Improvements relating to Electric Railways.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Electric Railways.
I MICHEL ANGELO CATTORI of Piazza Colonna, Palazzo Wedekind, Rome, in
the Kingdom of Italy Sea Captain, 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 mainly consists in the method of arranging the circuit breaker
which serves for breaking or closing the circuit, as the case may be, between the
single sections which form the electric conductor for series system electric railways,
or for parallel railways whose current conductors feed the sections in shunt.
The main feature of the circuit breaker consists in the special mechanical means
for operating it.
In my improved circuit breaker I avoid the use of all flexible or spring action
parts and all electro magnetic operation so as to avoid every possibility of accidental
changes or damages during its operation and in order to attain those conditions
which are necessary for a good practical service.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing the way in which the
circuit breaker is arranged in the conduit of a series system electric railway.
Figure 2 is a cross section showing the conduit for the arrangement of the
underground conductor.
Figure 3 is a plan side elevation and cross section of the contact piece for taking
the current with a double inclined surface.
Figure 4 is a cross section of the circuit breaker and contact piece, the contact
being shown open.
Figure 5 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the operation of the inclined
surfaces with the circuit for series system electric railways and
Figure 6 is also a diagrammatical view showing the operation of the inclined
surfaces, with the circuit for parallel system electric railways.
The
Referring to the drawings Figure 1 shows the way in which the circuit
breakers uu u are placed upon the ends of the single sections 81 82 8³ etc.
circuit breakers are connected with the sections in such a manner as to allow for
the expansion or contraction of the parts of the conductor according to the
temperature.
The general arrangement is as follows:--At the two sides of each switch box
vertically corresponding with the direction of the conductor I arrange a bronze
arm bent in the form of a one side of which supports the switch box, the lower
part being entered by the conductor whilst the opposite side is screwed into the
insulator which then serves in connection with the other insulator at the other side
for supporting the whole of the heads of the sections and of the switch box.
It is obvious that the switch box may be made of insulating material the circuit
breaker being arranged inside of it, and in such case the insulating material would
act as an insulating support.
Figure 2 shows one form of conduit in which the current L is supported by an
insulator screwed under the sole of the rail. R shows the position where the return
conductor could be placed.
Figure 3 shows the sliding contact piece for taking the current along the current
conductor represented by an inverted T shaped iron. This figure shows the
formation of contact in plan, longitudinal and sectional views.
At the two long sides of the said sliding contact are arranged two wings or blades
of suitable thickness. This thickness serves to determine the outer edges f¹ f' so

page_text: as to make a curve or an inclined surface which will form the angle a with the
direction of the conductor. These wings are so arranged that the inward part of
one corresponds with the projecting part of the other so that the outside edges of
the two maintain a constant distance in the developement of their form.
Figure 4 shows a section of the circuit breaker and sliding contact with inclined
surfaces ff and conductor L having an inverted T shape. C is the center
around which moves the cylindrical body k for shifting the circuit breaker. a' a' are
two arms extending radially from the cylindrical body k.
Under the said cylindrical body k stands the disconnecting lever which being
moved at one side enters into the fork 9 thus closing the circuit, whilst if moved in
the opposite direction it leaves the fork and thus breaks the circuit.
The said lever is moved by the wings f₁f entering into the opening formed by
the arms a¹ a² and according to the direction of the movement it opens or closes the
circuit on account of the direction of the projection of the wings running alongside
the sliding contact for taking the current.
Figure 5 shows the working of the contacts with their respective inclined surfaces
in circuit for electrical series traction. L is a single conductor of the current
divided into sections 81 $8 etc. u¹ u³ ³ u are the circuit breakers which in their
normal position are closed; in the said figure they are represented in the form of
wedges ¹³ kt. These wedges carry arms with rollers between which the
inclined surface contacts C', C2, for taking the current may slide.
m² m² are the motors of the locomotive. The circuit is shown by the arrows.
The train moves in the direction shown by the larger arrow.
The contact for taking the current C³ passes over the circuit breaker and its
inclined surfaces therefore draws out the wedge k³ from the ends of the sections 338*
thus leaving the circuit open between these two sections. The contact Centers
between the rollers a¹ a³ of the circuit breaker u and thus by means of inclined
surface, and arm a forces the wedge between the ends of the sections and so
as to close the circuit left open by the passage of the preceding contact C' between
these sections.
In case the locomotive should stop for an instant or go backwards the contact C*
would close the circuit breaker by means of f2 and a² but the circuit breaker u²
would remain open.
It is evident that whatever be the movement of the vehicle or train, if the
distance between the two contacts for taking the current is greater than the longest
section of the conductor, there must always be between them an open circuit breaker,
and that when a circuit breaker has been opened or closed by the contact there must
always be at least one circuit breaker between the two contacts thus avoiding in a
positive manner all possibilities of sparking.
Figure 6 shows the inclined surface contacts for taking the current applied to the
parallel system.
LL is the main conductor of the current; R R is the return conductor L L is
the conductor divided into sections g² 82 83 84. C'C' are the two sliding contact
pieces.
The direction of the current is shown by the small arrows and the direction in
which the locomotive is moving by the large arrows.
The operation of the inclined surfaces is the same as above described for the
series system, with the exception that the circuit breakers on the passage of the
inclined surfaces connect the section with the main conductor of the current.
It is evident that the movement of the circuit breakers is not limited to the
circular movement as shown in Figure 4 such movement may be straight as shown
diagrammatically in Figures 5 and 6.
The wings f¹ may thus be made of flexible material as for instance fibre or
steel springs.
If such system of contacts be applied to aerial lines it is evident that the circuit
must be placed in insulating material which at the same time would serve as a
support for the line. The said line may be conveniently formed of iron tubes,

page_text: 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 :-
The method of opening or closing an electric circuit formed of sections for
working electric railways by means of a circuit breaker as shown diagrammatically
in Figure 4 of the drawing operated by a sliding contact piece as shown diagram-
matically in Figure 3 in combination with the inclined surfaces as herein before
described and illustrated with reference to Figures 3, 5, and 6 of the drawings.
Dated this 29th day of March 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.