Improvements in Apparatus for Working Electric Tramways by Means of Underground Cables.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 31st July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Electric Tramways by
Means of Underground Cables.
I CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON of Lane House Hunslet in the City of Leeds
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
My invention has for its special object to overcome the objections experienced in
working electric tramways having underground conductors of electricity herein
referred to as cables. At present tramways so worked are often stopped by floods
or by dirt getting through the longitudinal slit in the cover of the cable box on to
the cable and so preventing contact, or by being short circuited. To overcome
these difficulties I dispense with the slit altogether or else place a cover over it
and by the latter method my invention can be adapted to existing tramways.
I use a cable laid below the roadway and between the rails as in the present
systems of electric tramway and use the tramway rails for the purpose of
completing the electric circuit as now also practised. I enclose the cable in an iron
or other box without any slit or visible opening above so that the box shall be
practically dirt and watertight. At suitable intervals I perforate the top or cover
of the box and through these perforations I make contact with the cable below by
means of short metal pegs, telescoping through tubes of some insulating material
and connected with suitable mechanism below, which rise through and above the
top or cover of the box and when they rise come in contact at the same time with
the cable below and with a slider above placed underneath the car to be propelled
and through which slider the electricity is conveyed to the motor by any suitable
connections. The slider is of sufficient length to be always in contact with at
least one of the short metal pegs making contact and the mechanism within the box
is so constructed that as the car passes along it causes the contact peg next in
advance to rise to form contact and then depresses it again as it passes over it and
sinks it flush with the cover of the box so as to prevent danger to the public from
accidental contact with the complete electric circuit. And the mechanism is so
constructed also that the short contact pegs will always rise in advance of the slider
and be again depressed when the car has passed over whichever way the car
runs.
Dated this 29th day of July 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Working Electric Tramways by
Means of Underground Cables.
I CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON of Lane House, Jack Lane in Hunslet in the City
of Leeds 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 :—
My invention consists of a novel method and means of making electrical
connection between the motors of tram cars and other vehicles propelled by
electricity (hereinafter referred to for brevity as cars) on tramways and under-
ground conductors of electricity transmitting the necessary currents herein referred
to as cables. My invention has for its special object to provide a means for the
[Price 8d.]

page_text: aforesaid purpose which is not subject or liable to the inconveniences difficulties
and uncertainties of working which are incidental to the use of a continuous slit in
the roadway as now ordinarily used.
In carrying out my invention I dispense with the slit altogether or else place a
cover over it and by the latter method my invention can be adapted to existing
tramways.
I use a cable laid below the roadway and between the rails as in the present
systems of electric tramway and I use the tramway rails for the purpose of
completing the electric circuit as now also practised. I enclose the cable in a
conduit formed under the roadway as hereinafter mentioned and used also for the
mechanism hereinafter described. This conduit may consist of a continuous box
or trough of iron or concrete or other material with a continuous cover without
any slit or visible opening (except where perforated as and for the purpose herein
after mentioned) or may consist of a series of boxes or cases sunk in the roadway at
suitable intervals with underground (but no surface) connection between them. By
preference I use the latter method and for convenience and brevity I shall adapt
my description to that method and shall use the word boxes without the addition
of cases.
These boxes are placed at suitable intervals in and flush with the
roadway two at least being within the length of one car for the reason hereinafter
appearing.
In the cover of each box I make one or more perforations. By preference
I use two perforations in each box cover on a line upon which a car is to be
propelled one way only, and three where the car is required to run both ways.
But one perforation will suffice to run a car one way only. Whether one or more
perforations be used one of them, if more than one, or the one, if only one must
be lined with some insulating material or else instead of a fixed lining there must
be a rising tube of some insulating material.
Through each insulated perforation successively I make contact between the cable
below and the car above. This is done by means of short metal pins or pegs
(hereinafter for distinction called contact pegs) which being connected to
mechanism such as hereinafter described, or any other suitable mechanism placed
in the boxes below the roadway become projected in succession above the covers of
the boxes by the action of the car as it runs along and thereby come in contact at:
the same time with the cable below and with a slider, bridge brush or other
conducting medium above placed underneath the car to be propelled through which
slider bridge brush or other conducting medium the electric current is conveyed
from the cable to the car motor and thence to the wheels and rails or return wire
by any suitable connections in like manner as now commonly practised under other
systems. By preference.I use a bridge brush but whatever may be the form of
conducting medium employed it must be of sufficient length to be always in contact
with one contact peg in advance before contact with the one toward the rear is
lost or at least must always be in contact with one contact peg so as thereby to
maintain constant electrical connection. The bridge brush may be arranged so as
to rub against one or both sides of the contact pegs or on the top of them only.
Underneath the car and attached thereto I provide one or more ramps or treading
pieces (by preference one for each way the car may be required to run) and the
mechanism within the underground conduit is so constructed that as the car passes
along and depresses one contact peg it causes the contact peg next in advance to
rise to form contact to be again in turn depressed as the car passes over it and sinks
it flush with the cover of the box.
The contact pegs are so constructed as when down to be out of contact with the
cable and thus prevent danger to the public from accidental contact with the
complete electric circuit. For this purpose the electrical connection between
the contact pegs successively and the underground cable is made only in the latter
part of the rising motion of the contact pegs and consequently such electrical
connection is broken in the early part of the sinking motion of such pegs and
all electrical connection between the car and the cable ceases before the ramp

page_text: carried by the car which depresses the mechanical peg has left the same. As
before stated I use two or more perforations in each box cover one of which is
insulated and used for the contact peg as herein before described. The other
perforation where two only are used or the other perforations where three are
used are for what are hereinafter called mechanical pegs used as and for the
purpose more particularly described having no electrical properties and constructed
to stand the wear and tear of the road service and prevent the damage which
would result to the contact pegs if they were to be used for the double purpose
of mechanical and contact pegs. I provide three perforations in each box cover
and two mechanical pegs one for each direction when the car is required to run
both ways on the same line the third perforation being for the contact peg which
is common to both the mechanical pegs.
But
My method of operating the mechanical and therewith the contact pegs and
otherwise carrying out my invention is as follows:-In each box and mounted
upon the same shaft side by side are two levers one being double ended and the
other a triple lever the upper edge of which latter carries a tooth. The double
lever carries at its upper end a pawl. From the triple lever in one box two
connections are made by wires from two corners of the triple lever to the two ends
of the double lever in the next box forward. The third corner of the triple
lever carries a mechanical peg. And the connections between the triple lever
in one box and the double lever in the next box forward are so made that
when the mechanical peg in one box is raised it pulls the lower end of the
double lever in the next box and so throws the upper end forward when the
pawl falls into contact with the tooth on the upper edge of the triple lever.
Then when the mechanical peg in the first box is depressed by the ramp on the
car the upper end of the double lever in the next box is pulled backward and there-
with the triple lever in that box is also pulled over thereby causing the mechanical
peg attached thereto to rise-and throwing forward the double lever and pawl
in the box further ou-and so on continuously. Where one contact peg is used
with one mechanical peg then and in that case the contact peg may be mounted
on the side of the triple lever on the same stud as the mechanical peg.
when one contact peg is to be used in cominon with two mechanical pegs then
I mount the peg on a rising frame hereinafter called the contact peg frame and
lift the frame by means of a pin on the side of each of the two triple levers
in the same box. The completion of the downward movement of any mechanical
peg throws out of gear by means of a stop pin coming in contact with the pawl
tail in the box next forward the purchase or hold by which the mechanical
peg in such box next forward has been caused to lift so that when such last
mentioned mechanical peg is made to descend it does not reverse the motion
one the one in the rear by which it has been lifted but acts only on the next
peg forward, leaving all pegs in the rear sunk in the roadway and out of
electrical connection with the cable beneath. To bring the automatic apparatus
into action it is necessary when a car is first started from the station or terminus
to raise the first peg into contact by some suitable additional appliance or by
hand. The same may also be necessary in case of accident to any peg in the
course of a journey or where it is desired to back the car.
There are many
vays of doing this. The action required is first to raise a peg outside the
ength of the car and again depress it so as to raise the one under the car. At
he station it may be done by means of a mechanical peg being prolonged to a
vitable height above the floor level and provided with a cross head or other
andle for the convenience of the operator in first pulling and then pushing. On a
ourney a different method must necessarily be used but the nature of the operation
s the same.
I make no claim to any particular method and I do not confine myself
o any particular method of effecting the operation. If the place of operation be
t some distance from a car so that the first peg raised is outside the length of the
ar then the peg so raised or any number of pegs consecutively raised may be
ushed down by the foot until finally a peg is raised under the car.

page_text: To meet the case of a car getting off the track the car will carry a suitable
length of spare cable capable of attachment to any contact peg and so establish
connection between the car and the cable below the roadway.
I do not contine myself to any particular method of establishing electrical con-
nection between the cable and the contact pegs. Such connection may be
established by means of wires or other metallic connection between such pegs and
switches (one switch to each peg) and such switches may be actuated and put into
connection with the cable by means of suitable pulling or pushing attachments to
the triple levers. Another method is to connect the pegs in manner aforesaid to
one surface of a rubbing contact affixed to but insulated from some part of the
moving mechanism the other surface of the rubbing contact being connected with
the cable.
And I make my contact pegs so that the parts. to which the cable attachments
are made are insulated from every other part of the mechanism herein before
described. Where a contact peg is used with one mechanical peg and attached
thereto as herein before mentioned such insulation may be effected in the attachments
or may be effected by making the peg in two parts the upper insulated from the
lower. But where a contact peg frame is used then such insulation
may be
effected either in the peg itself or in the method of attaching the peg to the frame,-
or by means of insulated linings in the frame or by means of insulated bearings. I
lay no claim to any particular method of effecting such insulation.
In order to render the foregoing explanation more clear I refer to the
accompanying sheets of drawings.
Sheet I represents different views of a tram car frame and part of the roadway
all fitted according to my invention, the boxes containing the pegs and mechanism
being shewn suitable for running both ways on the same line of rails. Figure 1
is a vertical section-Figure 2. a cross section and Figure 3. a plan of a tram
car and frame and Figure 4 a portion of the roadway with a box for the
contact and mechanical pegs. The boxes are connected by conduits through which
are led the mechanical connection wires and also the cable. In all the views the
same figures refer to the same parts.
The contact pegs are shewn by (1) (1), the mechanical pegs by (2) (2), the
bridge contact and connection by (3) the car motor by (4) (4), the mechanism
boxes by (5) (5) (5) and the ramps for depressing the mechanical pegs by (6) (61)
one ramp for each direction. The car frame and body is shewn by (7) (7) and the
road wheels by (8) (S) the tram rails and roadway being (9) (9).
Sheet 2 represents various views of a diagrammatic illustration of the parts and
principles of the mechanism necessary for raising and lowering the contact pegs of
the system of the invention, in which Figure 1 represents two rocking levers (10)
and (11) the triple lever (10) being shewn in thick lines and provided with a
tooth (12). This figure also shows two wire or rod connecting pins (13) (13') a
boss (14) carrying a pic (141) for connecting the mechanical peg, a pin (142) for
connecting the contact peg and a boss bearing (15) which is mounted on a bearing
shaft (16). The double lever (11) shewn in fine lines is provided with a pawl (17)
for engaging the tooth (12) two wire or rod connecting pins (18) (18) a stop
pin (19) for the pawl tail (171) and a bearing boss (20) which is mounted also on
the shaft (16). The various motions of the centres are shewn by dotted lines and
arcs and the engaged and disengaged positions of the two rocking levers by the
pawl and tooth are shewn by thick and fine dotted lines corresponding with the full
lines.
Figure 1 may be said to be the disengaged position of the full line pair of
rocking levers which may be termed a single set, the mechanical and contact pegs
being in the raised and electrically connected position though the contact peg is
not shown whilst Figure 2 shews the engaged position of similar levers in the next
box forward ready for lifting the pegs in such next box forward by the downward
motion of the first mechanical peg, lever (10) being connected in the first box to
lever (11) in the second box by rod or wires (21) (21') which are crossed from top

page_text: pin (13) on lever (10) to bottom pin (18) on lever (11) in the next box forward.
and from bottom pin (13¹) on lever (10) to top pin (18') on lever (11) thus
producing in oscillating a reverse motion on the two wire connected levers in the
different boxes. It is obvious that the rising peg motion in the first box throws
the lever (11) in the next box forward so that the pawl (17) engages the tooth (12)
of the lever (10) in the next box forward which latter lever is in the position of
mechanical peg down or disconnected and it is equally obvious that the descending.
motion of the mechanical peg and connections in the first box will raise the
mechanical peg and connections in the next box forward and that by the latter
part of the lifting motion of the lever (11) the tail of the pawl (17) will strike
against the stop bar (22) and the pawl (17) will be disengaged from the tooth (12)
and will stand in the position shewn by full lines in Figure I leaving the lever (10).
in the next box forward free to act upon the levers in the box in advance of that
without disturbing the lever (10) in the first box. These motions are continuously
repeated in advance as the vehicle runs along the road. Figure 3 is a plan of the
levers and parts in Figure 1 and Figure 4 is a plan of the levers and parts in
Figure 2 and the same reference figures refer to the same parts in all the-
figures.
Sheet 3 in Figures 1 and 2 represents a vertical section and a plan respectively-
of a section of a tramway fitted according to the arrangements illustrated in
Sheet 2 which are a single set of apparatus for running one way only-and the
same reference letters refer to the same parts as in all the preceeding sheets of
drawings..
Sheet 4 represents diagrammatically one side of the arrangement of a double set.
of levers (10) and (11) before described as they are applied for working a contact
peg which is common to two sets of levers or two mechanical pegs as used for
running both ways on the same road. Two sets of levers (10) and (11) are
required one set for running each way and their individual and collective action is
the same as in the single set except that a projection or pin (14) on lever (10) in
performing its functions lifts the contact peg frame (1') (1) and its connection,
a similar pin on the second set performing the same office for running in the
opposite direction. An insulating piece for the contact peg is shewn by (1") and
insulating runner guides or rollers by (1") (1"). All the reference letters refer
to the same parts as in preceeding sheets.
Sheet 5. Figures 1, 2 and 3 represent respectively a vertical section, cross section
and plan of a section of tramway fitted according to the invention for running
both ways on the same line and all the reference figures refer to the same parts as
in preceeding sheets.
The electrical connection between the cable and the contact peg is made and.
broken by means of a switch either forming part of the said peg or by a separate.
switch worked from lever (10) the time of the connection being arranged by the
proportions of the movement of the said switch and its contact and in all cases
the contact peg is insulated from the rest of the mechanical parts and cases or-
bearings by the interposition of suitable material. The various necessary features
and motions of the invention may be imitated by electrical hydraulic pneumatic
or other pressure power.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. As applied to electric tramways worked by means of underground cables the
application and use of pegs or bolts made to rise through the cable box or conduit
covers and thereby form electrical contact between the cable below and the car-
above as or substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
2. As applied to electric tramways worked by means of underground cables the-
use of bridge or bridge brush connections in combination with rising pegs or bolts-

page_text: for the purpose of forming a moving contact as and for or substantially as and for
the purpose herein before described.
3. As applied to electric tramways worked by means of underground cables with
rising contact pegs or contact bolts to complete the electric circuit the combination
of such pegs or bolts with mechanical and positive means of lifting and depressing
such pegs or bolts without the aid of electricity and operated by the tram car
as it passes over them substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set
forth.
4. As applied to electric tramways worked by means of underground cables with
rising contact pegs or contact bolts to complete the electric circuit the application
and use of the rocking levers 10 and 11 working in combination with pawl 17 and
tooth 12 herein before described or any mechanical equivalent thereof in combination
with and as a means of raising such pegs or bolts.
5. As applied to electric tramways worked by means of underground cables with
rising contact pegs or contact bolts to complete the electric circuit the application
and use of the slider or ramp 6 hereinbefore described in combination with and as
a positive means of depressing such pegs or bolts substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described..
6. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts herein before
described or shown in my drawings when used as a means of propelling tram cars
worked by means of electricity and with underground cables substantially as and
for the purpose herein before described.
Dated this
de of
100