Improved Details of Electric Tramways and Railways, on a Road Surface Sectional Contact System.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1898-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1899
Improved Details of Electric Tramways and Railways, on a Road
Surface Sectional Contact System.
WILLIAM ALDRED, 5, Brightside Bank, Brightside, Sheffield, Engineer, GEORGE
CARR, Hawthorn Cottage, Smilter Lane, Crabtree, Sheffield, Contractor. We do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
a
18
of
an
This improvement relates to the arrangement of the interior parts of the magnetic
switch boxes which are placed in and under the track between the running rails
of a surface contact tramway as described in William Aldred's Patent 5391, 1894
and the manner of running the leads from the main cable or feeder to and thro
the said switch boxes, also the method of attaching and the detail working of the
contact brushes under the car. In describing these boxes, we provide
metal box of suitable shape, with a movable top cover, this cover
used for the
electrical contact
purpose
111 connection, thro
the brushes with the motor on the car, on the underside of this cover, inside
the box, attached securely are two cores of a small electro magnet, and two brackets,
the two cores are wound suitably and form the electro magnets of the switch box,
firmly secured to the brackets is an insulating plate, fastened to this plate is a flat
metallic spring, bent at a right angle, one end of this spring carries an iron
armature this armature being so placed as to come in contact with the poles of the
electro magnet (previously mentioned,) when the magnet is energised from without
by the storage cell's carried on the car. At the extreme end's of the armature and
immediately at the point of contact, are placed two zinc or copper disc's, two dise's
are likewise placed on the opposing poles of the electro magnet.
The angle of the spring to which the iron armature is attached is free to move
under the influence of the electro magnet, part of the other angle of this spring
is attached firmly to the insulating plate, the extreme end of this part of the spring
is bent in a manner to constitute a short spring, free to move up and down when
under pressure, this part is bent under the bottom-side of the insulating plate, this
short spring forms a contact with a metallic plate or strip carrying the main
current, which we will now describe. On the bottom of the box we place another
insulating plate, on this plate fastened securely is placed a plate or strip of copper
or brass with two binding posts, one at each end. This plate or strip is placed
across the box, so as to correspond with holes drilled in the side of the boxes, at
opposite ends of the same, the object of this, is to enable us to connect up several
boxes in series with the main current and so reducing the number of joints required
to be made in the main cable or feeder. The contacts for the storage cell current
to energise the electro magnet is very similar to the manner for the main current,
two strip's of metal are fastened to the bottom insulating plate and two spring's
attached
the
to
underside of the
by the
insulating plate attached
brackets to the cover these two strip's and spring's make contact with
each other. The magnet wires are soldered to the springs, and the leads from

page_text: the storage cells are brought to binding posts on the strips. The method of sup-
port and arrangement of the sliding brushes underneath the car is as follow's-
Two flat bar's one on each side of the car is supported by set screw's to the under-
side of the axle boxes, these bars support at interval's, pieces of wood or the like,
these wooden pieces are placed transversely across from one bar to the other, under-
neath the car and bolted to the same, holes are drilled in the wooden pieces, and
bolts are placed thro them, so as to hang vertically and move up and down easily
the sliding brushes are attached to the bottom end of these bolts in a suitable
manner.
Dated 2nd day of l 1000
WILLIAM ALDRED.
GEORGE CARR.
Improved Details of Electric Tramways and Railways, on a Road
Surface Sectional Contact System.
We, WILLIAM ALDRED, 5, Brightside Bank, Sheffield, Engineer, and GEORGE
CARR, of Hawthorn Cottage, Smilter Lane, Crabtree, Sheffield, Contractor, do
hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement: —
Our invention relates to improvements in the arrangement of the interior parts
of the magnetic switch boxes which are placed in and under the track between the
running rails of a surface contact tramway, such as is described in William Aldreds
Patent, No, 5391, A.D. 1894, and in the manner of running the leads from the
main cable or feeder to and through the said switch boxes, also the method of
attaching, and the detail working of the contact brushes under the car.
The nature of our invention will be better understood on reference to the accom-
panying sheet of drawings, in which:
Fig. 1, is a diagrammatic side elevation of an electrically propelled tramway car,
shewing the arrangements by which the contact brushes are suspended below the
body of the car, the position of the magnetic switch boxes placed in and under the
track, likewise the position of the cables and the mode of making the connections.
Fig. 2, is a similar end elevation of the same.
Fig. 3, is a sectional elevation of one of our improved left hand or main current
magnetic switch boxes, taken on the line, E, F, (Figs. 5, and 6).
Fig. 4, being a plan of the same, with the lid and its attachments removed.
Fig. 5, is another section of the same, taken on the line, A, B, the spring U,
being removed (Fig. 6).
Fig. 6, is a plan in section through the line, C, D, (Fig. 5,).
Fig. 7, is a sectional elevation of a right hand or return switch box, on the
line, E, F, (Figs. 5 & 6,).
Fig. 8, is a plan of the same with the lid and its attachments removed.
The same letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
We carry out our invention as follows:
We construct our magnetic switch boxes, A, in metal of a suitable shape with
a movable top cover, B, to each box. This cover, B, is used for the purpose of an
electrical contact in connection through the brushes, C, with the motor on the
car, D).
On the underside of this cover, B, inside the box and attached securely
thereto, are two cores, E, F. of an electro magnet, F, F, likewise to the underside

page_text: of the cover are cast or otherwise secured two brackets, G, G. The two cores, E, E,
are suitably wound and form the electro magnet, F, F, of the switch box.
Firmly secured to the brackets, G, G, is an insulating plate, H, and fastened
to this plate is a flat metallic spring, I, bent at right angles; one end of this spring
carries an iron armature, J, so placed as to come in contact with the poles of the
electro-magnet, F, F, previously mentioned, when the magnet is energized from
without by the storage cells carried on the car.
At the ends of the armature, J, and immediately opposite the point of contact,
are placed two zinc or copper discs, K, K. Two discs, L, L, are likewise placed
on the opposing poles of the electro magnet.
The angle of the spring to which the iron armature, J, is attached, is free to move
under the influence of the electro magnet, part of the other angle of this spring is
attached firmly to the insulating plate, H, the lower end of this part of the spring
is bent in a manner to constitute a short spring, I', free to move up and down
when under pressure, this part is bent below and to the front of the insulating
plate, H, and forms a contact with a metallic plate or strip, M, carrrying the main
current which we will now describe.
On the bottom of the switch box, we place another insulating plate, N. On this
plate, N, and fastened securely thereto, is placed the plate or strip of copper or
brass, M, previously described, with two binding posts, 0, 0¹, one at each end.
This plate or strip, M, is placed across the box so as to be in line and correspond
with the holes, P, P1, which are drilled or otherwise formed in the sides of the switch
box opposite each other. The object of this is to enable the several switch boxes
being connected up in series through leads, Q, with the main cable, R, thereby
reducing the number of joints to be made in the main cable or feeder. Thus a
number of switch boxes are connected together in groups so that one lead, Q, from
the main cable will connect each group.
Parallel with each left hand or main current switch box, A, Figs. 3 and 4, and
opposite to one another we place a right hand or return switch box, A', Figs. 7
and 8. These boxes are placed together in pairs, and each return box is connected
with a separate lead, Q, to the return cable, R¹. These pairs of left and right
hand switch boxes, A and A', are placed apart longitudinally so that the brushes, C
and C. of the car are always in contact with one pair, and for short intervals with
two pairs as shewn in Fig. 1, and 2.
The contacts for the storage cell current to energize the electro-magnet in the
switch boxes, are very similar to those shewn for the main current. Two strips
of metal, S, T, are fastened to the bottom insulating plate, N, and two springs, U, V,
attached firmly to the insulating plate H. These two strips S, T, and their
springs, I, V, make contact with each other respectively.
The magnet wires are soldered to the springs, U, V, and the lead, Q2, from the
storage cells, which are carried on the car, D, is brought to the binding post, 02,
on the strip, S.
The method of support and arrangement of the sliding brushes, C and C¹, under-
neath the cars, is as follows. Two flat bars, W, W¹, one on each side of the car
are supported by set screws to the underside of the axle boxes, these bars support
at intervals, pieces of wood or the like insulating material, X1, X2, X3, placed
transversely across from one bar to the other underneath the car, and bolted to
the same.
Suitable holes are drilled in the wooden cross pieces, X', X³, and X.
and bolts are placed through them so as to hang vertically and move up and down
easily. The sliding brushes (, (", are attached to the bottom end of these bolts
as shewn.
The action of our improved arrangement is as follows:
First. The mode of conveying the current from the main cable through the
switch boxes to the car motor and thence through the switch boxes to the return
cable. The current is taken from the main cable, R, by a lead, Q, to the left hand
switch box, A. through the hole, l', to the binding post, O, thence along the brass
plate, M, to the spring, I, and to the iron armature, J, from which it is communi-

page_text: cated through the zinc or copper discs, K, K, to the zinc or copper discs, L, L,
on the opposing poles of the electro magnet, F, F, and through the cores, E, E,
to the cover, B, which is in contact with the sliding brush, C, underneath the car.
The current is then taken from the brush, C, by a lead to the motor switch in the
car and thence to the motor. After passing round the motor the current is taken
by a lead to the sliding brush, C, and from thence through the cover, B,,of the
switch box, A¹, to the cores, E, E, and to the copper discs, L, L, on the opposing
poles of the electro magnet from which it is passed to the copper discs, K, K, on
the armature, J, thence through the spring, I, to the plate, M, and to the binding
post, 0, from which it is conveyed by a lead, Q', through the hole, Y, to the
return cable, R¹.
Second. The mode of energizing the electro magnets in the switch boxes from the
storage cells placed in the car. A lead is taken from one of the poles of the storage
cell or cells which are carried on the car, to a brush which runs in contact with
one of the axles of the car, a lead, Q2, is then taken from the tram rail through
the hole, Z, to the inside of the left hand switch box, A, to the binding post, 03,
through the plate, S, to the spring, U, then to the electro magnet by the wire which
is soldered to the spring, U, After passing round the electro magnet the ener-
gizing current is conducted to the spring, V, by the wire which is soldered thereto.
The current then passes from the spring, V, through the plate, T, to the binding
post, 03, from which it passes outwards again through the hole, Z, to the com-
panion box, A', which it enters through the hole, Z, to the binding post, 05, and is
thence transmitted through the plate, T₁, to the spring, VI, and thence by the wire
to the electro magnet which is soldered to this spring, V, the wire conveying the
current from the electro magnet is then fastened to the cover, B, of the switch
box, A', from whence it passes to the brush, C, of the car and is then taken by
a lead back to the other pole of the storage cell thereby completing the circuit.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the current in the leads from the storage
cells in the car may be made alternately positive or negative, i.e. in the case of one
of the cars the right hand lead may be positive and the next following car the right
hand lead may be negative or vice versa thereby reversing the magnetic polarity
of the electro magnets in the switch boxes alternately with every succeeding car
this may be done by so connecting up the storage cells on the cars to produce this
effect the object being to prevent the possibility of the armature sticking to the
poles of the electro magnets when working.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In electrical tramways and railways, the particular arrangement and combi-
nation of parts and appliances inside the main current switch boxes, A, comprising
the fixing and securing to the lid, B, of the said switch boxes, A, the cores E, E,
of the electro magnet, F, F, the insulating plate, H, attached to the brackets, G, G,
the armature, J, and the contact spring or springs, I, II, also the contact springs U
and V, so that on the removal of the lid, B, of the said switch box the several parts
connected or attached thereto can be lifted out of the box and rendered more
accessible in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein described
and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
2. The particular arrangement and combination of parts and appliances inside
the return current switch boxes, A¹, comprising the fixing and securing to the
lid, B, of the said switch box, the cores, E, E, of the electro-magnet, F, F, the
insulating plate, H, attached to the brackets, G, G, the armature, J, and the con-
tact spring or springs, I, I', also the contact spring, V₁, so that on the removal of
the lid, B, of the said switch box, the several parts connected or attached thereto,
can be lifted out of the box and rendered more accessible in the manner and for the
purposes substantially as herein described and illustrated.

page_text: 3. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances by means of which
a group of several main current switch boxes, A, may be connected together and
placed in rows longitudinally with the tram rails, such groups being connected to
the main cable, R, by a single lead, Q, in the manner and for the purposes substan-
tially as herein described and illustrated.
4. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances by means of which
the return current switch boxes, A¹, corresponding to the companion main current
switch boxes, A, described in Claim, 3, are placed in rows longitudinally with the
tram rails, each such switch box, A¹, being connected by a separate lead, Q', to the
return cable, R¹, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
5. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances by means of which
the contacts from the storage cells on the car are automatically made so that the
electro magnets, F, F, in both the switch boxes, A, and A¹, may be energized,
and under certain conditions their magnetic polarity reversed, in the manner and
for the purposes substantially as herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 21st day of December 1898.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicants.