US398663A

US398663A - Switch mechanism for electric railways

Info

Publication number: US398663A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1889-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 1906-02-26

Description

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet l.

S. H. SHORT.

SWITCH MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Patented Feb, 26, 1889.

r A I w dag,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. H. SHORT.

SWITCH MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. No. 398,663. Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT @EtiicE.

SIDXEY H. SHORT, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

SWITCH MECHANISM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,663, dated February 26, 1889.

Application filed November 13, 1888. Serial No. 290,762. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SIDNEY II. SHORT, oi Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a new and usu ful Improvement in Switch Mechanism for Electric Railways; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The invention which is the subject of the following specification consists of an improved switch mechanism designed for adouble-lined sectional conductor, such as that shown in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me the ith day of December, 1888, No. 394,139.

I have sought to provide a switch mechanism adapted to prevent sparking and to be operated with certainty when the cars are running at a high rate of speed.

The particular improvements consist in combining with the double-line sectional conductora switch arranged to open and close alternately the sections of the double line, and a trolley adapted to provide a short circuit between the lines at the break and around the switch during the shifting of the said switch to close one and open the other, whereby all sparking is prevented.

The invention further consists in a locking device in connection with the switch, whereby its action is rendered certain however high the rate of speed of the trolley.

Further, the invention consists of important combinations and details of construction.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 represents the conductor, trolley, and switch in side elevation. Fig. 2 represents an end view of the switch, but on a scale larger than Fig.1. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the switch, and Fig. at a plan of the same, both on the same scale;. and Fig. 5 shows the commutator-sleeve detached. Fig. 6 shows the trolley in plan. Fig. 7 is a diagram of the switch, showing the trolley and the relation of the same to the operating-levers, whereby the switch is shortcircuited as the trolley passes it.

In the drawings, A and A represent the sections of wire of adouble conductor of an electrical railway. The sections of each wire of the double line are continuous. The ends of the sections of each wire of the line are mechanically connected each to a plate, B, the lower edge of which is grooved to receive it. To make a firm mechanical as well as a good electrical connection the end of the wire is turned up and driven into a hole in the under edge of the plate, and then the wire is soldered in the plate. At each break there are four of these plates, two 011 each side. They are all supported upon a frame,D, having flanges d, which project downward. On each flange two plates are fixed by means of screws l, which pass through the plates and into the flange. An insulating-plate, E, is interposed between the plates and the flange, by which every plate is entirely insulated, and those of the pairs on each side are separated far enough to make an effective break in the line.

Upon the frame in central longitudinal line is a shaft, F, which turns in bearings in standards f on the frame. 011 the ends of this shaft are fixed commutators G G, each having two conducting-sections set opposite each other and two non-conducting sections similarly arranged; but the non-conducting sections of one commutator are opposite the conducting-sections of the other. Springbrushes 2, 3, a, and 5, one on each side of each commutator, are insulated in supports on the frame.

In Fig. I of the drawings the car is sup posed to be moving from left to right. The brushes 2 and 3 of the left hand commutator are connected, respectively, by wires 8 and 9 to the plates B of the right-hand wire, and when these brushes bear upon the non-eonducting sections the connection is broken in this wire, and when they bear on the conducting-sections the connection is closed. In the same way the plates 011 the other side are connected by wires 10 and 1l,respectively, to the brushes of the commutator on the other end of the shaft, butowing to the alternate arrangement of the conducting and non-conducting sections of the commutators in relation to each other, as heretofore described, when one connection in either wire is broken the other is closed. The eondueting-sections and their intermediate connections are made out of a tubular piece of metal, 11, as shown in Fig. 5, in which parts are cut out, as shown at 71, leaving a ring, I, at the ends to form the connection. The parts cut out are filled with any suitable non-conductin g material. To give the shaft which carries these commutators the proper rotary movement to open on one side of the line and close on the other, I have provided mechanism worked by the passage of the trolley. First, there is a star-wheel, K, fixed on the shaft of the commutators with its radii in proper relation to the sections of the commutator. To move this step by step and to lock it in position when moved, arms L and M are provided. These are conveniently in one piece, being pivoted at it on oneside of the frame. The moving arm L is shorter and has a spur, I, which normally stands in position, as shown in Fig. 2, to strike a radius of the star-wheel and move it one step. Vhile it is so moving the other arnnM, being longer, moves faster and downward and, leaving the opposite radius, unlocks the whc el.

This locking-arm has an enlarged bearingface adapted to the face of the wheel against which it bears. As the locking-arm moves backward and downward the moving arm carries the wheel nearly one-fourth of a revolution and there holds it until the force which 7 moved the ari'ns'has ceased to act. Then' tho arms are returned to their normal position by means of a spring, N, which bears against the under side of the long arm. This carries the long arm up against the next radius, completing the one-fourth movement heretofore explained, and moving the radius-point on the other side to the position shown in Fig. when it stands ready to be engaged again by the moving arm.

The arms L and M are operated directly by means of levers O and P. These are pivoted on the plates 13 I3 and are in electrical connection with said plates. The lower ends extend down and have friction-rollers in range of the passing trolley. The upper ends extend inwardly over insulating-sleeves p on a pin inserted through the long arm M. Two levers areused, so as to equalize the strain on the trolley and prevent its displacement and to make electrical contact with the trolley to prevent sparking. When the trolley passes between the lower ends of the levers, it pushes them outwardly and the inner ends down, thus depressing the long arm M and throwing inwardly the short arm, with the effect hereinbefore described.

Supposing the trolley to be advancing, there fore, from left to right, as in the diagrammatic view, Fig. 7, and the right-hand wire of the line to be closed in front of it, while the left is 'open in front, the conditions being reversed in rear, the trolley, in the manner described, gives a quarter-turn to the commutators and reverses the switches, opening the right and closing the left, and as the trolley moves on the current continues to pass from the righthand wire through the motor and on to the left-hand line, as more fully explained in my said application.

In order to prevent the formation of an arc in the interval of shifting the switch, I have made provision which relates partly to the construction of the trolley, and is illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. It will be understood that the trolley Q is carried on a yielding arm, R, upheld by springs r 'r, and bears against the under side of the wires. It has two contact-wheels, each in connection with one terminal of the motor. Outside these wheels and in electrical connection therewith are two curved contactpieces, which bear upon contact surfaces or rollers on the lever and push out the levers and also put them in electrical connection with the trolley-wheels so long as the contact pieces bear thereon. These levers are electrically connected to their supporting-plates, and these plates, as before stated, are electrically connected with the conductors. Referring to Fig. 7, it will be noticed. that the wings of the trolley extend forward some distance beyond the point of contact between the trolley and the conductor, which point, of course, is in the same vertical. plane with the axle. The trolley is moving from left to right, the right-hand conductor is closed, and the opposite conductoris open. The ends only of the lever are shown at O P. As soon as the forward-projecting ends of the trolley-wings strike the levers, an electrical short circuit will be formed as follows: through the trolley-wheel on the left-hand conductor, the motor, the wing of the trolley, which is on the right-hand conductor, thence through the lever on that side,and to the conductor. This circuit is independent of the switch, and is in action during the shifting of said switch. The contact of the wings with the lever not only establishes this circuit, but causes the operation of the switch, as already described, and the circuit is maintained until the trolley reaches the space between the conductor-sections, at which time the operation of the switch has been completed. The connection of the line with the motor is constant, and no arc can be formed on either side.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In combination with a sectional double line-conductor of an electric railway,a switch between the sections adapted'to open one line and close the other upon the passage of the trolley, and a trolley having connection with both lines and arranged to operate the switch in its passage, and having also contact-surfaces in connection with the terminals of the motor, contact-surfaces in connection with the conductors and in line with the contactsurfaces of the trolley arranged to short-circuit the switch and establish an electrical connection between the conductors while the switch is shifting,substantially as described.

2. In combination with a double sectional line-conductor of an electric railway, a switch located between the sections, electrical connections between the sections of each line through a commutator, and a lever for operating the commutators, a trolley having contact-surfaces in line with the lever, whereby said lever is operated by the passing trolley and one line is closed and the other opened by the passage of the trolley.

In combination with a double sectional line-conductor of an electric railway, a supporting-frame, plates attached to the sides thereofl'and interposed insulating-pieces, said plates having the ends of the sections attached thereto, two commutators mounted on the frame, each connnutator being interposed between the sections of one of the lines, and levers arranged to turn the comm utators upon the passage of the trolley, snbstantiallyas described.

4. In combinatiml with a trolley, a supporting-fram e, the insulating-plates it B, to which the ends of the sections are attached, the shaft carrying two commutators supported in standards on the frame, each connnutator having two conducting and two non-conducting sections arranged alternately in respect to each other, connections between the sections on each line through one of the commutators, and mechanism in the path of the trolley for turning the commutators one-fourth revolution by the passage of the trolley, substantially as described.

5. In connection with the commutator-shaft arranged upon the frame and in the described relation to the sections of the line, a starwhecl on the shaft, the operating and locking arms for the star-wheel, a lever arranged to operate these arms having its lower end in range with the trolley and adapted to be operated thereby, and means for returning the arms after the trolley has passed, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the star-wheel of the commutator-shaft, the short arm L and the long arm M, pivoted to move together, an insulating-boaring on the long arm for the operating-lever, the said operating-lever being pivoted upon the side plate, having its upper end arranged to bear upon the insulating-bearing of the long arm and its lower end extended into range with the trolley, and the spring for returning the arms L and M, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the arms operating with the commutator to ship the switch, said arms being in electrical connection with the line-sections on one side of the break, a trolley having contact-surfaces for the levers in electrical connection wit-h the terminals of the motor, and arranged to short-circuit the switch and establish an electrical connection between the sections on the passage of the trolley and while the switch is shifting, all substantially as described.

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

SIDNEY H. SHORT.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. MIDDLETON, \VALTER DONALDSON.