US509065A - Electric-railway conduit - Google Patents

Description

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, GET-WOODS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY VGQNDUI T, No. 509,065. Patented N0v.Z1, 1893.

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. G. T. WOODS, ELECTRIC RAILWAY GONDUIT.

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G. T. WOODSJ ELEOTRIO RAILWAY OONDUIT.

No. 509,065. Patented NQV. 21, 1893.

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GRANVILLE T. WOODS, ORNFW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIVERSAL ELECTRIC COMPANY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY CONDUIT.

SPECIFICATION formingipart of Letters Patent No. 509,065, dated November 21, 1893.

App w d 1 1 1 wed $eptemher 25, 1893- serial 110.486.4533. (N0 model.) Patented in Canada February To all whom it may coiwernk I densation of moisture thereon. The box is Be it known that I, GRANVILLE T. WOODS, completely charged with oil and the contacts a citizen of the United States, residing in New therein through which the connection of the York, county and'State of New York, have motor on the car with the main circuitis cominvented certain new and useful Improvepleted, are immersed in oil. 55

ments in Electrical Railways, (for which I In order to obviate thenecessity for examihave received Letters Patent in Canada, N0. nation and periodic filling of the boxes Icon- 4=l,803, dated February 4, 1893,) of which the nect each box with apipe system containing following is a specification. oil under pressure. This not only insures My invention relates to that class of electhat the boxes shall be completely filled at 60 tric railroads having underground conduits all times, but the pressure causes the oil to in which the contact devices are contained penetrate the porous'medium of the boxesand and operated. maintain their exterior parts and connections The object of the invention is to provide a constantly covered with oil. In connection 15 system that may be economically installed with this organization I employ a brush or 65 and operated and in which loss of current due contact device carried by the car that always to leakage, as well as the element of danger insures the opening of the circuit at the brush where high tension currents are employed, before the circuit can be opened at the conmay be practically eliminated. To this end tacts within the boxes. I thus prevent the I employ a conduit of any ordinary construcformation of a spark within the boxes and the 70 tion that may as usual be located between the consequent destruction of the contacts and rails of the track. Within this conduit or carbonization of the oil, so that when the syssuitablycontiguousthereto theinsulated lead tem is once installed, the boxes and circuit or leads of the circuit may be located. At inconnections therein will require no attention tervals I support within the conduit closed for an indefinite period, while the switch arm 5 contact boxes with each of which the circuit of the box and the brush carried by the car is connected, the connection being led into may be renewed or repairedas occasion may the interior of the box to a contact plate or require. 1 device therein, all exterior connections being My invention, as well as the details of concompletely insulated. The boxes are prostruction, is more fully hereinafter set forth, 8o vided with a projecting insulated switch arm and also shown in the accompanying drawor contact closing device normally lying in ings in which the path of a brush or contact plate carried by Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the car and the car, by means of which the insulated cona view of the track, roadbed, and conduit in 3 5 tacts within the box are brought together and cross-section Fig. 2 a vertical central section 8 5 the circuit completed through the motor on through one of the boxes; Fig. 3 a bottom the car. There are therefore no uninsulated view thereof wit-h the bottom plate removed; or exposed conductors within the conduit, Fig. 4 a diagram of the system; Fig. 5 a deand the motor on the car is only connected tail diagrammatic view illustrating the ar- 40 with the circuit while the brush carried thererangement and action of the brush or contact 90 by is hearing against the switch arms of the plate carried by the car; Fig. 6 a transverse contact boxes. 7 There is, therefore, no possilongitudinal section through such a brush; bility of leakage except during this brief, and Fig. 7 a face view thereof. period; and to prevent leakage during sucli Of course in this system both leadsor sides 5 time each box is charged with oil and is proof the main circuit may be insulated and con- 5 vided with a porous portion or wall through nected with opposite series of boxes in the which the contained oil gradually percolates conduit as above suggested, or there may be keeping the exterior of the box and the parts one insulated lead, one series of boxes and connected therewith coated with a layer or the track may constitute the other side of the film of oil that prevents the deposit or concircuit.

' material. 5

.able material, fibrous or otherwise.

In Fig. 1, A indicates the hanger on the car carrying thebrush or contact plate B, and. O 0 indicate a pair of contact boxes arranged on opposite sides of the conduit and supported upon the wall thereof in anysuitable manner, D being the switch or contact arms of the boxes against which the brush 13 works.

In Fig. 4, G is the generator and G G the insulated leads or sides of the circuit thereof. Each box 0 is connected with the circuit by an insulated connection 9 g.

P indicates a pump and P P the opposite sides of a pipe system into which oil or other fluid insulating material is forced under pressure by the pump. The interior of each box 0 is connected with each side of the pipe system by a branch pipep, which may be provided with a cook 19.

B is the brush carried by the'car, D the switch arms of the boxes and M the motor on the car.

The boxes are shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3. They may consist of a casting 0 open at both ends and having about midway of its length an internally projecting flange c and two hubs or tubular projections, one 19 for the connection of the oil pipe 19, and another g for the connection of the insulated branch conductor g. One half of the box, that is, the upper half as seen in Fig. 2 may be annular while the lower half below the flange 0 may be semi-circular on one side and have a right angular extension 6 from the other. This end of the box may be closed by a cap or lid 0 tightly secured by means of bolts passing through lugs or cars thereon or otherwise. The projecting hub g is shown as formed upon the square projection at the box and instead of extending out at right angles from the wall thereof it is preferably curved downwardly as indicated The interior bore thereof is preferably larger than the opening 9 in the end thereof and the opening g leading into the box, so that when the insulated conductor 9 is inserted asphaltum or other heated insulating material 9 may be poured in. Of course any suitable way of leading in the conductor and sealing the entrance may be adopted. The end of the conductor within the box carries or is connected to a contact plate H having two projecting ends it between which works a contact armI carried on the end of a rod or shaft I ex .t nding up through the box. This rod may follows: Beneath the flange cis placed a plate be supported and provided with a bearing as K of wood or other insulating material. Above the flange is a similar plate K, on which is placed a relatively thick washer or mass of porous insulating material K su ch for instance, asasbestus, earthenware or other suit- Above thewasher is another plate K of insulating A flanged sleeve L is passed through the plates K, K, K K the flange abut-ting against the lower plate K, and is provided at the top with a screw clamp nut als.

L. The rod 1 has its hearing within the sleeve L and upon its inner end carries the contact arm I which is provided with a tubular hub fitting upon and secured to the end of the shaft and having a flange between which and the flange of the sleeve L, a packing washer 2' is placed. This is for the purpose of preventing an excessive leak of oil along the shaft or rod I. Thelaterally projecting switch or contact arm D may be composed, as shown of two plates of metal lying against each other and secured to the outer end of the shaft I. These plates are preferably of spring metal, such for instance as tempered brass, copper or other metal, or compositions of met- Its short end is connected with one end of a spiral springenveloping the shaft and having its other end connected with the clamp nut L. When therefore the switcharm D is operated as presently described, there are two yielding or resilient connections, one the arm D itself, the other the. spiral spring, and a third may, if desired be provided by also making the interior contact arm I elastic. This prevents the jarring of the box, its supports and electrical connections when the brushon the car comes in contact with and leavesthe switch arm D. Oil from the connection p is introduced into the large end of the box and finding its way through and past the insulating plates K, K, percolates, through the porous medium K and past the plate K to the top of the box. I prefer that there shall be an accumulation of the oil here, and for this purpose the upper edge or wall of the box is caused to project above the level of the clamping nut L and also preferably above theend of the sleeve L, so that there is a perfect protection against moisture entering along the bearing of the shaft I, and a thorough lubrication of its bearing is insured. Thejseeping of the oil up through the box is preferably so controlled that there is but a slight discharge over the edge of the box that will be only sufficient to keep the walls and bottom of the box and the insulation of the conductor 9 coated with a suitablefilm of oil. A receptacle may, however, if desired be placed within the conduit beneath each box to collect such dripping of the oil as may occur, and, from which the collected oil may from time totime be pumped or otherwise withdrawn.

The details of construction which I have shown and described are suitable practical and efficient, but I do not limit myself to them as obviously they might be varied in many ways. The strain of the spiral spring around the shaft 1 that occurs when the arm D is struck and strained to one side by the brush on the car should preferably be in a direction tending to screw up the nut.- When thus arranged there is no liability of the nut becoming loose. The nut may also be pinned to the washer K As shown in Fig. 4 the boxes on opposite sides of the conduit are arranged in alternation and the brush B is of a sufficient length to be always in contact with IIO atleast two of the switch arms Don opposite sidesof the conduit. I prefer as shown in the'diagram to employ opposite series of boxes and to insulate both leads of the circuit, but the principles of my invention may as before stated be employed'in a system where the rails form one side of the circuit.

In such an organization the brush B should be long enough to be always in contact with the two switch arms D. The character of the brushthat I prefer to employ is shown in detail in Figs. {5, 6, and 7, in which represents one of'the rails'of the track and gene of the walls of the conduit slot. A

A are the hangers from the cars carrying the brush B, O the boxes, D their contact arms, G one ofthe insulated leads of the circuitand g the insulated branches leading into the boxes. The pipe connections for the oil circulation are omitted. In this case the brush is composed of a body of insulating material b, upon which the contact plate b connected with the motor 'on the car is mounted. The ends of the plate 'bf do not extend to the end of the body b, but there is at each end of the brush a face of insulating material as seen in Fig. 5, extending beyond the end of the contact plate I). These insupressed against one of the contact plates h.

of the main line contact. The brush contact 7 b establishes a good rubbing connection with the switch arms D and the circuit is completed through the motor on the car. As the brush leaves a switch arm D the arm passes off of the contactplate b with an abrupt snap motion on to the insulated face extending beyond the end of the contact. The main circuit is therefore opened at this point, and the connection within the box cannot be broken until the switch arm runs ofi of the insulation 1). Of

course the operation is precisely the same where boxes are arranged on each side of the conduit, the brushes B then having contact plates b on each side of and insulated end portions on each side as already described. In the event of'the backing of the c'ar'the switch arms D, as seen for instance in Fig. 4:, that are bearing against the brush contact plates b will maintain their positions, as is obvious, and there will therefore be no openingof the circuit within the boxes, the switch arms being still held in their positions after they have run off on to theinsulated end 'por- Q tion I). Were itnot for the fact that the insnlated part of the brush extends beyond the contact plates, there mightbe a breakingof 'the circuit within the box after the brush has passed from the switch arm and the arm by reason of its resiliency follows up the receding brush. If at this time the arm were in electrical connection with the contact'plate of the brush the circuit would first be open at the contacts within the box, but with the organization described, the circuit will have already been open when the switch arm leaves the contact plate of the brush and bears upon the insulationend thereof. By providing a brushtherefor with an insulated extension beyond each end of the contact plate the circuit must always be broken at the brush and there is no liability of the circuit first being broken in the box. In order to prevent'wear and maintain the surfaces of the switch arm clean and well polished, the ends of the brush may have inserted into the insulation metal plates 19 which are however, entirely insulated from the contact plates of the brush. .Where the boxes are arranged on both sides of the conduit the brushes shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 would of course have contact plates on eachside. This construction is indicated in the diagram Fig. 4: In my organization the boxes are-arranged at the side 'of the conduit and not beneath the slot. The contact devices of each box are controlled by a partiallyrotatable shaft having its bearing in the box. This enables me to practically hermetically close the box so far as the shaft opening is concerned since it may be very efiectivelYpacked. The switch contact arm that operates the shaft is itself operated by the vertical face of the shoe working against the vertical face of the head or end of the switch arm. There is therefore little liability of such contact faces becoming covered with mud, dirt, snow or ice, and they are kept burnished by the rubbingcontact between them. r Y

I claim as my invention- 1. In an electric railroad system, the combination of the insulated lead or leads of the main circuit, a series of boxes having interior contact devices with which the main circuit is connected, each box being charged with oil or other insulating fluid in which the contacts are immersed and' havi-ng a porous medium or po'rtionthrough which the oil exudes and coats the exterior of the box'and its connections, and a switch arm carried by the box and controlling the inclosed maincircuit contacts and adapted to be operated by a conta'ct brush or device carried by the'passing car.

2. In an electric railroad system, the combination of the lead of the main circuit, a conduit, a series of closed boxes arrangedtherein, contact devices within each box with which said lead is connected, a shaft having its bearings in the box and carrying'a contact arm within the box that works against said contact devices when the shaft is partially rotated, the switch arm carried by the outer IIO end of said shaft adaptedto be operatedby main circuit through the motor thereon, a

pipe system for distributing oil or other insulating fluid under pressure and connections between saidsystem and the interior of the boxes. I

3. In an electric railway, the combination with the track and slotted conduit, of a series of closed boxes arranged therein to one side of the slot and containing an insulated contact device with which thelead of the circuit is connected, an upright shaft having its bearing in each box, the shaft being partially rotatable tocomplete the circuit from said contact devicethrough the shaft, a switch contact arm projecting laterally from each shaft toward the center of the conduit and having a. vertical contact face, and a contact shoe having an elongated smooth vertical contact facecarried by a car, the organization being such that the switch contact arms are struck by the elongated vertical face of the contact shoe and the shafts partially rotated, thereby successively completing the circuit. through the motor on thecar, substantially as set forth.

4. In an electric railroad system, the combination of the lead or leads of the main circuit, a conduit, a series of boxes arranged therein, contact devices within the boxes, with which said lead or leads are connected, the switch or contact arms of the boxes adapted to be operated by the brush of the passing car to complete the main circuit through the motor thereon, a pipe system for distributing oil or other insulating fluid under pressure and connections between said system and the interior of the boxes, each box having a porous medium or portion through which-the oil filtrates and coats the exteriors of the boxes and their connections.

5. In an electric railroad system, the combination with the conduit of a series of boxes located therein and containing oil or other insulating fluid therein under pressure, the insulated lead or leads of the main circuit connected with contact devices within the boxes submerged in the oil, and contact controlling devices adapted to be actuated ,by the brush or contact device on the passing car to complete the circuit through the motor thereon, each box havinga porous medium or portion through which the oil filtrates and coats the exterior of the box and its connections.

6. In an electric railroad system, the combination of the lead or leads of the main circuit, theconduit, a series of closed boxes arranged therein having interior contact. devices connected with the lead or leads, laterally projecting yielding switch arms, and a brush carried by the car, the brush having a contact face or faces against which the switch.

' arms work and insulation extending beyond the ends of the contact faces for the purpose set forth. v

7. In an electric railroad system, the combi nation of the lead or leads of the main circuit, the conduit, a series of closed boxes arranged therein having interior contact devices connected with the lead or leads, laterally projecting yielding switch arms, and the brush carried by the car, the brush having a contact face or faces against which the switch arms work and insulation extending beyond the ends of the contact faces, and the boxes being filled with oil, for the purpose set forth.

8. In an electric railroad system, the combination of the lead or leads of the main circuit, the conduit, a series of closed boxes arranged therein having interior contact devices connected with the lead or leads, laterally projecting yielding arms, and the brush carried by the car, the brush having a contact face or faces against which the switch arms work and insulation extending beyond theends of the contact faces, and the boxes filled with oil, and having a porous medium or portion through which the oil filtrates and coats the exteriors of the boxesand their connections, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination substantially as set forth, of a conduit, the boxes therein having the yielding switch arms D and the brush to be carried bythe car having a contact plate I) which works against and makes contact with the switch arms and insulation extending beyond the ends of the contact plate.

10. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a conduit, the boxes therein having the yielding switch arms D and the brush to be carried by the car having a contact plate I) which works against and makes contact with the switch arms and insulation extending beyond the ends of the contact plate, the insulation extension being below or insideof the plane of the surface of the contact.

11. The combination of the shell of the box, having two projections or coupling connections, one 19 for the connection of an oil supply pipe andone g for the leading in of a circuit conductor, the contact plate connected with the end of the conductorwithin the box, the contact arm working against said plate, the shaft or rod to which it isattached, its bearing, the porous packing surrounding the bearing and closing the ends of the box, and the switch arm D carried by the shaft.

12. The combination substantially as set forth, of the box shell, the inwardly projecting flange c, the plates of insulating material and porous packing, the flanged sleeve, the shaft therein, the interior contact arm carried by the shaft, the switch arm carried by its outer end, the clamp nut on the screw and the spring connected with the switch arm and the clamp nut.

13. The combination of the shell of the box, means for maintaining a supply of oil therein, the vertical shaft or rod its bearin g within the box and the switch arm carried by the upper end of the shaft the edge of the box being extended up beyond the bearing. of the shaft to form areceptacle and ,oil filling said receptacle, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. The combination of the box, the yielding or spring switch arm, D, its rod or shaft, having its hearings in the box the spring that holds the shaft in:the normal position, the contact arm carried by the shaft within the box, and-the contact plate within the box to which the insulated circuit wire is connected.

15. In an electric railroad, the combination v of the contact devices arranged at intervals between the brush and switch arm, the brush consisting of insulating material and a contact plate beyond both ends of which the insulation extends, whereby as the car passes the circuit is first broken at the switch arm and brush and then at the said contact devices, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

. GRANVILLE T. WOODS. Witnesses:

FRANK S. OBER,. -EDWARD O. DAVIDSON.

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