Improvements in Underground Conduits and in Conductors for Electric Railways.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr.. 1894-Accepted, 16th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Underground Conduits and in Conductors for
Electric Railways.
'
We, JAMES BUCHANAN BRAND, of the City. of Milwaukee, County of
Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, United States of America, Real Estate
Broker, and CLAUDE LORRAINE FRANKLYN, of the City of Milwaukee, County
of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, United States of America, Capitalist,
do hereby declare the nature of the invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In the construction of underground conduits, for electric conductors for electric
railway lines, much difficulty has been heretofore experienced from the fact that
by the ordinary forms of construction, the wires are unprotected from dampness
which accumulates in the conduits and consequently short-circuiting or grounding
of the current is liable to frequently occur.
The object of our invention is to provide an underground conduit for electric
railway conductors, of such construction that the conductors will be effectually
protected from dampness, said conductors being wholly enclosed with an air-tight
casing or covering, and provided with suitable means for making contact at
intervals with said conductors, and for conveying current therefrom to the motor
upon a car through the medium of movable service rails.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of
conduit constructed in accordance
with my invention and shows a car located upon a track and provided with a
contact device in operative engagement with the service rail.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of my improved conduit taken on
line 2-2 of Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional, view of the same taken on line 3-3 of
Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional view of a somewhat different form of device
for normally holding the service rail out of contact with the conductors.
Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating the construction of the joint
between adjacent sections of the service rail.
Figure 6 is a detail plan view of a somewhat different form of construction of
joint.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of same.
Figure 8 is a detail, sectional view of a joint formed in the section of the service
rail, said section being taken on line 8-8 of Figure 3.
Figure 9 is a longitudinal detail sectional view illustrating a somewhat different
form of conduit.
In said drawings, A designates a suitable casing preferably of metal which is
adapted to be located wholly beneath the surface of the ground, and is provided
in its upper wall with a suitable slot, a, for the admission of a contact device B.
C. designates a suitable tube or pipe, located in the lower part of the casing A and
supported in position therein, in any suitable manner as by means of the chairs c c.
A longitudinally extending conductor rail or wire D is located in the lower part of
the tube or pipe C, but insulated therefrom, said conductor being conveniently
partly imbedded in a suitable insulating material E which is located in the lower
part of the pipe or tube C.
At suitable intervals along the upper side of the pipe or tube C, I provide
upwardly extending tubular connections F F, through which vertically movable

page_text: plungers G G are arranged to extend, said plungers carrying at their lower ends
suitable contact shoes g g for electrical engagement with the upper or exposed.
portion of the conducting rail D.
As shown more particularly in Figures 2 and 3, these plungers G G may be
arranged to extend vertically through suitable glands or stuffing boxes H H in the
tubular extensions F F, or as shown in Figure 4, said plungers may be arranged to
extend downwardly through apertured elastic diaphragms, 1, which are secured in.
any desired manner to the upper ends of the tubular extensions F.
Suitable springs J J are arranged around the upper portions of the plungers G G
and are arranged to bear upwardly against suitable shoulders gly' thereon, said
springs being arranged to rest at their lower ends upon suitable supports on the
tubular connections F F so as to normally hold the plungers G G upward with
their contact shoes gg out of engagement with the conductor.
To the upper ends of the plungers G G are suitably secured sections K K of
the service rail, said sections being pivotally engaged with the upper euds of said
plungers and with each other in the manner shown in the drawings. As shown
more particularly in Figures 2, 3 and 5, the adjacent ends of the sections of the
service rail are kept out of contact with each other by means of insulating
washers L L, suitable bolts or rivets being passed through the end of the said
sections and said washers and secured in any desired manner so as to flexibly
connect the ends of the sections together. I find it convenient to make the upper
ends of the plungers G G bifurcated as shown more particularly in Figures 2 and 5,
the furcations G³ G' thereof being arranged to embrace the ends of the sections
of the conducting service rail.
As shown more particularly in Figures 2 and 5, 1 establish an electrical
connection between each of the plungers G G and one end of the movable section
of the service rail through the medium of the pivot pin or bolt l, which while it is
insulated from one movable section, has metallic contact with the bifurcated upper
end of the plunger, and the apertured end of one section of the service rail.
It follows from this construction that by pressing downward upon any one
section of the service rail, one of the plungers G G will be brought into electrical
contact with the conductor D within the tube or pipe C at the bottom of the
casing, and one section of the service rail will thereby be brought into electrical
connection with said conductor.
In arranging the connections for the motor upon a car truck, said connections
may be so made as to take current from the movable sections of the service rail
through the motor, and to then pass the current to one of the track rails M in a
familiar manner, or if preferred, two tubular casings C C might be employed
in the bottom of the main casing, and each arranged to contain a single
conductor.
It will be seen that as the car advances, the contact device B is brought into
engagement with the several sections of the service rail, the said sections being
depressed and brought into connection with the conductor B, as the contact
device advances and but one section K of the service rail being in circuit at
one time.
In order to enable the contact device to operate satisfactorily in depressing the
several sections of the service rail, and at the same time ensure a perfect electrical
contact with said section, I find it convenient to journal the roller & in movable
boxes which are pressed downwardly by a spring B₁ so as to forcibly hold the
roller in engagement with the upper side of the service rail.
As soon as the contact device has passed from one section of the service rail
into engagement with the next adjacent section thereof, the springs supporting the
plungers connected with the first mentioned section will serve to automatically
raise said plungers and said movable sections, so as to break the electrical contact
between the plungers and the conductor.
If desired, I may employ means such as shown in Figures 6 and 7 for permitting
the contact device to come into engagement with the sections of the service rail
!

page_text: before passing the joints between the adjacent ends of said sections, and to this
end I find it convenient to arrange at one or both sides of the joint between said
sections, suitable extensions K' which are arranged to extend somewhat beyond the
point of engagement between two sections K K of the rail, and into position for
engagement by the contact roller a little before the joint is reached. In this
manner as the contact device approaches a joint in the service rail, and depresses
the adjacent ends of the two sections connected by said joint, the rear end of the
section with which the contact device engages will be free to rise about the time
that the contact device reached the joint, and as soon as the electrical connection
of the rear end of said section is broken, said section will of course, be dead, while
the next succeeding section will be in circuit, and it therefore follows that by
engagement of the contact device with the extension K' of said next succeeding
section, just before the point is reached, the contact device will be enabled to take
current from said succeeding section, and a constant flow of current through the
motor is thereby ensured.
This feature of my improvement is of special importance upon grades, where an
instant's break in the current might cause a stoppage of the car.
As shown more particularly in Figure 2 of the drawings, I find it convenient
to provide suitable means for protecting the movable parts from the accumulation
of dirt which may find its way through the slot in the casing A and to this end I
may provide suitable hoods N upon the upper ends of the plungers G G arranged
to shed or deflect any dirt which may fall through the slot and prevent the same
finding its way into or upon the stuffing boxes through which the plunger is
passed, thereby guarding against undue wear on the stuffing boxes or the moving
parts.
In the particular device shown in Figure 4 however, no such precaution will be
necessary inasmuch as the upper part of the plunger is enclosed within the elastic
diaphragın I, and all dirt is effectually excluded therefrom.
If desired, I might employ between adjacent sections of the service rail, suitable
insulated joints such as shown in Figure 3 and Figures 8 and 0, the connected
ends of the sections being electrically insulated from each other in a familiar
manner By this means, the adjacent ends of the sections which are pivotally
secured together might receive current from one plunger at the same time, the
insulation in the joint between said sections being of course omitted.
In the form of construction shown in Figure 9, I have illustrated the conductor D
as enclosed in a suitable insulating cover D' throughout the greater part of its
length, but being bared at intervals as at d d and arranged to extend .horizontally
through suitable hollow casings P P within which the plungers G G are arranged
to operate in the manner before described. In this form of construction, the entire
housings P P as well as the insulated conductors, may be buried in a suitable
cement or other material at the bottom of the casing A, it being only necessary to
arrange the housings so as to permit the tubular extensions p p thereof to extend
upward through said cement or other material so as to enable the plungers G G to
engage therewith.
By my improved construction, I am enabled to effectually protect the conductor
against dampness and to thereby guard against accidental short circuiting or
grounding of the current and consequent derangement of the system.
As a further and separate improvement prefer to connect the main casing A
at suitable intervals with a sewer Q by means of suitable tubular connections 9, 60
as to enable any accumulation of water within the casing to find its way out of the
casing into the sewer.
As a still further and separate improvement, I prefer to provide a suitable blast
pipe R at any convenient point or points along the line of the conduit, and
arranged to communicate with the interior of the tube or pipe C whereby a blast
of hot or dry air may be forced through said pipe or tube to drive out any
moisture that might find its way into the same on account of a leak in the pipe
or tube.

page_text: 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. A conduit for electric conductors comprising a closed tube or pipe, a conductor
extending longitudinally therethrough but insulated therefrom, a contact or service
rail extending longitudinally adjacent to the outside of said tube or pipe, and
comprising a plurality of flexibly connected insulated sections, and a plurality of
movable contact devices extending through the side of said tube or pipe and
adapted for electrical contact with the conductor therein, and permanently in
electrical engagement with said sections.
2. An underground conduit for electric conductors, comprising a closed tube or
pipe, a conductor extending longitudinally therethrough, but insulated therefrom,
a plurality of contact devices movably engaged within bearings in the side wall of
said tube or pipe and adapted for electrical contact with said conductor, means for
normally holding said contact devices out of contact with said conductor, and a
service rail comprising a plurality of sections flexibly engaged with each other and
with said contact devices, but adjacent sections of said rail being insulated from
each other.
3. An underground conduit for electric conductors comprising a closed tube or
pipe, a conductor extending longitudinally therethrough, but insulated therefrom,
a plurality of tubular extensions in the upper side of said tube or pipe, contact
devices movably engaged within said extensions, and adapted for electrical contact
with said conductor means for normally holding said contact devices out of
contact and a service rail comprising a plurality of sections insulated from each
other but flexibly connected at their adjacent ends with said contact devices, and
adapted for successive engagement with a contact device carried by a car.
4. An underground conduit for electric conductors comprising a closed tube or
pipe, a conductor extending longitudinally therethrough, but insulated therefrom,
tubular connections located at intervals in the upper side of said pipe, plungers
vertically movable therein and adapted for engagement at their inner ends with
said conductor, springs for normally holding said conductors out of contact with the
conductor, shields for protecting said plungers and their bearings from dirt and
dust, and a service rail comprising a plurality of sections flexibly engaged at their
adjacent ends with said plungers, but insulated from each other and adapted to be
depressed by engagement with a contact device carried by a car.
5. An underground conduit for electric conductors comprising a closed tube or
pipe, a conductor extending longitudinally therethrough but insulated therefrom,
tubular extensions located at intervals in the upper side of said tube or pipe,
vertically movable plungers engaged in air and water-tight bearings in said
extensions and carrying contact shoes at their lower ends for engagement with
said conductor springs for normally holding said plungers out of contact, suitable
shields for protecting said plungers and their bearings from dirt, and a service rail
for engagement with a contact device carried by a car and comprising a plurality
of sections insulated from each other and flexibly connected with the upper ends of
said plungers.
6. The combination in an underground conduit with the closed tube and its
contained conductor, of vertically movable plungers extending to the inside of the
tube and adapted for electrical contact with said conductor, and a service rail
comprising a plurality of sections insulated from each other and flexibly engaged
at their adjacent ends with said plungers and each of said sections being provided
with an extension adjacent to its pivotal connection with the next adjacent section
and arranged to project past said connection and adapted for engagement by an
advancing contact device, before said device reaches said connection.
7. An underground conduit for electric conductors comprising a main casing
provided in its upper side with a longitudinal slot, a closed tube or pipe located
within said casing, and provided in its upper side with a plurality of tubular

page_text: extensions, a conductor extending longitudinally through said pipe but insulated
therefrom, vertically movable plungers engaged with air and water tight bearings
in said tubular extension, and carrying at their lower ends suitable contact shoes.
for electrical engagement with said conductor, springs for normally holding said
plungers out of contact and a contact or service rail, comprising a plurality of
sections pivotally secured at their adjacent ends to said plungers but insulated from.
each other, and adapted for engagement by an advancing contact device carried by
a car, and to be successively depressed thereby so as to bring the plungers
successively into electrical contact with said conductor.
8. The combination with closed tube C, conductor D extending therethrough,
the vertically movable contact devices adapted for independent electrical contact
with said conductors, and the service rail comprising the insulated pivotally
connected sections, of a blast pipe communicating with the interior of said tube
and adapted to deliver a blast of air therethrough.
Dated this 17th day of April 1894.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.