FR2588220A1 - Contacting member for trolley-bus pole - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to contacting members, for a trolley-bus pole, with a catenary. The member is essentially characterised in that it comprises a longitudinal tactile support 5, a receptacle 106 having a frictional surface able to receive the catenary 40, the receptacle being situated at the outlet of the tactile support, a push rod 35 mounted slidably on the tactile support, means 70, 71 which can be controlled to cause the push rod to slide on the support, first means 140, 13 for detecting contact of the catenary 40 with the tactile support, and second means 60, 47 for giving an order for actuating the means in order to cause the push rod to slide on the support when the first means have detected a contact of the catenary and the tactile support.

Description

TROLLEY-BUS POLE CONTACT POINT
The present invention relates to contact-making members for a trolley-bus pole, in order to allow electrical contact, on a catenary, with a conductor allowing, from the electrical energy available on the catenary, supply, for example, a trolley bus.

 Electric vehicles are already known which are intended to circulate on roads, for example of cities, by being supplied with electric energy from a pair of contact lines which are designated by "catenaries", these catenaries generally being located at a certain height above the roadway.

 This type of vehicle is particularly suitable for public transport, especially in urban areas. Without going into details, the value of the height at which the catenary is located above the road taken by the trolley-bus is greater than the maximum height of the vehicles. Also, is it necessary to provide a special means to be able to connect this vehicle to the catenary. This means is generally constituted by a pole rotatably mounted at one of its ends on the roof of the trolley-bus, its other end comprising a contact member able to cooperate by friction with the catenary.

 In a very simplified manner, this member comprises a receptacle bordered by flanks to avoid that, under the action of shocks, this contact member detaches from the catenary and comes outside of it, to then interrupt the supply of vehicle energy.

 More specifically, when a vehicle as described above moves, it is generally necessary to perform certain maneuvers to bring the contact member, and more particularly the receptacle, against the catenary. Until very recently, these maneuvers were carried out manually. But now, certain devices have been developed to allow automatic contact, that is to say to bring the contact member directly to the catenary by controlling the positions of the pole by means of remote-controlled or controlled actuators, from a control station which is usually located next to the driver. This maneuver therefore requires no manual action other than that of the driver having to press certain buttons to operate the different jacks and position the pole so that the contact member comes to rub against the catenary.

 The automatic pocketing control devices which have been produced give very good results. But, due to all the environmental contingencies and the difficulty in correctly detecting the different relative positions of the pole and the catenary, we have arrived at solutions of pocketing devices which are obliged to take into account has a certain margin of error. This is obtained by making contacting members having a certain size so as to be sure to come into contact with the catenary. Once this member has come into contact with the catenary, the pole is then controlled to be moved entirely with the contact member, in order to "position" the catenary in the friction receptacle.

 Such a contact member has already been produced and comprises, for example, a longitudinal tactile support associated with a receptacle at one end, this receptacle being capable of receiving, by an entry, the catenary, a ramp situated in a space defined substantially between the support and the receptacle, the ramp being advantageously rotatably mounted on a first axis of rotation, means for exerting an elastic force on the ramp, so as to maintain its top substantially perpendicular to the opening of the receptacle and at a level higher than that of this entry, a first stop to limit the erasure of the ramp by a first rotation, so that the top of the ramp is brought substantially to the level of the entry of the receptacle.

 This device is, despite everything, relatively heavy and presents difficulties of use when it is necessary to move it as a whole by controlling the rotation of the pole at its other end. It is therefore possible that certain unfortunate manipulations are carried out and that one does not obtain, suddenly sQr, the automatic pocketing, due, in particular, to the inertia due to the displacement.

 Also, the object of the present invention is to produce and improve a contact-making member for a trolley-bus pole of the type similar to that which has been described, but by avoiding displacing too large masses and allowing to control, with even more security, the bringing of the friction receptacle in contact with the catenary and, possibly even, by in maneuvers even faster than those carried out with a member as described above.

More specifically, the subject of the present invention is a contact-making member for a trolley-bus pole with a catenary comprising
- at least one longitudinal tactile support,
- A receptacle having a friction surface capable of receiving said catenary, said receptacle being located at the outlet of said longitudinal tactile support, characterized in that it comprises
a push button mounted sliding on said longitudinal tactile support,
controllable means for sliding said pusher onto said logitudinal support,
first means for detecting the contact of said catenary with at least one surface of said longitudinal tactile support, and
- second means for issuing an order to control the means for sliding said pusher onto said support when said first means have detected contact of said catenary with said surface of the longitudinal tactile support.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear during the following description given with reference to the drawings annexed by way of illustration but in no way limitative, in which
FIG. 1 represents, seen in simplified perspective and partially represented, a first embodiment of a contact-making member for a trolley-bus pole,
- Figures 2 and 3 show, in diagrammatic view, the embodiment of the contact-making member according to Figure 1, in two different positions allowing a good understanding of the operation thereof during the pocketing, c is to say
bringing it into contact with the catenary and the result obtained when it is in good contact with a friction receptacle, and
- Figure 4 shows, in a partial perspective view, an embodiment comprising an improvement to the embodiment according to Figure 1, to obtain additional security during pocketing.

 These Figures represent two embodiments, one being an improvement on the other. However, the same references will be used to designate the elements if they have an identical structure with an identical function despite their different representation or diagram, even if they are not part of the same embodiment.

 Returning more particularly to FIG. 1, that represents, in a half-perspective view, an embodiment of a contact-making member able to be mounted at the end of a pole 1 of a non-trolley-bus. represented. At the end 2 of this pole, a first base 3 is mounted around an axis 4. On this base 3, a longitudinal tactile support 5 is pivotally mounted.

 This longitudinal tactile support 5 comprises a longitudinal arm 6, of substantially planar shape, secured to an upright 7 by an end 8 of the latter and by a spacer 9 connecting them.

The end 19 of the upright 7 not linked to the arm 6 is itself rotatably mounted around an axis 11 by means of a rotation shaft 12 which is secured to a plate 13 secured to a pivot 14 capable to slide in a housing 16 of the base 3.

 This longitudinal tactile support comprises hooking means 20 making the end 21 of the arm 6 cooperate with the plate 13.

The attachment means 20 consisting of a hook comprise, pn nlll.s, Imo rnmpP 24 mounted integral with the hook, so that, when the hook 20 cooperates with retaining means 22, the ramp 24 is slightly projecting from the upper surface 25 of the arm 6. The hook 20 and the ramp 24 are held in a position under the action of a
spring 26, one end 27 of which is linked, for example to the lower part 28 of the ramp 24, while the other end 29 is integral with the spacer 9. The action of the spring 26 is such that the latter always tends to maintain the hook 20 in cooperation with the retaining means 22, and more particularly the hooking tab 30. The ramp 24 extends beyond the path defined by the surface 25 of the arm 6 which will, as explained below, the path of sliding of a pusher 35.

 Indeed, the device also comprises a pusher 35 constituted by a shoe-shaped part able to slide on the surface 25 of the arm 6 and to release a contact surface 36 in its front, this surface having a height at least substantially greater than the radius of a catenary 40 shown diagrammatically. This surface 36 is a surface allowing a push to be made on the side wall 41 of the catenary 40, as will be explained below. By "sliding" is meant, in the present description, any function which allows a body to move relative to another, in particular by sliding, sliding, rolling, etc.

 Advantageously, this pusher 35 comprises, on one side, at least one side tab 42 which is disposed laterally to this pusher so that, when the latter moves on the sliding path defined by the surface 25 of the arm 6, this side tab 42 comes to abut against the ramp 24 defined above and make it undergo, in the illustrated embodiment, a senestrorsum rotation as illustrated by the arrow 43. As a result of this rotation, the ramp 24 pulls on the spring 26 and drives the hook 20 in the same senestrorsum rotation, to release it from the latching tab 30 of the retaining means 22. This action has the effect of releasing the longitudinal tactile support 5 from the plate 13, at least by means of this hook 20. The tactile support 5 is then driven in a dextrosum rotation around the shaft 12, since it is rotatably mounted around this shaft and that, nothing more holding it attached to the plate 13, its own weight l in this rotation dextrosum illustrated by arrow 44.

 The pusher 35 also comprises, laterally, a stop part 45 able to cooperate with one end 46 of a stop lug 47 rotatably mounted around an axis 48 on a rotation shaft 49 integral, for example, with the upright 7 in below the arm 6, this stop lug having a lateral projecting part 50 on which the end 51 of a tension spring 52 is hooked, the other end 53 of which is integral with the upright 7. The spring 52 has for function of holding the end 46 of the abutment lug 47 against the abutment part 45 at the level of the sliding path of the pusher 35 to prevent it from moving towards the end 21 of the arm 6, and therefore for the maintain at the other end 54 of the sliding surface 25 of the arm 6, against an end of travel stop 90.

 Advantageously, the lateral projecting part 50 of the abutment lug 47 is connected to the base 3 by a link 62, and more particularly to a point 60 of this base 3 located above a pulley 61 rotatably mounted on a shaft 162 secured to the plate 13. This lateral projecting part 50 is then connected by the link 62, one end 63 of which is secured to the lateral portion 50 and the other end of which 64 is secured to the point 60 belonging to the base 3, passing over the pulley 61.

 Likewise, the pusher 35 is secured to a traction cable 70 of which one non-visible end is secured to a winding spring 71 advantageously contained in a case 73 and the other end of which is capable of being brought to a point determined, for example at a point on the foot of the pole 1.

 This traction cable 70 passes, leaving the spring boot 73, around a first pulley 74 fixed to the end 21 of the arm 6, laterally to the latter, and rotatably mounted around a shaft 75. The traction cable 70 passing over this pulley 74 is then hooked to the pusher 35, and more particularly to the lateral part 45, to then pass over a second pulley 76 mounted laterally at the other end of the arm 6, so as to have a part between the two pulleys and integral with the pusher 35. Thus, by pulling on this traction cable between these two pulleys, it can cause the pusher 35 between the two ends of the arm 6 in translational movement.

 After passing over the second pulley 76, this cable 70 can, by a set of additional return pulleys 77, 78, 79, direct its free end 80 towards, for example as said previously, the foot of the pole 1. This end can then be coupled to different means, for example to a motor allowing it to exert a determined traction on it, when it is necessary.

 The spring boot 73, with the spring 71, is of the spring unwinding type, that is to say that, when the cable 70 is pulled to tend to get it out of the spring boot 73, the spring located inside this box is banded and that, by releasing the traction on the cable, it can be rewound in the boot, the spring then being released.

 In this Figure 1 has been described a first embodiment. However, in special cases as said above, it is necessary to be able to orient the touch-sensitive support 5 relative to the base. Also, this base 3 is broken down into two parts. A first part oe is integral with the end 2 of the pole 1. A second part constituted by a plate 101 is able to pivot relative to the part 100 of the base 3 around the axis 4 defined above, but of so that this plate 101 always remains at the same distance from the lower part 100 of the base 3. It is well specified that the plate 13 sinks in relation to base 3 when the pivot 14 penetrates therein at the against a thrust spring 140 (Figures 2 and 3), but that the plate 101 always remains at the same distance from the lower part 100, even if it undergoes rotation relative to the latter.

 In an advantageous embodiment, the longitudinal tactile support 5 will have two symmetrical arms 6, one on each side of the plane of symmetry passing through the axis 4 and the pole 1, part of the second arm appearing at 102 in FIG. 1.

 Advantageously, the plate 13 belonging to the assembly of the two longitudinal tactile supports, can be oriented relative to the pole 1 around the axis of rotation 4, as described below, by means, for example, of a connecting rod 103 rotatably mounted at one of its ends 104 by means of a ball joint 105 on the plate 13, the other end, not shown, of this connecting rod 103 being capable of undergoing pulls or thrusts forcing the plate to rotate around axis 4, by means of pivot 14.

 Finally, at the end 21 of the arm 6, is located a catenary receptacle 106 which consists, in fact, of a friction pad capable of receiving the catenary and of maintaining it, this friction pad having the form of a cradle to be able to match the maximum lateral surface 41 of the catenary 40, as will be explained below, in order to be able to stay in contact with it by trapping it to the maximum and to distribute the friction force well over maximum surface area, to limit wear due to this friction.

 In Figure 1 has been illustrated the structure of a contact-making member for a trolley-bus pole. The operation of this member will be more particularly explained with reference to Figures 2 and 3 which represent the same embodiment as Figure 1, but in which all the elements have been schematized to the maximum in order to make them clearer, to understand their different functions and to show the relative positions of the constituent elements during the operation of the device.

 More specifically, Figure 2 shows the entire contact member when it is in a position capable of coming into contact with the catenary to detect it and bring it into the friction receptacle.

 Figure 3 shows the position of the organ when the catenary has been detected and brought into the receptacle and when, in the advantageous embodiment described with reference to Figure 1, in particular the longitudinal tactile supports are erased, in order to avoid , for example, a maximum of size and grip in the wind, so that the catenary remains well in the friction receptacle.

 The same references in the three Figures designating the same elements, for more precision, and in order to better identify them, it may be advantageous, in certain cases, to refer to Figure 1 where they are shown in more detail.

Firstly, we start by positioning the pole so that the contacting member is substantially facing the catenary 40. Then, when all of the contacting member, more particularly the arm 6, is brought in the vicinity of the catenary 40, this organ is continued to be lifted so that the surface 25
comes into contact with the lower side wall of the catenary 40, with a sufficient inertia force to drive the insertion into
the base 3-of the entire touch support, and in particular the plate 13
through the pivot 14. Under the action of this thrust, the -yes-6 - collapses - from-- point 69. As a result, traction is exerted
on the link 62 which rotates the stop 47 around the axis 48, to
erase it from the sliding path 25 of the pusher 35, and more particularly from the lateral part 45 of this pusher 35.

 As soon as this stop 47 has disappeared, under the action of the spring 71 contained in the boot 73, the cable 70 is pulled in such a way that it tends to wind up in this boot 73. It is then exerted a traction which is returned by the first end pulley 74 to effect a traction on the pusher 35 which starts to slide along its sliding path, in this case the surface 25. By its front contact surface 36 , it abuts against the side wall 41 of the catenary 40 which is in contact with the surface 25.

 In this thrust, the pusher 35 therefore exerts a force which tends to move the longitudinal tactile support relative to the catenary, so that, in this relative movement, the surface 25 slides under the catenary 40 until the ramp 24 comes below this catenary 40. The ramp 24 rocks when the catenary 40 rises on it and the catenary then falls into the receptacle 106.

 When the ramp 24 has undergone the senestrosum rotation 43, it has released the hook 20 from the latching tab 30. As the tactile support is no longer retained, it starts to pivot around the shaft 12, in a rotation dextrorsum 44. It is then erased in order to be positioned in a plane as shown in FIG. 3. It is then bent in such a way that it takes up as little space as possible, to avoid, for example, too great a grip of the wind.

 As long as the catenary is in the receptacle 106, the pole is held in the high position and with sufficient pressure to maintain this catenary 40 in the receptacle 106. Thus, the trolley bus can be powered by means of the friction pad.

 If the driver of the trolley-bus wants to disconnect the trolley from the catenary, it will be enough for him to fold down the pole until folding it up on the roof of the trolley.

 Likewise, if the driver wishes, again, to prevent when the longitudinal tactile supports are bent as in FIG. 3, he then exerts on the end 80 of the cable 70 a traction which brings back, firstly by means of the set of return pulleys 77, 78, 79 and 76, the pusher 35 in its original position as shown in Figure 1, against the end stop 90. Continuing the traction, it then causes the rotation of the longitudinal tactile support around of the shaft 12, in a senestrosum rotation, as it is brought back to the position illustrated in FIG. 2, that is to say in the position where the hook 20 has returned to hang on the tab of attachment 30 of the retaining means 22.

 Thus in position, the tactile supports can then again be used to go to recap according to the process described above.

 In the whole of the embodiment described above, the cooperation of the receptacle 106 with the longitudinal tactile support, and more particularly the arm, has been shown diagrammatically. However, so that the catenary falls without fail in the receptacle 106, it is necessary that the arm 6 arrives overhanging the receptacle, as appears in FIG. 4 which represents an improvement made to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

 If by chance the pole is brought into the high position, of course with the contacting member, so that the catenary 40 falls directly into the receptacle 106, it then presses on the end 121 of the arm 6 which overhangs the receptacle, and lowers the whole of the tactile support, as described above, against the spring contained in the base 3. In this case also, it releases the hook 20 from the latch 30, and allows thus erasing the touch support 5 in a position as shown in FIG. 3.

 In this embodiment, to prevent the catenary from rubbing too much on the end 121 of the arm 6, there is provided, in the lower part 132 of the receptacle 106, a housing 133 so that the end 121 which overhangs this receptacle 106 can be erased from the friction path 132 of the shoe 106 and can be released, in particular in the release rotation of the tactile support 5 which brings it into the position shown in FIG. 3.

 Elements such as those described, in particular, in the preceding patents can be added to the whole of this contacting member, which make it possible to guide the catenary or to rotate the contact member, such as for example guide rails 141, 142, etc.

Claims (11)

R E V E N D I C A T I O N S  1. Contact making member, for trolley-bus pole, with a catenary, comprising  - at least one longitudinal tactile support (5),  a receptacle (106) having a friction surface capable of receiving said catenary (40), said receptacle being situated at the outlet (21) of said longitudinal tactile support, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT IT INCLUDES:  a push-button (35) mounted sliding on said longitudinal tactile support,  - controllable means (70, 71, 74, ...) for sliding said pusher onto said support,  first means for detecting the contact of said catenary with said tactile support, and  - second means for issuing an order to control the means for sliding said pusher (35) on said support (5) when said first means have detected contact of said catenary (40) with said longitudinal tactile support.  2. Body according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the controllable means for sliding said pusher (35) on said longitudinal tactile support (5) consist of a cable (70), one end of which is connected to said pusher and of which the the other end is connected to one end of a tension spring (71), said spring being in a "stretched" state when said pusher is in the original standby position.  3. Body according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said means for detecting contact of said catenary with said tactile support (5) comprise a pivot axis (14) integral with said tactile support, said pivot axis being mounted in translation cooperation relative to a base (3), elastic means (140) being interposed between said pivot axis and said base.  4. Body according to claim 3, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT the means for issuing a control order to slide said pusher (35) on said support (5) when said first means have detected the contact of said catenary with said tactile support consist of a stop lug (47) mounted to oppose the sliding of said pusher and keep it in the original standby position, said lug being pivotally mounted on a rotation shaft (49) relative to said touch support, and means (50, 62, 162, 60) for controlling the rotation of said stop lug when said pivot axis (14) translates relative to said base (3) against said elastic means (140), so as to erase said lug of the sliding path (25) of said pusher.  5. Body according to claim 4, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said means for controlling the rotation of said abutment lug consist of a link (62) connecting said lug and said base by means of deflection pulleys, and a spring (52) to tend to return said lug to the original position.  6. Body according to one of claims 1 to 5, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT that it includes means for controlling the return to the original position of said pusher, said original position being a position at the end (54) of said support opposite to that (21) of said tactile support which is opposite said receptacle (106 ) suitable for receiving said catenary.  7. Body according to one of Claims 1 to 6, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said tactile support is constituted by a plate (13), a longitudinal arm (6), said arm being rotatably mounted on said plate around a second rotation shaft (12), and a hook (20) rotatably mounted on said arm, able to cooperate with attachment means (22, 30) integral with said plate.  8. Body according to claim 7, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said hook comprises means (24) for controlling its rotation to release it from the hooking means when said pusher, after having been ordered to slide, arrives at the end ( 21) of said tactile support opposite said receptacle.  9. Body according to claim 8, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said means for controlling the rotation of said hook to release it from said attachment means when said pusher arrives at the end of said support consist of a ramp (24) integral with said hook , said ramp being positioned to at least partially bar the sliding path of said pusher and for said pusher to tilt said ramp when it arrives at said end (21) of said longitudinal tactile support located opposite said receptacle and for said ramp to drive into this tilting movement the rotation of said hook to release it.  10. Body according to claims 6 and 8, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said means for bringing said pusher to the original position consist of an end-of-travel stop (90) disposed on said sliding path of said pusher, a portion of cable (70) integral with said pusher and a set of pulleys (76, 77, 78, 79) arranged on said support to exert a first pulling force on said pusher to bring it back against said limit stop, and a second pulling force on said arm to tend to make it undergo a rotation to bring back said hook (20) in cooperation with said attachment means (22, 30).  11. Body according to one of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED BY THE FACT THAT said longitudinal tactile support has an end portion (121) which at least partially overhangs said receptacle (106), a housing (133) being arranged in said receptacle to allow this portion to retract from the friction surface (132) of said receptacle.