Improvements in or connected with Conduits for Electric Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1896-Accepted, 29th Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Conduits for Electric Railways
and Tramways.
WILLIAM COPE 127 Bristol Road Birmingham Journalist, 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 :-
The chief object of this invention is to secure a perfectly safe use of the conduit
system of electric traction; protected from wet, & while being within two feet of
the surface it is easy of access for examination & repairs though inaccessible to
any person not employed in running cars on the system.
For this purpose a slot rail E. E Sheets 1 & 2 is provided between the rails on
which the cars are run. The slot may be from half an inch to an inch in the
opening. Beneath the slot is a hollow space or passage G Sheets 1 & 2 channelled
at the bottom so as to carry off storm water. The bottom of the passage is to be
from eighteen to twenty-four inches from the top of the slot rails. This passage
which is to receive the insulator arrangement (A Sheets 1 & 2) may be constructed
with two halves of an iron or an earthenware pipe with extended sides (F Sheet 2)
so as to connect with the slot rails. Or it may be constructed as shown in the
drawings (Sheet 1). Here the passage is constructed with iron sides (F F Sheet 1)
surrounded with concrete. Within this passage (F F Sheet 1) or within the
pipe (F F Sheet 2) is an irregularly shaped (A Sheets 1 & 2) of earthenware,
pottery, cr some other approved non-conducting material. This is shaped as shown
in the drawing (Sheets 1 & 2) with a ridge so as to convey away on the side
opposite to the conduit rail any surface water or other matter from the road that
may find its way down through the open slot. This insulator channel is made
with a square bottom so that it may readily drop into the space provided for it in
the concrete or other floor of the passage. Or should iron or earthenware pipes
be used the bottom of the insulator channel will rest upon webs provided for
that purpose at the joints. The insulator channel has a copper rail (B Sheets 1 & 2)
running through it in a groove provided for that purpose in the bottom; another
may also be inserted in the top (B Sheets 1 & 2) so that one or two currents or
alternately either the upper or the lower rails may be used. A bead may be
provided in the place of one of the rails of the same material as the channel for
the purpose of making the wheel (D Sheets 1 & 2) run steadily. One or two
wheels may be used grooved so as fit the rails. The electric power is conveyed
to the motor in the car by means of a conductor (C Sheets 1 & 2) shaped as in
the drawing. This conductor is covered with non-conducting material, from the
wheels to the point of contact with the machinery. Man-holes would he placed
at intervals along the route. Where these are made the sides of the passage will
be so arranged as to give easy access to the insulator channel for any purpose that
may be required.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
In or connected with conduits for electric railways and tramways

page_text: A new form of tube, or passage; and
A new form of conductor for transmitting the current from the conduit rail to
the car or carriage.
Dated this Second day of June 1896.
WILLIAM COPE.