Improvements in Apparatus for Working Electric Tramways by Means of Underground Cables.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1898- Accepted, 10th Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Electric Tramways by
Means of Underground Cables.
I, CHRIS ANDERSON, of Lane House, Jack Lane, Hunslet, in the City of Leeds,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the working of electric tramways worked by under-
ground cables and making connection with the car above by means of rising pegs
or bolts coming into contact with a slider placed beneath the car in manner
described in the Specification filed by me on the 31st day of July 1893 and
Numbered 14647 intituled as above.
My invention consists of a new form of slider or collecting bar and is more
particularly adapted to cars mounted on bogey carriages or bogey wheels. When
a slider is mounted on the underside of a car not mounted on bogey wheels and
the car comes to go round a curve the slider or connecting bar is found to form a
sort of chord of the circle described by the curve and if not of sufficient width
might move altogether off a peg rising between the two rails of the track. My
present method is to attach a collecting bar to each bogey carriage at right angles
to the axles thereof. These bars widen out at the ends and are so shaped that
their sides shall always at the sharpest curves of the track be more or less in line
with the curve of the track. Their inner ends are rounded to the arc of the circle
they describe in their movement. The bars are not of sufficient length to meet
underneath the car and in order to make electrical connection between them I
mount crosswise on the underside of the car a fixed bar whose sides are shaped to
Close contact between
correspond with the circle described by the moveable bars.
the moveable bars and the fixed bars may be effected by runner wheels mounted on
the moveable bars running on the edges of the fixed bar or above or below it or a
rubbing contact may be used. I do not confine myself to any particular method.
The outer ends of the moveable bars are also shaped in similar manner to the
inner ends but they are divided horizontally in the direction of their length so
that one side may be turned up to serve as collector and the other down to serve
as the ramp to push down the pegs.
1007
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Electric Tramways by
Means of Underground Cables.
I, CHRIS ANDERSON, of Lane House, Jack Lane, Hunslet, in the City Leeds,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
n
877
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Electric Tramways by
Means of Underground Cables.
I, CHRIS ANDERSON, of Lane House, Jack Lane, Hunslet, in the City Leeds,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
Th
877

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement; -
My invention relates to the working of electric tramways worked by under-
ground cables and making connection with the car above by means of rising pegs
or bolts coming into contact with a slider placed beneath the car in manner
described in the Specification filed by me on the 31st day of July 1893 and
Numbered 14647 intituled as above.
My invention consists in a new form of slider or collecting bar and is more
particularly adapted to cars mounted on bogey carriages or bogey wheels. When
a slider is mounted on the underside of a car not mounted on bogey wheels and
the car comes to go round a curve the slider or connecting bar is found to form a
sort of chord of the circle described by the curve and if not of sufficient width
might move altogether off a peg rising between the two rails of the track. My
present method is a attach a collecting bar to each bogey carriage at right angles
to the axles thereof. These bars widen out at the ends and are so shaped that
their sides shall always at the sharpest curves of the track be more or less in line
with the curve of the track. Their inner ends are rounded to the arc of the circle
they describe in their movement. The bars are not of sufficient length to meet
underneath the car and in order to make electrical connection between them I
mount crosswise on the underside of the car a fixed bar whose sides are shaped to
correspond with the circle described by the moveable bars. Close contact between
the moveable bars and the fixed bar may be effected by runner wheels mounted on
the moveable bars running on the edges of the fixed bar or above or below it or a
rubbing contact may be used. I do not confine myself to any particular method.
The outer ends of the moveable bars are also shaped in similar manner to the
inner ends but they are divided horizontally in the direction of their length so
that one side may be turned up to serve as collector and the other down to serve
as the ramp to push down the pegs.
I carry out my invention by the means hereinafter and in my drawings
described but I do not confine myself to the details described.
Fig. 1 is a plan showing a collecting bar in position attached to each bogey
carriage and in contact with the fixed bar.
Fig. 2 is a sido elevation showing the fixed bar suspended by brackets from
the underside of the car frame and the method of attaching the collecting bars
to the bogey, carriages and the method of forming contact between the fixed bar
and the collecting bars. This figure also at the right hand side shows the collect-
ing bar provided as well with a turned up end forming the collector or prow for
mounting the rising pegs as with the ramp for depressing them. The left hand
side of the figure shows the ramp only because the collector is concealed behind it.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a car showing the motor bearings and the gear case
also the prow and ramp attached to their respective buffer springs and the bracket
supporting them.
Fig. 4 is a cross section in mid-length of a car showing the method of suspending
the fixed bar by brackets from the car frame and showing also resting thereon the
runner wheels mounted on the inner end of the collecting bar.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical side section of the collector or prow of a collecting
bar.
:
Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical side section of the ramp as attached to the collector
bar showing the method of insulating it from the collecting bar.
Fig. 7 is a vertical front section of one of the insulating pieces used in the ramp
between the end of the collecting bar and the outer end of the ramp.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail in vertical section along the central line of the car
of the fixed bar suspended from the underside of the car as seen in Fig. 2 in
contact with the collecting bars, the flanged sides of the latter being cut away to
show the mounting of the overhanging brackets on their ends. The three plates

page_text: forming the fixed bar are drawn out of proportion in thickness for clearer illustra-
tion.
a, is the outer frame or sides and ends and bis the floor and bottom, framing of
a tram car, c, c are the motors one at each end supported by bearings d, d, upon
the axles e, e, of the large wheels f,f, of the bogie carriages. 9, 9, are the motor
gear cases. h, h, are the small wheels of the bogie carriages and j, j, are the axles
thereof.
1, 1, 1, 2 and 3 are respectively parts of one collecting bar. As made by me
but not necessarily so, each part of the collecting bar is formed of an upper plate
of steel bolted by flush headed bolts to a lower plate of phosphor bronze..
The
part 1 of each collecting bar widens out at the end nearest the centre of the car
longitudinally so as to ensure that whatever may be the amount of deviation from
the central line some part of its surface shall always cover the central line and, lie
over the rising pegs in the roadway. The width is proportioned to the sharpest
radius of the line upon which the car has to travel. 1 is a narrow continuation
of the collecting bar formed solid with 1. It is turned up at its outer end, 1', to
form, a prow for mounting the contact pegs in the roadway. 2 is a narrow con-
tinuation of the collecting bar hinged to 1 as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. is an iron
ramp bolted to 2 but insulated therefrom and used for depressing the contact pegs
in the roadway as the car leaves them. As made by me the steel plate forming
part of 1 is turned up at its edges so as to form a flange for stiffening and the
continuation 2 is also so formed. The collecting bar at or near its mid-length is
mounted upon the axle j of the small wheel of the bogey carriage by the means
shown at k whilst the outer ends 1 and 2 are carried to the end of the car and
mounted underneath it by the means hereinafter described. The continuation 1" is
provided with a bridge 'piece 4 near its outer end by means of which it is sus-
pended by a bolt 5 from the bracket 6. 7 is a spiral spring surrounding the
bolt 5 so as to permit a certain amount of vertical motion to the prow 1b. The
ramp 3 is suspended from the bracket 6 by means of a bolt 8 hinged to the top
of the ramp, and by means whereof also the height of the ramp above the level of
the ground may be regulated. 9 is a spiral spring surrounding the bolt 8 for
the purpose of keeping the ramp well down whilst at the same time permitting
a certain amount of vertical motion to it so as to clear obstructions in the roadway.
According to the method shown in the drawings the bracket 6 is formed of a
bridge piece of angle iron with plates on the front and back thereof and the plates
are cut away to form guides for the prow and ramp respectively. 10, 10%, and 10b
together form the fixed portion of the collecting bar. It consists of a steel plate 10
with a smaller steel plate 10 beneath it and a shorter plate 10b of phosphor bronze
below that but of the same width, the 2 latter plates being shown in dotted line
in Fig. 1 and in full line in Fig. 4. The fixed bar 10 is suspended by bolts 11
and spiral springs 12 from a cross beam 13 suspended by brackets 14, 14 from
the car bottom. The sides of the fixed bar 10 are curved to correspond with the
radius of movement of the moveable collecting bars 1, 1. 15, 15, are overhanging
brackets mounted on the ends of the moveable collecting bars. Each bracket
carries a horizontal bolt 16 secured by a nut. On this bolt 2 arms 17, 17 are
hinged each carrying a runner wheel 18, 18. In the overhanging top of each
bracket 2 set screws 19, 19 are provided. Contact between the fixed and moveable
bars is made as follows. The wide ends of the moveable collecting bars project
underneath the top plate of the fixed bar 10 and close up to the edges of the under-
plates and the runner wheels 18, 18 ride upon the upper edge of the top plate of the
fixed bar. The closeness of contact is regulated by the set screws. An additional
means of forming contact may be provided by having wire connections from
terminals on the collecting bars to other terminals on the fixed bar. Insulators
must be inserted where shown in the drawings and wherever else necessary to
ensure that the electricity gathered by the collecting bars shall pass to the motors
only through the fixed bar and only to the motors. 20, 21 and 22 are contact pegs
in the roadway. 20 is shown risen and in contact with the prow 1. 21 shows a

page_text: peg partly depressed by the action of the ramp. When the peg gets into the
position shown at 22 it will run freely home. 23 is the tram line and the dotted
fine 24 is the crown of the roadway. 25 is one of a series of iron plates fitted with
insulating material 26 fitted into the ramp and separated from each other by
miconite insulation.
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:-
1. As applied to tram cars propelled by electricity and whether or not mounted
on bogey trucks and in combination with pegs in the roadway made to rise to form
contact between an underground cable and the motor of a tram car and be again
depressed by the action of the car a slider or collecting bar consisting of two
moveable outer parts and a central fixed part in loose contact with such outer parts
for the purpose herein before described.
2. As applied to tram cars propelled by electricity and mounted on bogey trucks
and in combination with pegs in the roadway made to rise to form contact between
an underground cable and the motor of a tram car and be again depressed by the
action of the car, a slider or collecting bar consisting of two outer parts attached
to the axles of the two bogey trucks and of a central fixed part in loose contact
with such outer parts constructed as and for the purpose hereinbefore and in the
drawings described.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts hereinbefore and in the
drawings or in the description apart from the drawings or in the drawings apart
from the description described for the purpose of propelling cars by electricity
derived from underground cables.
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