Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1887
Complete Left, 9th Jan., 1888
Complete Accepted, 9th Mar., 1888
We ALEXANDER LOGIN LINEFF of 12 Buckingham Street Adelphi in the City of
Westminster, Consulting Engineer and Electrician, and EDWARD HODSON BAYLEY
of Eltham in the County of Kent, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our improvements relate to electric railways and tramways in which the energy of
the current is conveyed through the whole of the working line, and the various
converting apparatus (motors, lamps, and the like) are connected therewith in
parallel arc.
The main objects of our improvements are to minimise the leakage of the electric
current in the process of distribution; to avoid the use of the more expensive metals
for conductors; to prevent the wear and tear of the conductor in the process. of
collecting the current therefrom; to provide for cutting out of the circuit any part of
the conductor for the purpose of repairs, without interrupting the action of the
circuit; and also to provide for automatic signalling to regulate the traffic.
In carrying our our invention, we employ rigid conductors of any convenient
section, solid cr hollow, preferably of iron or some other cheap material, and we cover
them with some insulating material. The insulation may be complete, or only partial,
the thickness of the insulating material being increased at those points where the
conductor is supported by brackets or otherwise to prevent leakage to earth.
By the use of a rigid conductor, the number of brackets or supports may be
reduced, thereby reducing the points at which leakage might take place.
In the case of having to carry a considerable quantity of current, which would
necessitates a conductor. of large section, we prefer to use with the rigid main, a
"relief" conductor of higher conductivity, which may be placed inside the hollow
main; or if the main conductor is solid, it may be placed outside the relief conductor,
in either case being in electrical contact with the main.
The main conductor is provided with metallic projections or rubbers fixed at
suitable distances apart, and in electrical connection with the conductor. These
rubbers will be shaped to accord with the section of the collector, as will be described
hereinafter.

page_text: At suitable intervals, the rigid conductor is broken between two rubbers, and the
opposite ends of the rigid conductor are connected by an insulated flexible conductor,
and thus no variation of temperature, and consequent expansion or contraction of the
rigid conductor, will have any damaging effect on the conductor, and will not affect
the true position of the rubbers.
When the conductor is put underground in a slotted channel placed between the
rails, the centre line of the conductor is not placed vertically under the channel slot,
but on one side of it, so that any dirt falling through the slot, will not accumulate on
the conductor. This arrangement also gives facility for repairs, as only one slot beam
(of the two which form the channel slot), or section of the slot beam, has to be
removed for the purpose of obtaining access to the conductor.
In order to reduce the amount of metal in tramways, and at the same time reduce
the resistance to traction, owing to clogged grooves, we may place the conductor
channel under one of the rails, the channel slot, in this case, taking the place of the
ordinary groove in the rail.
The groove on the other rail may be dispensed with, the wheels being formed
without flanges, and running on a flat rail. The arrangement of the channel, on one
side, will remain the same as in the case of the central channel.
In order to collect the current from the positive conductor, we use a trailing
collector attached to, and carried by the car. This collector slides over the rubbers,
which are so shaped as to form a guide for the collector to slide upon. The collector
is of a sufficient length to reach and make contact with two or more rubbers, its own
weight, or even part of such weight, being sufficient to ensure good electrical
contact.
The trailing collector is suitably designed to follow easily any curve of the road,
at the same time avoiding undue sagging between the supporting rubbers.
The simplest form of collector is a wire rope cased with a number of short metallic
tubes having sufficient interval between their ends to allow the easy bending of the
length of the collector. The collector thus constructed is subtended between two arms
which pass through the slot in the channel, and are carried by a flat beam of wood,
horizontally flexible, but rigid vertically. This beam may be rigidly fixed to the axle
frame, in which case any deviation of the channel slot from the straight line will be
compensated for by the trailing arms bending the beam. In this case, the arms are
rigidly fixed to the beam, or the beam may be attached to a transversely sliding
carriage, the beam in this case forming a chord between the two points where
the arms pass through the slot, and the sharper the curve, the more the transverse
motion of the middle of the beam. In this case, in order, to prevent friction of the
arms against the sides of the channel slot, they are hinged or pivoted to the beam,
thus allowing the arms to follow the direction of a tangent to the curve, while the
beam assumes the direction of the chord. Another way of attachment, is to pivot the
beam to the sliding carriage, in which case, the friction of the arms against the slot
will be reduced to a minimum.
.
The attachment of the beam to the carriage may be effected in other ways, but in
any case, we prefer to make the beam independent of the oscillations of the by
using the axle-boxes as supports..
car,
The arms to which the trailing conductor is attached are carried by a casing, but
are insulated from it. The upper part of this casing, above the slot, is provided with
projecting flanges, and a knife or plough is attached to each arm to clear away any
accidental obstruction in the channel slot. On a straight part of the line, the centre
of the trailing conductor is arranged to lie parallel to the beam, so as to avoid any
torsion of the beam, the arms being bent to suit the position of the channel slot.
In cases where there is no guiding slot, and a difficulty presents itself in stretching
the trailing collector or supporting its ends, the collector is formed of short metallic
pieces of suitable section fastened to a continuous flexible strip of metal forming a
vertical back bone to the collector, flexible in a horizontal plane, and rigid in a vertical
plane. The upper part of this flexible strip is T-shaped, and it slides longitudinally
in a metal block carried by a fork fixed to an arm attached to the carriage, or to a

page_text: frame in connection with the axle boxes. The electrical connection between the fork
and the metal block is secured by a flexible connection of high conductivity. By
these means, a certain lateral freedom between car and the trailing bar against jolting
or pitching of the car is secured. Whatever construction of trailing collector we may
use, it is always dragged along in the direction the car may be moving, and will make
electrical contact in sliding over the rubbers on the main conductor.
The arrangements above described give great facilities for use for crossing points,
shunts &c., where great complications arise with continuous bare conductors.
For the purposes of repairing, testing, and generally for maintaining uninterrupted
traffic, we provide branches from the main conductor for distinct sections of the line,
which branches extend from the flexible parts of the conductor, and terminate in
switches. By means of these switches any section may be cut out of the circuit, the
current meanwhile passing through a temporary conductor, or through the conductor
of the adjoining line.
We also provide a separate insulated wire running in sections along the whole
channel, the ends terminating in the above mentioned switches, thus forming sections,
for the purpose of signalling, testing, and other purposes.
For lighting the trains or cars, the main conductor may be arranged along the wall
of the tunnel, or on posts, as may be found most convenient. In such cases, especially
when the current used is of comparatively low tension, we prefer to combine the
bracket and rubber in one piece, insulating the latter from the wall by embedding the
foot of the bracket in some insulating substance, such as asphalte, or the combined
rubber-bracket may be fixed to a wooden post, or in any other suitable manner. The
electrical connection between the rubbers and the main conductor is effected by
separate wires.
Separate rubbers may also be placed at convenient distances apart in the line of the
main rubbers, and at the spots where the rigid conductor is interrupted, and
electrically connected by flexible conductors. These rubbers are insulated from the
earth, and are severally connected with signal boxes on the line. It will be evident
that when the trailing collector passes over such rubbers, a current will be sent to the
signal box in connection with such rubber. Thus, an automatic block system may be
arranged, in which cach train or car, on entering a certain section, will automatically
block it for any other train or car, and will release the signal on leaving the section
and entering the next.
In some cases, on some lines, with but few running cars, and with a series wound
generator, it may be desirable to have the main always at a certain electrical tension
even when no car is running. For this purpose, we provide, at the generating
station, a regulating shunt, with a solenoid working in the main circuit, and the core
of the solenoid so arranged as to close the circuit of the shunt when the main
conductor, through stoppage of the cars, remains electrically inactive.
Dated this 4th day of Databo 1007
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the pplicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Electric Railways and Tramways.
We ALEXANDER LOGIN LINEFF of 12 Buckingham Street, Adelphi, in the City of
Westminster, Consulting Engineer and Electrician and EDWARD HODSON BAYLEY
of Eltham in the County of Kent, Gentleman 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 :-
The object of our invention is to perfect the working of electric tramways and
railways, the principal points that we have in view being to minimise the leakage of
the electric current in the process of distribution; to cheapen the cost of construction
and maintenance; to provide novel means for collecting and conveying the current
from the conductor to the motor; to provide for cutting out of the circuit any part
of the conductor for the purpose of repairs without interrupting the action of the
circuit; and to provide for automatic signalling to regulate the traffic.
Our invention is more particularly intended to apply to that form of electric
tramways and railways in which the energy of the current generated at one or more
stations is conveyed through the whole of the working line, and the various converting
apparatus (motors, lamps, and the like) are connected in parallel arc, but it may also
be employed when the converting apparatus is arranged partly in series and partly in
parallel arc.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1, Sheet I, is a longitudinal section of the permanent way of a tramway in
which a central channel between the rails is used for the conductor, and showing the
application of our invention. The Figure also shows so much of a tramcar as will be
necessary to show the connection between the car and the electrical conductor, and
also one form of trailing collector; and
Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the same, with the floor or platform of the car
removed.
Figs. 1 are details which will be more fully described hereafter.
Fig. 3, Sheet II, is a cross section taken on the line Fig. 1, showing the
conductor channel and the manner of connecting the collector with the car.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of that part of the apparatus which is shown at Fig. 3 as
being above the ground.
Figs. 5 and 6 show slight modifications in the construction of the same.
Fig. 1, Sheet III, is a longitudinal section, and
Fig. 2 a cross section, of a modification in the form of the collector and the mode
of connecting the same to the car.
Fig. 3 is a side view, and
Fig. 4 a cross section, of the collector.
Fig. 7, Sheet IV, is
side elevation, and
Fig. S'an end view of a railway carriage and truck with our invention adapted
thereto.

page_text: TOT S
and for electing other poss
Fig. 13, Sheet VII, is a sectional elevation of a plug-switch.
Fig. 14 is a plan view, and
Fig. 15 is a cross section on the line of Fig. 13.
Fig. 16 is a coupling piece.
In carrying out our invention, we employ a conductor formed of lengths of (pre-
ferably) iron bar or tube covered with a suitable insulating material, the said lengths
of bar or tube being set a short distance apart, with the adjacent ends connected
together by insulated flexible connections.
This construction of conductor provides for the contraction and expansion of the
metal under the influence of variations in the temperature.
The conductor is supported by brackets or posts according to the position in which
it is placed, and being surrounded by air, which forms the best insulator as well as
completely insulated, the risk of leakage is reduced to a minimum.
When it is desired to carry a considerable quantity of current which would
necessitate a conductor of large section or bulk, we use, with a comparatively small
main, a relief conductor of higher conductivity, which may be placed inside the main
conductor if hollow, or outside, if the main conductor be solid, but in either case, in
electrical contact with the main conductor.
At certain distances apart, the main conductor is provided with metallic projections
or rubbers in electrical connection therewith. These rubbers will be shaped to accord
with the section of the collector to be used, and, with the exception of the contact or
rubbing face, may be also covered with an insulating material.
When a channel below the surface of the ground is used for the conductor, the
conductor will be placed at one side of a vertical line drawn through the centre of
the channel slot, so that any dirt falling through the slot will not accumulate on the
rubbers.
In some cases, the rubbers may be fixed to, and form part of the supporting
brackets, the conductor being clamped thereto in any convenient manner. This
arrangement is more particularly useful for railways or in tunnels.
j
Refering now to Sheets I, II, and III of the drawings, A A are the rails of the
tramway B B represent the car wheels, B B the wheel axles, and B² the frame or
body of the car, which is removed in Fig. 2.-C C are the slot beams which form the
top of the channel C, in which the conductor is placed, the said beams being bolted
or otherwise secured to chairs C².
The channel will be preferably built up, say, in concrete, and the chairs C² to
support the slot beams C, and to which brackets C³ to carry the conductor are bolted,
are built into the walls of the channel. D is the insulated conductor carrying the
rubbers D, and D* is the relief conductor, which may be carried as shown in Fig. 3,
and electrically connected with the conductor D by branch wires D²; or it may be
placed inside the main conductor D. The conductor D is supported in the brackets (³,
which are insulated from the chairs C, and the contact or rubbing pieces D' are
firmly secured to the conductor D, and extend upwards some distance above the same.
These pieces D are intended to receive a trailing collector E carried by the car,
and which takes up the current from the conductor. It will be seen from the drawing,
that the conductor D, with its rubbing pieces D', is placed at one side of the channel,
and at some distance from the bottom, so that any water or mud which may enter
between the slot beams will fall to the bottom of the channel, clear of the rubbing
pieces, the contact surfaces of which will thus always remain clear. This position
will also facilitate cleaning out the bottom of the channel, and it is also convenient
in case of repairs to the conductor, and its accessories, as it will be necessary to
remove only one of the slot beams to obtain access to the conductor.

page_text: In order to reduce the amount of metal in trainways, and at the same time reduce
the resistance to traction owing to clogged grooves, we may place the conductor
channel under one of the rails, the channel slot in this case taking the place of
the ordinary groove in the rail. This arrangement is shown clearly in Fig. 2,
Sheet III.
The groove in the other rail of the track may be dispensed with, the wheels being
formed without flanges, and running on a flat rail. The construction and arrange-
ment of the channel will be otherwise the same as in the case of the central channel.
The trailing collector E is nearly the same length as the car, which is about equal
to the distance between three rubbers D, and its own weight is sufficient to ensure
good electrical contact with the rubbers over which it slides as the car progresses.
This trailing collector E is formed of a length of wire rope (preferably copper), so
that it may easily follow any curves in the road, and upon this rope may be strung
short lengths of steel or other hard metal tubing to form the rubbing surface of the
collector.
The collector is connected with the car in the following manner, see Figs. 1 and 2,
Sheet I.
F is a frame which is carried by the axle boxes of the car, and consists of side
pieces F and cross pieces F¹. Sliding upon or between the two cross pieces F1, is
a kind of carriage 1, to the underside of which is rigidly secured, in any convenient
manner, a beam G. To the opposite ends of this beam G, the trailing collector E
is attached by means of swinging or jointed connections. Instead of being rigidly
secured to the carriage 12, the beam G may be pivotted to the carriage, as shown in
sectional elevation and plan view in Figs. 1*, Sheet I.-The object of the sliding
carriage, and pivotting the beam thereto, is to allow the beam to shift laterally, and to
swing on its centre as the car is going round a sharp curve, so that there may be no
strain on the connections between the beam and the trailing collector E. The beam
may also be rigidly secured to the frame F.
On the opposite ends of the beam G is secured, by screws or otherwise, a sleeve,
socket, or clamp G', see Fig. 4, Sheet II; having at the centre of its length, and on
one side, a lug or projection which is bored longitudinally to receive a pin or bolt G².
Pivotted to this sleeve, socket, or clamp, by the bolt G2, which passes through pierced
lugs on the side thereof, is a second socket or clamp G³, in which is secured the
insulated arm or bar G, to the end of which the collector E is attached. This
clamp G³ is formed with an extension at its lower end, which projects into the slot C₁,
and this extension is formed to act as a knife or cutter to clear any obstruction that
may have collected in the slot.
The lower ends of the bars G are rigidly attached to sockets G³, in which the
trailing collector is secured in any convenient manner. The pivotting of the collector
clamp G³ to the beam G permits of the clamp rocking on its pivot as the car is going
round a curve; thus all fear of the arm or bar G* binding or rubbing on the sides of
the slot will be avoided.
A modification in the form of the joint is shown in Fig. 5, in which a fixed pin or
bar on the clamp G3 works in a corresponding socket in the clamp G', while in a
further modification shown at Fig. 6, the clamp G3 works in curved guides Go formed
with, and extending laterally from the clamp G¹.
In the arrangement shown at Sheet III, the conducter channel is placed under one
rail, as before referred to. In this case, we show a modified form of collector.
Instead of securing the collector, at its opposite ends, to the opposite ends of a
beam G, fixed or pivotted to the frame 1, it is connected by one end only to 5
the frame F, the beam G being dispensed with. The connection consists of an
arm or bar G, which is so attached to the frame F as to be capable of slight
motion in a direction transverse of the car and carrying, at its lower end, a
metal slide G', which slides upon the trailing collector E from end to end, proper
electrical connection being made between the metal slide G' and the bar G.
5
In this arrangement the collector E consists of a strip of metal set on edge so as to

page_text: form a backbone, on either side of which is rivetted a series of plates of the section
shown at Fig. 4, Sheet III, or a similar section. The T-head of this collector
is passed into the slide G7, and end stops Gs are then rivetto: onto the collector,
which will form the bearing point for the slide G' by which the collector is dragged
along. The collector will thus be flexible in a horizontal direction, which will allow
it to pass freely round the curves on the line, but it will be rigid vertically, which
will prevent sagging, and tend to keep it in its place on the rubbers D of the
conductor D. In this form of collector, the whole of its lower part will be in contact
with the rubbing or contact pieces. We may also use the rope collector, as described
in an earlier part of this specification.
In applying our invention to a railway worked by electricity, we find it most
convenient to place the main conductor, which is provided with the rubbers, as before
explained, above ground. This part of our invention is shown in Sheet IV.
In Fig. S the outline of the wall of a tunnel I, and of a station platform I', is shown
in addition to the end view of a railway carriage.
The conductor D, with the rubbers attached, may be carried by posts arranged
by the side of tho rails, or in the case of an underground line, by brackets or supports
fixed to the wall of the tunnel; or where the line is in the open, we may use a flexible
conductor carried by the ordinary telegraph posts, and in electrical connection with
rubbers by the side of the line.
This arrangement has its advantages, and in this case the conductor D is connected.
by short branch wires a with the rubbers D. These rubbers, one of which is shown
in side elevation and cross section, on an enlarged scale, at Figs. 9, consist of a metal
cap or thimble formed outside with a deep V-groove, in which the trailing collector E
slides. This cap, which is lined with insulating material, may be set on, and fixed to
a wooden post D1, which is firmly secured to a sleeper of the permanent way outside
the rails, or in any other convenient position. This simple form of rubber is, however,
only suitable for currents of low potential. For high potential, we prefer to fix the
rubber D on an earthenware insulator D*2, of a section similar to that shown at
Figs. 9, and which is secured in any convenient manner to the post D*¹.
The trailing collector E, constructed as above described with reference to Figs. 1, 2,
and 3, will extend from end to end of the train, cach carriage being provided with its
proper length, which will be coupled in any convenient manner to the collectors of the
adjacent carriages when the train is made up.
The collector of each carriage will, when not in use, be secured at either end by a
clip or clamp J, Figs. 10, attached to the underside of the foot board, and it will
be supported at various points in its length by spring supports J*, Fig. 11, also
secured to the footboard.
The clip or clamp J is shown in cross section and side elevation at Figs. 10, and it
consists of a fixed jaw J and a moveable jaw J, which is provided with a hooked
portion at its upper end, which takes into a hole in the fixed jaw, the two jaws being
brought and held together by a bolt and nut, as shown.
The spring support J*, in its simplest form, is shown at Fig. 11, and it consists of
a helical spring secured by one end to a plate J1, by which it is attached to
the footboard, and at the other end to a metal strap J2 in which the collector Eis
placed. The thickness of this strap J will be the same as that of the lengths of
tube forming the rubbing surface of the collector, so that an even surface will be
presented to the rubber. These spring supports will allow the collector to hang
at such a level that there will be effective contact with the rubbers, and they will
yield as the strap passes over the rubbers. A modification in the form of spring
support is shown in cross section and side elevation at Figs. 12. The strap J**
is attached to the rod of a plunger J3 fitted in a box J* containing a spring held
down by the cover of the box. The box is provided with lugs or ears J*5, which rest
on springs surrounding studs J* projecting downwards from the plate J1, and held
by nuts *7, the cover of the box J*being pivotted to the underside of the plate J*',
as shown.

page_text: In some cases, the conductor may be placed level with the roof of the carriages, the
trailing collector being suitably carried from overhanging brackets secured to the
roof, as seen at the upper part of Figs. 7 and 8.
In these Figures the spring supports J are shown as being attached to a rail
or bar carried by the overhanging brackets before mentioned. This arrangement
is more particularly suitable for use in tunnels, or for the purpose of conveying
a current suitable for lighting the carriages.
A modified form of spring support is shown at sheet V. The arrangement is very
similar to that described with reference to Figs. 12, and the same letters of reference
will apply. The box is kept in a vertical position by the flat springs J*, which are
secured to the rail, and press against opposite sides of studs at the bottom of the box.
In some cases, especially when the current used is of comparatively low tension, wo
may combine the rubbers and brackets in one piece, insulating the latter from the
wall or support, by embedding the foot thereof in some insulating material, such as
asphalte, contained in a box or pocket inserted in the wall. This arrangement
is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8. D₁ is the rubber combined with the bracket C³,
and D the conductor..
A flexible conductor may also be used, and it will be held in the notch prepared for
it in the bracket by a set screw.
To increase the surface resistance to leakage, a funnel-shaped piece of some
insulating material may be placed round the bracket, and inserted into the bitumen or
other insulating material contained in the box or pocket, and a lip or gutter will be
provided over the bracket to catch drippings from the wall, and convey them away
clear of the bracket. We may here remark that a similar arrangement of bracket
may be employed with the cast iron chair used for the rigid conductor in the
channel on the road, or it may be fixed to a wooden post, or in any other convenient
manner.
The arrangements above described give great facilities for crossing points, shunts,
&c., where great complications arise with continuous bar conductors.
For the purposes of repairing, testing, and generally for maintaining uninterrupted
traffic, we provide a separate insulated wire, which we designate a control" wire,
running in sections along the whole channel parallel with the main conductor, the
ends of the sections terminating in switches which are in connection with the flexible
portions of the main conductor. By means of these switches, any section may be ent
out of the circuit, the current meanwhile passing through the control wire, or through
a temporary conductor.
It is of great importance, in any working electrical circuit of some magnitude,
to be able, from time to time, to test the conductor both for conductivity and
resistance of its insulation, and thus ascertain the actual loss of energy in
the system. In the diagram Sheet VI, we show the working of our system for the
various purposes in view.
A A (Diagram I) represent the sections or lengths of the main conductor-joined
together by Hexible insulated conductors A', and from the wires A¹ we run insulated
branches a a a terminating in plug switches bbb, which will be described hereinafter,
placed along the line at suitable distances apart, and so as to be easy of access when
so required. The relief conductor referred to in an earlier part of this specification,
is not shown in the diagrams, though for all practical purposes it may be considered
the main conductor, and connected together by a fine insulated conductor d d d, thus,
under normal conditions, forming a continuous conductor along the whole line
insulated from earth throughout. This conductor, which is the control wire of the
system, may be connected by branches to various instruments at the stations and
signal boxes on the line, thus giving facility for electrical communication. The
objects of the control wire are manifold, viz :-
(a) To communicate along the line in case of accident with central or any other.
station provided on the systein. It is clear that if a suitable instrument on the car
is put in circuit with the main and the "control" wire, any signal can be transmittel

page_text: to all the receiving instruments on the line. Such an arrangement is shown at
diagram II, X representing the instrument at the station, and Y the instrument
on the car.
() For electrically testing the line both for conductivity and insulation resistance.
This control wire affords ready means to localize a fault in any of the sections of the
line, which is done in the usual way.
(c) When a section of a line requires to be repaired, necessitating a temporary
disconnection of the main conductor A, the two branch plugs can be connected
by a temporary conductor e, sec diagram III, under or above the ground, and thus
bridge over the disabled part of the conductor.
Our system provides also means for signalling automatically the approach or
starting of a car or train to or from the neighbouring section. In fact, it is an
absolute automatic block system, by means of which the distance between two stations
might be subdivided into any convenient number of sections, allowing a safe running
of as many trains between the two stations.
This object is accomplished by providing an independent rubber for each electrical
section, exactly in the line of rubbers of the main conductor, but electrically insulated
from the latter and the earth. The independent rubber may be placed in the gap
between the ends of the two lengths or sections of the conductor, and is connected
electrically to two semaphores placed one at either end of the section. As soon as
the train enters the section and the trailing collector touches the signal rubber f
(diagram IV), it sends a current to the nearest semaphore g, which is raised, thus:
blocking the road against another train or vehicle entering that section. At the same
time, as the rubber is also in electrical communication with the semaphore I, the action
of the current lowers the semaphore, thus showing that the section of the line between
the two semaphores in clear. The same current can be of course utilised for working
model semaphores or electric bells in the signal boxes. This action is repeated on
every section of the line, and a train on a previous section is not allowed to proceed.
until the first train has passed out of that section, and put the semaphore at the com-
mencement of that section to "all clear." Thus each train blocks automatically the
section on which it travels.
The system. of automatic blocking the line, can be supplemented by a more positive
device of cutting out of the circuit the portion or section of the line which is blocked,
thus making it impossible for the man in charge of a train to disobey the indication.
of the semaphore. For the above purpose, the independent rubbing pieces are also
used to actuate switches which will cut out of the main circuit the nearest section of
the line behind the train, thus making the overtaking of one train by another a
physical impossibility. Diagram V shows the connections with the main and switches;
represents the main rubbers attached in groups to the main, and & the independent
rubbers, which are connected electrically with the switches of two sections behind the
train. Each switch is a make and break, apparatus provided with two magnets or
solenoids, one making the connection of the main, the other breaking the same.
When the train reaches the section C (having passed A and B), and the trailing rope.
or collector comes in contact with the corresponding independent rubber k, connection
is made with one side of the switch in section B, by which means the electrical con-
nection of the rubbers in the section B with the main is broken. At the same time,"
connection is made with the other side of the switch in section A, and the electrical
connection of the rubbers with the main in this section is reestablished. Thus, there
is always at least one whole section of the line inactive behind the train.
On sinall lines, with but few running trains, and with series-wound machines, it
may be desirable to have the main always electrically charged, even when no car is
running, as, for instance, for lighting purposes.. In this case, we provide at the
generating station a regulating shunt with a solenoid 1, see diagram VI, working in
the main circuit. The iron core 2 of the solenoid is so arranged as to close the circuit
of the shunt whenever the main circuit (through stoppage of the cars) is broken..
The core is provided with a carbon end 3, and another piece of carbon 4 is fixed to
the bracket 5, to take up the voltaic are which is formed each time the shunt. circuit
B

page_text: is interrupted. A resistance 6 is inserted in the shunt to develope only so much
current as is necessary to keep the field magnets of the dynamo magnetized. From
the diagram it will be clear that the shunt is always inferrupted whenever the main
circuit has work to do.
According to our system, we use both the rails and the slot beams as conductors
for the return current. As the state of the joints of the rails influences considerably
the resistance of the return conductor, and therefore of the whole system, we provide
against this difficulty by arranging the joints of the slot beams in respect to the
rails, on the hit and miss system, as shewn in diagram VII, the tie rods being
utilised to bridge over the electrical discontinuity caused by bad joints between
the rails.
The plug switch referred to with reference to diagrams I, II, and III, is shown at
Sheet VII in sectional elevation, at Fig. 18, in plan view, at Fig. 14, and in sectional
plan, on the line a a, of Fig. 13, at Fig. 15, and it consists of a cylindrical cast iron
box L with two covers II, the inner one L' being provided with an india rubber
ring or washer, and screwed firmly down so as to make the cylinder damp and air
tight. The bottom of the box is formed with a pocket. L³, through the side of which
pass the three insulated wires M. M M². In the centre of the box, wo fix a block N
of suitable insulating material, and in this block three vertical holes N N N³, set in
the form of an equilateral triangle, are made, corresponding holes being formed
horizontally so as to meet the vertical holes. At the bottom of the holes N N N³
are placed L-shaped sockets, into the vertical portions of which plugs 001 02 arc
inserted, the horizontal portions being formed of split tubes, in which the insulated
wires are placed and soldered.-When the plugs and wires are fixed, the whole bottom
of the box is filled with melted pitch, bitumen, or similar substance, which makes the
whole impervious to wet or damp. The switch itself is formed of a bell shaped piece
or cap P, of earthenware or other suitable material, into which a metallic disc P¹ is
fixed. Into this disc is secured two bell mouthed tubes of copper or brass P2, to
receive the plugs 001-A third tube is made of insulating material, to receive a
plug 03, and plays the part of a dummy.-In cach position of the bell, two plugs are
electrically connected, and it is clear that any two plugs, and therefore conductors
attached to them, may be put in circuit. The space between the tubes is also filled
with some insulating cement P³. A central pin may also be employed as a
guide pin.
The lower part of each plug forming the branch terminals of the main, may have
a thread cut on it, so that when, through a break down of one section of the con-
ductor, a temporary connection is required from on branch to another, a union or
lengthening piece (see sectional elevation Fig. 16) provided at opposite ends of the
temporary conductor e (diagram III), may be readily screwed on to the plugs to
complete the circuit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
inyention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. An electrical conductor for electric tramways or railways, composed of separate
lengths or sections of bar or tube connected together by flexible electrical connections,
and provided with contact or rubbing pieces rigidly attached, at suitable distances
apari, to, and extending upwards from, but in electrical connection with, the lengths
or sections of bar or tube, the said conductor being, with the exception of the contact
or rubbing surfaces, covered with insulating material, substantially as shown and
described, and for the purpose set forth.
2. An electrical conductor for electric tramways or railways; consisting of a main
conductor composed of lengths or sections of bar or tubular metal of comparatively
low conductivity and small bulk, connected together by flexible connections, and
carrying contact or rubbing pieces, in combination with a "relief" conductor
composed of metal of high conductivity, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.

page_text: 3. In electric tramways or railways, the combination of contact or rubbing pieces
with insulated brackets or supports for carrying the electrical conductor, and to which
the conductor is secured by clamping or set screws, and the mode of insulating the
brackets, substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In electric tramways or railways, the use, as a trailing collector, of a length of
wire rope, with which may be combined short lengths of hard metal tube to form
the rubbing or contact surface of the collector, substantially as herein shown and
described.
5. The special construction of trailing collector described and shown with reference
to Sheet III of the drawings, and consisting of a strip of metal set on edge, and
forming the "back bone" of the collector, on either side of which are secured
plates or rubbing surfaces of the section shown at Fig. 4, or a similar section, as
set forth.
6. The means for connecting the trailing collector by opposite ends to a tramcar,
such means consisting of rocking attachments between the collector, and a beam G,
and so arranged as to clear the channel slot, if clogged, the said beam being per-
manently secured to the car, or to the axle boxes, or pivotted, or rigidly secured to
a carriage sliding transversely of the car, in a frame carried by the axle boxes on
both sides of the car, substantially as herein shown and described.
7. The means for connecting the trailing collector by one end to the car, and con-
sisting of the slide G7 carried by an arm so arranged as to clear the channel slot,
if clogged, and secured to a frame carried by the axle boxes within the wheel base of
the car, substantially as shown and described with reference to Sheet III of the
drawings.
8. Constructing and arranging the conductor channel as shown and described, so
that the conductor can be placed at one side of a vertical line drawn through the slot,
in whichever position the channel may be placed, that is to say, either in the centre of
the track, or under one of the lines of rails, as set forth.
9. The use of a ፡፡
control" wire composed of sections of wire corresponding to the
sections of the main conductor, with switches connecting together the adjacent ends
of the sections, and branch wires connecting the switches with the flexible portions of
the main conductor, substantially as shown in diagrams I, II and III, and for the
purpose set forth.
10. The construction of the plug switches substantially as herein described and
shown with reference to Figs. 13, 14 and 15, Sheet VII, of the drawings..
11. The mode substantially as herein shown and described of automatically
signalling on the line, or cutting out of the circuit a portion of the line in rear of a
train, whereby the risk of one train running into another will be obviated.
•
12. In electric railways or tramways, the combination with a inain conductor,
carrying, or in connection with, rubbing or contact pieces, of independent rubbers
placed in the line of the main rubbers, and electrically connected with signals or
switches, as and for the purpose set forth.
13. The arrangement of the shunt circuit as shown and described with reference to
diagram VI, for the purpose set forth.
14. The mode of providing a continuous return conductor to complete the circuit,
as shown and described with reference to diagram VII.
15. The construction of the spring supports as shown with reference to Figs. 11
and 12, Sheet IV, and Figs. 12ª, 12º, 12ª, Sheet V.
Dated this 9th day of January 188s.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.