US504104A - Electric conduit for railways - Google Patents

Description

'(No Model.)

J. 1 GONKLIN. ELECTRIC 'GONDUIT FOR-RAILWAYS.

Patented Aug. '29, 1893 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH I. OONKLIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC CONDUIT FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,104, dated August 29, 1893.

Application filed May 2,1892. Serial No. 431,579- -(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH I. CONKLIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and Stateot' New York, have invented certain new andu sefnl Improvements in Electrical Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class or system of closed conduits for electrical conductors,

in which a main conductor and secondary con-' ductors are employed, the latter being normally thrown out of contact with the former by spring connections, but adapted to be thrown into contact therewith for the purpose of closing the circuit by the pressure of a trolley wheel traveling on said secondary conductor.

My invention is designed more especially to improve the construction of said devices whereby dirt, snow, or rain is prevented from entering the casing and thus impairing the efficienoy of the conductors.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a conduit with my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

In the said drawings, the reference letter a, designates the casing which may be made of wood or other suitable material, rounded or curved upon its upper side and formed with a central longitudinal slot or opening a, the lower edges of which are beveled as seen at o The letter 6 indicates the main conductor consisting of a metallic strip formed at its lower end with outwardly extending flanges e, and at its upper end with a head e This conductor is embedded in an insulating material d in said casing, with the head 6 projecting up above the surface thereof. At each side of said head and resting on the insulating material is a longitudinal strip 0, of india rubber or other elastic non-conducting material and resting upon these strips are the secondary conductors 1), consisting of a series of metallic strips or bars, located in the opening in the casing and formed at their lower ends with longitudinal beveled flanges b.

The operation will be readily understood. The secondary conductors are normally held out of contact with the main conductor, by the elastic strips 0, the beveled flanges engaging with the beveled portions of the easing whereby dirt, rain or snow is effectually excluded, and the circuit broken. When, however, a trolley wheel travels over one of said secondary conductors, as seen in Fig. 2, its weight will press the same down into contact with the main conductor, closing the circuit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is.

1. In an electrical conduit the combination with the casing having a central longitudinal opening, of the insulating material, the main conductor embedded therein, with a head proj eoting up above the surface thereof, the elastic non-conducting strips at each side of said head resting on said insulating material, and the secondary conductors resting on said strips, substantially as described.

2. In an electrical conduit, the combination with the casing having rounded upper end and a central longitudinal opening withbeveled sides or edges, of the insulating material located in said casing, the main conductor located therein having longitudinal flanges at its lower end and a head at its upper end projecting above the surface of the insulating material, the elastic non-conducting strips at each side of said head,resting on theinsulating material and the secondary conductors having longitudinal beveled flanges resting on said strips, substantially as and for the purpose described.

Signed at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, this 2d day of December, A. D. 1891.

.T. P. ConKLm, C. A. CoNKLIN.

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