cable and Electric Conductors or Pipes.WAY OR TRAMWAY TRACK SUPPORT AND CONDUIT FOR TRACTION CABLE AND ELECTRIC- CONDUCTORS OR PIPES
Year: 1885

page_text: cable and Electric Conductors or Pipes.
I, JOHN HENRY GOULD, of No. 1328 Spring Garden Street, in the city of
Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, furniture
manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for RAILWAY OR
TRAMWAY TRACK SUPPORT AND CONDUIT FOR TRACTION CABLE AND ELECTRIC-
CONDUCTORS OR PIPES, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference-
being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a vertical section; Fig. 2
a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan illustrating my invention:-.
My invention has for its object to provide a structure that will form a bed or,
support for railway or tramway tracks and also conduits for a traction cable and
for electric conductors respectively.
-
My invention consists of two parallel tubes united by cross-pieces, one of said
tubes being slotted longitudinally and forming a conduit for a traction cable, the
other tube having a man-hole in its side, if desired, .and forming a conduit for.
electric conductors, the two tubes together forming the support for rails fastened
thereto or formed integral therewith, substantially as and in the manner hereinafter.
fully set forth.
Referring to the accompanying drawing A and B represent respectively two tubes
of metal or other suitable material which are held parallel and in fixed relation to
each other by cross-pieces C C. Said cross-pieces may be bolted or otherwise
fastened to the tubes or be formed integral therewith. The tube A is slotted
longitudinally on its upper side as shown at a for the passage of a gripping lever
to engage with a traction-cable D running on pulleys a' in said tube and it may
bave a man-hole or side opening for lateral access. The tube B has a man-hole b¹
in its outer side to permit access to the conductors that may be placed therein, and
said tube may be divided horizontally into compartments b, 6, 6s, by means of
shelves b, for the reception and separation of different classes of electric conductors,
viz., telephonic, telegraphic and electric-light wires. The man-hole b' will be large
enough to afford access through it to the several compartments in the tube B.
E and F represent railway or tramway rails which may be formed integral with
the tubes A B or be fastened thereto. The rail E is arranged 'in such relation to
the slot a that the tread of the car wheel running on said rail will cover said slot.

page_text: In laying the structure which constitutes my invention the ground will be
excavated in two parallel trenches or channels to receive the conduits, leaving
a ridge between, whose top will be below the surface of the ground but higher
than the bottom of the trenches or ditches, on which the cross-pieces CC will rest.
The tubes A B, which are formed in sections of convenient length, are then laid in
the excavation and said tubular sections fastened end to end or jointed together
in any suitable manner, as by bolting. The earth is then filled in over the cross-
pieces and around the tubes, and the paving done if the street or road is to be
paved the tops of the tubes being on or about on a level with the paving. As
the tubes are fastened together or in fixed relation by the cross-pieces they will
not spread apart, and as said tubes form conduits and also supports for rails the
one tearing up of a street or road is sufficient for laying a railway or tramway
track, traction-cable and electric-conductors conduits.
It is obvious, of course, that the cable and the conductors may be introduced
into the conduit at the time when the latter is being laid or subsequent thereto
and that access to the contents of the conduits for making repairs or connections
may be readily obtained at any time through the side openings or man-holes.
In place of the traction cable running on pulleys an electric cable or conductor,
communicating by suitable connections with an electric motor on the car, may
be employed and be within the inclusion of my invention. So, too, while I have
suggested that the tube B will form a conduit or receptacle for various kinds of
electrical conductors, I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to
such conductors, as pipes of various kinds, such as steam-pipes, water-pipes, oil-
pipes, gas-pipes or pneumatic tubes etc., may be placed in the conduit, either with
the electric conductors or in lieu thereof, said conduit forming a track-support and
subterranean way or tunnel for the reception and enclosure of whatever conductors
of electricity or vehicles of conveyance of compressed air, steam, gas, water, oil
or other liquid or fluid it may be desirable or convenient to place therein.
ว
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. A combined railway or tramway track support and traction-cable and electric-
conductors conduits, the same consisting of two parallel tubes united by cross-pieces,
one of said tubes forming a conduit for a traction cable and the other a conduit for
electric conductors, and both said tubes forming supports for railway or tramway
tracks, substantially as shown and described.
2. A combined railway or tramway track support and duplex conduit, the same
consisting of two parallel tubes fastened to each other by cross-pieces, one of said
tubes having a longitudinal slot in its upper side or top and the other tube having
a man-hole in its outer side and separate apartments for conductors or conveyers,
substantially as shown and described.