US719003A - Surface-contact structure. - Google Patents

Description

PATBNTED JAN. 27,-1903. E. M. HEWLETT. SURFACE CONTACT STRUCTURE. APPLICATIOFI FILED MAR. 27, 190i. RENEWED APR... 23, 1902.

I 10 MODEL.

IltlJIl Witnesses:

Inventor".

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UNlTElD dramas Parent OFFICE.

EDVABD M. HEWLETT, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEOTRIOOOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SURFACE CONTACT STRUCTURE.

SPECIFIChTLfQN forming part of Letters latent No. 719,003, dated January 27, 1903.

Original application filed October 20, 1897, serial No. 656,777.

Divided and this application filed March 2'7. 1901. Renewed April 23, 1902. Serial No- 104314. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it 'nuw concern:

Be it known that l, EDWARD M. HEwLE'r'r,a citizen of the United States,residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Surface-Contact Structures, (Case No. 2,1aS,) of which the following is a specification.

' This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 655,777, filed October 20, 1897.

The invention relates to improvements in surface-contact structures for electric railways of the type wherein the conductor engaged by the collector on the car is divided into insulated sections which are formed of studs orbuttous exposed in the roadway.

The object of the invention is to provide a structure of practical commercial value which is easy and cheap to make, is reliable and safe in operation, and the destructive parts of which may be readily removed for repair and replacement.

The drawingis avertical section of a structure embodying the invention.

A metal casing N is adapted to receive the operative parts of the structure and is provided with bolt-holes N,whereby it is adapted to be secured to a suitable support in the roadway, such as the Wooden cross-ties. The parts will be described in the order of assemblage. The casing N is provided With a hole in its bottom for the reception of a bushing L, of suitable insulating material, which is made hollow for the reception of the insulated lead This lead is adapted to be connected to the feeder or main, preferably through an electromagnetically actuated switch. (Not shown.) The lead extends through the bushing into the interior of the casing, where its insulation is removed for attachment to the conducting parts. Abolt L, screw-threaded at its upper end, is inserted head downward in the casing, and the bare end of the lead is suitably attached to the head of the bolt to form a good electrical connection therewith. The lower end of the bolt next its head is preferably square, and held on its square portion is a leaf-spring L 50 A spring of any other shape suitable for the purpose might be used. Blocks M and M,

of suitable insulating material, preferably wood, as shown, and held together by an annular spline N are nextinserted in the easing to completely fill the same, as shown. The blocks are formed with upper and lower recesses, which communicate with each other by a groove P, as shown. After the blocks are inserted in the casing, the lead having been attached to the bolt L, a suitable plastic insulating compound Q is poured into the groove P, so as to completely fill the lower recess and the groove, but is prevented by the bushing L from running out through the bottom of the casing. A surface-contact stud L, adapted to be engaged by the car-collector and interiorly screw-threaded, is next screwed on the upper end of the bolt L by means of spanner-holes l, formed in its upper surface, the shoulders of this stud engaging inthe upper recess of the insulatingblock and serving to draw the bolt upwardly in the hole, so that the spring L engages the top of the lower recess of the blocks, thus preventing the bolt from turning and preventing the contact-stud from becoming loose on the end of the bolt. The insulating-filling Q, soon hardens, so as to support the bolt in place entirely independently of the stud L, which can be readily removed by unscrewing when it becomes worn by the engagement of the collector-shoes carried by the cars.

It will be seen that the use of the insulating-filling Q prevents the access of moisture around the stud from the roadway to the lower recess in the insnlating'blocks, where a short circuit to ground might take place from the lead or the bolt through the metal casing. Furthermore, the insulating-filling in the lower recess insulates the lead, the bolt, and the spring from the metal casing to prevent a similarshort circuit. When the insulatingblocks themselves become impaired, the stud L can be removed and the blocks entirely removed from the casing to permit replacement.

As the lower portion of the bolt and the lead attached thereto are each completely protected by the insulating-filling, these parts are practically permanent and will not require any further attention after they are once as- [00 sembled. If, however, it is desired to remove them, it may be done without disturbing the, metal casing or removing it from its support, and an entirely new structure can be inserted in the same metal casing.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a surfacecontact structure, the combination with a surrounding metal casing, of a screw-threaded bolt to which a surface contact is secured, and a spring arranged to take up the variations between the insulating material and the surface contact.

2. In a roadway structure, the combination with a conducting-support, of a metal surface stud removably mounted thereon, insulating material surrounding all but the top of said stud and all of the support except that portion covered by the stud, and an electrical connection extending through the insulating material to the support.

3. In a roadway structure, the combination with a metal casing having a hole for the lead in its bottom, a bolt to which the lead is attached, insulation in the casing for holding the bolt in position therein, and a metal surface stud secured to the upper end of the bolt.

4. In a roadway structure, the combination with a metal casing having a hole for the lead in its bottom, of a bolt to which the lead is attached, an insulatingblock'in the casing having an upper recess, a vertical groove for the bolt, an insulating-filling in the groove around the bolt, and a metal stud secured to the bolt in the upper recess.

' 5. In a roadway structure, the combination with a metal casing having a lower opening for the lead, a bolt in the casing to which the lead is attached, an insulatingblock in the casing having a vertical groove for the bolt, a lower recess for the head of the bolt, an insulating-filling in said vertical groove and lower recess around the bolt and lead, and a metal stud screwed to the upper end of the bolt.

6. A structure for electric railways, which consists of an insulating-block having an upper recess and a vertical groove communicating therewith, a metal bolt in the groove, a

metal stud screwed to the upper end of the bolt and resting in the upper recess of the support, and a spring between the head of the bolt and the lower part of the insulatingsupport. v

7. A structure for electric railways, which comprises an insulating-block having an upper and lower recess connected by a vertical groove, a bolt in said groove which has its head in the lower recess, a metal stud screwed to the end of the bolt in the upper recess, and

a spring in the lower recess between the head of the bolt and the top of said lower recess.

8. A structure for electric railways, which comprises a bolt completely surrounded and supported by insulating material except at one end, and a metal stud screwed to such exposed end.

9. A structure'for electric railways, which comprises a surface-contact stud, and a metal bolt-rod which carries said stud, said rod being completely surrounded and supported by insulating material except where it engages the stud.

10. A surface-contact structure, which consists of a casing, blocks of insulating material therein, a bolt extending through the blocks entirely within the metal casing, and a surface-contact stud screwed to the upper end of the bolt and resting on the insulating-blocks.

11. Asurface-contactstructure,whichcomprises a metal casing, insulating-blocks which completely fill the casing and have avertical opening from top to bottom, a conducting-rod which extends through said opening, a surface-contact stud carried by the upper end of said rod, and hardened plastic insulation filling said opening to prevent the flow of moisture from the roadway.

12. An independent metal stud for surfacecontact railways, which is interiorly screwthreaded and is provided on its upper surface with spanner-holes.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this th day of March, 1901.

EDWARD M. HEWLETT.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, EDWARD WILLIAMS, Jr.

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