Power switching apparatus for an electrically driven vehicle drawing power
from a plurality of spaced apart ground disposed busses separated by
insulators. The apparatus employs a pair of contacts for routing power
from the busses to the vehicle motor, the speed of which is controlled by
the power frequency presented at each successive buss as the vehicle
proceeds on its journey. The contacts are serially positioned one after
another with respect to the line of travel of the vehicle and are joined
together by a switching mechanism which senses the power status of each
contact at any particular moment. Power is transferred to the vehicle
motor through one contact or the other in accordance with a selected
sequence of operation. Voltage arcing and power lapse conditions are
substantially alleviated by this arrangement.