US445409A

US445409A - Turn-out for electric railways

Info

Publication number: US445409A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 1908-01-27

Description

-(No Model.)

B. M. HUNTER. TURN'OUT FOR ELECTRIC. RAILWAYS.

No. 445,409. Patented Jan. 27, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EEIcE.

RUDOIJPI'I M. HUNTER OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY OEBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TURN OUT FOR ELECTRIC RAELWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,409, dated January 27, 1891.

Application filed Julie 29, 1887. Serial No. 242,847. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to electric railways; and it consists in certainimprovements, all of which are fully set forth in the follow- IO ing specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form part thereof.

The particular feature of my present application is the embodiment in an electric railway or system of electric railways of the I 5 following improvements: a turn-out for the collectors and cars on a single-track railway, this turn-out being of peculiar construction and the switches being operated by the collectors automatically, (the track maybethereturn- 2o conductor, if so desired, and would preferably have the track-switch in advance of the conductor-switch;) a collector-trolley adapted to hold the suspended conductor with a frictional pressure to create a good contact, and,

further, provided with a locking device to prevent the collector from jumping or running off the conductor; a positive means of holding the conductor upon its supports and retaining it in an insulated position.

The foregoing are the essential features of my invention, and in carrying them into effect there are involved many details which are fully referred to hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective 3 5 view of the turnout conductors. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a planview of same. Fig. 4: is a cross-section of same on line y y. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of same on line a: m. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the col- 0 lector-trolley. Fig. 7 is an end view of same. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional elevation of the conductors. Fig. 9 isa front elevation of one of the conductor-supports. Fig. 10 is a plan view of same; and Fig. 11 is a cross-section of an electric railway, showing the rails as return-conductors.

The conductors C may be made of wires or cables or suspended conductors of any kind.

As shown in Fig. 8, poles are arranged on opposite sides of the street, and a wire M is strung across. From this Wire is hung the insulator-block L, from which depend the metal supports K, upon which the conductors rest. The supports K are made like hooks, and the front part is provided with lateral curved guides 1 and a front flangen, for purposes explained hereinafter. The conductor 0* may be tied down upon the support by a copper or other metal strap N, which is fastened by a wire staple O or otherwise.

The trolley .I is shown in Figs. Sand 7, and consists, essentially, of the frame J, to which is journaled the two shafts R, upon which the contact and supporting wheels T are secured. These wheels are made in two parts split longitudinally in the plane of their revolution, so as to form two flanged disks t t. One of these disks tis secured to the shaft R and the other is pressed toward it by the spring 0', carried upon the end of the shaft which projects through the fixed disk and acts as a center and guide for the movable disk 1. By this construction the flanges of the wheel T are caused to bite upon the lateral faces of the conductor, and thereby produce a good frictional contact. The spring 0' is made of light weight, so as to be adapted to give to allow the weight of the trolley to force the wheels down upon the conductor. The tension of this spring 0' may be adjusted by a nut q". The bottom part of the frame of the trolley is extended, as at J to form in a measure a counterbalance-weightof the upper overhanging portion and at the same time form a means of attachment with the conductor-cords l'cadin g down to the motor or car.

To prevent the trolley from jumping or running off the conductor, I provide a lockingroller S, whichis loosely journaledon the lower end of a hinged frame or arm 3, carried by the frame J. As shown in Fig. 7, the edge of this roller or Wheel extends under the couductor C, and thereby prevents it from riding up. lVhen this trolley is passing a support K, 5 the roller S runs upon guides is, so as to be pushed out of the way in passing the support and then falls back again under the conductor. To prevent jumping in passing over the support, the flange n is provided, so that the edge of the roller or wheel S passes along beneath the said flange, and thereby prevents the trolley-wheels from riding up. The current from the conductor passes through the trolley down the conductor-cord Q through a variable resistance (1 on the car P to the mo tor 19. (See Fig. 11.)

lVe now come to the turn-out 0, Figs. 1 to 5. The line-conductor C is continuous; but at the beginning of the turn-out is provided with a switch E, pivoted at e on an oblique axis journaled in the frameF on or supported by a post G or other structure. This switch E is supported in the raised position by a spring'f, or, if desired, a weight. (See dotted lines, Fig. 1.) lVhen the switch is depressed, it moves to the side to a slight extent owing to the oblique axis, and when so lowered it rests upon the support 71, which is a terminal of the turn-out conductor II. This turn-out conductor II at the start is below the lineconductor, but gradually rises, extending slightly above it, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and terminates in another switch E, also provided with a spring or weight, as in the case ofswitch E, to raise it sufficiently high to allow a trolley moving down the line (3 to pass under it. This switch E may be arranged slightly'to one side of the main line C if so desired, in which case it would not have to be raised so high, as then itwould work on the same principle as the switch Ethat is, having a downward and lateral movement. Vhen the trolley moves end on to the switch E, itmay for an instant depress the switch, but will quicklypass over it onto the main line. For this reason no lock is necessary to hold the switch up.

I is the car, having the motor P for propelling it. Q is the supply-conductor con necting thetrolley J with the motor on the car, and is provided with a current-regulator q of any suitable construction.

I do not'limitmyself to the details of construetion, as they may be modified in various ways without departing from my invention.

In this application I do not claim the invention of the suspended conductor with the trolley, nor that with a return-rail conductor, as those features form subject-matter of my applications Nos. 214,309 and 215,199, of 1886.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

-1. Ina current-collecting trolley, the combination of supporting-wheels to run upon the line-conducton'a supporting-frame having a connection for the collecting'conductor, and a horizontal and laterally movable guardwheel normally out of contact with the lineconductor and adapted to project under-the line-conductor and prevent abnormal upward movement of the collecting-wheels.

2. In a current-collectin g trolley, the combination of supporting-wheels to run upon the conductors, a support-ingframe having aconnection for the collecting-conductor, a horizontal and laterally m ovable guard-wheel adapted to project under the line-conductor and pre vent the upward movement of the collectingwheels, a pivoted arm supporting said guardwheel to the supporting-frame, whereby said wheel is adapted to hang by gravity so as to normally bring its edge underthe line-conductor.

3, In a on rrent-collecting trolley, the combination of supporting-Wheels made in two parts 25 t to grip the line-conductor and adapted to run upon the same, a spring to press these parts together, a supporting-frame having a connection for the collecting-conductor, and a horizontal and laterally movable guardwheel adapted to project under the line-conductor and prevent the upward movement of the collecting-wheels.

t. A collector-wheel having a grooved periphery and divided in the plane of rotation so as to rest upon the conductor and grip it on the sides, in combination with a spring to press said parts together to form a complete grooved wheel. 7

5. The combination of a collector trolley havingoneormore collecting-wheelsil, formed of the parts If t, substantially as shown, an axle to support said wheels, aspring to press the two parts of the wheels together, and a frame supporting axles and extending below the wheels.

(5. The combination of a collector-trolley havingone or more collecting-wheels T, formed of the parts 25 t, substantially as shown, an axle to support said wheels, a spring encircling theaxle to press the two parts of the wheels together, and a frame supporting axles and extending below the'wheels.

7 The combination of a collector-trolley having one or more collecting-wheels T, formed of the parts t t, substantially as shown, an axle to support said wheels, a spring to press the two parts of the wheels together, means for adjusting the tension of the spring, and a frame supporting axle and extending be low the wheels.

8. The support for theworking-conductor, consisting of the arm having a support-for the polnductor and lateral guide flanges or'parts a c.

9. The support for the working-conductor, consisting of the arm having a support for the conductor, lateral guide flanges or-parts c 7r, and retainingsband N.

10. The support for the working-conductor, consisting .of the arm having a support for the conductor and lateral guide flanges or parts 7c, having locking-flanges.

11. The combination of a suspended conductor for supplying electricity to an electrically-propelled vehicle, a hanging support for said conductor extending down upon one side of same, a current-collecting. trolley running upon said conductor and havinga curved depending or hanging conducting-arm ex tending down below and under the conductor and 111 a line through the trolley-wheels, an

lIO

electrically-propelled vehicle, and a conductor connecting the depending arm of the trolley with the vehicle.

12. The combination of a suspended conductor with a current-collectin g trolley having two grooved supporting-wheels arranged in line running upon said conductor and provided with a locking device connected to the frame of the collector above the conductor and extendingdown to a point below the conductor to preventit from running off the conductor.

13. In an electric railway, the line-con ductor, a branching conductor at a lower point than the line-conductor, and a hinged switch-point adapted to rise or fall to come into line with either the line or branching conductor and connect the line-conductor with the branching conductor.

14:. In an electric railway, the line-condnctor, abranching conductor at alower pointthan the line-conductor and to one side there of, and a hinged switch-point having a transverse oblique axis adapted to rise or fall in an oblique direction to come into line with either the line or branching conductor.

15. In an electric railway, the line-conductor, a branching conductor ata lower point than the line-conductor, a hinged switch-point adapted to rise or fall to come into line with either the line or branching conductor and adapted to connect the 1ine-conductorwith the-branching conductor, and a spring or its equivalent to raise said switch to normally close the line-conductor.

16. The combination of the line-conductor insulated from the earth and made continuous, a branching conductor having its ter1ninal at a higher point than the line-conductor, and a hinged switch-point pivoted to the end of the branch and adapted to swing down at an angle upon the line-conductor to guide a trolley from one conductor to the other.

17. The combination of the line electric conductor insulated from the earth and made continuous, a branching electric conductor having its terminal at a higher point than the line-conductor, a hinged switch-point pivoted to the end of the branch and adapted to swing down at an angle upon the line-conductor to guide a trolley from one conductor to the other, and a spring or equivalent device to normally hold said switch in a raised position to make the line-conductor clear for passage of a trolley under the switch.

18. The combination of the line electric conductor insulatedfrom the earth and made continuous, a branching electric conductor having its terminal at a higher point than the line conductor and to one side-thereof, and a hinged switch having a transverse oblique axis adapted to rise and fall obliquely and laterally to come in line with the line-conductor or allow a clear passageway for a trolley over the line-conductor.

19. The combination of the line -conductor, a turn-out conductor having one of its ends lower and the other end higher than the lineconductor, and a switch at each end to connect the line and branch conductors.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

RUDOLPH M. HUNTER. Witnesses:

RIoHn. S. CHILD, J12, E. M. BRECKINREED.