Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
Year: 1891

page_text: The decision of the Comptroller-General, of the 31st day of December 1892, allowed,
under Section 18 of the Patents, &c. Act, 1883, a further Amendment of
this Specification.
Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
I, MICHELANGELO CATTORI, of Piazza Colonna, Palazzo Wedekind, Rome, in
the Kingdom of Italy, Sea Captain do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 electric railways and comprises the employment of a
constant intensity of electric current, whatever may be the number of electric
vehicles or trains in the circuit; in consequence of which the greatest economy in
the installation and in working expenses, is realized, and the greatest simplicity and
safety in the operation of the apparatus is obtained.
For obtaining these essential features in an economic installation and working of
the apparatus and in its easy and safe operation, I send the current to be distributed
in series to electric vehicles or trains on the railway through a single metallic con-
ductor having certain special arrangements.
This conductor, when expressly constructed for the purpose will have the most
suitable form for ensuring a good contact, but old rails may also be employed if it
should be desired.
Whatever may be the conductor it is placed on insulating supports in a subter-
ranean channel below the plane of the rails, preferably in near proximity to one of
the rails which in this case should be constructed and arranged so as to enable the
electric vehicle or train to remain in constant communication with the subterranean
conductor of the current.
The slot produced, whether made in one of the rails or in the permanent way
itself, will have a breadth sufficient for the ready passage along it of a thick metallic
plate.
An example of the methods by means of which the aforesaid invention may be
carried into practice is given in Figure 1.
The space or channel C is reserved for containing the conductor of the current.
A¹ is a passage many of which are placed at certain distances along the channel
and designed to discharge into the street gutters any water which may collect in
the channel.
Upon the foundation A is supported and secured a rail with a broad base con-
structed in a special manner and of special dimensions, having towards the interior
of the groove (see the profile shown in general lines of the rail in question) a
projection of suitable strength, form and dimensions, that is to say having the
space, ordinarily left in the installations of electric or rope traction tramways in
towns, for the passage of the metal plate which necessarily penetrates the interior
of the channel at the side of the rail groove, thus the wheels of carriages, are
properly supported and consequently this invention obviates any inconvenience to
the ordinary traffic.

page_text: Between the base of the rail in question and the upper plane of the masonry, a
thick beam of hard wood may be placed with the object of obtaining a more elastic
support for the said rail.
The channel will thus be to this point almost entirely open.
It may be covered in various manners, one of which I will now show by way of
example.
By placing across the permanent way to be constructed lengths of old rails QQ¹
having their extremities flush with or extending a little beyond the exterior vertical
plane V V₁ of one rail whilst the other extremities reach to within a short distance.
of the wooden beam supporting the other rail S, so that a proper space is left for
the passage of the metal plates which are provided at the extremities of the electric
vehicles or trains as hereinafter described.
These cross pieces made of old rails can be placed like those in ordinary use,
turned upside down or even laid on one side according to convenience.
They are placed along the permanent way at such desired distances from each
other, as may be considered most suitable.
The extremities Q may be connected by an angle iron one side of which is
opposite the rail S, and parallel therewith whilst the other side is bolted to the
extremities of the sleepers.
A block of wood may be placed between the extremities Q¹ and the rail V₁ if it
should be considered necessary or suitable.
The conductor of the current will be fixed upon insulating supports placed in the
channel below the covered part, so as to be protected from anything that may fall
into the slot.
It is evident that by constructing the railway in this or an analogous manner the
channel can if necessary be opened, examined, and covered again for a considerable
length, or for the whole of its length in a very short time without interrupting the
service.
But when the railway is constructed on private ground or permission can be.
obtained, the conductor of the current may be placed altogether above the ground
on insulated supports between the rails, or beside one of them at a suitable distance
and height.
However this single conductor must in any case and whatever may be its
arrangement above or below the ground, be always composed of such a number of
sections as may be necessary in consequence of the length of the railway and having
a length bearing a certain ratio to that of the shortest vehicle or train which has to
pass over it. Although these sections may be of equal length the proper length
for the same must be determined with accuracy according to the shortest electric
vehicle or train which is employed upon the railway.
The sections are placed lengthways one after the other at the proper distance
necessary for ensuring the perfect insulation of each of them from its contiguous
sections.
At the contiguous extremities of the sections hermetically closed boxes are placed
which enclose the extremities of the said sections, and contain a contact breaking
apparatus which in the normal state connects these extremities of the contiguous
sections and make all the sections into one single conductor.
The successive electrical interruption (or connection if the section has been
already interrupted) is effected automatically by the electric vehicle or train as it
passes along the railway and comes in contact with each successive contact inaker
and breaker.
The electric vehicle or train carries at each of its extremities a depending arm
or metallic plate provided with a device a Figure 2 for establishing contact with the
conductor and also with a device & for making or breaking contact between the two
adjacent sections of the conductor. These two devices are such that the one, a, for
making contact with the conductor will be arranged on the outside at each end of the
electrical vehicle or train and the other 6 for making or breaking contact between the
two adjacent sections will be on the inside between the two contacts a and at a

page_text: distance of some decimeters from the same, the distance between the two devices
being some decimeters greater than the longest section of the conductor.
(It is evident that these two operations of making and breaking contact may be
united in a single apparatus.)
As each section of the conductor is shorter than the distance between the
apparatus which operates the device for electrically connecting or disconnecting the
same, the interruption of the current invariably takes place upon a part DEE of
the conductor which is outside the electric circuit (see Figure 2 in the accompanying
drawing) in which the large arrow X indicates the direction of the movement of
the carriage and the small arrows indicates the direction of the current.
Thus A and B will be opened simultaneously whilst A is still open and the current
deviating at C, be received on to the conductor again at D after it has operated the
motors M M' the natural consequence being that the interruption of the current being
mechanically automatic and not merely electrical there is absolutely no possibility of
sparks being produced.
Not only is this so but electric vehicles or trains following each other on the
railway may be almost in contact if desired or deemed useful under certain
circumstances.
Each electric vehicle or train running on the railway becomes by reason of the
above-described arrangement a kind of bridge over which the current is compelled
to constantly and continuously travel as the vehicle or train passes along the
railway and consequently the motors of all the vehicles thereon are automatically
included in the circuit.
In the case of installations intended for trains in the interior of towns or suburbs,
the most advantageous system is to have two altogether distinct lines, one for the
up line and the other for the down, the circuit being a closed one formed by the
conductors of the up and down line, but with a single line the circuit may be closed
either through the medium of a special return conductor well-insulated or merely
through the earth.
When the interruption of the current is effected by mechanical means in the
interior of the hermetically sealed boxes or receptacles placed at the extremities of
the sections, these boxes or receptacles must be placed in such a manner that by
removing a slab or stone which is provided in the street, they can be uncovered
inspected or removed from their place in order to be replaced by others when it
may be considered necessary.
It is evident that by effecting the interruption of the current the hereinbefore
described means the contact making and breaking apparatus can be entirely pro-
tected by a properly arranged casing having on its exterior some lever, projection,
finger, wheel, tooth, or the like for actuating the said make and break mechanism.
The mechanical movement of the current make or break apparatus is therefore,
whether in the case of apparatus acting by direct contact with the extremities of
the conductor sections, or from a distance and opened or closed by casings, or
specially arranged in separate boxes in which the extremities of the sections
electrically terminate is always accomplished automatically by the electric vehicle
or train in motion on the line, and by the mechanical transmission of this motion to
the interrupters for making and breaking the contact on the respective sections.
The mechanical movement of the interrupters is effected in every case through
the medium of one of the well known mechanisms such as a lever, projection, finger
or wheel tooth or other suitable part, actuated by a suitable device projecting from
the train or carriage.
From the foregoing description it will be understood that the same operation can
be carried out in the case of subterranean conductors by dispensing with a slot in
the permanent way or in the rail, and by entirely burying the conductor after it
has been suitably insulated.
This subterranean conductor must always be divided into sections in the same
manner as the other herein before mentioned each some decimeters less in length
than the distance between the apparatus on each carriage or train which actuates

page_text: the interrupter between the sections, which interrupters or current makers or
breakers as above stated are under the action of arms or metallic plates projecting
from the extremities of the vehicle or train which is travelling along the line.
The extremities of the said sections, may be interrupted or connected electrically
(if already interrupted by a device actuated automatically by the vehicle or train
above the line or by means of pressure or a movement of levers, projections, fingers,
wheel teeth or the like placed in a suitable manner against the rails or any other
place in proximity to the line and in mechanical connection with the electrical
make and break devices of the subterranean conductor.
The same device which serves to electrically interrupt or connect two contiguous
sections of the subterranean conductor may connect or interrupt the sections of a
secondary conductor placed on the line in a suitable manner.
This secondary conductor may form one of the rails when duly insulated which
serve for supporting or guiding the vehicle or train on the line.
From the foregoing statement it follows that the secondary conductor must be
divided into the same number of sections as the main conductor and having sections
of a corresponding length.
When there is no traffic on the line, the subterranean or main conductor should
have all its sections connected up and consequently all the sections on the
secondary conductor would be completely insulated from the subterranean conductor
and insulated from each other.
As the vehicle or train passes along the line the said vehicle or train being in
electrical connection with the secondary conductor the corresponding sections of
the main conductor below the ground are likewise electrically affected that is to
say the making and breaking of the electrical contact is simultaneously effected
between each of the sections of the secondary conductor and each of the corre-
sponding sections of the main conductor.
Now as all the sections of the secondary conductor are electrically interrupted
or insulated one from the other only for the time during which the vehicle or train
passes over them and they are in temporary connection with the subterranean main
conductor, it is evident that if a device on the vehicle or train comes in contact
with these sections of the secondary conductor exactly the same effect is obtained
as in the case of the slot in the permanent way or in one of the rails and direct
communication between the vehicle or train and the conductor provided at the
level of the way takes place.
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 :-
First. In an electrical rail or tram-way the system of operating a conductor in
series, by means of a single conductor above or below the level of the permanent
way, the series being electrically connected or disconnected automatically by each
vehicle or train in communication with the devices for electrically interrupting the
sections which constitute the single conductor and with devices arranged as already
described for transforming the vehicles or trains into as many conducting bridges
for the electric current circulating in the single conductor without any liability to
sparks being produced in the said conductor.
Second. In an electrical rail or tram-way the system of operating a conductor
in series with a subterranean main conductor placed altogether below the surface
of the ground the secondary or surface conductor being divided into equal sections
and corresponding with those of the main or subterranean conductor; in such a
manner that the movement of the train or vehicle successively substitutes this part
of the secondary conductor over which the said vehicle may be at the time for that
of the subterranean main conductor substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described.
Third. In an electrical rail or tram-way the division of the single conductor into
as many sections as may be necessary each requiring to be some decimeters shorter

page_text: than the distance between the apparatus provided on the extremities of the vehicle
or train as above described, for effecting the electrical interruption or connection
of the sections of the said conductor, and this, whether the interrupting devices are
uncovered or covered by direct contact or provided at distances with separate
boxes, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Fourth. In an electrical rail or tram-way the application of the before mentioned
device to the contact pieces, between a main conductor and a secondary conductor
divided into a number of suitable sections lying parallel therewith, substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Fifth. The formation of the channel or slot in the manner hereinbefore
specified.
Sixth. In an electrical rail or tram-way the use of a special rail as indicated in
the drawing and specifically described in the Specification for the purpose of
ensuring electrical connection between the special vehicles or trains and the single
subterranean conductor without difficulty or danger of any kind and without
interfering with the ordinary traffic over the line substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
Seventh. In an electrical rail or tram-way the special arrangement of the line
provided with old rails employed as sleepers in the manner described.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.