Currents in Electric Tramways and Railways.
Year: 1885

page_text: Currents in Electric Tramways and Railways.
I, MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH of Royal Insurance Buildings, Halifax, in the
County of York, Consulting Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING AND COLLECTING
OURRENTS IN ELECTRIC TRAMWAYS AND RAILWAYS to be as follows:-
This invention relates to further improvements in apparatus for the purposes
aforesaid, for which various Letters Patent have been granted to me, special
reference being made to the one dated June 19th 1884 and numbered 9163.
The object of these improvements is to facilitate the construction of the line and
the renewal of the electric conductors when they become worn or damaged ; and
for this purpose instead of securing the insulators for holding the electric conductor
in or to the sides of the channels as described in the Specification of Patent N° 9163
A.D. 1884, I cause the insulators to be held or clamped to or near the roof of the
channel, in such a manner that by lifting a cap or cover the insulators can be easily
fixed or removed.
I still preferably employ two conductors; they may be of the forms previously
described or of solid rod or flexible cable; in all cases the attachments supporting
them are preferably placed alternately and not immediately opposite one another.
It is not necessary that the conductors should be rigidly straight between their
supports but they may hang or bag, as telegraph wires do between their poles.
The electric collectors or runners, instead of running upon or against the
conductors as before, run under them and are flexibly attached to the outer skid
or trolly which runs upon the surface of the road.
By this means the mechanical construction of the channel may be completed and
the electrical attachments afterwards added by running the conductor cables in or
through the channel and then, at the hand-holes, lifting them up and securing them
to the insulated supports.
Dated this Sixth day of May 1885.
GEORGE DAVIES,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Full details of the conductor and of its insulating suspenders are shewn at
Figs. 9 and 10, sheet 4, the wood blocks 5 which rest on the projecting ribs 6 of
the iron forming the surface of the channel, clip or span the neck of the insulator 4
provide with a booked stud or other like contrivance for attachment to the
conductors the wedge 7 secures the several parts firmly in position, whilst the
covers 8 cast in lengths are removable so as to afford free access.
Fig. 11 shows a method whereby the porcelain insulator is dispensed with by
using a strong and well insulated wire or band clamped between two pieces of
wood or other material resting upon the ribs 6.
When the electric channel forms part of or is in combination with the tram rail
a separate channel groove is provided and a single or one sided conductor, is
preferable as illustrated by side elevation Fig. 3 and cross sections Figs. 7 and 19,
with this arrangement a difficulty would occur at the points as the rail point and
channel point cannot be coincident, to provide for which at Fig. 3ª special con-
structions of the tramway are shewn by differently dotted lines A and B, so as to
make the combination practicable.
It will be seen that the channel at the passing place may change sides, this
would necessitate the collector attached to the car having sufficient lateral
movement to follow the channel.
Different sections of the chairs used in the foundation of the channel are
illustrated by Figs. 4. 5. 6 and 9, sheets 2. 3. and 4, in which the outer faces are
provided with ribs or flanges 9 round which are bent metal plates 10 filling the
space intervening between chair and chair, these plates are secured in position by
means of pins or cotters 11 passed through holes in the webs 12 of the chair-The
edges of the plates being held against the chairs and against the metals forming the
surface of the road exclude any extranious matter from the channel.
The wing 13 see Fig. 5 is employed as a means of attachment to the rail tie
bar 14.
In order to facilitate the fixing and removal of the rails forming the side of the
opening in the surface of the channel the bolt hole in each chair is made with an
upward slot 15. see Figs. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 and 10, so that by slackening the nuts the
rail and bolts can be lifted together-when fixed the nut is protected and locked
by means of the cap 15º.
Methods for securing and tightening the ends of the suspended conductors are
illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13-In Fig. 12 by means of a block 27 and screw 28-
In Fig. 13 by means of a block 29 provided with teeth engaging with a rack 30.
Collectors adapted to work with the conductors described are illustrated in
Figs. 17. 18. 19. 20. and 21.
Figs. 17. 18. and 19 shew how rollers 16 may be employed as contact makers-
Figs. 20 and 21 shew skids or shoes 17 both gathering from the underside of the
conductors-The flexible attachments may either be within the channel by the
springs 18. or the sheathed conductor passing through the surface slit may be free
to rise or fall controlled by the cross bar 19 and springs 20-This combination is
applicable to overhead as well as underground work.
Fig. 22 illustrates the general plan of a line when a main insulated cable 21 is
employed and shows how different sections of the exposed conductors 2 and 3
may be connected or disconnected from the main cable by means of the switch 22.
the switch is placed as shewn in order that one switch may control two sections of
the line. 23 is the switch terminal connected with the cable, terminals 24 and 25
are connected by insulated wires with the exposed conductors 2 and 3 the switches
are contained in boxes with removable covers.
The insulated cable 21 may be laid in a suitable trough at the bottom of the
channel 1. Fig. 14 or in a separate trench alongside the channel 21 or any con-
venient part of the road, or it may be laid in the gutter troughs 21° forming the
cover of the channel!-Fig. 15 shews an enlarged view of the same-In an intricate
system of tramways it may be necessary to employ two or more main cables and
lay them where they are easy of access for repairs or renewals in which case they

page_text: could be supported on brackets 26 on either side of the channel as illustrated
in Fig. 16.
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. The flexible conductors suspended at opposite alternate points as and for the
purpose herein fully described and illustrated by drawings, Figs. 1. 2. 4. and 16.
2. The flexible conductor or conductors combined with insulated suspenders as
described and substantially as illustrated by Figs. 3. 9. 10 and 11.
3. The combination of chairs and plates forming the channel constructed as
described and substantially as illustrated by Figs. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8 and 9 of the annexed
drawings.
4. The construction of chairs having slots 15 locking cap 15ª and bolts all in
combination for purpose described and as illustrated by annexed drawings.
5. The combined channel and rail chair and conductor or conductors as illus-
trated by Figs. 7 and 19, of the annexed drawings.
6. The points and crossing constructed as illustrated by Fig. 3* for purpose and
as herein fully described.
7. The insulated cable, centre channel, exposed conductors and switches combined
and substantially as illustrated by Figs. 14. 15. 16 and 22 of the annexed drawings
and herein fully described.
DJ ....
100
M. HOLROYD SMITH.