US2053964A - Trolley wire device - Google Patents

Description

sept. s, 1936. s, s, MATTHES 2,053,964"

TROLLEY WIRE DEVICE l Filed 0G13, 6, 1934 5k/Maag 5. MA v' A ttor ne y Patented Sept. v8, 12936' TROLLEY WIRE DEVICE Samuel S. Matthes, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio Brass Company, Mansfield, Ohio, a

corporation of New Jersey Application october 6, 1934, serial No. 747,224,

1o claims. (C1. 191-39) My invention relates to a means of protecting certain metallic parts in connection with trolley Wire section insulators and other devices where arcing is likely to take place due to the current collector leaving the metal part with the controller in the on position thusr producing a destructive arc. j g

While I have shown and described my invention as applied to and in combination with a trolley wire section insulator still it is adaptable for use With other devices such as trolley wire insulated crossings.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination and relation of the various parts shown and described in the accompanying drawingand specification respectively.

Fig. 1 is a side View in elevation of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of one end of my'invention (the other end being the same).

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 showing the relation of parts with and Without the passing of a current collector.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of one end of the device shown in Fig. 1 (the other end being the same).

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are side, end and top views respectively of the contact4 element which I employ for preventing arcing with respect to certain parts of thel device.

Fig. 8 is a view in section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

`One of the destructive conditions with respect to section insulators and similar devices used in connection with electric trolleys is the arcing which takes place at the leaving end of the metallic parts of the approach end. This arcing is exceedingly severe and destructive if the operator of the vehicle crosses the insulator with power on, that is, with his controller set at the on position. Arcing will also take place but to a lesser degree due.. to the current which is used in connection with air compressors, heaters, lights, etc,

The arcing destroysfnot only the metal parts where thev arc takes place but also the adjacent insulating portion which is usually of wood, bre, rubber, etc. r

To renew the metal and insulating parts when badly burned is expensive and vmay. require removal of the'device from service to the repair shop. This is a considerable expense and annoyance.

AAnother objectionableieature ispthe burning of the contact surface of the current collector as it leaves the end member and breaks contact with current flowing. This burns `the contactv surface of the current collector and roughens and pits itbadly which causes defective Contact between the trolley wire and collector, thus causing arcing and burning of the trolley Wire and further burning and pitting of the collector con-A tact surface, causing greatly reduced life of the collector and damage to the wire.

In order to eliminate the wear due to the arcing I provide easily renewable and movable contact pieces adjacent the end of the metal part where the arcing takes place to contact with the flanges of the current collector. l Y v These contact pieces will require replacement from time to time as they will burn due to arcing, but all arcing will take place upon these renewable contact pieces and the anges of the current collector thus eliminating the burning of the metal runner piece oi the insulator, the adjacent insulating portion and the contact surface of the current collector thus greatly increasing the life of the main wearing parts of the section insulator and of the current collector.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention as Vrelates to a section insulator I provide a body member lformed of wood, fibre, bakelite canvas, etc. and at each end I mount thereon an end casting 2 by means of the bolts 3 and 3'.

The end piece is provided with spaced flanges 4 between which is positioned the insulating member I.

The member 2 is also provided with an elongated projecting portion 5 provided with a longitudinal groove to receive the trolley wire 6 which is held in place by means of the obliquely disposed set screws or other means L y I have shown -a metal member 8 asrseparately formedv` from the member 2 and held in place by the bolt 3 but it may be an integral part of the member 2 and its lower edge is in alignment withthat of the member I.

The end of the trolley wire 6 is in abutting relation to the end of the member 8 and its lower surface which contacts with the current ol' lector is in alignment with the lower edge of the members I and 8. j

The insulating member l and the end members 2 together with the member 8 'may beof various constructions but they are practically all for the same purpose, namely, of providing means for supporting and connecting the ends of two adjacent .trolley Wires ini insulated.rela' tion and with the lower surface offering a smooth, unobstructed track for the passage of the current collector.

In order to prevent the arcing and resultant burning at the inner ends of the member 8 and the contact surface of the current collector I provide a pair of contactors 9 disposed preferably on opposite sides of the member I and overlapping the inner ends of the member 8. I pre- .fer to have the members 9 pivoted so that they may yield outwardly when the current collector I0 passes across the trolley device and I prefer to make the width between the inner faces of the contactors less than that of the current collector so that there will be no question but that the flanges of the current collector will engage the contact members 9.

The contact members 9 are electrically connected to the members 2 and hence to the trolley Wire 6. In order to maintain a reasonably firm engagement between the current collector I0 and the contactors 9 I provide a spring II arranged to yieldingly force the lower ends of the contact members inwardly or toward each other. In Fig. 3 I have shown the contact members 9 in normal position in full lines and in contact position with the current collector III in dotted lines.

The result of this construction is that the current collector I0 will engage with the contact members 9 before it breaks connection with the member 8, therefore, any current being demanded by the vehicle will be fed from the member 2 to the iianges of the current collector I0 through the medium of the contacts 9 and this will prevent arcing at the inner ends of the member 8 when contact between the members 8 and I0 is broken and also upon the contact surface of the collector.

The contact members 9 may consist of a bowshaped portion I2 to permit of easy access of the current collector I0 between normally positioned contact members. Projecting from the portion I2 are spaced lugs I3 each provided with registering openings I4 through which may be positioned the pintle I5.

The contact members 9 may be suspended through downwardly projecting supports I6 secured to the device and in electrical contact with the member 2 by means of the bolt 3. The members I6 are provided with lugs I1 which are pierced with registering openings to receive the pintle I5.

Various constructions may be substituted for the contacts 9 and their supports I6 permitting resultant operations as herein set forth with the specific form I have shown.

After the collector has entered, engaged and passed beyond the contacts 9 the springs II will return the contacts to their normal position as shown by the heavy lines in Fig. 3.

There must be simultaneous contact between the current collector I0 and the members 8 and 9 as the collector leaves the member 8 in order to prevent arcing at the inner ends of the member 8 and the members 9 must be electrically connected with the trolley Wire S or its source of supply. The collector breaks contact with the members 9 at one end of the insulator before it contacts with the members 9 at the other end, thus the Wires 6 are electrically separated at all times.

The members 2 are provided with spaced arms I8 forming a clevis to receive the end of the member I. The members 'I are obliquely set to the axis of the trolley wire and the inner ends engage and hold the wire with little or no pressure tending to force the wire from its groove.

If the direction of travel of the current collector relative to the device is unidirectional, then protection against sparking is required only at one end of the device.

The member I 9 holds the wire against movement relative to the member 2 and causes any crystallization of the wire to take place through the full section of the wire outside the members 2 or I9. The end of the wire 6 within the member 2 is unbent and the end face butts against a shoulder 20 on the member 2 giving a smooth and even running surface for the collector.

Having described my invention and particularly one form thereof, I claim:-

l. In a trolley wire sectionalizing and insulating device, the combination of metallic means and means to secure the trolley wires thereto, means to insulate the said metallic means from each other and hold them in spaced relation and contact means adjacent each metallic means to be engaged by a passing current collector without connecting the trolley wire sections, means to electrically connect the contact means to the respective metallic means, the contact means operating to substantially eliminate arcing at the ends of the insulating means as the collector crosses the device except at the contact means.

2. A trolley insulator end fitting comprising a body having spaced projecting arms forming a socket to receive a supporting member, a longitudinally projecting member having a groove along one edge to receive a trolley Wire, holding means comprising a screw arranged to have one end engage the trolley wire, the axis of the screw being oblique to the longitudinal axis of the wire to hold the wire against withdrawal from the groove, a separately formed renewable member positioned below the arms and having a contact surface in alignment with the contact surface of the trolley wire, means to secure the members together and spaced yielding means on opposite sides of the body to engage the anges of a passing current collector to prevent arcing be tween the collector and the second member when contact between the member and the collector is broken.

3. In a trolley wire device, the combination of, an elongated insulating member, ttings at each end' of the member and provided with means to receive the adjacent ends of a trolley wire and means to secure the ends of the wire in place, the inner ends of the fittings being in juxtaposed relation to the insulating member and subject to arcing at the passing of a current collector, contactors on opposite sides of the device and electrically connected to the trolley wire and overlapping the adjacent portions of the member and fittings at the point of arcing to engage with the passing current collector as it moves across the device to prevent arcing between the current collector and the fittings, the contact between the contactors and the current collector arranged to be broken before the collector becomes electrically connected with the trolley wire at the other end of the device to maintain the wires electrically separated as the collector crosses the device.

4. In a trolley wire device, the combination of, an elongated insulating member, fittings at each end of the member provided with means to receive the adjacent ends of a trolley wire and means to secure the endsof the wire in spaced and insulated relation, the inner ends of the fittings being in juxtaposed relation to the insulating member and subject to arcing at the passing of a current collector, contactors on opposite sides and at the ends of the device and electrically connected to the fittings and overlapping the adjacent portions of the member and fittings at the point of arcing to engage with the fianges of the passing current collector as it moves across the device to prevent arcing between the contact surface of the collector and the fittings, the contactors being so related that the collector will break contact with the contactors at one end of the device before it engages the contactors at the other end to prevent electrically connecting the adjacent ends of the trolley wire.

5. In a trolley wire insulating device, the combination of, an elongated insulating member, fittings at each end of the member provided with means to receive the adjacent ends of a sectionalized trolley wire and means to secure the wirel ends in place, the inner ends of the fittings being subject to arcing at the passing of a current collector, pivotally mounted contactors on opposite sides of the device and electrically connected to the fittings and overlapping the adjacent portions of the member and fittings at the point of arcing to engage the flanges of the passing current collector as it moves across the device to prevent arcing, the sections of the trolley wire being insulated from each other and the collector breaking contact with the contactors at one end before it becomes electrically connected to the wire at the other end.

6. A trolley insulator end fitting comprising a body having spaced projecting arms forming a recess to receive a supporting member and having a longitudinally disposed portion projecting in the opposite direction to the arms and having a groove along one edge to receive a trolley wire with the lower surface of the Wire exposed, means associated with the projecting portion to hold the wire in place, means projecting from the arms and positioned below the arms and having a contact surface in alignment with the lower surface of the wire and means to secure the fitting to the supporting member.

7. A trolley insulator end fitting comprising a body having spaced projecting arms forming a recess to receive a supporting member and having a longitudinally disposed portion projecting in the opposite direction to the arms and having a groove along one edge to receive a trolley wire with the lower surface of the wire exposed, means associated with the projecting portion to hold the wire in place, means projecting from the arms and positioned below the arms and having a contact surface in alignment with the lower surface of the wire, means to secure the tting to the supporting member, and means electrically connected to the arms to engage a passing current collector to prevent arcing between the collector and the last said projecting means.

8. In a trolley wire sectionalizing device to support and maintain the sections insulated from each other, the combination of, an elongated insulating member, metallic means at each end of the member to receive and hold the end of the trolley wire sections to be supported thereby, means associated with each metallic means and electrically connected thereto to be engaged by the fianges of a passing current collector to prevent arcing between the current collector and the metallic means as the collector crosses the device in either direction without electrically connecting the sections of trolley wire.

9. In a trolley wire sectionalizing device to support and maintain the sections insulated from each other, the combination of, an elongated insulating member, metallic means at each end ,of the member to receive and hold the end of the trolley Wire section to be supported thereby, means associated with one of the metallic means and electrically connected thereto to be engaged by the flanges on a passing current collector to prevent arcing between the current collector and the metallic means as the collector crosses the device in one direction, the flanges of the collector breaking contact with the said associated means before the collector engages the metallic means at the other end of the device.

l0, A device to insulate two trolley wires from each other and maintain them in a fixed relation comprising, an insulating member, spaced metallic means secured to the insulating member to which the trolley Wires are secured and means to secure the wires thereto, arcing members associated with one of the metallic means and electrically connected to one trolley wire, the arcing members arranged to contact with the flanges of a passing current collector before the normal contact surface of the collector breaks contact with the metallic means and the collector breaks contact with the saidarcing members before the collector contacts with the other metallic means to maintain the wires insulated from each other at all times.

SAMUEL S. MATTHES.

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