US320679A - painter - Google Patents

Description

3 SheetsSheet I. W. PAINTER.

ELEGTRIGAL RAILWAY.

Patented June 23,1885.

(No Model.)

N. PETERS, Phntlixographer, Wulungien, D.C.

s sheets-sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. PAINTER.

ELECTRICAL RAILWAY.

Patented Junel 23. 1885.

Attorney.

WITNESSES (N'o Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. PAINTER.

' ELEOTRIGAL RAILWAY.. No. 320,679. y Patented June 23, 1885.

WITNEssEs;` Fg, lNvENToR,

` Attorney.

NrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TWILLIAM PAINTER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF i IO LEVIS R. KEIZER, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRICAL RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,679, dated June 23, 1885.

Application filed July 3, 1884. (No model.) l

To a/Z whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, WILLIAM PAINTER, of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electrical Railways, being a method of conducting the power-current to a motor-car to propel the same; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and accurate description of the invention.

Heretofore it has been the common practice in electrical propulsion, where the current has been furnished from a stationary source of supply, either to use the rails themselves as conductors, or to employ an independent rail or conductor and a contact device attached to the motor-car and arranged to traverse the conductor or rail and main-' tain electrical connection therewith. In such systems it has been necessary to expose thel conductor its entire length, so as to permit the contact device to traverse it. I am aware, however, that it has been proposed to make said exposed conductor in comparatively short sections insulated from each other, and to put such sections into electrical connection with the prime conductor automatically by the approaching car, and that it has been proposed to place above a concealed contactpoint attached to the prime conductor a movable contact exposed above the surface to be engaged and depressed by a conductor carried by a passing ear, said conductor being long enough to extend from one contact-point to another, so as `to make electrical connection between thev prime conductor and the motor on the car; but these devices differ essentially from mine, because they have conducting-surfaces exposed above ground constantly liable to accidental contacts, resulting in waste discharges of electricity, andendanerin0r the lives of men and animals b Y such 195 s conductor throughout its length. This renders electrical propulsion on street-railways entirely practicable. Leakage of current vis reduced to the minimum, all danger ofcony tact with the conductor by horses or vehicles, and all short circuiting, are avoided, and the active parts are all above ground and accessible for inspection orl repair. The system can be applied to ordinary street-railways already constructed without disturbing the track or road-bed, and at comparatively small expense.

In my system as applied to surface roads the conductor is incloscd in some suitable insulating material and buried along side of the track, and only appears at or above the surface by contact-points in electrical connection with the conductor, arranged at intervals and projecting upward from it to a short distance above the track and close thereto. The tops of these contact-points are exposed and attached to the car, and in electrical cnnection with the motor thereon there is a suspended contact plate or blade, which successively makes connection with the projecting contact-points, the blade being of sufficient length to span the spaces between contiguous points, and thereby maintain electrical connection with the conductor as the car moves on the track.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section, and Fig. 3 is a plan, of the track, Svc.

A A are the wheels of an ordinary streetrailway or tramway car, and B is the track whereon the wheels A travel. The car-body is built on any approved plan, and the electro-motor mounted thereon may also be of any desirable construction.

The conductor O is insulated and laid in position along the track, and is provided with a series of metallic pins, D, the lower ends of which are in constant connection with the conductor, and the upper ends are exposed to constitute contact-points for the plate or blade E, which is suspended from the car, and is in electrical connection with the motor carried thereon. As thel car advances, the plate E successively makes contact with the pins D. 1o( The intervening distances between such pins are less than the length of said plate, so that in advancing with the car said plate will never pass off one pin until contact has been made with the next in advance.

I prefer to lay a conductorlike C along each side of the track, and to provide each with pins D; also to place a plate, E, on each side of the car, so that one of said conductors may constitute a return-circuit for the motor-current, and thereby accidental grounding of the current and possible interruption in the working of the motor are avoided.

The above description embodies the principle of my invention. I prefer to arrange the details in the manner as follows,without, however, intending to confine myself literally to the particular methods and construction described.

The conductors C C are preferably inclosed in some suitableinsul ating material and buried at the sides of the track. The pins D D are located at intervals of about six feet, and are seated in grooved granite blocks H H, through which they pass. The general form of the blocks at top is rounding, and the grooves therein are about half an inch wide and one and a half inch deep at and near the center, from which point the grooves become wider and shallower toward both ends of the block, presenting flaring entrances as shown. The head of pin D is rounding, and is seated about three-quarters of an inch below the top of the stone block H.

E E are the steel blades, suspended from the axle-boxes, and in electrical connection with the motor on the ca r. These blades are long enough to span the distance between contiguous pins, and as the car advances the blades enter the grooves in the granite blocks and ride upon and make electrical connection successively with the contact-pins, thus maintaining constant connection with the buried conductor.

rIhe blades E-E are made rounding, to facilitate their movement over the contact-pins D D, the heads of which are also made rounding for a like purpose. The flaring shape of the grooves in blocks H H facilitates the entrance of thefblades therein as the car progresses. The blades are free to vibrate laterally, contributing to the same end. Lateral vibration also enables the blades to adjust themselves to any varying position of the contact-pins or in passing around curves.

A convenient method of suspending the blades E E is shown, in which recesses or slots are formed at the bottom of the axleboxes M M, and the ends of the blades bent inwardly to enter them. The blades are adjusted to run about half an inch lower than the top of the contact-pins D D, to allow for any irregularity of height, and to compensate for wear. The height of the blade may be made adjustable. The slots in boxes M M are long enough to allow the blades to rise slightly as they pass over the contact-pins. The ends of the blades where they rest in the slots in axle-boxes or the interior of the slots themselves are properly insulated, and connection made between the blades and the electromotor in any suitable manner.

I prefer to make the blocks H H of granite, which is a durable material and a good nonconductor. The blocks form .a part of the street-pavement, and, being rounded at top and standing but slightly above the general level, and, moreover, being placed along and near the outside of the track, where vehiclewheels are least likely to pass, offer practically no obstruction to street traffic. The granite blocks are secured in position by embedding them in cement held in east-iron boxes I I, resting on the ends of the crossties. i z' are notches in the sides of the boxes, for the reception of the conductors.

The blades E E are about one-quarter of an inch thick and pass loosely through the grooves in the granite blocks. Their weight is intended to be sufficient to make proper electrical contact with the pins D D, but fricv tion between the respective parts may be increased by springs or otherwise. The impingement of the blade against the comparatively-small surface of the contact-pins has the effect of keeping them clean and bright, insuring good electrical contact.

The edges of the steel blades should be tempered to resist wear, and for cheapness and durability the contact-pins are preferably of cast-iron with chilled heads.. Any suitable means may be employed for connecting the 'pins with the conductor.

The grooves in the granite blocks being very narrow at or near the center, and the heads of the contact-pins seated below the surface of the stones, the pins are .effectually protected from contact of horses or vehicles, and the system is thus rendered perfectly safe for use on streets.

Constant passing of the thin blades through the grooves in the granite blocks as the cars move on the track, insures the removal of all dirt and foreign matters, their escape being facilitated by the flaring shape of the grooves in all directions and the slight elevation of the parts above the surrounding surface.

If desirable, auxiliary means may be employed for removing dirt and other substances from the grooves. A stiff wire brush, or, in case of ice, a toothed blade arranged to run in advance of the contact-blade, will effectually accomplish the purpose; but it is believed the blades themselves will be efficient without extraneous means, except under unusual conditions.

In case of suburban roads the grooves in the insulating-blocks may be dispensed with, the contact-points project-ing above the surface of the blocks. Ihe plate E may then be set horizontally, instead of vertically, so as to make contact at its side instead of its edge. In such case it may not be necessary to place the conductor under ground, but it may be located in any convenient position with respect to the track.

I OL) IIO It will be observed that in my system, as applied to street-railways, the only part of the conductor exposed is the contact-points. These are of very small area and well insulated by the granite blocks. Moreover, the two conductors, with their series of contact-points, are about six feet apart, and there is no groundcircuit. Leakage of current is therefore reduced to a very low degree.

i My method, while avoiding the necessity of using an exposed conductor andthe objections incident thereto, permits the placing of the active parts and electrical connection between them to be made above ground. Accessibility for examination or repair is thus afforded.`

While it is possible to use but one conductor in the manner shown, utilizing` the rails for the return-current, I prefer and have shown two, the advantages of which are obvious.

Contact-points at intervals, as described, permit the use of cross-tracks, turnouts, switches, e., without interfering with the connection between the various cars and their respective conductors. In such cases the granite blocks may be placed closer together, or at varying distances apart, as may be necessary.

While I have described and shown what are deemed'tbe best forms and arrangements of the several parts, it is to be understood that l do not limit myself to them.

For convenience I have shown as conductors round bars incased in an insulating covering, but old rails embedded in troughs of asphalt may be economically used. Other insulating material may be substituted for the granite blocks, or iron blocks may be used, the contact-pins being properly insulated from them; but it is evident that some durable insulating material, such as granite, f is to be preferred. The grooved blocks maybe seated in iron castings bolted to the sills instead of resting on the cross-ties, or they may be located between the tracks instead of in theposition shown.

Vhen applied to a road elevated above the surface of the ground, a cable or other flexible conductor may be employed, either naked or insulated throughout its length, the contactpins only being fixed in position to make connection with the contact-blades ofthe electromotor, as hereinbefore set forth. As a substitute, an elongated brush of fiat steel wire may be employed instead of blades to make connection with the contact-pins.

Other similar changes and equivalent devices are obvious.

Having described my invention I claim- 1. In an electric railway, the combination of the following instrumentalities: a track and a car having an electromotor thereon, a xed source of electrical energy, a conductor inclosed in insulating material and laid contiguous to the track, a series of exposed contactpoints in electrical connection with said conductor, and means for establishing-and, maintaining electrical contact between said contact points and the elcctromotor as the car ad` vances, said connection being made directly with the fixed contact-points and independent of the track on which said car runs, or other permanent exposed conductor, substantially as and to the effect set forth.

2. rlhe means herein described for conduct` ing a power-current to an electromotor on a moving car, consisting of an insulated conductor provided with fixed contact-points arranged at intervals, and a contact-blade attached to said car and in electrical connection with the motor thereon, adapted to slide over and upon said fixed contact-points, whereby electrical connection is'established and continuously maintained between the conductor and the eleetromotor, as the car advances, said contact being made directly with the fixed contact-points, and independent of the track on which said car runs, or other permanent exposed conductor, substantially as set forth.

3. rIhe means for electrical propulsionherein described consisting of a wholly insulatfd conductor buried beneath the surface of the roadway, and provided with a series of exposed fixed contact-pins, the said pins projecting therefrom above the surface of the ground, and successively making direct connection with a contact device attached to the motor-car and in electrical connection with the motor thereon independent of the track or. other permanent exposed conductors, said connection being made directly with the fixed contact-points, and adapted to span the spaces between contiguous contact -points, whereby electrical connection is established and maintained between the buried conductor and the electro-motor, substantially as set forth.

1. An insulated conductor located contiguous to the track, and provided with contactpins and grooved blocks for supporting and protecting said contact-pins, combined with a contact device attached to the motor-car and in electrical connection with the motor thereon, arranged to strike into and through said grooves and make connection with the contactpoint-s successively as the car advances, sub stantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with theinsulated conductor and contact-pins in electrical connection therewith, of grooved blocks having said pins located in the grooves thereof at a distance below the surface of said bloeks,where by the pins are held in place and protected from contact with vehicles, rbc., substantially as set forth.

G. An electromotor car provided with a contact-blade, in combination with an insulated conductor having contact-pins in electrical connection therewith, and a block for inclosing said pins, having a flaring groove, whereby the blade is directed into said groove, andthe escape of dirt and foreign substances is facilitated, substantially as set forth.

7. A grooved block of insulating material IOO IIO

IIS

10. In combination with an insulated fonductor and a series of fixed contact-pins in electrical connection therewith, a yielding contact device attached to the motor-car and in electrical connecton with the motor thereon, and adapted to make electrical connection directly and continuously with said contact-pins, substantially as set forth.

VILLIAM PAIN TER.,

Vitnesses:

CHARLES H. BOND, C. H. MILES.

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