US766399A - Current-collecting device for electric-railway systems. - Google Patents

Description

No. 766,399. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. A. A. SHOBE & W. EMBLEY.

CURRENT COLLECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. Z6. 1903.

N0 MODEL, 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 766,399. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. A. A. SHOBE L W. EMBLEY.

CURRENT COLLECTING DEVICE POR ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NO MODEL UNITED STATESV Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CURRENT-COLLECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC-RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,399, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed September 26,1903. Serial No. 174,811. (No model.)

To ,ZZ about it 'may (fo/tecra:

Be it known that we, ABRAHAM A. SHORE and VILLIAH EMBLEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Jerseyville, in the county of Jersey and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Current-Collecting Device for Electric-Railway Systems, of which the following is a spccilication.

This invention relates to certain improvements in current-collecting devices adapted especially for use in connection with that g'eneral class ot' electric-railway systems in which the current-conductors are arrang'ed in an underground conduit.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a novel Jform et' current-collector in which the movable conducting members will be at all times held tirmly in eng'agement with the stationary conductors without reg'ard to uneven movement of the car or any irregularities in the road-bed or variations in position of the conductors.

A further object ot' the invention is to provide a novel form of support whereby the car may be free to vibrate both vertically and laterally without in any manner disturbing the position or' the moving' contacts.

lVith these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement ot' parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying' drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being' understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details ot' the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing' any ot' the advantages ot the invention.

In the accompanying' drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of sutlicient ot an electric-railway system to illustrate the application thereto ot' a current-collecting device constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention. Fig'. 2 is an elevation of the same. Fig'. 3 is a detail perspective view ot' the upper portion otl the hanger for supporting the contact-blocks. Fig. 4 is a similar View of the current-collector proper.

Similar numerals ot reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several lig'ures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 designates an ordinary form of conduit comprising suitable vertical plates 2 andV top members 3, the latter being slightly spaced in order to form the usual slot for the passage ot' the slot-bar.

Arranged within the conduit are two brackets and 5, the bracket L serving as a support for the positive conductor and the bracket 5 supporting the negative or return conductor.

The positive conductor 6 is in the form ot` a T bar supported at suitable intervals by T- shaped spindles T, the lowerhorizontal web of which extends into grooves 8, formed in the adjacent walls of a bar or supporting-.bars 9. The bars 9 are of wood or similar nonconducting material that may be coated with a suitable preserving paint or compound in order to prevent saturation, and at suitable intervals these bars are supported by the brackets f1, both the bars and the conductor 6 being practically continuous, although they may be sectional, if desired. It is intended that the main conductor 6 be jointless from end to end or at least in the form of a continuous strip for considerable distance, as from one crossing to another, the supports 7 sliding freely in the grooves S in order to permit the necessary expansion and contraction and consequent alteration in the length of the conductors due to thermal changes. The brackets serve also as supports for feed-wires 10, which in the present instance are shown as inclosed in suitable insulating-tubes, these wires serving as feeders to the main conductor and being connected thereto in any desired manner, such method of distribution and connection being' well known to those skilled in the art. The return-conductor 11 is also in the form ot' a T- shaped rail or bar that is held between two wooden strips 12, supported by the brackets 5 at suitable intervals. The

bar 11 is formed of iron or some other metal suitable for the purpose and is connected at intervals to a main return-conductor 13 by bonding-plates 14, the conductor proper being' insulated and armored, as indicated at 16 block, and the connection between the two is formed by a bolt 16', so arranged as to permit of some slight lateral and longitudinal play and slight pivotal movement of the block with respect to the slotted bar.

To the opposite sides of the block are secured brackets 17, having depending outer flanges 18, and to these brackets are secured angle-bars 19, the vertical webs of which are parallel with the iianges 18, and. said webs and iianges serve to restrict lateral play of the contact-blocks 19', that are yheld in frictional engagement with the current-conductor. Each of the blocks 19 is connected to the lower end of a binding-post 20, to the upper end of which'is secured a current-conducting wire 21, leading to the motor on the car, the wire being held in place by the usual binding-screw 22. Each of the blocks also carries a pair of leaf-springs 23, the opposite ends of which bear against the lower surface of the brackets 17, while the intermediate portions of the springs are rigidly secured to blocks 24, having dovetail or beveled sides that fit in correspondingly-shaped recesses formed in the upper portions of the block.

At a point midway between the brackets on each side of the block is arranged a bracket or arm 25, having an opening through which the binding-post 2O passes and by which it is guided, so that the contact block may be moved freely up and 'down in following any irregularities of the conductor or the main body of the collecting device may be moved up or down as the car vibrates in following any irregularities of the road-bed.

The slot-bar 15 is provided at its opposite edges with vertical openings 30 for the passage of the current-conducting wires, so that the wires are shielded from contact with the walls of the conduit-slot.

Secured to the truck-bolster 31 0r to other convenient points of the car or other vehicle is a hanger 32, preferably formed in two parts united by suitable rivets or similar securing devices and provided at its lower end with sockets for the reception of ahinged pintle 33, that forms a support for a hollow bar 35, that is preferably of rectangular form in crosssection and serves as a guide for a verticallydisposed bar 36, the lower end of which is hinged to the top of the slot-bar 15.

Near the upper end of the hollow bar 35 is a transversely-extending opening 37, and disposed vwithin the opening is a spring and spring-casing of the character best shown in Fig. 3. The spring-casing comprises a lower cup 38, having dependent lugs 39, arranged one on each side of the upper portion of the bar 36 and secured thereto by a suitable bolt 37 The base of the cup has an upwardly-projecting pin 40, forming a lower guide for a compression-spring 41. The upper member of the Vspring-casing is in the form of an inverted cup, as indicated at 42, and fits telescopically over a cup-shapedv member 38, and the upper casing member is provided with a screw 43, the lower end of which projects within the cup and forms a guide for the upper end of the spring. The upper end of the screw 43 is adapted to a threaded opening' in the bar 35 and by turning said screw the cup-shaped member 42 may be depressed or may be riveted in order to adjust the stress of the spring to any desired extent, and thus gradually adjust the degree of frictional contact between the blocks and the current-collector and the conductors within the conduit. The spring serves to force the contact-blocks into engagel bar drop from any cause, the lugs 39 of the bar 36 will come into contact with the lower wall of the opening 37 and prevent excessive downward movement of the parts.

It will be observed that the comparatively loose connection between the car and the current-collector will permit free lateral as well as vertical movement of the car without in any manner disturbing the position of the contactblocks and that under all circumstances the springs will act to force the contact-blocks into constant engagement with the conductors.

It is of course apparent that rollers may be substituted for the friction-blocks shown in the drawings, and as this is a common and well-known expedient in the art illustration of this particular detail is not considered necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In an electric-railway system, having stationary electrical conductors, a loosely-mounted current-collector free to accommodate itself to variations in the relative positions of the conductors and the traffic-rails, said collector including a block'or body portion, a slot-bar loosely connected to the slot to permit limited rocking and pivotal play, brackets carried by the block, and loosely-mounted contacts free for vertical and pivotal movement with respect to the brackets, said brackets serving as means for limiting the independent play of the contacts.

IOO

2. In a current-collector, the combination with a block or body portion, of projecting g'uiding'-brackets, contact-blocks g'uided by the brackets and held thereby from excessive lateral movement, binding-posts carried by the contactblocks, binding' -post guiding' brackets carried by the block and permitting' Jfree vertical play thereof, springs arranged between the blocks and the brackets and tending' to force the blocks into engagement with the current-conductors, a slot-bar connected to the block, and current-conducting' wires connected to the binding-posts, substantially as specified.

3. In a current-collector, a bar or block of insulating' material, spaced brackets arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the block and having' depending' l'lang'es, angle-bars secured to the brackets and having' vertically-disposed webs, contact blocks `guided between the flanges and webs, springs tendingl to force the contact-blocks away from the brackets, binding-posts secured to the contact-blocks and forming' a pivotal point therefor, and means Vfor guiding' said binding-posts.

4. In a current-collector, a block of insulating material, brackets arrang'ed on eitherside ot' the block, contact-blocks free for swinging' movement in a horizontal plane and free to move vertically toward and from the brackets, thereby to permit the contacts to compensate for irregularities in the conductor and trafficrails.

In a current-collector, contact devices, a

slot-bar supporting the same and free for vertical movement, a pair of telescopically-connected members of which one is connected to the slot-bar, and a spring' tending' to separate said members and impart downward stress to the slot-bar and contact devices.

6. In a current-collector, a slot-bar, contact devices carried thereby, a bracket depending' from a car or other vehicle, a pair of telescopically-titting members ot' which one is pivotally connected to the slot-bar and the other to the bracket, telescopic cups forming a spring-casing' and secured one to each of the members, and a compression-spring' disposed within said casing'.

7. In a current-collector, a slot-bal', contact devices carried thereby, a bracket depending' from a car or other vehicle, a hollow bar having pivotal connection with the bracket, a bar having' pivotal connection with the slot-bar, the two pivoted bars intertitting' telescopically and the hollow bar having a transversely-disposed opening, a cup carried by each bar, an adjustable supporting' means for one of the cups, and a spring' arrang'ed between the cups, substantially as speciiied.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto aflixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM A. SHOBE. VILLIAM EMBLEY. I/Vitn esses:

Gino. WV. VARE, FRANK M. NVARE.

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