Improvements in Over-head Trolley for Electric Railways.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Over-head Trolley for Electric Railways.
We, BENJAMIN KOCHS, Mechanic, and ALBERT KOCHS, Engineer, both of
302 S. 14th Street, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to improvements in "Over-head Trolley for Electric
Railways," and consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts as will
be more fully hereinafter described and designated the claims.
In the drawings
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of our complete invention as applied to an ordinary
street railway car.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section view of the contacts and their supports and a
portion of the trolley-pole.
Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section view of one of the trolley-wheel contacts.
Fig. 4 is a detail end view of our invention.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section view of the parts shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the device.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged section taken on a line aa of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section of the yoke, its connection with the trolley-
pole and the proper insulation and fastenings.
Fig. 9 is an enlarged section view showing the manner in which the yoke is held
to the pivot-block.
Fig. 10 is an enlarged section view of the pivot-block, and
Fig. 11 is a modification view of the contact-support.
It is an acknowledged fact that in the general construction under which the
principle of motion applied in our invention is included that one wheel will keep
to an alloted track or wire better with the aid of an auxiliary-wheel than by itself.
In other words two wheels will travel upon a wire or track a greater length of
time, and adapt themselves to the different conditions of the wire or track better
than one wheel will.
Therefore, we have taken advantage of this knowledge already proven by
experience, and included the principle in the construction of our improved trolley
for over-head electric railways.
The present styles of trolley, as generally used, have but one contact or
wheel, and the fact that the side flanges upon the contact wheel do not always hold
said wheel to the wire when passing curves, points to the main objection in the use
of the present styles.
In the use of a trolley having two contacts in directly working upon self-
adjusting parts, the said contacts are readily self-adjustable to the condition and
curve of the wire, and materially lessen the wear upon the wheels caused by their
inability to continuously travel alignment with the trolley wire.
The time consumed in re-adjusting the trolley to the wire each time it leaves
same is necessarily great, and the sparking" caused by the attempt of the
operator of the car to replace the wheel is detrimental to the life of both the wire
and the contact. A large amount of sparking is also caused by the irregular
contact maintained between the wheel and the wire at points where the sections of
wire have been spliced and also upon the curve, and it is believed that by the use
of two wheels that this sparking to a great extent will be obviated as a continual
contact is guaranteed.
One of the main features of our invention lies in the fact that the trolley-pole,

page_text: if mounted upon a reversible base-stand, need only be reversed in position to
re-adjust itself to the wire in a different direction.
As is well known this is necessary when the car has reached the terminus of the
road, and in most of the present styles of trolley in use, the base-stands are
revoluble or oscillating, and it is necessary for the operator to take the trolley-
guide-rope in hand and walk around the car in order to reverse the position of
the trolley-pole.
Another point in our invention is the fact that our invention proper may be
applied to any style of trolley-pole at present in use. This is done by cutting off
the upper portion of the trolley-pole and clamping the split portion of the yoke
over the pole after the proper electrical connections have been made.
Referring to the drawings:-
I indicates our complete invention applied to an ordinary street railway car 2.
The trolley base-stands 3 is suitably mounted and secured to a platform 4, which
is built upon the roof 5 of said car 2.
A rocking pivoted trolley-pole socket 6 is pivoted to the upper end of the
base 3. As shown in the drawings, it consists essentially of a skeleton frame-
work in the form of a semi-circle 7, and located upon each side of the base 3 and
the socket 6 is preferably formed therewith at right angles with the cross piece 8
of said frame-work.
Springs 8 are secured between the platform 4 and the ends 9 of the semi-circle 7,
and serve to keep the trolley when complete in continuous contact with the
trolley-wire 10.
In Fig. 1 the car to which our invention is applied is travelling in the direction
as shown by the arrow, but if the motion were reversed, the trolley and its parts
would be in position as shown by the dotted lines.
A trolley-pole 11 is secured by a thumb-screw 12 in said socket 6, and normally
projects upwards, that is when the trolley is not in contact with the wire 10.
A trolley-pole 11 is sometimes constructed entirely of wood, sometimes of a
round pipe or some other suitable construction, but as far as this is concerned the
application of our complete invention thereto is not affected.
In all cases the trolley-pole 11 is provided with a center-wire 13, with proper
insulating material 14, protecting it from induction. The connection between the
wire in the trolley-pole 11 and our improvement will be more fully hereinafter
described.
Our invention proper consists of a yoke 16, provided with arms 16, and which
is practically Y-shaped in cross-section.
Into said arms or forks 16 at a point near their ends are pivoted a self-adjusting
pivot-block 17 capable of adjustment in two different directions.
In speaking of its being capable of its adjustment in two different directions, we
mean that the block itself as mounted upon an upright bolt or pivot 18 more fully
hereinafter described, is capable of a side motion, while its pivotal connection with
the forks 16 of the yoke 15 give it an up and down movement.
In order that the fork 16 cannot be clamped upon the block 17 tight enough to
retard its operation, we have provided the following construction as best shown in
Fig. 9 of the illustrations.
Before going any farther to facilitate a clear understanding of our descriptions,
we desire to state that all of the parts specifically described herein are made of
brass or some equally electro-inductive material.
The pivot-block 17 is provided with a perforation 19 in which is run an interior
screw-thread 20. A counter-core 21 larger than the bore 19 receives a sleeve 22
which is of such a length that it extends outwardly from the base of the counter-
bore through the fork 16 and flush with the outer edge of said fork.
The tap-screw 23 is then inserted and tightened into the screw-threads 20, and
can only enter the distance proscribed by the length of the sleeve 22.
Thus it will be seen that it is impossible to get the forks 16 in close enough
contact with the pivot-block 17 to retard its operation.

page_text: The pivot-block 17 is provided with a central perforation 24, which is surrounded
by a square cavity 25 which is formed in the under side of said pivot-block 17 for
the reception of the square-head 26 of a bolt 18 which projects upwardly.
The thread 28 upon the end of said bolt 18 is considerably smaller than the
shank of the bolt, and forms a shoulder 29 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.
This bolt passes through the center of a beam or arm 30 which is substantially
of the shape as shown in Fig. 2 of the illustration.
It is preferably constructed in the form of a hollow casting, and the shoulder 29
previously mentioned is adapted to engage the under side 31 of the top of the
casting or arm 30. This is to prevent the locking of said arm 30 against the pivot-
block 17.
Secured between the two sides of the arm 30 is a block 32, provided with a
central perforation 33 through which the bolt 18 passes.
Said block 32 has a longitudinal depression 34 in its under side in which a spring 35
preferably made of flat steel is placed, and the tension of said spring is also a
preventative against the locking of the arm 30 and the pivot-block 17.
Near both ends of said arm 30 are bearings 36 receiving a shaft 37 upon which
the contact wheel 38 is keyed. Said wheel 38 has an angular depression 39 in its
periphery, and which forms two projecting flanges 40, which retain the wheel upon
the wire.
Upon either side of said wheels are round lugs or projections 41 which serve as
commutators for the transmission of the electricity received from the wire by the
wheel 38 of which said commutator is a'part.
Brushes such as 42 are secured to the casting 30 so that they bear directly upon
said commutators 41 to insure a continuous contact.
The grooves 39 upon the wheel 38 just described, and the similar wheel 43 which
is secured at the other end of the arm 30 are in exact alignment, and are similar in
construction.
The sides 44 of the arm 30 have secured by rivets 45, to their inner sides flat
steel springs 46, which are controlled by set-screws 47 as to the distance from said
sides at which they must be.
A rod 48 is secured in a slot 49 in the bolt 18, and is not quite the length of said
springs 46.
The object of this construction is to facilitate the following of the wheel 38 when
the wheel 43 enters upon a curve. The operation of this will readily be seen, as
the bolt 18 by reason of its securance in the pivot-block 17 is stationary so that
rod 48 is also stationary or in alignment with the movement of the pivot-block.
Thus when the wheel 43 enters upon a curve, the movement implied to the trolley-
pole turns the pivot-block 17, and the rod 48, and said rod 48 comes in contact with
the spring opposite the direction in which the wheel 43 is going to helps to turn the
wheel 38 revolving in the other end of the arm 30 so that it will keep in alignment
upon the curve. The operation of this will be more readily understood by referring
to Fig. 6 of the illustrations.
In the sides of the pivot-block 17 are provided brushes 50, which bear against
the inner sides of the forks 16 of the yoke 15 to insure a permanent contact at that
point.
The shank 1 of the yoke 15 is provided with a longitudinal central bore 52 into
which the trolley-pole is adapted to fit and be secured.
In order to provide for any trolley-pole which may be larger than said interior
bore 52, we have provided the shank 51 with slots 53 in the periphery of said shank,
and as the complete yoke 15 is made of brass or some equally malleable material,
the arms 54 may be spread apart and fit over the trolley-pole.
As before stated the trolley-pole has a wire 13 running through its center by
means of which the current is conducted indirectly to the motor.
A suitable means for securing the wire from said trolley-pole is provided so that
the connection will be complete. The connection between said yoke 15 and the

page_text: trolley-pole 11 must be well insulated in order that there will be no danger in
handling the pole 11.
A clasp of any suitable design is provided to secure the arms 54 around the
trolley-pole 11 and which we have indicated by the numeral 55.
As is usual a rope 56 passes from the trolley-pole to which it is secured to the
car by means of which the operator may manipulate the trolley.
It will be seen by the foregoing description, and by reference to the illustrations
that the current from the wire 10 passes into the contact wheels 38 and 43, thence
into the arms 30 by reason of their connection therewith and the brushes 42, thence
through the bolt 18 upon which said arms 30 operate, through the pivot-block 17,
brushes 50, and bolts 23 into the forks 16 of the yoke 15, and into the wire 13, in
the trolley 11 down to the base-stand 3, and thence by wiring into the motor.
•
In Fig. 11 we have shown a modification of the arms 30, the same consisting in
constructing the same of a yielding, springing material which will assist in keeping
the contact wheels 38 and 43 in continuous contact with the wire 10.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. An improved over-head electric trolley having contacts mounted upon a
pivoted turning base adjacent the trolley-wire, substantially as set forth...
2. An improved over-head electric trolley having contact wheels mounted upon a
pivoted base adjacent the trolley-wire and adjacent to turn in a vertical direction,
substantially as set forth.
3. An improved over-head electric trolley having contact-wheels mounted upon a
pivoted base adjacent the trolley-wire and constructed to turn in a horizontal
direction, substantially as set forth.
4. An improved over-head electric trolley having two contact-wheels mounted
upon a pivoted base adjacent the trolley wire and constructed to turn in vertical and
horizontal directions, substantially as set forth.
5. An improved over-head electric trolley having two contact-wheels mounted
upon a pivoted turning base adjacent the trolley-wire, and means provided for con-
trolling the movement of one wheel in determinate alignment with the other,
substantially as set forth.
6. An improved over-head electric trolley having two contact-wheels revolubly
mounted upon an arm or base pivotally mounted upon a pivot-block in connection with
a yoke, and adjustable springs 46 secured within the inner sides of said arm to facilitate
the determinate alignment of the two contact-wheels by the reciprocating pressure
of a bar 48 upon said springs, substantially as set forth.
7. An improved over-head clectric trolley having an arm 30, having a block 32
mounted therein provided with a central perforation 33 through which a bolt 37
passes a depression in its under surface to admit of a flat spring 35 to prevent said
block 32 from locking against the pivot-block 17, said bolt 18 passing through a
perforation 24 in the pivot-block 17, and held permanently therein by its square-
head sunk in a cavity 25, and the arm 30 adapted to receive a horizontal motion by
reason of its connection with the pivot-block 17, substantially as set forth.
8. An improved over-head electric trolley having a pivot-block 17 carrying other
parts and pivotally mounted in the forks 16 of the yoke 15 by means of which a
vertical motion can be imparted to the pivot-block and its parts, substantially as
set forth.
9. An improved over-head electric trolley having a pivot-block 17 pivotally
mounted in the forks 16 of the yoke 13 by means of bolts 23, a sleeve 22 upon said
bolt 23 and extending from the under side of the bolt-head to the counter-sunk
portion in the pivot-block to prevent the locking of said forks 16, and the pivot-
block 17, substantially as set forth.
10. An improved over-head electric trolley having brushes 32 secured to the

page_text: arm 30 and making a contact between said wheels and the arm 30 and brushes 50
secured in the sides of the pivot-block 17 to complete the contact between the
forks 16 and the pivot-block 17, substantially as set forth.
11. An improved over-head electric trolley consisting of parts made of brass, or
some equally inductive material, and an arm carrying parts made of yielding
material, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 1st day of September 1892.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.