US1706653A - Current collector - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1929. H. P" CHANDLER 1,706,553

CURRENT COLLECTOR Original Filed Oct. 9, 1926 PATENTv OFFICE.

HOMER P. CHANDLER,

0F MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO BRASS COM- PART, 01' MANSFIELD, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CURRENT COLLECTOR.

Application filed October 8,

My invention typeof collector is that they will not opcrate as efliciently in backing up as in going forward and after an examination of the various types of sliding collectors, which have come to m attention, and careful consideration of t e conditions, I have discovered that the difficulty can be overcome b making the center of oscillation of the slice coincide with the line of contact between the trolley wire and the shoe or collector.

By placing the axis of oscillation as close to the line of contact between the conductor and the shoe and midway longitudinally of the shoe there is no turning moment about the axis of oscillation tending to rotate the shoe either in one direction or the other as it moves along the trolley wire either in a forward or reverse direction of movement.

I also find it advisable to make the shoe as symmetrical as possible with respect to the vertical center line 4-4 so as to alance it upon the axis of rotation.

I also prefer to so balance the shoe that the contact surface will rest normally in a horizontal line.

Many of the collectors of the sliding shoe type are counter-balanced or over-welghted so as to throw the contact surface of the shoe out of a horizontal position, but this has a tendency to change the operating conditions when movin forward or backward.

None of t e shoes that I have examined have had the center of rotation or oscillation coinciding with or adjacent to the line of contact of the shoe.

It will be apparent that since there is always a certain amount of wear to the contact surface of the shoe that it will be im-.

possible to place the center of rotation coincident with the contact surface when the shoe is new and maintain it in that relation therefore, I place the center of rotation o the shoe at a point between the original contact surface and that to which I think it will eventually wear. If I decide that the contact will wear down one-quarter inch, then I would lace the center of oscillation about one-eighth inch below the original contact surface.

1926, Serial No. 140,681. Renewed September 26, 1927.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination and relation of the various parts herein described and shown in the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention I employ a support member 1 provided with two spaced supporting members 2.

The supporting members 2 have an inwardly projecting flange 3 in the center of which is formed a slot 4. The upper face of the flange 3 is preferably machined to an arcuate surface having a predetermined radius.

Each support member 2 is provided with a flange 5 adjacent the flange 3 forming a trough-like construction.

Mounted in the trough-like construction is the collecting member or shoe 6 which has a projecting lug 7 extending through the slot 4. The supporting members 2 are provided with registering slots 8 which coincide with an opening 9 in the lug 7 Passing through the slots 8 and the opening 9 is a retaining member 10 which has suflicient clearance from the parts with which it engages to permit the same to move freely or roll as the member 6 oscillates relative to the member 1.

The contacting surface of the member 6 with the member 3 is preferably machined and to the same radius as that of the member 3. The member 10 retains the parts in inseparable relation, but permits them to move relative to each other upon their arcuate bearing surface.

The shoe 6 is provided with'a groove 11 having an elongated bearing surface 12 which contacts with the conductor 13. The surface 12 will, of course, wear down from use and may assume a position shown bv the dotted line 14 before the shoe is ready to discard.

In order to reduce the turning movement of the shoe when in operation I have shown the center of oscillation at the point A and this is the intersectionof the original contact surface 12 and the center line H, and with this point as a center I have used the view in elevation of my radius Rto form the arcuate surfaces between the parts 6 and 3.

It is quite evident that if the surface 12 wears down tocoincide with that of 14 that I would be equally justified in using the radius R for the arcuate surfaces of contact, but in practice I refer to use a middle point between the sur aces 12 and 14 on the line 44, and with this as the center I employ the radius R.

The shoe is so formed as to produce a receptacle 15 therein in which may be placed a lubricant such as oil, and from there a passage 16 leads to the surface of the groove 12 and in the passage 16 is mounted a piece of wicking 17 by means of which the oil may be transmitted to the contact surface of the collector and lubricate the same and reduce wear. I also find that some of this oil will creep over the end surfaces of the groove 11 and lubricate the arcuate bearing surfaces. 1

I find that a shoe constructed as herein described and by having the middle of the shoe uniformly disposed and with the axis of oscillation coinciding as nearly as possible with the variable contact surface that the operation is much better equalized for both the forward and backward movement of the shoe than in the present type of shoes, and the tendency to leave the wire, especially when backing up, is greatly reduced.

There are modifications, of course, which can be made in my invention from that disclosed herein, but I do not wish to be lim ited other than by my claims.

I claim:

1. A current collector comprising a support member and a. shoe member having a contact surface to engage a trolley wire, each member having engaging arcuate hearing surfaces upon which they oscillate, the center of radius of the arcuate surfaces coinciding with the contact surface at a point midway the ends of the shoe.

2. A current collector comprising a support member and a shoe member having a contact surface to engage a trolley wire, each member having engaging areuate bearing surfaces upon which they oscillate, the center of radius of the arcuate surfaces coinciding with the contact surface at a point midway the ends of the shoe and means movable with one of the members to prevent separation of the members but permit cillation of the members.

3. A current collector comprising a support, a shoe mounted in the support to oscillate relative thereto and having an elongated contact surface to engage a trolley wire, the center of oscillation coinciding approximately with the contact surface midway the length of the contact surface.

4. A'sliding contact shoe provided with a groove having an elongated contact surface, an arcuate bearing surface having a radius the center of which falls within the limits of wear of the contact surface and midway of the length of the contact surface.

5. A sliding contact shoe provided with a groove having an elongated contact surface, an arcuate bearing surface having a radius the center of which falls within the limits of wear of the contact surface and midway of the length of the contact surface and a receptacle formed within the shoe to contain oil and m MRS to conduct the oil to the contact surface of the groove.

6. A current collector comprising a support, an arcuate scat formed in the support, an areuate slot in the support, a shoe having a contact surface and an areuatc surface mounted upon the arcuate surface of the support and having a substantially closed receptacle formed within the shoe to retain lubricating material, means to remove the lubricant from the receptacle, means passing through the arcuate slot and engaging the shoe to maintain the support. and shoe in operative relation.

7. A current collector comprising a support, an arcuate seat formed in the support, an arcuate slot in the support, a shoe having a contact surface and an arcuate surface mounted upon the arcuate surface of the support, means passingthrough the arcuate slot and engaging the shoe to maintain the support and shoe in operative relation, the center of radius of the arcuate surfaces coinciding approximately with the intersection of a vertical center line with the contact surface of the shoe.

8. A current collector comprising a support, a shoe mounted in the support to oscillate relative thereto and having an elongated contact surface to engage a trolley Wire, the center of oscillation coinciding approximately with the contact surface and located along the length of the contact surface and its engagement with the support at a point distant from the center of oseillation.

9. A sliding shoe for a current collector provided with a contact surface to slide in contact along a conductor, means to hold the shoe on a support, a receptacle formed within the shoe to hold 'a lubricant and means to apply the lubricant to the contact surface.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HOMER P. CHANDLER.

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