US430515A

US430515A - Daniel b

Info

Publication number: US430515A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 1907-06-17

Description

(No Model.)

D. B. DEVORE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Patented June 17 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL B. DEVORE, OF UNITED STATES ARMY.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,515, dated June 1'7 1890.

Application filed March 27, 1890. Serial No. 345,588. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DANIEL B. DEVORE, lieutenant United States Army, a citizen of the United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to systems for transmitting electrical energy to motors traveling on a track or way, wherein the current is conveyed to the motor on the vehicle from conductors arranged below the plane of the trackrails.

My said invention consists in the improvements hereinafter fully described and set forth, whereby a simple and eflicient arrangement is provided that will enable the current to be led to the moving motor without subjecting the intermediate devices to the jars and shocks that might otherwise be experienced, and at the same time the conductors, while readily accessible to the contacts, are entirely protected from dirt, moisture, and other foreign matter that works its way beneath the surface of the roadway. Furtl'ieradvantages are secured by my improvements, notably among which is the fact that no objectionable obstructions are presented on said road-surface.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,Figure 1 isavertical transverse sectional view through the improved conduit, forming part of my invention, showing the working position of the trolley. Fig. 2 is a side View of the trolley and its con tact-arms. Fig. 3is a detail perspective view of the trolley, illustrating its sectional character and showing how the insulated conductors are clamped therein. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the construction and manner of securing the wearing-strips to the frames adjacent to the slot. Fig. 5 isa detail sectional view illustrating a modified construction of trolley, and Fig.6 is a detailperspective view illustrating a diiferent construction of conduit.

Previous to my invention, as far as I am advised, in systems where the conductors were located below the plane of the road-bed, the devices intermediate of the motor and said conductors were so connected with the vehicle that they were suspended from the same, and hence were subjected to all the vibrations that the vehicle sustained in its movement. As is clearly apparent such an arrangement has its objections. Again, the construction of the conduit, so asto effectivelyprotect the conduct ors from dirt and moisture dropping through the slot, has been more or less of a problem, and in some prior instances the conductors have been supported in brackets projecting from the vertical walls of the conduit. My improvements remedy these objections, and at the same time present advantages not before contemplated.

In the construction of the conduit of my improved system a series of metal frames are employed, which are arranged transversely below the roadway at intervals along the same, and each of said frames is made in a single piece, comprising upper horizontal portions at a, separated to form the slot, outwardly and downwardly curved portions Z2 Z7, inwardly and downwardly inclined portions 0 a, horizontal base portion d, and centrally converging standards 6, connected by an intermediate brace f. On the upper and lower sides of the horizontal portions a ct are secured bearing-strips A B, the inner edges of which are flush with the vertical walls of the slot. These strips may be made of steel or wroughtiron to resist wear.

Transverse hangers or brackets 00 in the troughs D serve to support strips h of insulating materiaL-which extend longitudinally and, if necessary, continuously along the conduit, and these strips are connected to said hangers by any suitable devices. Bearing against the inner sides of the portions 0 are planks C of wood, longitudinally and continuously extending along the conduit to form the outer wall of each side conductor-trough D. A like plank E of wood bears against each of the standards 6 to form the other wall of its particular trough, and each plank is securely bolted to that portion of the frame against which it bears. On each strip h the main conductors F F are secured. In order to prevent the decomposition of the wooden planks O E, they may, before being placed in position, be treated with any waterproofing agent-as, for instance, creosote or carbolic acid. It will be noted that the upper slot is of comparatively small width, one-half inch under some circumstances being all that is required, and the planks E E are so positioned that they form between them a chamber for the reception of dirt, moisture, 850., dropping through the slot, the distance between the upper edges of said boards being consider ably greater than the slot to insure all sub stance and moisture being deflected into the chamber between. V

The trolley consists of a block of steel or wrought-iron shaped as shown in Fig. 1, and comprising upper and lower enlarged portions G H and vertical intermediate web I. The faces of the portions GH, bearing against the strips A B, are horizontal, while the external surfaces are rounded or curved to avoid angles. As shown, the trolley is made in two vertical sections, the adjacent faces of which are rabbeted to enable them to be compactly secured together by bolts 7) i, Fig. 3, and by such an arrangement the insulated conducting-wires jj, transmitting current to the motor, can be snugly clamped in recesses therefor formed in the adjacent faces of the sections. The enlarged portion H at each side carries a pair of projecting ears 7c 70, the outer side of each having a lug Z, with both of which lugs engage loops m, located on the upper end of a curved and downwardly-depending arm J, containing an insulated wire in one piece with one of the wires jj, and adjacent to the side of the portion H the end of said arm is cut away both on its under and upper sides, so that it can have a limited vertical movement relative to the connection on which it is hung. The lower end of said arm J is provided with a bushing n, of insulating material, serving to tightly hold the wire that passes below the arm and terminates in a brush or any other suitable form of medium to contact with the main conductors. Each end of the trolley above the slot carries an eye 1) or other means by which a chain or hinged rod can connect it with some portion of the vehicle.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the trolley travels positively along the slot and is in no way affected by the vibrations of the Vehicle. Furthermore, the conductors F F are thoroughly protected from dirt or moisture. It will be preferable in some cases to construct the walls of the conductor-troughs of brick, Fig. 6, concrete, or cement material.

For the purpose of reducing friction, antifriction rollers seated in the portions G H may be employed, as indicated in Fig. 5.

Many modifications in the details of construction will readily suggest themselves in the practical operation of my improvements, and I therefore do not wish to be understood as strictlylimiting'myself to the construction herein shown and described.

I claim- 1. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface of an electric railway and containing the main conductors, of a trolleyblock sliding along said slot and having upper and lower lateral portions adapted to respectively bear against the upper and lower surfaces of the top of the conduit adjacent to the slot, said block being provided with depending conductors, together with lateral portions above and below the slot, and motorconnections, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface of an electric railway and containing the main conductors, of a trolleyblock composed of two or more sections clamped together, conductors carried by the same and depending from said trolley and contacting with the main conductors, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface of an electric. railway and containing the main conductors, of a trolley block composed of two or more parts adjust ably bolted together and having lateral portions above and below the slot, conductors carried by said block and depending from said block and contacting with the main conductors, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface of an electricrailway and containing the main conductors, of a trolleyblock having conductors and carrying pivoted yielding contacts, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a slotted conduit below the surface of an electric railway and containing the main conductors, of upper and lower wearing strips adjacent to said slot, and a trolley-block carrying depending conductors and having lateral portions adapted to bear a ainst said stri s substant-iall 1 as" set forth. 7

6. The combinatiomin a slotted conduit arranged below the surface of an electric railway, of the frames slotted at their top and having side troughs forming a central chamber, provided with a top opening of greater width than the slot, and insulated strips and main conductors located in said troughs, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL B. DEVORE. Witnesses:

E. W. JOHNSON, WVILLIAM PAXTON.