Improvements in or relating to Overhead Trolley Wires for Electric Traction, Overhead Electric Cables or other Wires.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Overhead Trolley Wires for Electric
Traction, Overhead Electric Cables or other Wires.
I, ROBERT HACKING, of 12, Woodland Road, West Bridgeford, in the County
of Nottingham, Joiner and Model Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or applicable to overhead trolley
wires or installations, overhead electric cables, or other wires, and it has for its
object to provide means for automatically cutting a length of wire between two
poles or supports out of circuit when the said length of wire breaks, and thus
entirely obviating any danger to human or animal life by the electric current
normally passing through such wires.
It also relates to means for automatically shunting the current from a broken
length of wire to a second wire which bridges the breakage so that the section in
which a breakage occurs is not thrown out of action.
According to this invention each pole or support for the wire is provided with"
two automatic cut-outs, and two corresponding shunt switches if required, the
said cut outs being automatically operated by the weight of the wire as the latter
falls, or by a weighted lever which preferably forms part of the cut out, which
is released and falls when the corresponding length of wire is broken. The shunt
switch is operated by the cut out lever and may, where both are employed, form
part of the latter.
A separate length of wire is employed between every two supports, and one
cut out is connected to the length of wire on the left of each pole or support, and
the other to the length on the right, and it thus follows that where a length of
wire between two supports breaks, both free ends are cut out of the circuit which
is shunted on to an auxiliary wire and the gap in the main wire is thus bridged.
The following is a description of a combined cut out and shunt switch, but I do
not confine myself to the precise construction set forth as it is obvious that it may.
be modified in detail.
It may also in some cases be desirable to use the cut out without the shunt switch,
or form them distinct from each other, the former being merely connected to and
operated by the latter.
To each pole or support is connected a vertical foundation plate or casing of
suitable shape, this plate or casing may be formed of nonconducting material or
the connections may be insulated. At or near each end of this plate or casing
is a lever, each pivotted on a horizontal axis at right angles to the line of wire,
These levers are normally held horizontal by the trolley or other wires on each
side of the pole the said wires being connected to their outer ends. The wires
may be carried along the underside of the outer ends of the levers, or a rib may be
formed on their underside for the trolley wheel to run upon as preferred..
The inner ends of the levers are preferably raised above the level of their outer..
;

page_text: ends, and the space between their two pivots is filled by a bar provided on the
underside with a raised rib for the trolley wheel to run upon.
This bar is preferably insulated from the levers but is connected to the bridge
piece which conducts the current from one cut out to the other. This arrangement
allows the levers to oscillate without cutting the bar out of circuit and prevents
sparking.
Resting on the inner end of each lever is the free end of an arm which is pivotted
to the plate or casing at a point which is above the lever; the pivotted ends of
these two arms are connected by a suitable bridge piece or connection herein-
before referred to.
Normally the current passes from one length of wire through the lever to the
corresponding arm, then across the bridge piece to the other arm, and from thence
to its corresponding lever, and to the next length of wire.
When a wire breaks the outer end of the two levers to which it is connected
fall with the wire, and they may be weighted so as to operate if the wire breaks
off at the junction with the lever.
As the outer end of a lever falls its inner end rises and raises up the free end
of the corresponding arm, and the latter slides on to an insulated part on the lever.
This cuts out the raised lever and the fallen length of wire, and as this occurs at
both supports the two free ends of the fallen wire will be cut out of the circuit.
At the same time the raising of the free ends of a pivotted arm moves said arm
up against a shunt contact which is connected to an auxiliary wire.
The current then passes from this arm to the auxiliary wire and along this
to the next pole or support, up a conductor to the raised arm at the other end of
the broken length of wire, over the bridge piece and through the arm and lever
to the next unbroken length of wire.
By this means only the length of broken wire between any two supports is
thrown out of action instead of the whole section.
When a pivotted arm is raised up to a shunt contact it is retained in this
position by a spring, and the broken length of wire can only be brought into the
circuit again after repair by an attendant depressing the arm again.
The auxiliary wire may be placed underground or overhead, and in the latter case
may act as a guard wire, or an ordinary guard wire where used may be employed.
If preferred I employ twin trolley wires one of which is employed for the return
wire instead of the earth or one of the tram rails.
In connection with each cut out and shunt I may place a preferably red lamp
or indicator in the shunt circuit so as to indicate the fault.
may also connect
each length of wire to indicating mechanism at the central station so as to at
once indicate a fault and the point at which it has occurred.
My invention may be employed in connection with overhead electric cables, or
telephone or telegraph wires which cross over electric cables or trolley wires, so
that if said wires should fall on to the electric cables or trolley wires, they will
be cut out and thus fail to transmit the current from the cables or trolley wires
to the telephone or telegraph instruments or their operators.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1898
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Overhead Trolley Wires for Electric
Traction, Overhead Electric Cables or other Wires.
I, ROBERT HACKING, of 12, Woodland Road, West Bridgeford, in the County
of Nottingham, Joiner and Model Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this

page_text: 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 improvements in or applicable to overhead trolley
wires or installations, overhead electric cables, or other wires, and it has for its
object to provide means for automatically cutting a length of wire between two
poles or supports, out of circuit, when the said length of wire breaks, and thus
entirely obviating any danger to human or animal life by the electric current
normally passing through such wire.
It also relates to means for automatically switching the current from a broken
length of wire, to an auxiliary wire which bridges the breakage, so that the section
in which a breakage occurs is not entirely thrown out of action.
The invention is shown and described in connection with trolley wires for
electric traction.
According to this invention each pole or support for the trolley wire, is provided
with two automatic cut-outs, and also two corresponding shunt switches if required,
each of the said cut-outs and corresponding shunt switches being operated or put
into action by the weight of the falling wire or a weight on a lever, which is
connected to or forms part of the cut-out mechanism.
A separate length of wire is employed between every two supports, and one
cut-out on each support is connected to the length of wire on the left of each pole
or support, and the other to the length on the right. It thus follows that where
a length of wire between two supports breaks, the said wire is cut-out of the
circuit, and the current is switched on to the auxiliary wire and past the gap
in the trolley wire.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a front elevation.
Fig. 2 a plan, and
Fig. 3 a vertical cross section of a combined cut-out and shunt switch con-
structed according to my invention.
Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the course of the current when a wire breaks.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
Attached to the pole or support A (see Figs. 12 and 3) is a foundation plate B
of approximately the shape shown, this plate B may be formed of non-conducting
material, or the several parts of the cut-outs and shunt switches may be insulated
from it as preferred.
Pivotted at or near the ends B₁ of the plate B are tipping levers C C¹, to the
outer ends c of which are connected the corresponding sections D D of the trolley
wires.
The levers CC are normally held in a horizontal position by the said trolley
wires, but tip into the position in which that on the left C is shown in Fig. 1,
when the corresponding section of the trolley wire breaks.
C
The ends of the trolley wire sections 1) may be carried along the underside
of the outer ends e of the levers, and be brazed thereto, or a rib may be formed
on the underside of each lever for the trolley wheel to run upon, and the wire
be secured to the lever by a suitable clip.
Above the levers C Care corresponding arms E E¹ which are pivotted respec-
tively at F F to the plate B. The free ends of the arms E E¹ rest on the upper
faces of the inner ends of the corresponding levers CC and are normally in
electrical connection with each other. If preferred the inner ends of the levers CC¹
may be formed with spring jaws to grip the free ends of the corresponding
arms E E
When either of the levers C C₁ are moved into the position in which for
example C is shown in Fig. 1, the free end of the corresponding arm E is raised
and elides up the lever until it rests on a block I of non-conducting material
secured near the inner end of the said lever, and the electric connection between
the arm E and lever C is destroyed and the wire D on that side cut out.

page_text: Above. the arms E E¹ are two corresponding shunt contacts K K¹ which in
connection with the said arms form shunt switches, these are connected to each
other by a bridge piece K or other convenient means. The contacts G₁ Gor
the bridge piece K2 of each support in the section, is connected by a conductor L
to an auxiliary or dead wire 1 (see Fig. 4) which may be placed underground, or
overhead, and in the latter case may act as a guard wire. It thus follows that the
whole of contacts K K¹ in a section are connected to each other.
The space between the inner ends of the levers CC is filled by a plate M pre-
ferably of the shape shown, on the lower end of which the trolley wheel runs.
This plate is secured at M² to the foundation plate B and is insulated at M¹ from
the levers C C₁ to prevent sparking, but is connected to the pivots of both
arms EE by connections NN. These latter also provided an electrical con--
nection between the said arms E E¹.
Normally the current in its passage from say the lever C to C¹ passes up the
arm E along the connections N N to the arm and from thence to the lever C.
When C however is in the position shown in Fig. 4 the current passes from the
lever to the arm E along the connections N N to the arm E¹ as before, but it
now passes through the shunt connection K' to the conductor L and along the
auxiliary wire 1 and up the conductor L' to the shunt contact K on the next-
support, the lever C and arm E of which will be in the same position as CE
on the first support as shown, and will receive the current back from the auxiliary
wire again and transmit it to the lever C and the next length of trolley wire.
It thus follows that the whole of a broken length of wire is immediately cut out
of circuit, and at the same time the current is switched on to the auxiliary wire at
one support and back to the trolley wire again at the next support. Only a short
length of wire is thus thrown out of action instead of the whole section.
When one of the arms E or E¹ is raised, it is retained in this position by the
corresponding shunt contact K or K', and the broken length of wire can thus be
replaced without difficulty and the current switched on again at any time.
The outer ends of the levers CC₁ are preferably weighted so that they will fall
if the trolley wire should break off close to them.
If one of the levers C or C should be displaced the corresponding arm E or E¹
will fall until the horn G on the latter engages with projections G on the corre
sponding shunt contact K or K', thus acting in precisely the same manner as if it.
were raised.
If preferred I may employ in connection with each support a preferably red
lamp to indicate where the breakage has taken place.
This lamp is connected to the conductor L and also to the main return con-
ductor of the system which may be one of the tram rails.
The auxiliary or dead wire in each section may be connected to an indicator
at the central station and the latter also connected to the main return conductor,
so as to indicate a fault at once and the point at which it has occurred.
The current feeders may be connected to the plates or conductors N on any
of the supports.
The lamp Q is for ordinary illuminating purposes and is connected to a lighting
installation, the lamp P may also be lighted by the same current as Q a switch
being provided for this lamp which is operated by the cut-outs.
My invention may be employed in connection with overhead electric cables, or
telephone or telegraph wires which cross over electric cables or trolley wires, so
that if said wires should fall on to the electric cables or trolley wires, they will
cut out and thus fail to transmit the current from the cables or trolley wire to
the telephone or telegraph instrument or their operators.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
:
1. In overhead trolley or like wire installations, the combination with a foun-¯

page_text: dation plate or support such as B of a tipping lever such as C to which the wire
is attached an hinged or pivotted arm such as E having its free end resting on or
engaging with the tipping lever and an insulated part such as I on the tipping
lever which is moved under the arm when the lever is tipper substantially as
described.
2. In overhead trolley or like wire installations the combination with a foun-
dation plate or support such as B of a tipping lever such as C to which the wire
is attached an hinged or pivotted arm such as E having its free end resting on or
engaging the tipping lever an insulated part such as I on the latter a contact
such as to engage the arm when raised and an auxiliary wire connected to the
said contact substantially as described.
3. In overhead trolley or like wire installations the combination with the main
wire D of an auxiliary wire such as L and automatic means for switching the
current from one wire to the other at each support said means being put into
action by the breaking of the main wire between two supports substantially as
described.
4. In overhead trolley or like wire installations the combination with a foun-
dation plate or support such as B of a tipping lever such as C to which the wire
is attached a hinged or pivotted arm such as E having its free end resting on or
engaging with the tipping lover a contact such as K to engage with the arm
when it is raised and a part such as G on the latter to engage with the said
contact when the arm is allowed to fall by the removal of the tipping lever sub-
stantially as described.
5. In overhead trolley or like wire installations the combination with a foun-
dation plate or support such as B of two tipping levers such as C C₁ connected
respectively to the wires on the left and right an insulated part such as I on
each lever a plate such as M between the two levers hinged or pivotted arms
such as EE having their free ends resting on or engaging with the corresponding
tipping levers means for electrically connecting the two arms E E' and plate M
contacts such as K K¹ to engage with each arm and an auxiliary wire connected
to the said contacts substantially as described.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete apparatus
for overhead electric trolley wires for electric traction, or overhead electric cables or
the like substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of January 1899.