A Trolley-head for Electric Traincars.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 9 June 1906, Page 5

A Trolley-head for Electric Traincars.

(Extract from “Auckland Star,” May 22. 1906.) Mr G. B. Holmes and Mr A. D. Allen, the inventors and patentees of the Holmes and Allen trolley-head for electric tramways, arrived in Auckland recently by the Rarawa from the South with their ingenious automatic invention, which has already been patented in no less than 24 different countries. In electric tramway systems throughout the world in which the overhead trolley wire is used, the difficulty of combating such mishaps as the jumping of the wire by the trolley, and the frequently subsequent damage, has hitherto been practically insurmountable. The device patented by Messrs Holmes and Allen consists of a swivel trolley-head on an automatic pivot. The trolleyhead is also on a spring cushion, which keeps it to the wire under circumstances that would send the ordinary trolly Hying at a wild tangent. Should it leave the wire, however, the head collapses on the pivot, while the inclined upper arm easily slides under any obstruction. A bell is set ringing to warn the conductor simultaneously with the release of the trolley-head, which is replaced just in the same ordinary way as the usual variety. A patent electric plug contact is also among the features of this apparently perfect piece of mechanism. Since the invention was patented numerous offers to purchase its rights for various countries have been made to the two young inventors. The Wellington City Council have purchased the patent rights of manufacturing it in this colony, and intend to adopt it throughout their system.