Improvements in or connected with Overhead Conductors for Electric Railways and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Overhead Conductors for Electric
Railways and the like.
We, JOHANN CHRISTIAN SCHAFER, Electrical Engineer, of Ròkk Szilard utza 22,
and JOHN LÖRINTZ, of no occupation, of Deakferenczutca, 22 both of Budapest, in
the Kingdom of Hungary, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement : —
This invention relates to an improved automatical contact breaker which
instantly interrupts the current in suspended wires for electrical railways or the
like in case of breakage of the same whereby human beings or living creatures
touching the broken wire are preserved from shock and harm.
In the accompanying drawings the invention is represented in different forms
which can be principally of two kinds those having insulating bodies or casings
and those without.
Fig. 1 is a side view of a form of the device with an insulating body or block.
Fig. 2 is a view of the same from below. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of another
form of the above kind. Fig. 4 is the view of the same from below. Fig. 5 is a
section in the line - of Fig. 4.
Those without insulation are illustrated in further forms in Figs. 6 to 14 and
of which Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 7 a view from below of Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 and Fig. 9 are longitudinal sections of two other forms. Fig. 10 is a side
elevation. Fig. 11 is an upper view and Fig. 12 a view from below of another
form. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 14 a view from below of a further
form.
In the kind provided with an insulating body, the body is provided with a hole a
for the leader stretched over the way and which carries the whole arrangements
together with the wire B.
Through the holes bb of the insulating body A metal arms D are laid, which
can easily turn round in the holes 6 which form centres of turning and are fas-
tened at their ends with the ends of wires B without however closing the circuit,
as they are not in metallical contact. For the purpose of closing the circuit con-
tact, plates c are employed on the lower part of the insulator A, the curved arms c¹
of which are provided with small hands c pressed on to the ends of wire B by the
spring like arms c¹; (Figs. 1 and 3) or the contact plate c possesses arms c¹ pressed
to the arms D whereby good contacts and connection between the ends of wires B
is made and the circuit is closed. When for any cause the wire B breaks the
respective arm D is turned around in the hole b as centre of turning, by the weight
T

page_text: of the torn wire B, this retires from contact with the hands c of the arms c¹ whereby
the hanging wire is moved out of circuit and can be touched without danger.
The second principal kind differs from the former essentially in being con-
structed without the employment of the insulating body whereby the circuit of
current is more secure. The wires B are provided at their ends with connecting
pieces E which are pressed by the strain or pull of the wires B on the pins F
enclosed in a casing A' and with their ends on the contact piece G (Fig. 6 & 7).
In case of breakage of the wire B the respective connection piece E moves on the
pins F and contact piece G and the broken wire B is taken out of circuit as it falls
to the ground.
The piece G can be omitted and replaced by other forms of connecting pieces E
so that the ends of these are pressed together (Fig. 8).
In the variety shown in Fig. the connecting pieces E are so formed that they
are pressed by the pull of the wires B against pins F.
The forms shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 possess instead of the case A¹ the plate A³
provided with pins F, G against which the forklike formed connecting pieces E
press and disengage only in case of the breaking of the wire B, whereby the
broken piece is by falling moved out of circuit.
"
In each of these varieties the connecting pieces E. can be employed in any
number between the case A¹ or plates A according to the intensity of current or
local circumstances.
The holes a and a¹ on case A' respectively plate A2 serve for the introduction
of the. leader wires, also pins H are put through the case A¹ or plate A2 to facilitate
the falling out of the connecting pieces E in case of bursting of wire B.
The apparatus can be covered with a weather proof covering to assure its opera-
tion at any time.
The form shown in Figs. 13 and 14 is composed in its essential parts by two or
more caps I arranged side by side or the one behind the other and connected by
a bridge and serving for receiving the knot like or ball shaped ends of the wire B.
The leader stretched over the way goes through hole a of the sleeve K which is
connected with the pieces I either directly by the bridge i or by means of the arms it.
In case of breakage of wire B the respective knot like or ball shaped end falls
out of cap I and is thereby moved out of circuit.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim
is:-
.
1. An improved automatical contact-breaker for electric railways and the like
having an insulating body carried by the wire, the circuit being closed upon, below
or on the side thereof by means of contact plates without giving fixed connection
between the wires, so that by the breakage of the wire, the circuit is instantly
interrupted whereby the hanging, wire can be manipulated without any danger,
and passing creatures are preserved from harm.
2. An improved automatical contact breaker for electric railways and the like
in which hook or fork-like connecting pieces arranged on the wire are pressed by
the strain or pull of the wires onto pins arranged in a case or on a plate so that
their ends come together and form contact with or without the assistance of an
inserted contact plate the circuit being broken in case of breakage of wire being
facilitated by the pins on which the falling parts turn so that the broken wire
is moved out of circuit.
3. An improved automatical contact-breaker for electric railways and the like
as in Claim 2 having a plurality of connecting pieces in the case or on the plate,
according to the intensity of current or local circumstances the whole apparatus
being protected by a weather-proof covering.
4. An improved automatical contact-breaker for electric railways and the like
in which two or more caps arranged side by side or the one behind the other and

page_text: in which the knot-like or ball shaped ends of the wire are held in place by the
pull of the wire so that in case of breakage of the wire the broken wires fall by
their gravity and are moved out of circuit.
Unted this 9th day of August
1808
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicants,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London.