US2193961A - Trolley and current collector means - Google Patents

Description

March 19, 1940. H. J. L. FRANK ET AL 2,193,961

TROLLEY AND CURRENT COLLECTOR MEANS Original Filed Aug. 26, 1935 ml 132 131 13,2 12g fiHi 4 iZOJNSl/ZATION JIM/4; l Z T 135 By M A la /g A ATTORNEY.

Patented Ma. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES I 2,193,961 PATENT OFFICE TROLLEY AND CURRENT COLLECTOR MEANS Harrison J. L. Frank and Joseph A. Messing, Detroit, Mich.

4 Claims.

This invention relates to current collector means particularly adapted for use in connection with the stationary bus duct of a current distributing system such as the one previously disclosed in Patent No. 2,018,846 of October 29, 1935. The instant application is a division of our prior application Serial No. 37,953 filed August 26. 1935, now Patent No. 2,117,552 of May 1'7, 1938, which in turn is a division of applications Serial No. 727,516 filed May 25,1934, now Patent No. 2,018,016 of October 22, 1935, and Serial No. 20,113 filed May 6, 1935, now Patent No. 2,052,972 of September 1, 1936.

The instant application relates specifically to collector means for withdrawing current from slotted tube bus duct.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide collector means which shall be of light weight and small size and which have a high degree of economy of manufacture and efficiency of operation.

Objects of the invention, which relate more distinctly to novel and important details of manufacture of the collector means shown and described herein, will be readily apparent upon reference to the following detailed descriptive matter relating to the appended drawing.

Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that- Fig. 1 shows in top plan view a plug collector;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevational views of the same as if taken from planes 3-3 and 4-4 respectively of Fig. 1.

In the figures there is shown a plug collector which is more particularly adapted for stationary use with a duct and is not normally intended to be moved along the duct as is the case with a trolley type collector. In this construction, the collector includes an elongated insulating base I20 having fuse clips I2I thereon, between pairs of which are disposed cartridge fuses I22. Connected to the pairs of those clips are two end brushes I23 and a center brush I24, the end brushes I23 being formed to engage the bus bars of the vertical sides of the duct and the center brush I24 being formed to engage the bus bar on the horizontal side or top of the duct, the center brush I24 projecting a considerable distance above the remaining parts of the collector. The base is supported by the vertical parts I26 of two frame plates I21 between which parts I26 it is disposed, and these frame plates are flanged downwardly at their edges, as indicated at I28. It is observed that the construction is such that the base I20 is diagonally disposed with respect to the frame plates as a whole, for reasons to be described, and that the edges of the frame plates, at the corners most remote from the base, are provided with upwardly projecting vertical stops I29, also for reasons to be described. The parts I26 of the plates, diagonally remote from the stops I29, have elongated notches I30, also for reasons to be described.

Further, secured to and disposed under the under surface of the frame plates are small plates .I3-I having upwardly projecting parts I32 which are thus rendered resiliently mounted with respect to the frame plates. The frame plates as a whole are rigidly secured to a block I33 in turn rigidly secured to the endof a handle I34. Conductors I35, connected to the pairs of fuseclips I2I in proper fashion, pass downwardly through the space between the vertical parts I26 of the Ill frame plate and down through the bore of the 20 When the collector is to be inserted into a duct, the base I20 and parts I2I, I22, I23, and I24, thereon, are inserted into the opening in the bottom of the duct; the frame plates I21 will then be somewhat askew of the duct. The collector will not yet be interlocked to the duct because of the fact that all of the parts of the collector, in the duct, are in line with the opening. The collector is then rotated a few degrees so that the base will be askew of the duct and will straddle the opening thereof, to interlock the 'collector to the duct. Elongated slots I30 in the vertical portions I26 of the frame plates I21 permit rotation of the collector as a whole with respect to the duct, the duct flanges being cleared through these slots. 7

After such rotation, the resilient brush I24, engaging the bottom of the upper bus bar, will bias the collector against the upper edges of the flanges at the bottom opening of the duct, with the frame plates in line with the duct. Stops I29 limit the degree of rotation of the collector as a whole with respect to the duct, upon insertion, to prevent injury to the brushes I23. After rotation is accomplished, the brushes I23 on the base will engage the side bus bars for proper contact, and with brush I24, already in engagement with the top bus bar, will complete the electrical connections desired.

For removal of the collector, it is necessary to rotate the collector back to its pre-insertion position, whereupon the collector may be lowered out of the duct.

It is noted that collectors of Figs. 1-4 are in the nature of removable wall or closure plates for parts of the open bottom of the duct, and that they carry the fuses I22 inside the duct; they thus cooperate with the duct to form an enclosed conduit inside which are provided and enclosed the fuses, these being on what might well be termed removable wall portions (the collectors) for the duct. Also, since the collectors must be removed from the duct before the fuses can be manipulated, an automatic interlock, to prevent manipulation of live fuses, is effected.

We claim:

1. A detachable connector for use with a duct having a slotted wall on whose sides are bus bars comprising a handle having a base and a head, the latter being insertable into the duct through the slot and having contacts engaging the side bus bars of the duct when inserted into the duct and rotated therein to straddle the slot, the base remaining outside the duct and engaging the slotted wall so that the latter is clamped between the head and the base.

2. A detachable connector for use with a duct having a slotted wall on whose sides are bus bars comprising a handle having a base and a head, the latter being insertable into the duct through the slot and having contacts engaging the side bus bars of the duct when inserted into the duct and rotated therein to straddle the slot, the base remaining outside the duct and engaging the slotted wall so that the latter is clamped between the head and the base, and fuses on the head and disposed within the duct.

3. A detachable connector for use with a duct having a slotted wall on whose sides are bus "bars comprising a handle having a base and a head, the latter being insertable into the duct through the slot and having contacts engaging the side bus bars of the duct when inserted into the duct and rotated therein to straddle the slot, the base remaining outside the duct and engaging the slotted wall so that the latter is clamped between the head and the base, the collector forming a removable closure for that part of the slot of the duct near which are contacts.

4. A detachable connector for use with a duct having a slotted wall on whose sides are bus bars comprising a handle having a base and a head, the latter being insertable into the duct through the slot and having contacts engaging the side bus bars of the duct when inserted into the duct and rotated therein to straddle the slot, the base remaining outside the duct and engaging the slotted wall so that the latter is clamped between the head and the base, the collector forming a removable closure for that part of the slot of the duct near which are contacts, and fuses on the head and disposed within the duct.

HARRISON J. L. FRANK. JOSEPH A. MESSING.

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