US554719A

US554719A - Conduit electric railway

Info

Publication number: US554719A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1913-02-18

Description

2 sheets-sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W OESTERLEIN 0013111111 ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

Patented Feb. 18

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WQESTBRLEIN. GONDUITELBQTRIG RAILWAY. -No. 554,719. Patented Feb. 18, 1896.

m n w y g 19 w I fliZlw Gefferlezlm ATENT FFICE,

XVILHELM OESTERLEIN, OF CINCINNATI, OI-IIO.

CONDUIT ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,719, dated February 18, 1896. I

Application filed fieptember 21, 1894:. Serial No. 523,734.. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILHELM OESTERLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oincinnati, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric street-railways, its object being to provide a practicable and efficient conductor and conducting system whereby overhead trolley-wires may be dispensed with and the motor-current carried beneath the surface of the roadway;

To this end my invention consists, generally, in the construction and arrangement of a metallic current-conducting rail and its supports in a tunnel between the tracks of the railway and in a traveling contact device for taking the current through the motor upon the car, the details of which will more fully appear in the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating preferred forms of construction, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the conducting-rail and one of its supports, partly sectioned; Fig. 2, a cross-section of the tunnel, showing one of the rail-supports in elevation; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the traveling contact device and its attachment; Fig. 4, an end elevation of the same; and Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views illustrating construction of the same.

Referring now to the drawings, the general plan of construction embodies a sub-surface tunnel T between the tracks similar to that of an ordinary cable railway and similarly provided with a continuous slot or opening through the surface having parallel walls spaced apart sufficiently to permit the passage of a contact device having a trailing connection with the car, and maintaining constant electrical communication between the car and the conducting-rail within the tunnel T.

As the construction of the tunnel forms no part of my invention, the same need not be further described; but as the constant presence of moist air in a tunnel has been regarded heretofore as a serious objection to a system of electrical conduction therein on account of the leakage of current through or over ordinary insulators I have devised the following system of construction and maintenance of the conducting-rail.

The conducting-rail A is composed of rolled bars of metal of sufficient strength to carry properly the traveling contact device (presently to be described) attached together and supported in the following manner: At suitable intervals, preferably at the junction of each two rails, is arranged a supporting-stand B, constructed as follows: The stand proper is in the form of a deep cup resting upon a base-flange b and surrounded from a point above the base by a second cup b rising above the level of the first or inner cup, I). All this may be formed as a single casting. WVithin the inner cup, I), is inserted a central stem, 0, seated below in an insulating-socket d at the bottom of the inner cup and centrally maintained in the axis of the said inner cup by an annular insulating-washer d at or near the top of said cup. The stem 0 rises thence to a convenient height and carries the rail ends abutted in a socket-piece e, fitted over it as a cap, and having horizontally-extended jaws between and through which bolts or rivets are passed through corresponding apertures in the web of the rail, after the manner of railway-fish-plate construction. Immediately above the mouth of the inner cup, I), a conical annular shield w is placed, re sembling an umbrella Whose outer depending margin surrounds the mouth of the cup, eX-' tending below the horizontal level of the mouth into the annular space of the outer cup; and above this and covering in like manner the mouth of the outer cup is a sec- 0nd larger shield 00 of like form. Both these 1 shields are preferably composed of hard rubber or fiber and are secured by a nut y threaded on the stem 0 above the upper shield, aledge or shoulder of the stem below the lower shield, and an intervening washer or separating-collar, 00

The insulating function of the device in addition to that of a mere support is realized by filling the cup-spaces with a non-conducting oil to or nearly to the level of the mouth of the outer cup, practically covering the lower shield. The upper shield diverts all dropping moisture completely over and outside of the stand, while the inner shield diverts any condensation within the space covered by the upper shield to the outer side of the inner cup, where it drops into the annular space and is from time to time removed and the supply of oil renewed to maintain practically the above-described conditions. The actual support of the rail-namely, the stem cis thus completely insulated from the stand 13 by the body of the insulating-oil, covered and protected by the shields both from undue evaporation and from displacement by moisture at joints where the moisture could possibly form a conducting-bridge.

The trolley device G is a flat bar g, preferably of insulating material, extending vertically through the surface-slot, and rests by gravity upon the conducting-rail, upon which it is guided by a grooved bearing-wheel Z. It is swiveled at its upper terminus to a trailing bar h, pivoted to the under side of the car or framework of the car-truck, and is thus enabled to adjust itself to curvature of the track and slot. The swivel connection consists of a two-part ring-terminal h at the end of the trailing bar, (so constructed for detachability,) embracing a cylindrical head g, mounted on the bar g. The two parts of the ring are pivoted together at one side and held by a suitable clamp 7L2 at the diametricallyopposite side from the pivotal connection. The fixed side of the ring has a lateral eX- tension, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, in which the end of the bar it has a swivel connection, said bar being held in place in said extension by means of the collar 0.

ith reference to the electrical conductor, the construction is as follows: The bar 9 is provided with a central recess g through which passes a suitably-insulated conductingwire 10, connecting below to a metallic shoe 2', in which the bearing-wheel z is pivoted. Atthe upper end of the bar g the conductingwire it: is carried, suitably insulated through the head g and electrically connected to an elbowj, to which a continuation w of the wire is attached, and is carried thence along the trailing-bar to the motor. (Not shown.)

To protect the contact device from the effects of moisture, the following attachments are provided: First, an umbrella cap or shield is connected to the elbow j and completely covers the top of the device, to shed any dripping moisture. To intercept any moisture condensing and flowing down the sides of the bar 9, an annular flange Z is secured to the bar above the shoe 17, forming an annular cup surrounding the same, which is filled with oil when in use. Over this an umbrella-shield m is secured to the bar g, completely overlapping the annular cup and diverting any trickling moisture. There is thus formed an interposed barrier of oil in contact with the bar 9, besides the shield which serves to protect the parts from splashing mud or moisture and to preserve the oil to some extent from evaporation. The device, as thus constructed, effectually prevents any short-circuiting of metallic parts by moisture.

To retain the bar 9 (which is somewhat extended in a fore and aft plane) in normal line with the trailing bar It, the swiveling head is retained by a circular spring, ring on, connected at one side to the bottom of the head g, and extending thence eccentrically around the head, and cut radially so as that its free ends may bear oppositely against a lever projection o of the arm h. The head g being rigidly connected to the bar g, any variation of alignment of the latter with the trailing arm 71. in either direction is resisted by the sprin I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. A support for electric conductors embodying a supporting-stem and a stand in which the same is carried, provided with means for maintaining a body of oil surrounding and in contact with the stem in such relation as to prevent or intercept the passage or accumulation of any moisture that might connect the stem and stand electrically, substantially as set forth.

2. A support for electric conductors embodying a supportingstem, a cup -shaped stand carrying the stem in suitable insulations, and one or more shields surrounding the stem and covering the mouth of the stand, substantially as set forth.

3. A support for electric conductors embodying a supporting-stem, a stand in which the stem is socketed in suitable insulations, an annular cup or flange surrounding the stand and extending above the same, an umbrella-shield surrounding the stem above the socket and depending into the annular space of the surrounding cup, and a second shield surrounding the stem above the first and covering and. depending externally around the mouth of the annular cup, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a support for electric conducting-rails, the combination of the cup-shaped stand, the stem socketed therein, and the head surmounting the stem having parallel flanges adapted to receive and clamp between them the abutting ends of the conducting-rails, substantially as set forth.

5. In a system of conduction for electric railways, the combination with the motor-car and a sub-surface conducting-rail, of a contact-support consisting of an approximately horizontal trailing arm, pivoted to the car body, and a vertical contact-arm, extending thence through the tunnel-slot to the conducting-rail, the trailing and vertical arms swiveled together horizontally and vertically, substantially as set forth.

6. In electric apparatus, a trailing contact support, consisting of a vertical arm adapted to rest upon a sub-surface conducting-rail and extend thence through the tunnel-slot, an approximately horizontal arm adapted to be pivotally attached to the car, and a detachable connecting element, having a swiveling c011- nection with both the vertical and horizontal IIO acter indicated, in combination with the vertical arm having a cylindrical head, a split embracing-ring hinged at the one side and provided With a detachable fastening at the other, and an extension adapted to engage pivotally With the trailing arm, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILI-IELM OESTERLEIN.

Witnesses:

L. M. HOSEA, L. C. HOSEA.