US700130A

US700130A - Electric railway.

Info

Publication number: US700130A
Application number: US3872400A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles J Kintner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1900-12-05
Filing date: 1900-12-05
Publication date: 1902-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 1919-05-13

Description

No. 4:m0,l3u. Patented may I3, |902. c. .1. Klum-:n.-

ELECTBIC RAILWAY.

(Application tiled Dele. 5, 1900.)

INVENTOR;

4 Shats-Sheet I.

/VITNSES z gffw No. 7oo,|3o. Paiented may I3, |902.

C. J. KINTNER.

. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application led Dec. 5, 1900.) (na'updel.) 4 sheets-sheet 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR;

No. 700,l30. Patented May I3, |902.

c .l KmTm-:R

ELEcTmc nAlLwAv.

(Applction filed Dsc. 5, 1900.)

4 sheets-sheet a.

(N Model.)

Hugh..

No. 7oo,|3o. Y. Patented may 13, |902.v

vc. J.V kunnen.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application led Dec. 5, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATn-sjfPATnNT Garros,

CHARLES J. KiNrNnafoF/Nlnw Yoan N. Y.

ELECTRIC'IRILWAY;

' SPECIFCATION formngpart of Letters Patent No. 700,130, dated May 13,1902.

Application filed December 5, 1900. Serial No. 38,724. (No model.)

To all whom Vt may concerne-v, i Be it known that I, CHARLES J. KINTNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the borough of Manhattan, countyv and State of New York, have made a new and which a current feeder or main is connected with a source of electrical energy at a powerhouse and extends over the entire route, sec-; tional third rails or conductors being locatedA in close proximity to the roadbed and provided with means for automatically conne'ctf ing the same toand disconnecting them from the current feederh or main as a car, vehicle,- ortrain travels by or thereover; and it has for Vits:ol ujects,:first, to provide a sectionalt-hird-'ragil safety systemvof electric railwaysI adapted especiallylfor use in tunnels,` on ele-Y,` vatedstructures, and on suburban orcross-I country Vroads or generally in places where` there is a comparatively, small amount of sur:l

face traiic; second, to provide a sectionalthird-rail safety system of electric railways in which rear and front end collisions are avoided by so controlling the movements of the switches betweenadjacent third-rail sections and the current feeder' or main, thatv when a car, vehicle, or train is passing by or, over any third-rail section andutilizing cur-L rent therefrom no current ca n be supplied to any car, vehicle, or train entering vthe sec-f tions immediately in the front or rearotherea of; third, to provide a sectionalfthird-'rail safety system of electric railways in which rear and:.fron t end collisions are avoided'by so controlling the lmovements of the switches between adjacent third-rail sections and the curnent feeder or main that when a car, ve-

hicle', or train is passing by or over any third,

rail sectiony andzutilizing current therefrom -no current can be suppliedv to any car, vehi-` cle, or train entering .the sections immediatelyinjthe frontor rear Ythereof and to combinesuch a system with a system of safety and danger signals; fourth, to provide a sectional-third-rail safet y system of electric rai1- ways with means for avoiding front and rear.

end collisions, said means being so arranged A that the switching mechanism for the sections immediately Vin the rear and front of that over iwhich a car., vehicle, or train is passing are rendered temporarily inoperative,and to combinewi-th said Vmeans additional means between the ends of adjacent sections for enabling a motorman to cause his car or Vehicle to enter `npon the same section with another car or vehicle preceding and to maintain said section alive'during the time that the car is passing by or thereover, even after the Iirst-named car has passed out of or off the section by or over which it was moving; fifth,

tem ofk 'electric railways with means for avoidling front and'rear end collisions, said means being so arranged that' theswitching mechanism for the sections immediately in the rearand-front of that over which a car, vehicle, or train is Ipassing' are rendered temporarily-inoperative, and to combine with said'rmeans'additional means between the ends of adjacent sections for enabling a motorman to causehis car or vehicle to overtake 'a preceding car, even after it has passed foffthe section nextv in advance, and also to provide additional signaling mechanism for givingA a2 special indication or signal to 'the motorman of followingcars or vehicles that two or more cars or vehicles are passing over a preceding section; sixth, to provide a sectional-.third-rail safety system of electric railways embodying a current feeder or main; a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom, and' safetyfcircuits including releasing circuits for rendering the switches temporarily Ainoperative with aseries of permanent glowing or burninglilluminating or lamp signals located onebetween each succeeding pair ofthird-railscctions for the purpose of inin'a tunnel at alltimes the beginning and ending of successive sections of. these rails; seventh, to provide a sectional-'third-rail safety system of electricrailwaysembodying a current feederzorymain, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom, and safety-circuits including releasing devices for rendering the switches temporarily inoperative, with a series of permanent glowing or burning illui 'ton provide a, sectional-third-rail safety sysdicating to a motorman either at night or IOO minating or lamp signals located one between each succeeding pair of third-rail sections for the purpose of indicating to a motorman at night or in a tunnel at all times the beginning and ending of successive sections, and to combine with the samea series of danger illuminating signals or lamps located in close proximity to the rst-named lamps and controlled by the movements of the cars or vehicles,so thatthe condition as to safetyor danger maybe indicated to each motorman before his car or vehicle reaches said sections in succession; eighth, to provide manual circuit-breaking switches near eachof the switchboxes of a safety third-rail system of electric railways so related to the automatic switches and current connections therefor and to the current feeder or main that any one or all'o'f said third rails may be left permanently electrically connected to the current feeder or main when desired, so as to constitute, in effect, a continnous-third-rail system over any part or all of the route and for anylength of time.

My invention will be fully understood by referring to the accompanying drawings and following specification, the especialpoints of novelty being particularly pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

Figure 1 isa diagrammatic view illustrating in detail a complete sectional-third-rail safety system embodying a power-house generator, a current feeder or main extending therefrom over the route, a starting-switch at the power house, my novel form of rotary switches, a system of safety and danger signals, and a diagrammatic view of a carpassing over one of the sections from left to right. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of my novel mechanically-actuated switches and one of the switch-boxes as applied in connection with elevated structures, tunnels, and suburban or cross-country roads, whereit is not necessary to have the switches and switch-boxes located beneath or flush with the road-surface. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View of one of the switch-boxes adapted for use in connection with the form of switchillustrated in Fig. 2, taken on the line S T, Fig. 4, and as seen looking thereat from left to right in the direction of the arrows, the spiral thread or iin of the tubular rotary switch, the switchactuating trolley for rotating the switch, all located outside of the switch-box, and the switch-circuit-controlling mechanism inside the box being all shown in elevational View. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken ou the broken line Q R, Fig. 3, and as seen looking thereat from the top toward the bottom of thedrawing in the direction of the arrows, the end of one of the switches, its journalbearings, the clectromagnets for controlling the release ot the switches, together with arm within the switch-box being broken away for the purpose of better illustrating the resultant action upon the connections therein. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View of one `of the third rails, its means of support, the

one electromagnet in each switch-box, a se-A ries of permanent glowing or burning illuminating or lamp signals being also shown diagrammatically for the purpose of indicating to motormen the beginning and ending of each third-rail section. Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating the means for and manner of operating any one of the switches manually whenever it becomes necessary so to do.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and first to Fig. 1, d represents the powerhouse dynamo, and c the current feeder or main extending over the route, t t the tramrails of the entire road, and 1 1 pairs of branch feeders running from the current feeder or main to armature-levers 17 in switch-boxes between each pair of third rails or sectional conductors r yr, there being shown in the diagram ve such sections, from section No. 1 to section No. 5, inclusive. s s are springterminals located within the switch-boxes, there being one pair in each switch-box, (see also Fig. 3,) and 2 7, 2 7 are safety-circuits connected to the opposite ends of each sectional third rail or conduct-or and to the spring-terminals S s, said safety-circuits running in opposite directions from the ends of the third rails or'conductors to the distant ends of the adjacent sectional third rails or conductors, where they are connected directly to earth orto the return-circuit of the powerhouse generator, the arrangement being such that under normal conditions there is no electrical potential upon the sectional third rails or conductors or upon the safety-circuits. fu

,fit are fuses of well-known form, located in the branches 2 of the safety-circuits between the sectional third rails or conductols and the spring-terminals s s. st' .si is a signal apparatus located in each of the safety-circuits 2 7 and including both visual and audible signals, if need be, of any well-known form electromagnetically controlled in a mannerv well understood by those skilled in the art,

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safety-circuits 2 7, 2 7 and having armaturelevers 17 17 with hooks at their free ends,

l there being one pair of said magnets in each switch-box. These hooked armature-levers 17 17 and spring-terminalss s'constitute the conductingterminals for locking the sectional third rails or conductors electrically in connection with the current feeder or main until they are released when a car passes out of a section. f f represent thetubular rotary switches located between the ends of each adjacent pair of third rails, said switches be- Y ing preferably from thirty tog fifty feet in length and provided with a spiral thread or fin g having the desired pitch. (See Figs. 2 and 3.) This spiral thread or lin is so locatedl with relation to a switch-actuating trolleyroller to", carried beneath the car,that when the car moves in one direction it will move it (the switch) one way (say to the right,) and when in the other direction the other way, (say to the left.) These rotary switches are supported attheiropposite ends and interme'diatepoints, if need be, in vjournal-bearings with a single switch -box fn, preferably at one end, and

strong spiral springsjj are secured, exterior to the box, to downwardly extending arms from the switch, the arrangement being such that a Vertical arm h,located within the switchboX, assumes normally the position shown in Fig. 3 between the ends of the two yielding or spring terminals s s, secured to the insulating material t' within the box. hw is ahand-switch -at the power-house for starting the cars over the route, and sw is a releasing-switch for disconnecting the third-rail sectionnearest the power-house. 16 16 represent, diagrammatically, the wheels of a car traveling in :the direction of the arrow and just entering section- No. 3. m0 represents the motor on board of the car connected by a conductor 4 4 to the current collecting trolley 14, which makes electrical contact with the third rails r as it passes thereover. The operation of this form of the apparatus is as follows: For the purpose of starting a car at the power-house the starter operates the hand-switch hw, causing thespring-terminal s to be locked or held up behind the hook of the armature-lever 17 of the releasing-electromagnet 15, therebyconnecting'the third rail r of section No. 1 to the current feeder or main by branch feeder 1, armature-lever 17, spring-terminal s, fuseftt,

and branch conductor 2 of the safety-circuit 2 7. As the kcar illustrated in the drawingis just entering section No. 3 and leaving sec` tion No. 2, for the purpose of understanding the operation it will be sufficient to describe the circuit connections as operatively illustrated at that point. As itentered section No. 3 the trolley-roller tr, bearing upon the spiral-thread or fin g of the switch f, (see also Figs. 2 and 3,) caused said switch to be rotated gradually and without shock from right to left or, as seen looking at Fig. 2, from the left toward the right hand end of that figure, so that the insulating-ping) at the lower end Aterminal s to be hooked up behind the hook of the armature-lever 17 of the releasing-electromagnet 15 on the right. Consequently the circuit was closed from the power-house generator d throughv the current feeder or main c, branch feeder 1, armature-lever 17 of magnet 15 at the entrance of section No. 3, springterminals, fuse fu, branch conductor 2 of the safety-circuit 2 7, third rail r of section No. 3, current-collecting trolley 14, and conductor 4 to the motor on board of the car by the wheels 16 to earth and return, thus causing the'car to advance from left to right in the direction of the arrow. A branch circuit was at the same time closed from the spring-terminal S by the branch 7 of the safety circuit or conductor 2 7 to the rear, throughzreleasing-electromagnet 15, through the 4magnetic signal-controlling apparatus in the box of the signal si to earth, thus setting the signal si to danger so long as the cark remains over section No. 3 and givingbotha visual and audi-` ble danger-signal at the entrance of section No. 2 that acar is on section No. 3. Itwill also be noticed that inasmuch as the armature-lever 17 of electromagnet 15 at the entrance to section No. 2 is held in its forward position, as shown, no current can .be availablelfor `any car entering section No. 2 from the rearso long as the car is taking currentfrom' third rail r of section No. 3, .because even if-the spring-terminalsbe moved intoits proper. position by theswitch f at the entrance-to-that section it will .not come into electrical contact with or be locked by the "hookof the armature-lever 17 of electromagnet 15, so that an incoming car will simply pass and rotate the switch and stop for lack of current, said switchbeing inoperativel for the purpose of connecting this third rail or conductorV to the current feeder or main until :the car has passed out of the section in advance or until IOO IIO

the switch at the end of thelnext section in advance has been rotated. Returning again to the spring-terminal at the entrance of section No. 3, a third circuit was closed from the y third rail' r through both branches of the safety-circuit 2 7, running to the distant end of section No.4,electromagnet 15 at that point, and the signal-operating apparatusin the box of signal si, thus displaying a visual dangersignal and operating anaudibledanger-signal at that point while the carremains on section No. 3, so that an incoming car in the opposite direction will have a warning t'wo sections in advance. It will also be apparent that said incoming car at the entrance of section No. 4 on the right will not advance after it passes and rotates its switch f, because the spring-terminal s will not be held up when the switch actuates it, the hook ofthe armaturev lever 17 of electromagnet lbeing held inits.

front position during the time that a car is passing by or over section No.3. The system is therefore a complete block and safety system in two senses-first, in that `no current canbe utilized by cars either in front or in the rear of a car which is utilizing current from a given section; second, in that danger and safety signals, both audible and visual, are heard and displayed in the front and in the rear of a car upon a given section; third, in

' that all of the sectional third rails or conductors and all of the safety-circuits for controlling the operation of the switches and the signals are normally so connected to the station-generator that they are without current potentiahthereby making 4it absolutely impossible to receive dangerous shock from the exposed conductors and avoiding any possibility of current leakage in all of the conductors which extend over the route parallel with the train-rails, the only conductor of any substantial length having current potential being the positive-current feeder or main c, which is well insulated, as are also the very short branch feeders 1, which connect the current-feeders directly to the armature-levers 15.

It is obvious that the arrangement of electromagncts l5, safety circuits or conductors 2 7, signal mechanism si, and the several circuits and circuit connections, as shown in the diagram, admit of the possibility of running cars in either direction at will. At the extreme left of the drawings lis shown a switch sw, the function of which is to release the spring-terminal S of section No. 1 when a car returns to the power-house. This releasingswitch Sw is so located with relation to the switch-actuating trolley-rollerti1 carried by the car that when it enters the power-house the circuit will be closed through safety circuit or conductor 7 to releasing-electromagnet-15 on the extreme right of section No. 1, thus releasing` the spring-terminal s and restoring the signal si between section Ilo. 1 and section No. 2 to safety Referring now to Fig. 7 of the drawings, I will describe a preferred modiiied form of the invention in which there only one electromagnet 15 located in each switch-box, the magnets being preferably of the horseshoe type and so constructed that the coils thereof are connected independently to earth or the return-circuit of the power-house generator on one side and on the opposite sides one to the end ofthe third rail ol' one of the sections next adjoining and the other to one of the spring-terminals s at the end of the section next adjoining in the other direction and also to the adjacent end of the next sectional rail in that direction, the arrangement being such thata single armature-lever 17 in each switchbox controls the releasing of the spring-terminals s when the magnets are energized by one coil on either leg of the core thereof. Upon the left of this diagram I have illustrated means for enabling a motorman to causehis car or vehicle to enter upon the same section with another car or vehicle preceding it in either direction and to maintain said section alive during the time that said car is passing thereover, even after the first-named car has passed off the section, said means consisting of shunts or branch circuits of the safety circuit or conductor 2 7 varound both coils of the magnet 15 and including electromagnets 31, the armature-levers of which are normally on theirback stops and included normallyin the circuits with the coils of the magnets 15, danger-signaling apparatus si, lamps 18, and switches 27, the front contacts of said armature-levers being adapted to make circuit through the magnets 31, as shown in dotted lines, and to temporarily shunt the coils of the magnets 15. 33 33 are signal-boxes for concealing visual signals 35 35, carried by the armature-levers 32 It will be understood, of course, that there should be one pair of these magnets 3l, together with their armature-levers, shunt and other circuit connec' tions, between each pair of third rails, only one set thereof being illustrated in order not to unnecessarily complicate the drawings, and that all of this apparatus shall be arranged in the propersignal posts vo r towers. This feature of my invention also contemplates the use of an additional lamp of a different color from the lamp 18 and so arranged that when the armature-lever 32 is on its front stop and the signal 35 is displayed a different-colored lamp, as a green lamp, will be exposed, such an arrangement being easily effected by a circuit-breaker between the pivoted portion of t'he armaturelever 32 and the multiple branch circuits running tothe signaling appratus si and lamp 18,

so that when the armature-lever is moved up a new or independent circuit will be effected to earth through the green lamp, or these green glowing-lam ps may be arranged in multiple circuit with the magnets 3l and in series with the red glowing-lamps 18, so that both sets of signals will be displayed at one and the same time, thus giving to the lnotorman indication of the fact of danger at the entrance of a given section and also an especial condition ofalfairs in that two or more cars are grouped or hunched in a preceding section, as indicated by the green light. 27 27 are hand-switches in the safety-circuits or conductors 2 7 and between all of the signaling apparatus included in these circuits and the earth, their function being to Aenable one to operatively disconnect the safety-circuits of any or all of the third rails or sections., so as to leave the latter permanently connected to' the current feeder or main c.

I have also illustrated in Fig. 7 ofthe drawings a separate current feeder or main extending over the route and operatively connected with an independent generator g at the power-house station,said feeder or main including in circuit a series of electric lamps 1, one of said lamps being located in the signal post or tower between each pair of third rails or sections, the arrangement being such that said lamps will indicate continuously at night and in tunnels at all times the location of the signal-posts between the several IOO IOS

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'for and the manner, of manually operating any one of the switches fin the event of its becoming necessary so to do, said means consisting of a lever 28, provided with an insulating handle 29 and hook 30, the manner of rotating the switch being made apparent'on inspection ofthis figure of the drawings, it being obvious thatthe motorman has simply -to apply the device, as shown, with a hook 30,

taking behind one side of thel thread or iin g, and exercising the necessary pressnreupon the handle 29 untilthe spring-terminal s is locked behind the armatu relever17 by the action of the pin p at the-lower en'd of the arm h in the corresponding switch-box. Each motorman would of course` be provided with one ofl these manual switch-operating devices. As the-.general diagrammatic arrangement of this modified form of the invention is very similar tothe system illustrated i`nI1`ig..1, a

descriptionof the mode of operationvwill be at oncer obvious. C The car has just entered the left-hand end of section No. 3 and' the trolleyroller fr has just rotated therotary switchfso that the crank-pin p on vthe shaft thereof at one end in the switch-box'has forced the springterminal on the right into the posidynamo d by the current feeder or main c to branch feeder 1, armature-lever'17, spring ter-v minal s, safety circuit or conductor 2 7 to thev rear, through the right-,hand coil of the releasing-electromagnet 15,` between section No. 1 and section No.2,bysafetycircuitorconductor 2 7, semaphore signaling apparatus si, incandescent lamp 18, and switch 27 to earth, thus indicating danger at the entrance of section No. Zand also placing the armature lever 17 of that magnet in its upper position, so that should a car enter from the left upon section No.2 no current will be supplied thereto. In the same manner, tracing the circuit through branch conductor 2 of the safety circuit 2 7 tothe third rail r, the third rail is made alive andthe trolley 14 conveys the current through .conductora to the motor and by the wheel 16 of the car to the train-rails t and to earth. A third branch circuit was also closed through the sectional third rail r, as was the ease in the system illustrated in Fig. 1, to the distant end of section No. at by safety circuit or conducto-r 2 7 through the left-hand coil of the releasing-electromagnet 15, through the semaphore signaling apparatus si, incandescent lamp 18, and switch 27 to earth, indicating danger, at the entrance of section No.

1 on the extreme right. As the armature le- 15 at that point, no current will be supplied to a car entering at the right-hand end of section No. 4.

By arranging the series of lamps v1 one at each signal-post inv the feeder or main ain circuit with an independent generator g the motormen have a visual indication at all times, at night or in the dark, ofthe beginning and ending of each third rail or sectional conductor, and as a car or train travels over the route when it approaches any one of these lamps if4 no red light be indicated in the companion lamp 18 the motorman is at liberty to pass on with his car into the next section. Ifit be desirable'or necessary tovrun cars vupon adjacentsectious of anypartof the system, it is only required thata motorman approaching a given sectionwhere a dangersignal is displayed shall manually move the armature-lever 32 fromits back contact-stop into contact with its front contact-stop, thereby closing the circuit, as illustrated in dotted li"nes, from the third railfv1 of section No. 3 by safety circuit or conductor 2 7 and shunt through magnet 3i, armature 32, and the signaling mechanism through switch 27. to earth, Vthus shunting the coils-of the magnet 15 between sections No.v 1 and No. 2 land allowing the armature 17 to be returned tonormal position as long as the carin question remains upon section No. 2. Atthe-same time a special signal 35 is displayed for day use and aspecial or green lamp for night use, thus displaying at that station 'at any one 'time-say in the night under theseV condi-v tions--a white light, a red light, and a green light. When, however,'itpasses into sectionv No. 3, the armature-lever 32 is released and restores the circuitthrough thecoils of the magnet 15, leaving the conditions as before, with only a red-light danger-signal displayed or a semaphore in day-time. Inthe meantime ,it theear which has just passed section No.

2 had been speeded up sufficiently it would reach section No. 3 and overtake the car in advance before it had left that section, so that both cars mghttravel together.- In like manner any number of cars might be congregated upon any section.

The most essential feature of noveltyv in the system illustratedlin Fig. 7 lies in utilizing the individualcoils ofthe single releasingelectromagnet 15 in each switch-box to operate the armature-lever 17 for cars`movingin either direction, so that there is no possibility. of leaving any sectional third railr, connected to the `current feeder or main, no Inatterin which direction a car may be traveling. As itis apparent that should the car whichis now moving from left to right over section No. 8 return in an opposite direction after it has passed the switch, the trolleyroller tr would rotate the switch f in a reverse direction and connect the spring-terminal s on the left with the armature-,lever 17, so that both terminals would be connected. As soon, however, as the car running backward reachesM ICO IIO

thearmature-lever 17 will release both ot' the spring-terminals s s.

Referring now to Figs. 5 and G of the drawings, I will describe the means whereby I afford additional protection to the currentfeeder, safety-conductors, and third-rails and also themanner in which I support said third-rails in the middle of the road-bed so as to obtain the best insulating effects and also avoid any possibility of damaging shocks to persons or animals should they cross the roadway during the time that any section is alive, my invention contemplating, particularly in cross-country roads, thev use of long third-rail sections in places where there is little travel and shorter sections in places where the travel is more general. b represents one of the cross-ties, in the middle of which, between the tram-rails, are secured at intervals metal standards 22, provided with sufficient base-support to give them stability, said standards being screwed into the ties, as shown, and provided at their upper ends with rectangularshaped extensions 25,havingbolt holes near their opposite ends, the entire standard above the cross-tie being preferably subjected to any ofthe well-known vitrefying processes for giving better insulating effects. e represents thelongitudinal su pporting-rails,

made preferably of treated Wood, so as to ob` tain the best insulating effects, and provided on their under sides with short rectangularshaped grooves adapted to fit snugly over the rectangular-shaped extensions 25 of the standards or supports '3, said rails being V-shaped on'their upper surface and adapted to sustain the third rails r, made preferably of copper or phosphor-bronze, and correspondingly V-shaped with their lower edges of knife-like nature, so as to readily convey away by drip any moisu re which accumulates thereon. The standards 22 are secured at proper distances -say from six to eight feetas the location of 'the ties may warrant, and the parts are all secured together by bolts 24 and nuts 23, said bolts being insulated from the extensions 25 of the standards 22 by short tubes of insulating material, as shown. 14

y represents a grooved trolley-wheel resting upon the third rail r. Upon each side and adjacent to the base of the standards 22, I secure a conduit made up of protecting-timbers 19 19, having overhanging ledges or covers 2O 20, all of said parts being held together and to the ties by screw-bolts 21 21 and in such manner that a narrow groove is located above the third rails, through which the trolley-wheel 14 passes, the arrangement being such that should a person or animal pass over the roadway there is no danger of a damaging shock and also such that rain or snow will pass down through the, slot and out be tween the cross-ties b. In the construction of this conduit grooves t andj are cut in the upper faces of the timbers'19,'so as to con-y stitute easements or inclosures for the v'current feeder or main c and safety-circuit or other conductors, the overhanging ledges 2O acting as lcovers therefor. These easements tandj may, if preferred, be cut in the lateral or outside facesof the timbers 19 and covered with weather-strips let into thefaces thereof and secured by screws or otherwise, so that the wires may be removed or repaired without removing the covers or overhanging ledges 20, or there may be any number of such grooves in the lateral outside faces of the timbers 19 for holding independently the different types or classes of conductors to be used in connection with the system, all of said grooves being covered by a single fiat strip of the height of the timbers 19. such an arrangement I am enabled to fully protect all of the electrical conductors of the system, including the sectional third rails, in such manner as to make the structure abso- With lutelysafe and also insure the best insulation and protection for the entire system of conductors.

. I do not limit myself to the particular details of construction hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for accomplishing the several results'or objects for which the invention is designed, as many of the the features thereof may be materially departed from and still come ,Within the scope of my claims hereinafter made. To illustrate, any preferred form of mechanically-actuated switch adapted to be controlled in its action by the movement of the car may be substituted for the preferred form of mechanically-actuated switch herein shown and described, such mechanicallyaetuated switches controlled by the movements of cars being well known in the art. I believe it is broadly new with me to combine a current feeder or main and a series of sectional third rails or conductors, which are normally electrically disconnected therefrom, withcircuitconnecting devices in the nature of mechanically-actuated switches controlled by the movements ofa caras it passes by or over the same, together with safety-circuits and releasing devices included therein, and so ar- ICO IIO

ranged that when a car is passing by or over y a given section the switching mechanism 1ocated at the distant end of any adjacent section is rendered inoperative until the car passes out of said section, the arrangement being such that all of the working conductors extending over the route except the cui'- rent feeder or main are normally without current potential, and my claims are generic as to these features, it being understood, however, that the switching devices which connect the sectional conductors to the current feeder or main are mechanically controlled. Generic claims to these features without relation to the peculiar nature of the operating-switches are made in another application filed by me in the United States Patent Office on the 6th day of May, 1901, bearing Serial No. 58,923, and anowed october 14, 1901, the

y more generic Aclaimshereinafter with relation tothe sectional systems and switching devices therefor being limited to mechanically-actutated'switehes,nor. do `I make any claim in 'the present application to a safety sectional system of electric railways embodying a current feeder or main and a series of v'sectional conductors normally disconnected vehicle passes out of a'section are controlled byy electromagnets.

therefrom, togetherwith safety-circuits, nor` mallyl without current potential and embodying the features just referred to in the lastclause preceding whenLcombined rwithsig- -naling apparatus, as these `generic features;

are'embodied in a separate application bearing Serial No. V76,564, filed September 25, 1901,`

in which application, however, the-means for effecting the locked relation ybetween the sectional conductors and the current feederor main and for releasing the saine when a car or l y c I wish it distinctly understood that the claims in that application,

in so far as these` features are concerned,v

are directed to the application of the generic idea without'relation to any especial type of means foreffecting such connection and disconnection, while inthe present'application I have distinctly limited the claims, in so far as these vespecial features are concerned, to

mechanicallycontrolled switching mechanism L-that is to say, switching mechanism which is actuated mechanically by the movement of a car as it passes over the route, as

hereinbefore,described, as illustrated in the` accompanying.drawings, and as particularly pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification;y nor' do I make any claim hereinafter to lany method of operation applicable to theapparatus herein disclosed, as the method claims based upon such apparatus as is disclosed inall of the above-named applications are made the subject-matter of a still further application, bearing Serial No. 84,322 andiled December 2,1901; nor is any claim made herein to! an Ielectric-railway switch jonrnaled with ,its axis of rotation substantially parallel with the rtrack-fails and provided with Vmeans for `adapting it to be rotated Vgradually and continuously about its axis of rotation as a car passes over o rby it; nor to a rotary switch having its axis of rotation substantially, parallel with Lthe track- Havingthus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-V i l. y A safety system of electric railways'embracing acurrent feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally v fr,

disconnected therefrom and` v,mechanically- ,v

actuated switching mechanism for connecting said sectional Yconductors to the current feeder or main as a caror vehicle passes by orover the same; in combination with safetycircuitsk includingdevices for releasingthe conducting-terminals of the-switches, Said safety-circuits being soconnected-to the power-house generator as to be normally githout electrical current'potential, and the entire arrangement being such that whena earis passing by or over. a ygiven sectional third rail o r conductor the switclrat the ,distant end of the sectional third rail or conductor immediately in the rear thereof is renderedv out ofsaid sect-ion, substantially as described.

j 2., A safety system of electricrailways em;

A temporarily inoperative until the car passes v bracing a current feeder or maina seriesiof sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefromandmechanicallyrac-l tuated switching mechanism forconnecting said sectional conductors to thecnrrent feeder or manas a car or vehicle passes byor over the same; in combinationV withrsafety-circuits, two for eachsectional third rail or con-l ductor, saidsafety-circuits including devices for releasing the conducting-termi-nals o f the switches and so connected to the power-house generator as to be normally without electrical currentpotential, the entire-arrangementbeing ,such that when a car is passing by or over a given sectional third rail or conductor IOO the switches at the distant ends of the two-adv L jacent sectional-third rails or conductorsare the car passes `out of the section over whichit is traveling, substantially as describedi o.' A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, aseries of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and mechanically-actuated switching mechanism for connecting saidfsectionalconductors tothe current feeder or main as a car or vehicle passes by or over,

the same; in combinationwith safety-circuits including devices for releasing the conduct- -both rendered temporarily inoperative until ing-terminals of the switches and signaling devices; said'safety-circuits being so connected to the power-house generator as tobe normally-without electrical currentpotential,

the entire arrangement beingsuch thatwhen a-car `ispassing by or over a given sectional third rail or conductor the switch at the distant end of the sectional third rail orjconductor immediately'in the rear isrendered temporarily inoperative and adanger-signalr is displayed, until the car passes out of said 'l section, substantially as described.

v 4. A safety system ofy electric railways embracing a current-feeder or main, a series;of sectional ,third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and mechanically-actuated switching mechanism-,for connecting said sectional cond nctors to the current feeder or main as a car or vehicle passes by or over the same; in combination with safety-circuits, two foreach sectional third rail or conductor, said safety-circuits including devices for releasing the conducting -terminals of the switches and signaling devices, and so connected to the power-house generator as to be normally withouteleetrieal current potential, the entire arrangement being such that when a car is passing by or over a given sectional third rail or conductor the switches at the distant ends of the sectional third rails or conductors immediately in the front and in the rear are rendered temporarily inoperative and danger-signals are displayed `until the car passes out of said section, substantially as described.

5. A safety system of electric railways einbracing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normallydisconnected therefrom and mechanically-actuated switching mechanism for connecting said seet-ional cond uetors to the current feeder or main as a car or vehicle passes by or over the same; in combination with safety-circuits including devices for releasing the conducting-terminals of the switches, said safety-circuits being so connected to the power-house generator as to be normally without electrical current potential; together with additional means included in branches of the safety-circuits for enabling a motorman to cause his car or vehicle to enter upon a section adjacent to a preceding section over which a car is then passing, substantially as described.

6. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and switching mechanism for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder or mainas a car or vehicle passes by or over the same; in coinbination with safety-circuits including devices for releasing the conducting-terminals of the switches said safety-circuits being so connected to the power-house generator as to be normally without electrical current potential; together with additional means for enabling a motorman .to cause his car or vehicle to enter upon a section where a danger-signal is displayed, and additional signaling mechanism for giving a special indication or signal to the motormen of following ears that two or more cars are passing over adjacent precedingsections,substantially as described.

7. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and switching mechanism for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a car or vehicle passes by or over the same; in combination with safety-circuits including devices for releasing the conducting-terminals of the switches, said safety-circuits being so connected to the power-house generator as to be normally without electrical current potential; together with a series of permanent glowing or burning illuminating lamps or signals located one between each succeeding pair of third-rail sections, the entire arrangement being such that when a car lis passing I by or over a given sectional third rail or conductor the switch at the distant end of the sectional third rail or conductor immediately in the rear thereof is rendered temporarily inoperative until the car passes out of said Section, and the motorman given a positive indication at all times of the beginning and ending of the third rails or conductors of the system, substantially as described.

S. A safety system of electric railways e111- braeing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and switching meehanism for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a earor vehicle passes by or over the same; in combination with safety-circuits including devices for releasing the conducting-terminals of t-he switches and signaling devices; said safetycircuits beingso connected to the power-house generator as to be normally without electrical current potential; together with a series of permanent 'glowing or burning illuminating lamps or signals located one between each succeeding pair of third-rail sections, the entire arrangement being such that when a. car is passing by or over a given sectional third rail or conductor the switch at the distant end of the sectional third rail or conductor immediately in the rear thereof is rendered temporarily inoperative until the car passes out ot' said section, danger-signals displayed, and the motorman given a positive indication at all times of the beginning and ending of the third rails or conductors of the system, substantially as described.

9. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and switching mechanism for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a ear or vehicle passes by or over the same; in combination with safety-circuits including devices for releasing the conducting-terminals of the switches, said safety-circuits being so connected to the power-house generator as to be normally without electrical current potential; together with manual circuit-breaking switches, one in each safety-circuit, the entire arrangement being such that when a car is passing by or over a given sectional third rail or conductor the switch at the distant end of the sectional third rail or conductor immediately in the rear thereof is rendered temporarily inoperative; or, any or all of the safety-circuits may be permanently interrupted in such manner that when the sectional IOO IIO

third rails or conductors are connected to the current feeder or main they Willremain thus connected,` substantially as described.f

10; A safety system of electric railways embracing a current'feeder or main and a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom; in combination with mechanically-actuated vswitching mechanism for connecting said sectional third rails or'conductors to the current feeder or main and disconnecting them therefrom; together with a series of danger-signals connected permanently in circuit with the sectional third rails or conductors, the arrangement being such that the circuits including the danger-signals are normally without electrical current potential and that if a sectional third rail or conductor be left connected with thecurrent feeder or mainl after a car has passed from over the same said signalswill be continuously displayed,substantially as described.

1l. A safety system ofelectric railways embracing a current feeder or main,- a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and mechanically-actuated switching mechanism having conducting-terminals for connecting said sectional conductors to the current feeder or main as a car or vehicle passes by or over the' same; in combination with releasingelectromagnets for the conducting-terminals of the switches, the individual coils of said releasing-magnets being included in circuit with safety-circuits running in opposite directions and connected to earth and to the adjacent ends of distant sectional third rails or conductors, substantially as described.

l 12. A safety system of electric railways embracing a current feeder or main, a series of sectional third rails or conductors normally disconnected therefrom and mechanically-actuated switching mechanism for connecting said sectional conductors to and disconnecting them from the current feeder or main as a car or vehicle passes by or over the same; in combination with a series of safety-circuits, two for each sectional third rail or conductor, said'circuits being connected'directly' to the opposite ends of said conductors and extending to the opposite ends of the sectional third rails or conductors in the front and rear thereof; together with signaling devices included in said safety-circuits, the'arrangement being such that normally there is no electrical current potential in the signaling-circuits and that should any sectional third rail or conductor be left permanently connected with the current feeder or main, said signaling devices will becontinuously displayed, substantially as'described.

13. In an electric-railway system a current feeder or main, sectional third railsor conductors normally disconnected therefrom; mechanically-actuated switching mechanism for connecting said sectional conductors to the current-feeder and releasing-electromagnets for disconnecting them therefrom; said releasing-electromagnets being included in circuits connected at one end directly to the sectional conductors and extendingfinfopposite directions to the distant ends of adjacent sectional conductors where they are connected to the return-circuit of the power-house generator, substantially asl described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. p

, CHARLES J. KINTNER.

Witnesses:

J AMEs P; J. MORRIS, M. F. KEATING.