Improvements in Electric Rail or Tramway Systems.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1894
COMPLETE DI VITICATION.
Improvements in Electric Rail or Tramway Systems.
1, MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH of 161 Trinity Road, Upper Tooting, in the
County of Surrey, 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 relates to electric rail or tramway systems of the class in which
the current is conveyed by conductors supported in an underground channel, the
current being taken to the car by a collector carried by same and making contact
with the conductors in the channel, said channel in the present. instance being
combined with one of the rails.
The object of my present invention is to provide an arrangement whereby each
track may consist of one ordinary rail and one combined rail and channel as
aforesaid and to enable this to be satisfactorily carried out I provide also an
improved collecting device travelling on one side of the car and between the
wheels of same and provided with means for enabling it to pass laterally across
the car underneath same with the object of enabling said collecting device to
change sides when the car passes from one track to another, the combined rail
and channel of which is on the opposite side to that in the other track. By
this means a double channel on the lengths of single line is avoided, and the
arrangement also avoids the coincidence of rail and channel points permitting fine
points for the ordinary rails thus securing smooth, running, and quick points for
the channel giving strength.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement where a double line tramway
alters into a single line at one end and at the other end passes into a turntable for
the purpose of reversing the car.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the arrangement where a short branch line is
required, or such as is necessary for the car depot and where it is sometimes
desirable to depart from the arrangement above described and to employ a double
conduit.
Figure 3 is a plan on an enlarged scale of the crossing marked A, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is an elevation of same.
Figure 5 is a cross section on line x x Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a plan of the crossing marked B on Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a plan of the point marked C in Figure 1.
Figure 8 is an elevation of same.
Figure 9 is a cross section on line y-y, Figure 7.
Figure 10 is an elevation of the collecting device showing a portion of the
framing of the car truck and also a portion of the combined rail and channel.
Figure 11 is a plan of same.
Figure 12 is an end view.
Figure 13 is an elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of the collector.
Figure 14 is a plan on line z—z. Figure 13.

page_text: are divided, one half of each being placed on separate sheets so that they may be
shown on a sufficiently large scale.
The combined rail and channel may be of any convenient form, that illustrated
in Figures 12 or 17 will suffice for the purpose of illustration, it being understood
that the opposite rail of the track is of any ordinary approved form.
By reference to Figure 1 it will be seen that a car coming from the left along
the right hand side track and requiring to pass on to the single track must be
provided with means for enabling the collector to change sides as the combined
rail and channel a is on the opposite side of the single track unless the single
track were to be provided with a rail and channel on each side which would
largely increase the expense of the line, and which it is my object to avoid.
The first crossing met with in this operation is that marked A (Figures 1 and 3),
the wheel coming from the combined rail and channel a of the right hand track
passing on to the ordinary rail 6 while the collector must move off at an angle and
follow the groove of the combined rail and channel. To assist this movement of
the collector I may secure to the noses of the crossings flexible springs d which in
the case of the crossing A will open to permit the collector to pass when going
from left to right but when returning will remain closed and cause the collector to
be directed in a straight line and to continue with the car along the channel a
instead of branching off to the left. Directing springs as safeguards are also
attached to the noses of the crossing B as illustrated in Figure 6.
The advantage of my arrangement in so far as the non-coincidence of the rail
and channel points is concerned will be understood by referring again to Figure 1
and supposing the case of a car coming from the left along the right hand
track and entering the single track. It will be seen that though the collector must
change sides at the channel crossing A the car is not affected by such crossing but
passes over same in the ordinary manner and enters the single line by a gradual
curve at the combined rail and channel point C and the ordinary rail point
opposite same.
In addition to the saving of first outlay by employing only one channel rail on
the single lines, this method enables the tram rail points to be made very fine, as
will be seen by reference to Figure 7, thus securing a smooth motion of the car
while the channel points may be made strong having only a short everhanging
tongue d as shown in Figures 3 and 4 instead of a long one as would be necessary
were the channel and rail points coincident unless the rail points were made uncom-
fortably quick. Where it is necessary two combined rails and channels can cross
one another at any angle, an instance being shown where the double lines cross at
the point B Figures 1 and 6, and lead on to a turntable at the terminus. This
turntable is provided with a double set of combined rails and channels a, thus
securing its always being right for. the incoming and outgoing car and collector.
The underside of the car or of the truck framing is provided with two U shaped
metal beams e e, Figures 10, 11, 12, on which may travel the wheels of a trolley f
made in two parts secured together by pins or screws gg. The two parts of the
trolley surround a circular bushingh (Figures 10 to 14) which is also made in two
parts and is held in the trolley by means of the flange i. The two parts of the
bushing are bolted together as shown, the collar carrying such bolts also carrying
two blades which act as ploughs in clearing the channel from obstructions and
protect the insulated wires or strips which pass down into the channel to collect
the current from the conductors.
Each half of the bushing his provided with two blocks kk, Figure 14, between
which are held the insulated conducting strips 11 before referred to. These strips
are surrounded by some insulating material m m which is in turn encased in steel
or metal plates n rivetted together as shown. The strips terminate in metal
shoes pp, Figures 10, 12 and 13, which slide on the conductors 9 9. The other
ends of the strips have metal clips r rivetted to same, Figures 13 and 15, such
clips embracing a metal conductors to which a flexible conducting cord is secured,
such cord passing up to a suitable terminal on the car. The clips and conductor s

page_text: are protected by a cap s' of some non-conducting material. The metal casings n n
of the strips are also embraced by a collar formed in two parts, such collar.
limiting the downward movement of the casings n n in the bushing h.
The construction above described it will be seen enables the trolley portion f
carrying the collectors to move across underneath the car and so cause the collectors
to change sides with the change of side of the combined rail and channel, the
circular bushing carrying the collectors turning or swivelling in the trolley f. so
that the collector is not twisted or strained but is able to adapt itself to the angle
which the crossing takes.
Furthermore the collectors may be readily removed from the channel for
inspection or repairs by removing the pins or screws 9 g, separating the parts of
the trolley f, removing the caps and withdrawing the conductor s from the clips »
and removing the collar t when the bushing h may be lifted off the casings n n
which may then be raised from the channel bringing with them the strips 7 and
shoes p p.
The parts are made separate as above described for the purpose of
lifting the shoes from the channel which is done by drawing one to the right and
the other to the left.
At a channel point and crossing where it is necessary that the collector should
pass from the conductors 7 of one channel on to the conductors of another I place
beneath the slots of the channel at the crossing a plate connecting all the conductors,
so that the collector shoes p will ride on to same from the conductors and will
collect from said plate, the direction the collectors are to take being ensured by
the slot in the channel and the form of the plate.
In Figures 16 to 19 is illustrated the construction I-prefer to employ for the
major portion of the track where a double line is employed, the two channels of the
combined rails and channels being in communication with a culvert which acts as a
drain for carrying off the surface water, and for other purposes, the culvert being
made large enough for a man to pass along and with suitable manholes for obtaining
access thereto. It will be seen that the two rails which are spaced apart and form
the combined rail and channel a are carried by a chair u.
Two of these chairs are
bolted to a metal girder sleeper w so that a pair of combined rails and channels
serving for two tracks as illustrated in Figure 16 are carried by one substructure
in the centre of the road. The girder sleepers w span a concrete or brickwork
culvert G, and the roadway between the combined rails and channels is carried by
brickwork or concrete arches x springing from the girder sleepers as shown in
Figure 18, the culvert G being of service for the carrying of gas pipes or electric
wires and also for the purpose of reaching the conductors without disturbing the
roadway. In place of two conductors qq I may employ only one where the nature
of the work permits it. These conductors are supported by, and secured to the
heads of two metal uprights q¹ q', affixed to a bar H carried by an insulator H¹
which is supported in turn by a wooden frame J held between two of the
sleepers ww. The beads of the uprights q'q' are tee shaped as shown in the
right hand half of Figure 18, and are grooved so as to support the conductors q.
At various points along the track these frames J are connected by a beam J' which
carries a switch box K operated by a handle K or by a key L which may be
reached by removing the cover of a box M, placed on the surface of the roadway
between the two tracks. The switch box K is connected by insulated
conductors N N' N' with an electric main P and with the conductors which is
carried in the culvert G by a bracket arm P¹ carrying an insulator and attached to
one of the frames J. By this means the current may be supplied to the
conductors 7 from an electric main, and said current may be cut off from the
conductors when required.
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 :-
In electric mail or trommon systems the arrangement and construction of mil

page_text: and channel points whereby the coincidence of same is avoided, and fine points are
secured for the rails and quick points for the channels, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
2. In electric rail or tramway systems where a combined rail and channel is
employed, the construction of points and crossings substantially as described and
illustrated.
3. The construction and arrangement of culvert and combined rails and channels,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. The construction and arrangement of culvert, combined rails and channels,
-conductors, electric main and switches, substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 16 to 19.
5. A collector for electric rail or tramway systems connected to the car and
arranged to change sides with the change of sides of the channel, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
6. A collector for electric rail or tramway systems carried by a trolley adapted
to travel across the car, substantially as and for the purpose described.
7. A collector for electric rail or tramway systems constructed substantially as
lescribed and illustrated in Figures 10 to 15.
8. The improvements in electric rail or tramway systems, substantially as
.described and illustrated.
Dated the 9th day of March 1894.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent,
For the Applicant.