Improvements in Electric Railways.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1891-Accepted, 13th June, 1991
Improvements in Electric Railways.
I, MARK WESLEY DEWEY, of Thirk Block, corner of South Salina and West
Fayette Streets, Syracuse, in the County of Onondaga, in the State of New York,
United States of America, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRIC RAILWAYS, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to electric railways, and the object is to combine an induction
system with any well known conduction system.
The purpose of my invention is to provide a system, that, as a whole, will be less
expensive than a system operated entirely by the induction plan. The devices
necessary for the construction of an efficient induction system make such system
much more expensive than an ordinary conduction system. By combining the
two systems in one, a more simple construction is derived, and in many cases
all the advantages are obtained with would be gained by an entire induction
system.
For electric railways extending through city and suburban places or the country,
this system is particularly adapted, as the underground induction system may be
employed in the city or through the streets thereof on which there is considerable
travel, while the overhead conduction system or a system having exposed line
conductors is used in the suburbs or in the country.
Electric railways often extend through and between two cities and a distance of
several miles through the country, where there is but little travel, and where the
overhead conduction system is not objectionable; in such cases, the induction
system is employed for the end portions of the road that are in the cities, while
the intermediate portion in the country is equipped with the overhead conduction
system.
Exposed line conductors for railways in cities are objectionable for many
reasons, and, in some cities they are not allowed to be suspended because thereof.
As the induction system is free from these objections and has most of the
advantages of the conduction system, it is very essential that the two systems be
combined to produce a system that is both efficient and economical.
The car or cars for this railway are equipped to receive current for the propelling
motors from either and both systems and without interruption as hereinafter
described.
To this end my invention consists broadly in an electric railway having a portion
thereof equipped with a conduction system and another portion equipped with an
induction system.
My invention consists further in the combination, in an electric railway of a
track, an exposed line working conductor extending along a portion of the track, an
insulated line working conductor extending along another portion of the track, a
source of alternating currents of electricity for the insulated line conductor, a car to
move upon said track, a circuit on the car, a terminal for said circuit to make contact
with the exposed line conductor, a circuit on the car adapted to be completed
thereon, a portion of the latter circuit arranged in inductional relation to the
insulated line conductor, and, a motor on the car in both of the circuits thereon and
arranged to move the car.
And my invention consists also in certain other combinations of apparatus herein-
after described and specifically set forth in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an electric railway and motor car
embodying my invention,

page_text: ig. is a plan view of the same,
Figures 3 and 4 are modifications of Figs. 1 and 2,
Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are modifications of side elevations of my electric railway
system, and
Fig. 10 is an end clevation of the railway car equipped with my induction system
and shows also a cross section of the railway.
Referring specifically to the drawings A in the figures represents a source of
irregular or alternating currents, B and B are the line conductors connected there-
with and extending along the railway or track C, a a etc., are poles or supports
for the suspended exposed line conductor or conductors 1, and 2 indicates the under-
ground insulated line conductor or conductors of the induction portion of the
railway.
bbbare U-shaped iron cores placed at intervals along the induction portion of
the railway, and preferably equal distances apart. Said cores are embedded in the
roadway and arranged at right angles to the rails thereon, but with their poles
extending to, in proximity to, or above the surface of the roadbed, preferably the
latter. The poles of said cores are located on each side of the center of the roadbed,
but preferably between the rails of the track.
I do not limit myself to any particular distance between two of said cores, but
they may be placed apart about the length of a car with good results.
bare coils wound upon the said cores. The coils are shown connected in
parallel with the line conductors, as this is preferred, but it will be obvious that in
some cases they may be connected in series.
The reference figure 1 also represents the portion or portions of the railway
equipped with the conduction system and the reference figure 2, the portion or
portions of the railway equipped with the induction system.
Dis the vehicle or car to travel on the railway. d is the vehicle conductor or
the electric circuit on the vehicle, and care terminals of the conductor to move in
contact with the exposed line conductors and which may be of any suitable
construction.
e is an elongated iron core carried on the vehicle, and is similar to the cores b b
but is inverted, and el is a coil wound on said core and connected in circuit with the
vehicle conductor. E is an electric motor in the vehicle conductor, and ffare
current regulators therefor also in the circuit. A current rectifier is indicated in
dotted lines on the car in Fig. 1, and is to be employed when the motor E is a direct
When an alternating current motor is employed, the rectifier is
The ends of the insulation on the line conductor or conductors of portion 2 of the
railway is indicated by dotted lines at a' a'.
current motor.
dispensed with.
In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the end portions of the railway are shown
equipped with the conduction system or overhead exposed line working conductors,
while the intermediate or central portion is equipped with the underground induction
system. The cores for the latter system are preferably laminated or divided to
prevent cross. currents.
The ends or poles of the cores may be separated by an air space or they may be
connected by iron rollers or brushes "e" fixed to the ends of the vehicle core to
form a closed magnetic circuit.
In the same figures, but one of the line conductors B is suspended and the other B¹
is formed by the rails of the track. One terminal or contact c of the vehicle
conductor is mounted on the top of the car D while the other contact c is formed by
the wheels of the car, or is mounted upon arms fixed to the core and extending
outward toward and above the rails of the track as shown in Fig. 10 of the
drawings.
In Figure is also shown a switch for alternately closing and opening the
circuit containing the coil e and the conductor connected to the movable contacts e6.
The said switch may be moved to open both circuits by moving its free end to the
right from the position in which it is shown in the figure, but when moved to the

page_text: left, it will close the conductor connected to the contacts cc and open the circuit of
the coil el or cut the same out of circuit. In the position in which it is shown the
coil or complete circuit on the vehicle is closed.
The coil or complete circuit is to be closed when the car is on the portion of the
railway equipped with the induction system, and said circuit is to be opened, and
the conductor connected with the contacts closed when the car is upon the
portion of the road equipped with the conduction system or exposed line conductors.
The switch should be operated when the car is moving from one portion to a
differently equipped portion of the railway.
In Figures 3 and 4 both line working conductors are suspended at portions 11 of
the road and the rails of the track are not used for the return conductor. In this
case both of the contacts are mounted on the top of the car as the lines are over-
head, and, the switch simply cuts out or in the coil e' when it is moved. The
other circuit of the motor is opened and closed automatically by the car when it
moves from one portion of the railway to another. The current rectifier can be
used with this plan also when desired, that is, when a direct current motor is
employed to propel the vehicle. In other respects the said figures are the same as
or similar to Figs. 1 and 2.
Figure 5 represents a railway divided in two portions only, the portion at the
end where the source of electricity is located being equipped with the induction
system, and the other end portion with the conduction system. The cores and coils
in the roadbed are simply indicated in this figure, and also in some other figures
hereinafter described, by boxes which enclose said cores and coils.
In Figure 5 an inductional current transformer F is shown connected between
the different portions or systems of the railway for the purpose of changing or
reducing the tension of the current for the exposed line conductors. One of the
coils of the said transformer is connected in circuit with the alternating current
dynamo And the other coil of the transformer is in circuit with the exposed line
conductors. The exposed line conductors in this case may be of greater cross-
section than the insulated conductors, if desired, and the convolutions of the former
on the core of the transformer, may be less in number than the convolutions of the
latter or primary coil.
In Figure 6 the intermediate or central portion of the railway is equipped
with exposed line conductors. The insulated conductors extend underground
between the portions 22. The transformer F is located and feeds the overhead
conductors about midway between the portions 2 2. A plurality of transformers
may be used and placed at intervals along the line, if required.
'
Figure 7 is similar in most respects to Fig. 6, but the primary circuit does not
extend between the portions 22 of the railway, as in Fig. 6. A transformer F,
the same as that shown in Figure 5 is employed between the portion 1 on the left,
and one end of the conduction system, and a similar transformer reversed F' is
located between the other end of the conduction system, and the second induction
portion of the railway. With this arrangement a great deal is saved in line con-
ductors, especially when such central portion is very long. A. reduced tension is
maintained in the exposed lines by the transformer F, and, an increased volume
also, if desired; and then, by the transformer the transformed current or a
portion thereof in the exposed lines, is reconverted into a current of higher
tension, and less volume, if desired, for the second induction portion of the
railway.
In Figure 8 the railway is divided into two parts or portions, the portion on the
left or near the generating station being equipped with the conduction system and
the portion on the right with the induction system. In this case, the exposed line
conductors, one of which is shown suspended, and the other being formed by the
rails of the track, are connected with a source of direct continuous current, as a
direct current dynamo A.' located at the generating station where the source of
alternating currents A for the induction system is located. In order to save line
conductors, the dynamo A may be located between the two systems at a separato

page_text: generating station as shown in dotted lines in the figure, and, if desired, both
dynamos may be located at this point thus dispensing with the other generating
station. The car in Figure 8 is shown equipped with a direct continuous current
motor, a rectifier and current regulators H and H for the motor. The switch g is
a double pole switch in this case, and is located in the vehicle circuit so as to cut
out the rectifier with the coil e' as the rectifier will not of course, be required when
the said coil is not in use or when the car is on the portion of the railway equipped
with the conduction system.
In Figure 9 a direct continuous current dynamo is shown as employed to generate
the currents for both systems. The said dynamo A' is shown located at one end of
the railway but it may be located at the junction of the two portions, or systems if
preferred. An inductional transformer F the same as that shown in Figure 7, is
shown between or connecting the two systems for the purpose of increasing the
tension of the current in the insulated leads, and a suitable current alternator is
indicated in the primary circuit near the transformer to rapidly alternate the
current for the transformer and for the induction portion 2 of the railway.
I do not limit myself to the details of construction, as they may be modified in
various ways without departing from my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1-In an electric railway, a supply conductor extending along the railway, a car
to move along said railway, an electric motor to propel the car, an electric con-
ductor on the car connected to the motor, an electric connection to conduct the
current between the supply conductor and the car conductor, and suitable means
on the car whereby the current for the motor may be induced by the current in the
supply conductor.
2 In an electric railway, the combination of a track, an exposed line working
conductor extending along a portion of the track, an insulated line working con-
ductor extending along another portion of the track, a source of alternating
currents of electricity for the insulated line conductor, a car to move upon said
track, a circuit on the car, a terminal for said circuit to make contact with the
exposed line conductor, a second circuit on the car adapted to be completed thereon,
a portion of the latter circuit arranged in inductional relation to the insulated line
conductor, and a motor on the car in both of the circuits thereon and arranged to
move the car.
3-In an electric railway, the combination of a track, an exposed line working
conductor extending along a portion of the track, an insulated line conductor
extending along another portion of the track, a source of irregular or alternating
currents for both conductors, a car to move on said track, a circuit on the car
having a terminal to move in contact with the exposed conductor, means to form a
complete circuit on the car, a portion of the complete circuit in inductional relation
to the insulated line conductor, and a motor on the car in the circuit thereon and
arranged to propel the car.
4-In an electric railway, a supply conductor extending along the railway, a car
to move along said railway, an electric motor to propel the car, an electric con-
ductor on the car connected to the motor, an electric connection to conduct the
current between the supply conductor and the car conductor, and suitable means on
the car whereby the current for the motor may be derived from the supply conductor
by induction.
5-In an electric railway, a supply conductor extending along the railway
having one or more portions of its length exposed and one or more portions
insulated, a car to move along said railway, an electric motor to propel the car, an
electric conductor on the car connected to the motor, an electric connection to
conduct the current between the exposed portion or portions of the supply con-
ductor and the car conductor, and suitable means whereby the current for the

page_text: motor may be derived from the insulated portion or portions of the supply conductor
by induction.
6-In an electric railway, a supply-conductor extending along the railway having
one or more portions of its length exposed and suspended above the ground, and
one or more portions insulated and beneath the surface of the ground, a car to
move along said railway, an electric motor to propel the car, an electric conductor
on the car connected to the motor, an electric connection to conduct the current
between the exposed portion or portions of the supply conductor and the car
conductor, and suitable means whereby the current for the motor may be derived
from the insulated portion or portions of the supply-conductor by induction.
7-In an electric railway having a conduction system for one portion and an
induction system for another portion, a source of high tension current for the
induction system and a transformer to reduce the tension of a portion of the said
current to supply the conduction system.
8 The combination, of a car or vehicle movable along a given path, a series of
stationary magnetic cores placed at intervals along a portion of said path, coils
surrounding said cores and connected with a source of irregular or alternating
currents, an exposed line working conductor extending along another portion of
the said path, a magnetic core carried by the car in inductional relation to the
stationary cores, a secondary conductor wound thereon, a movable contact connected
to the secondary conductor to make contact with the exposed line conductor, and
an electro magnetic motor on the car and for propelling the same, and connected in
circuit with the secondary conductor.
9 The combination, of a car or vehicle movable along a given path, a series of
stationary magnetic cores placed at intervals along a portion of said path, coils
surrounding said cores and connected with a source of irregular or alternating
currents, an exposed line working conductor extending along another portion of the
said path and deriving current from the same source, a magnetic core carried by
the car in inductional relation to the stationary cores, a secondary conductor wound
thereon, a movable contact connected to the secondary conductor to make contact
with the exposed line conductor, and an electro magnetic motor on the car and for
propelling the same, and connected in circuit with the secondary conductor.
10 The combination of a car or vehicle movable along a given path, a stationary
magnetic core extending along a portion of the path, a conductor to magnetize
said core and connected with a source of irregular or alternating currents, an
exposed line working conductor extending along another portion of the said path,
a magnetic core carried by the car in inductional relation to the stationary cores, a
secondary conductor wound thereon, a movable contact connected to the secondary
conductor to make contact with the exposed line conductor, and an electro magnetic
motor on the car and for propelling the same, and connected in circuit with the
secondary conductor.
11 The combination of a car or vehicle movable along a given path, a stationary
magnetic core extending along a portion of the path, a conductor to magnetize said
core and connected with a source of irregular or alternating currents, an exposed
line working conductor extending along another portion of the said path, a current
transformer between the said conductor connected with the source and the exposed
line conductor, a magnetic core carried by the car in inductional relation to the
stationary cores, a secondary conductor wound thereon, a movable contact connected
to the secondary conductor to make contact with the exposed line conductor, and
an electro magnetic motor on the car and for propelling the same, and connected in
circuit with the secondary conductor.
12 The combination of a car or vehicle movable along a given path, a stationary
magnetic core extending along a portion of the path, a conductor to magnetize said
core and connected with a source of irregular or alternating currents, an exposed
line working conductor extending along another portion of the said path, an
inductional transformer having one of its coils in circuit with the conductor
connected with the source and the other coil in circuit with the exposed line

page_text: conductor, a magnetic core carried by the car in inductional relation to the
stationary cores, a secondary conductor wound thereon, a movable contact connected
to the secondary conductor to make contact with the exposed line conductor, and
an electro magnetic motor on the car and for propelling the same, and connected in
circuit with the secondary conductor.
13 The combination, of a car or vehicle movable along a given path, a series
of stationary magnetic cores placed at intervals along a portion of said path, coils
surrounding said cores and connected with a source of irregular or alternating
currents, an exposed line working conductor extending along another portion of
the said path, a magnetic core carried by the car in inductional relation to the
stationary cores, a secondary conductor wound thereon, a movable contact connected
to the secondary conductor to make contact with the exposed line conductor, a
current rectifier in the conductor on the vehicle, and a direct current motor on the
car and for propelling the same, and connected in circuit with the secondary
conductor.
14-In an electric railway having a conduction system for one portion and an
induction system for other portions of the railway, the combination of a source of
high tension current for one of the portions equipped with the induction system, a
transformer to reduce the tension of a portion of the said current to supply the
conduction system, and a transformer to increase the tension of a portion of the
current of the conduction system to supply another portion of the railway equipped
with the induction system.
15 In an electric railway having a conduction system for one portion and an
induction system for another portion of the railway, of a source of low tension
current for the conduction system, and a current transformer to increase the tension
of a portion of the said current to supply the induction system.
1
16 In an electric railway having a conduction system for one portion and an
induction system for another portion, means for supplying the conduction system
with a direct current, and the induction system with an alternating current.
17 In an electric railway, a supply conductor extending along the railway
having one or more portions of its length exposed and one or more portions
insulated, means for supplying the exposed portion or portions of the supply
conductor with a current of lower tension than the other portion or portions, a car
to move along said railway an electric motor to propel the car, an electric conductor
on the car connected to the motor, an electric connection to conduct the current
between the exposed portion or portions of the supply conductor and the car
conductor, and suitable means whereby the current for the motor may be derived
from the insulated portion or portions of the supply conductor by induction.
18 In an electric railway, an exposed supply-conductor extending along a
portion of the railway, an enclosed or insulated supply conductor extending along
another portion of the railway, a vehicle or car to travel on the railway, an electric
motor to propel the vehicle or car, and suitable devices whereby the said motor
may be supplied with current from either or both conductors.
Dated this 20th day of Auril 1891
MARK WESLEY DEWEY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.