Improvements in the Conductors and Permanent Way for Electric Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug. 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th May, 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Conductors and Permanent Way for Electric
Railways and Tramways.
We, JEAN CLARET, Contractor, and OLIVIER WUILLEUMIER, Engineer,
both of 21 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris, in the Republic of France, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of permanent ways for electric railway
and tramway vehicles and is more particularly applicable to ways wherein the
propelling by electricity is effected by means of automatic distributors which form
the subject of Letters Patent No. 10843 granted to us and dated the 2nd June
1893, but it is applicable also to any other method of propelling, wherein the
whole of the line, or way, is broken up by contacts or supplies of current,
independent of each other and connected electrically and in an independent
manner with automatic current-distributors arranged at predetermined distances
apart and fed from subterraneous conductors.
The method of construction according to this invention has for its main object to
facilitate, and considerably reduce the cost of, the construction of the permanent
way, while permitting various possible contingencies to be provided for, such as
the crossing of, say, an electric railway line and a roadway, an ordinary railway
line, or any other road, or path, or of two electric lines, also junctions, switch
boxes and the like.
The method of traction, or propulsion, to which the mode of construction forming
the subject of the present invention more particularly relates, comprises a line
or way formed of rails for the vehicles to travel on, laid parallel to each other
and properly gauged, between which there are arranged contacts or current-
deliverers of suitable length and subterraneons conductors connected with the said
contacts through the medium of automatic distributors and other apparatus.
The invention relates to the construction of these contacts or current deliverers
and also to the method of laying the rails at the point where they cross another
line or road or where a switch or signal box or the like is situated.
According to this invention the centre of the line is occupied by a central rail
formed alternately of contacts or current deliverers and intermediate insulating
parts.
The contacts are formed of a metal bar (a length of rail, for example) embedded
in blocks of wood or other suitable insulating material placed transversely, each in
succession, and astride of a beam. Between the insulating blocks, and between
these blocks and the beam there is provided a space or recess a few millimetres
in width, and when the whole arrangement has thus been connected, the joints
are filled entirely with liquified asphalt, sulphur, bitumen, slate (ardoisene) or any
other suitable insulating material. The ends are also fitted or covered with a
coating of the same material. A cable, one end of which is fixed beforehand
to the core of the said metal bar is also embedded in the molten material filling
the joints. This cable is connected with electrical conductors placed either in
a casing or sheath, or in a recess provided in the said metal bars and in the
intermediate insulating portions.
When the molten material has cooled down and hardened, the result obtained
will be a compact and rigid body which, when fixed in the ground, is capable of
sustaining the heaviest strains or supporting the beaviest loads, without being

page_text: dislocated. In addition to this, the metal bar is thoroughly insulated from the
earth and does not require any chairs or supports to be maintained in the exact
position required.
The intermediate insulating parts are formed in the same manner, with this
difference only that the metal bars do not exist and that the insulating blocks (made
of wood, for example,) are so arranged as to form simple crossed joints with the
beam, being rigidly united with each other and fixed to the said beam by means of
a suitable insulating material, heated and liquified, or molten, which, after cooling,
forms a rigid and strong connection.
The beams of the metal bars and the beam of the intermediate portions are
connected end to end, at half thickness or half depth, by means of tongues provided
at their ends, thus forming the central rail with independent contacts; but it will
be understood that any other method of connection may be employed instead.
The metal bars (say about two metres in length), are arranged at a distance say
of 6 metres or thereabouts between their respective axes. These dimensions
however may vary within rather considerable limits.
The ordinary rails of the line whereon the vehicles are to travel may be of any
convenient construction, and fitted in chairs secured to sleepers embedded in the
soil. This part of the construction, therefore, offers no peculiarity. But such is
not the case where crossings, junctions or signalling stations occur and where
perfect insulation is necessary.
To provide for satisfactory insulation and facilitate the laying of the rail, the
insulating portions to be arranged at the points mentioned are constructed in a
manner somewhat similar to that described with reference to the metal bars.
These insulating portions consist of lengths of rails made comparatively short
and arranged in such a manner as to leave a little space between them. Into this
space is poured a solution of india-rubber. When this is done, the whole arrange-
ment is placed in a vulcanizing chamber or oven where the indiarubber solution is
hardened and the sections or lengths of rail joined, the result being a rigid piece
which is laid without difficulty and at a single operation at crossings.
In the case of switch or signal-stations, insulating pieces constructed in the same
manner as above described are interposed at points.
These insulating parts are, in all cases, bolted each upon a beam which connects
them with the ordinary rails of the line.
As a modification, these insulating parts, instead of being formed of lengths of
rail, may consist of simple sheets of steel cut so as to accommodate the sectional
shape or area of the rail and arranged side by side, with spaces between, which
are filled with a solution of indiarubber, which is subsequently vulcanized as above
stated.
Dated this 20th day of August 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Conductors and Permanent Way for Electric
Railways and Tramways.
We JEAN CLARET, Contractor, and OLIVIER WUILLEUMIER, Engineer, both
of 21 Boulevard Poissonnière, Paris, in the Republic of France, 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 :-
This invention relates to the construction of permanent ways for electric
railway and tramway vehicles and is more particularly applicable to ways wherein

page_text: the propelling by electricity is effected by means of automatic distributors which
form the subject of Letters Patent No. 10343, granted to us and dated the
2nd June, 1893, but it is applicable also to any other method of propelling,
wherein the whole of the line, or way, is broken up by contacts or supplies of
current, independent of each other and connected electrically and in an
independent manner with automatic current-distributors arranged at predetermined
distances apart and fed from subterraneous conductors.
The method of construction according to this invention has for its main object
to facilitate, and considerably reduce the cost of the construction of the
permanent way, while permitting various possible contingencies to be provided for,
such as the crossing of, say, an electric railway line and a roadway, an ordinary
railway line, or any other road, or path, or of two electric lines, also junctions,
switch boxes, and the like.
To enable this invention to be better understood, we will describe it with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a plan of sufficient of a line or way to illustrate the construction in
accordance with this invention. In this figure it has been assumed that the way it
represents is crossed by an ordinary road for horse traffic and by another electric
railway line; and it has also been assumed that such crossing coincides with a
signalling station at a junction.
Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are, respectively, a longitudinal elevation, a plan, and
cross sections on the lines 1-2 and 3-4 (Figure 3) of one of the contacts
situated in the middle of the line.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are, respectively, a longitudinal elevation, a plan, and a cross
section, on the line 5-6 (Figure 7) of one of the insulating lengths of rail
adapted to be placed at the crossings and junctions.
Figures 9 and 10 represent on a larger scale cross sections on the lines 7-8
and 9-1 (Figure 1) of the line or way in question; and
Figures 11 and 12, arc, respectively, a longitudinal elevation, and cross section,
of a modification of the arrangement shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8.
The method of traction, or propulsion, to which the mode of construction
forming the subject of the present invention more particularly relates, comprises a
line or way formed of rails for the vehicles to travel on, laid parallel to each
other and properly gauged, between which there are arranged contacts or current-
deliverers of suitable length and subterraneous conductors connected with the said
contacts through the medium of automatic distributors and other apparatus.
The invention relates to the construction of these contacts or current deliverers
and also to the method of laying the rails at the point where they cross another
line or road or where a switch or signal box or the like is situated.
According to this invention the centre of the line is occupied by a central rail
formed alternately (Figure 1) of contacts or current-deliverers A and intermediate
insulating parts B.
The contacts (Figures 3, 4 and 5) are formed of a metal bar A (a length of
rail, for example) embedded in blocks a of wood or other suitable insulating
material placed transversely, each in successiou, and astride of a beam 6 (Figures 4
and 5). Between the insulating blocks a, and between these blocks and the
beam b, there is provided a space or recess a few millimetres in width, and when
the whole arrangement has been thus connected, the joints are filled entirely with
liquified asphalt, sulphur, bitumen, slate (ardoisine) or any other suitable
insulating material. The ends are also fitted or covered with a coating of the same
material. A cable c, one end of which is fixed beforehand to the core of the rail
or bar A, is also embedded in the molten material filling the joints. This cable is
connected with electrical conductors placed either in a casing or sheath C
(Figure 9) or in a recess which may be provided in the said metal bars A and in
the intermediate insulating portions B.
When the molten material has cooled down and hardened, the result obtained
will be a compact and rigid body, which, when fixed in the ground, is capable of

page_text: sustaining the heaviest strains or supporting the heaviest loads without being
dislocated. In addition to this, the metal bar A is thoroughly insulated from the
earth and does not require any chairs or supports to be maintained in the exact
position required.
The intermediate insulating parts B are formed in the same manner, with this
difference only that they are not provided with rails and that the insulating blocks a
(made of wood, for example,) are so arranged as to form simple crossed joints with
the beam ', being rigidly united with each other and fixed to the said beam by
means of a suitable insulating material, heated and liquified, or molten, which, after
cooling, forms a rigid and strong connection.
The beams of the metal bars A and the beams of the intermediate
portions B are connected end to end, at half thickness or half depth, by means of
tongues provided at their ends and thus form a continuous central rail with
independent contacts A; but it will be understood that any other method of
connection may be employed instead.
The metal bars A (say about 2 metres in length) are arranged at a distance say
of 6 metres or thereabouts between their repective axes. These dimensions
however may vary within rather considerable limits.
The ordinary rails R and R' of the line whereon the vehicles are to travel may
be of any convenient construction and fitted in chairs secured to sleepers embedded
in the soil. This part of the construction, therefore, offers no peculiarity. But
such is not the case where crossings, junctions or signalling stations occur (see
Figure 1) and where perfect insulation is necessary.
To provide for satisfactory insulation and facilitate the laying of the rail, the
insulating portions to be arranged at the points mentioned are constructed in a
manner somewhat similar to that described with reference to the metal bars or
rails A..
These insulating portions consist of lengths of rails e (Figures 6, 7 and 8) made
comparatively short and arranged in such a manner as to leave a little space
between them. Into this space is poured a solution of india rubber. When this
is done, the whole arrangement is placed in a vulcanizing chamber or oven where
the indiarubber solution is hardened and the sections or lengths of rail joined, the
result being a rigid piece which is laid without difficulty and at a single operation,
at crossings such as shown in Figure 1.
In the case of switch or signal-stations insulating pieces constructed in the same
manner as above described are interposed at points such as shown in Figure 1.
These insulating parts are, in all cases, bolted each upon a bean 62 which connects
them with the ordinary rails of the line.
As a modification, these insulating parts, instead of being formed of lengths of
rail, may consist of simple sheets of steel cut so as to accommodate the sectional
shape or area of the rail (as shewn in Figures 11 and 12) and arranged side by
side, with spaces between, which are filled with a solution of india rubber, which is
subsequently vulcanized as stated above.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
་
1. A permanent way for electric railway or tramway vehicles comprising, in
combination, rails (for the wheels to roll on) parallel to each other and properly
gauged, a central rail consisting of contacts and insulating parts arranged
alternately, end to end, and a sheath or casing containing the electrical conductors,
the said rails (carrying the wheels of the vehicles) comprising insulating parts at
the points where any two lines or ways intersect and at the junction and signalling
stations, and the said central rail having independent contacts connected with
subterranean conductors substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In the permanent way referred to in the preceding claim the construction of
contacts or current-deliveries consisting of a metal bar embedded in insulating

page_text: blocks arranged transversely and resting upon a bean; such blocks being
connected by an insulating substance, molten and poured, while hot, into the joints
and forming after cooling, a compact and rigid body, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3. In a permanent way of the kind referred to in Claim 1, the construction of
the intermediate insulating parts by means of insulating blocks arranged
transversely upon a beam, such pieces being connected by an insulating substance
molten and poured, while hot, into the joints and forming, when cooled, a compact
and rigid body connected with the contacts or current-deliverers for the purpose of
forming the central rail of the line, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In a permanent way of the kind referred to in the first claiming clause the
construction of insulating parts by means of lengths of rail connected or soldered
together by a liquified insulating substance poured in between them and capable of
being vulcanized, the whole arrangement being placed in an oven or vulcanizing
chamber so as to constitute a compact and rigid body which is interposed in the line
of rails joined end to end (for the wheels of the cars to roll on) at crossings and
junctions, substantially as herein before described.
5. In a permanent way of the kind referred to in Claim 1. the construction of
insulating pieces by means of a series of lengths of rail insulated from each other
by any suitable insulating material and connected in such a manner as to form an
insulating and rigid arrangement adapted to be interposed in the line of rails
(for the vehicles to roll on) at crossings and junctions; substantially as hereinbefore
described.
3100
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.