US773438A - Electric railway. - Google Patents

Description

No. 773,438. PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904.

G. H. THOMAS 6: M. J. STONE; ELECTRIC RAILWAY APPLICATION FILED OUT. 14, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

- UNITED STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

PATENT OEEicE.

-GEORGE H. THOMAS AND MARTYN J STONE, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,438, dated October 25, 1904.

Application filed October 14, 1903. Serial No. 177,066. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. GEORGE H. THOMAS and MARTYN J. STONE, citizens of-the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in electrical railways, and more particularly to third-rail systems.

The object of the invention is to construct a hinged flexible covering for the third rail.

Another object of the invention is to construct a hinged covering formed in sections and adapted to swing upon projections secured at each side of the third rail.

A further object of the invention is to construct a covering which is normally closed and to provide means assembled with said covering permitting the said covering to be opened near the middle thereof and automatically close said opening.

With these and further objects in view the invention consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view of our invention. Fig. 2 represents a fragmentary view of the sections forming the cover for the rail. Fig. 3 is a detail View in perspective, showing a portion of one of the side coverings of the third rail, the inner corrugations thereof being clearly shown. Fig- 1 is a detail view showing one of the lugs 7 of the side rail-covering having a perforation formed therein and a portion of the top cover 8 with a corresponding perforation formed therein for receiving a pivot-pin.

Like reference-numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 indicates a common steel rail. Parallel coverings 2 are secured to the side of said rail 1 and are positively secured upon said rail 1 by bolts 3 or like means. The inner face of the parallel coverings 2 are provided with corrugations 1, which communicate with apertures 5, formed in the parallel coverings and which permit of any moisture or liquids which may be collected inside of the casing to pass therethrough. The said coverings 2 are preferably formed of any non-conductive material, and to positively insulate the third rail 1 from the ground or the foundation upon which it rests we provide a sheet of insulating material 6, which is passed under said rail 1 and turned upon the flanges and held in this position by means of the side coverings 2. Formed upon the side coverings 2 is a plurality of laterally-extending projections 7. The flexible cover for the top of the third rail 1 is formed of' a series of detachably-mounted sections or plates 8, which are provided with a plurality of recesses 9. Said recesses are adapted to engage and rest upon the projections 7 to retain the sections forming the cover for the rail in position. Suitable grooves 10 are formed upon the abutting surfaces of each section, and a corresponding tongue 11 is formed integral with the adjacent section and is adapted to engage the corresponding groove 10 of the parallel member. As shown in the drawings, we. preferably construct these grooves dovetail in shape. It will be seen upon examining Fig. 1 that the extensions 7 are formed cylindrical in shape and that the recess 9 corresponds to said extension and is provided at its lower portion 12 with a cutout portion which permits of the mounting of the jointed sections 8 upon the parallel coverings 2 of the third rail. The longitudinal abutting surfaces of the sectional cover for the third rail are constructed with a smooth surface 13, so as to permit of the said members fitting snugly together when in a closed position.

If it is preferred, the extensions 7, formed upon the side coverings 2, may be provided with apertures, and the sections 8, forming the cover for the rail, may be also provided with longitudinal apertures, and when the said sections are mounted upon the projections 7 a longitudinal pin may be passed through said apertures for retaining the parts in an assembled position.

In operation the tongue carrying the shoe is adapted to engage the top or upper portion of the third rail 1, and as a car is passed over the particularsection of the system the tongue will force the sectional coverings apart to a certain degree, and as said car is moved from over the said particular section the sections forming the flexible covering will close by gravity and will be retained in this position until forced apart by another car provided with suitable means passing over the same.

Although we have described the preferred form of our invention and have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, we reserve the right to make such modifications and alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of our invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A covering device for a third rail comprising side coverings secured to the rail and hinged top coverings carried by the side coverings.

2. A coveringfor a third rail made up of side coverings secured to the rail and a series of movable top sections having end-to-end engagement.

3. A covering device for a third rail,con1prising side coverings secured to the rail, a series of top covering-sections hinged at their outer edges to the side coverings and means for connecting the sections at their meeting ends.

4%. A covering for a third rail, comprising side coverings fitting upon the rail having bearing projections extending upwardly from their outer edges, top covering-sections having sockets fitting upon said bearing projections and means for connecting the adjacent ends of the sections.

5. A covering for a third rail comprising hinged sections secured in parallel positions, and means assembled with the third rail for detachably securing the said sections in their normal position.

6. A covering for a third rail comprising a plurality of parallel, hinged sections, each of said parallel sections secured in an assembled position by means of tongue and grooves formed thereon.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a third rail, of parallel side coverings assembled therewith, projections formed integral with said side coverings and extending in horizontal planes therefrom, sections detachabl y secured upon said projections mounted upon the parallel casings, and means carried by said sections for retaining the same in an assembled parallel position.

8. In adevice of the character described, the combination with a third rail, coverings assembled upon the sides of said rail, said coverings provided with an inner corrugated surface, extensions formed integral with said parallel coverings, sections mounted upon said extensions, said sections being detachably secured together, and insulating means assembled with said third rail and adapted to incase the bottom thereof.

9. A covering for a third rail comprising side covering-sections having inner corrugated surfaces for engaging the rail, top covering-sections resting upon the side coverings and means for detachably securin g the top sections in position.

10. A casing for a third rail comprising a plurality of longitudinal, stationary side coverings and a plurality of detachably-jointed top sections mounted upon said stationary coverings.

11. A casing for a third rail comprising a series of side coverings, part of said coverings being provided with apertures communicating with the inner and outer surfaces thereof, a series of detachable top sections secured upon said side coverings, and means for retaining said coverings in their assembled position.

12. In a device of the character described, the combination with a third rail, of coverings inclosing the sides of the third rail, nonconductive means placed around the lower portions of the rail, and a plurality of sections detachably secured upon said coverings so as to provide a longitudinal space above the rail, the said sections automatically maintaining the said space in its closed condition.

13. A covering for a third rail comprising removable side coverings secured upon the opposite sides of the rail, said coverings having corrugations upon portions of their inner surfaces and provided with passages leading outwardly from said corrugated portions, a plurality of pivoted top sections mounted upon the side coverings and capable of folding together over the rail,said sections being formed of non-conducting material, detachable means for securing the sections movably in place and connecting means interposed between the ends of the sections, the structure permitting of the sections opening when the tongue of a motorshoe passes between the said sections.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE H. THOMAS. MARTYN J. STONE. Witnesses:

WV. BAYLOR, JOHN J. BARRETT.

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