GB1028575A - Improvements relating to current collectors - Google Patents

Abstract

1,028,575. Third rail current collectors. H. H. C. KRUEGER. May 2, 1963, No. 17415/63. Heading B7L. A third rail current collector has a shoe 5 moved both manually and by a power medium into or out of contact with a rail, a mechanical latch holding the shoe either in, Fig. 1. or out of, Figs. 3, 4 (not shown), contact with the rail. The shoe is carried by two arms 6 pivoted at 7 to frame 21 and connected by two springs 4 to a cross-head 3. A sleeve 10 fixed to crosshead 3 carries a piston 8 in cylinder 1 and pawls 9; a rod 11 sliding in sleeve 10 has a pin 12 extending through slots 13 in the sleeve and being fixed to a piston 14. The rod 11 carries a lug 19 and lever 20 and is biased upwardly by a spring 22. In the position shown, the shoe 5 is held in engagement with a rail by pawls 9 engaging in cylinder recess 9a. To withdraw the shoe, compressed air is supplied through port 16 to lower piston 14 to withdraw the pawls 9; the pin 12 then engages sleeve 10 and piston 14 moves sleeve 10, piston 8 and the pawls 9; this pulls cross-head 3 down to relieve springs 4 and allow shoe 5 to drop under its own weight with that of arms 6. Pressure is then released and spring 22 raises rod 11 by the extent of slots 13. To re-engage the shoe, fluid pressure is supplied through port 17 to raise piston 8, pawls 9, rod 11, sleeve 10 and crosshead 3 resulting in springs 4 pressing the shoe against a rail, the pawls 9 engaging groove 9a to lock the shoe in this position and the fluid pressure is released. To manually disengage the shoe, lever 20 is depressed to lower crosshead 3 and piston 14 to release the pawls &c. as before. In Figs. 2, 3 (not shown) the piston and cylinder containing the locking pawls is mounted in a horizontal position to swing the shoe to beneath the rail and further piston and cylinder means causes the shoe to rise into engagement with the rail. The pawls lock the shoe in the disengaged position.