Improvements in and relating to Conduits for Electric-railway Conductors.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1892-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE THOMSON-HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL
ELECTRIC COMPANY, of 620, Atlantic Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America.]
Improvements in and relating to Conduits for Electric-railway
Conductors.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 relates to a conduit system of electric railways, and it consists of
certain features of construction hereinafter described at length. It aims to provide
a rigid and enduring street structure, a high degree of insulation for the supply
conductor, and ready access to the conduit for removing and replacing the
insulators.
The invention is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein :-
Figure 1 is a plan view, a portion of the slot rail hereinafter described being
removed.
Figure 2 is a plan view of one of the transverse yokes.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the conduit.
Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective sectional view of the yoke taken through one
of the insulator hangers.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the wooden strip and insulator attached thereto, and
Figure 6 shows in side elevation and plan extension joint between adjacent
conductor sections.
In these figures A represents a transverse yoke upon the ends of which are
seated the track rails B B. These yokes are set below the pavement a suitable
distance apart, to form the foundation part of the conduit, as is well known both in
this art, and in cable railway structures.
An angular slot rail C bolted to the yokes forms one edge or side of the slot,
and on the other side of the yokes there is provided a bracket D, raised as shown,
and projecting inwardly towards the slot, upon which is seated a channel slot rail E
which constitutes the second edge or side of the slot. Through these brackets
there is an opening or socket F, shown circular in cross section, and in the slot
rail E there is a registering opening or perforation G slightly larger than the
opening F and squared. The insulator hangers H are seated in and match these
openings, and as the brackets are directly over the air space in the conduit, the
hangers may with great convenience be replaced and inserted directly into the
position which it is desired they should occupy. This same advantage may be
gained by otherwise shaping or constructing the conduit so as to bring a like over-
hanging portion at its upper end, through which the hangers are inserted, directly
into the interior chamber of the conduit. As the insulator hangers fit or match
the sockets in the brackets, their bearings on the bracket keep them from longitudinal
and transverse displacement, as well as from falling through into the conduit. In
this way fastening devices can be entirely dispensed with if desired, for the hangers
when once put in place are kept in place by their engagement with the sides of the
openings in the brackets as well as by the flanges which rest on the upper surface
of the brackets.
The hangers themselves are constructed as follows:-A metal holder or guard I
Figure 4 receives an insulator J, preferably of glass or porcelain, and in the
insulator is sealed a metallic head, K, which is designed to connect by a bayonet
D

page_text: joint with a wooden beam or strip I, in the interior of the conduit. When the hanger
is in place the guard extends through the opening in the conduit, and projects the
insulator from wear. Its upper end is squared, as shown, so that the corners con-
stitute flanges or lugs, which support the hanger from the yoke, and prevent the
passage of the insulator too far through the openings provided for them. The
insulators J, themselves project into the conduit and are disposed vertically some
little distance to one side of the slot, so that moisture can drip both from the slot
rail and the front edge of the bracket without reaching them, and thereby impairing
the insulation.
Elongated openings a, a, are provided in the underside of the rail E adjacent to
the yokes, up through which openings pass bolts M which secure the rail to the
yokes, the nuts & being located in the channel where they may be readily removed.
A cover or filling plate N, made in sections, is laid in the channel in the slot rail to
form substantially a Hush street-surface, and this, as seen in Figure 1 is clamped
in position by the same set of bolts M, which secure the rails themselves to the
yoke. Over the insulators are placed independent short cover blocks O, so that
access may be had to any desired oue by simply removing its cover block and
without disturbing the rest of the structure.. Behind the slot rail E, is placed a
guard iron P', bolted to the yoke at its lower end, and having a flange d, fitting
under the rail E. This holds back the pavement and prevents the entrance of dirt
and moisture from the side into the interior of the conduit.
The supply conductor Q is attached by brackets R to the wooden beam or strip L
which as mentioned above, is sustained within the conduit by the insulators. As
this strip is itself free from the sides of the conduit, and as the brackets R are
located at points intermediate between the insulator hangers, it is evident that any
desired insulation distance between the conductor and metal of the conduit may
thus be obtained, and the danger of leakage and short-circuits greatly lessened.
The strip is made in sections, as seen in Figure 5, which substantially coincide in
length with the distance between the transverse yokes. They are connected
together endwise by a plug S fitting into holes in the ends of the sections, and are
supported near their ends by the hangers, so that all lateral displacement is avoided
and compensation may be made, in putting the parts together for minor variations
in distance between the yokes.
C
The manner of putting the hangers in place may be seen from Figures 4 and 5.
The head piece K, is passed down through an opening e in the strip longer than it
is wide, and the hanger is then given a quarter turn so that flanges e engage the
strip, and the square upper end is held by the slot rail against accidental rotation.
When it is desired to remove an insulator, it will be lifted up vertically an amount.
sufficient to clear the socket in the slot rail, and then by turning it as before, it is
freed from the strip and may be drawn vertically out through the openings in the
conduit.
The supply conductor is preferably tubular, and adjacent sections are connected
together as illustrated in Figure 6. A plug T fits in the ends of the sections, and
to keep it from sliding too far to the right or left, it is provided with a central
flange or stop g. Around the break between the section ends, an electrical con-
nection is established by spring plates which are bolted to the conductor, and
allow for extension and contraction of the sections.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In an electric railway conduit, the combination with the slot rails and
transverse yokes placed at intervals, overhanging at their upper ends the air space
in the conduit, and having an opening in said overhanging portion, of the insulators
for the supply conductor removable from the conduit through said openings, sub-
stantially as described.
Second. In an electric railway conduit, the combination, with the yokes and

page_text: channel slot rails, provided respectively with registering openings as described, of
the insulator hangers passing therethrough, and comprising an insulator and metal
holder or guard between the insulator and metal of the conduit, substantially as
described.
Third. In an electric railway, the combination, with a conduit having openings
or sockets therein, of removable insulator hangers seated in and matching the
said sockets and projecting into the interior of the conduit, but so shaped that they
can be removable from the conduit through the said openings, substantially as, and
for the purpose, set forth.
Fourth. In an electric railway, the combination, with a conduit having sockets
or openings therein, of the removable insulator hangers seated in and matching
said sockets, and so shaped that they can be removed from the conduit through
said openings, but held from passing entirely through them by suitable flanges or
projections.
Fifth. In an electric railway, the combination, with a conduit and supply con-
ductor, of the removable vertically disposed insulator hangers, connected directly
or indirectly with the housed supply conductor by a bayonet joint which permits
the ready disengagement of the hanger, substantially as described.
Sixth. In an electric railway conduit, the combination, with a readily removable
insulator hanger connected with the supply conductor by the bayonet or like
joint permitting ready disengagement from its connection therewith by a rotary
movement of the hanger, of means for holding said hanger, when in place, against
accidental rotation, for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. In an electric railway conduit, the combination, with the transverse
yokes and channel slot-rails, having openings leading into the conduit, of the
removable insulator hangers connected with the supply conductor by a bayonet or
like joint permitting ready disengagement by a rotary movement, and which are
engaged when in place, by the slot rail and thereby held against accidental
rotation.
Eighth. In an electric railway conduit, the combination, with the transverse
yokes and channel slot rails having a bolt opening or openings in their under sides
adjacent to the yokes of a bolt passing through said opening and securing the slot
rail to the yoke, substantially as described.
Ninth. In an electric railway the combination with the transverse yokes and
channel slot rails having openings in their under sides adjacent to the yoke, of the
bolts secured at one end to the yokes, and passing up through the openings into
the channel, and nuts in said channel, whereby the rails are fastened to the yokes,
as set forth.
Tenth. The combination with a conduit for electric railways, comprising a
channel slot rail having openings through which the insulator hangers may be
removed, of cover plates for said channel, and independent comparatively short
cover blocks over the insulators, for the purpose set forth.
Eleventh. In an electric railway conduit the combination with a wooden beam
or strip supported by insulators at intervals within the conduit of a supply con-
ductor connected to said strip at points intermediate between its own points of
support, substantially as described.
Twelfth. In an electric railway conduit, the combination with a wooden beam or
strip supported at intervals within the conduit in a position such that an air space
is left between the strip and conduit, of a supply conductor connected at intervals
to the said strip at points intermediate between its own points of support, but
insulated from the strip along the space between the respective points at which the
conductor is attached to the strip and the strip to the conduit, as set forth.
Thirteenth. The combination with a conduit comprising transverse yokes and
slot rails, of the wooden beam or strip made in sections, substantially coinciding
with the distance between the yokes, and a supply conductor attached to said strip,
substantially as described.
Fourteenth. In an electric railway conduit, the combination with the wooden

page_text: beam or strip made in sections connected together end wise by a plug and socket
joint, for the purpose specified, of supports for the strip near the ends of the
sections, and a supply conductor attached to the strip, substantially as described.
Fifteenth. The combination with an electric railway conduit, having openings
therein and insulator hangers removable through said openings of the wooden
beam or strip supported by the hangers, and the supply conductor connected to
the strip at points intermediate between its own points of support, substantially as
.described.
Sixteenth. In a conduit for electric railways the combination with the transverse
yokes, of the channel slot-rail forming one at least of the edges of the slot, and
the guard iron parallel with said rail, but behind and extending below it, for the
purpose set forth.
Seventeenth. In a conduit for electric railways the combination with the trans-
verse yokes, and channel slot rails, of cover plates for the channel and a single set
of bolts, securing the rails to the yoke and the cover plates to the rails, as set
forth.
Eighteenth. In a conduit for electric railways the combination with the trans-
verse yokes having raised brackets, as described, of the comparatively shallow slot.
rail resting therein, and a filling piece behind said slot rail, substantially as
.described.
Nineteenth. A conduit system for electric railway conductors constructed sub-
stantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and operating
as specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.