A New or Improved Method and Apparatus for Operating Contacts for Electric Traction.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method and Apparatus for Operating Contacts
for Electric Traction.
We, ARTHUR BALLANCE, of 14, Ferries Street, Hedon Road, Electrical
Engineer, and SAMUEL AMBROSE JEFFERSON, of 8, Barmston Terrace, Barmston
Street, Hydraulic Electrical Engineer, both in Hull, in the County of York, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows.:―
The object of our invention is to construct a simple contrivance for the pur-
pose of giving current at intervals and continuously to an electric motor fitted
to tramcars and the like, the car moving forward operating the mechanism
itself by means of rollers or the like attached. It may also be used in con-
nection with a culvert, bare copper conductor insulated main, and rail, or two
bare copper conductors side by side one divided into sections the length of the
car or for single or double pole surface contacts. In the latter case a culvert
is not essential A flat strip of iron with grooves or the like for the rollers to
run in being used fastened to the sets.
For the purpose of our invention we employ a culvert preferably of cast iron
the whole length of the system to which is attached at intervals a cast iron box
containing the switch and mechanism such box being made water tight by a
jointed cover and brass gland which the oscillating shaft passes through. The
switch contacts are mounted on porcelain or any other insulating material with
suitable lugs or the like for cable connections.
At intervals inside the culvert is placed a solid insulating bridge to carry a
porcelain insulator or insulators over which is strained a bare copper strip
running the length of the system and connected to one pole of electric motor
by trolley connection and brush. The other pole of motor is connected to an
insulated main in the ground throughout the system. This main is tapped at
intervals and coupled to one switch contact in the cast iron box thence from
the other contact to rail under car or to bare copper section.
The arrangement of our invention to operate the said switch is as follows:
Two perpendicular plungers are placed inside the culvert coupled to two jointed
levers which are fast to the shaft. Under the jointed levers is a roller with a
cam like attachment pivoted on a strong U shaped spring, this in conjunction
with other cam like arrangements in the switch box holds the plungers up or
down operating the shaft: to this is fixed the make and brake contact lever
which is insulated from the box and culvert. The feeder mains would be
arranged as usual.
1
Al An 1800

page_text: A New or Improved Method and Apparatus for Operating Contacts
for Electric Traction.
•
We, ARTHUR BALLANCE, of 14, Ferries Street, Hedon Road, Electrical
Engineer, and SAMUEL AMBROSE JEFFERSON, of 8, Barmston Terrace, Barmston
Street, Hydraulic and Electrical Engineer, both in Hull, in the County of York-
shire, 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 of our invention is to construct a simple contrivance for the purpose
of giving current at intervals and yet continuously to an electric motor fitted
to tramcars and the like, the car moving forward operating the mechanism itself
by means of a roller or rollers or the like attached to the car, our invention
being applicable for use in connection with a culvert, bare copper conductor
insulated main and rail, or two bare copper conductors side by side, one divided
into sections the length of the car or for single or double pole surface contacts,
in the latter case a culvert is not essential, a flat strip of iron with a groove
or grooves or the like longitudinally for the rollers on the car to run in being
employed fastened to the sets or to the track between the rails and running the
whole length of the system.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal sectional view of part of a roadway with
boxes containing our improved operating mechanism set therein.
Fig. 2 represents a plan view of part of a roadway with boxes in position.
Fig. 3 is a side view of one of the boxes showing the mechanism therein, the
box having its near side or wall removed so that the mechanism can be more
clearly seen.
Fig. 4 represents a plan view of Fig. 3 but with box cover removed.
Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 3 but with near end or wall removed.
Fig. 6 is a sectional view through box cover crosswise showing packed gland.
Fig. 7 represents an end view of car under frame with reversible roller for
depressing the plungers.
For the purpose of our invention we may employ a culvert of cast iron or
any other suitable metal, material or substance running the whole length of the
system or in place thereof we provide recesses or openings in the roadway at
suitable distances apart; within this culvert at the required intervals or within
the recesses A we place boxes B containing the switch and mechanism, each box
being made watertight by means of a jointed or other packed cover B and
brass or other suitable packed glands B² and B3 where the cables C or the like
pass through any part of the box or its cover.
The switch contacts D D are mounted on porcelain or any other suitable
material or substance with suitable lugs or the like for cable connections.
The switch mechanism within the box B consists of an oscillating or rocking
shaft E having preferably two perpendicular plungers FF1 one longer than the
other mounted in brackets or on jointed levers GG which are fixtures, one
projecting from each side of the said shaft E these plungers pass up through
holes H H in the box cover B¹, under the jointed levers or brackets aforesaid
is a roller I mounted in a cam like or other bracket I' such roller bearing on
a C shaped spring 12 which holds the plungers F F¹ up or down as they operate
the shaft E also to the said shaft E are fixed the make and break contact levers

page_text: or arms J J¹, these levers have ends in the shape of vertical studs or pins KK'
which pass up through packed glands B B in the cover B₁ such studs being
loose on the ends of the levers JJ' which may work in recesses within such
studs so that the said studs may be free to rise and fall perpendicularly by
the action of the shaft rocking on one or other of the plungers F F1 being
depressed; the bottom ends of these studs preferably work in insulated
guides K2 K³ these studs may have projections K+ K5 on them to engage with
the switch contacts DD which are fitted within the box B in such a position
that as the studs or pins K K' rise, the projections touch such switch contacts
and complete the electric circuit and as they fall they leave them and break
the electric circuit.
The box may be divided into compartments by means of dividing walls B6 B7
so as to prevent water, dirt or the like from getting to the levers or arms,
studs and switch contacts, and for more satisfactorily attaining this cbject,
packed glands E¹ E² may be employed for the oscillating or rocking shaft E to
pass through. We employ a flat strip of iron or any other suitable metal or
material L running the whole length of the system and provided with
grooves L L for rollers on the front and back ends of the car to run in, the
grooves being continued in the box covers, the plungers F F passing up through
holes HH' therein.
On the front and back ends of the car bogey M or in any suitable position we
attach rollers P for operating the plungers, these rollers run in the grooves L¹ L²
each running in a separate groove and each roller may be mounted eccentrically so
that by twisting it round it may run in one groove when the car is going in
one direction, and in the other groove when the car is going in the opposite
direction.
Where the mains are laid in a culvert, insulated bridges are formed in such
culvert for the said mains, to bear on, and in the case of bare copper. mains
insulators are provided over which the bare copper main or mains is or are
strained. Our improvements are applicable in all cases where mains or cables
are underground ones as for instance, where the mains are laid in culverts,
where there is a bare copper conductor or insulated main and rail or two bare
copper conductors side by side one of which may be divided into strips the
length of the car.
Our improved apparatus works as follows:-
The long plunger F being up in its groove and the car being on the rails,
the roller on the front of the car running in its own groove comes in contact
with the plunger in such groove and forces it down, bringing up the short
plunger in its groove this action giving the oscillating shaft part of a turn
operates the levers thereon which raise the studs, bringing the projections upon
them into touch with the switch contacts, the trolley, brush or collectors under-
neath the car brush against such studs the electric current flows from the main
through the switch contacts through one stud to the motor on the car and then
from the motor to the second stud and switch contact back to the other main.
As the car moves along the boxes being so spaced that the switch contact in
the box immediately in front makes contact electrically before the hind roller
on the car breaks contact in the box it is leaving, hence sparking is entirely
obviated, current being drawn from the mains to work the motor on the car
either continuously or at intervals as required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In combination with underground cables used for transmitting current for
electric traction the employment of operating mechanism consisting of an oscil-
lating or rocking shaft E having two plungers F F' articulated to fixed pro-

page_text: jecting bosses GG¹ thereon, controlling lever or levers JJ₁ having loose studded
end or ends, or operating loose stud or studs KK working by preference in
insulated guide or guides K2 K³, such stud or studs having projections K K or
not, as desired, switch contact or contacts DD connected to the mains C,
roller bearing on C shaped or other suitable spring 12 and with or without
packed glands B2 B3 B4 B5 E 2 in the manner and for the purposes substantially
as shown and described.
2. In apparatus for operating switches for collecting current from the cables
for electric traction where the mains are underground cables or mains, the
employment of a rocking shaft such as E operated by plungers, such shaft rais-
ing a contact stud or studs so that it or they come above the surface of the
ground during the time the car is passing over its or their set of mechanism in
the manner and for the purposes substantially as shown and described.
3. In apparatus for collecting current from electric underground cables or
mains for electric traction the employment of a box or boxes B set at intervals
along the length of the system each box being provided with a rocking shaft
having two plungers F F one or more contact studs K K' operated by an arm
or arms JJ attached to the rocking shaft with or without guides for the bottom
ends of the studs to work within and glands in the cover for their top ends to
work within, glands for cable connections to pass through, switch contact or
switch contacts and double grooves L L' throughout the system in the manner
and for the purposes substantially as shown and described.
4. In combination with apparatus of the kind claimed in Claiming Clauses 1, 2
and 3 for operating switch contacts for collecting current from electric under-
ground cables or mains, the employment of rollers P mounted on the bogey or
other suitable part of the car substantially as described with reference to Fig. 7
of the accompanying drawings.
721 11 1
D
1
1000
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.