US1089414A - Automatic trolley-pole controller. - Google Patents

Description

M. B. JOLLIPFE. AUTOMATIC TROLLEY POLE CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1911.

1,089,414. Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

2 SHEETQ"$HEET 1.

GZ. WW4

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTUN. u. c.

M. B. JOLLIPFE.

AUTOMATIC TROLLEY POLE CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1911,

1,089,414. Patented Mar. 10, 1914,

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAIH CO..\V1\SHINGTON. b. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARK B. JOLLIFFE, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 JUSTUS V. RYDER AND ONE-THIRD TO JOHN H. MEEKS, BOTH OF NEW HAVEN,

CONN EGTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

Application filed April 10, 1911. Serial No. 619,991.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARK B. JOLLIFFE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Trolley-Pole Controllers; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1 a diagrammatic view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, of an automatic trolley-pole controller constructed in accordance with my invention, the pole being shown in its normal or elevated position with its trolley-wheel on the trolley-wire. Fig. 2 a correspondlng vlew showing the pole in its depressed position and the emergency and conductors valves in their correspondingly changed positions. Fig. 3 a broken plan view showing the connection of the emergency-magnet with the emergency-valve. Fig. 4 a detached view of the trolley-pole fork. Fig. 5 a broken View in section showing the position which the conductors valve temporarily assumes while the trolley-pole is being replaced. Fig. 6 a plan view of the conductors valve, showing the lever by which it is operated.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic trolley-po1e controllers, the object being to provide simple, reliable and convenient means for safe-guarding a trolley-pole in case it jumps the trolley-wire.

With these ends in view my invention consists in an automatic trolley-pole controller having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown, I employ a trolley-pole 2 furnlshed at its upper end with a trolley-wheel3 which normally runs upon an ordinary trolleywire 4. The said pole 2 is hung upon a pivot 5 passing through it near its lower end and mounted in the upper ends of the arms 6 of a fork 7 the lower end of which is mounted so as to swivel in the roof 8 of a trolley-car. At its extreme lower end the pole 2 is formed with a bowed arm 9 pivotally connected to the projecting outer end of a piston-rod 10 the inner end of which is pivoted to a piston 11 located in a compressed-air cylinder 12 containing a helical operating-spring 13 and a buffer-spring 14, encircling the said piston-rod 10 and interposed between the inner end of the cylinder 12 and the piston 11. The said cylinder is located upon a horizontal platform 15 rigidly secured to the threaded lower end of the fork 7 by means of nuts16 and 17 which permit the platform 15 to be vertically adjusted as desired. Under this con struction the platform 15 and its load swivels with the fork 7 and pole 2 which swing to accommodate the pole to curves in the trolley-wire 4. A flexible compressedair tube 18 leads to the outer end of the said cylinder 12 from a valve-casing 19 containing a three-way emergency-valve 20 the projecting stem 21 of which is connected by an arm 22 with the downwardly turned outer end 23 of the longitudinally movable armature 24 of an emergency-magnet 25 located in a shunt-circuit (not shown) from the trolley-wire 4.

A helical spring 26 located within the magnet 25 is arranged to push the armature 24 outward when the magnet 25 is demagnetized by being cut out of the circuit of the trolley-wire 4. The magnet-frame 27 is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 28, whereby the magnet is permitted to accommodate itself to the movement of the arm 22 of the valve 20 as shown in Fig. 2. The said emergency-valve 20 is connected by a pipe 29 with a compressed-air tank 30 located beneath the trolley car. The tank 30 may be the same tank as is used for the operation of compressed air-brakes for the car. In the pipe 29 I locate another three-way valve 31 contained. in a valve-casing 32 and interposed between the said tank 30 and the emergency-valve 20. The said valve 31, which I shall for convenience call the conductors valve to distinguish it from the emergency-valve, is provided with an operating-lever 33 by means of which it is operated by the conductor of the car.

When the trolley-wheel 3 is running upon the trolley-wire 4, the circuit is kept closed through the emergency-magnet 25 which normally maintains the armature 24 in its retracted position against the constant effort of the spring 26 to project it. As long as the armature 24: is retained in its retracted position, it holds the emergency-valve 20 in its closed position as seen in Fig. 1, whereby the passage of any compressed air from the tank 30 to the compressed-air cylinder 12 is prevented, although the conductors valve 31 is at this time open, as shown in Fig. 1, which also shows that in its closed position the three-way emergency-valve 20 has one port open to the atmosphere so that there will be no vacuum created or compression of air when the piston 11 is operated by the oscillations of the pole in ordinary use. Now should the trolley-wheel 3 jump off the trolley-wire 4, the shunt circuit through the magnet 25 will immediately be broken and the magnet demagnetized, leaving the spring 26 free to act to project the armature 25 into its extended position in which it is seen in Fig. 2. This outward movement of the armature 2et throws the emergency-valve 20 into its open position as shown in Fig. 2, and therefore establishes uninterrupted communication between the tank 30 and the cylinder 12. The pressure in the tank 30 is therefore immediately exerted upon the piston 11 which is moved against the tension of the spring 13 with the effect of lowering the trolley-pole 2 into its clearance or horizontal position in which it is seen in Fig. 2, the buffer-spring 1 1 acting to cushion the shock of the sudden lowering of the long heavy pole 2 into a horizontal position in which it will be held by the pressure of air in the tank 30 and in the pipes 29 and 18 as long as the valves 20 and 31 are left open. In its depressed position, of course the pole is prevented from being itself injured or from doing injury.

Preparatory to restoring the pole 2 to engagement with the trolley-wire L, the'conductor of the car operates the lever 33 of the conductors valve 31 to turn the same into its closed position in which it is shown in Fig. 5, and in which the port 34 in its casing 32 is opened to permit atmospheric pressure to be restored in the cylinder 12. As the air-pressure in the cylinder 12 falls, the spring 13 asserts itself to move the piston 11 as required for drawing the piston-rod 10 inward and so lifting the trolley-pole 2 back into its normal position in which it is held by the spring 13. Now as soon as the trolley-wheel 8 strikes the trolley-wire a a current will be sent through the emergencymagnet 25 which will immediately operate to retract the armature 24 and so restore the emergency-valve 20 to its closed position as shown in Fig. 1. The conductor must now use the lever 33 to open the conductors valve 31 so as to permit the passage of the compressed-air as far as the emergency-valve 20. By employing a swiveled platform 15 for the cylinder 12, and a flexible pipe 18 for connecting the said cylinder to the said emergency-valve 20, the apparatus is adapted to accommodate itself to the positions which the pole 2 must assume in turning corners or moving out of a right line.

I claiinz 1. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with a pivotal trolley-pole, of a compressed-air cylinder located beneath the said pole and having its piston connected with the said pole at a point below the pivot thereof, a compressed-air tank, connection between the said cylinder and air tank, an emergency-valve and a conductors valve located in the said connection, and means controlled by the operating current for automatically operating the emergency-valve to permit compressed air to flow directly from the said tank into the said cylinder the moment the trolley-pole leaves the trolley-wire, and for closing the said valve when the pole is again in contact with the trolley wire.

2. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with a pivotal trolley-pole, of a compressed air cylinder located beneath the said pole, a piston located in the said cylinder and connected with the said pole at a point below the pivot thereof, an operating-spring located within the cylinder and exerting a constant effort to lift the pole, a tank for compressed air connection between the said cylinder and tank, an emergency-valve and a conductors valve located in the said connection, a magnet located' in the circuit of the trolley-wire and connected with the said emergencyvalve which is closed by the said magnet when the circuit is closed, and means for opening the said emergency valve when the current through the said magnet is broken, to permit compressed air to flow directly from the said tank to the said cylinder.

3. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with a pivotal trolley-pole, of a compressed-air cylinder located beneath the said pole and having its piston connected with the said pole at a point below the pivotthereof, a movable support for the pole and cylinder, whereby the same are permitted to accommodate themselves to curves in the trolleywire, a compressed air tank, an emergency-valve, flexible connection between the said cylinder and emergency-valve, a conductors valve controlling the passage of compressed air from the said tank to the said emergency-valve, a magnet located in a shunt circuit of the trolley-wire and connected with the emergency-valve which is closed by the said magnet when the current through the same is closed, and means for opening the said valve when the current through the said magnet is broken, to permit compressed air to fiow directly from the said tank to the said cylinder.

4. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with a trolley-pole, of a compressedair cylinder located beneath the said pole, a piston located in the said cylinder and connected with the pole at a point below the pivot thereof, a spring exerting a constant effort to lift the pole, a compressed-air tank, connection between the said tank and cylinder, an emergency-valve and a. conductors valve located in the said connection, a magnet located in the circuit of the trolley-wire, a movable armature for the said magnet, and connection between the said armature and emergency-valve for automatically opening the valve when the cur rent is cut off from the magnet by the jumping of the trolleywheel from the trolleywire and for automatically closing the valve when the trolley wheel is replaced on the trolley wire.

In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with a pivotal trolleypole, of a compressed-air cylinder located beneath the said pole and having its piston connected with the said pole below the pivot thereof, a compressed-air tank, connection between the said cylinder and tank, a three-way emergency-valve and a three-way conductors valve located in the said connection, and means controlled by the operating current for automatically opening the emergency-valve when the current is broken by the jumping of the trolley'wheel oif the trolley-wire and for automatically closing the valve when the trolley wheel is replaced. on the trolley wire.

(5. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with a pivotal trolley-pole, of a spring normally holding the same in its elevated position, a compressed-air cylinder located beneath the said pole and having its piston connected with the said pole below the pivot thereof, a compressed-air tank, means connecting the said cylinder and tank, a three-way emergency-valve and a three-way conductors valve located in the said connection, a shunt circuit for the trolley-wire, a magnet located in the said shunt circuit, a connection between the magnet and emergency-valve, whereby the same is closed when the shunt circuit is closed by the replacement of the trolley-wheel upon the trolley-wire, and means for opening the en'iergency-valve to admit compressed air to the cylinder when the operating current is broken by thejumping of the trolleywheel from the trolley-wire.

7. In an automatic trolley-pole controller, the combination with a pivotal trolley-pole, of a swiveling fork therefor, a platform carried by the said fork, a cylinder mounted upon the platform at a point beneath the said pole, a piston rod connected with the pole at a point beneath the pivot thereof, a piston for the cylinder, a spring connected with the trolley-pole and normally maintaining the same in its elevated position, a compressed-air tank, connection between the said tank and cylinder, the said connection being flexible to accommodate the movement of the cylinder with the said platform, a three-way emergency-valve and a three-way conductors valve located in the said connection, a magnet located in a shunt circuit of the trolley-wire, connection between the said magnet and emergency-valve, whereby the latter is closed when the operating current is closed, and means for opening the valve when the current through the said magnet is broken, to permit compressed air to flow from the said tank to the said cylinder when the current is broken.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARK B. J OLLIFFE.

Witnesses AMMI TI-IUDINGTON, BURTON V. BRADLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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