Improvements in Conduits and Rails for Electrical and other Railways.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Conduits and Rails for Electrical and other
Railways.
We, FREDERICK HOLLY REED, of 93, Ocean Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey,
United States of America, and GEORGE NICHOLAS MCKIBBIN, of 46, West Fifty-
First Street, New York City, New York, United States of America, Electricians, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to rails and conduits designed more particularly for use on
that class of railways where electricity, derived from electrical conductors arranged
in conduits along the line of railway, is employed as the motive power.
Some
features of this invention are, however, adapted for cable railways, where the power
for propelling the cars is transmitted through an endless hauling cable or rope
arranged in a conduit along the track.
In carrying out the present improvements, it is preferred to lay on the cross-ties,
under one of the track-rails, a continuous conduit constructed in two sections
separated by a longitudinal division. On the top or crown of each of the halves
or sections of the conduit is mounted one of the sections of a longitudinally-
divided track-rail. According to this construction, there is an open slot or passage
leading from the crown of the rail down into the conduit and extending along the
entire length of the track. In the conduit are arranged two conductors for forming
the electrical circuit; electrical communication between them and the motor on the
car being established and maintained by means of two conductors carried by the
car and extending into the conduit. The conductors on the car rub or roll against
the conductors in the conduit.
This arrangement enables the conduit to be opened for inspection and repair
without necessarily stopping the traffic on the road, inasmuch as the outer half or
section of both the rail and the conduit may be removed and the inner halves or
sections used as a temporary support and track for the wheels of the car.
sections of the rail be equal, they may be reversed when one becomes more
worn than the other—that is, the inner may become the outer and the outer the
innor.
If the
If preferred, both the track-rails may be constructed in sections, and both rails
provided with conduits. In this case, one of the electrical conductors may be placed
in each conduit. In some instances, the conduit-sections may be formed integrally
with the corresponding rail-sections; this being done to better advantage where the
rails and the electrical conductors are mounted directly on stringers of wood laid on
the ties. The conduit or conduits should be properly drained.
The conduit may, in cross section, be of either circular, oval, rectangular, tri-
angular or other suitable form. The conductor or conductors may be mounted
therein in any convenient manner. Where the two electrical conductors are placed
in one conduit, they should be arranged parallel; the connection with the motor being.
preferably effected by means of a device, called a "plough," hanging from the car.
The plough comprises two mechanically connected and electrically-insulated bars,
the lower ends of which are pressed elastically against the conductors in the
conduit.
When a conduit and rail of the kind above described are used on a cable-road,
the cable or rope runs in the conduit and the "grip" attached to the car extends
into the longitudinal slot between the rail sections; the lower end of the grip being
adapted to engage with the moving cable.
The conduit and rails are made up in pieces of convenient length for manufacture
菲
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page_text: and handling. When the rail is not integral with the conduit, the transverse joints
between the respective lengths of rail should alternate with those of the conduit.
Dated this 20th day of July 1889.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Conduits and Rails for Electrical and other
Railways.
We, FREDERICK HOLLY REED, of 93, Ocean Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey,
United States of America, and GEORGE NICHOLAS MCKIBBIN, of 46, West Fifty-First
Street, New York City, New York, United States of America, Electricians, 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 rails and conduits designed more particularly for use
on that elass of railways where electricity, derived from electrical conductors
arranged in conduits along the line of railway, is employed as the motive power, and
if desired for lighting and other purposes. Some of the features of this invention
arc, however, adapted for cable-railways, where the power for propelling the cars is
transmitted through an endless hauling cable or rope arranged in a conduit along
the track.
In carrying out the present improvements, it is preferred to lay on the cross-ties,
under one of the track-rails, a continuous conduit, constructed in two sections
separated by a longitudinal division. On the top or crown of each of the halves or
sections of the conduit is mounted one of the sections of a longitudinally-divided
track-rail. According to this construction, there is an open slot or passage-way
leading from the crown of the rail down into the conduit and extending along the
entire length of the track. In the conduit are arranged two conductors for forming
the electrical circuit; electrical communication between them and the motor on the
car being established and maintained by means of two conductors carried by the car
and extending into the conduit. The conductors on the car rub or roll against the
conductors in the conduit.
This arrangement enables the conduit to be opened for inspection and repair without
necessarily stopping the traffic on the road, inasmuch as the outer half or section of
both the rail and the conduit may be removed and the inner halves or sections used as
a temporary support and track for the wheels of the car. If the sections of the rail be
equal, they may be reversed when one becomes more worn than the other-that is,
the inner may become the outer and the outer the inner.
If preferred, both the track-rails may be constructed in sections and both rails
provided with conduits. In this case one of the electrical conductors may be placed
in each conduit. In some instances, the conduit-sections may be formed integrally
with the corresponding rail-sections; this being done to better advantage where the
rails and the electrical conductors are mounted directly on stringers of wood laid on
the ties. The conduit or conduits should be properly drained.
The conduit may, in cross section, be of either circular, oval, rectangular, tri-
angular, or other suitable form. The conductor or conductors may be mounted
therein in any convenient manner. Where the two electrical conductors are placed
in one conduit, they should be arranged parallel; the connection with the motor being
preferably effected by means of a device, called a "plough," hanging from the car.
The plough comprises two mechanically-connected and electrically-insulated bars, the
lower ends of which are pressed elastically against the conductors in the conduit.
When a conduit and rail of the kind above described are used on a cable-road, the
cable or rope runs in the conduit, and the "grip" attached to the car extends into the

page_text: longitudinal slot between the rail-sections; the lower end of the grip being adapted to
engage with the moving cable.
The conduit and rails are made up in pieces of convenient lengths for manufacture
handling. When the rail is not integral with the conduit, the transverse joints
between the respective lengths of rail should alternate with those of the conduit.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shews in cross section a track-rail and
conduit of the preferred form. The interior of the conduit c is circular in cross
section; the exterior being provided with transverse ribs and flanges by means of
which the conduit is stiffened and bolted to the ties t. Between the ties are outlets in
the bottom of the conduit in connection with a drain-pipe d for permitting the escape
of any water which may find access to the conduit. At the ties are other apertures in
the bottom of the conduit; one part of each of the apertures being formed in one
section and the other part in the other section of the conduit. The forked supports 2,
for the electrical conductors w to, are screwed or otherwise secured to the ties t at these
apertures. This construction permits a section of the conduit to be removed without
disturbing the electrical devices. On the respective sections of the divided conduit
are mounted the sections of the track-rail; these rail-sections being made to fit
on seats on the crown of the conduit, as shown.
The conductors we are parallel with each other and are insulated in the support .
The "plough" or contact-piece p projects from the car or vehicle into the conduit c
through the slot formed between the rail and the conduit sections, and consists, as
shown in Fig. 1, of two metallic spring-blades insulated from one another; their
extremities diverging and being arranged in rubbing contact with the respective
conductors w0 20.
Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections illustrating slight modifications of our inven-
tion. These forms will be readily understood from the drawings and require no
further description.
In
Fig. 6 represents the construction when both rails are split, and one conductor w
is placed in each rail; the conduit being under such circumstances dispensed with.
In this figure, the sections of the rail are shown as secured to a longitudinal stringor s
mounted on the ties t. Each rail may, however, be constructed as shown in Figs. 1,
2, 3, and 4; a single conductor to being mounted in the conduit under each rail.
such case, the plough p may be a single contact-piece, or a wheel, and need not be
composed of two contact-pieces, insulated from one another, as represented in Figs. 1,
2 and 3. Where the conduit c is constructed as in Figs. 2 and 3, we prefer to
connect the inner sections of the same with the chair which supports the opposite
rail by tie-bars b arranged, as shown, at suitable intervals.
Any method of mounting and insulating the conductors may be employed, and any
suitable form of conductor may be used. Several forms of conductor and several
ways of mounting and insulating the conductors are shown in the drawings.
It will be seen that the outer section of the rail, the paving outside the rail, and the
outer section of the divided conduit may be removed without interfering with the
carrying capacity of the road. If the conductors be mounted on the ties, as in Figs. 1
and 5, the removal of the outer section of the conduit need not interfere with the
electrical operation of the road.
The contact-piece p is, of course, employed to provide electrical communication
between the conductor or conductors along the road and the conductor or conductors
on the vehicle carrying the contact-piece. The current flowing to the vehicle may
be employed as the motive power for propelling the vehicle, or for lighting, or for
both purposes.
In the drawings a represents the wheel of the vehicle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim in
respect of conduits and rails for electrical and other railways is :-
1. The combination, with the rail-sections and supported continuously
throughout their whole length and forming a single track-rail with a longitudinal
slot in the middle thereof, of one or more electrical conductors suitably insulated

page_text: from the rail-sections, and means for completing the circuit from the said conductor
or conductors to a vehicle running on the track.
2. The combination, with the rail-sections which together form a single longi-
tudinally-slotted rail having the mouth of the slot raised above the roadway, of an
electrical conductor or conductors suitably insulated from the said rail and accessible
through the slot therein, and means carried by the vehicle on the track for
electrically connecting the said conductor or conductors to a conductor or conductors
on the vehicle.
3. A track-rail having a single tread with a longitudinal slot in the crown thereof,
so as to render the sections reversible, and a conduit under tho said rail, as and for
the purposes set forth.
4. The combination, with a longitudinally-divided conduit and an electrical con-
ductor or conductors arranged within the same, of a longitudinally-divided track-rail
mounted on the said conduit, as set forth, whereby a slot is formed to afford access to
the said conductor or conductors from a vehicle as and for the purposes described.
5. A. tubular cylindrical longitudinally-divided conduit having a longitudinal slot
in its crown and lateral strengthening ribs and flanges, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
6. A tubular cylindrical longitudinally-divided conduit having apertures in its
bottom for effecting communication with a drain-pipe, and a longitudinal slot in its
crown, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. A tubular longitudinally-divided conduit having a longitudinal slot in its
crown and apertures in its bottom at the ties for the reception of the supports
for the electrical conductors, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 11th day of November 1989
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
· 191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.