Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left. 2nd July, 1396-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1896
[Communicated from abroad by THE FOREIGN ELECTRIC TRACTION COMPANY,
120 Broadway, New York, U.S.A.]
Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
I, REGINALD BELFIELD, of 32, Victoria Street in the City of Westminster,
Electrician do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to electric railways and comprises the various improvements
hereinafter specified.
In the Specification of British Letters Patent No. 14,445 dated 27th July 1894
and No. 3358 of the year 1895 dated under the International Convention
3rd December 1894, electric railway systems are described in which exposed
terminals are located at intervals along the track and are s> connected and
arranged as to be energized only when the current collecting devices carried by
the car are in contact with said terminals. The present invention has for its
object to improve certain constructional details of the apparatus described in the
above mentioned specifications, the improvements being also applicable to other
similar railway systems.
The switch and casing thereof are so constructed and arranged that the
necessary electrical connections with the pick-up and feeding conductors are made
by merely placing the switch-box casing or bell and the attached switch in
position, or by placing the switch if unattached within the bell or casing, the
casing or bell is also constructed so as to preclude the entrance of any moisture
within the casing; furthermore, the action of the pick-up magnet up in its
armature is assisted at the beginning of the movement of the armature when the
pull of the magnet thereon is weakest, and also the armature is so supported that
any binding action due to unequal movement of the two movable contacts is
obviated. The collecting bars are supported on the car in such a manner that
their downward movement is limited, the said bars can however move vertically
upward, enabling them to ride over any obstructions or in case there should be
some variation in the elevation of the exposed terminals with reference to the
track, the bars are also pressed on the terminals with a gentle pressure thereby
securing a good electrical connection; furthermore, means are provided whereby
the bars are adapted for use on curved tracks and also the bars are arranged so
that portions thereof may be cut out of circuit when desired in order to prevent
I more-
short-circuiting by reason of crossings, turn-outs, or other obstructions.
over provide for supplying the necessary current to the pick-up circuit from
storage batteries and by other means hereinafter more fully explained.
In order that the nature of my invention may be more clearly understood I will
now proceed to describe how the same may be carried out in practice. The
conductors which it is necessary to connect to the switch are conveyed to the
bottom of the switch casing. This bottom consists of an elevated horizontal
portion which is preferably provided with hollow bosses projecting some distance
above and below the same for a purpose hereinafter mentioned, and also provided
with an upstanding flange constituting a pan or receptacle which may be filled
with some insulating and moisture-excluding solid or semi-solid substance such as
paraffin wax for example. A downwardly projecting portion or rim of the botto:h

page_text: is turned up outside so as to form a trongh or channel which receives the bottom
edge of the switch-box cover or bell, and the said bottom edge of the switch box
cover or bell has preferably two rims or Banges the outermost one of which
extends outside the turned up edge of the bottom of the switch box. The
connection between the space within the switch box and the outer air is then by
way of an S-shaped channel. The trough or channel formed by the turned up
edge of the bottom of the switch box as hereinbefore described may be filled with
oil or some other suitable insulating and moisture excluding liquid. The
connection of the switch to the conductors is carried out as follows, that is to say,
vertical pins are provided secured to the bottom of the casing preferably to the
bosses herein before mentioned, to which pins conductors are connected and the
said pins are adapted to make contact with metal sockets formning the switch
terminals secured to the base of the switch as soon as the said switch is placed in
position. The switch may or may not be attached to the cover or casing. The
armature of the pick-up magnet is mounted on a plate which carries the switch
contacts which are preferably of carbon. The said plate is provided with tapered
pins or lugs adapted to move up and down in cylindrical holes formed in a
supporting yoke attached to the base of the switch. The tapered pins or lugs
above mentioned are supported on a spring or springs secured to the aforementioned
yoke so that the armature is assisted in its upward movement and very quickly
responds to the excitation of the pick-up magnet. I thereby ensure a free
movement of the plate with its attachments towards and away from the pick-up
magnet the tapered form of the pins at the same time permitting tilting or rocking
of the said plate.
My improved collecting bar is preferably of T or L-shape in cross section and
has up turned ends, at each end it is connected by a pin and slot connection with a
pair of links pivoted to a bracket mounted on the car. A spring or springs is also
provided which press the collecting bar towards the exposed terminals in the
track.
For use on tracks where there are curves I make the bars in two or more
lengths or sections so joined together that the end sections have a horizontal
swinging movement to any necessary or desired degree with reference to the
middle section. The brackets hereinabove mentioned supporting the links on
which the collecting bars are hung are in this case mounted on trucks pivoted to
the car, the said trucks running on guide wheels on the track rails, or other
rails parallel to the track rails. In some instances a single guide wheel is
sufficient.
Where the car track crosses other tracks it may happen that the collecting bars
would be short circuited by the rails of the other track. For use in this and
similar cases I provide collecting bars made in section which are insulated from
each other. The said sections are connected within the car through suitable
switching devices so that portions of the collecting bar may be cut out of circuit if
desired.
The pick-up circuit is energized by means of two or more sets of storage
batteries and I construct a form of switch which is connected to the separate cells
in such a manner that either set can be charged from the main or feeder circuit
while the other set is supplying current to the pick-up circuit or either set of cells
may be cut out of circuit if desired. I preferably arrange the switch contacts so
that the cells of each set are charged in parallel and discharged in series, but
I may obviously arrange the contacts in other ways. According to another
method I provide for energizing the pick-up circuit directly from the main circuit
through the medium of a motor transformer by means of which the high potential
current of the main circuit is employed to produce a current of low potential
which is led to the collecting bar for the pick-up circuit, in this method it is
necessary to provide a battery which will energize the pick-up circuit before the
main circuit has been completed. When once the main circuit has been
completed the battery is cut out by opening a suitable switch and the current

page_text: necessary for operating the switches derivel fron the main circuit as hereinabove
described.
Dated this 5th day of September 1895.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
I, REGINALD BELFIELD, of 32, Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention aud in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described ard ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to electric railways and comprises the various improvements
hereinafter specified.
In the Specification of British Letters Patent No. 14445 dated 27th July 1894
and No. 3358 of the year 1895 dated under the International Convention
3rd December 1894, electric railway systems are described in which exposed
terminals are located at intervals along the track and are so connected and arranged
as to be energized only when the current collecting devices carried by the car are
in contact with said terminals. The present invention has for its object to improve
certain constructional details of the apparatus described in the above mentioned
specifications, the improvements being also applicable to other similar railway
systems.
The switch and casing thereof are so constructed and arranged that the necessary
electrical connections with the pick-up and feeding conductors are made by merely
placing the switch-box casing or bell and the attached switch in position, or by
placing the switch if unattached within the bell or casing, the casing or bell is also
constructed so as to preclude the entrance of any moisture within the casing;
furthermore, the action of the pickup magnet upon its armature is assisted at the
beginning of the movement of the armature when the pull of the magnet thereon
is weakest, and also the armature is so supported that any binding action due to
unequal movement of the two movable contacts is obviated. The collecting bars
are supported on the car in such a manner that their downward movement is
limited, the said bars can however move vertically upward, enabling them to ride
over any obstructions or in case there should be some variation in the elevation of
the exposed terminals with reference to the track, the bars are also pressed on the
terminals with a gentle pressure thereby securing a good electrical connection ;
furthermore, means are provided whereby the bars are adapted for use on curved
tracks and also the bars are arranged so that portions thereof may be cut out of
circuit when desired in order to prevent short-circuiting by reason of crossings,
turn-outs, or other obstructions. I moreover provide for supplying the necessary
current to the pick-up circuit from storage batteries and by other means hereinafter
more fully explained.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly sectional showing a switching device and box
or casing embodying my improvements and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the switch shown in Figure 1 looking
in the direction of the arrow.
Figure 3 is a side elevation partly sectional of a portion of a collecting bar and
its supports.
Figure 4 is a side elevation partly sectional showing my improved collecting bar
secured on a car truck, and

page_text: 15 pian view of the same.
Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a further improvement in the collecting bar
and also illustrating a novel method of supplying current to the switching
device.
Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating another method of supplying current to the
switching device.
Figures 8 and 9 are detail views hereinafter more fully explained.
Like parts are denoted by the same numerals in all the drawings.
Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, 1 is a supporting block or base which may be
bolted to any suitable base piece and 2 is the bottom portion of the switch box or
casing suitably fastened to the base piece 1 preferably by a bolt 3. The bottom
portion of the switch box has a peripheral upstanding flange 4 so that a pan or
receptacle is formed, this is filled with an insulating moisture repelling substance
such as paraffin wax for example, so that no moisture can enter from the earth
through the openings 16, 17 hereinafter mentioned. For the further attainment of
this object the flange 6 which extends downwards from the plate 2 is turned up on
the outside so as to form a trough or channel 7 and the bell or cover 8 of the box
is provided with a double rim at the bottom the inner portion of which is received
in the channel 7 above mentioned. The channel 7 is in practice filled with oil or
some other insulating and moisture excluding liquid. It will be seen that by this
construction the entrance of any moisture to the interior of the box is prevented
and the switch and contacts located therein are thereby maintained free from
moisture and leakage of the current avoided. This is very important as great
inconvenience and sometimes total failure has arisen because the damp has affected
the switch contacts and prevented the proper action of the switch.
The connection of the switch with the main lead and exposed contacts located
in the track is accomplished through pins 9, 10, 11, secured in the bosses 5 above-
mentioned. The said pins are secured to the bosses preferably in the manner
shown being insulated therefrom by any suitable means as shewu at 12 and
wires 13, 14, 15 passing through orifices 16 in the bottom of the bosses are secured
in the ends of the pins by set screws. Orifices 17 in the sides of the bosses permit
the ready connection of the wires and securing of the pins in position. The bell
or cover 8 has secured to it an insulating base 18 on which are mounted
sockets 19, 20, 21 adapted to receive the ends of the pins. These sockets form the
terminals of the switch proper and it will be readily seen that the mere act of
placing the bell or cover 8 in position connects the terminals of the switch to the
main and exposed contacts thus obviating the necessity of screwing soldering or
otherwise securing the wires to the said terminals, all of which operations waste
considerable time and admit of mistakes in connection being made while with our
arrangement when once the permanent connections have been properly made no
mistake can possibly occur afterwards. Moreover by these means much time is
saved in inspecting the switches as the important parts can be examined on the
surface of the road and can easily be taken to the works for repairs. In some
cases the base 18 is not secured to the bell or cover 8 in which case after the cover
is lifted off to exhibit the switch, the switch and appurtenances are left in position
supported by the pins 9, 10, 11 and may if necessary be raised from said pins for
further examination.
The fixed contact pieces of the switch are constituted by carbon blocks 22, 23
secured to the base 18 by collars 24, 25. One of said contacts 22 is connected
direct through its collar 24 to socket 19 and the other contact is connected through
its collar 25 screw 26 and wire 27 to the main coil 28 of the pick up maguet and
thence by wire 29 to socket 20. The socket 21 is connected by wire 30 to the
pick up coil 31, of the magnet and thence to wire 29 or socket 20 as shewu. The
armature 32 of the magnet is mounted on a plate 33 which is provided with down-
wardly extending tapered lugs 34. Said lugs are received in holes 35 in a yoke 36
secured to the base 1 and are supported on a spring 37 carried by a yoke. A
the beginning of the movement of the armature when the attracting force of the

page_text: magnet is weak this spring assists the magnet in raising its armature and thereby
causes the switch to work quickly and promptly also the tapered form of the
lugs 34 admits of the plates 33 which carries the movable carbon contacts 38, 39
of the switch and arinature 32 to move upwards very easily without sticking
thereby facilitating the working.
Where the switch is arranged to make and break the return main as well as the
feeding main additional pins and sockets similar to those above described will be
required for connecting the exposed contact and the return main to the switch
contacts.
Referring now to Figures 3 to 5; 40 is a collecting bar which may be of a
Tor shape in cross section as shewn. The bar 40 is supported at each end by
links 41 having slots 42 at their ends in which move pins 43 on the bar. The said
links are pivoted to the supporting bolt 44 secured to the car. The bar can then
move upwards and downwards if required its travel being limited however in the
latter direction owing to the method of support. 45 is a spring connected to the
bar by sliding joints at its ends as shewn and which presses the bar on the exposed
contacts in the track thereby making a good electrical connection and also obviating
all rattling and noise.
When the track is curved to any extent I make the bars in two or more parts
pivoted together as shewn at 46 Figure 4 and when, as is actually the case three
bars are carried by the car the said bars are mechanically connected by a straight
bar 47 of insulating material a spring 49 being provided to press the two parts of
each bar together so as to make a good electrical joint between the said parts.
The three bolts 44 pass through an auxiliary or guide-truck 48 pivoted at 49* to
the car and provided with wheels 50 which run either on the rails of the car track
proper or on guide rails parallel with the car rails and maintain the auxiliary
truck in such a position that the contact bars 40 will always pass over the exposed
terminals in the track. In the figures one guide truck only is shown a similar
device may be provided at the other end of the car.
Where long cars, and double main trucks are provided for supporting the car,
I sometimes use a different number of auxiliary trucks which may be locate.l in a
different manner with regard to the main trucks the principle envolved, namely
the horizontal lateral motion of the collecting bar or bars, being the same as in
the construction above described.
Where a track crosses other tracks or is provided with junctions or "turnouts,"
and this is nearly always the case unless the track is very short the contact bars
are liable to be sh. rt-circuited by rails or other obstructions or by the exposed
terminals belonging to another track, and in order to avoid this I make the bars
in sections insulated from each other as shewn diagrammatically in Figure 6 where
the bars are divided into three sections insulated at 51. Connecting wires with
switches are provided to connect the various parts of each bar as I will now explain.
52 is the middle section of the main feeding bar, 53 and 54 being the two end
sections 5 is the middle section of the energizing bar which connects with the
pick-up "circuit and 56 and 57 are the two end sections thereof. Double
Switches 58 and 59 one of which is located at each end of the car are operated to
connect the end sections of the bar with the middle sections when required the
connections be as follows:-
From end section 53 of the main feeding bar through wire 60, closed switch 58,
wires 61 and 62 to middle section 52. From end section 54 of the main feeding
bar through wire 63 closed switch 59 wires 65, 66, 67 switch 68 wire 62 to middle
section 52. The two end sections 53 and 54 are also directly connected by wire 53*.
For the energizing bar the end section 56 connects through wire 69 closed
switch 58, wires 70, 71 and 72 to middle section 55. From end section 57 of the
energizing bar the connection to the middle of the bar is through wire 73 closed
switch 59, wires 74, 75 and 72. Thus by operating the switches 58 and 59 the
end sections of the bars may be insulated from or connected to the middle
sections as required.

page_text: Figure also illustrates the method of energizing the pick-up circuit by means
of a current derived from the main circuit. In this case, the current which
operates the switch-magnet connected with the exposed terminals which the car is
approaching is derived from the main current which is passing through the car
motor from the exposed terininals which the car is leaving. 76 is a motor dynamo
which is in series with a variable resistance 77 the whole being arranged as a shunt
to the car motor as shewn, 91 being the lead to one terminal of the motor and
106 being the wire leading to the return main circuit. The motor dynamo delivers
a current at a low potential through wires 78 and 72, to the middle section 55 of
the energizing bar, through the wire 15, switch magnet coil 31, wire 14 to the
main feed bar 52, through wire 62, switch 68, wire 67, wire 66 switch 79, wires 80
and 81 back to the motor-dynamo. Before the car has been properly started on
the track no main current is flowing therefore the motor dynamo could not operate
to complete the main circuit I therefore provide a battery 82 which may be
connected through either of the switches 83, wires 84 and 71 or 75, to the wire 78
and is also connected to wire 81 thus taking the place of the motor-dynamo. This
battery is used only at the first start in order to complete the main circuit for the
first time when the car is put on the track. Only a small and inexpensive motor-
dynamo need be employed which may be designed to take a very small amount of
current, moreover the necessity for carrying a battery of great capacity or weight
is avoided as the battery is only required to actuate the first switch until the end
of the track is reached.
In Figures 7, 8 and 9 is illustrated another method of actuating the switches, in
which a storage battery is employed, the cells being charged when required by
the main current passing through the car motor. For this purpose the cells are
divided into two sets one set being used to operate the switch while the other set
is being charged. It is advisable to charge the cells in parallel and discharge
them in series and 1 provide for this purpose a controlling switch which I will
now describe. The switch is provided on one side with stationary contacts 85 the
end contact 86 being joined through wire 87, switches 88 and wire 62 to the main
feed contact bar 52 carried by the car. The contact 89 at the other end on this
side is joined to contact 90 on the other side of the switch and thence by wire 91
to the motor. The remaining contacts 85 are connected alternately to the positive
and negative plates of the cells. On the other side of the switch the contact 90
is connected to the motor as hereinabove stated, contact 92 is connected by wire 72
to the energizing bar 55, the contacts 93 are connected to the positive and
negative poles of the second set of storage-cells as shown and the end contact 94
is connected direct to the contact 86. The cylinder 95 of the switch which is
rotatable in suitable bearings by means of the handle 96 is provided with various
contact pieces secured thereto as shewn more clearly in Figure 9 which is a
developement of the surface of the cylinder. 97 are small contacts corresponding
in number to the fixed contacts 90, 92, 93, 94 and electrically connected as shewn
by the dotted lines, 98 is another small contact adapted to connect with fixed
contact 89 or 90 and is joined to contact 99 at the other end of the cylinder
which contact at the same time will make connection with fixed contact 86 or 94.
Contacts 100 are adapted to connect two adjacent fixed contacts of the sets 85
or 93 and are so arranged that fixed contacts 86 or 94 can be connected with the
first of the battery contacts as shewn in Figure 7. It will be readily understood
that by rotating the cylinder 95 either set of cells may be connected in series by
means of contacts 100. Contact 101 is connected as shewn and in three out of
four possible positions of the switch cylinder is directly or indirectly connected
with fixed contact 92. The cylinder can be rotated to four different positions
and is maintained in these positions by means of a spring 102 which engages in
depressions on the periphery of a cylinder 103 secured to and concentric with the
switch cylinder 95. lu the position shewn in the drawings one set of cells 104
can be charged in multiple in a circuit in series with the car motor being connected
to wire 91 through contact 89, and to wire 87 leading to the main collecting bar 52

page_text: through contact 86. The other set 105 can discharge in series through wire 72
and wire 87. If the switch is rotated a quarter turn in the direction of the arrow
shewn in Figure 8, the set of cells 105 will be insulated while the other set 104
will be in a position to discharge, another quarter turn will cause the set 104 to
continue in the position to discharge and the second set 105 to be charged; while
a third quarter turn will cause the set 104 to be insulated and set 105 to be
in a position to discharge. The construction of this controller may be considerably
varied to suit requirements and also to suit the number of cells in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what i
claim is :-
1. An electromagnetic switch having its armature and movable contact pieces
loosely supported on a spring or springs, substantially as, and for the purpɔse,
specified.
2. Ifor an electric railway such as described an enclosed electromagnetic switch
so arranged that the operation of placing the cover of the switch or the switch
itself in position causes the connections to be made between the switch terminals
and the various wires leading from the switch to the exposed track terminals and
main conductor, for the purpose specified.
3. For an electromagnetic switch a moisture-proof box or casing constructed
substantially as described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. In an electric railway such as described a collecting bar or collecting bars
connected to the car by links in the manner shewn in Figure 3 of the
accompanying drawings, either with or without a spring or its equivalent
for pressing the bar or bars towards the exposed track terminals, for the purpose
specified.
5. The means whereby the collecting bar or bars are caused to follow the
curves of the track substantially as described.
6. In an electric railway such as described a collecting bar or collecting bars
made in insulated sections and means for electrically connecting said sections
when required, for the purpose specified.
7. In an electric railway of the kind described two or more sets of storage
battery cells so arranged with reference to the car motor circuit that one set can
be used for actuating the electromagnetic switches while the other set or sets is
or are insulated or being charged from the said circuit.
8. For use with the storage cells referred to in the preceding claiming
clause, a controlling switch constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figures 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying drawings and operated as specified.
9. In an electric railway of the kind described a motor dynamo energized from
the main circuit for the purpose of operating the electromagnetic switches, in
combination with a battery for use in place of said motor dynamo at times when
the main circuit is open.
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322 High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.