US692898A - Electric-railway system. - Google Patents

Description

No. 692,998. Patentd'reb. n, |902.

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` ELEcTmc RAILWAY SYSTEM.

(Application filed May 13, 1897.) (No Model.) y 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 692,898.' Patented Feb. n, i902. B. E. usorm.

ELECTRIC vRAILWAY SYSTEM.

(Appxication mea may 13,1897.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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ATTOR N EYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BYRON E. OSBORN, OF AUBURN, NEV YORK.

ELECTRIC-RAI LWAY SYSTElVl SPECIFICATION forming' part 0f Letters Patent N0. 692,898, dated February 11, 1902.

Application filed May 13, 1897. Serial Nox 636,370. (No model.)

To @ZZ wlwnt it may concern:

Be it known that I, BYRON E. OSBORN, of Auburn, in the county of Cayuga, inthe State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric-Railway Systems, of whichthe following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is 'a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in electric-railway systems of the class set forth in my prior patents, Nos. 549,580, 556,516, and 573,033, dated, respectively, November' 12, 1895, March 17, 1896, and December 15,V

1896, which are provided with a concealed conductor for conveying an electric current to a terminal movable along the railway, and has for its object the production of a device which is particularly simple in construction, requires a minimum amount of excavation or preparation of the road-bed, andis highly efficient and safe in operation; and to this end the invention consists in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the component parts of a railway system, all as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims. Y

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding part-s in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially diagrammatic, of a portion of a railway system embodying my invention, a portion of a vehicle forming part of said system being shown by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, the vehicle being omitted; and Fig. 3 is4 a detail sectional view taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1.

A B represent, respectively, concealed and exposed conductors for the main or dynamic current; C, connecting-pieces for connecting said conductors; D, a vehicle movable along the conductors, and E E suitable rails for supporting and guiding the vehicle. The

conductors A B are normally insulated from each other and are usually so constructed and arranged that the conductor A is concealed and partially inclosed bythe conductor B.

The conductor A is connected to one pole of a suitable source of electric energy A', having its opposite pole connected to the rail E or any other desirable conductor. l preferably support the conductor A upon an insulating bar or Stringer B', interposed between the rails E E and arranged substantially parallel therewith, and provide said conductor with a series of branch conductors a, extending downwardly through the insulating bar or Stringer B into chambers B2, arranged at intervals beneath said bar or Stringer. The upper endsof the branch conductors a, are suitably clamped to the concealed conductor A, and their lower ends are provided with contact-pieces a'. The conductor A preferably consists of a series of separate sections arranged end to end and having their adjacent ends secured together by suitable metallic sleeves or connections a2 and set-screws or clamps a3. The'conductor A is particularly simple and practical in construction, may be readily manufactured, and is delivered and installed with the utmost economy. It is obvious, however, that said conductor may consist of a single piece instead of a number of sections detachably connected together- The conductor B usually consists of a series of sections arranged end to end and insulated from each other, and is preferably formed with a'lengthwise chamber b in its lower face, which partially incloses the conductor -A' and the clamps for securing the branch conductors a to the conductor A. As usually constructedthe conductorB is formed with depressed side portions b' b2, arranged one above the'other, and an elevated central portion b3 disposed in substantially the same plane as the top faces of the rails E E. The side portion b of the conductor B is mounted upon the upper face of the insulating bar or stringer B' at one side of the conductor A and means b4, passed through said bar or stringer.

ranged at the opposite side of the conductor A, is engaged With'the adjacent side face of the bar or Stringer B', and is provided with a laterally-projecting rib b5, which is secured in position bysuitable fastening means b. The conductor B and the insulating bar or Stringer B thus form a conduit, which conceals and incloses the conductor A for entirely preventing access to said conductor.

is secured in position by suitable fastening The side portion b2 of the conductor'B is ar- 9 IOO The conductor B is preferably provided with a series of branch conductors 57, which extend downwardly into the chambers B2. The upper ends of the branch conductors bl are secured by suitable fastening means bs to the laterally-projecting rib b5 of the conductor B, and the lower ends of said brauch conductors are provided with contact-pieces b9, arranged in close proximity to the contactpieces a.

The connecting-pieces C are usually arranged within the chambers B2 and are pivoted at c to suitable supports c'. Corresponding ends of the connecting-pieces C are provided with armatures c2, which are attracted by electromagnets c3. The opposite ends of said connecting-pieces are provided with engaging pieces c4,`which are usually flexibly connected thereto, as by pivots c5, and engage and connect the contact-pieces ct' b9. The ends ofthe connecting-pieces C,provided with the engaging pieces o, are held in their normal position by permanent magnets o6 of any suitable form, size, and construction. The electromagnets o3 are connected by conductors c7 e8 to the rail or exposed conductor E and to an exposed sectional conductor o, suitably secured to the rail E. An insulating har or strip c10 is usually interposed between the rail E and the exposed sectional conductor e9, and the bolts or fastening means e for securing the conductor ci to the rail E are usually passed through insulating sleeves and washers e e2. The conductor e9 is thus insulated from the rail E.

The vehicle D (partly illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. l) is of any desirable form, size, and construction and is provided with a suitable motor or other electrically-operated means d', terminals d2 cl3 d d5 d6, and switches Z7 d8. The motor or electrically-operated means d', which is shown diagrammatically, is suitably connected to the vehicle D for actuating the same; but as said electrically-operated means and connections form no part of my present invention it is thought unnecessary to herein illustrate and describe the same. The terminals d2 d3 d4 are respectively engaged with the conductor B, the rail or conductor E', and the conductor e9, and the terminals d5 d are arranged in front and at the rear of the terminals d2 d3. Theterminal (Z3 preferably consists of one of the wheels of the vehicle D, but may be otherwise constructed, if desired. A conductor di connects the terminals d2 d5 to the switch d8, and a conductor d10 connects said switch to the electrically-operated means cZ, which is connected by a conductor d" to the axle DI for the terminal or car-wheel d3. A conductor (i12 connects the terminals d4 d6 to the switch (Z7, and conductors (113 d, respectively, connect the opposite poles of Ithe source of electric energy d to the switch d7 and the axle D.

In the operation of my railway system the dynamic current is conveyed by the concealed conductor A, and the exposed conductor B serves to conduct said current to the vehicle D whenever one of the connectingpieces C operates to connect said conductor A to one of the sections of the conductor B, since the current is then free to flow from the concealed conductor A and one of its branch conductors a to the engaging piece c4 in contact with the contact-piece a of said branch conductor and thence to the contact-piece b9, also in contact with said engaging piece, the corresponding branch conductor 197, and the section of the conductor B provided with said branch conductor. The connection of the conductors A B is entirely controlled by the source of electric energy d, the switch dT, and the position of the vehicle D, and when the conductors 6112 113 are connected by the switch C17 a current is free to flow from one pole of the source ot' electric energy d along the conductor dlg, through the switch C17, along the conductor dm and the terminals d`1 d to one of the sections of the conductor o9, whence said current passes along a corresponding conductor o8 to the electromagnets c3 connected to said conductor and thence along the conductor c7 to the rail or conductor E'.

The construction and operation of my improved railway system will now be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings,

and it will be apparent that considerable change may be made in the detail construction and arrangement of the component parts of said system without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a moving vehicle, a concealed conductor for the main current, an exposed sectional conductor consisting of u pper and side walls united to each other transversely for concealing the first conductor and conveying the main current to the vehicle, electromagnets for operating the connectingpieces, and means carried by the Vehicle for controlling the operation of the electromagnets, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a moving vehicle, a

concealed conductor for the main current, an

exposed sectional conductor for conveying the main current to the vehicle, independently-movable connecting-pieces for connecting the conductors, said connecting-pieces being provided with engaging pieces flexibly connected thereto, electromagnets for operating the connecting-pieces, and means carried by the vehicle for controlling the operation of the electromagnets, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of a moving vehicle, a concealed conductor for the main current,- an exposed sectional conductor for conveying the main current to the vehicle, separated contact-pieces connected respectively to the con- IOC IIO

cealed and sectional conductors,independent ly-movable connecting-pieces for connecting the conductors, said connecting-pieces being provided with engaging pieces flexibly connected thereto for connecting the contactpieces, electromagnets for operating the connecting-pieces, permanent magnets for holding the connecting-pieces in their normal position, and means carried by the vehicle for controlling the operation of the electromagnets, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

et. The combination of a moving vehicle, a concealed conductor for the main current composed of separate sections having their adjacent ends electrically connected together, an exposed sectional conductor for concealing the first conductor and conveying the main current to the vehicle, independently-movable connecting-pieces for connecting the conductors, electromagnets for operating the connecting-pieces, and means carried by the vehicle for controlling the operation of the electromagnets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

` 5. The combination of a concealed cond uctor for the main current, an exposed sectional conductor provided with a lengthwise passage for partially inclosing the first conductor, independently-movable connecting-pieces for connecting the conductors, a pair of rails, an exposed conductor secured to one of the rails, electromagnets for operating the connectingpieces, said electromagnets being connected tothe second exposed conductor and to one of the rails, a vehicle movable along the conductors and rails and provided with terminals for engaging the exposed conductors and one of the rails, electrically-operated means carried by the vehicle and connected to the terminal for engaging the rst exposed conductor, and a source of electric energy carried by the vehicle and connected to the terminals for engaging the second exposed conductor and said one of the rails connected to the electromagnets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The'combination of a pair of rails, an exposed conductor secured to one of the rails, a vehicle movable along the rails, a concealed conductor, a conduit having a lengthwise chamber for receiving the concealed conductor,'a portion of said conduit consisting of an exposed sectional conductor for conveying the main current to the vehicle, chambers arranged at intervals beneath the conduit, independently-movable connecting-pieces supported withinthe chambers for connecting the concealed conductor and the exposed conductor forming part of said conduit, electromagnets arranged within the chambers for operating the connecting-pieces, said magnets being connected to one of the rails and to the exposed conductor secured to the other rail, and means carried by the vehicle for engaging said rails and exposed conductors, sulo stantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two at= testing Witnesses, at Auburn, in the county of Cayuga, in the State of New York, this 28th day of April, 1897.

BYRON E. OSBORN.'

Witnesses:

RUTH E. OsBoRN, BYRON E. OsBonN, J r;

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