US604747A - And william l - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J' H' GUEST. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. ELECTRIC RAILWAY. Nog 604,-?47. Patentead May 31, 1898.

[I1/VENTURI M 7'/ ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

J. H. GUEST. ELECTRIC RAILWAY. No. 604,747. Patented May 31, 1898.

INI/ENTOR:

Al, WITNESSES UNITED STATES JOHN' H. GUEST, OF BOSTON,v MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO LINUS CHILD, EDGAR O. VA'OIIORN, `R. SHERMAN YORK, AND WILLIAM L.

' WI-IITOOMB, OF SAME PLACE, AND4 CHARLES H. vMOORE,

FIELD, VERMONT.

OF SPRING- ELEcTRlc naine/AY.-

l SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 6043er?, dated May 31, 1898.l

Application tiled October 20, 1896. Serial No. 609,418. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, J OHN H. GUEST, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain newand useful Improved Electric Railway, oi' which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to electric railways 'wherein the Working conductor from which the car-picks up the power-current is divided into sections which are automatically oonnected with the power source as the car moves along by means of switches `controlling the connections of said sections individually and operated by means of electromagnets which are energized when the car enters a section.

My invention lrelates in some of its features to the manner of supplying the actuating current for said magnets froma supplemental stationary generator in contradistinction to the main power-generator or to a generator carried by the car itself.

My invention relates, further, to the construction and manner of sealing and protecting the magnetic switches; to the details of such switches, whereby they shall not 'be caused to open their connection until after the circuit is fully opened on the working conductor or rail; to the construction of the main contact-rail and the mounting of the oiie or more sets ofsupplemental contact-rails used in connection with it; to the construcl tion and operation of the trolley or contact devices used with the main rail and supplemental rail, and to other details of construction and combination of devices more particularly hereinafter described, and then recited `in the claims.

Saline.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section through one end of the -switch-operatingl magnet and its containing trolley and contactdeviccs, the contact-rails,

suitable conducting material, and uponit travel one or more trolley-wheels, through and the Stringer or conduit containing the 5el switches and some of the conductors. Fig. 7

is a side elevation of the trolley and contact devices, a part being broken-away. Fig. 8 shows in side elevatioma part of two o f the supplemental rails or conductors, the trough- 5 5 shaped containing-rail being in section. Fig. 9`is a general diagram of the apparatus.

Referring to Fig. 6, A is a longitudinal Stringer, preferably made of wood, hollowed at-its top and extending along the line ,of 6o track, preferably between the rails, and, if desired, buried. In the hollow top are located the switch-inagx'iets and the insulated conf ductors which form such of the line conductors as it is desired to thoroughly insulate. The top of the Stringer A is closed by a contact-rail B, fastened securely to the top of the Stringer, so as to make a good water-tight joint, thereby sealing the trough-shaped cavity in the Stringer against the entranceof 7e moisture. The rail B is preferablyitselit in the/ shape oi`-a trough, as shown, having anges at its side to adapt it to be fastened to the Stringer. The rail B is made of iron or other which the electric currents used in the system may pass. Mounted orsu'pported within the trough-shaped conductor B are one or more sets of supplemental contact-rails or conductors a c. y

As the system as hereinbefore described requires two sets,.I have shown in thedrawings two such setsofV rails, which may be formed as plain bars supported on edge with their upper edge slightly above the edge of the rail B to adaptthem to be engaged by contacts orcontact trolleys or shoes 'carried by the vehicle or by the trolley-carriage that travels on therail B.

The supplemental rails a o. may he supported, as shown, by transverse pins b, eX- tending from one to the other side or llange of the trough and secured'therein in any suitable Way, but insulated from said rails a a .by sleeves orwashers of insulating material, as shown. The said rails may be securely an-V chored in the trough and insulated from one another by a filling of concrete or insulating cement or other suitable substance, which extends ush with the edges of the trough and as near as practicable to the upper edge of the rails c c.

The upper or contact surfaces of the several rails are in ordinary cases of city traffic made flush with the road-bed, thepaving'or street surface being brought up close to the edge of the trough-shaped rail B. However, if circumstances permit, the said rail may-be left exposed at its sides.

Within the conduit or Stringer A are located the several magnetic switches, the incasing tubes of which are indicated by the letter C. This tube may be of any desired material, preferablyinsulation or lined with insulation, andwithin it and closely tted therein are the electromagnets of the ordinary tubular construction, cutaway at one side, if desired, toallowy room for the electric switches. The several parts of these operating electromagnets are shown more fully in Figs. 1 to 5.

D is a metal tube,of brass or other conducting material, within which slides-V to a limited extent and backward and forward under-,theI influence of the. coils a core D. With this core the contact of' the switch en-v gages, thereby closing a connection between the. wire or conductor secured to the tube D and the wire or conductor connected with the moving contact.

Surrounding .the tube D are the sleeves or heads. D2, preferably of insulation, between` which and surrounding the tube D are-Wound the coils of the electromagnet, provision be-y in-g made, as shown, for two coils, one connected with one of the sectional conductors ofthe series and the other with the next succeeding one thereof, as shown in thediagram Fig. 9'.

- The contacts ot' the switch are carried by springs or arms. mounted on one of the'heads' D2, asclearly shown, and contact is made with the core D through the heads at the extreme ends. of the electromagnets, which are cut away for that purpose.

Connection with the. metal tube D is madebymeans of a plu gof metal d, fitted or screwed tightly into the end of the tube and having a projection or extension extending outwardly for attachment of a conductor of the system, the end of the tube itself being filled inwith. cementing and sealing material, preferably of an insulating character, asshown, thus .protecting the interior securely against the possible'entrance of moisture. The heads D2' preferably t the interior of the tube C, as

shown in the. end view, and after the insertionof the magnet and the attached switch devices the end of thetube' C is securely sealed with any suitable material-as, for instance, by means. of' a solid plug e, over which is applied thesealing-cement e. Through thisseal theconnections for the switch pass.

The switch itself is constructed in the fol` lowing manner: Eis a spring one end ofwhichis fastened to a head D2, as shown, while its of the spring is cut to form a spring-tongue,

to which is secured an armature E2, having a central portion or perforation to permit the passage of the supplemental contact. The i armature E2 is preferably faced with copper ztoprevent sticking. f The supplemental contact F is of Aany suitable material-as, for instance, copper--and is secured to a spring F2, passing over the top of the spring E, and Ipasses through the armature E2, extending slightly below the copper lfacin g thereof. The 'spring E has a bias tending to lift the arma- :ture and with it the pin F, while the spring p F2, which is, however, the weaker one, has a 'bias tending to lower said pi'n. The conse- :qllnce is that when the armature is lowered "magnet is energized. When the circuit is broken through the magnet,V the armature is released', but the pin remains in contact until y,the armature has moved 'back sufficiently to :engage with the under side of the spring F2 i and lift the latter, with' the pin F. By means got this. double action or followingcontact it will be seen that aruptureof circuit at the switch will not take place at the instant of the breaking oflci'rcuit through the coil on the magnet, but, la slight interval will exist lwhich will give time for the full breaking of the connection in the circuit of the coil by the trolley or contactcarried by the car. The two I:coils are wound' over the core in such way as to both tend to polarize the core in the same fdireetion. Hence when the system is, as ordinarily, so organized that the second coil comes into action before the first goes out fthere will be no tendency of the switch to open'mome-ntarily, as would be the case if the coils were reversely wound, thus tending i toreyerse the polarity and allow the armature to spring away. l v

The core -D is capable of slight longitudinal movement backward and, forward under the Iiniiuence of the coils, which, as already exfplained, act in succession, and thereby the connection between the core and tube is kept goed,- as Well as the surface where the switch makes connection with the core. The core is l shown in one of its extreme positions in Fig. 5. 1 As will be seen, the switch at one end is drawn down into contact with the core, but the op- -posite end of the core is out of position where connection cou-ldl be made with .it by the switcheven if the armature should be drawn down by thesliglit attractive effects at the opposite end. The ends of the core where contact i-s made are slightly bent, as indicated, so that vthe core can pass freely under the spring-contact, if at the time the core is shifted suchspring should be depressed.

As Will be understood, one or more additional switch-contacts might be mounted IIO around the head D2, and provision 'for an eX- tra one is shown in Fig. 5.A By thus providing a plurality of switches for each section of the system a number of paths for the working 4current is aiforded, thus avoiding the ported on the end of an arm H. This arm is.l

preferably swiveled or hung upon, but insulatedv from, the car-axle orother suitable portion of the truck, so as to be capable of a ver- -ticalmotiom and is jointed at an intermediate portion of its length, as at h, so as to be capable of turning in a horizontal planeat its free end to permit the trolley to pass freely around a curve. Connection with the double .trolley-wheel is made in the usual mannerby attachment to the frame or yoke. Y I I are the contact-shoes, which travel upon the supplemental conductors a a'. A description of the manner of mounting and constructing one of said shoes will suiiic'e\for b'oth. '4 -Each shoe is mounted and guided vertically in a hanger K, which, as shown, is supported by the' main trolley, being for that purpose swiveled or hung from the axle of the trolley-wheels, but kept out of electrical connection therewith by a sleeve of insulating material, as indicated. This hanger K is so hung as to be capable of turning slightly, its turning motion being limited by stops or' abutments with which an arm extending from said hanger engages, as shown, vsaid stops consisting of screws or pins K, mounted on vthe yoke G and faced with insulatin-g material. Each'shoe is presseddownward, pref erably by a spring K2, seated in the hanger K, and is guided vertically by means of the headed pins or studs passing through vertical openings in said hanger, as clearly shown. By this construction the shoe has a free upand-down movement and is securely pressed into contact with the rail, but is also adapted to pass over any accidental obstructions.

The connections from' the supplemental .rails a a are made by Wires or conductors pass:

ing through the bottom of the metal trough B into the trough in the top of the strin ger, where they are joined to 'the springs carrying the switch operated by the magnet and to one terminal of a coil of said magnet byawire passing, as indicated in Fig. l, through the sealing in the end of` the protecting-casing C.

Referring to the diagram, the power-generator for operating the motor M on the car is indicated at P.' The circuit of the motor is controlled over the ordinary controllingarm R and artilicial resistance r or other device of suitable character, and one pole of the motor is connected with the main trolley or contact G, as shown, moving on the troughshaped conductor B, the latter being itself connected to one pole of the power-generator l. The other pole of said generator connects with the wire L, insulated by preference and running through ythe conduit, and connection is taken off at suitable intervals from said wire L to the switch-magnets, be-

ing joined for that purpose with the plugsd i and so with the cores with which the switches make contact. A double connection, as iudicated, is preferably made foreach double magnet.

The supplemental stationary generator is indicated at 1?', this generator being located at the station with P or any other desired pointon the permanent way and supplying the current for operating the electromagnets over a circuit quite independent of the power- L circuit. One pole of 4said generator P con- -nects to an insulated Wire L', running through the conduit and itself connected at intervals ,g

to one end of the coils of the magnet through the end of the tube C or in any other preferable Way, While the other'end o f said coils connects individually with the supplemental con.- tacts or rails a', as shown in the. diagram. The shoe I', which travels on theilatter, is on the vehicle or car connected to a co'ntact-seg-l ment R2, whichis engaged by a part on the controller device in such manner that when thecontroller is operated to bring-,the motor into action connection'is closed between R2 anda segment R3, which in turn is joined to the main wheels of the car or car-truck which travel on the car-rail, thereby formingaconnection to said rail or to ground and completing the return-circuit to the opposite pole of the supplemental generator l, one pole of which is, as shown, connected to said rail or rooA to ground. .The circuit of said generator is,

as will be seen over lline L t'oa magnet-'coil to a conductor a', to shoe I', by segment R2 R3, i

ground, and back to the generator P. The magnet is thereby energized and the connection closed for the power-circuit over one of the other sets of conductors c, the latter being connected, .as shown, individually to the springs which carry the switch-contacts by attachment of connections running down fromI the conductors into the conduit A and there joined to theexpesed ends of the supportingspringsE. The power-circuit thus closed at any time is by its main conductor L, to the tube D, core D', switch-contact F and E2, spring E, conductor a., contact-shoe I, traveling over said set of conductors a to thel controller-resistance, to motor M, trolley G, rail B, and back to the generator. When the shoel passes from one rail a to the neXt rail a', it energizes the magnet for the next succeeding switch and releases the previously-operated one in obvious manner, thus closing and opening in succession the connections between the sections a.v and the power-circuit or conductor. At the same time the shoe I travels into and out of connection "with the successive sections a, thereby supplying the current to thel motor.

I do not lim it myself to the use of supplemental contacts or conductors ci a' ofv any particular length or to separating those which are in the same line with one another by spaces of any particular length, as it is obvious that the length of said conductors may-be shortened and the spaces widened by makingthe contactshoe I or I' longer; nor do I limit myself to mak.- ing the trough or conduit B in a continuons eral sections shortened and connected' toI one another by other means. I also wish it tobe understood that I do not limit myself to supporting or carrying the supplemental contact or shoe I or I from any particular portion of the main trolley or its carriage, though by preference its hanger or support is for convenience mounted upon the axle of the trolley.

Other variations in the details of the apparatus may obviously be made without departing from the spiriti and scope of my claims-as hereinafter made.

It will be observed that in the system before described there are practically two circuits, each insulated from the other and both for the purpose of operating the. switch-magnets and the other for the power-circuit, the

'connection of the sections of which with the power-generatorare controlled by said switch mechanism. By this system said circuitsto wit, one for the power and the other for the switch magnets-being entirely independent `of one another and completely insulated, the dangers and the diiiicultics experienced with sectional electric railways in which switchmagnets are employed are largely avoided.

It is quite obvious that the switch-magnets may be operated Serrat/m over their proper circuit by a generator in any desired position or location, as well understood in the art, and while I have shown such generator as stationary--that is to say, not carried by and moving with the vehicle-I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the location of the same, as it may be placed in other positions, as well understood in the art.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination with the trough-shaped contact-rail forming a workin g conductor, the

supplemental contact -rails or conductors within the same, the metal cross pins orbars mounted in the sides of the trough and passing through said rails but insulated from them, and a filling of insulating cement or concrete in which the rails and pins are anchored.

2. In a conduit-railway system, a switchoperating magnet having spool-heads fitting into a protective tube hermetically sealed at its end with a plug or stopper, and permanent or fixed connections for said switch and magnet passing through and hermetically sealed in said plug or stopper.

3. A switch-operating magnet having spoolheads fitted into a containing-tube having a seal at its end through whichpermanent magnet connections pass and in which they are hermetically sealed.

e'. The combination with the metal tube in which the contact-core slides, of the` fixed metal plug filling tho bore of the tube at the end, anda circuit connection to said plug eX- l `tending through the end of the tube. length, as it might be subdivided and the sev- 1 5. The combination with the metal tube and sliding core therein, of the Xed metal plug `lling the bore of the tube and having a conducting extension, and a filling of insulatingcement over said plug."

6. In a sectional electric railway, the combination with an armature adapted to close the circuit to a section, of a supplemental contact carried or operated thereby, and hav` ing a lost motion as described, whereby said 1 parts 'may fol-low one another in opening con- 1 tact.

7. The combination with the circuit-closing armature, of a spring-actuated contact operated thereby and working through an opening in said armature. forming practically complete metallic circuits 8. The combination with the tubular armature,- of the contact-pin working through said armature and normallysupported thereby.

9: The combination with the circuit-closin g .armature and pin supported thereby,'of two springs one tending to lift the armature and the other of inferior power tending to depress the pin, as and for the purpose described.

' l0. The combination with the trough-shaped Stringer carrying the magnetic switches and connections, of a surface contact-rail forming a removable cover-plate for the same.

l1. The combination with the trough-shaped Stringer containing the magnetic switches, of a trough-shaped cover supported on top of said stringer and 'containing one or more contactrails or conductors supported in an insulatingcement contained within said cover, and connections therefrom passing through the bottom of the trough.

l2. The combination with the trough-shaped Stringer containing the magnetic switches, of a trough-shaped contact-rail supported on the top thereof and forming a cover therefor, and supplemental contact-rails or conductors supported in said cover in a mass of insulatingcement, and connections therefrom passing through the bottom of said cover.

13. The combination with a reciprocating core, of contacts each adapted to touch the same, and actuating coils wound as described to produce the same polarity in said core, and operating alternately on said core to move it in opposite directions.

14. The combination with the reciprocating core moving in a metal tube, of the magnetcoils on said tube, and a pair of armatures supported on the tube and adapted to close connection with the core at opposite ends thereof.

15. ,In a conduit-railway system, a troughshaped stringer containing one or more lines IOO IIO

rio

'of conductor and magnetic switches, a cover 'or seal for the same formed as a trough and resting on top of said stringer and a surface guided on a swinging hanger, swinging in a vertical plane and provided with a pressurespring, as and for the purpose described.

17. The combination with the main trolley, of thel hanger swiveled on the axle thereof, a vertically-guided spring-actuatedl shoe carried by said'hanger, and suitable abutments or stops between which said hanger may have a limited swing.

18. The combination, substantially as described, with the pair of contact-trolleys moving over a suitable line of rails, of a supple` mental contact-shoe supported by and vertically movable independently of said trolley and adapted to engage with a line of supplemental rails between the main rails.

19. The combination, substantially as described, of a trough-shaped main conductor and trolley moving thereon, one or more supplemental contact rails anchored in the,

' trough, and a contact for the latter supported by the main trolley and-adapted to move up and down independently thereof.

` 20. The combination with the main trolley- Wheels, bearing respectively on two parallel lines of insulated conductor, of the hanger supported on an insulating-sleeve between said wheels, and a contact shoe or trolley ,carried by said hangen A 21. The combination, substantially as described, of the arm swiveled on the car-axle and jointed so as to be capable of turning' horizontally, a pair of contact-trolleys mountc'd on the end of said arm andadapted to move over suitable conducting-rails, andtwo sets of intermediatel contact-rails upon which bear a pair of contact-shoes insulated from one another and supported by the'said .trolley-wheel.

22. The combination, substantially as described, of a main conductor formed as a trough and having a-pair of supplemental conductors mounted within it andarranged in sections, a pair oftrolley-wheels moving on the edges of said trough, and two independent supplemental contact-shoes insulated from one another and mounted between.

sa'id trolley-Wheels, said supplemental shoes bearing respectively on'the sectional supplemental conductors.

23. Inan electric railway,a series of insulated sections and normally open magnetic switches therefor through which the car takes power-current, asupplemental series of in sulated contacts normally insulated from one another and from the first-named series, and a supplemental generator for operating said switches, said generator being connected with the car over a trolley or moving contact moving -upon said supplemental series.

24. In an electric railway, the combination substantially as described, of a series of sectional conductors insulated from one another,

means for supplying power to the car over the same, a` second series of conductors dis-v connected from one another,a series of switchoperatingV magnets, switches 'actuated thereby but normally open, a supplemental generator, and means for supplying current from the same over the car and a second series of' sectional conductors to said magnets.

25. In an .electric railway, a power-circuit for the car formed over a single series of sectlonal conductors insulated from ground, a

traveling contact, a series of normally open switches operated in succession, and a suitable electric return, and a supplemental switch-magnet circuit supplied from a separate stationary generator and formed over a traveling contact, a second series of insulated conductors, and a third traveling contact carried by the car.

26. The combination, substantially as described, of a trough-shaped conductor forming a portion of the power-circuit, and two setsof insulated conducting rails or contacts anchored in said trough and arranged `in sections, one of said sets being connected withsuitable switches and forming a part of the power-circuit and the otherset being e011-,

nected with the coils of suitable switch-operating magnets, as and for the purpose described. v

27. In an electric-railway system, the combination with the switch-magnet for each section, of a plurality of switch-contacts simultaneously operated thereby and having multiple connections for the power-current.

28. In an electric-railway system, the combination substantially as described,.of a series of normally-dead power-supply surface contacts or conductors and a metallic return forming the metallic power-circuit, normally open switchesI for closing the connections to the sections of power-supply conductors as the car progresses, asectional switch-operating-magnet circuit independent of the powercircuit and insulated therefrom, andi a separate generator for actuating the magnetswitches individually connected to the latter sections of conductor, said switch-operatingmagnet circuit being also a metallic circuit and formed over two sets of conductors positive and negative respectively, one set being divided into sections and i-nsulatedfrom the contacts or conductors over which the powercurrentis supplied to the car, as and for the purpose described.

Icol

29. In an electric-railway system, a main. l

supply-conductor, aseries of branch circuits connected therewith, said branch circuits being normally open, an auxiliary circuit, a series of branch circuits connected therewith, said auxiliary branch circuits being also normally open, but adapted to be closed by the Signed at New York, in the county of New passage of the car, means arrangefl solely in York and Stateof New York, .this 14th day of ro said auxiliary branch circuits and. actuated October, A., D. 1896. by the opening and closing of said auxiliary 1 5 circuit for opening and closing said main cir- 1 JOHN H' GUhST cuits, and means for completing the main Witnesses: v

branch circuits through the translating de- DELBERT H. DECKER, vices onthe car. WM. H. CAPEL.

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