US1043217A - Railway-switch contact. - Google Patents

Description

E. J. DUNNB. RAILWAY SWITCH CONTACT. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, l9l 0.

m m mm W mum Mm Ew m 2 5 m Q Q 9 n n mm v m ma n Q m wwm E. J. DUNNE. RAILWAY SWITCH CONTACT; 'APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 6. 1910.

Patented N0v 5, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. INVENTOR: Eflwgra J.

J M/WM Bulge; 7 c5 ATTORNEYS EDWARD J. 'IDUNNE, NEWARK, NEW. J ERSEY.

' RAILWAY-SWITCH conrrncr.

Specification of 1 Letters Patent.

Application filed August 6, 1910. Serial No. 575,902.

Patented Nov. 5, 1912.

To altauhom it may concern: Be it known that I, EDWARD J. DUNNE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Xewark, in the county of Essex andState. of NeuyJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Switoh Contacts; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will'enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same-,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates, generally, to improvements-in electric signaling or railway switch contacts; and, the invention has reftroman electric circuit wire or lin erence more particularly, to that class of signaling or railway switch contactswhic'h are employed in electric systems and are used with electricallypropelled cars, ordinarily termed trolley-cars, and in which a trolley-wheel is employed for making electrical contact in taking oii the electricity e and supplied to the motor of the car.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a novel and simply constructed electric signaling or railway switch-contact for trolley-wires, which shall be very efiicient in its operation, and in which electrical contact is made by means of the groove of-a trolley-wheel carried by the car, instead of by means of the trolley wheel flanges, as heretofore, and an electric circuit is w h- .lished thereby through a short circui"; for

I the tt'olley wheel since the lower'marginal edgesof' the contact-members or flanges are made longer or shorter so as to compensate toms viewof. the devices andin the same horizontal plane as the trolley sented in saidaFigal wire, the trolley wire itself being "unbroken and raisedfrom the horizontal plane by being passed over the contact.

The invention has for its furtherobject to provide'a construction which is very simple, the parts being immovably connected, I

and all m'ade from theordinary commercial materials; and, a particular feature is that the trolley wheel at all times, irrespective-of its reduction in size due to the wear, opar ates upon the groove when making contact with the signalingdevice or switch-contact, so that the electrical contact is always made by meansof the groove of the trolley wheel, instead of by means of its flanges; and,

finally, to provide a contact of the character hereinafter more fully specified which is made with a plurality of contact plates so as to adapt the device tovarious uses, the construction of the devices being such thatthe contact plates or flanges may easily be for any car-speed.

Other objects of this invention not at this time more particularly enumerated will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the present invention.

With the various'objects of the present. invention in view, the said invention consists, primarily, in the novel electric signaling or railway switch contact hereinafter more particularly set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, all of which will be fully described in detail in the following spcification,' and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to and which form an essential part of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying. drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of an-electnic' signaling or railwayswitch contact embodying the features of-thepresent invention,

showing the same arrangedand secured in the electric circuit-wire or line-upon which 7 thetrolley-wheelofa car is adapted toarun' and make electrical contact; FigJ'Q :isza botparts: repre ;-and Fig: 3: isea a verso vertical section, takentcnrtine said Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow w, said View being made on an enlarged scale, and showing in connection therewith, and in elevation, a portion of a trolley-wheel making electrical contact with. the signaling or railway switch contact. Fig. 4: is a side elevation of a railway switch contact of a slightly modified form of construction, but still embodying the principles of the present invention; and Fig. is a bottom view of the same.

' "for the arrangement therein of a bolt or pin wooden flanges. 'vided with a centrally disposed and down- 4. The bolt is usually held in place against displacement by means of a head, as 5, at the one end thereof, and a nut, as 6, upon the opposite and screw-threaded end-portion of said bolt. Suitably mounted upon the said bolt or pin 4 is a frame-like structure, as 7,

,which is of wood, and is formed with the right-angled flanges or downwardly de encling sides 8 and 9, so as to provide a rame substantially of the cross-section shown in the drawings,

' A suitable covering, as-lO, usually of canvas, but which may be of any other suitable material, and which extends down the sides of said flanges 8 and ,9, as at 11 and 12, is arranged over said frame-like structure 7. The depending side flanges 11 and 12 of the covering 10 extend below the wooden flanges 8 and 9 to form longitudinal petticoats to prevent moisture frdm reaching the The structure 7 is prowardly projecting and longitudinally extending member 13, also of wood or other analogous material, said member 13 rejecting downwardly to a greater depth t ian the flanges 8 and 9. Suitably secured to the said element or member 7, at the one side of the said central member 13, is a long'and preferably L-shaped contact-plate or bar 14, and suitably secured to the said element or member 7, and at the other sideof the said central member 13, are a number of L-shaped plates or bars, as 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, made of metal, said plates or bars being electrically out ofcontact with each other, by the open spaces 20 intervening between the ends of the respective plates or bars 15, 16, 17 18 and substantially as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings. As a further precaution, suitable insulating material, as 21, may be placed between the said element or member 7, the said central member 13, and the said metal plates or bars 14, and 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, as will be more fully understood from an inspection of Fig. 310i the drawings.

It will be noted that the angle-iron 14 on It will also be noted that the active In practice, a single gap of suliicient Width can not be used, as the gap would be so wide 'that the trolley-wheel would be knocked ofli when the Wheel jumped the gap, Furthermore, the arcing that always takes place when a circuit is broken would to some extent burn the insulating material, thereby rendering it more susceptible to the absorption of moisture and the short-circuiting of the gap, no matter what its length. (Jonsequently, for this electrical reason, I use a plurality of gaps, as shown at 20, and for mechanical reasons prefer such a structure, so as to provide a substantial continuous bearing for the trolley-wheel, to prevent it from being knocked ofl, and also to avoid the heavy hammer-blows of the trolleywheel against ,the ends of the angle-irons at the gaps.

As shown, the respective end-portions of the L-shapcd plate or bar'let, and the endplates 15 and 19 have arranged therebetwecn and suitably secured in. place by means of pins, screws, or bolts, as 22, the separating blocks 23, the upper surface-portions of said blocks 23 tapering, as at 2-1. and substantially in the manner illustrated in :Figs. 1 and 4 oi the drawings. Suitably connected with the end-portions of the said plate or bar 14,

and the two plates or bars 15 and 19, and preferably to the upper flanged portions of the said plates or bars, by means of perforated ears or lugs, as 25, and the bolts 26 and nuts 27, are suitable connector-elements or members 28, ordinarily termedapproaehes,

each approach 28 being also formed with the inwardly extending shoes or projections 29, said shoes or project-ions having their under surfaces 30 tapering upwardly in a manner substantially as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5' of the drawings. In this mannerthe various parts of the complete electric signaling or railway switch contact is secured tothe continuous trolley-wire, the said wire-leading in under the lower faces of the saidapproaches 28 and then passing under the lower tapered surfaces of the previously mentioned separating blocks 23, and the upper tapered surfaces 31 of the frame 7, the trolley-wire forming a bowed port-ion, as 32, which passes between the arms of the yoke-shaped hanger or suspension device 2, substantially as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings.

Thus, it will be seen from the foregoing description that with the herein-before described electric signaling or railway switch contact the main trolley-wire is at no time broken, so that an uninterrupted and continuous electric circuit is always maintained through the main line; and, as there are no soldered parts,,there can be no separation of, the parts due to the vibration to which the trolley-wire and the contact are'subjected. Suitably secured to one of the said short metal plates or bars, as 17, by means of screws 33,01 other suitable fastening means, is a leading-out or terminal-plate or mem ber 34, which is a good conductor of electricity,"said plate -or member 34 being formed with a U-shaped portion 35 which is provided with a terminal screw 36 for the attachment thereto of a circuit-wire which leads: to the various and well-known electrical instrumentalities, not here shown, when the usual trolley-wheel 38 makes a rolling contact with the plates or bars 14 and 17, by means of its groove 39, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

From an inspection of the drawings, it will be seen that the long plate or bar 14 at the one side of the contact is at all times electrically in circuit with the main trolleywire, the electric current thereby being conducted by means of the trolley-wheel to the motor carried by the car; but, that the short plates or bars are normally dead, except when the trolley wheel is brought into rolling contact therewith. In that case, the short bar or plate is placed in circuit, and becomes live, thusestablishing an electric circuit through the terminal plate .or member 34 and the circuit-wire 37 connected therewith i With the form of contact shown in Figs. '1' and 2 of the drawings, a single contact is produced; the contact may be provided,

however, by means of a plurality of terminals, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the .contact shown in said last-mentioned figures being provided with two terminals as 40 and 41, commonly termed as the off and on terminals, and in which construction, in lieu of the short metal plate or bar 17 the con-' tact is provided with three short plates, as 42. 43 and 44, the terminal 40 being carried by the plate or bar 42, and the terminal 41 being carried by theplate or bar 44.

As has beenstated, and as is shown in the several figures of the drawings, I prefer to employ in connection with the devices, the auxiliary plates or bars 16 and 18, shown in said Figs. 1 and 2, or the auxiliary plate or bar 43 shown in Figs. 4 and 5, as thereby I guard against any possibility of the electric current passing from the block 15 to the block 19, except by the wire 32, as by this means several open spaces or breaks are proided, which will preventa short-circuit, in ase any two of the spaces or breaks should become clogged with foreign matter having properties of conducting the electric current from one block to another block, as will be clearly evident.

Of course I am aware that some changes may be made in the various arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the foregoing specification, and as defined in the claims which are appended to the said specification. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the several devices and parts as described in the said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of the said parts, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim 1. The combination with a trolley wire, of an insulating frame, a covering having sides depending below the sides of the frame to form petticoats parallel with the wire, a continuous member secured to the frame and ccnductively connectedto said wire, a terminal element secured to said frame, gap members 1n alinement with said element to form a plurality of gaps at each end of said member, insulation between the continuous member and the terminal element and gap members, said members and element forming petticoats depending below the insulation and whose lower edges are in alinementwith said wire and form a track for a trolley wheel, whereby current may be bridged by said wheel from the continuous member to the terminal member.

2. An electric contact comprising a framelike structure, said frame-like structure being adapted to be secured to and mounted on a trolley-wire, and said frame-like structure comprising downwardly extending flanges and a centrally disposed and downwardly extending member, a long contact-making plate secured to said frame-like structure between its downwardly extending flanges and upon the one side of said centrally disposed member, said contact-making plate being normally in continuous electrical circuit between the said downwardly extending flanges and upon the other side of said centrally disposed member, said short contact making plates being out of electrical circuit with said trolley-wire, said long contactmaking plate and said short contact making plates being provided with flanges with which the groove of a trolley-wheel is adapted to be brought into rolling contact.

3. An electric contact comprising a framelike structure, said frame-like structure being adapted to be secured to and mounted on a trolley -wire,- and said frame like structure comprising downwardly extending flangesand a centrally disposed and downwardly extending member, a long contact making plate secured to said frame-like structure between its downwardly extending flanges and upon the one side oi said centrally disposed member, said contact-making plate being normally in continuous electrical circuit with the trolley wire, and a plurality of short and disconnected contaet-inaking plates secured to said franie-like struc-' ture between the said downwardly extending flangesand upon the other side of said centrally disposed member, said short contact-making plates being out of electrical circuit with said trolley-wire, said long contact-making plate and said short contactmaking plates being provided with flanges with which the groove of a trolley-wheel. is adapted to be brought into rolling contact, and a terminal connected with one of said short contactmaking plates for the completion of an electric circuit with other instrumentalities.

4. An electric contact comprising a framelilze structure, said frame-like structure being adapted to be secured to and mounted on a trolley-wire, and said frame-like structure comprising dowmvardly extending flanges and a centrally disposed and downwardly extending member, a long contactmaking platesecured to said frame-like structure between its downwardly extending flanges and upon he one side of said centrally disposed member, said contact-anal:- ing plate being inn-mall; in continuous electrical circuit with the trolley wire, and a plurality of short and e lisconmrted coutact-making plates secured to said framelike structure between the said downwardly extending flanges and upon the other sid of said centrally disposed nuniher. said short contact-making plates being out of electrical circuit with said trolley-wire, said long i mg plates. and a. teruuual connected with our of said short CO]1b2l(i'-lll2ll(lnfl plates for.

contactsnaking plate and said short contact making plates being provided with [hinges with which the groove of a trollev- 5 wheel is adapted to be brought into rolling" contact. and a terminal plate secured to one of said short contact-making plates, suidj terminal plat-c ha a U hrpcd portion for the aitzwinuent aotaaiv substantially as and for the purposes set forth. a r

5. The combination of a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair of approaches secured to the wire, a shoe connected with each approach having a lower upwardly tapering surface, a frame-like structugecomprising downwardly extending flanges and, a corn trally disposed and downwardly extending member, a long. contact-making plate secured to said frame-like structure between said downwardly extending flanges and upon the one side of said centrally disposed member, said long contact-making plate being electrically connected at its ends with said approaches, a plurality of short and disconnected contact-making plates secured to said frainelike structure between the said downwardly extending flanges and upon the other side of said centrally disposed memher, said short contact-limiting plates being normally out of electrical circuit with said trolley-wire, said longcontactanaliing plate and said short contact-making plates being provided with flanges with which the groove of a trolley-wheel is adapted to be brought. in rolling contact, and separatorblocks between said long contact-making plate and the short end contact-making plates.

6. The combination of a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair of approaches secured to the wire, a shoe connected with each approach having a lower upwardly tapering surface, a frame-like structure comprising downwardly extending flanges and a cen-. trally disposed and downwardly extending member, a long contact-making plate secured to said frame-like structure between said downwardly extending flanges, and upon the one side of said centrally disposed member, said long contact-making plate be ing electrically connected at its ends with said approaches, a plurality of short and disconnected contact-malring plates secured to said frame-like structure between the said downwardly extending flanges and upon the other side of said centrally disposed n'ien'lber, said short contactonalcing plates being normally out oi electrical circoil. with said lrolley wire, said long cont:u:t-u1ai;.iug plate and saidshort contactiualting plates being provided with llanges with which the groove of a trolley-wheel is adapted to be brought in rolling contact, separator-blru-lts between said long cont-actmaltiug plate and the short end contact-male r a :ir-ciu-wire thereto, i preach having a lower upwardly tapering 13o surface, .a frame-like structure comprising downwardly extending flanges and a centrally disposed and downwardly extending member, a long contact-making plate secured to said frame-like structure between said downwardly extending flanges and upon the one side of said centrally disposed memher, said long contact-making plate being electrically connect-ed at its ends with said approaches, ,a plurality of short and disconnected contact-making plates secured to said frame-like structure between the said downwardly extending flanges and upon-the other side of said centrally disposed member, said short'contact-making plates being normally out of electrical circuit with said trolleywire, said long contact-making plate and said short contact-making plates being provided with flangeswith which the groove of a trolley-wheel is adapted to be brought in rolling contact, separator-blocks, between said long contact-making plate and the short end-contact-making plates, a terminal plate secured to one of said short contact-making plates, said terminal plate having a U- shaped portion, and a terminal screw secured to said -U-shaped portion for the attachment of a circuit-wire thereto, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination of a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair of approaches secured to the wire, a shoe connected with each approach having a lower upwardly tapering surface, a frame-like struct-urecomprising downwardly extending flanges and a centrally disposed and downwardly extending member, a long contact-making plate secured to said frame-like structure between said downwardly extending flanges and upon the one side of said centrally disposed memher, said long contact-making plate being electrically connected at--'its ends with said approaches, a plurality of short and disconnected contactmaking plates secured to said frame-like structure between the said down-. wardly extending flanges and upon the other side of said centrally disposed member, said short contact-making platesbeing normally out of electrical, circuit with, saidtrolleywire, said long contact-making plate and said shortcontact-making plates being provided with flanges with which the groove ofa trolley-wheel. is adapted to be brought in rolling contact, separator-blocks between said long contact-making plates and the short endcontact-making plates, a trolley hangerfor the suspension of said frame-like structure, and a covering upon said frame, said frame having the upper surfaces of its end-portions made tapering and over which the trolley-wire passes and is bowed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination of'a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair of approaches secured to the wire, a

each apmember, a long contact-making plate se cured to said frame-like structure between said downwardly extending flanges and upon the one side of said cent-rally disposed member, said long contact-making plate being electrically connected at its ends with said connector-elements, a plurality of short and disconnected contact-making plates secured Y to said framelike structure between the said downwardly extending flanges and upon the other side of said centrally disposed member, said short contact-making plates being normally out of electrical circuit with said trolley-wire, said long contact-making plate and said shortcontact-making plates being provided with flanges with which the groove of a trolley-wheel is adapted in rolling contact, separator-blocks between said long contact-making plate and the short end contact-making plates. a trolley-hanger for the suspension of said frame-like struc ture, and a covering upon said frame, said frame having the upper surfaces of its endportions made tapering and over which the trolley-wirepassed and is bowed, and a terminal connected with one of said short contact-making plates for the vcompletion of an electric circuit with other instrumentalities.

10. The combination of a continuous trolley-wire, of a pair of approaches secured to the wire, a shoe connected with each approach having a lower upwardly tapering surface, a frame-like structure comprising downwardly extending flanges and a centrally disposed and downwardly extending member, a long contact-making plate secured to said frame-like structure between said downwardly extending flanges and upon the one side of said centrally disposed memher, said long contact-making plate being electrically connected at its ends with said approaches. a plurality of short and disconnected contact-making plates secured to said frame-like structure between the said downwardly extendingv flanges and upon the other side of said centrally disposed member, said short contact-making plates being normally out of electrical circuit with said trolley-wire, said long contact=making plate and said short contact-making plates being provided with flanges with which. the groove of a trolley-wheel is, adaptedto be brought 'in rolling contact, separatorblocks between said long contact-making plate and the short\ end-contact-making plates, a trolley-hanger for .the suspension of said frame-like structuregxand a covering upon said frame, said frame having the upper surfaces of itsend-portions made tapering and over which the trolley-wire passes and'isbowed,a terminal plate secured set forth above I hav hereunto sst'my hand tn t me of said shnrt cbntact-making plates, said terminal plate having a U-shaped porthis 25th day of July, 1910.

tion, and a terminal screw'secure'd to said U-shaped portion'fnr the' zittachment of :L EDWARD circuit-wire thereto, substantially as and for Witnesses: the purposes set forth v FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL,

YFREDK. H. W. FRAENTZEL.

In testimqny, that l'c'ltiim the invention ained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

aegis of this patent may be obt

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