US856782A - Third-rail cover for electric railways. - Google Patents

Description

N0. 856.782. PATENTED JUNE 11; 1907. W. F. KEMPER.

THIRD RAIL COVER FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1907 N N u I ry WVILLIAM F. KEMPER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

THIRD-RAIL COVER FOR ELECTRIC RAlLWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed January 21,1907. Serial No. 363,296.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. KEMPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Third-Rail Covers for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for protecting the third or conductor rail of electric railways, and has for its object to provide an improved cover which will normally rest above or over the rail and protect the same from snow and ice as well as from accidental contact of persons passing over or along the railway. Means are provided to shift the cover to allow the shoe or collector carried by the car to come in contact with the rail as the car passes.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are top plan views, the former showing thecover in normal position and the latter showing the same moved laterally by means of devices carried by the car. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a cross section.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates the third or conductor rail. Attached to this are brackets 7 consisting of blocks of wood or the like. These are fastened to the rail by means of clips 8 engaging one of the bottom flanges of the rail, and the blocks are shaped to fit snugly against the outer side of the rail.

The head of the rail is protected by cover strips 9 of wood or other non-conducting material which are located above the rail and are held in such position by means of bolts 10 which project therefrom and extend through the top of the blocks or brackets 7. The strips may each be made several feet long, and will ordinarily be supported by two brackets or bolts. Springs 11, coiled around the bolts, normally project or advance the cover strips to a position above the head of the rail, but nevertheless allow the strips to be shifted outwardly or laterally to uncover the rail when a car passes.

Each strip has on its face or inner edge a metal strip 12 to sustain the wear, and is coated on the top with a strip of rubber 13, which acts as insulating material to avoid the possibility of a short circuit or charge. Caps 14, which may be made of metal, are secured to the strips 9 and project over the brackets and bolts and serve to prevent clogging of the latter by snow or ice.

The ends of the strips 9 are halved and lapped over each other, as indicated at 15, and the halved ends are beveled or inclined as indicated at 16, to allow the devices carried by the car to run from one cover stri to the next. The car has a support 17 which carries a shoe or collector indicated at 18 which runs on the top of the rail. Said sup port also has wheels 19 located respectively in front of and behind the shoe, and these wheels turn on vertical pins 20. Springs 21, coiled around the pins between the wheels and the support, allow a certain amount of vertical movement 01' play, to accommodate the wheels to the strips. The wheels are toothed, as shown, for the purpose of cutting and dislodging any ice or snow which may accumulate on the cover strip. At the top the wheels have an enlarged part or circular flange toothed as at 23. These teeth project beyond the body of the wheels 19 and run along the top of the inner edge of the cover strips, and serve to assist in holding the wheels in proper position with respect to the edge of the strips and also to cut and break any formation of sleet or ice on top of the strips.

In use, the cover strips are normally advanced by the springs 11 to position directly above the rail, and in this position act to protect the same from accumulations of snow, ice or sleet. WVhen a car passes, the wheels 19, carried by the car, press against the inner side edge of the strips 9, or rather against the metal facing 12 thereon, and force said strips outwardly or laterally and uncover the rail, allowing the shoe 1S to slide thereover. As soon as the car passes a strip the latter springs back to its original position over the rail. In consequence of the inclined ends of the strip, the wheels 19 will run from one strip to the next without interruption. The strips are preferably located above and out of contact with the head of the rail, so that there is no danger of the strips becoming charged. In any event, the rubber insulation 13, on top of the strips, acts to protect any person who may step thereon. No special form of rail or other structure is necessary, since the protective devices may be aplied to existing structures of any ordinary ind.

I claim:

1. The combination with a conductor rail, series of cover strips over the rail, supporting of brackets secured thereto and supported bolts secured to the strips and extending thereon and projecting beside the same, a through the brackets and slidable laterally series of cover strips over the rail, support l therein, and springs coiled around the bolts I5 5 ing'bolts secured to the strips and slidable between the strips and the brackets.

laterally in the brackets to cover or uncover In testimony whereof I affiX my signature, the rail, and springs between the strips and in presence of two witnesses.

brackets. l/VILLIAM F. KEMPER.

2. The combination with a conductor rail, l/Vitnesses: I of brackets secured thereto and projecting NELLIE FEL'rsKoG,

beside the same on the outer side thereof, a H. G. BATOHELOR.

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