Improved Means for Supplying Current to Electric Tramcars.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Supplying Current to Electric Tramcars.
I, ARTHUR SOWDEN, of Gen-Aire, Baildon, in the County of York, Machine Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to two classes of electrical appliances, firstly, wherein
vertical "pegs" contained in boxes placed at intervals of the roadway and connected
by draw bar and chain, and the "pegs" serving as contact makers, and as one peg
is depressed the succeeding one is raised so as to ensure continuity of current with
the car, and by levers, draw bars, and chains the motion is communicated from one
box to the next. The second class comprises a central trough containing conductor
wire, and contact is made by trolly.
My improvements are designed, firstly, to reduce the power required for depressing
the pegs and also to ensure certainty of action of and return movement of the lever
which operates the chain bar for communicating motion from one box to the next.
In lieu of a vertical spring applied as heretofore to a lever arm in the shafts which
carry the anti-friction bowl and tappet lever for operating the draw bars, I apply to
each of the two shafts aforesaid an eccentric, the throw of each eccentric is in
opposite directions, and to these is connected a spiral spring and adjusting links or
strap so that when the car depresses a pin the movement is rendered very much
smoother and easier by reason of the intervening eccentrics and chain or strap
connections with the spiral springs. The friction bowl on the arm for operating the
shaft is enclosed by means of extensions from the double tappet lever and the latter
operates so as to push outward the friction bowl and arm, and also to ensure its
return movement.
When in lieu of the boxes placed at intervals of the roadway, a continuous trough
way is employed, the conductor is supported by insulated wires from each side of the
trough and by an insulated support placed under the conductor, and contact is made
by means of a trolly which is depressed and raised by levers, the latter having the
same arrangement of eccentrics and springs as above described, whereby the smooth
and easy manipulation of the levers is attained.
Improved Means for Supplying Current to Electric Tramcars.
I, ARTHUR SOWDEN, of Glen-Aire, Baildon, in the County of York, Machine,
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
[Price 8d.1

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
"
This invention relates to improvements in the method of and means employed for
making and maintaining an electrical contact between a tramcar and the main
electric supply cable when the latter is laid below the ground and car, or what is
known as the "underground systein.". The invention is applicable to two forms of
appliances, Firstly, wherein vertical "pegs" contained in boxes placed at intervals
of the roadway and connected by draw bars and chains, the " pegs serving as
contact makers, and as one peg is depressed the succeeding one is raised so as to
ensure continuity of current with the car, and by levers, draw bars, and chains the
motion is communicated from one box to the next in the manner described in
Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,549 of 1894. The second class comprises a
central trough containing the main conductor wire and contact is made by a trolly
somewhat similar to the one used in the overhead system.
My improvements are designed, firstly, to reduce the power required for depress-
ing the pegs, and also to ensure certainty of action of and return movement of the
lever which operates the chain bar for communicating motion from one box to the
next. Secondly, by simple and inexpensive mechanism to adapt the "overhead
system and trolly to an underground conductor or cable.
Such being the nature and object of my said invention, the following is a complete
description of same, reference. being had to the accompanying drawings, in
which :-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the lever arms and appliances connected therewith
with iny improvements applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is an end view of a conductor supported on an insulated wire in the box or
trough.
Fig. 3 shews the conductor supported on an insulated rail.
Fig. 4 shews the conductor supported on insulated wires in a modified manner.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a view of a modification of Figs. 4 and 5.
Fig. 7 is an end elevation of an insulated rail at the bottom of the box or trough.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the supporting clip for the conductor wire at a branch or
junction.
Fig. 9 is a side view of part of the underside of a tramcar shewing the trolly
supporting arm and trolly.
In
According to this invention and referring to Fig. 1. At 1, 1 are the vertical pegs
which protrude above the roadway as ordinary, and at 2, 2 are the lever arms.
lieu of vertical springs applied as heretofore to the lever arms 2 on the shafts 3 as
described and illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 of Specification of Letters Patent
No. 13,549 of the year 1894. I apply to each of the two shafts 3, 3 aforesaid, or a
part of the arms 2, an eccentric or cam 4 the throw or direction of each being in
opposite directions, and to these arms or eccentrics 4 is connected a spiral spring 5
with links or straps 6, so that when the car depresses a pin 1 the movement is
rendered very much smoother and easier by reason of the spring 5, or the link or
strap connections 6 with the spiral springs 5 moving across the fulcrum 3 of the
lever arm 2, so acting first on one side, then on the other according to the position
of the lever arms 2. The friction bowl 7 on the arms 2 for operating the pegs 1 is
enclosed by means of extensions 8 from the tappet lever 9 and the latter operates so
as to push outward the friction bowl 7 and arm 2; the flange 8 ensures its return
movement, the bowl 7 being practically received in a cam groove or slot as shewn.
When in lieu of the boxes placed at intervals of the roadway, a continuous trough
way is employed (see Sheets 2, 3, and 4) the conductor 10 is supported in a screw
.claw device Il carried on insulated wires 12 from each side of the trough 13 and by
an insulated support 14 placed under the conductor 10, and contact is made by means
of a trolly 15 (see Sheet 4) which is depressed by a spring 16 and raised by levers on

page_text: the car as ordinary, the spring 16 acting on the inclined face 17 of the trolly lever 17*,
whereby a smooth and easy manipulation of such lever is attained.
The conductor 10 may be held by the screw claw device 11 as shewn by Figs. 2
and 3, or by a clip device 18 shewn by Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and in Figs. 2, 4, and 5,
the wires 12 are insulated by passing over pot or other non-conducting rollers 19; in
Fig. 3 the carrying rail is insulated from the trough 13 by the non-conducting
material 21, 21. The tension of the wires 12 can be readily adjusted and regulated
by the right and left hand threaded links 22, 22, and screw coupling 23, there being
covered openings or hand holes provided near each support for this purpose. The
conductor carrier may be mounted in the screw coupling 23 after the tension on the
wire 12 is adjusted, as shewn by Fig. 6 where the links 22 are insulated by the pot
rollers 19. The trolly may run on one or more rails 24 (see Figs. 7 and 9) placed on
the bottom of the trough 13 and insulated therefrom, and to make a complete circuit
the ends of the adjacent rails are connected by one or more copper wires.
Lightning arresters, and cut off switches may be applied at intervals of the cable
or conductor so as to lessen the liability of the whole line being rendered
unworkable in case of accident.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
uvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what
I claim is:-
(1) The lever arms 2 short arms or eccentrics 4 and connecting spring 5 in com-
bination with the contact pegs of the main underground conductor of an electric
tramway as and for the purpose herein described and substantially as illustrated by
Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings.
(2) The lever arins 2 short arms or eccentrics 4 connecting spring 5 tappet lever 8
with extension or flange 9 in combination with the contact pegs of the main under-
ground conductor of an electric tramway as and for the purpose herein described and
substantially as illustrated by Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings.
(3) The conductor or cable of an underground electric tramway carried on supports
mounted on insulated wires or rails stretched across the containing trough or channel
as and for the purpose herein described and substantially as illustrated by Sheets 2
and 3 of the annexed drawings.
Dated this 17th day of May 1898.
ARTHUR SOWDEN.
By his Agents,
Brierley & Howard,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.