Improvements in or relating to Electric Cables, Wires, or Con- ductors for Conveying Electricity to Vehicles or Travelling Motors.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left 8th July, 1895-Accepte1, 7th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Cables, Wires, or Con-
ductors for Conveying Electricity to Vehicles or Travelling
Motors.
I, SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTI of Charterhouse Square in the County of
London Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the cables or wires used for
conveying electricity to vehicles on an electric railway, and improved means of
supporting the conductors from which the current is collected and used for the
propulsion of such vehicles.
The object of my improvements is to render the overhead conductors and their
supporting wires used on electric tramways less noticeable and at the same time le-s
of an eye-sore than at present.
According to my invention, I replace the heavy solid or stranded conductor
(from which the current is collected) by a number of smaller wires with a space
between them and together giving the necessary section for conducting the
current.
These may be formed into a net several inches wide or may be laid parallel
side by side with cross connecting wires so as to prevent a wire falling should it
break.
In place of the grooved trolley wheel, I employ a wide conducting roller or
cylinder or I may fix this roller above the vehicle and let it make its contact
by raising the bunch of conductors. In this case I make the roller even wider so
as to give proper contact at all times and on the greatest curves.
The conducting net or layer of wires may be supported by wires made up as in
the case of the main conductor above described and stretched from post to post or
house to house across the streets. Or the net conductor may be carried from
ornamental arms upon the houses or pillars.
When a number of wires are stretched side by side either for conducting or for
carrying the conductors, I may provide equalizing pulleys to distribute the strain
upon the wires and to make all hang alike.
In all cases it is important to make the wires of a sufficiently small gauge and of
a large enough number and with sufficient space between each to be but little
apparent to the eyes. It is also desirable that the wires be so tied together that in
the event of the breaking of individual wires they may not full out of position.
Dated this 6th day of September 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Electric Cables, Wires, or Con-
ductors for Conveying Electricity to Vehicles or Travelling
Motors.
1, SEBASTIAN ZIANI DE FERRANTI of Charterhouse Square, in the County of
London, Electrical 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:―
This invention has for its object improvements in the cables or wires used for
conveying electricity to vehicles on an electric railway, and improved means of
supporting the conductors from which the current is collected and used for the
propulsion of such vehicles.
The object of my improvements is to render the overhead conductors and their
supporting wires used on electric tramways less noticeable and at the same time less
of an eye-sore than at present.
According to my invention, I replace the heavy solid or stranded conductor
(from which the current is collected) by a number of smaller wires with a space
between them and together giving the necessary section for conducting the
current.
These may be formed into a net several inches wide or may be laid parallel
side by side with cross connecting wires so as to prevent a wire falling should it
break.
The drawings show various ways of carrying out my invention,
Figure 1 shows a network of stiff wires or of two stiff wires with light cross
wires.
These
Figure 2 is a plan, and Figure 3 a cross section (enlarged) of a series of longi-
tudinal wires with cross wires having a single turn round each at intervals.
cross wires should be at sufficiently near intervals and sufficiently stiff to prevent
the wires roping or chafing one against the other.
Figure 4 is a plan and Figure 5 a longitudinal section enlarged of a slightly
different arrangement in which the line wires take a turn round the cross wires, the
former is however to be preferred though the more difficult of manufacture.
Figures 6 and 7 show two views of the trolley passing under and against the
wires.
This trolley wheel instead of being of the usual grooved form is a wide roller or
cylinder so as to come in contact with the entire width of the band of wires, even
when swung out of place by the wind or in passing round a curve. It can be shorter
and have projecting flanges to hold the band in position if desired, but this is
heavier on the wires and has a bunching tendency at curves.
As a variation of Figures 2 and 4 metallic plates and studs or the like may if
desired take the place of the cross wires in which case the line wire will be connected
to the studs or the like on the plates.
The conducting net or layer of wires may be supported by wires made up as in
the case of the main conductor above described and stretched from post to post or
house to house across the streets. Or the net conductor may be carried from
ornamental arms upon the houses or pillars.
When a number of wires are stretched side by side either for conducting or
for carrying the conductors, I may provide equalising pulleys to distribute the
strain upon the wires and to make all hang alike. These would be useful at the
supports only.
Figure 8 shows such an arrangement of equalising pulleys mounted on plates,
the line wire being carried round the pulleys as shown.

page_text: In all cases it is important to make the wires of sufficiently small gauge and of
a large enough number and with sufficient space between each to be but little
apparent to the eyes. It is also desirable that the wires be so tied together that
in the event of the breaking of individual wires they may not fall out of
position.
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. The improvement in cables, wires or conductors for conveying electricity
to vehicles or travelling motors which consists in forming the conductor of a
series of separate wires of substantially equal tension and arranged with their
centres some distance apart in substantially a straight line for the purposes
described.
2. The combination with a series of wires substantially as described in Claim 1
of binding or distance wires or pieces substantially as and for the purposes
described.
3. In combination with a cable or conductor substantially as described, a
trolley drum, or pulley, of plain cylindrical form with or without flanges and wide
enough to bear against the entire compound conductor at the curves substantially
as described.
Dad thin gah da of Iul 1905
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.