US614082A - Fourths to henry m - Google Patents

Description

Nu.'6|4,0s2. Patented Nov. l5, |893` F. BURGER.

INTERMITTENT ELECTRIC SURFACE CONDUCTOR.- (Application filed July 23, 1897.) lNo Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ BURGER, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF THREE- FOURTHS TO HENRY M. WILLIAMS, OF SAME PLACE.

INTERMITTENT ELECTRIC SURFACE CONDUCTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,082, dated November 15, 1898.

Applioanon sled July 23, 1897. Serial No. 645,715. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANZ BURGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Vayne, Allen county, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Intermittent Electric Surface Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric railways, and more particularly to that class of electric railways in which there is an intermittent electric surface conductor arranged in proper relation to the tracks, so that as the trolley or train or car passes over the track the current will be supplied thereto through the intervention of the intermittent electric contacts with the main feeding-conductor.

The object of my invention is to improve and simplify the construction of' such electric railways and to overcome the difficulties inherent to the overhead trolley-wire and the usual form of underground-conduit construction, as well as to provide a construction which is applicable to railway-lines already in use, Without the necessity of building eX- pensive conduits. In order to accomplish this and other objects which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, my invention consists in the features of construction substantially as hereinafter more particularly set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated a preferred, embodiment of my invention, although it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the precise details of construction shown, Figure 1 is a transverse section of a railroad embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail.

In order to show the simplicity and practicability of my invention, it is illustrated in connection with an ordinary tram or other railway, in which A are the cross-ties of the road, on which the rails B B are secured in the usual manner. Arranged between the rails B B, and in this instance bearing di-v rectly upon the cross-ties A, is a Stringer C, which may be secured in any desired manner and which is preferably covered with asphaltum or some other insulating and preserving of rubber, and this is secured at its edges t0 the Stringer Lby any suitable means and forms an intervening space G between the feedingconductor D and the covering F, and this space may be filled with an elastic fluid-as, for instance, compressed air-which tends to maintain the covering F out of contact with the conductor. This flexible elastic covering F is provided with a series of metallic contact-pieces II, which extend through perforations in the covering near its longitudinal center, and they are arranged at suitable distances apart, so that when the trolley- Wheel T passes over them it will make contact with one before it leaves the other. These contacts may be of different shape and construction, but as shown they are provided with flattened heads on each side of the covering, being connected thereto through perforations in the covering which are air and water tight.

In order to protect the flexible covering and keep it in place, I provide channel-irons I, which, as shown, are of any ordinary commercial form and are arranged on each side of the covering, being secured to the Stringer in the present instance by bolts I. These channel-irons are arranged so that they do not meet at the top, but so that there is a narrow slot between them -too small to permit the entrance of an ordinary vehicle-Wheel, but large enough to permit the entrance of the trolley-wheel T. In the present instance the channel-irons bear upon the edges of the dexible covering, which forms of itself a gasket or packing between the channel-irons and the Stringer, producing an air and water tight con- IOO nection. The adjacent edges of the channelirons I are preferably insulated, as shown at fi, in any suitable way to prevent any possible leakage between the contacts and the trolleywheel, or the trolley-wheel itself may have insulated sides or be otherwise arranged to prevent electric contact with the channel-irons.

Tith this construction it will be seen that under normal conditions the contacts H are supported above the feeding-conductor by the resiliency or elasticity of the flexible covering, aided or not by an elastic medium within the covering, and the feeding-conductor is maintained entirely free from water or other substance which could in any Way cause leakage or danger from the electric current, and there is no possibility of short-circuiting the same. Vhen, however, the trolley-Wheel T or similar device passes through the slot between the adjacent edges of the channels and bears on the contact-pieces H, they are pressed down in contact with the feeding-conductor as the trolley passes along, conveying current from such feeding-conductor through the contact-pieces to the trolley and the motor on the car, and as soon as the trolley-wheel passes from a contact-piece it is restored to its normal position by the resiliency of the covering.

W'hat I claim is- An intermittent electric surface conductor, comprising a Stringer mounted on the crossties, a feeding-conductor supported on the Stringer, a flexible covering for the conductor secured to the stringer and having a scries of contact-pieces extending through the covering, channel-irons arranged on each side of the iiexible covering and secured to the stringer leaving a slot between their adjacent edges, and insulating material applied to the adjacent edges whereby when the trolley- Wheel passes through the slot the contactpieces are pressed into engagement with the feeding-conductor and rise therefrom by the resiliency of the covering, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANZ BURGER.

Vitnesses:

GEo. D. CRANE, F. EVERETT ANDERSON.

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