Improvements in or connected with Electric Railways or Electric Transport.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 6th July, 1896-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electric Railways or Electric
Transport.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M. Inst. E.E, M.I Mech E., of Norfolk House, Norfolk
Street, Strand, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me from abroad
by Frederick Carleton Esmond, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United
States of America, Electrical Engineer) to be as follows
This invention pertains to electric railway systems in which the conductor or
conductors supplying the current from a stationary source to a travelling motor are
disposed along the line of travel and suitably insulated, and in which a serios of isolated
contact points permanently fixed in the road bed or otherwise along the line of travel
but independent of the rails and successively brought into electrical connection with
the supply conductor or conductors by the moving car or vehicle through the
engagement with such contacts of a suitable terminal oarried by the car and connected
with the circuit of the motor thereon
Heretofore provision has been made in such systems for completing the electrical
connection between the stationary contacts or domes, as I designate for convenience
the devices which I employ for this purpose, and the supply conductors by operating
a circuit-controlling device located within the dome mainly by means of one or more
magnets or properly enci gized electro-magnets carried by the moving vehicle.
It has also been proposed to effect the operation of the circuit-controlling devices of
each done successively by a circuit in derivation to that established or existing
between the supply conductor and the immediately preceding dome, and which is
supplied with current only during the engagement of the said dome and the contact
on the car, but these and other systems of which I am aware are open to various
objections which I have sought to overcome and which by my present invention
I have succeeded in avoiding.
The essential requirements of the plan which I have now devised are that the
engagement of the contact or series of contacts on a car with any one of a series of
isolated contacts or domes shall effect the operation of a circuit-controlling device
within such dome and thereby establish electrical connection between the supply
conductor and the dome, and consequently with the motor on the car. This
I accomplish by causing the engagemont of the stationary and travelling contact
surfaces to close a special circuit of which the devices named form parts and including
a ifting coil of proper character to operate the circuit-controller.
The connection thus established is inaintained by the action of a main circuit coil as
long as the two contacts are in engagement, whilo by magnetic or mechanical agency,
as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, the special circuit is interi upted.
The stationary contacts or domes will be at such distances apart that two or more of
then will always be engaged by the travelling contact at the same time or, at least, so
that there will be no interruption in the supply of current through them to the motor
on the travelling car or other vehicle.
In another Application, No. 18,699, filed on the same date as the prosent one, thero
is shown a system of electric railways, in some respects resembling that of this
application, but differing principally in the means for throwing the line switches. In
the said application the conductor sections are divided into line sections and switching
sections, so that current is sent through the high resistance coil from a section distinct.

page_text: from that from which the motor current is collected In the present invention, one
terminal of the high and low resistance coils is connected to the saune insulating
section.
Referring now to the drawing for a detailed description of my improvement :-
Fig 1 is a central vertical section of a stationary contact or domo constructed and
adapted for operation in accordance with the invention
Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification of the same
Fig. 3 is a view of the device of the previous figure but in a section at right angles
thereto
Fig is a sectional view partly diagrammatic of the contact dovico carried by
the car.
Fig. 5 is an upper plan view of the same.
Fig 6 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of said dovice.
Fig 7 is an enlarged section of a part of the same, and
Fig 8 is a cross-section on line x-r of Fig. 6.
The construction of the case or dome 1s or may be similar to that heretofore
described and employed by myself and others, and in so far as the present invention
is concerned is largely immaterial Its chief characteristics, however, are a rounded
metallic or conducting cover A which serves as the contact surface and projects
slightly above the roadway, and the insulated or insulating case B beneath the surface
for containing the circuit-controlling devices
In Fig 1C designates the lateral or bianch circuit from a supply conductor which
enters the casing B and is connected with a metal ring D to which is electrically
connected a stationary comb or terminal E.
A plate F of insulation divides the interior of the dome into an upper and lower
compartiment, and in the former is placed a compound or double helix composed of a
fine wire coil G and a coarse wire coil of few turns H
The coil H or both coils, G, II, surrounds a portion of the cover or domo A, or is
otherwise disposed with respect to said dome so that when a current is passing throngh
the said coil it will tend to magnetize the dome.
A small tapered plug 1 is shown in this figure at the top of the cover or dome,
which can be removed to afford access to the interior of the switch-box through an
opening 2, seen directly below the plug. This, however, has nothing to do with the
present invention.
K is a comb or contact on the under side of the plate F that forms one terminal of
the coil H, and within the double helix 13 an iron core M having a non-magnetic
extension projecting down though the plate F and carrying a cross-arm L, which
connects the terminals E, K, when either coil G, H, is active and the coro raised.
One ond of the fine wire coil G is earthed by a conductor N extending out through
the insulating case B. The other end is connected with a terminal a, with which
engages a terminal & supported by a spring bar & attached to the side wall of the
chamber The terminal or a portion of the same is of soft iron and is in close
proximity to a part of the dome or cover that exhibits free magnetism when
the coil is active.
One end of the coil H has been stated to lend to the terminal K, the other is
soldered at d to the dome.
The switch boxes, arranged as described, aro set at intervals along the line of the
track and each provides an isolated, comparatively small contact point independent of
the rails, and hence not subject to heavy wear. The contacts thus arranged are of
greal practical importance, since the obstruction in the street is a minimum, tho
danger from leakage and poor insulation is comparatively small and the construction
on curves and at crossings is facilitated
Referring now to Fig 4, each car designed to run in the system is provided with a
long plate or bar O forming part of a frame to which is attached an insulated metallic
plate 0¹ To the under side of the plate O a number of spring contacts I are secured
by one end, while the other end passes up through a perforation in the plate O.
These spring contacts are so placed that at least one of the same will always be

page_text: in engagement with a dome under the car, and when in such engagement will be
forced upward so that its free end makes contact with plate ()' The springs Pare
secured to the plate O by insulated bolts and nuts e, as shown in Fig. 7, and in
order to secure greater resiliency I interpose between the end of each spring and an
insulating sleeve, through which the spring passos, a spiral spring 9 which has n
tendency to draw the free end of the spring Paway from the plate O
On the car 13 located a motor M. one toiminal of which is adapted to be connected
with the plate O' by a switch 1, while the other terminal is connected to a whool T
which may be a trolley wheel or one of the wheels of the car, or any other siunılar
device for eat thing the motor.
Arranged in connection with the motor is a storage battery R which, when
necessary, may be charged from the motor circuit, or which may be thrown into the
main circuit which includes the motor for the purposo of closing the circuit connections
between the supply conductor and the dome or domes in engagement with one
or more of the springs P carried by the car.
The operation of the device is as follows. When the car is running and one
or more of the springs P comes into engagement with one of the domes A, a certain
proportion of the current from the motor circuit is shunted from the dome through
the coil G theroin.
The
The resistance of the circuit thus completed is so adjusted that sufficient current
will pass through it to raise the core M and close the circuit botween the conductor C
and the dome A through the coil H and the contacts K, L, E. This curiont has
sufficient force to magnetize the dome, whereupon the armature bis 1aised out of
contact with the terminal a and the circuit through the coil G is interrupted
core M is, however, held up by the attraction of the coil II as long as any of the
springs Premain in contact with the domo A. This operation is repeated with each
done successively, and the current supplied in this way to the motor continuously
while the car is running To start the car from a position of rest it is either necessary
to permit sufficient current to flow through the coil II to maintain the core M used
or to employ a separate source of current I have shown an arrangement for the
lutter
The switch is shifted so as to close the circuit from the wheel T through the
secondary of a continuous current transformer R' to the plate O', and thence thongh
the coil or coils G contained in the dome or domes with which the springs P are at
the moment in contact. The battery R is then caused to operate the transformer and
produce a current that will energize the said coil or coils G The contact plate of
Switch may be long enough to maintain both the main motor circuit and that of the
transformer closed at the same time, if so desired, so that as soon as the transformer
supplies the current necessary for energizing the coils G, the motor will receive
The transformer circuit may then be broken by moving switch back to its
normal position The battery R may be used alone, but as the coils G are of high
resistance it would require a larger number of colla to operate them than by raising
the potential of the current, as by means of a continuous current transformer or in any
other well-known way.
cin rent
2
In lieu of breaking the circuit of coil G, in the manner above described, any other
plan for accomplishing this may be adopted In Fig 2, for example, one end of the
coil G is connected with the dome A, while the other leads to a metal ring I carried
by the spool of the coil and against which ring impinges a spring m³ connected with the
conductor N One terminal of the coil II is connected as before to the dome A, while
the other is connected with a ring or plate n having two contacts S Beneath theso
contacts are two levers T pivoted to insulated arms and connected to the lower end
of the core M by links or toggle levers V When the core in this case is raised the
lower ends of the levers T are drawn together and into engagement with terminals W,
electrically connected with tho conductor C, while the upper ends are spread apart and
into engagement with the contact S By this movement a stud o on one of the
levers T is brought into engagement with the spring m¹and breaks the circuit through
the coil G.

page_text: '
The core M is drawn down by being weighted or by having a spring attached to it
I have shown a mercury chamber X secured to and forming its lower end, which
serves this purpose
A cross-bar Z the ends of which move in vertical grooves in the
walls of the case B serves to steady and direct the movements of the coro M
In Figs. 2 and 3 an outer cover A' for the dome is shown which is screwed, as
indicated, to a boss on the top of the dome proper. The outer cover forms a wearing
plato, which may be renewed as desired A scrow-plug 3 18 also shown extending
through the inner cover of the dome, which may be removed to permit access into the
switch-box This feature, however, has nothing to do with the present invention.
Dated this 5th day of October 1895.
Improvements in or connected with Electric Railways or Electric
Transport.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M. Inst EE, M. Mech. E., of Norfolk Ilouse,
Norfolk Street, Strand, London, WC, in the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent
Agent, do hereby doclaro the nature of this invention (as communicated to me from
abroad by Frederick Carleton Esmond, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York,
United States of America, Electrical Engineor), and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertamed in and by the following
statement.
This invention pertains to electric railway systems in which the conductor or
conductors supplying the current from a stationary source to a travelling motor is o
are disposed along the line of travel and suitably insulated, and in which a series of
150lated contact points permanently hxed in the road bed or otherwise along the line
of travel but independent of the muls are successively brought into electrical con-
nection with the supply conductor or conductors by the moving car or vehicle
through the engagement with such contacts of a suitable terminal carited by the car
and connected with the circuit of the motor thereon.
Heretofore provision has been made in such systems for completing the electrical
connection between the stationary contacts or domes, as I designate for convenience
the devices which I employ for this purpose, and the supply conductors by operating
a circuit-controlling device located within the dome mainly by means of one or more
magnets or properly energised electro-maguets carried by the moving vehicle
It has also been proposed to effect the operation of the circuit-controlling devices
of each dome successively by a circuit in derivation to that established or existing
between the supply conductor and the immediately preceding dome, and which 18
supplied with current only during the engagement of the sand done and the contact
on the car, but these and other systems of which I am aware are open to various
objections which I have sought to overcome and which by my present invention
I have succeeded in avoiding
The essential requirements of the plan which I have now devised are that the
engagement of the contact or series of contacts on a car with any one of a series of
isolated contacts or domes shall effect the operation of a circuit-controlling device
within such done and thereby establish electrical connection between the supply
conductor and the dome, and consequently with the motor on the car This
I accomplish by causing the engagement of the stationary and travelling contact
surfaces to close a special circuit of which the devices named form parts and
including a lilting coil of proper character to operate the circuit-controller.
The connection thus established is maintained by the action of a main circuit coil
as long as the two contacts are in engagement, while by magnetic or mechanical
agency, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth, the special circuit is interrupted..

page_text: of them will always be engaged by the travelling contact at the same tune or, at
least, so that there will be no interruption in the supply of current through them to
the motor on the travelling car or other vehicle.
In another Application No. 18,699 filed by mo on the same date as the present
application there is shown a system of electric railway in some respects resembling
that of this application, but differing principally in the means for throwing the lino
switches. In the said application the conductor sections are divided into lino sections
and switching sections, so that current is sent through the high resistance coil from
a section distinct from that from which the motor current is collected. In the present
invention, one terminal of the high and low resistanco coils is connected to the samo
insulating section.
Referring now to the drawings (left with the Provisional Specification) for a
detailed description of my improvements :-
Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of a stationary contact or done constructed and
adapted for operation in accordance with the invention.
Fig 21s a similar view of a modification of the same.
Fig 3 18 a view of the device of the provious figure but in a section at right
angles thereto
car
Fig. 4 is a sectional view partly diagrammatic of the contact device carried by the
Fig. 5 is an under plan view of the same.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of a portion of said device.
Fig 7 is an enlarged section of a part of the same, and
Fig. 8 is a cross section on line - of Fig. 6
The construction of the case or dome 19 or may be similar to that heretofore
described and employed by myself and others, and in so far as the presont invention
is concerned is largely immaterial. Its chef characteristics, however, are a rounded
metallic or conducting cover A which serves as the contact surface and projects
shghtly above tho roadway, and the insulated or insulating casing B beneath the
surface for containing the circuit-controlling devices
In Fig. 1, C designates the lateral or branch cucuit from a supply conductor which
enters the casing B and is connected with a metal ring D to which is electrically
connected a stationary comb or terminal E.
A plate of insulation divides the interior of the dome into an upper and lower
compartment, and in the former is placed a compound or double helix composed of a
fine wire coil G and a coarse wire coil of few turns H.
The coil II or both coils, G, II, sui rounds a portion of the cover or dome A, or 18
other wise disposed with respect to said dome so that when a current is passing
throngh tho said coil it will tend to magnetize the dome.
A small plug, 1, 1s shown in thus figure intended to serve as a seal for an
opening, 2, into the box shown directly below the plug. This, however, forms no
part of the present invention
K is a comb or contact on the under sido of the plate F that forms one terminal
of the coil H, and within the double helix is an iron core M having a non-magnetic
extension projecting down through the plate F and carrying a cross-arm L, which
connects the terminals E, K, when either coil G, H, 18 active and the core raisod
One end of the fine wire coil G is grounded by a conductor N extending out
through the insulating case B. The other end is connected with a terminal a, with
which engages a terminal supported by a spring bar c attached to the side wall of
the chamber The terminal or a portion of the same is of soft iron and is in close
proximity to a part 10 of the dome or cover that exhibits free magnetism when the
Coil II is active
One end of the coil II has been stated to lead to the terminal K, the other is
soldered at a to the dome.
The switch boxes, arranged as described, are set at intervals along the line of the

page_text: track and each provides an isolated, comparatively small contact point independent
of the rails, and hence not subject to any heavy wear The contacts thus airanged
are of great practical importance since the obsti uction in the street is a minimum, the
danger from leakage and poor insulation is comparatively smali, and the construction
ou curves and at crossings is facilitated.
Refering now to Fig 4, each car designed to run in the system is provided with
long plate or bar O forming part of a frame to which is attached an insulated
metallic plate 01 To the under side of the plate On number of spring contacts P
are secured by one end, while the other end passes up through a perforation in the
plato 0. These spring contacts are so placed that at least one of the same will
always be in engagemont with a dome under the car, and when in such engagement
will be forced upward so that its free and makes contact with plate 01. The springs P
are secured to the plate O by insulated bolts and nuts e, f, as shown in Fig 7, and
in order to securo groater resiliency I interpose between the end of each spring and
au insulating sleeve, through which the spring passes, a spiral spring y which has a
tendency to draw the free ond of the spring away from the plate O
On the car is located a motor M', one terminal of which is adapted to be connected
with the plate O' by a switch, while the other terminal is connected to a wheel T
which may be a trolley wheel or one of the wheels of the car, or any other similar
dovice for grounding the motor
Arranged in connection with the motor is a storage battery R which, when
necessary, may be charged from the motor encuit, or which, by means of the
switch, may be thrown into the main circuit which includes the motor for the
purpose of closing the circuit connections between the supply conductor and the dome
or domes iu engagement with one or more of the springs 1 carried by the car.
The operation of the device is as follows.
When the car is running and one or more of the springs P comes into engageinent
with one of the domes A, a certain proportion of the current from the motor circuit
is shunted from the dome through the coil G therein The resistance of the circuit
thus completed is so adjusted that sufficient current will pass through it to raise the
core M and close the circunt between the conductor and the dome A through the
coil H and the contacts K, L, E. This current has sufbcient force to magnetize
the dome A, whereupon the armature bis attracted by part 10 and raised out of
contact with the terminal a and the circunt through the coil G is interrupted The
core M is, however, held up by the attraction of the coil H as long as any of the
springs P remain in contact with the dome A
This operation is repeated with each
dome successively, and current supplied in this way to the motor continuously while
the car is running
To start the car from a position of rest it is either necessary to
permit sufficient current to flow through the coil II to maintain the core M raised
or to employ a separate source of current. I have shown an arrangement for the
latter
The switch is shifted so as to close the circuit from the wheel T through the
secondary of a continuous current converter R' to tho plate O', and hence through
the coil or coils G contained in the dome or domes with which the spings P are at
the moment in contact. The battery R is then caused to operate the converter and
produco a current that will onergize the said coil or coils G. The contact plate of
switch may be long enough to maintain both the main motor circuit and that of the
convertor closed at the same time, if so desired, so that as soon as the convertor
supplies the current necessary for energizing the coils G, the motor will receive
current The converter circuit may then be broken by moving switch back to its
normal position. The battery R may be used alone, but as the coils G are of ligh
resistance it would require a larger number of cells to oporate them than by raising the
potential of the current, as by means of a continuous current converter, or in any
other well known way.
In lieu of breaking the circuit of coil G, in the manner above described, any other
plan for accomplishing this may be adopted In Fig 2 for example, ono ond of the

page_text: coil G is connected with the dome A while the other leads to a metal ring 1 carried
by the spool of the coil and against which ring impinges a spring m¹ connected with
conductor N. One terminal of the coil H 18 connected as before to the dome A,
Beneath
while the other is connected with a ring or plato n having two contacts S
these contacts are two levers T pivoted to insulated arms and connected to the lower
end of the core M by links or toggle levers V. When the core in this case is raised
the lower ends of the lovers T are drawn together and into engagement with
terminals W, electrically connected with the conductor (', while the upper ends are
spread apart and into engagement with the contacts S. By this movement a stud o on
one of the lovers T is brought into engagement with the spring m' and breaks the
en cunt through the coil C.
The core M is drawn down by being weighted or having a spring attached to it.
I have shown n mercury chamber X secured to and forming its lower end, which
serves this purpose
A cross-bar Z the ends of which move in vertical grooves in
the walls of the dome serves to steady and direct the movements of the core M
In Figs 2 and 3 an outer cover A for the dome is shown which 1 scrowed, as
indicated to a boss on the top of the dome proper. The outer cover forms a wearing
plate, which may be renowed as desired. A screw plug 3 is also shown extending
through the inner cover of the dome, which may be removed to permit access into
the switch-box These features, however, do not form part of the present invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1 In an electric railway system the combination of a supply conductor, a series of
isolated switch boxes along the line of travel, each carrying a contact point or dome,
which forms a cover for the switch-box, a circuit-controlling device for connecting
each contact with the supply conductor, and an electro-magnet or helix for operating
the same of relatively high resistance included in a circuit between the contact and
carth, the magnet, circuit-controlling apparatus and connections for each contact
being all contained in the corresponding switch-box, and independent of the boxes and
switching apparatus of other contacts, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a cucuit-controller or switch in
the main or supply circuit to each contact or dome, a coil or helix in a shunt
circuit from the contact to earth for operating said switch, a coil or helix in the
circnit under control of the switch and adapted to maintam the said switch closed,
and a circuit breaker in the shunt circuit adapted to ho oporated by the closing
of the main circuit switch
3 The combination with the iron contact or dome, of a coil or solenoid arranged
to magnetize the dome when traversed by a current, a switch operated by a high
resistance coil in a circuit from the contact to earth and adapted to close the
Bupply circuit to the contact, and a switch in high resistance circuit operated by
the attraction of the dome when magnetized by the supply current, substantially
as set forth
4. The combination in an electric railway of a direct current electric motor
supplied with a continuous current for driving the car and a continuous current
converter connected in shunt to the motor circuit substantially as set forth.
5 The combination in an electric railway of a motor diving the car and means
for feeding the motor with a continuous current from the lino circuit external to
the car, with a storage battery on the car and a continuous
through which the battery may bo put into electrical connection with the line
circuit, substantially as set forth.
curent converter
6. The combination in an electric railway of a supply conductor, insulated working
conductor sectious, a travelling motor, and means for feeding the motor with u
continuous current collected from the working sections, of a storage battery on the
car, a continuous current converter through which the battery is charged from

page_text: the line current, magnetically actuated switches for temporarily connecting the
working sections with the supply conductor, and means for discharging the battery
through the rotary converter and switch-operating magnets, whereby the converter
changes the potential of the current used for operating the switches substantially as
sel forth.
DL 1
T
2000
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I E E., &c.,
Chartered Patent Agent.