Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 8th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 16th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of Baldwyn's Park, Bexley, in the County of
Kent, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to electric railways and has for its objects to provide an
improved system of, and means for operating, such railways.
My said invention is more especially intended for railways on which trains are to
be run at high speeds.
According to my invention I provide motors on the engine or on the carriages
of the train and I supply the current thereto from conductors extending alongside
the rails. The prime movers and generators for producing the current are
stationed at suitable intervals along the line. I preferably supply the current to
the conductors at a high potential.
An important feature of my invention relates to the provision of means whereby
only a comparatively small portion of the charged conductor is exposed to the air
at any time; I thereby very considerably diminish the risk of accidents which
might occur by reason of the high potential, and prevent loss by exposure to
damp air.
In order that the nature of my invention may be clearly understood I will
proceed to describe by way of example one method of carrying the same into
practice.
I provide a railroad track of the usual construction but in order to prevent the
trains from leaving the rails when running at a high speed 1 secure to the sleepers
or otherwise fix in convenient proximity to the rails on each side of the line a
continuous guard approximately parallel with the rails. Said guard which may be
of channel section is so arranged that brackets secured to the axle boxes or to any
other convenient parts of the coaches enter and travel therein and prevent the
coaches leaving the rails. I preferably support the electrical conductors on the
guard rails as hereinafter described.
The wheels and axles and in general all the projecting portions of the train are
encased in boxes as far as practicable so as to offer as little resistance to the air
as possible when running at a high speed. I inoreover form the front and rear
portions of the train of a wedge-shape or pointed which construction not only
reduces the pressure to be overcome but also assists in maintaining the train on
the rails.
I provide a number of motors on one or more of the coaches for hauling the
train and arrange suitable switching gear under the control of the driver or
conductor, who can thereby connect up the motors in various ways so as to adapt
the amount of power exerted by the same to the varying conditions under which
the train travels.
The system of electrical conductors is as follows. For a double track railway I
provide three conductors, extending approximately parallel with the rails. The
inner or middle conductor is charged or connected to one pole of the generating
system all the time and preferably also connected to the earth. The two outside
conductors each consist of a series of sections which are successively connected
with an insulated conductor as the train moves forward, the section which the train
is leaving being disconnected as the next section is connected. The said insulated

page_text: conductor is continuous and is always charged. I provide suitable means for
conveying the current from the conductors to the motors on the train.
One form of device for connecting to the insulated conductor the section of a
conductor just in front of the train and automatically disconnecting the section in
rear thereof operates in the following manner. That is to say, as the train is just
reaching the end of a section the wheels by passing over an incline actuate a lever
which connects the next section of the series of conductors to the insulated
conductor. As soon as said section is connected, a circuit is formed therefrom to
the earthed conductor which circuit passes round an electromagnet. The latter
being operated by the current through its coils then disconnects the rear section of
the series of conductors which the train has just left and having done that breaks
the magnet coil circuit also. The section which the train is now upon remains in
circuit till the next section is connected up when said section which is now the
rear section is disconnected from the insulated conductor. It will be observed that
after each section is disconnected it is left in a proper state to be switched in again
when the next train arrives. Also that only one section is charged at one time the
sections in front and rear of a train being disconnected from the insulated conductor.
Said insulated conductor may consist of a stranded or other suitable wire insulated
with porcelain or other suitable insulating material and may be protected entirely
from the weather. It may be placed underground. It is connected by wires to the
switching apparatus of which there is one for each section. The earthed conductor
and the sectional conductor preferably consist of a broad strip of copper or other
suitable metal which may be carried on brackets attached to the guard rails
aforementioned. I so provide that the brushes or other contact devices carried on
the train shall make contact with the underside of the strip, I can thereby cover
the upper side and protect said strip from the weather. In the case of the
sectional conductor the strip is made in sections suitably insulated from each other
and from the earth.
The current is supplied to the earthed conductor and to the insulated conductor
from generating stations situated at intervals along the line, and preferably
arranged to maintain a constant difference of potential between the said con-
ductors. I sometimes arrange the generators at each station with their armatures
in series, the field magnets being also in series and separately excited by a small
dynamo.
I prefer to provide the carriage wheels with rubber cushions between the tyres
and rims to absorb vibration and prevent jars.
When this system is used for an underground railway 1 prefer to have the
railway stations at a considerably higher level than the track between the stations.
The train is then started on a descending incline and is partially stopped in
readiness for the next station by the ascent. I thereby provide for economising
the power.
Dated this 8th day of Mo 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
1, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, of Baldwyn's Park, Bexley, in the County of
Kent, Mechanical 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 electric railways and has for its objects to provide an
improved system of and means for operating such railways.

page_text: My said invention is more especially intended for railways on which trains are
to be run at high speeds.
According to my invention I provide motors on the engine or on the coaches of
the train and I supply the current thereto from conductors extending alongside
the rails. The prime movers and generators for producing the current are
stationed at suitable intervals along the line. I preferably supply the current to
the conductors at a high potential.
An important feature of my invention relates to the provision of means whereby
only a comparatively small portion of the charged conductor is exposed to the air
at any time; I thereby very considerably diminish the risk of accidents which
might occur by reason of the high potential, and prevent or diminish the loss of
electrical energy which is occasioned by the exposure of the conductor to damp air.
In order that the nature of my invention may be clearly understood I will
proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing, in
which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a train.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of a double line of rails showing in end elevation
two coaches in position thereon; this figure is drawu to a larger scale than Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of a coach and permanent
way and showing the device for preventing the train from leaving the rails.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the guard rail and conductors.
Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner of connecting and
controlling the motors of the train.
Figure 6 illustrates diagrammatically the means for and method of reversing
the motors.
Figures 7 to 14 are diagrams showing various methods of connecting up the
motors as hereinafter described.
Figure 15 is a diagram illustrating the principle of my improved system of
electric railways.
Figure 16 is a side elevation of a device for switching the current into and out
of the sectional conductors.
Figure 17 is a cross section drawn to a still larger scale of the insulated
conductor which carries the current along the whole length of the line.
Figure 18 is a side elevation of the same drawn to a reduced scale.
Figure 19 is a cross section drawn to a large scale of one of the conductors from
which current is collected by the passing train.
In carrying my invention into practice I provide a permanent way of the usual
construction but in order to prevent the trains from leaving the rails A A when
running at a high speed I secure to the sleepers B B or otherwise fix in convenient
proximity to the rails on each side of the line a continuous guard C approximately
parallel with the rails. The said guard is of channel section and so arranged that
brackets D' D' secured to the axle boxes D D or to any other convenient parts of
the coaches E E project into the channel section underneath the upper flange
of the guard and thus prevent the coaches leaving the rails. I preferably support
the electrical conductors on the guard rails C C as hereinafter described.
The wheels and axles and in general all the projecting portions of the train are
encased in boxes as far as practicable to diminish the resistance offered to them by
the air when running at a high speed. F F are the boxes that enclose the axles
and wheels. I moreover form the front and rear portions of the train of a wedge-
shape or pointed as shown in Figure 1 which construction not only reduces the
resistance to be overcome but also assists in maintaining the train on the rails. I
also preferably couple the carriages closely together with little or no air space
between them.
I provide a number of motors on one or more of the coaches for hauling the
train. In Figures 5 and 6 1 show, by way of example four motors G¹. G³, G²
and G', and a suitable switching device or drum commutator H (Figure 5) which
is connected to the collectors II and to the motors G1, G2, Gª and G in such a

page_text: manner that by rotating it on its axis all the different phases shown in Figures 7
to 14 are consecutively produced. The said switching device is under the control
of the driver of the train who can thereby connect up the motors in various ways
so as to adapt the amount of power exerted by the same to the varying conditions
of speed and load and of grade of the permanent way.
The several ways of connecting up the motors are as follows. When starting a
train with a heavy load at a slow speed the motors should be connected together as
shown in Figure 7, whereas for starting with a light load the connections shown in
Figure 8 can be employed. For running a light train at a moderate speed the
connections should be as in Figure 9. Figures 10 and 11 show the connections for
running a light train, respectively, at slow speed on an up grade and at a high
speed on a level grade. Figures 12 to 14 illustrate the methods of connecting up
the motors of a heavy train travelling at a high speed, respectively on an up grade,
on a level grade and ou slightly down grade.
Figure 6 shows the manner of and means for reversing the motors. The polarity
of the field-magnets is reversed by means of the levers J, J2, J and J which
operate suitably constructed commutators or switching devices K¹, K³, K³ and K',
The said levers are preferably connected to another lever J by means of which
latter all of the said switching devices may be simultaneously actuated.
The system of electrical conductors is shown in Figure 15 and is as follows.
For a double track railway I may provide three conductors, extending approxi-
mately parallel with the rails. The inner or middle conductor L is permanently
charged or connected to one pole of the generating system and preferably also
connected to earth. For greater convenience I may provide two middle con-
ductors L L for a double track railway, one conductor for each pair of rails as
shown in Figure 2. The two outside conductors L' and L' each consist of a series
of sections which are successively connected with insulated conductors M³ and M*
respectively as the train moves forward, the section which the train is leaving
being disconnected as the next section is connected. Each of the said insulated
conductors M' M2 is continuous and is always charged. I provide collectors or
brushes I, I or other suitable means for conveying the current from the conductors
to the motors on the train.
In Figure 15 the rails are omitted and the direction of motion of the trains are
indicated by the arrows.
One form of device for connecting one of the insulated conductors to the section
of a conductor just in front of the train and automatically disconnecting the section
in rear thereof is shown in Figure 16 and is constructed and arranged as follows,
that is to say,
W, W Figure 15 are switching devices shown in detail in Figure 16. d is a
lever pivoted at d' and controlled by a spring d. is a suitable lever also pivoted
at d' and having ears to engage with the lever d. d, d are contact pieces con-
nected respectively to the wires e, f the former of which is connected to the section
immediately in advance of the switch and the latter to the insulated conductor.
is a pivoted incline situated inside the rails and adapted to be depressed by the
flanges of the wheels of the passing train. This incline is connected by the cord g'
Figure 16 to one end of the lever d in such a manner that when the incline g is
depressed the cord g' is pulled and the lever d is tilted about its pivot. By this
action the switch lever d³ is brought into contact with the piece d' and thus
connects the section in advance of the switch to the insulated conductor. When
the lever d has been tilted as above described it is locked in the tilted position
by a bell-crank lever pivoted at ¹. One arm of this lever is curved as
shown at and passes through an eye in the lever d. It is moreover
furnished with a shoulder . is a spring to control the said lever h.
the lever dis tilted it engages with the concave side of the curved end of
the lever and assisted by the spring turns the said lever about its pivot
and causes the shoulder to pass under the lever d and lock the latter lever
in its tilted position. The lever d will remain in this locked position until the
When

page_text: lever is drawn back out of engagement therewith as will be now described.
jis an electro-magnet for operating on the lever / when energized. The said
electromagnet is connected by the wire j¹ with the carthed conductor L and by
the wire with the section in advance of that on which the train is entering.
Therefore it follows that immediately each section becomes charged a current
flows through the electromagnetj at the rear end of the section behind it. By
this means the lever is tilted by the attraction of the electromagnet and the
lever & thereby released whereupon its spring d operates to break the connection
between and d and thus disconnects from the insulated conductor the section
immediately in rear of that which has just been charged. When the lever dis
drawn down by its spring it acts on a spring lever k and separates it from a
contact piece thereby breaking the electromagnet circuit. These contacts k, k
are not joined again until the lever d is raised by another train as previously
described.
It will be observed that after each section is disconnected it is left in a proper
state to be switched in again when the next train arrives. Also that only one
section is charged at one time the sections in front and rear of a train being
disconnected from the insulated conductor. Each of the said insulated con-
ductors M M² preferably consists of a stranded or other suitable wire insulated
with porcelain or other suitable insulating rings S S which surround the same at
intervals as shown in Figure 18.
The conductor with its insulating rings S S may be placed in a hollow or groove
provided to receive it in a wooden beam T (Figure 17). The space around the
conductor may be filled with paraffin wax U or other suitable insulating material
so as to completely cover the same and keep it from contact with the air and also
to thoroughly insulate it. A lid V may be secured over the trough to protect the
conductor from external influences. The beam T containing the conductor may
if desired be placed underground.
The conductors are suitably connected by wires to the switching apparatus W
of which there is one for each section. The earthed conductor L and the sectional
conductors L³ and L2 preferably each consist of a broad strip, (see Figure 19),
of copper or other suitable metal which may conveniently be carried on brackets YY
Figures 3 and 4 attached to the guard rails C C aforementioned. I so provide
that the brushes II or other contact devices carried on the train shall make
contact with the underside of the said strip by which arrangement the upper side
thereof can be covered and protected from the weather. In the case of the
sectional conductors L' and L2 the strip is made in sections suitably insulated from
each other aud from the earth.
Figure 19 shows a convenient method of mounting the strip L' or L' by gripping
the same between the blocks Z and Z When the said strip is required to be
insulated asbestos paper a saturated with resinous matter is placed between it and
the blocks Z Z¹.
The current is supplied to the earthed conductor L and to the insulated con-
ductors L' L' from generating stations situated at intervals along the line, which
stations are preferably arranged to maintain a constant difference of potential
between the conductors. I sometimes arrange the generators bbb at each station
with their armatures in series, the field magnets being also in series and separately
excited by a small dynamo c (see Figure 15).
By my improved system of switching the sections of the conductors in and out
of circuit as herein before described I provide for exposing a short length only of
charged conductor to the air at one time thereby lessening the loss of electrical
energy into the air and also diminishing the chances of accidents from shocks.
I prefer to provide the carriage wheels with rubber cushions between the tyres
and rims to absorb vibration and prevent jarring action.
When my improved system is used for an underground railway I prefer to have
the railway stations at a considerably higher level than the track between the
stations. The train is then started on a descending incline and is partially stopped

page_text: in readiness for the next station by the ascent.
the power.
I thereby provide for economising
In the case of an underground railway it would not be necessary to provide
means for switching the conductors in and out of circuit because the distances
between the stations would be short and the conductors could therefore be charged
throughout their whole length between the stations.
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 -
1. An electric railway with sectional conductors and switching devices operated
by the passing trains in such a manner that each section is switched into circuit as
the train enters it and switched out as the train leaves it, substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
2. The switching devices constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figures 15 and 16 and operating as, and for the purposes, specified.
3. An improved method of insulating electric conductors by porcelain or other
insulators threaded thereon, the whole being then placed in the hollow of a beam
and the surrounding space filled up with paraffin wax or other suitable material
substantially as described.
t
4. Providing the coaches with a switching device or commutator by means of
which the motors may be combined or connected together in one or other of the
various ways substantially as described with reference to Figures 7 to 14 and for
the purpose specified.
5. The continuous guard in combination with the brackets that are secured to
the train and that pass underneath the flange of the guard, substantially as, and
for the purpose, specified.
6. The train having the front and rear or both front and rear ends thereof
pointed or wedge-shaped, and having the carriages coupled together with little or
no air space between them so as to offer only slight resistance to the air substantially
as described.
7. For an electric railway an undulating permanent way having the stations
situated at the summits of the undulations to assist the starting and stopping
of the trains and to economize electrical energy, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of February 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.