Improvements in connection with Underground Conduits for Electric Tramways.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 27th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 19th May, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Underground Conduits for Electric
Tramways.
I, MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH, of Albany Buildings, 47, Victoria Street, West-
minster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention is a development of a Patent granted to me on April 21 1894
& numbered 5025 known and described as the "Culvert system." I now propose to
modify the proportions and constructions of the culvert specially provided for
the electric conductors, switches connections & insulators required for the electric
tramway, so as to enable it to be used for other purposes also, viz. as the drain or
part of the main drain of the road, as a subway containing the cables for the
supply of electric light to the district for telegraph & telephone wires, for gas
& water mains and the like.
For this purpose I increase the size of the culvert in proportion to the service
it has to fulfil and provide the necessary brackets or other suitable supports for
the pipes or cables, and at convenient intervals fix junction boxes available for
connection with street lamps, houses, offices etc. etc.
Dated this 26th day of Inno 1900
POTICATION.
Improvements in connection with Underground Conduits for Electric
Tramways.
I, MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH, of Albany Buildings, 47, Victoria Street, West-
minster, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement: —
This invention is a development of a Patent granted to me on April 21st 1894
numbered 5025, for a method of constructing electric tramways known and
described as "the Culvert system," and consists in so modifying the proportions
and constructions of the said culvert as to enable it to be used for other purposes
in addition to electric tramway requirements.
Fig. 1, illustrates a cross section of a road with a combination of tramway
subway constructed in accordance with this invention.
RR are tramway rails of the ordinary grooved girder type. R¹ R¹, twin
rails through which access is made to the conduit C C containing the conductor
D
077

page_text: wires or rods from which the electricity is gathered by the passing car, in a
manner substantially as described in Patent 5025/94 previously referred to.
K is the culvert or subway; the roof or roadway being supported by the
beams B and arches A; the underside of the beams being conveniently employed
for supporting the insulated cables, E for electric lighting and ET for electric
traction and power; the central exposed conductor O being available for supply-
ing current for working the service truck N, running upon the rails r, r, on
the floor of the subway, beneath. which could be arranged the main sewer s,
connected at intervals with surface or house drains D. W represents the water
main and G the gas main, whilst w, w, w, represent water service pipes and
999 represent gas service pipes.
P shows a tube for compressed air and H a hydraulic main, whilst the box T
could contain telegraph wires, and the box telephone wires.
Suitable cross channels could be constructed for communication between the
road surface and the service subway.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination of an electric street tramway with a service subway sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
TL
1000
M. HOLROYD SMITH.