US678195A - Third-rail insulator. - Google Patents

Description

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THIRD RAIL INSULATUR.

(Application median. 16, 1901.)

lh e d o u o Inventor William I3. Potter Atty.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

IVILLIAM B. POTTER, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

THIRD-RAIL INSULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent'No. 678,195, dated July 9, 1901.

` Application filed January 16, 1901. Serial Non 43,477. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B.'POTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Third-Rail Insulators, (Case No. l,5l2,) of which the following is a speciication.

My invention relates to insulating-supports for the conducting-rails of electric railways operated by the so-called third-rail system; and its object is to provide an improved support in which the metallic cap is secured firmly to the insulating-body by an interposed adhering layer of metal. Herctofore the cap has been attached to the body by cement of some kind. In practice it is found that cement even of the hardest quality becomes disintegrated by the constant jar and vibration of the road structure, especially when the insulator is used on an elevated road. The crumbling of the cement loosens the cap and renders it necessary to replace the insulator at considerable expense.

My invention aims to overcome this by substituting for the perishable cement a metal, preferably one which does not contract in cooling, such as type-metal, which acts like a hard solder, to unite the cap to the body. I have also devised an improved mode of applying the metal to the insulator, as will be Set forth hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical section of an insulator-support embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the same. Figs. 3 and at illustrate the method of applying the metal or hard solder.

The base A is of metal, having an upright stem a' and legs a', by which it can be fastened to the tie B. The body C, of porcelain, vitrified clay, or other insulation, is mounted on the stem a, to which it is fastened by cement C. The body has a peripheral flange c to carry any drip of moisture away from the base. The upper portion of the body is polygonal and tapered upwardly to a slight extent to receive the metal cap D, which has a ilaring petticoat CZ to shed moisture and is provided with two diagonally opposite and upwardly-extending clips to engage with the flange of the rails E. The Vtop of the purpose is type-metal, which is 'a compound of lead and antimony and tends to expand slightly in cooling. To apply they alloy to the insulator after the parts are assembled, I prefer to pour it in a molton state into the tubular pin and then insert a closely-fitting plunger G, which will force the metal down under the lower end of the pin and up between the pin and cap, as indicated in Figs. 3 and/l. When the metal has set, the plunger is withdrawn and the interior of the pin is then filled with cement H. The alloy not only adheres closely to t'he cap and body, but in cooling it expands slightly, thus exerting a irm grip on theY pin and the body and against the inside of the cap and effecting a rigid attachment between the cap and body.

The other details of'construction form no part of my invention, and hence need not be described. The mode of connecting the insulator with the rail is the same as that practiced with other insulators of this class and requires no explanation here.

That Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is*

` l. In an insulator, a body of insulating material, a metal cap on said body, and an intervening layer of alloy which expands on cooling.

2. In an insulator, a body of insulating material, a metal cap on said body, and an intervening layer of type-metal adhering to the cap and body.

3. In an insulator, a body of insulating maferial provided with a cavity in the top, a metal cap having a hole registering with said cavity,a layer of adhering metal between said cap and body, and a mass of cement in said cavity. v

4. In an insulator, a body ofinsulating ma IOO terial provided with a cavity in its upper end, a metal cap having a tubular pin entering said Cavity, a layer of adhering metal be tween said eap and pin and the body, and a mass of cement filling said pin.

5. The method of attaching a cap to the body of an insulator', which consists in foroing molten metal between them and letting it cool.

6. The method of attaching a oap to an insulating-body provided with a cavity, which consists in filling' said cavity with molten metal, and then forcing it out of said cavity between said cap and body.

7. The method of attaching a cap to the body ot" an insulator, which consists in pro- Viding said body with a Cavity in the upper end, and the cap with a depending tubular pin to enter said cavity, lling said pin with molten metal and then forcing said metal down under the end of the pin, up through the cavity and in between the Cap and the body.

8. The method of attaching a cap to the body of an insulator, which consists in providing said body With a cavity in the upper end,and the cap With a depending tubular pin to enter said cavity, filling said pin with inolten metal, and then forcing said metal down under the end of the pin, up through the cavity and in between the Cap and the body, and finally lling the pin with cement or the like.

In Witness whereof I have hereuntoueet my hand this 14th day of January, 1901.

lVILLIAM B. POTTER.

VitnesSes:

EDWARD WILLIAMS, Jr., ALEX F. MACDONALD.

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