Year: 1886

page_text: I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 'Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by The United States
Electric Company (Incorporated) of Denver, Colorado, United States of America)
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to electric railways. In these railways as heretofore used
or devised, the conductor or conductors by which the current is supplied to the
electro motor on the car or locomotive, has been made bare throughout its entire
length, and the current is taken therefrom by brushers or gatherers passing in
contact. This requires massive and expensive conductors which are subjected to
great wear. The system is also liable to leakage, and in order to expose the
conductors continually to the brushes, the supports and surroundings of the
conductors must be of an expensive nature.
'
We have aimed to avoid these difficulties by insulating entirely the main part of
the conductor, and by reducing thereon the contact points for electrical connection
with the motor on the tram-car or locomotive. We have also by the same means,
or in connection therewith, provided that any number of electric locomotives may
be in series and propelled along the line in either direction without electrically
interfering one with another, and the conductor may be buried in the ground or
suspended upon poles throughout the whole length of the closed circuit.
We provide also that one portion of the closed circuit shall also be in such
relation that persons coming in contact with one, cannot by any possibility come
into contact with another portion and thereby be injured. But the main object is
to dispense with bare conductors. And our invention consists essentially of a line
or lines of insulated wire or similar conductors in connection with a suitable track,
said conductors having exposed contact parts between their sections, and operating
in connection with a motor and devices for taking the current from the exposed
contact points.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the conductor for single line of road, with the
return wire and generator in circuit.
Thi
11

page_text: electric devices into circuit on the conductor, shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the conductor.
Fig. 5 shows the device for preventing the current from short circuiting, when
the insulating bar is in contact with two sections of the conductors.
Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement of the conducting strips on the
insulated bar for preventing short circuiting.
Fig. 7 shows the same construction with the position of the insulated bar shifted
to the left.
Fig. 8 shows the same general construction with a modified form of the strips on
the insulated bar to prevent sparking.
Referring to these drawings in Fig. 1, a, b, c, d and e represent the wire cut up
into sections of convenient length, these sections being connected together by
suitable circuit closing devices, which normally complete the circuit through
themselves from one section to the other as shown at 1, 2, 3 and 4. The last
section e, is connected as represented by the dotted line to the return wire F,
connecting with the generator G, which is so arranged as to drive the current in
the direction represented by the arrows; Where a double line of track is used, the
return wire F is cut up into sections as shown at f, g, h, j, k, l, in Fig. 2, thus
completing the circuit with the generator G, which causes a current to flow over
the whole system in the direction of the arrows.
Now these sections a, b, c, d, etc. of insulated wires or conductors are not placed
or arranged so that brushes or current gatherers could be applied or be in contact
with them, but the circuit closers 1, 2, 3, 4, are arranged in such a position that
they are the points at which we can put an electric motor or other electric receptive
device into circuit. These circuit closers are the only places at which we can get
contact with the single line of insulated conductors.
Fig. 3 shows the manner in which we put into circuit on the single line
conductor a translating motor or electric receptive device. In this a, b, c, d and e
represent the sections into which the single wire is cut. The circuit closing devices
are represented simply as two uninsulated springs attached to the ends of the
sections as at 1 and 2, one spring being connected with the section b, and the
other with the section c. When left to themselves the springs will come auto-
matically into contact as 1 and 2, and the circuit will pass through them in the
direction indicated by the arrows at 2. If, however, some insulating material is
pushed between the springs at R, the circuit will be broken and the current can no
longer pass; but if the insulating body is withdrawn they will of themselves again
close the circuit. Now if such an insulating body is made sufficiently long to reach
from one of these circuit closers to the other, that is, about the length of one of the
sections of the couductor, and is provided on two sides with strips of copper or
other conducting material, as shown by the lines x y, these strips of metal
can be connected by means of wires o -p with the motor M, on the car or
locomotive, then, when this bar is pushed between two of the springs, as shown
at 11, Fig. 3, the current will flow from the section a, through the spring connected
with its end at 11 into the metallic strip x, up through the conductor o attached
to it, thence through the motor M, back through the wire p to the strip y, thence
to the spring on the end of the section b, and through b, as shown by arrows. The
motor M is carried on any suitable car, which carries also the insulating body in
the form of a bar, having the conducting strips x y on opposite sides. It is
easy to understand that with the strip x and y this insulating bar may be moved
to the right or left without in any way disturbing the electrical continuity of the
line. If it be withdrawn from between the springs at 11, they immediately close,
and the circuit is complete.
--
Just before one end comes from between two of the springs, however, the other
end will have entered between the pair of springs of the next circuit breaker as
shown at 3 and 4, and the motor to which the bar is attached will have taken the

page_text: position of M' moving with it, the strips to the position of x¹---y¹, with their
connecting wires op¹. Just at this instant however, the current will be
short circuited through the strip x¹ as shown by the arrows and will not pass
through the wires of - p¹ and the motor M¹. This would practically be a very
short space of time in which the motor would be out of circuit and it would not be
objectionable for trains travelling at low speed, but it might be objectionable for
trains which are required to travel with high velocity.
---
Fig. 4 represents a modified method of connecting the circuit closers. Each
section of wire a, b, c, d, connects across between the contact points from one side
to the opposite side, which makes the current always flow in the same direction
through the circuit closers, which is somewhat better than in the first case, but
either will subserve the purpose.
Fig. 5 represents a device for keeping the line from being short circuited around
the motor when the insulating bar is in contact with two circuit closers.
Three sections a, b, c of the conductor are shown with two circuit closers at. 1
and 2, and the bar carrying the metal strips just having entered one and about to
leave the other. As this is the only time that the motor can be put out of circuit
in this system, as above explained; it is here we have to provide for its remaining
in circuit. If both of the copper strips were continuous like the one g, then the
current would flow around the section a, along x y and 2, back through the
section b, along the entire length g, out into the section c. of the conductor..
But is interrupted and not in electrical, continuity with y, for it is cut and an
insulator put between the parts at h. The insulator block i also separates the
strip y, from the strip z. A wire connected with x allows the current from the
conductor a, to pass to a helix m, and thence by means of a wire u to the motor M,
from the motor to p, to the strip g, then the circuit closer at 2, and out on the
conductor e. When the current passes through the helix m, it draws the
armature n towards its core against a spring w, which breaks the contact between
the stop t, and the armature n which swings on the pivot v, and thus avoids short
circuiting through the wire 8.
When the bar has passed to the left so that the circuit closer is to the right of h,
no more current passes through the helix m, and the armature n makes contact
with t, when y z becomes electrically continuous through o, m and n, t and 8.
This operation is repeated by the helix every time the bar takes the position
shown in the drawing, and the current can find one path only and that through
the motor.
We wish it to be understood that a sectional conductor has been heretofore
devised in connection with a bar carried on the train for separating the sectious
of the conductor and diverting the current to telegraphic apparatus on the train,
and we do not broadly claim this subject matter.
The second part of the invention relates to an improved construction of the non-
conducting bar and its contact strips for preventing short circuiting, and is a
modification of the construction shown in Fig. 5. This part of the invention
consists of the special construction of the conducting strips, which are fixed to the
insulated bar, whereby any short circuiting of the current through the main
conductor at the instant when the non-conducting bar with its strips is in
connection with the circuit closers of two sections, is avoided.
Instead of the insulated block in one of the strips connected to the helix, and an
armature with connections to the motor to avoid short circuiting as heretofore
described and shown in Fig. 5, we use a simple construction and arrangement of
the strips alternately arranged, and extending to one end only of the nou conducting
bar.
And we have also devised an arrangement of the conducting strips whereby
one is around each end and extending a part of the way back upon the unoccupied
part of the non-conducting bar to prevent sparking.
The conductors are shown at a¹, b, c, each one of these representing an
insulated section with bare contact springs 1ª, 2ª, 3ª, 4ª, at their ends adapted-

page_text: normally to form the electric connections between the sections and adapted also to
be removed from each other and to return automatically into electric contact.
A¹ represents the non-conducting bar which is to be carried upon the car or other
moving body proceeding upon the railway. To prevent short circuiting through
the conductor when the bar is in contact with two sections, the two metallic
strips 211
-y which are attached to the insulated bar carried by the car, are
not applied to the bar on either side as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5,
with both their ends even with the ends of the insulated bar, but instead one end
of x¹¹ terminates at the end of the insulating bar and the other end of x¹¹, does
not extend to the opposite end of said bar. On the opposite side of the insulating
bar, the strip y1 is arranged in the same manner, but at the opposite end. Just as
the bar is in connection with two circuit closers at once, the circuit closer 1" has'
one of its contacts against the strips, and the other contact 3ª of circuit closer 1ª
is immediately on the insulated bar. The opposite side of the circuit closer 2 is
also immediately on the bar, therefore no current can pass over the wire 6¹ to short
circuit the motor or the line wire. The other side 4 of the circuit closer 2", is
against the strip y¹¹, and the current will flow over the wire a¹ into the strip x¹¹,
up through the wire o¹¹, the motor M and the wire p to the strip y" and out
into the section of the wire c¹, as indicated by the arrow.
Now before the right
hand end of the insulating bar with its strips shall have left the circuit closer 2",
to move in a left hand direction, the two contact pieces of circuit closers 1ª will be
on the strips x and yll as shown in Fig. 7, and there is no possibility for a current
from either the motor or the main line to pass over the sections of wire b¹ until
the two parts of the circuit closer at 2 shall have come together. Fig. 8 represents
another method of putting strips on the insulating bar. As shown, ¹¹ does not
end at the end of the bar but is bent around its end, so that it laps back on the
same side to which the strip y" is attached, but it does not come into contact with
the end of y, and there is considerable space left between their ends, thus
exposing the insulated bar. In the same manner y¹¹ is bent around the other end
of the bar. The object of this is to allow the contact pieces of the circuit closers
to be short circuited through the bent end of the metallic strip, before it shall have
passed from between them, thereby avoiding any sparking, on leaving a circuit
closer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In combination with a railway, a conductor composed of insulated sections,
having uninsulated circuit closers upon their ends, arranged to be normally in
contact with each other, and thus to complete the circuit through themselves, and
to be separated electrically by the passage of an insulating body between their
contact points, and to close automatically when the body is withdrawn, in com-
bination with a moving electric receptive device, connected to the said body,
substantially as described.
2. In connection with a railway, a conductor composed of insulated sections
having uninsulated circuit closers upon their ends arranged normally to be in-
contact with each other, and thus to complete the circuit through themselves, and
to be separated electrically by the passage of an insulating body between their
contact points, and to close automatically when the body is withdrawn, in com-
bination with an electric receptive device carried on the way and adapted to open
the circuit between the sections by separating the circuit closers, said insulating
body having contact strips thereon electrically connected with the receptive device,
substantially as described.
3. In connection with a railway, a conductor composed of insulated sections
baving uninsulated circuit closers upon their ends, arranged to be normally in
contact with each other, and thus to complete the circuit through themselves, and

page_text: to be separated electrically by the passage of an insulating body between their
contact points, and to close automatically when the body is withdrawn, in com-
bination with an electric receptive device carried on the way, an insulating bar
carried therewith, and having conducting strips on its sides electrically connected
with the receptive device, the said strips being adapted to bear-upon the circuit
closing device while the bar is between them, and thus to divert the current, all
substantially as described.
4. In connection with a railway, a conductor composed of insulated sections
having uninsulated circuit closers, upon their ends arranged to be normally in
contact with each other, and thus to complete the circuit through themselves, and
to be separated. electrically by the passage of an insulating body between them,
and to close automatically when the body is withdrawn, in combination with an
electric receptive device carried upon the way, and an insulating bar carried there-
with adapted to pass between the circuit closers, and to separate them electrically,
and proportioned in length to overlap the circuit closers of any section, said bar
having a conducting strip on each contact side, electrically connected with the
receptive device, substantially as described.
5. In an electric railway, a conductor composed of insulated sections having
uninsulated circuit closers at their ends, combined with means, substantially as
described, for operating said closers, and cutting out any sections and shunting
the current through a moving motor, the said sections being connected across from
one side to the other between the circuit closers whereby the current is made to
flow in the same direction through every circuit closer, substantially as described.
6. A moving electric motor or translating device, in combination with a con-
ductor composed of insulated sections having contact ends adapted to be separated
from each other, and return automatically into connection, in combination with an
insulating bar carried with the motor or translating device, and adapted to separate
the contact pieces of contiguous sections, the said bar having conducting surfaces
insulated from each other, one of said surfaces being continuous, and the other
interrupted by non-conducting sections, the said sections being connected through
a helix and core, and a moving armature, to the motor or translating device,
substantially as described.
7. In an electric railway, an electric motor adapted to be carried upon the car,
and electrically connected with conducting strips, on an insulating bar also carried
with the car, the contact strips covering only part of the length of the bar, and
acting in connection with contact pieces of a sectional conductor, the parts being
combined and operating, substantially as described.
8. In an electric railway, an electric motor adapted to be carried upon the car,
and electrically connected with conducting strips, on an insulating bar also carried
with the car, the contact strips covering part only of the length of the bar, and
being turned over the ends, and acting in connection with contact pieces of a
sectional conductor, the parts being combined and operating substantially as
described.
9. In combination with a suitable way, a conductor composed of insulated
sections having bare contact ends adapted normally to close the connections
between the sections, and to be separated and return automatically to their normal
position, an electric motor or translating device carried upon the way, a non-
conducting bar carried with the motor, adapted to separate the bare ends or
contacts at any point, and to hold then open until its forward end reaches the
next contact points, conducting strips on said bar extending. to one end only on
one side, and to the other end only on the other side of the bar, and electrical
connections between said strips and the motor and translating device, all substan-
tially as described.
10. In combination with a suitable way, a conductor composed of sections
having bare contact ends adapted normally to close the connections between the
sections, and to be separated and to return automatically to their normal position,

page_text: 'an electric motor or translating device carried upon the way, a non-conducting bar
carried with the motor, adapted to separate the bare ends of contacts at any point,
and to hold them open, until its forward end reaches its next contacts, conducting
strips on said bar extending to one end only on one side, and to the other end only
on the other side, and turned over the ends, and electric connections between said
strips and the motor or translating device, substantially as described.
D
1
A
3000