Improved Means for Supplying Power on Electric and Pneumatic Railways and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1833 -Accepted, 14th Oct., 1899
Improved Means for Supplying Power on Electric and Pneumatic
Railways and the like.
I, ROBERT COOKE SAYER, of 11, Clyde Road, Redland, Bristol, Civil 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:-
The object is for wheels standing upon or traversing tubular rails to pick up
electric and other pressures sent to them from generating stations.
The means adopted are set forth by the following specification and 7 sheets
of drawings where
Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of the wheel on its rail.
5 a sectional elevation of Fig. 4 at b--b and c-c.
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2 an end elevation of the same.
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3 the same, in part, as Fig. 1.
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4 à cross section of Fig. 3 at d-d.
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do. in plan, of the rail tube.
9 a cross section of the rail valves.
10 a sectional elevation of Fig. 9 at f-f..
11 same as Fig. 9, for electric pressure only.
12 a plan of Fig. 9 at g-g.
13 a section of Fig. 4 at hh.
14
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15
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17
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of Fig. 3 at k―k.
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of Fig. 4 at m―m.
18, in part, the same as Fig. 16 with cushions out:
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
The rail is a tube, Figs. 1 and 2 formed with alternately spaced bevel teeth
and spaces, double conical valves 4 and 5 closing openings in the rail arranged
with insulators 10 upon carrying plates 11 through which the stem 6 of 4 passes
to prevent its turning when it is depressed, and to give the insulators 10 a rotary
motion to bring their electric contacts to meet the naked fixed cable laid zig-zag
in the slots of the insulators, and so complete a continuous electric circuit at
any of the valves successively, between the generating station to the cable 17
and the wheel 22, the return being through the wheel, the rail and a continuous
conductor inside it, having electric contact with each length of the rail 1.
The wheel tyre has teeth to suit those of the rail, to keep the wheel in its
direction laterally, and its pins 60 for opening the rail valves 4 together with
chambers 43 that contain them circumferentially centrally in step with the
valves 4 so that series of rods bell cranks and links actuated by rollers travers-
Price Sdl

page_text: ing fixed excentric paths, when set in motion by the rotation of the wheel, act
on the spindles of the chambers 43 that pass through slots in the sides of the
wheels, so that as each reach a rail valve its spindle is at one end of the slots and
as the wheel passes on the chamber 43 is held a fixture until it leaves the rail
and the other ends of the wheel slots have reached the spindle. That the same
may be repeated at the next revolution of the-wheel the excentric path are formed
to retranslate the spindle and chamber 43 to the former ends of the wheel slots.
In addition to the normal rotation of the wheel 22 and the above translation,
the chambers 43 and their spindles receive a motion of partial rotation as they
approach and leave the rail by other rods and links similarly actuated and affected,
so that just before the cushions of the chambers 43 meet the rail the chambers
and their pins are brought vertical to the rail and retained so until leaving it.
Thus the chamber cushions make efficient pressure tight and insulated passages
with each succeeding rail valve before the pins open the valves, and keep them
so until after they are closed, and so that the electric and other pressures from
one valve are in circuit until after the commencement of the flow of that from
the adjacent valve.
The chamber cushions have packings and both are forced outward by pressure
retained between them and pin valves in oscillating arms that allow the motions
of the chambers 43.
The electric current is carried through other oscillating arms 86 and both
connect with annular conductors 83 and 89 on the wheel and radials 84 and 90
to its axis.
The pins 60 of the chambers 43 for opening the rail valves, at the will of the
operator, are withdrawn clear of the rail by raising a path whose rollers actuated
by the wheel 22, ratchets and quadrants act on the pins by means of an inner
spindle. When electric pressure only is used by the wheel 22 a second pressure
is sent to the rail to keep its plug valves 4 tight..
The wheel 22 receives motion on one or both sides by one, two, as shown,
or more geared wheels 120 and 121 acting on it at different distances from its
centre, so that all can work as loose wheels or either be geared to drive by a
spring being thrust against a key to force it to its seat and fix the wheel.
DETAIL DESCRIPTION.
The rail 1 has flanges 2 teeth valve seats with valves 4 and 5, Figs. 9 to 12.
4 has an insulating stem 6 a ring 7 spring 8 a cup 9 and insulator 10 carried on
the plate 11 able to slide in grooves 21. 6 is keyed at 12 to the plate 11 it has a
spiral channel 14 into which a lug 15 on the insulator 10 passes and a con-
ductor 16.
The insulator 10 is slotted to carry the cable 17 and is held down by winged
bolts 18 that also secure the spring 13 and has a conductor 19.
When electricity only is sent to the wheel 22 Fig. 11, the valve 5 is omitted
and 4 is a plug with a cup 9 a stop 20 and other parts as above.
The springs 8 and 13 keep the valves 4 and 5 to their seats when the rail 1
is without pressure.
The wheel 22 carries two series of teeth 23 and 24 to suit those of the rail 1.
When required for the wheels 22 to traverse rails of different widths, as shown,
one series 24, Fig. 4, is carried on the half 25 of the wheel, the other 23 on the
half 26, enabling 25 to be thrust into its bearing 27 by running the wheel 22,
as usual, over a taper rail 1 and be fixed by known means, leaving the wheel
undisturbed, otherwise the half 25 forms a cover for the wheel 22, in each case
the axles 28 and 29 rest in bearings 27 and 30 and a tube 31 with a diaphragm 32
passes through both and is secured by nuts 35 and 34 and keys to the fixed
plates 130 of the bearings and carry plates 36 and 37 to which are secured the
two excentric paths 33 and 38.
The wheel 22 carries a circular slotted plate 39, and in part a similar 40, 39
and 26, Fig. 5 carry in slots 41 the spindles 42 of the chambers 43 which allow
the motion of translation, given by the two series of bell cranks 44 that centre
"

page_text: on 26 and 39 at 45, and the links 46 and rods 47, spindles 48 pass through the
rods 47 and carry rollers 49 to traverse the paths 33 and 38, when the wheel 22
rotates, by its plates 39 and 26 thrusting round the spindles 48.
The plate 37 carries the excentric path 51 to give the motion of partial rotation,
Fig. 6, to the spindles 42 by the rods 52 that hinge on the links 53 that are fixed
rigidly the outer ends to the spindles 42 the lugs 54 traverse the path 51 when
thrust round by the spindles 48, the motion is limited by the slots 55.
The spindles 42 have inner spindles 56, Figs. 4, 7, 16 to 18, reaching into the
chambers 43 and carry double cranks 57 that by the divided links 58 connect
with the pin 60 by trunnions 59, 60 opens the rail valves 4 and 5, when lowered
into position by toothed quadrants 61 worked by ratchets 62 turning the
spindles 56, 62 carry rollers 63 whose spindles pass into slots 64 of the plate 39
to be thrust round by the wheel 22 in the path 65 during the contact of the pin 60
with the valve 4.
The path 65 can be raised to the dotted position 67, and with it the pins 60
to clear the valves 4, when the action of a power cylinder 68, of known form,
carried by its trunnions 70 on the tube 31 by arms 69, is changed from holding
it down to holding it up. The piston head 71 of the cylinder 68 works the
levers 72 that centre at 73 on the arms 69 and carry, to hinge the links 74, Fig. 14,
that hinge on the plate 75 that carries the path 65 and is secured to the path 33
by bolts 76 that pass through slots. 77.
The motion of the piston of the cylinder 68 and its head 71 are regulated
simultaneously with those of any number of wheels 22 by withdrawing the pres-
sure through the pipe 78 from above the piston and sending it below the piston
through the pipe 79 by a similar cylinder to 68 but lengthened proportionately
to the number of cylinders 68 of wheels 22 served, and actuating its piston by
a screw or other known way.
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The spindles 42, Figs. 3, 4 and 16, carry to hinge, one end of oscillating tubes 80
having a pin valve 81, the other end hinges and connects with a hollow bolt 82
that secures the ring tube 83 to the wheel 22, with the radial tubes 84, Fig. 15,
and the axial tube 31.
The bolt 82 also carries to hinge insulated at 85 one end of the oscillating
electric conductors 86, the other end being carried at the axis of the chamber 43
and connects with the conductor 87 insulated at 88 within 43.
The bolt 82 also carries the ring conductor 89 that connects with all 86, the
radial conductor 90, Fig. 13, the circular rotating one 91, the fixed ring 92 and
the cable 93 that passes through the tube 31.
The chamber 43, Figs. 16 to 18, is formed in one with and at the end of the
spindle 42, it has a screwed cover 94, is closed at the bottom by annular
cushions 95 and 96, the valve 97, and pin 60. 95 is normally carried by the
rods 98 whose heads 99 traverse slots 100 to rest on stops 101, it is packed at
102, has a ring 103 and pin valve 107, its walls 104 enclose and carry the
cushion 96 by bolts 105 passing through slots 106. The cushion 96 is
packed at 109 and 110 has a ring 112 and filling 111 retained by the bolts 105.
The valve 97 is packed at 113 it has a ring 114 and for a stop the ends of the
links 58 and for its seat the cone 115 of the pin 60. Pressure normally acts
on the cushions 95 and 96 and valve 97 to keep them out and tight.
The pin 60 has a conductor 116 insulated at 119 and when out 116 is in contact
with the conductor 87 but when in they are clear.
THE WORKING IS AS FOLLOWS:-
The teeth of the wheel 22 and rail 1 keep the wheel in the direction of the
rail and in step circumferentially with its valves.
:.
The series of cranks 44 and their connections, by means of the excentric.
paths 33 and 38, cause the chambers 43, when at the rail, to remain a fixture,
the onward motion of the wheel 22 being allowed for by its slots 41, and the
path 33 and 38 give a motion of translation to the chambers 43, after they have
left the rail, to bring their spindles back again to the other end of the slots 41
by the time they again meet the rail.

page_text: To allow the cushions of the chambers 43 to make efficient passages for the
pressures from the rail 1 to the wheel 22, as they approach the rail valves 4
they are turned to a vertical position by rods, links; and an excentric path 51
and are forced down upon the rail 1 by pressure contained in the chamber 43
and so retained until they leave the rail, the translation to effect the repetition
of the motion is obtained by the driving spindles 48 that effects the motion-of
the chambers 43, thus the pin 60 when thrust out to open the valve 4, by the
cylinder 68 acting on the path 65, is kept in a vertical position during its contact
with the valve 4 to bring their electric conductors to meet, open the valve,
depress the spiral 14 and by the lug 15 turn the insulator 10 for its conductor to
meet the cable 17 and allow the electric pressure to pass from the generating
station along the cable 17 to the conductors 19, 16, 116, 87, 86, 89, 90, 91, 92
and 93, while the pressure of air, or other, that keeps the rail valves and other
parts tight to their seats and relative positions, to pass from the generating
station to the rail tube 1 the valves 4 and 5, valve 97, chamber 43 valve 81 arm 80
bolt 82 ring tube 83 radials 84 and axial tube 31 of the wheel 22.
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:-
Tubular rails having alternately spaced bevel teeth, plug, or conical valves in
the rail formed in two, one with a stem, conductor and spiral, slotted insulators
carrying a fixed electric cable laid zig-zag, with conductor and lug passing into
the valve spiral and able to be turned by it when depressed for its conductor to
meet the cable carried on plates able to be slid up the tube of the rail.
Teeth on the wheel to engage with these of the rail to keep the wheels later-
ally in its direction and circumferentially in step with its valves together with
excentric fixed paths secured to the bearings of the wheel on which rollers con-
nected by a spindle may travel when driven by the wheel to actuate rods to work
bell cranks centering on the wheel and links able to give motions of translation
to spindles passing through slots in the wheel, or parts fixed thereon, and their
attached chambers to bring them as they approach the rail to one end of the slots
so that by the excentricity of the paths they become fixtures when at the rail
while the wheel passes on bringing the other ends of its slots up to the spindle,
and when rotating above the rail retranslating the spindles to the former ends
of the wheel slots together with giving the spindles of the chambers a motion
of partial rotation and retranslation by an excentric path rods and links by
which the chambers meet the rail in a vertical position and are so retained until
after leaving it together with providing the chamber with one two or more con-
centric cushions rings and packings together with a valve able to admit the
pressure from the rail and retain it when closed against its seat formed on a pin
having a conductor and adapted to open the rail valves and bring their conductors
to meet when thrust out by a double cranked spindle able to be set in motion
by toothed quadrants and ratchets carried on rollers actuated by the wheel to
run on a fixed excentric path and when outside the path on spindles passing
through their slots, actuating the path vertically by a pressure cylinder that
holds it or any number of paths up or down. Thrusting the cushions and valves
of the chambers and their packings outward by pressure retained between them
and a valve. Oscillating arms passages and conductors connecting the chambers
and their spindles with conductors fixed on the wheel with radials leading to an
axial tube able to advance the pressures and return that of electricity through
the wheel rail and a continuous conductor within the tube having electric con-
tact with each length of it, substantially as described and shown on the drawings.