Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
Year: 1894

page_text: CONT LEID
Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
We, EDWARD HIBBERD JOHNSON and ROBERT LUNDELL, Electricians, both
of Number 44 Broad Street, New York City, New York, United States of America;
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 :—
Our invention relates to improvements in that type of electric railways in which
the propelling current is taken from exposed or bared sectional trolley conductors
automatically connected, as a car or vehicle proceeds over the route, to an insulated
current main in direct circuit connection with a dynamo electric machine or other
source of electrical energy located at a power house.
Our invention will be fully understood by referring to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating our improvement as applicable to
a single line of trolley conductors, together with the circuits and circuit connections
of the entire apparatus carried by a propelled car or vehicle, the motor, motor
circuits and switch actuating apparatus therefor.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuit connections to one set of
electro-magnets located in a single switch box parallel with the road-bed, said
magnets being adapted to control the current supply to three sectional trolley
conductors in sequence.
Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating additional
safety circuits for preventing current leakage from active or live sectional trolley
conductors under a car or vehicle to like exposed sectional conductors immediately
in advance or the rear of the car.
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of our improved form of sliding contact brush
and its attached parts.
Figure 5 is an end elevational view as seen looking at Figure 4 from left
to right.
Figure 6 is a plan view of the same parts as seen looking at Figure 4 from the
top toward the bottom of the drawing.
Figure 7 is a partial side elevational view of a modified form of our improved
sliding contact brush or trolley.
Figure 8 is an end elevational view of the same part as seen looking at Figure 7
from left to right.
Figure 9 is a plan view of a road-bed illustrating two crossing tramways, one of
which is provided with our improved means for preventing electrical crosses between
two lines of rails.
Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same as taken on the line x-x,
Figure 9.
Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of our invention illustrating
additional means of securing a more perfect operation of the circuit controlling
magnets whereby unnecessary chattering and useless operation of the magnets is
avoided.
Figure 12 is a cross sectional view taken through the body of the road-bed
illustrating the tram rails, one of the sectional trolley conductors and circuit
connections from it to one of the switch boxes seen on the right, together with our
improved system of conduit tubing for more fully insulating the conductors in the
entire system.
Figure 13 is an enlarged part sectional view of the circuit connections between one

page_text: of the branch feeders and its corresponding sectional trolley conductor, illustrating
also the manner of fully insulating the feeder at its point of juncture with the
sectional trolley conductor.
Figure 14 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through two adjacent sectional
trolley conductors and their supporting stringer, illustrating also the manuer
of connecting the branch feeders to such sectional trolley conductors.
Figure 15 is an end elevational view of our preferred form of sectional trolley
conductor.
Figure 16 is a diagrammatic view of still another modified form of our invention
with circuit arrangements whereby greater safety is assured and accidental
connection of any of the sectional trolley conductors to the current feeder or main
avoided; and
"
Figures 17 and 18 are sectional views taken through the road-bed and illustrating
a modified means of sustaining the sliding brushes or trolleys.
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Sw, and B'S (Figure 1) represent, in conjunction, a controlling switch and
M.O an electric motor on board of a car or vehicle to be propelled, said motor being
provided with two sets of field magnet coils and two armatures and circuit
...connections between the two armatures the field coils and the switch; SB being a
storage battery, F and F fuses and S¹ w¹ an electro-magnetic automatic over-load
or safety switch, such over-load switches being well known in the art of electric
lighting. w, w and ws are conductors running from the storage battery and the
motor, to two, sliding contact, brushes or trolleys B1, B2, supported pivotally upon
arms or bars I beneath the body of the car. All of the parts so far described are
carried by the car, or vehicle, the circuits being earthed through the frame of the
car, the car wheels and the tram rails R R'.
1
.
SC, SC, SC are sectional trolley conductors having their upper surfaces
preferably flush with the road-bed and embedded in asphalt. Our preferred form
of sectional trolley conductor, however, is shown in Figure 15 and is in the nature
of a T-rail SC provided with a groove in its upper surface of sufficient depth to
receive a copper or equivalent electrical conductor C at such a depth as will
prevent it from being affected by the shoes of horses, wheels of wagons, and the
like, said conductor being secured to the T-rail by screws, rivets, or in any
preferred manner.
A represents one of the switch boxes containing three sets of electro-magnets
M' M, M M, and M' M, Figures 2 and 3.
20, to and we are insulated conductors connected at their outer ends to successive
sectional trolley conductors SC, SC, SC and at their inner ends to the normally
. open low resistance coils of the electro-magnets M', M³, M³ and in turn through
high resistance coils M³, M*, M* upon the same electro-magnet cores, the free ends of
said high resistance coils being connected in turn to armature levers P, P¹, and P
which are in like manner connected by conductors w8, w8 and rheostats Rh', Rh³, Rh³
and by additional conductors w' to one of the lines of tram rails R', all of said
parts being connected in series relation. FW is the insulated feeder 'cable
connected at each switch box by conductor 2014 to normally open working
contacts L, LL2 and to the low resistance coils of the working circuit electro-
magnets M, M³, M, Figures 2 and 3.
We prefer to make all of the fixed working contacts L, L', L' which convey
the working current from the current feeder or main FW to and through the branch
feeders ¹, w, w³, and sectional trolley conductors SC when the movable
contacts stops p, pl and p²: are held in their forward position under the influence of
the magnets M¹, M³, M³, of carbon or equivalent non-fusible conducting material
thereby avoiding any possibility of fusion between the metallic contact points p; p¹, på
and said fixed carbon contacts when the controlling armatures are released as said
fusion might cause a permanent closure of the circuit. This feature of non-fusible
working contacts is important in connection with our invention.
Referring now to Figures 4, 5 and 6 for a description of our improved sliding
contact brush or trolley: I, Figures 4 and 5, is a bar or support for said "brush

page_text: bolted beneath the frame of the car, and, bb, are pairs of pivoted. arms secured.
thereto by pins 62 62. To the outer end, of, said arms is secured, by a correspon ling
pair of pins b', b', a brush support B³; S being a strong spiral spring secured at one
end to the upper pair of said arms and at the other end to the bar I so as to give
a yielding downward pressure to the arms and the supported brush. In the lower
side of this brush support B.is; a T-shaped groove into which the brush which
consists of a head E and stiff flat steel springs's may be slid longitudinally,
Figures 4 and 5; n, n being set screws for firmly securing said brush head and
brush in place at any desired. position. With such an arrangement it is apparent
that the brush proper may be detached at any time for repairs or for replacing a
new brush.
"
We prefer to make this brush by casting or otherwise securing flat steel springs &
in the brush head Ę at sufficient distances apart so that they may be comparatively
independent of each other, their width being greater than their thickness" and
located in pairs side by side as shown in Figure 5. With such an arrangement of
spring contacts we may, if preferred, do away with grooved sectional trolley
conductors, the nature of the brush as a whole being 'such as to prevent spreading
of the contacting portions.
In Figures 7 and 8 we have illustrated a modified form of this brush in which
rounded metallic shoes t are secured to the lower ends of the springs s, the object
being to afford more efficient wearing or contact surfaces to the lower ends of
the springs.
In Figures 9 and 10 we have illustrated in plan and sectional view our improved
arrangement for permitting one line of tram rails to cross that of another without
interference of the electrical circuits. R³, R³ represent one line of tram rails,"
and R R represent a second line of such rails crossing the first set at right angles
and provided with sectional trolley conductors SC and our improved means of
effecting the result sought.
..
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D, D', D represent sections of stone or equivalent hard insulating material
embedded in the road-bed in alignment with the sectional trolley conductors 'S'C,
SC, the sections D¹ D' being slightly inclined in opposite directions so that their
inner ends,, together with the middle section D, are slightly above the crossing line
of rails R¹ R³, the arrangement being such that the sliding contact brushes or
trolleys B B will ride up the incline of the section D' when the car is moving in
either direction as shown by the arrow so that the brushes will bridge the crossing
line of rails R2 R3 as clearly shown in Figure 10 thereby avoiding any possibility
of short circuits to the apparatus of either system.
J'
The brushes inay be raised also, if preferred, by hand through mechanism located
at either end of the car, the cord or rope being attached thereto and passing
over pulleys bª.
23.
.
The operation of the apparatus, illustrated in Figures 1 to 10) inclusive, is as'
follows referring first to Figures 1 and 2. In both of these figures of the drawing
a car is supposed to be standing with the sliding contact brushes or trolleys 'B' B
both on that trolley section SC which is connected directly to the switch actuating
magnet coils M* M*, rheostat Rh³ and tram rail R' all in series relation, and
hence to earth.
.::
In Figure 1 the switch Sw BS is shown in the position of "open circuit "so
that all of the circuits to both the storage battery SB and the sectional trolley
conductor are ruptured and hence no' current can flow." All of the circuits are
therefore dead." This arrangement of the switching apparatus and' circuit"
connections in such a manner that all of the circuits both on board of the car and
through the switching magnets and sectional trolley conductors are "dead" for the
safety position of the switch is a very important feature in connection with our
invention inasmuch as it enables an attendant to examine freely all parts of the
apparatus under a car without danger.
Referring now to Figure 2, suppose the switch Sw BS (Figure 1) to be turned
A small current flows
by the motor-man to the position indicated as "1st speed.'

page_text: therefore from the storage battery S B, which has, it should be noted, substantially
the same voltage as the power house generator, by conductor w, switch contacts,
conductor, automatic overload or safety, switch S₁ w', conductor w³, sliding
contact brushes or trolleys B¹ B', sectional trolley conductor SC, conductor w
low resistance coil M' of few convolutions, high resistance coil M₁ of relatively
many convolutions, conductor w, rheostat Rh', conductor wo', all in series relation,
to tram rail R¹ through the earth to the other tram rail R, thence by the car
wheels and frame to binding post 6 (see Figure 1) and conductor w to the other
pole of the battery. This instantly energizes the core of the compound
magnet M M and causes its armature lever to be lifted against the opposing pull
of a spring or gravity until the movable contacts p close against the fixed
contacts L thereby closing a new circuit from the current feeder or main FW.
The shunt or high resistance coil M is therefore cut out or short circuited and this
it-will be observed without interrupting any circuit, thus avoiding any arcing at
the contacts p L'. The armature lever Pi is now held up by the magnetizing
effect of the low resistance coil M' of few convolutions due to a current of larger
ampere capacity flowing from the power house generator as follows: by current
feeder or main FW, conductor w", contacts L' p', low resistance coil M*
conductor o sectional trolley conductor SC, brushes B' B' conductor w³ (see
Figure 1) fuse F1, automatic overload switch S¹ w¹, conductor w³, binding post b',
switch Sw BS and those conductors w which are now connected through the
switch contact plates in the position "1st speed," thence through such conductors w
as are connected to the armature and field maguet coils for giving first speed and
finally by binding post to car frame, wheels, tram rail R and by earth or return
conductor to the other pole of the power house generator. This causes the car to
advance under 1st speed of motor M O.
It will be apparent that a small proportion of the current will flow in derived
circuit from the feeder through contact points L' pl by way of the armature
lever P¹, conductor w³, rheostat Rh³, conductor w' and tram rail R¹ to earth and
back to the generator but this leakage is immaterial.
As the front brush B' advances it ultimately spans the space between the ends of
the two adjacent sectional trolley conductors thereby actuating the switch controlled
by the magnet M5 M6 from the next section in the same manner as just described
in relation to the switch controlled by magnet M³ M. When the rear brush leaves
the front end of the same section the armature lever P' drops back to normal position.
In Figure 3 we have illustrated our improved manner of preventing the current
from leaking or creeping forward or backward from live trolley conductors beneath
the car to adjacent exposed conductors in front or rear thereof. In this figure of
the drawing the circuits, circuit connections and all of the operative parts are
identically the same as shown in Figure except that additional or safety low-
resistance shunt circuits w³, wo, to are provided which normally shunt the rheostats
or high resistance coils Rh', Rh and Rh³, said shunt circuits being connected
permanently at their inner ends to the conductor to between the rheostats and
earth and at their outer ends to fixed contact stops L', L and L' having normal
circuit connection with movable contacts p³, p², p³ carried on the under sides of the
armature levers P P and P2. These safety shunts prevent leakage in the following
manner. Referring first to Figure 2. Suppose that upon a rainy day the adjacent
ends of two exposed sectional trolley conductors nearest brush B' are covered with
It is possible under such a condition that a small fraction of the current
might creep, or leak forward some sections in advance, the nearer such water
resistance approximates that of the total series resistance of the nearest energized
switch magnet. Consequently a person or animal might receive a shock. With
the arrangement illustrated in Figure 3, however, this is utterly impossible
inasmuch as all of the dead or 'exposed sectional trolley conductors are connected
directly to earth by the shunt circuits w which are of very much lower resistance
than are the circuits containing the rheostat or resistance coils Rh', Rh², Rh³.
When, however, the trolley brush B' rides on to a sectional trolley conductor SC
water.

page_text: the shunt circuit w³ is immediately interrupted as is seen at L*p*, the armature P
being now in its upper position.
Referring now to the modified form of our invention shown in Figure 11 and to
the details of construction shown in Figures 12, 13 and 14 for more effectually
insulating the conductors, it will be seen that the current: feeder or main FW is
located in a conduit tube P₁ made preferably of metal and provided with an
insulating lining, such conduit tubing being well known in the electrical art.
This tube is located beneath the body of the road-bed at any preferred point and
is provided with analogous branch or sub feeder tubes P' P, the former running
to protecting switch boxes A and the latter running from these protecting
switch boxes to the centre of the road-bed where. they extend upward into
a longitudinal stringer T¹, preferably creosoted, said stringer resting upon the
horizontal cross ties or sleepers T which support also the tram rails R R¹. This
stringer T is embedded in asphaltum and constitutes also a support for the
sectional trolley conductors SC, SC, SC. The conduit tubes P, P, P' are
provided with water tight joints at the various branching points and at the entrances
into the protecting boxes A and in the upper surface of the stringer T¹ see Figure 13
with screw threaded gaskets G, D² being rubber or equivalent yielding packing
adapted to render the joints between them and the conductors w¹ or water
tight when the gaskets G are screwed home. The main or feeder F W, either.
insulated or not as desired, is drawn into the main conduit pipe P, and branch or
sub feeders to of smaller cross section and of similar nature are likewise drawn
into the branch or sub feeder pipes P³ Ps, the conductors w¹, 2014 in the protecting
boxes A being either rubber covered or insulated in any other preferred manner
and leading into the switch boxes A' A³ or to the sectional trolley conductors SC
as at w, w, w, see Figure 1. When these branch or sub feeders w, w, wo are put
into position their inner ends are passed through the rubber packing D' and the
gaskets G until they extend upward through screw threaded holes in the sectional
trolley conductors SC, SC, SC. The gaskets G are then turned firmly home
thereby rendering the joints absolutely water tight.
The openings in the stringer T₁ about the gaskets G and the upper ends of the
conductors to, w, w and beneath the sectional trolley conductors SC, SC are.
then filled with asphaltum after which the ends of the conductors 20³, 10°, 20° are
threaded through short screw plugs t' which are screwed home into the body of the.
sectional trolley conductors, the ends of the conductors being finally rivetted, one of.
said rivet heads being shown at h, Figure 13.
There will of course be one branch or sub feeder conduit from the main conduit
to each switch box and they will enter the exterior switch boxes A at any desired.
point, the arrangement being preferably such as will render the branch circuits
enclosed therein most accessible for drawing them into position and removing them
when desired. We prefer to provide one branch or sub feeder conduit P' only for
each pair of conductors to 10 or 10 w running from the boxes A to the sectional.
trolley conductors SC, SC, thereby cheapening the structure as much as possible,
the conductors w°, w, running therethrough being of course insulated from each.
other as clearly shown in Figure 14, wherein is illustrated two sectional trolley
conductors SC, SC separated from each other by a block of insulating material I¹
flush with their top surfaces, a groove being provided in the upper surface of the
stringer T¹ for the conductor w running to the sectional trolley conductor on the.
right, the ecrew plug connections t¹t being the same as described in connection
with Figures 12 and 13. In building this part of the structure the conductors
would be drawn in place in the conduit tubes as before and the ends secured to the
screw plugs t' t'as already described, after which the entire opening between the
sectional trolley conductors would preferably be filled with hot asphaltum or equi-
valent liquid insulating material and the insulating block I forced into position and
secured to the stringer T¹ by screws or otherwise, the arrangement being such that
these insulating blocks I' may be removed at any time and the parts examined. In
place of hot asphaltum we may use paraffine in which event on applying heat to

page_text: the trolley conductors and the insulating block I' the paraffine may be melted and
withdrawn from the opening with a pump or otherwise.
M', M², M³, M, M³ Me are switch operating electro-magnets. located in sets of
three in each of the switch boxes A' A' pivoted in the switch enclosing boxes. A
beneath the removable covers A¹.
The sectional trolley conductors SC, SC, SC are connected, as shown in
Figure 11, through coils of few convolutions of low resistance M' running in each
instance through an additional set of coils on each adjacent pair of electro-magnets
as shown at the upper coil of the magnet M' and the middle coil of the magnet M³,
said low resistance coils being connected directly to the high resistance shunt coil
of the last magnet of the pair, as for instance through the coil M, the circuit being
normally earthed through the conductor w, movable contacts p carried by the
armature lever p', back contacts L through a common rheostat or resistance Rh',
by conductor w to the tram rail R¹: It will be noted that the next conductor w
is in like manner connected through an additional upper coil in the magnet M³,
central coil of the magnet M' and through the high resistance coil M of that
magnet, conductor w³, movable contacts p, fixed contacts L' and conductor to
through the same rheostat or resistance Rh³, by conductor w' to ground, the last
maguet M' being provided with a similar low resistance coil in the conductor w
extending to a similar central coil on the magnets M5 M6 with like circuit
connections in the first magnet in the next switch box to the left.
The operation of this modified form is as follows:
Suppose it is desired to move a car or vehicle from left to right as shown by the
arrow and that said car or vehicle and its contact brush or trolley B' are standing
still and operatively connected to a storage battery and motor through switching
connections in the same manner as disclosed in connection with Figure 1, through
the frame of the vehicle and the wheels to the rail R, the switches, however, in the
present instance all being open. Under this condition of affairs there is no current
flowing through any of the magnets and the armature levers therefore are on their
back stops as shown. On closing both the motor and the battery circuit simul-
taneously current will flow from the battery by brush B', conductor w', upper low
resistance coil of magnet M¹ M², conductor tot, central low resistance coil of the
magnet M M through the high resistance shunt coil M°, conductor w³, fixed contact
stops L, movable contact stops p' carried by the armature lever P³, conductor w',
rheostat or resistance Rh', conductor o' to earth through, the tram rail R' and back
to the starting point through the other tram rail R. This will cause the armature
lever pin the last magnet of the switch box, just passed, to be elevated suddenly
after the manner of the armature of a trembler bell, a very slight spark
appearing between the movable contacts p³ and the fixed contacts L'. The
impetus of the armature, however, will be sufficient to carry it forward so that
immediately the front movable contacts p³ will close the motor or working circuit
as follows: From the brush B', conductor w, upper low resistance coil of the
magnet M', M³, conductor wo, central low resistance coil of the magnet M' M*,
fixed contacts L³, movable contacts p³, sub feeder or branch w¹ to the current
feeder FW, through the generator at the station by the earth return to the tram
rail R, the wheels, the frame of the vehicło and the motor to starting point. This
working current through the central low resistance coil of the magnet M* M* will
hold the armature P in its upper position and will simultaneously cause the
armature lever P of the magnet M' M³ to draw its armature lever forward closing
the working circuit from the current feeder FW through the sub feeder w¹, fixed
contacts L, movable contacts p, central low resistance coil of the magnet M³ M*, by
conductor to to the next sectional trolley conductor in advance, thereby rendering
that sectional conductor alive for the trolley or brush B' when it advances upon
it. It will be apparent therefore that as the car advances and the working circuit
is kept closed, the armature levers of the several switching magnets will be con-
trolled by the working current. Should there be, however, any such variation in
this current as to prevent this working, then the storage battery current, acting

page_text: always through the high resistance shunt coils, will elevate the movable switch
contacts into a working position in proper sequence, thus rendering it absolutely
certain that so long as the generator is running at the power station and the
storage battery possessed of sufficient electro-motive force, it will be utterly
impossible to prevent the motor-man from obtaining control of the working current
for his motor.
In connection with the modified form shown in Figure 11 we have illustrated only
one rheostat Rh' and return circuit w' for the back contacts of the several armature
levers p, p,
:
Referring now to Figure 16 which illustrates another modified forin of our
invention, we utilize here two sets of sectional trolley conductors SC, SC' and
four sliding contact brushes or trolleys B₁ B, B B which together with their
circuit connecting conductors w, electric motor MO and storage battery SB are
carried by the car or vehicle, W representing one of the wheels thereof, there
being shown in this instance two simple switches Sw Sw which might be replaced
by the form of switch shown in Figure 1. These sliding contact brushes or
trolleys B B2, B4 B are supported by heads B3 and pivoted arms b, like those
disclosed in Figure 4, with the exception that their inner pivoted ends are adjustably
secured by bolts and wooden or other insulating blocks to rigid arms E', E', journalled
upon the axles A of the car, said rigid arms being in turn joined together by one
or more rigid rods D. The lower end of each of the rigid arms E is provided
with an inward extension or stop N, the function of which is to limit the downward
movement of the brushes. It will be noticed that the sectional trolley con-
ductors SC, S C' are located upon an insulating stringer T' as before and that their
upper surfaces are above the level of the tram rails R R¹ and their ends above the
level of the asphalt which separates them, said sectional trolley conductors being
separated laterally by a space of about one foot; and their ends being preferably
about six feet apart, the entire arrangement being such that when the contact
brushes slide off the ends of the conductors the inward extensions of stops. N will
prevent them from dropping into frictional contact with the asphalt or other road-bed
surface, thereby materially decreasing the wear upon their lower or contacting ends
and affording a simple means of avoiding the contacting of said brushes with crossing
lines of tram rails.
In the diagrammatic view illustrated in Figure 16, we show the operating
electro-magnets M³, M², M³, M' grouped together in groups of four, each magnet
being provided with one coil connected to one of the sectional trolley conductors SC
and another coil connected in series therewith to one of the next adjacent magnets
and to the other sectional trolley conductor. Each of said coils is connected'in
turn to one of the front carbon contacts L, L', L', L' and to one of the back
carbon contacts L, L, L, L' which in turn are provided with circuit connections
running through a rheostat Rh and by a conductor to to the tram rail R', the
current feeder or main FW having branch feeders F1, F2, F3 F' which are
connected each in turn to one of the front carbon contacts L, L, L' L'. It will
be appreciated, therefore, that with this arrangement of circuits we do away
entirely with the high resistance shunt coils used in the modified forms illustrated
in Figures 2 and 11, the coils of all of the magnets being of few convolutions and
adapted to operate only by currents of à quantity approaching that required to
drive the motor M O.
For an understanding of the operation of this modified form, suppose a car, to be
moving from left to right in the direction of the arrow, Figure 16, and, the
propelling current passing from the current feeder or main F W by the sub-feeder
circuit F, fixed carbon contacts L, movable contact springs p carried by the
armature lever P, lower coil of the electro-magnet M', upper coil of the electro-
magnet M, (thereby energizing both of said magnets and maintaining their
armatures in their upper or active positions as shown) conductor w¹ to the upper
sectional trolley conductor S C, brush B', conductor 0, rear switch Sw, propelling
motor M.O, wheel W of the car through the tram rail R to earth and to the other

page_text: pole of the power house generator not shown but connected in turn to the current
feeder or main F W. A multiple branch circuit is simultaneously closed as
follows: From the centre of the coils of the magnet M', by conductor w' to 'the
other sectional trolley conductor S C', contact brush or trolley B, conductor wo to
the front switch SW through the storage battery S B, wheel W where it joins
the other branch of the current and passes to earth as before, thereby supplying
said storage battery with its charging current. As the armature levers P and P
were drawn forward the normally closed high resistance earth or safety circuits
passing through the back contact stops pl p² and rheostat Rh were broken and as
the car passes on and the armatures are demagnetized, they will again be
successively closed. At the same time the movable contact springs p¹ carried..by
the armature lever P' were put into contact with the fixed carbon contact points L'
so that the next pair of sectional trolley conductors SC, SC in advance were
connected in circuit and put into condition to convey a working current to the
motor as soon as the front pair of contact brushes or trolleys B B shall pass upon
them and just before the rear pair of contact brushes B' B* pass off of the sectional
trolley conductors upon which they are now resting.
Should the circuit be actually ruptured at any time by opening the rear
operating switch Sw, or as would be the case at another tram-way crossing, or at
some point where the sectional conductors are discontinued, then the car would of
course be propelled directly by the current from the storage battery SB or any
other equivalent portable source of current supply carried thereon by simply
closing the rear switch Sw and changing the front switch Sw to its rear position
so that the entire battery current will flow directly through the motor. Immediately
on arriving at a section of the road-way which is provided with additional sectional
trolley conductors SC, S C¹, the switch Sw should then be again placed as shown,
in which event the battery current would actuate the first switch magnet put in
circuit and the car would proceed as before under the control of the power house
generator.
With this modified form of our invention, therefore, there is little danger of
accidentally connecting any of the sectional trolley conductors to the current
feeder or main by the leakage of currents of small quantity and the contact or
trolley brushes are subjected only to the wear put upon them by the sectional
trolley conductors.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an electric railway system an insulated current feeder or main connected
to a source of electrical energy, a series of sectional trolley conductors located in
alignment, electro-magnetic switching devices for connecting the trolley conductors
to the feeder or main in sequence in combination with an additional source of
electrical energy, a propelling electric motor and circuit interrupting devices all
carried by a car or vehicle provided with one or more contact brushes or trolleys
adapted to span the space between any two adjacent trolley conductors, said
circuit interrupting devices being adapted to disconnect both sources of current
supply from all of the exposed conductors.
2. In an electric railway system an insulated current feeder or main, a series of
sectional trolley conductors connected each through a low and a high resistance
switch magnet coil and a rheostat all in series relation to earth, in combination
with normally open low resistance circuits connected to the feeder and the
sectional trolley conductors and circuit connections whereby the switches are
first actuated by the high resistance magnets and afterwards held closed by the dow
resistance magnets.
3. In an electric railway system an insulated current feeder or main, a series of
sectional trolley conductors connected each through a high resistance switch magnet
coil and a rheostat to earth, in combination with normally open low resistance

page_text: circuita connected to the feeder and the sectional trolley conductors and circuit
connections whereby the switches are first actuated by the high resistance magnets,
the low resistance circuits closed and the high resistance magnets simultaneously
short circuited or shunted.
4. In an electric railway system an insulated current feeder or main, a series of
sectional trolley conductors connected each through an electro-magnet of many
convolutions and a normally closed low resistance circuit to earth, in combination with
a high resistance circuit including a rheostat connected to the terminal of each of
said magnets and also to earth, and circuit connections whereby when circuit is
closed through the high resistance coils the aforesaid low resistance circuits will
be closed and the low resistance earthed circuit simultaneously ruptured.
5. In an electric railway system an insulated current feeder or main, a series of
sectional trolley conductors connected each to earth through two electro-magnet
coils, one of few and the other of relatively many convolutions and a rheostat
all in series relation, normally open low resistance circuits connected to the feeder
or main and the sectional conductors; in combination with shunt circuits around
the rheostats connected to earth and to switch contacts which are ruptured when
the switching armatures are actuated.
6. In an electric railway system a series of sectional trolley conductors each
connected through a permanently closed conductor to earth or a common return
conductor, in combination with a shunt conductor of lower resistance around a
portion of each of said permanently closed conductors and means for automatically
rupturing said shunts as the sectional conductors are in sequence made active or
alive.
7. In an electric railway system an insulated current feeder or main, a series
of sectional trolley conductors provided with means for connecting them in
sequence to the current main; a stationary source of current supply connected
to the main, a second or portable source of current supply and a propelling
electric motor carried by a car or vehicle to be propelled, switching mechanism
whereby the motor may receive its current supply from the stationary or the
portable source of current supply at the will of the motor-man and circuit
interrupting devices carried on the car whereby all of the accessible conductors
and connected parts carried by and immediately under the car may be absolutely
disconnected.
8. In an electric railway system a car or vehicle provided with a propelling
motor, a portable source of current supply and circuit connections with a series of
sectional trolley conductors, in combination with an insulated current feeder or
main connected to a stationary source of current supply and electro-magnetic
switching devices and a safety device adapted to automatically rupture the circuit
connections between the two sources of current supply for an abnormal current.
9. In an electric railway system a car or vehicle carrying a propelling motor
and a storage battery having circuit connections through stationary conductors
near the road-bed for charging the storage battery, in combination with
automatic circuit interrupting devices located in circuit between the storage
battery and the stationary conductors adapted to rupture the battery circuit for
abnormal current conditions.
10. In an electric railway system two lines of crossing tram rails, in combination
with one or more trolley conductors and means fixed in the road-bed between one
line of such tram rails and adapted to elevate and electrically disconnect one or
more contact brushes or trolleys carried by a moving vehicle from its source of
current supply during the entire time that the vehicle is crossing the second line
of rails.
11. In an electric railway system two lines of tram rails which cross each other,
a trolley conductor or trolley conductors for one line of rails, said trolley conductor
or conductors being discontinued at the crossing in combination with means for
causing the conducting contact brushes, one or more, carried by a car or vehicle to
be carried above the level of the second line of tram rails and electrically disconnected
R

page_text: from the source of current supply during the entire time that the car or vehicle is
passing the crossing.
12. In an electric railway system two crossing lines of tram rails located in
substantially the same horizontal plane, one or more lines of trolley conductors
embedded in the road bed and discontinued at the crossing, in combination with one
or more bridges of insulating material located in alignment with the trolley
conductors, said bridges being located between and on opposite sides of the crossing
line of rails and adapted to lift or carry the conducting contact brushes above the
crossing line of tram rails and to wholly disconnect the electrical connections
between the current feeder or main and the propelling motor carried by the vehicle
during the entire time of crossing.
13. Two crossing lines of tram rails located in substantially the same horizontal
plane and provided one or both with exposed sectional trolley conductors which
are discontinued at the crossing in combination with insulating bridges one for
each line of tram rails, said insulating bridges extending between the lines of rails
and for short distances on each side thereof and adapted to cause the trolleys or
contacting brushes to slide over or above the crossing line of tram rails during the
entire time that the propelled vehicle is passing the crossing.
14. A sliding contact brush made of flat steel or equivalent strips located side by
side in pairs and secured to a common head or support, the width of said springs
being greater than their thickness.
15. A sliding contact brush composed of yielding metal strips secured to a common
head which in turn is detachably secured to a brush support.
16. A sliding contact brush detachably secured to a brush support having pivoted
connection through a cross bar or standard with the body of a car or vehicle, in
combination with a spring connecting the brush support and its sustaining standard
whereby the brush is given positive downward pressure against the trolley conductor
as the car advances.
17. An electric railway having an insulated current feeder or main connected to
a source of electrical energy and a series of sectional trolley conductors, in combi-
nation with electro-magnetic switching devices for connecting said sectional con-
ductors to the current feeder or main in sequence, said switching devices being
provided with carbon or equivalent non-fusible contacts as described.
18. An electric railway provided with a current feeder or main and a series
of sectional trolley conductors having switching mechanism for connecting said
sectional conductors to the current feeder or main in sequence, the circuit inter-
rupting contacts of the switching devices being of carbon or equivalent non-fusible
material.
19. An electric railway provided with a current feeder or main, a series of
sectional trolley conductors, branch or sub feeder circuits and electro-magnetic
switching devices for connecting the trolley conductors with the current feeder or
main, the branch or sub feeder circuit running from each trolley conductor including
a low resistance coil on the switch magnet which controls the circuit connections to
an adjacent trolley conductor and a low and a high resistance coil on its own switch
magnet as shown in Figure 11 of the drawings.
20. An electric railway provided with a current feeder or main, a series of
sectional trolley conductors, branch or sub feeder circuits and electro-magnetic
switching devices for connecting the trolley conductors with the current feeder or
main, the branch or sub feeder circuit running from each trolley conductor normally
including a low resistance coil on the switch magnet which controls the circuit
connections to an adjacent trolley conductor, a low and a high resistance coil on its
own magnet and an additional resistance in circuit therewith as shown in Figure 11
of the drawings.
21. An electric railway provided with a current feeder or main, a series of
sectional trolley conductors and branch or sub feeder circuits for connecting said
sectional trolley conductors to the current feeder or main, in combination with
electro-magnetic switching devices for effecting such connection, the electro-

page_text: magnets of each switching device being provided with a coil of high resistance and
a coil of low resistance connected in series, the high resistance coil being connected
to earth and the low resistance coil being connected through a similar low
resistance coil surrounding the core or cores of the electro-magnet which controls
the switch of the next adjacent branch or sub feeder circuit as shown in Figure 11
of the drawings.
22. An electric railway provided with a current feeder or main, a series of
sectional trolley conductors, branch or sub feeder circuits for connecting said
sectional trolley conductors to the current feeder or main and electro-magnetic
switching devices for effecting such connection each of such branch circuits being
included in circuit with the coils of electro-magnets which control the operation of
two of the switches as shown in Figure 11 of the drawings.
23. An electric railway provided with a current feeder or main enclosed in
an insulating conduit, in combination with a series of branch or sub feeder
circuits connected to said main and enclosed in similar insulating conduits, said
sub feeder circuits being connected electrically with sectional trolley conductors,
the current feeder or main and the branch or sub feeders being removable from the
conduit tubes.
24. An electric railway provided with an insulating conduit and a series of
branch or sub feeder insulating conduits, the feeder conduit being embedded
in the road-way and the sub feeder conduits having their exterior ends secured in
an insulating stringer or support which sustains a series of sectional trolley
conductors.
25. In an electric railway a current feeder or main, two sets of sectional
trolley conductors arranged in pairs, normally open branch feeders running from
the current feeder or main to switches controlled by electro-magnets, circuit
connections from one of each pair of sectional trolley conductors through two of
the switch operating electro-magnets in series and from the other trolley con-
ductor of each pair to one of said magnets, substantially as shown in Figure 16 of
the drawings.
26. An electrical railway provided with a current main and branch feeders
running therefrom to switches controlled by electro-magnets the coils of which are
connected to parallel sectional trolley conductors arranged in pairs, in combination
with two pairs of contacting brushes or trolleys carried by a car and adapted to
span the spaces between successive pairs of trolley conductors and having connections
in turn with a propelling motor and a storage battery also carried by the car,
substantially as shown in Figure 16 of the drawings.
27. A contact brush pivotally secured by a pair of links or arms to a rigid
support journalled on a car axle and provided with a rest or support which limits
the downward movement of the brush, substantially as shown in Figure 17 of the
drawings.
28. A support for a contact brush or trolley consisting of an arm journalled on a
car axle and provided with means for limiting the downward movement of the brush,
substantially as shown in Figure 17 of the drawings.
29. A series of sectional trolley conductors located in alignment with each other
and above the level of the tram rails, in combination with one or more contact
brushes or trolleys carried beneath a car and provided with means which prevent
said brush or brushes from touching the surfaces between the ends of adjoining
trolley conductors, substantially as shown in Figure 17 of the drawings.
Dated thin 17th dow of Lul 1804
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.