US2041110A - Trolley system and device - Google Patents

Description

L. BIIRCH TROLLEY SYSTEM AND DEVICE Filed April 25, 1955 Inventor LELAND W Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TROLLEY SYSTEM AND DEVICE Application April 23, 1935, Serial No. 17,814

16 Claims.

My invention relates to an overhead trolley wire system and to a supporting device used in connection therewith;

One object of my invention is to provide a device and system permitting the free longitudinal movement of the supported wires relative to the supporting hangers.

Another object is to provide a system and hangers therefor in which slack may be cut out of the supported wires without the necessity of detaching the same from the supporting hangers.

Another object of my invention is to provide a system and supporting hangers in which the trolley wire is supported from an auxiliary wire and the two said wires are prevented from swaying or twisting in a lateral or side direction.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination and relation of the parts shown in the accompanying drawing and fully described in the specification.

In the drawing:-

Fig. 1 shows an arrangement of various parts composing one form of my improved system in which a trolley wire is supported from an auxiliary conductor.

Fig. 2 shows a portion of the system shown in Fig. 1 and setsforth more clearly a suspension hanger and the trolley wire as suspended from the auxiliary conductor.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 of a modified construction.

In the ordinary suspension of trolley conduct-ors, either directly from a hanger or from a catenary cable, it is usual for the supporting devices to securely grip the trolley wire or cable. This generally necessitates considerable work in I, loosening up the clamps on the conductors if it is desired to readjust the conductors with respect to the hangers or to cut out slack which may develop in the system.

I have devised a system and hangers therefor whereby the requirement of loosening the clamps or hangers with respect to the conductors is eliminated. Also, any normal longitudinal movement of the conductor with respect to the hangers may take place without stressing theparts.

501 My invention is particularly adapted where the trolley wire crosses aviaduct, especially a long viaduct, and is supported from overhead timbers as in this case not only does the trolley wire tend to shorten and lengthen for various reasons but also the structure which causes a movement of the hangers longitudinally and relative to the trolley wire.

My invention may be used with round or grooved conductors, both shapes of wire being common, but different results may be secured 5 with each.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, as shown in Fig. 1, the grooved trolley wire I is shown supported from an auxiliary wire or conductor 2, which is shown as of round section. 10 These two wires are supported from the overhead structure 3 which may be supported by a bridge structure or by poles. The structure 3 is shown as constructed of wood and. disposed longitudinally above and parallel to the conductors 15 l and 2.

The conductors l and 2 are supported from the structure 3 by the hanger 4.

The hanger 4 is shown as comprising a metal body member 5: with the projecting arms 6 by 20 means of which the hanger may be secured to the structure 3 by means of bolts 1. Projecting from the member 5 is a supporting stud 8 which is secured to the member 5 by means of a solid insulating medium 9 which is usually of molded composition. 'Ihreadably secured to the stud 8 is a supporting clamp Ill comprising a member I I and a member l2 secured together by means of the bolt and nut I3.

' The members II and 12 have cooperating 30 grooves to receive the: conductor 2 and the S111)- porting rod 14. The grooves in the members H and [2 are so arranged that the clamp lil will engage and securely grip the rod Ii but will loosely support theconductor 2 permitting the conductor 35 to move longitudinally relative to the clamp I0.

To more clearly show on the drawing those joints between the clamps and other parts which are tight and those which are loose, I have used the characters T and. L respectively.

The jaws on the members II and [2 are so ar ranged that they encircle the conductor 2 more than halfway thus offering a more secure support for theconductor 2 than if each encircled the conductor only halfway.

Mounted on the rod M are two clamps 15 each comprisingclamping members I6 and IT held in clamping relation by means of the bolt and nut' l8, and each provided with cooperating grooves to receive theconductor 2 and the rod l4. The lips are arranged to overlap the members 2 and [4 more than halfway for reasons already explained.

The grooves formed by the members 16 and H are so related to the members 2 and. I4 that the member 2 is engaged and gripped tightly by the clamp I5 but the member I4 is loosely held permitting the parts I4 and I5 to move relative to each other in longitudinal direction.

From the above description of the hanger 4, it will be noted that the clamps [5 are loosely mounted on the rod I4 which is tightly gripped by the clamp I0. When the hanger 4 is secured to the conductor 2 the clamps I5 are arranged to grip the conductor 2 tightly, while the clamp II) supports the conductor 2 loosely. This permits the conductor 2 together with the clamps I 5 to move relative to the structure 3 in a longitudinal direction.

The trolley wire I is supported from the wire 2 by means of clamps I9 which are spaced along the length of the wires I and 2. The clamps I9 comprise the members 20 and 2I clamped together by means of the screw or bolt 22 and are provided with grooves to receive and grip' tightly the conductors I and 2.

At such point as the conductor 2 may end it is anchored to the overhead structure through the medium of an insulator 23 through which is looped back upon itselfv the end 24 of the conductor 2 and held by means of a clamp 25. The eye bolt 26 is secured to the structure 3, and also to the insulator 23 by means of a loop 21 provided with a terminal 23 and a pin 29. The strut member 3!! holds the end of the conductor in proper alignment with the overhead support 3.

I have shown the members 2 and I4 in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive as of round cross section but these members may also be of grooved cross section as the member I, in which case the jaws of the clamps I and I5 would be made to grip the members 2 and I4 the same as the jaws of the clamps I 9 grip the grooved conductor I as shown in Figs. 3 and 4..

In Fig. 5 I show a modified cross section of the clamp I5 arranged to grip the members 2 and I4 when they are made of grooved material. When the members 2 and I4 are of grooved material, and also the trolley wire I,-then.it will be evident that there can be very little lateral swaying or movement of the parts as they are quite intimately locked together and the clamp I0 is held rigid against lateral movement as it in turn is rigidly secured to the stud 8 which is immovable relative to the structure 3.

If the members I 5 are constructed as shown in Fig. 5 and if. the lower jaws of the clamping members II and I2 are made corresponding to the lower jaws of the clamp shown in Fig. 5, so as to grip the conductor in like manner, then the conductor 2 can serve as the trolley wire I, that is, the trolley wire would then be supported directly by the clamps I0 and I5 in place of through the medium of the conductor 2 and clamps I9. In this case, it will be evident that the trolley wire would be free to move longitudinally with respect to the structure 3.

The lower end of clamp members II and I2 engage the wire loosely and aid in supporting the wire I or 2, thus relieving the bar I4 from supporting the entire load of the wire. The lower part of hanger 4 may be eliminated if desired.

If the trolley wire I is supported directly by the clamps Ill and I5, the wire is preferably of grooved construction and the clamps correspond.

The structure 3 may be of other form if desired in place of a continuous support as shown.

The clamps I9 electrically connect the wires I and 2, thus the wire 2 acts as a feeder for the wire I. The longitudinal movement of the clamps I5 may be made whatever desired by proper location of the clamps on the wire 2 with reference to the clamp I0, thus limiting the movement of the wire 2 relative to the hanger.

The member I4 may be of steel or hard drawn copper.

Modifications of my invention as disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, but I wish to be limited only by my claims.

I claim:-

1. A trolley Wire system comprising a supporting structure, a hanger provided with a plurality of relatively movable wire holders supported by the structure, an auxiliary wire supported by the hanger at a plurality of spaced points and free to move longitudinally relative to the supporting structure and a trolley wire supported by the auxiliary wire to move with the auxiliary wire relative to the supporting structure.

2. A trolley wire system comprising a supporting structure, a trolley wire suspended below the structure, an auxiliarywire suspended below the structure and supporting the trolley wire and a hanger having a plurality of longitudinally spaced and movable wire holders interposed between the supporting structure and the auxiliary wire and secured to the structure and to the auxiliary wire and permitting longitudinal movement of the wires relative to the structure.

3. A trolley wire system comprising a supporting structure, a trolley wire, an auxiliary wire, means suspending the trolley wire from the auxiliary wire and both wires suspended below the structure, a hanger supporting the wires from the structure, the hanger comprising fixed means secured to the structure and. means loosely gripping the auxiliary wire to support the same and permit the wires to move freely relative to the supportin structure in a longitudinal direction.

4. A trolley wire system comprising a supporting structure, a trolley wire, an auxiliary wire, means supporting the trolley wire from the auxiliary wire and both wires suspended below the structure and a hanger supporting the wires from the structure, the hanger comprising a means secured to the structure and loosely gripping the auxiliary wire to permit relative movement and clamping means tightly gripping the auxiliary wire and movable relative to the securing means to permit the wires to move freely relative to the supporting structure in a longitudinal direction and means to support the clamping means from the securing means.

5. An overhead trolley system. comprising supporting means, spaced hangers secured to the supporting means, a conductor supported by the hangers and arranged to move freely in a longitudinal direction relative to the supporting means, the hangers having a fixed part secured to the supporting means and a second fixed part loosely supporting the conductor and movable parts se-' both sides of the suspension means in the direction of the conductor and clamping means loosely mounted on' eachextension. of the bar and ar-- ranged to tightly grip the conductor to permit the conductor to move freely in the directions the bar extends and relative to the suspension means.

7. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means with means to secure the suspension means to a support and having spaced holding means to receive a conductor in one of said spaced means and an elongated rod mounted in another of said spaced means, and projecting in opposite directions from the suspension means, other means mounted on each rod projection and provided with means to receive the conductor, the conductor movable longitudinally relative to the rod.

8. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means with means to secure the suspension means to a support and having spaced means to receive a conductor in one of said spaced means and an elongated rod mounted in another of said spaced means, and projecting in opposite directions from the suspension means, other means slidably mounted on each rod projection and provided with means to receive the conductor.

9. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means with means to secure the suspension means to a support and having means to receive and securely grip a rod, an elongated rod secured in said last means and projecting in opposite directions from the suspension means and means mounted on each rod projection adjacent the ends thereof and having means to receive and grip a conductor.

10. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means with means to secure the suspension means to a support and having means to receive and support a. rod, an elongated rod mounted in said last means and projecting in opposite directions from the suspension means and means slidably mounted on each rod projection and having means to receive and grip a conductor.

11. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means provided with means to secure the suspension means to a support, means associated with and projecting a limited distance in opposite directions from the suspension means and means mounted on each projecting means adjacent the ends thereof and adjacent the suspension means and having means to receive and support a conductor.

12. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means provided with means to secure the suspension means to a support, fixed means of limited length associated with and projecting in opposite directions from the suspension means and means mounted on each projectingmeans at the ends thereof and having means to receive and support a conductor, and means on the suspension means to receive and support the conductor.

13. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means provided with means to secure the suspension means to a support, means associated with and projecting in opposite directions from the suspension means and means mounted on each projecting means and having means to grip and support a conductor in longitudinally movable relation to the suspension means.

14. A trolley wire hanger comprising a suspension member provided with means to secure the suspension member to a support, a second member associated with the suspension member and each member having registering grooves to form spaced channels, a rod-like member of limited length supported in one channel and projecting in opposite directions from the suspension member and a continuous conductor supported in the other groove and means to draw the grooved members together, spaced supporting means slidably mounted on the rod-like means and each comprising a pair of members and means to hold the members together and having grooves, one groove to receive the rodlike member and another groove to receive and grip the conductor.

15. A trolley wire hanger comprising suspension means provided with means to secure the suspension means to a. support, means associated with and projecting in opposite directions from the suspension means and non-rotatable relative to the suspension means, means non-rotatably mounted on each projecting means and having means to grip and support a conductor in longitudinally movable relation to the suspension means.

16. An overhead trolley system comprising overhead supporting means, a plurality of rigid hangers secured to the supporting means and each hanger having means fixedly secured to the supporting means to engage with and loosely support a conductor, a conductor supported by the hangers and arranged to slide freely in a longitudinal direction relative to the hangers and supporting means, a trolley wire suspended below the conductor and a plurality of clamping means distributed along the system and suspending the trolley wire from the conductor, the trolley wire arranged to move longitudinally with the conductor.

LELAND W. BIRCH.

Images