US491132A - Inclosed conductor for electric railways - Google Patents

Description

(No Mbdel.)

P. 0. PERKINS. INGLOSBD CONDUCTOR FOR ELBOTRIG RAILWAYS.

No; 491,132. Patented Febffi', 1893,

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Unwrap STATES ATENT rricn.

FRANK CLINTON PERKINS, OF DUN KIRK, NEW YORK.

INCLOSED CONDUCTOR FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,132, dated February 7, 1893.

Application filed May 27, 1892. Serial No. 434,544. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK CLINTON PER- KINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dunkirk, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovementsin Electric Conduits; 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 sam This invention relates to supply conductors for electric railways or other systems wherein a traveling contact must be maintained with a system of electrical supply, the primary ob ject being to produce a conductor for this purpose which may be placed upon theroad bed of the railway or in a conduit extending along the same which will maintain perfect insulation and be proof against leakage in rainy weather or in damp places.

The invention is carried out by mounting the supply conductor of the system in a waterproof conduit, consisting of a metallic tube the upper portion of which is elastic and adapted when pressed into contact with the supply conductor by a trolley mounted on the car to lead current through the motor'on such car.

More specifically the invention comprises a bare conductor mounted upon an insulating support in a conduit, the top of which is rendered elastic by being formed of sheet metal adapted to be pressed .into contact with the supply conductor by a motor car.

The several features of novelty will be more particularly hereinafter described and definitely indicated in the claims appended to the specification.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention Figure 1 is a sectional view of a conduit containing a supply conductor mounted'in accordance with my invention, showing also a trolley wheel in cooperative relation thereto. Figs. 2, and 3, are sectional views illustrating modified forms of the invention, and Fig. 4 shows the mode of making the joints of the several sections which constitute the metallic tube inclosing the supply conductor in one form of my invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, A represents a metallic tube formed of copper, brass, steel, phosphor bronze or any suitable material having the requisite elasticity for the .purpose and being proof against the effects of the weather and at the same time a good conductor of electricity. This tube is formed in lengths which may be jointed as indicated in Fig. 4 and contains an insulating support B within it, which may be of wood impregnated with oil or otherwise treated to render it a good insulator, upon which is mounted a bare supply conductor 0. This conductor 0 is referred to herein as a supply conductor by which is meant either the outgoing or return conductor or both of a system of electric supply. If alternating currents be used in the system the conductor will serveas both outgoing and return according to the direction of the impulse.

The tubular shell may be circular in cross section as indicated in Fig. 3 but is preferably provided with a number of corrugations as indicated in Figs.'1 and 2 so as to give it in creased flexibility. The tube may be sup ported on a suitable foundation or may be in closed in an exterior slotted conduit as indicated in the several views of the drawings. Such conduit may be formed of wood, terra cotta or any suitable material. Where high potentials are used for the supply current the space between the metallic envelope and the supports for the conductor may be filled with oil. In its normal position the tube is maintained by its own elasticity out of contact with the conductor 0 and may be held at any suitable distance therefrom which will of course vary with the size of the conduit, increased flexibility being possible as the size of the tube increases.

Upon the car is mounted a presser-foot which is preferably shod with a wheel at the point where it enters the conduit or comes in contact with the metallic tube, which may be arranged so that the degree of pressure may be controlled by the motorman. As shown in the drawings a simple screw adjustment is shown by whichthe pressure of this foot may be varied, an elastic spring D surrounding a stem which enters a box E, the tension of which may be Varied by adjustingthe nut F.

The pressure of the spring should be sufficient to force the top of the metallic tube A into contact with the conductor vO. Under these circumstances as the car proceeds along the line of way-a shifting contact is maintained by the wheel between the tube and the conductor'and the current is therefore led from the conductor to the motor on the car by suitable connections, the tube rising away from the conductor as the car passes any given point and opening the connection at that point. The joints between the successive sections of the metallic inclosing tube will be sufficiently tight to exclude moisture and so shaped that a smooth exterior will be presented to the traveling wheel. In most cases a simple slip joint will be found sufficiently tight but if necessary a soldered or cemented joint may be made. The tube need not in all cases be formed of a single piece; The essential feature is that the conductor shall be inclosed in a watertight metallic envelope,"the top or face which engages the traveling con-' tacts being sufficiently flexible and elastic to be forced into electric engagement with the conductor and to spring back when the contact passes, and being so constructed as to present acontinuous metallic contact surface.

The supply conductor may be supported within the tube in any suitable manner, the mode described being simply by way of illustration. The metallic inclosing shell may be supported between the rails or in a trough placed beneath'the surface of the ground.

While the invention is particularly adapted to a surface or underground conductor it might also be used as an aerial conductor, the metallic tube being supported at any suitable distance from the ground. It will thus be seen that the supply conductor may be thoroughly insulated throughout its length and yet a continuous supply of current may be drawn by a motor provided witha suitable contact.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: j

1. An insulated electric supply conductor for a traveling contact inclosed in an elastic metallic tube adapted to be depressed by the traveling contact and establish electric connection with the conductor.

2. An insulated electric supply conductor for a traveling contact inclosed in a watertight metallic tube having an elastic metallic face extending along the line of travel of the contact adapted to be depressed bysaid contact into electric connection with the condoctor.

3. An electric conductor for leading current through a traveling contact, said conductor being supported upon .an insulator in an elastic metallic tube inclosing the conductor in a watertight envelope the wall of the tube adaptedto be depressed to establish'electric connection with the contact.

4:. An electric conduit comprising a slotted trough, an elastic metallic tube supported therein and a bare conductor mounted upon insulators in said tube, the wall of the tube adapted to be depressed into electrical connection with the conductor by a traveling contact.

5. An electric conductor forleading current through a traveling contact comprising a bare conductor supported upon insulators in a thin metallic tube corrugated to give increased elasticity.

FRANK CLINTON PERKINS.

Witnesses:

NELLIE P. DROEGE, M. EINSTEIN.

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