Improvements in and connected with Underground Conductors for Electric Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 16th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 15th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Underground Conductors for
Electric Railways and Tramways.
I, JASPER WETTER, Patent Agent, of 433 Strand, in the County of London, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication from the Elektrizitäts
Aktiengesellschaft vormals Schuckert & Co. Electrical Engineers, of Nürnberg, in
the German Empire, to be as follows:-
Underground conduits for electric railways with sectional conductors switched into
circuit by magnetic action have been proposed in a variety of forms, but hitherto a
satisfactory solution of the problem of underground conduits has not become known.
The present invention has for its object, to provide a system, in which the periodical
changes are produced by the main current, and in which simple contact levers are the
only movable parts.
The whole line is divided into sections, which may consist of copper rails insulated
from each other and having approximately the length of a railway carriage; a brush
or other collector mounted on the carriage is adapted to take the current off the said
rails and to lead it to the motor from which the current passes into the return
conductor, preferably the rails connected with the earth. Instead of conducting rails,
contact blocks may be employed, in which case a series of brushes or a contact rail
are secured to the underside of the carriage arranged longitudinally to the latter, so
as to bridge over two of the said blocks which are insulated and project over the
ground.
The current flows from the generator through a distributing conduit along the
track, and branches extend from the latter to the various section rails. Automatic
cut-outs or switches inserted into the said branches ensure, that only the sections
situated in the immediate proximity of the carriage are in circuit.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagram of current circuits.
From the dynamo machine the current flows to the distributing conduit and thence
branches off into the coils m, the ends of which are connected by separate resistance
conductors w. The motor is supposed to be for the moment on section 3, in which
case the current flows from this section into the motor and thence through the return
conductor into the dynamo. The whole system of coils and resistances is therefore in
circuit. However, as the current is weakened by the resistances, the coils situated in
close proximity to the carriage will carry more current than those situated at a
greater distance, and the magnetic action of the coils switches into circuit those
sections of the conduit, which are momentarily nearest to the carriage, as indicated by
Figs. 2 and 3, where m indicates again the coils. If now the carriage passes to the
following section (that is in Fig. 1 from 3 to 4), the coils m3 m₁ and m, are excited
more strongly, than the rest and coil m, allows the electro-magnet or its armature to
drop, thereby switching out section 2. (In Fig. 1 the switches are not shown.)
The sectional conductors t₁, to (Fig. 2) insulated from each other and from the
earth are electrically connected (by separate conductors) with contact pieces €11 C
lodged in a watertight canal K. The contact pieces C1 C2 form part of the magnetic
cut-outs or switches m₁ ma, which also comprise soft iron cores e₁, e₂, armed with
contact plates c C2, and on the circuit being closed are drawn into solenoids s₁ $2,
having the same number of ampère turns and equal resistance,

page_text: or c²
Each of the solenoids is connected at one end with the distributing main v, leading
to a current generator, while the other end is fixed to the respective contact plate c
The contact plates c¹ c² are also connected with each other in series by
means of equal resistances w₁₂
The resistances w₁, 2
are made into solenoids,
having an equal number of ampère turns, and wound on separate iron cores,
which
are adapted to co-operate with the cores e е. .for lifting the contact pieces c₁ C₂, or
closing the circuit. Instead of having separate cores, the resistance coils w, w, may,
however, be wound on the iron cores e₁₁... . like the solenoids $1 $2
Fig. 2 shows
the arrangement of the coils in a closed pipe or canal for railways with trains running
in one direction only, while-Fig. 3-shows the-arrangement for lines adapted for trains
running in both directions.
In Fig. 3 the resistances ware applied in duplicate, in order to serve both as
magnetising and as demagnetising coils. As will be seen from Fig. 2, the direction
of the current in the coils w is variable, the coils situated in front of the motor (on
the left hand side of Fig. 2) carrying a current opposite to that in the coils behind
the motor (on the right hand side of Fig. 2).
In Fig. 3, w has a magnetising effect, and w, a demagnetising effect, but much
weaker than w44, as will be understood from the diagram Fig. 1. If the carriage now
travels further to the left, the difference between the two coils becomes less. The
two resistance coils situated vertically underneath the carriage have no effect in
comparison with the main current.
Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which the switches or cut-outs are enclosed in
boxes u₁
from which cables serving as sectional conductors are leading to the
rails t₁ t2.
The principle of the invention, however, remains unaltered. Fig. 2 also shows a
starting resistance a which is used for lifting the soft iron cores at the terminal
stations (starting and end stations) of the line.
When the carriage stops at intermediate stations, sufficient current should be taken
up to prevent the contacts from dropping.
Dated this 16th day of July 1895.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.
Improvements in and connected with Underground Conductors for
Electric Railways and Tramways.
I, JASPER WETTER, Patent Agent, of 433, Strand, in the County of London, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication from the Elektrizitäts-
Aktiengesellschaft vormals Schuckert & Co., Electrical Engineers, of Nürnberg, in
the German Empire, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Underground conduits for electric railways with sectional conductors switched into
circuit by magnetic action have been proposed in a variety of forms, but hitherto a
satisfactory solution of the problem of underground conduits by such means has not
become known. The present invention has for its object, to provide a system in
which the periodical changes are produced by the main current, and in which simple
contact levers are the only movable parts.
The whole line is divided into sections, which may consist of copper rails insulated
from each other and having approximately the length of a railway carriage; a brush
or other collector mounted on the carriage is adapted to take the current off the said
rails and to lead it to the motor, from which the current passes into the return
conductor, preferably the rails connected with the earth. Instead of conducting rails,

page_text: contact-blocks may be employed, in which case a series of brushes or a contact rail is
secured to the underside of the carriage and arranged longitudinally to the latter, so
as to bridge over two of the said blocks which are insulated and project over the
ground.
The current flows from a generator through a distributing conduit along the track,
and branches extend from the latter to the various section rails. Automatic cut outs
or switches inserted into the said branches ensure, that only the sections situated in
the immediate proximity of the motor carriage are in circuit.
In the drawings filed with the Provisional Specification, Fig. 1 is a diagram of
current circuits.
From the dynamo machine the current flows to the distributing conduit v and
thence branches off into the coils m, the ends of which are connected by separate
resistance conductors w. The motor is supposed to be for the moment on section 3,
in which case the current flows from this section into the motor and thence through
the return conductor into the dynamo. The whole system of coils and resistances is
therefore in circuit. However, as the current is weakened by the resistances, the
coils situated in close proximity to the carriage will carry more current than those
situated at a greater distance, and the magnetic action of the coils switches into
circuit those sections of the conduit which are momentarily nearest to the carriage, as
indicated by Figs. 2 and 3, where m again indicates the coils. If now the carriage
passes to the following section (that is, in Fig. 1 from 3 to 4) the coils m³, m³ and mo
are excited more strongly than the rest, and coil m² allows the electro magnet or its.
armature to drop, thereby switching out section 2. (In Fig. 1 the cut outs or
switches are not shown.)
'
The sectional conductors t¹, t2... (Fig. 2), insulated from each other and from the
earth, are electrically connected (by separate conductors) with contact pieces c1, c22,
lodged in a water-tight canal K. The contact pieces c", €29 form part of the
magnetic cut-outs or switches m', m². . . which also comprise soft iron cores e', e².
armed with contact plates c¹, c² and on the circuit being closed, are drawn into
solenoids s¹, s... having the saine number of convolutions and equal resistances.
Each of the solenoids is connected at one end with the distributing main v leading
to a current generator, while the other end is fixed to the respective contact plate c¹
or c² The contact plates c¹, c²
are also connected with each other in series
by means of equal resistances w¹, w² The resistances w¹, w²
solenoids having an equal number of convolutions and wound on separate iron cores
which are adapted to co-operate with the cores e¹, e²
circuit. Instead of having separate cores, the resistance coils w¹, 2
however, be wound on the iron cores e¹, e² like the solenoids s¹, s²
shows the arrangement of the coils in a closed pipe or canal for railways with trains
running in one direction only, while Fig. 3 shows the arrangement for lines adapted
for trains running in both directions.
are made into
on the closing of the
•
may,
Fig. 2
In Fig. 3 the resistances w are applied in duplicate, in order to serve both as
magnetising and as demagnetising coils. As will be seen from Fig. 2, the direction
of the current in the coils w is variable, the coils situated in front of the motor (on,
the left hand side of Fig. 2) carrying a current opposite to that in the coils behind
the motor (on the right hand side of Fig. 2).
In Fig. 3, w has a magnetising effect, and w* a demagnetising effect, but much
weaker than w, as will be understood from the diagram Fig. 1. If the carriage now
travels further to the left, the difference between the two coils becomes less. The
two resistance coils situated vertically underneath the carriage have no effect in
comparison with the main current.
Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which the switches or cut outs are enclosed in
boxes u¹, u² from which cables serving as sectional conductors are leading to
.
the rails t1, t2
.
The principle of the invention, however, remains unaltered.
Fig. 2 shows a starting resistance a, which is used for lifting the soft iron cores the
first time, at the terminal stations (starting and end stations) of the line.

page_text: When the carriage stops between the stations, sufficient current should be taken up
to prevent the contacts from dropping.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In a conduit system of electric railways having sectional conductors and
switches the exciting coils of which are at one end in permanent connection with the
main conductor while the other ends are adapted to communicate periodically with
the respective sectional-conductors through the corresponding armatures for giving off
current, the combination of the said exciting coils with resistances forming with the
same a continuous line of communication for the purpose of varying the effect of the
said exciting coils inversely to their distance from the carriage taking up the current,
so that only the sectional switches situated near the place where the current is
temporarily led out will be set in action.
2. In a conduit system of electric railways having sectional conductors and
accessories as specified, the combination of the sectional exciting coils with resistances
forming a continuous line of communication and wound around the switch coils as
magnetising coils, the direction and number of ampere turns of the latter being
adapted to satisfy the requirement that only the sectional switches situated near the
place where the current is temporarily led out are set in action, substantially as
described.
Dated this 14th day of April 1896.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.