and collecting the
current on electrical tramways and railways whereby I greatly simplify the appliances
employed therefor and effect a great saving in the usual loss from leakage.
In carrying out my invention I employ a continuous prime conductor supported on
insulators and contained in a channel, casing or conduit formed by the side of one
rail and suitable side plates. The top of the channel is flush with the road or rail,
a slot running the entire length of the line being formed by the rail and the other
side of the channel. Above the usual or prime conductor and inside the channel I
provide a second conductor not continuous but formed in sections, such sections
being entirely insulated one from the other, from the channel, and from the usual
conductor. Each section of my additional conductor is by reason of its elasticity or
owing to its being hinged and weighted, capable of being depressed independently
by pressure acting downward through the slot and when so depressed such section
will make contact with the prime conductor and will move up on removal of such
pressure. For this purpose, to the wheel or wheels of the car which runs or run on
the rail serving to form the channel, an insulated rim is fixed, which, running in the
slot depresses each section as it passes so as to make contact with the prime conductor
and collect the current. From the said insulated rim the current is collected in any
suitable manner such as by means of a spring affixed to the frame of the car and from
there by a wire or the like to the motor.
In some cases the insulated rim may collect directly from the prime conductor
without the intervention of the sectional conductor.
Suitable provision is made for draining the channel containing the conductors.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
how it may be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 are sections of a roadway showing the position of the iron channel,
casing, or conduit.
Figure 3 is a cross section of the iron conduit ; inside this is the strip of wood or
other insulating material e, to which is fixed the continuous conductor b; this is
preferably made of thin sheet sieel bent into the form shown. W is a section of the
car wheel the steel rim Y, of which is insulated from the rest of the wheel by
the wood or other insulating material X and pressing on the conductor b, collects the
electricity from it.
Figure 4 is a cross section of a similar conduit, but showing a different arrange-
ment for insulating the conductor b, this arrangement giving better insulation than
that previously described; e, e, are the insulators fixed to the top and side of the
conduit, the continuous conductor b, being bent to the form shown and fixed to these
insulators.
Figure 5 is a section drawn to an enlarged scale of the wheel designed for use with
the conduits of the form shown in figures 3 and 4.

page_text: Figures 6 and 7 show another form of conduit; in connection with which a wheel
of the forin shewn in figures 7 and 17 is used. The insulated rim Y is fixed to one
side of the wheel and is insulated from it by the wooden rim X; a, is the iron
conduit; b, is the continuous conductor through which the current of electricity is
always flowing; d, is a thin steel plate hent to the form shown and laid in sections
of about six feet in length, each section being insulated from the next by a gap of say
half an inch. To each length two or three copper contact springs, about two inches
wide are fixed, these I prefer to use one at each end and one in the middle, the wood
plank or insulating material e, to which the sections and conductor are fixed,
serving to insulate them both from one another and the conduit.
The method of working is as follows. As the car moves along, the insulated rim Y,
of the wheel W presses on the sections d, causing each section as the wheel passes
over it to be depressed, so that the contact spring c, touches the main conductor and
thus collects the electricity from it.
As the wheel moves on to the next section, the section it has left rises by reason of
its elasticity, bringing with it the contact springs which thus break contact with the
main conductor; it will be seen from this that only the section over which the car
happens to be is in contact with the main conductor. The side of the channel to
which the conductor and sections are fixed can be detached by undoing the holts m;
P is a drain pipe to allow of flushing the conduit.
Figure 8 is a cross section of the conduit showing a different arrangement of the
conductor and sections; b, is a cable supported on hooks 4, and connected by branch
wires I to contact pieces f, opposite each spring c. This arrangement operates in the
same manner as that previously described.
Figure 9 is a cross section similar to that shown in figure 8. In this case however
the conductor b, is insulated independently by the insulator n, fixed to the side of the
conduit by the support if the support his fixed to the bottom of the conduit
instead of the side, the said side can be removed for repairs without interfering with
the traffic on the other portions of the line.
:
From the insulated rim of the car wheel the electricity is collected by means of
springs fixed to the frame of the car and pressing against the insulated rim from
which the current is conducted to the motor. The return current passes through the
rails and earth. In cases, however, where it is not deemed advisable to return the
current by the earth a channel and conductor is laid each side of the line. the current
being transmitted by one and returned by the other.
Figures 10 and 11 are cross sections of the conduit in which the thin sheet steel
sections are removed iron plates d. being laid in sections as before and pivotted at
the end of each section by means of the supports s, the weight T, pulling the section
down so as to keep the contact spring e, from making contact with the conductor b.
The wheel of the car tilts each section as it passes over it and causes the contact
spring c, to make contact with the conductor b, the weight after the wheel leaves each
section pulling it back to its former position.
Figure 11 shows a wheel over a section, which is therefore depressed so as to make
contact with the main conductor.
The dotted lines in figure 11 show a cover which can be fixed so as to protect the
conductor and contacts from mud. The conduit could in this case become almost,
full of mud without interfering with the working of the line.
Figure 12 is another cross section of the conduit showing the main conductor on
insulators thus securing better insulation than otherwise.
Figure 13 shows the weight. T replaced by a spiral spring fixed in the woodwork
and acting downwards thus moving the section in the same manner as the weight
shown in the preceding figure.
Figure 14 is another cross section of the conduit. The movable section d, is here
insulated by an insulator e, fixed to the top of the conduit by the iron strap V; the
pivot of the section working in the centre of the insulator. The section d, is adapted
to fit into the slot of the track, and to close the same. As the car wheel moves over
each section, the insulated rim Y, pressing on the section d, opens the slot and causes

page_text: the spring e, to touch the conductor, thus collecting the electricity from it. On the
whee moving off that section, the pressure being removed, the section rises and
breaks contact with the main conductor b, the upper part of the section d, moving
into the slot. By this means the slot is automatically closed thus effectually keeping
out dirt and moisture. A revolving brush is preferably fixed to the frame of the
car and precedes the wheels so as to sweep all dirt away from the slot before it is
opened.
Figure 15 shows the wheel over a section and the slot opened.
Figure 16 is a perspective view of the conduit shown in section in figure 12, part
of the rail being broken away so as to show the movable section d, and the continuous
conductor b.
Figure 17 is a section of a car wheel showing a wooden boss X forced into the
wheel and having the flange Y secured thereto by means of the bolts n, the said boss
serving to insulate the wheel from the flange.
Figure 18 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 19 shows in detail the means employed for insulating the collecting flange Y,
so that it shall not touch the sides of the slot. E, E, are wooden plates. D, D, are steel
plates insulated from the flange Y by the said wooden plates. The bolts are also insulated
from the flange Y, by the bushes T. The width of the slot should be about half an
inch, and the height of the conduit about six or eight inches. Both the wheels on one
side of the car would have collecting flanges fixed to them so that the first wheel would
be on a section in front before the back wheel left a section in the rear; there would
thus be no sparking at the contacts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In electrical tramways or railways, the method hereinbefore described of trans-
mitting electrical energy to a motor on a car or other vehicle, the said method
consisting essentially in the employment of an insulated metallic flange or disc
secured to an axle on the car and adapted to bear upon an insulated conductor
arranged in a suitable groove or channel, substantially as described.
2. In an electrical tramway or railway, an insulated flexible conductor secured to
one side of the channel or conduit and adapted to be depressed by the contact
therewith of a flange or disc secured to an axle on the vehicle, substantially as
described.
3. In an electrical tramway or railway, the combination with a conductor of electrical
energy of flexible or pivoted contact pieces or sections adapted to be depressed by
the contact therewith of a flange or disc secured to an axle on the vehicle, so as to
make contact with the said conductor, substantially as described.
4. In an electrical tramway or railway a pivotted contact piece or section of the
class referred to in the preceding claiming clause, the contact end of which when in
its normal position is adapted to close the groove or slot through which the insulated
conducting flange passes, substantially as described with reference to figures 14 and 15
of the drawings.
5. In an electrical railway or framway, a channel for containing the insulated
conductor, formed by the attachment to the base of the rail of a piece of channel or
angle iron which constitutes one side of the said channel the rail itself constituting the
other side, substantially as described.
Dated the 27th day of August 1887
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.