Improvements in and connected with Electrical Traction on a Sectional Conductor System.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1899
3. :
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Electrical Traction on a
Sectional Conductor System.
I, WILLIAM KINGSLAND, of Clarence Buildings, Llandudno, in the County of
Carnarvon,, in the Principality of Wales, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
"
This invention refers to improvements in and connected with electrical traction,
and is especially applicable to what is commonly known as the surface con-
tact system," that is where the electric current is conveyed from a main con-
ductor to the moving vehicle, through the medium of sectional conductors or
sectional rails, which latter are successively connected with the main conductor,
and disconnected from same by the passing vehicle which makes electrical contact
with the successive sections as it passes along the track, and my invention par-
ticularly refers to the connection and disconnection of the main conductor from
the sectional conductors.
According to my invention I provide a cylindrical commutator switch of some
suitable insulating material, and I cover one portion of the circumference of the
cylinder with a conducting metal plate. The cylindrical commutator switch is
mounted on a spindle, and is free to rotate in either direction. Pressing against
the cylinder at two separate points I provide two contact springs or brushes, one
of these pressure contacts being in electrical connection with the main conductor
and the other with a sectional conductor. When therefore the commutator switch
is in such a position that the metal plate is touching both pressure contacts, the
current can pass by means of the metal plate from the main to the sectional
conductor, but if the commutator switch be partially turned on its axis, one or
both of the pressure contacts may no longer be touching the metal plate, but may
rest on the insulating portion of the cylinder, and therefore the electrical con-
nection between the main and the sectional conductor will be broken."
Let it be supposed that the metal plate extends half way round the insulating
cylinder, so as to connect the two pressure contacts placed at opposite points of
a diameter. It is obvious that if the commutator switch be turned half round,
the pressure contacts will again be electrically connected by the metal plate, but
if it be turned one quarter, one of the pressure contacts will be resting on the
insulating portion of the cylinder, so that in one complete revolution of the
commutator switch there will be two positions in which the pressure contacts
will be electrically connected, and two in which they will be dis-connected.
In order that the commutator switch may be operated by a moving. vehicle
I provide the spindle which carries the switch with four arms or levers placed
at right angles to each other. The vehicle carries a suitable striking bar or bars,
which will come into contact with and operate mechanically on whichever of the
four arms is in a vertical position, and by depressing it to a horizontal position
will communicate a quarter turn to the commutator switch, at the same time
bringing one of the other arms into a vertical position. Each quarter turn of the
ID 077

page_text: commutator switch will alternately connect or disconnect the main and sectional
conductors as already described.
I provide the moving vehicle with two striking bars one in front and one
behind. When the front bar engages with the switch lever it gives a quarter
turn to the commutator switch, and thus, by connecting the main and sectional
conductors the vehicle is able to collect current from the sectional conductor.
When the rear striking bar of the car arrives at the switch lever, another
quarter turn will be given to the commutator switch, and by this the sectional
conductor will be disconnected and insulated from the main conductor.
The commutator switch and the electrical contacts are preferably enclosed in
a water-tight box, and the spindle is brought out through a water-tight gland
or stuffing box, the connecting cables also being brought into the box in a
similar manner.
In the case of street tramways, I may employ a continuous slot or conduit on
any convenient part of the track, the switch levers being located in the slot
below the level of the roadway, and the striking bars on the car pressing down
into the slot so as to engage with them.
I may sometimes employ a lever with 5, 6, or more arms, and may mount
it on a separate spindle from that of the commutator switch, and may communi-
cate the motion of the one to the other by means of gear wheels which may give
one quarter, one half, or any desired turn to the commutator switch every time
the striking bar engages with one arm of the lever; the essential condition being
that the front striking bar shall connect, and the rear striking bar shall dis-
connect the two contacts on the commutator switch.
In some cases I may protect the levers from accidental or wanton disturbance
by providing a locking arrangement so that the levers cannot easily be operated
except by the proper striking bars on the car.
Improvements in and connected with Electrical Traction on a
Sectional Conductor System.
I, WILLIAM KINGSLAND, of Clarence Buildings, Llandudno, in the County of
Carnarvon, in the Principality of Wales, 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 refers to improvements in or connected with electrical traction,
and is especially applicable to what is commonly known as the
surface con-
tact"
system, that is where the electric current is conveyed from a main con-
ductor to the moving vehicle, through the medium of sectional conductors or
"sectional rails," which latter are successively connected and disconnected from
the main conductor by the passing vehicle, which makes electrical contact with
the successive sections as it passes along the track, and my invention particu-
larly refers to the connection and disconnection of the main conductor from the
sectional conductors.
My invention is more particularly set forth and illustrated in the accompany-
ing drawings in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the conductors and their
connections. Fig 2 is an end sectional elevation shewing the switch apparatus.
-

page_text: and containing box, and the rail slot. Fig. 3 is a front elevation in half section
of same. Fig. 4 is a part end sectional elevation, similar to that shewn at Fig. 2,
but illustrating a slightly different arrangement of the mechanism. Fig. 5 shews
one form of rotating lever appliance for operating the switches, and Fig. 6 shews
another form. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively a front sectional elevation, side
sectional elevation and plan shewing a form of locking apparatus for the rotating
lever. Fig. 10 is an end sectional elevation of an arrangement of rails forming
the rail slot.
According to my invention I provide a rotatable cylindrical commutator
switch C Figs. 1 and 3, of some suitable insulating material, and I cover one
portion of the circumference of the cylinder with a conducting metal plate C¹.
The rotatable commutator switch C is mounted on a spindle E and is free to
rotate in either direction. It is further supported on a suitable frame F. Figs. 2
and 3, preferably made of insulating material.
Pressing against the cylinder at two separate points I provide two contact
springs or brushes A and B, one of these being in electrical connection with the
main conductor M Fig. 1, and the other with a sectional conductor or contact
stud S R. When therefore the switch is in such a position that the metal plate C¹
thereon is touching both pressure contacts A and B, the current can pass by means
of the metal plate from the main conductor M to that sectional conductor SR
which is in connection with the particular switch in question, but if the switch
be partially turned on its axis, one or both of the pressure contacts A B may no
longer be touching the metal plate C¹, but may rest on the insulating portion of
the cylinder C, and therefore the electrical connection between the main M and
the sectional conductor SR will be broken.
Let it be supposed that the metal plate C¹ extends half way round the
cylinder C (or rather more than half way as in Fig. 1) so as to connect the two
pressure contacts A B placed at opposite points of a diameter. It is obvious that
if the switch be turned half round the pressure contacts A B will again be
electrically connected by the metal plate C, but if it be turned one quarter, one
of the pressure contacts will rest on the insulating portion of the cylinder, so that
in one complete revolution of the switch there will be two positions in which
the contacts A and B will be electrically connected, and two in which they will
be disconnected.
It is not however essential that there should be two "on" and "off" positions
in one complete revolution of the switch, as it is obvious that the contact brushes
and metal part of the revolving switch may be so arranged that there might be
one, two, three, or several " on and "off" positions; but it is essential that the
successive positions of the switch should be alternately "on
" and "off."
The main and sectional conductors in combination with the switch as herein
described may be used for one direction of current only, the rails, as in most
cases, serving to convey the return current, or a double set may be used for lead
and return.
In order that the rotatable commutator switch may be operated by a vehicle,
I provide the various parts and contrivances as will now be described.
S, Fig. 2 is a slot in or contiguous to one of the rails R upon which the vehicles
run, and this slot may occupy the place of the ordinary groove in the rail as
in Fig. 2, or the slot S may be formed as illustrated at Fig. 10, wherein an
ordinary tram rail R is employed, and the slot S is formed by arranging a second
rail R on one side of the tram rail R. The slot ordinarily extends to the depth
of the rail. Projecting up from below into the slot is a rotating lever appli-
ance L, having four or more arms as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The spindle E¹
which carries these arms has a coupling at L' Fig. 2, which enables it to be
mounted or dismounted. The flange of the rail is partly cut away to accommodate
the lever L.
D is a metal box, preferably of cast iron, divided into two compartments by
the partition P and having a removable cover G; one compartment of the box

page_text: contains the rotatable commutator switch, and is made water-tight by the
cover F. The connecting wires or cables for the contacts A and B also pass
into this compartment of the box through water-tight glands, as for example
is shewn at Fig. 3, where W is one of the wires, electrically connected to the
contact A, and passing out of the box D by the packed gland D¹.
The other compartment of the box 1) passes partly underneath the rails R K¹,
so as to enclose the lever L. The spindle E¹ which carries the lever arms passes
through a gland H into the compartment containing the switch, and is there
coupled, as shewn at Fig. 2, direct to the switch spindle E.
In order that the rotating lever may be operated by a vehicle, I cause the said
vehicle to carry two striking bars, which project down into the slot S, Fig. 2,
and engage with whichever lever arm L happens to be in a vertical position.
One of these striking bars is arranged at the forward end of the vehicle, and the
other at the rear end. The action will then be as follows:-The switch being
in its normal or "
off" position, the action of the forward striking bar on the
vehicle will be to place it at its position, while the rear striking bar acting
on the next arm of the lever will place the switch at its next or
"off" position.
If the car is reversed, the rear striking bar becomes the forward one, and will
have the effect of placing the switch at the "
"
on position. The striking bars
may be of any convenient size or shape, but preferably somewhat flat, and with
rounded ends as shewn at T Figs. 5 and 6.
on
"
In some cases and especially when it is desired that the radial movement of the
lever arms should be less or even greater that the movement of the cylinder C,
I couple the switch shaft E to the lever shaft E by means of gearing, as for
example is shewn at Fig. 4, instead of directly connecting the two shafts E and A
together as shewn at Figs. 2 and 3.
At Fig. 4 a spur wheel E2 is fixed on the shaft E and this
spur wheel E gears
with a spur wheel on the shaft E (as is also shewn at Figs. 5 and 6) so that
any motion of the one shaft will be communicated to the other in any desired
ratio.
When the rotating lever has only four arms it is advisable to furnish them
with enlarged ends as shewn in Fig. 5, as by this means the arms may be placed
in a correct vertical and horizontal position whichever way the vehicle may be
going.
To protect the levers L from accidental or wanton displacement, I provide the
locking, arrangement shewn in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, where N and Ni are two lever
catches hinged at №2 to the side of the box D, and having counterweights K K
on arms at right angles to the lever catches N N so as to keep the latter normally
in a forward position. At the top ends of the two levers N N¹ are two curved
striking plates V V₁ and immediately below them two catches N and N. These
two catches N N engage with the upper surface of the two horizontal arms of
the rotating lever L, and thus normally prevent it from being turned. The two
levers N and N work independently of each other. The striking bar T, (a
portion of which is shewn at Figs. 7 and 9,) is provided with a projection T¹,
Fig. 9, and this projection operates on the striking plates Y and Y and causes
then to be pushed back, thus releasing the lever L from the catches N and N.
As soon as the striking bar T has passed, the levers N N will fall forward into
their normal locking position as shewn under the action of the counter-
weights K K¹.
The same arrangement may be applied to any two of the arms of a rotating
lever having more than four arms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In electrical traction the combination of a main electrical conductor and
sectional working conductors from which the motor vehicle directly collects the

page_text: current, a switch mechanism located between the main and each of the sectional
conductors, such switch mechanism consisting of a shaft mounted in bearings,
a cylinder having conducting and insulating surfaces, mounted on the said shaft,
a four, or more, armed tappet lever carried on the shaft, or carried on a counter-
shaft and coupled by gearing to the cylinder shaft, two brushes in contact with
the cylinder, one in electrical connection with the main conductor, and the other
in connection with one of the sectional conductors, and a front and rear tappet
piece on each motor vehicle adapted to impart partial rotative movement to the
aforesaid shaft, by acting consecutively upon the arms of the tappet lever, when
the motor vehicle is in motion, whereby the main and sectional conductors are
alternately connected and disconnected, substantially as set forth.
2. In electrical traction the combination with a main electrical conductor and
sectional working conductors from which the motor vehicle directly collects the
current; of a switch mechanism located between the main and each sectional
conductor, such switch mechanism consisting of a rotary shaft carried in bearings,
a cylinder having conducting and insulating surfaces mounted on the shaft, two
brushes in contact with the cylinder, one in electrical connection with the main
conductor, and the other in connection with one of the sectional conductors, an
encasing box having a watertight compartment to receive the rotary shaft and
parts connected therewith, packed glands in the sides of the compartment for the
entry of the said conductors, an extension of the rotary shaft passing through a
packed gland into a second compartment of the box, a four or more armed tappet
lever carried on the shaft in the second compartment, and rails above the box
arranged to form a slotted conduit into which the armed tappet lever projects,
and tappet pieces in each motor vehicle adapted to engage and actuate the armed
lever as the vehicle travels, whereby the main and sectional conductors are alter-
nately connected and disconnected as set forth.
3. In electrical traction, the combination with a main electrical conductor,
and sectional working conductors from which the motor vehicle directly collects
the current, a switch mechanism located between the main and each of the
sectional conductors, such switch mechanism consisting of a shaft mounted in
bearings, a four or more armed tappet lever carried on the shaft, a cylinder
having conducting and insulating surfaces also mounted on the same shaft, two
brushes in contact with the cylinder, one in electrical connection with the main
conductor, and the other in connection with one of the sectional conductors; of
a locking device, consisting of two lever catches hinged to a fixed part, counter-
balancing arms to cause the lever catches to normally engage with the arms of
the tappet lever, a curved striking plate on the upper end of each lever catch,
tappet pieces on each motor vehicle to force back the catch levers, to free the
tappet lever and partially rotate same, the latter lever being again locked auto-
matically by the falling forward of the catch levers, substantially as set forth.
4. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing my improve-
ments in or connected with electrical traction, substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of October 1899