US866349A - Trolley-pole support. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907. H. W. PELLOWS 6v I. A. CAMMETT.

TROLLEY POLE SUPPORT.

`Ammonium rum: un. 15. 1905.

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HUGH W. FELLOWS, OF CAHUENGA, AND IRA A. CAMMETT, OF HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA.

TROLLEY-POLE SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1907.

Application filed September 15,1905. Serial No. 278,590.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, I-IUGH W. FELLows and IRA A. CAMME'r'r, both citizens of the United States, said FEL- Lows residing at Cahuenga and said GAMMETT at Hollywood, both in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Pole Supports, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings.

Our invention relates to trolley pole supports and provides means for holding the trolley wheel in Contact with the current conveying wire, means for automatically releasing the pole and permitting it to drop to a median disengaged position below the wire when the wheel jumps upward from the wire, and manually operated means for returning the pole to its wire engaging position.

Figure l is a side elevation of our device showing the pole in its operative position. Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section showing the pole in differentl positions.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the line` 3-3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a partial longitudinal section showingthe pole in fallen or disengaged position.

l designates a sub base suitably secured to the roof 2 of the car.

3 is a base swiveled on the sub base l by means of a headed pin 3l. The base 3 has vertically extending sides 32 and an arc-shaped lower portion 33 formed with ratchet teeth 34 and having a horn 35 at its rear end. Extending rearwardly from the base 3 is a spring carrying rod 36. ,On a pintle 38 between the sides 32 of the base 3 is swung a tension arm 4 having a bifurcate body 41 and an arm portion 42, between the outer bifurcate ends 43 of which is pivoted a pole arm 5. From the body 41 extends vertically an arch-shaped pole arm guide 37. Two rods 6 are pivoted by means of eyes 6l at their forward ends, one at each side oi the body 41. The rods 6 extend rearwardly, one on each side of the rod 36, and have longitudinally adjustable connection by means of nuts 62 with a collar 63 sliding on the rod 36. A thrust spring 39 on the rod 36 extends between the collars 63 and the rear of the base 3, and tends to turn the tension arm 4 on the pivot 38 so as to depress the forward end 43 ofY the arm. A dash pot 310 in the arm portion 42 receives a piston 5l connected by a link 52 pivoted at one end to the piston and at its upper end to a' lug 53 in the pole arm 5. A second lug` 54 on the pole arm 5 is located approximately above the rear end of a body portion 4l of the tension arm 4, and is connected thereto bya toggle brace 7 formed of two parts 7l and 72 pivoted together at 73. The lower end of the brace portion 72 has a pivot pin 74 turning in slots 44 at the upper rear corner of the tension arm body 4l. At the lower end of the portion 72 is a cam 75 having a notch 76. A crosspin 45 connects the sides 41 of the tension arm body, as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Pivoted onV another cross pin 46 between the sides 4l is a lever 8 having an upturned lug 8l. The other or forward end of the lever 8 is connected by a link 82 to a dog 83 pivoted on a pin 47 in the body 4l. A thrust spring 84 between the lever 8 and the dog 83 normally forces the tooth 85 of the dog into engagement with one of the teeth 34 in the base 3 and also' forces the lug 81 of the lever 8 against the lower end of a toggle brace 7.

The operation of our device is as follows: When the parts are in the position shown in full lines, Figs. l and 2, the trolley wheel 56 supported at the end of the pole 55, shown in` dotted lines, Fig. l, is in contact with the current carrying wire. Owing to the resiliency of the spring 39, the wheel 56 will be permitted suiicient motion in a vertical direction to follow the undulations of the wire. It is of course understood that the base 3 turns in the sub base l so that the horizontal bends of the wire are also followed in the usual manner. In its operative position the pole 55 and pole arm 5 are held by the toggle brace 7, which consists of the two portions 7la and 72, which are in a nearly extended position, but so that the pivot pin in the lug 54, the pivot 73 and the pivot 74 are not quite in alineinent. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 that the lower portion 72of the brace 7 is prevented from turning on its pivot 74 by reason of the engagement of the pin 45 in the arm portion 4 with the recess 76 in the cam 75, which forms the lower end of the portion 72. It will be seen that at the same time the cam 75 is pressing down on the lug 8l of the lever 8,

which acts through the .link 82 to hold the tooth 85 of the dog 83 out of operative engagement with any of the teeth 34 in the base 3. If, owing to any accident, the trolley wheel 56 escapes from the contact wire, it is drawn suddenly and sharply upward by the force of the spring 39. The effect of this is, through the inertia of the pole arm 5 and the pole 55, and through the thrilst of the spring 84 on the toggle brace 7 exerted through the lever 8 to lift the pin 74 to the upper end of the slot 44, in which it plays. This releases the cam portion 75 from the pin 45 and permits the brace 7 to assume the jointed position shown in dotted lines, Fig. l, in which position the wheel 56 is lowered beneath the trolley wires and necessarily below the cross wires by which these are supported. At the same time, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 4, the lug 8 1 on the lever 8 bears against the low portion of the cam 75 and permits the spring 84 to force the tooth 85 of the dog 83 into engagement Awith one ofthe teeth 34 ofthe base portion 3. This prevents any vertical rebounding of the pole and in general prevents the spring 36, acting through the arm 4, from lifting the pole arm 5 and pole 55 into a more nearly vertical position.

It will be noted that by reason of the plurality of teeth 34 any improper or considerable upward Inovement ofthe pole is prevented Without regard to the angle at which the pole 55 stood when in contact with the current wire. In fact, the entire device is operative to drop the pole when accidentally disengaged from the wire by approximately the same upward movement oi the pole whatever the height of the wire above the top oi the car.

When it is desired to replace the trolley wheel 56 in contact with the trolley wire, the operator, by means of the usual cord, not shown, pulls down the pole 55 so as to bring the arm 5 into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. The adjacent ends oi the brace portions 71 and 72 then bear upon the horn 35 oi the base 3 so that the further lowering of the pole arm by the action of the operator straightens out the brace 7. At the same time the cam 75 again bears against the lug 81 so as to compress the spring 84 and also to lift the tooth 85 of the dog 84 out oi engagement with the ratchet teeth of the base 3, and the recess 76 on the cam 75 is again engaged with the pin 45 on the arm portion 4 so as to maintain the brace 7 in its nearly straight position. The operator then, by means oi the cord, permits the pole arm 5 and the pole 55 to rise to their operative position and engages the wheel 56 with the wire.

It is evident that the effect oi the movement ot the piston 51 in the dash pot 310 is to prevent the sudden dropping of the pole when the wheel is accidentally disengaged from the wire.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the mechanical construction oi our device without departing from the spirit o the invention.

The advantages of the invention lie in the fact that when the trolley wheel jumps upward from the wire it immediately and automatically drops down to a posi- 4tion where it will not engage with the cross wires or cross arms, and that it is readily replaceable in its position in the usual manner, and .that the dropping of the pole is independent of the angle of the pole when in its operative position. This latter and important advantage is gained by the action of the spring 84 which acts instantly when the pole is released from the downward pressure of the trolley wire both to lift the pole and the pole arm and to engage the dog 83 with a tooth 34 of the ratchet in the base portion 33.

It will be noted that the trolley pole oi the present iny vention is a rigid pole, by which term is meant that the pole is continuous from end to end, having no hinged or broken portion.

On November 23rd, 1905 we filed an application for an automatic trolley base, one oi the features of which is a toggle brace consisting oi two parts pivoted together. It is evident that we do not herein claim any oi the specic features shown, described or claimed in that application.

1. In a trolley pole support, a pivotally supported rigid pole, a spring for raising said pole into operative contact with the wire, a jointed brace through which the raising effect of said spring is transmitted to said pole, means for normally holding said brace in its operative position spring actuated means for releasing it from such operative position when the pole is raised above the wire, whereby the pole is permitted to drop below the wire, means for limiting the upward movement of the pole, and mechanism for moving said limiting means out of operative position.

2. In a trolley pole support, a base, apart pivoted on said base, a pole arm pivoted on said part, a jointed brace between said part and said pole arm for supporting the latter, means providing pivotal andflongitudinal movement between said brace and one of the parts between which it extends, and a projection positionedito engage said brace and maintain it inan approximately right line when the free end of the pole is in operative contact with the trolley wire and to release said brace when the pole rises above its operative position,

3. In a trolley pole support, a base, a tooth on said base, a part pivoted on said base, a dogr on said part for engaging with said tooth, a pole arm pivoted on said part, a jointed brace between said part and said pole arm for supporting the latter, a projection on said part positioned to engage said brace and maintain it in an approximately right line when the free end of the pole is in operative contact with the trolley .wire and to release said brace when the pole rises above its operative position, and means for holding said dog out of engagement with said tooth when said brace is in its right line position.

4. In a trolley pole support, a base, a part pivoted on said base, a pole arm pivoted on said part, a jointed brace between said part and said pole arm for supporting the latter, means for normally engaging said brace to maintain it in an approximately right line, said engaging means being constructed and fitted to release said brace when said arm is raised above its operative position, and means on said base for returning said brace to its approximately right line position and for ree'ngaging it with said engaging means when said pole arm is manually lowered.

5. In a trolley pole support, a base, a part pivoted on said base, a pole arm pivoted on said part, a jointed brace between said part and said pole arm for supporting the latter, means for normally maintaining said brace in an approximately right line, said maintaining means being constructed and tted to release said brace when said arm is raised above its operative position, and a dash pot for retarding the dropping of said pole arm.

6. In a trolley pole support, a pivotally supported rigid pole, means for raising the contact end of the pole into operative position against the wire, means for releasing said raising means and thereby permitting the pole to drop to a non-operative position below the wire, said releasing means being operated by an upward angular movement of the entire pole from its operative position, the angle of releasing movement of' the pole being independent of the angle of such operative position and means disengageable from its operative position by an additional downward movement of the pole for preventing the raising of the pole from such non-operative position.

'l'. In a trolley pole support, a pivotally supported rigid pole, means including a toggle brace for holding the contact end of the pole into operative position against the wire, means for releasing said raising means and thereby permitting the pole to drop to a non-operative position 'below the wire, said releasing means being operated by an upward angular movement of the entire pole from its operative position, the angle of releasing movement of the pole being independent of the angle of such operative position, means for preventing the raising of the pole from such non-operative position, and means for disengaging said preventing means operative by a further downward movement of the pole.

8. In a trolley pole support, a pivotally supported rigid pole, means for raising the contact end of the pole into operative position against the wire, means for releasing vsaid raising means and thereby permitting the p01@ to drop to a non-operative position below the wire, said releasing means being operated by an upward angular movement of the entire pole from its operative position, the angle of releasing movement of the pole being independent of the angle of such operative position, and disengageable means including a rack and a dog engageable in said rack for preventing the raising of the pole from such non-operative position.

9. A trolley pole support, a base, a part pivoted on said base, a pole arm pivoted on said part, a jointed brace between said part and said pole arm for supporting the latter, means for normally maintaining said brace in anv permit the pole arm to drop to a non-operative position, and means engageable and disengageable by the movement of said brace for preventing the raising of said pole arm from such non-operative position.

10. In a trolley pole support, a base, a tooth on said base, a part pivoted on said base, a dog on said part for engaging with said tooth, a pole arm pivoted on Said part, a jointed brace between said part and said pole arm for supporting the latter, a projection on said part positioned to engage said brace and maintain it in an approximately right line when the free end of the pole is in operative contact with the trolley wire and to release said brace when the pole rises above its operative position, and connections between said brace and said dog,

whereby the movement of said brace operates to engage 15 and disengage said dog from said tooth, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HUGH W. FELLOWS. IRA A. CAMMETT. Witnesses:

FRED L* SoMERs, MARVIN R. KING.

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