Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THOMAS HARRIS, of corner of Vinewood and
Mohawk Streets, in the City of Detroit, County of Wayne and State of
Michigan, United States of America, Electrician.]
Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
I, 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 to be as follows:-
This invention relates to electric railways, and more especially to that class of
electric railway in which the motor circuit during the travel of the car is main-
tained in multiple connection between a sectional working conductor and a return
conductor (or the ground) and wherein the sections of said working conductor are
automatically connected and disconnected from the power line by the operation of
electric switches operated by the travel of the car.
My invention primarily consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of
the device whereby my system is equally well adapted to single or double track
roads, and further in the novel construction and arrangement of the switching
devices whereby a single magnet for each section of the working conductor controls
the operation of the switching devices in a simple and efficient manner.
My invention also includes an arrangement of sectional return conductor which
may be used in connection with my system all as more fully hereinafter described.
The invention comprises a generator which furnishes the power; a positive lead
or so-called power line, a negative lead which is preferably connected to one of the
rails whereby the latter may serve as the return conductor, a battery or other
source of electricity adapted to furnish the power for actuating the switch magnets
and positive and negative leads from such source. The battery or source of
electricity is preferably located at the station at which the generator is situated
and the leads should extend from such station the whole length of the track, but
preferably to save wire one of the leads of the battery may be combined with one
of the leads of the generator.
•
The sectional working conductor is composed of like sections insulated from each
other and preferably laid in the plane of the rails with the upper surface exposed.
A simple way in which this may be accomplished would be to use flat bars for the
sections of the conductors and lay them in an open conduit filled with insulating
material.
The sections of the working conductor are connected to the power line by feeders,
one feeder for each section and these feeders have normally open breaks auto-
matically controlled by electric switches which are operated by the travel of
the car.
The construction of these switches is as follows:-The movable armature of the
switch magnet works on a pivot and is normally withdrawn from the magnet by a
spring. This armature carries the movable contact which is adapted to make
contact with the springs when the magnet is energized and these contacts constitute
the break in the feeder.
The armature carries also the movable contact which is adapted to make contact
with the fixed contact when the magnet is energized and these two contacts form a
normally open break in the circuit of the switch magnet.
The armature controls two other breaks the one is normally open and is formed
by the contact spring (which is moved by the insulating stud on the armature) and
the fixed contact plate. The other break is normally closed, it is formed by the
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page_text: two spring contacts which are brought in contact with each other when the armature
is retracted by the insulating stud on the armature.
The switches are connected in a manner to form two systems, one system operates
as will be afterwards more fully explained in the travel of the car from left to right
to connect every other section of the working conductor with the power line and
the other system operates in the same manner with the intermediate sections when
the car travels from right to left.
The sections of the working conductor which are operated by one system of
switches when the car travels towards the right the alternate sections are operated
by the other system of switches when the car travels towards the left.
The manner in which the switches are connected I will now explain by referring
first specifically to the switch which is one of the switches of the system which
controls the rail sections.
The fixed contact of the break of this switch is connected to the rail and the
armature is connected to the power line this connection forms the feeder for the
rail section when the break is closed. The magnet of the switch has one terminal
of its coil connected through the wire with the fixed contact of the break and the
other terminal is connected by way of a wire to one contact of the break of the
next succeeding like switch and thence by a wire from the other contact of said
break to the lead.
The break of the switch has its spring contact connected by a wire to the fixed
contact of the break of the next succeeding like switch and the fixed contact of the
break is connected by a wire to the fixed contact of the break.
The other switches of the system to which the aforesaid switch belongs are
connected in like manner from the first to the last switch, with this difference that
in the last switch the break may be omitted as its connections cannot be completed
also the connection of its magnet coil is made directly with the lead and that part
of the feeder connecting the armature with the power line is preferably omitted.
In the first switch the break may be omitted as its contacts remain unconnected,
but in addition the fixed contact of its break is electrically connected through a
wire with the lead of the switch battery and a normally open manual switch or
push button is placed in this connection.
The car in order to operate these switches in its travel from left to right is
provided with two contacts or brushes which are fixed to the car in such relation
that one of the two brushes will always be in contact with one of the sectional
conductors which the switch system controls. These contacts are electrically con-
nected with each other and with the motor circuit and they operate in connection
with the switch system as follows:
In starting the car from left to right one of its brushes must be in contact with
the section (which section like all the rest is disconnected from the power line).
When the operator wants to start he touches the push button, which for this
purpose is arranged preferably in close proximity to the track, this completes an
electric circuit through the magnet of the first switch by way of the connection
from a lead to the fixed contacts of break, thence through coil of magnet and
connection to break of switch (which break is normally closed) and thence through
connection to lead.
The magnet of the switch is now energized by the battery current and attracts
its armature, this closes the break and thereby closes the switch circuit of the
magnet also by way of the feeder from the power line to the armature and thence
through break where it joins the other circuit.
I
The actuating circuit of the switch is thus closed through two branches and
therefore the magnet remains energized after the operator withdraws his finger
from the push button.
The armature of switch remaining thus attracted closes the break which con-
nects the conductor section through the feeder with the power line and the car is
thus enabled to proceed on its way.
Before the rear brush of the car however leaves the one section the front brush

page_text: touches another section, this immediately closes the actuating circuit of the switch
by way of the power line, feeder of another switch, one of the sections, the brushes
to another section, feeder of first mentioned switch to fixed contact of break of
said switch, thence through connection back to break of another switch (which is
now closed) and through its connection to fixed contact of a break, then through
the magnet and its connection to another break in another switch and to the battery
lead.
The closing of this circuit energizes the magnet of a switch and its armature
closes the breaks, the result is that thereby a new path is opened to the battery
current by way of the armature of switch from the power line through break,
thence through magnet and connection to break of another switch and thence
through connection to battery lead. The battery current thus continues to flow
through the magnet of the switch after the rear brush of the car leaves one of the
sections and the car can proceed on its travel by taking the current from another
section which is now connected with the power line through its feeder.
Simultaneously with the closing of the breaks of the switch the break is
opened and as the battery current which energizes the magnet of switch flows
through said break, said magnet will be cut out and therefore the switch will
be restored to its normal condition thus disconnecting the section from the power
line.
The break in switch is now also closed and therefore as soon as the front brush
of car touches the section, a switch actuating circuit will be closed through the
magnet of another switch precisely in same manner as described for switch above
mentioned, and simultaneously therewith the opening of the break in switch will
cut out the magnet of switch and thereby restore the parts to their normal
condition.
In this manner the car is enabled to travel along the track from left to right
by the successive operation of the system of switches just described. At the
last switch the armature is not connected with the power, line and therefore the
section is not rendered active, but it may be connected and this last feeder may
then be disconnected by a mechanically or manually operated break, if desired.
The other switch system operates in connection with the conductor sections and
the switches of this system are constructed and arranged to operate precisely in
the same manner as the switches of the other system except that, being connected
in the reverse order, they operate in the travel of the car from right to left. The
two systems of switches operate entirely independent of each other and thus my
invention is applicable to either single or double track roads without the slightest
change.
For a double track road, of course one track would be equipped with the con-
ductor sections and switches adapted to operate with the car going in one direction
and the other track would be equipped with the conductor section and switches
operating the car in the opposite direction.
In practice the simplest way for a single track road would be to lay the sections
of the working conductor all in line with each other between the rails of the track
and connect the sections alternately to the two systems of switches. It is obvious
however, that the conductor section may be arranged in two lines, one line com-
prising the sections operated by one system of switches and the other line comprising
the sections operated by the other system of switches, with a pair of brushes on
the car for each line of conductor sections. For surface roads I propose to use
short conductor sections, so that each section during the interval in which it is
active, is protected by the car. In this way no danger can arise and my system is
thereby made safe to be used on public streets and high-ways and the conductor
sections may be entirely exposed and level with the surface of the permanent way
so as to form no obstruction.
In my system the wires may all be carried underground and a single conduit
may accommodate them all, and the switches instead of being distributed along
the line may be arranged in groups in accessible position. In this and other

page_text: .
respects my system may be modified in many ways to suit particular requirements,
I deem the above description, however, sufficient to enable any skilled electrician
to apply my system and add such details as may be found necessary in
practical use.
One modification I will, however, mention in particular which consists in pro-
viding each switch with a second armature which acts in connection with the other
pole of the magnet. This armature controls a normally open break, the fixed
contact of which is connected to a sectional return conductor and the armature is
connected to a return conductor to the dynamo, which return conductor would be
preferably laid under ground.
It will be seen that if the track is provided with a line of sectional conductors
corresponding with the sections of the conductor the car may be run in multiple
connection between the two sets of sectional conductors (by providing the car with
suitable brushes) and thus the rail is not needed to form the return conductor,
which obviously would increase the factor of safety in my system. It will be seen
that the break will be closed and opened simultaneously with the other break and
thus when one section of the conductor is connected to the power line, the corre-
sponding section of the sectional return conductor is simultaneously connected to
the return conductor to the dynamo.
An obvious modification of my invention may be made for the single track
system by applying the two systems of switches to the same sections of the con-
ductor instead of to different sections, this would reduce the number of conductor
sections one half and each section would then be controlled by two switches, one
switch operating to connect the section with the power line by the travel of the
car in one direction and the other switch operating to connect the same section
with the power line in the travel of the car in the opposite direction.
Dated this 17th day of January 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Electric Railways.
I, 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 electric railways, and more especially to that class of
electric railway, in which the motor circuit during the travel of the car is
maintained in multiple connection between a sectional working conductor and a
return conductor (or the ground) and wherein the sections of said working
conductor are automatically connected and disconnected from the power line by
the operation of electric switches operated by the travel of the car.
My invention primarily consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement
of the device whereby my system is equally well adapted to single or double
track roads, and further in the novel construction and arrangement of the switching
devices whereby a single magnet for each section of the working conductor controls
the operation of the switching devices in a simple and efficient manner.
My invention also includes an arrangement of sectional return conductor which
may be used in connection with my system all as more fully hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a diagramatic plan of two sections of railway track equipped with
my system, the two sections shown being supposed to form together a complete line
of single track railway.

page_text: Figure 2 18 a vertical central diagramatic section through a motor car snowing
the travelling contact on the car for operating the switching devices.
Figure 3 is a diagram showing a modification of my system referred to.
Figure 4 is an enlarged detail drawing of the switch magnet showing the different
breaks controlled by said magnet in the position in which they are held normally,
and
Figure 5 is a cross section of the track.
A A¹ represents the rails of the track; B the generator which furnishes the
power; C the positive lead or so-called power line and C¹ the negative lead which
in the drawing is shown connected to the rail A' whereby the latter may serve as
the return conductor.
D is a battery or other source of electricity adapted to furnish the power for
actuating the switch magnets and E E¹ are the positive and negative leads from
such source. The battery or source of electricity D is preferably located at the
station where the generator is, and the leads E E' should extend from there the
whole length of the track, but preferably to save wire the lead E may be combined
with the lead C.
H represents the sectional working conductor; it is composed of like sections
insulated from each other and preferably laid in the plane of the rails with the
upper surface exposed. A simple way in which this may be accomplished would
be to use flat bars for the sections of the conductors and lay them in an open
conduit G filled with insulating material G' as shown in Figure 5.
The sections of the working conductor are connected to the power line by
feeders I, one feeder for each section and these feeders have normally open
breaks J automatically controlled by electric switches K which are operated by
the travel of the car.
The construction of these switches is as follows:-L is the switch magnet
and M is its movable armature pivotally secured at a and normally withdrawn from
the magnet by a spring b. This armature carries the movable contact c which is
adapted to contact with the springs d d when the magnet is energized and these
contacts constitute the break J in the feeder I.
The armature carries also the movable contact e which is adapted to contact
with the fixed contact when the magnet is energized and these two contacts form
a normally open break N in the circuit of the switch magnet.
The armature controls two other breaks O and P, the break O is normally open
and is formed by the contact spring 9 (which is moved by the insulating stud / on
the armature) and the fixed contact plate i. The other break P is normally closed,
it is formed by the two spring contacts j k which are brought in contact with each
other when the armature is retracted by the insulating stud on the armature.
The switches are connected in a manner to form two systems, one system operates
as will be afterwards more fully explained in the travel of the car from left to
right to connect every other section of the working conductor with the power line
and the other system operates in the same manner with the intermediate sections
when the car travels from right to left.
In the drawings H¹ to H indicates the sections of the working conductor which
are operated by one system of switches when the car travels towards the right and H'
to H indicates the alternate sections which are operated by the other system of
switches when the car travels towards the left.
In the drawings in Figure 1 the first three switches of each system are shown,
they are correspondingly distinguished by the use of Italian and Roman numerals
respectively.
The manner in which the switches are connected I will now explain by referring
first specifically to the switch K3 which is one of the switches of the system which
controls the rail sections H', H³, H³, etc.
"The fixed contact of the break J of this switch is connected to the rail H2 and
the armature is connected to the power line C this connection forms the feeder I
for the rail section H' when the break J is closed. The magnet L of the switch K'

page_text: has one terminal of its coil connected through the wire with the fixed contact of
the break N and the other terminal is connected by way of the wire m to one
contact of the break P of the next succeeding like switch K³ and thence by wire n
from the other contact of said break to the lead E.
The break O of the switch K² has its spring contact connected by wire o to the
fixed contact of the break N of the next succeeding like switch and the fixed
contact of the break is connected by wire p to the fixed contact of the break J.
The other switches of the system to which the switch K2 belongs are connected
in like manner from the first to the last switch, with this difference that in the last
switch (which is represented in the drawings by the switch K' shown in dotted lines)
the break O may be omitted as its connections cannot be completed also the
connection m of its magnet coil is made directly with the lead E and that part
of the feeder I connecting the armature with the power line is preferably
omitted.
In the first switch the break P may be omitted as its contacts remain unconnected,
but in addition the fixed contact of its break N is electrically connected through the
wire with the lead E of the switch battery and a normally open manual switch or
push button Q is placed in this connection.
9
A car in order to operate these switches in its travel from left to right is
provided with two contacts or brushes R R which are fixed to the car in such
relation that one of the two brushes will always be in contact with one of the
sectional conductors which the switch system controls. These contacts are
electrically connected with each other and with the motor circuit and they operate
in connection with the switch system as follows:
In starting the car from left to right one of its brushes R R must be in contact
with the section H' (which section like all the rest is disconnected from the power
line). When the operator wants to start he touches the push button Q (which for
this purpose is arranged preferably in close proximity to the track), this completes
an electric circuit through the magnet L of the first switch K¹, by way of the
connection from lead E to fixed contacts of break N, thence through coil of
magnet and connection m to break P of switch K' (which break is normally closed)
and thence through connection n to lead E'.
The magnet L of switch K¹ is now energized by the battery current and attracts
its armature, this closes the break N and thereby closes the switch circuit of the
magnet K, also by way of the feeder I from the power line C (which also
represents the lead E) to the armature and thence through break N where it joins
the other circuit.
The actuating circuit of the switch K' is thus closed through two branches and
therefore the magnet L remains energized after the operator withdraws his finger
from the push button.
The armature of switch K₁ remaining thus attracted closes the break J which
connects the conductor section H' through the feeder I with the power line and
the car is thus enabled to proceed on its way.
Before the rear brush of the car however leaves the section H¹ the front brush
touches the section H³, this immediately closes the actuating circuit of switch K
by way of the power line C, feeder I of switch K', section H¹, brushes R R¹ to
section H, feeder I of switch K2 to fixed contact of break J of said switch, thence
through connection p back to break O of switch K¹ (which is now closed) and
through its connection o to fixed contact of break N in K', from there through
magnet L and its connection m to break P in the switch K and from there to
lead E¹.
The closing of this circuit energizes the magnet of switch K' and its armature
closes the breaks J and N, the result is that thereby a new path is opened to the
battery current by way of the armature of switch K' from the power line through
break N, thence through magnet. L and connection m to break P of switch K³-and
thence through connection n to lead E. The battery current thus continues to
flow through the magnet of switch K* after the rear brush of the car leaves the

page_text: section H and the car can proceed on its travel by taking the current from the
section H³ which is now connected with the power line through its feeder.
Simultaneously with the closing of the breaks J and N of switch K2 the
break P is opened and as the battery current which energizes the magnet of
switch K flows through said break, said magnet will be cut out and therefore the
switch K', will be restored to its normal condition thus disconnecting the section H,
from the power line.
The break O in switch K is now also closed and therefore as soon as the front
brush of car touches the section H³, a switch actuating circuit will be closed
through the magnet of switch K³ precisely in same manner as described for
switch K², and simultaneously therewith the opening of the break P in switch K*
will cut out the magnet of switch K' and thereby restore the parts to their normal
condition.
In this manner the car is enabled to travel along the track from left to right by
the successive operation of the system of switches just described. At the last
switch which is represented in Figure 1 by switch K, the armature is not connected
with the power line and therefore the section H' is not rendered active, but it may
be connected and this last feeder may then be disconnected by a mechanically or
manually operated break, if desired.
The other switch system operates in connection with the conductor sections H'H"
etc., and the switches of this system are constructed and arranged to operate
precisely in the same manner as the switches of the other system except that,
being connected in the reverse order, they operate in the travel of the car from
right to left. The two systems of switches operate entirely independent of each
other and thus my invention is applicable to either single or double track roads
without the slightest change.
For a double track road, of course one track would be equipped with the
conductor sections and switches adapted to operate with the car going in one
direction and the other track would be equipped with the conductor section and
switches operating the car in the opposite direction.
In practice the simplest way for a single track road would be to lay the sections
of the working conductor all in line with each other between the rails of the track
and connect the sections alternately to the two systems of switches. It is obvious
however, that the conductor sections may be arranged in two lines, one line
comprising the sections operated by one system of switches and the other
line comprising the sections operated by the other system of switches, with a
pair of brushes on the car for each line of conductor sections. For surface roads I
propose to use short conductor sections, so that each section during the interval in
which it is active, is protected by the car. In this way no danger can arise and my
system is thereby made safe to be used on public streets and high-ways and the
conductor sections may be entirely exposed and level with the surface of the
permanent way so as to form no obstruction.
In my system the wires may all be carried underground and a single conduit
may accommodate them all, and the switches instead of being distributed along the
line may be arranged in groups in accessible position. In this and other respects my
system may be modified in many ways to suit particular requirements, I deem the
above description, however, sufficient to enable any skilled electrician to apply my
system and add such details as may be found necessary in practical use.
One modification 1 will, however, mention in particular and this is shown in
Figure 3, in which K represents a switch of the construction already described, and
the modification consists in providing each switch with a second armature M¹ which
acts in connection with the other pole of the magnet. This armature controls a
Dormally open break J', the fixed contact of which is connected to a section return
conductor S, and the armature is connected to a return conductor T to the dynamo,
which return conductor would be preferably laid under ground.
It will be seen that if the track is provided with a line of sectional conductors S
corresponding with the sections of the conductor H, the car may be run in multiple

page_text: connection between the two sets of sectional conductors (by providing the car with
suitable brushes) and thus the rail A¹ is not needed to form the return conductor,
which obviously would increase the factor of safety in my system. It will be
seen that the break J' will be closed and opened simultaneously with the break J
and thus when one section of the conductor H is connected to the power line,
the corresponding section of the sectional return conductor S is simultaneously
connected to the return' conductor T to the dynamo.
An obvious modification of my invention may be made for the single track
system by applying the two systems of switches to the same sections of the
conductor H instead of to different sections, this would reduce the number of
conductor sections one half and each section would then be controlled by two
switches, one switch operating to connect the section with the power line by
the travel of the car in one direction and the other switch operating to connect the
same section with the power line in the travel of the car in the opposite direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said 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 :-
1st. The herein described electric railway system in which the current is
transmitted to the motor on the car through a working conductor composed of
electrically disconnected sections from a continuous power line through feeders
having normally open breaks controlled by a system of switches, said switches
controlling the circuits of their actuating magnets in such a manner that the
operation of one of the switches in closing the break in the feeder will
simultaneous therewith close a break in the switch circuit of the actuating
magnet of the succeeding switch and break the switch circuit of the actuating.
magnet of the preceding switch, substantially as described.
2nd. The operation of the system of switches in the manner described by a
separate source of electricity with which the actuating magnets of the switches are
adapted to be connected in multiple by the operation of the switches.
3rd. The contacts on the car, adapted to connect adjacent sections of the
working conductors in connection with the feeders and with the separate source
of electricity having one of its leads combined with the power line.
4th. The combination of the initial switch with the push button for actuating
said switch.
5th. The combination of the sections of the working conductor with two
systems of switches of the kind described whereby one system operates in the
travel of the car in one direction and the other in the opposite direction to
connect said sections with the power line, substantially as described.
Dated this 90th day of Tonuone 1002
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.