US423874A - lineff - Google Patents

Description

6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. L. LINBFF'. MEANS FOB. SUPPLYING ELECTRICITY T0 TRAM CARS.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. L. LINBFP. MEANS FOR SUPPLYING ELECTRICITY T0 TEAM GARS.

Nb. 423,874. Patented Mar. 1 8, 1890.

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(N*e") A. L. Lllwnme".l

' MEANS you SUPPLYING BLEGTMGITY r12p TEAM cA-s.; No. 423.874. y .Patented Mar. 18; 1890.

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A. L. LINEPI. MEANS FOR 'SUPPLYING ELECTRICITY TO TEAM GARS.

Patented Mar.

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(No Model.)

No. 423,874. Patented Margjmlago.

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A. L. LINEE?.

6 Sheets-Sheet 6.

MEANS FORYSUPPLYING ELECTRICITY T0 TEAM (3A-RS.

Patented Mar. 18. 1890.

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ALEXANDER LOGIN LINEFF, OF CHISVVIOK, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

`MEANS FOR SU PPLYING` ELECTRICITY TOTRAM-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,874, dated March 18, 18.90.

Application led Augult 27, 1889. Serial No. 322,099. (No model.) Patented in England .l'uly 11, 1888, No. 10,092.

To all w7w1n/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER LOGIN LIN- EFF, of 88 High Road, Chiswick,in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Supplying Electricity to Tram-Cars or other Vehicles, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in England, No. 10,092, dated July ll, J1.888,) ot which the Vfollowing is a specificanon.

My invention has reference tov supplying electricity to tram-cars and other Vehicles by moans of' electrical conductors laid throughoutthe line alo11g'\which the vehicles have to travel; and its objects are to secure convenience of arrangement and eicient electrical contact between the car and the electric conductor or main.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l shows in cross-section a portion of a track with one form of conductor and a pair of surface magnetic pieces. Fig. v2 is a side elevation of a portion of the same, on a smaller scale, showing the arrangement of the niagnet. Fig. 3 is a plan View with the magnet inplaee, and Fig. 4 an' end view of the same,

partly in section. Figs. 5 and 6 show in side elevation and cross-section a modification in the arrangement of the track, and Fig. shows in detail a rolling pole-piece. Figs. 8 and 9 show in side elevation and plan View means for carrying the magnet from the car. Figs. 10, l1, and l2 are cross-sections showing other modifications in the arrangement of the road. Figs. l0 and l2 show in cross` section and side view the construction and arrangement of the electrical and magnetic mains of Figs. 10 and 12, `drawn full size.- Figs. 13 and 14 are plan views ot' two modes of laying the surface-pieces, and Figs. 15 and 16 show in side elevation and cross-section the magnet with rotating pole-piece.

The portion of the tracks shown in the lignres is only so much as relates to my invention, the running-1'ails. (except in Figs. 6 and 12)not being shown.

The characteristic feature-ofmy invention is the use, for traction' purposes, of a magnetic circuit composed of .(c) a. magnet-attached to the car or vehicle, (b) surface inagnetic .pieces electrically and magnetically insulated from cach other, and (c) a continuous magnetic conductor forming a component part of th e' main electric conductor conveying the working-current. In this magnetic circuit the only portion which moves along-with the car or vehicle is- ((1,) the magnet. itself. Oi the remaining parts of the circuit one (b) is a 4iinture,'aml the other (c) has only a slight upward motion, for the sole purpose of producing the electric contact, and which, after the magnetic iufiuence is over, returns to its normal position by the force of gravity. The closing of thc magnetic circuit causes a continuous and iiexible magnetic component of the sealed electrical conductor to come in contact with the surfaeemagnetic pieces, and thus temporarily charge them with the electric current, which is collected by suitable means and conveyed to apparatus for converting the energy of the current into mechanical energy for traction or for other purposes. The

position of the magnet-ic circuit is continually changing as' the car or vehicle moves along,

and fresh portions of the continuous flexible magnetic component of the conductor (hereinafter called the magnetic 1nain) are continually being drawn into the magnetic circuit, and thus other surface magnetic pieces (immediately under thc car or vehicle) becomo in turn the medium for conveying the'.

electric current from the conductor to the converting apparatus.

The magnetic circuit is in fact the only means of tapping the Y I current at any desired part of the conductor,

vas the latter is entirely sealed from the surface, and no purely mechanical means will avail for this purpose.

The arrangement of the various parts forming the conductor may 'vary in detail according to the position it occupies with regard to the running-rails, so long as the principle in. volved is the same-viz., to produce a magnetic circuit, part of Which is formed by means of a continuous magneticmiain.

Referring now to Figs. 1,2, and 3, M M' are the surface magnetic pieces, which in this instance consist of rails in short lengths, about three feet long, placed parallel, and magnetic- ,ally insulated both longitudinally and transversely. The electric insulation is only longitudinal, the two parallel opposite lengths IOO vconductors are inclose project through holes in the stri netism and to collectl the of rails being electrically connected in pairs, but every' pair is electrically insulated from the adjacent pairs. The c onnection is made by means of bolts B B and distance-pieces D,

.of some non-magnetic, but electricity conthe ends of each length of rail are, by preference, beveled off, as shown in Fig. 2.

At a short dist-ance belouT the lower surface of the rails M M lies the magnetic main, which consists of a continuous `llat strip of ironV F, which rests ,upona bare copper conductor or electrical ain C. The rails and in a trough A, and surrounded with asphal r any other suit,- able insulating composition, hich thus forms a closed channel under the ails, and the trough is let into the roadwa c The magnetic main ,F is intendedV to rise nd touch the flanges m m' under the influe of the passing magnet. To prevent oXi'dat reduce the contact resistance, both th netic main and the bottom part of the 1 netic rails might be galvanized, tinned, The electric conductor C may be mad r lengths troughs, `and when the troughs are laid. position the separate lengths of conduct: will be joined .in any suitable and conenient manner-as, for instance,.by mean of iat stps or keys which enter. both .i dsof a conductor length. Pins f, of some on-magnetic material, may be provided at ff rtain distances apart on the conductor, ich pins F and prevent any lateral movement ther f. l

N and S, Fig. 1, represent j; pole-pieces of the magnet, and they are so iw ranged that the pole-piece-N travelsin fron r ver the magnetic rail M, while t-he pole, ece S moves over-the rail M at a distance ej not less than the length of one'piece of magnetic rail from the pole-piece N'. In qtind it desirable'to have o1 y rail projecting on the surta@ one rail will bev sufficient to?.

one magnetic of the road, as lonvey the 'mag gi rrent, the other rail, which may consist practically-f angleiron,be ing buried in the insulating com-pound surrounding the magnetic rails. A a hidden magnetic raila blind ra'il. Threel arrangements on this plan are clearly shown in Figs. 10, 10, 11, 12, and 123.

M is the active or 'exposed magnetici-ail, and M the blind rail.

E represents a hard insulating material forming a supportV fo the asphalt or similar materiall in which th 5 rails are embedded.

G is an earthen' .fare supportV containing Athe conductor C, wil n its magnetic component vsimilar mate rial.Avv

l. tion of otherwise,

ne cases I mayv F. At the same time the support Gmay serve as a bed-plate for the magnetic rails to lie on.

c a are grooves away ofany water that may have accidentally found its way into the channel. After the learthenwarel slabs, with the conductor and the magnetic rails, have been placed in the trough the whole is filled with asphalt or The same letters in the above ligures denote corresponding parts in other-figures representing the-"conductor As previously stated, the channel under' the magnetic rails is sealed water-tight from the surface o l" the road. As it is, however, 1m-

.portant f get rid of any water that may acl ciden'tal, y find its way Iinto the channel through cracks in the bituminous composithe channel is providedat certain distances apart, and especially at the low st portion of the road,`with drain-pipes' ranches of any convenient description, imunicating with the main sewer and cut from it by means of suitable Siphon-traps. Ioreover, to expel any damp or moisture from the channel, a current of dry air can be cirf culat'ed in the channel by meansA of.l fans workedrbysmall electrical motors placed under the pavement at suitable distances apart. The air, previously driedby any well-known means, is forcedby the fan o r pump into the hannel, and is allowed to escape at suitable aces provided, by preference, under the ement. The general principle ,of the abo e is so simple that it needs no illustration.` t Then the poles of the picking-up magne are caused to act o n one line of magnetic rails only, the tw'o poles must face or touch, as the case maybe, two separate pieces or lengths i rail in order to force the magnetic lines through the magnetic main.- The action of thehinagnet will also be considerably increased, if the opposite lengths 'of rails are placed oridhe hit-and-miss principle. Fig. 13' shows this `arrangement for exposed double magnetic rails.L The breaks between the separate lengths oftpne line of magnetic rails M M2 M3 are just opposite the center of the corresponding lengths et the other line, and the electrical connection,

Bythis arrangement, however, the length of that portion of the rails that is electrically charged is increased by half, or at times by a whole length, fand consequently the extent of surface from which leakage may take place 4is increased. It also leaves a certain portion of the rail unconnected with thc corresponding opposite length, and the proj ecting vpart is supported exclusively by the bituminous.. surrounding it.' 'To obviate these to facilitate the draining IOO by means of "bolts B B, is 'made as shown in the gure.

works in shunt with the main current.v

N and S are the pole-pieces, as beforementioned, and land I collecting and guiding wheels made of some non-magn etic met-al and` with flanges which-run in the groove between the rails M M.

F is the magnetic main, which is.shown in Fig. 2 as attracted under the influence of the pole-pieces to the under side of the rails M MC The magnetic rails are 'thus put into electrical communication withJ the main conductor C, and the current passes from the rails through the wheels I I partly tov the bobbin I-I and partly to the motor on the vehicle, and thence by the returnconductor (running rails) to the generating-station; As the vehicle advances the magnet keeps picking up fresh portions ot' the magnetic main F, and consequently puts 'in electrical communication fresh rails.

Instead ot' iitting the collecting apparatus .to a separate carriage, secured to the car, the magnetmayv be fixed to a frame carried 'by the car, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Here N and S are the poles and H the bobbin of the magnet, which 'is suspended fromthe frame' U. This frame has its endsV and V rounded and is so mounted on the angle-irons W and W. as to be free to movelaterally along them. The angle-ironsV lV are fixed to the crosspieces X X, forming part of a frame-Work carried bythe axle-boxes of the car or vehicle. The frame U, and withit the magnet, is therefore free4 to move in a lateral direction parallel to theV `angle-irons IV W', and as the `ends of the frame U are rounded it is also capable of a slight axial motion about its center. The magnet is by this arrangementenabled to maintain its proper position directly over the magnetic rails on curves and in spite of small transverse motions of the Wheels.

In some cases, when the picking-up magnet is not provided with a separate carriage, means for retaining the magnet in its proper position over the magnetic rails and for col,- lecting the curr'ent from them are necessary. To retain the magnet in position, I employ guide-pieces t t', Fig. 8, attachedto the pole- 'pieces These guides,'which are preferably made of non-magnetic metal, slide in the groove between the magnetic rails, and they also serve the purpose of keeping the groove clear of dirt. The current -may in this case be collected by the brushesb b, Fig. '8,oi some non-magnetic material, which sweep along portions or lengths of the magnetic the surface of the magnetic-rails. 'lhc polepieces and collecting-wheels maya-lso be combined, as shown in Fig. 7, which represents, longitudinal and transverse sections of a rolling pole-piece. 'The core of the magnet P terminates in a portion of a hollow drum of cast-iron, made in two pieces for the convenience of fitting. The drum in this case is not only a device to connect mechanically and magnetically the core with the roll ing pole-piece proper, but helps at the saine time, Vby means of projections N and N', to direct and concentrate the magnetic lines, and thus helps the rolling pole-pieces proper. In faetthis arrangement might be considered as a pole-piece shownin Figs. 2,3, andghwith an iron wheel inside, intended both to convey the magnetic lines and to collect the current from the magnetic rails. y0n an iron spindle L is mounted a.wheel I', provided with a flange R in the middle of t-he rim, which runs in the groove between the magnetic rails. The iiangel and the portion of the rim which4 lies tofone side of it and is marked T is made of some non-magnetic metal, such as brass. The rest of the wheel is f iron. The iron portion of the wheel I runs on the rail M, and it will be seen that -thouglr both magnetic rails M and M' are in electrical" contact with the wheel its direct magnetic inuence is confined Ato M; with which alone it has magnetic contact. A similar wheel at the other end of the magnet, and forming its opposite pole, will be in magnetic contact with M only, so that the magnetic rails become poles of opposite polarity'.

When only one magnetic rail appears on the s'urface,'the rolling pole is simply an iron wheel without any flanges, and. the face-of the Wheel is slightly narrower than the magnetic rail, so as to allow a certainy margin for lateral motion of the car.' As there is no guide for the wheel, the magnet must be fixed to the car in such a manner that the latter will guide it over the rail and yet be capable of some slight vertical motion to compensate for the slight unevenness of the magneticrails as compared with the rollingrails. The arrangement is shown in Fig. 15 as adapted to a side magnetic rail, as described and illustrated in Fig. 12, Fig. 15 being an elevation of the magnet, showing the method of attaching it to the vehicle, and Fig. 16 is a section through the center of one of the rolling pole-pieces. H is'the bobbin, P P the pole-pieces, each of which'consists of a wheel I, incased in a hollow drum provided with the projecting pieces N N S S', for the purpose of directing and concentrating the magnetic lines, The pole-'pieces are provided with pins p p, made of a non-magnetic material. These pins slide in sockets in the bar K, which is secured to the angle-irons mfc, which themselves are attached to the frame carried by the axle-boxes of the vehicle. The magnet, owing to the ,sliding of the pins in lcs IIO

the sockets, is capable of a small vertical motion with respect to the car.

In order to obviate thev inconvenience of an extra set-of rails in streets with very heavy traliic, I may use the modification shown in Figs. 5|. and (i. In this case I use one magnetic rail M, which is formed so that only parts are exposed on the 4surface of the roadway. Each length has two flanges m m to support it in the asphalt. The Vpart n is the place Where the magnetic mailyf tact under the influenc The magnet-ic main i f iown in this tion as consisting o? an iron cable with short pieces of 'ube of similar and it ,rests in a buse trough-sha circular copper conductor C, tutes the ma-improper. Th'4 parts is precisely similar ,r described. v

Having now partie y described and ascertainedthe nat mysaid invention and in what manner the'saine is to be performed, I declare that what I claim isl. The means for conveying electricity to tram-cars, consisting of an electricrnain, a continuous exible magnetic main, a surfacecontact piece or pieces, and a magnet and current-collector situated-on the car, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination of magnet-ic rails consisting of short lengths of rail in two parallel series, such lengths being insulated both elecction of the at previously trically and magnetically in a longitudinal kes the con and electrically connected but magnetically insulated in atransversc direction, a continuous exible magnetic main, and an electric magnet and current-collector situated on the car, substantially as herein described.

3. The I. nbination of magnetic rails, contwo parallel series ot' short lengths f of which one series is exposed above v' rack and the other covered, and which e electrically and magnetically insulated longitudinally and electrically connected but .magnetically insulated transversely, a continuous iexible magnetic main-and an electric main in the track, and a magnet and currentcollecteren the car, substantially as herein set forth.

4. The combination, with a car and a track erefor, of magnetic contact-pieces on the tra and a magnet having rolling pole-pieces on .th car, substantially as and for the pur- 'n set forth.

trical-conducting apparatus for tram-cars, con Yt-pieces, each, consisting of two series of shor gelistet rail insulated magnetically and electrically in a longitudinal direct-ion, and connected'together transversely, so that the lengths of one series will overlap those of the other, as herein described, according to what is vherein termed the hitand-n1iss principle.

ALEXANDER LOGIN LINEFF. Witnesses:

H. K. WHITE, A. W. SPACKMAN.

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