Improvements in or in connection with Trolley or like Current Collectors for Electric Railways and Tramways.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 29th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Feb., 1900
Improvements in or in connection with Trolley or like Current
Collectors for Electric Railways and Tramways.
A communication by BALDASSARE Villa, of 2, Via Saronno, Milan, in the Kingdom
of Italy, Engineer.
I, BONOMO MAGRINI, of 12-13, Lombard Chambers, Bixteth Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Knight of the Italian Crown, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates more especially to that class of current collectors in which
a rolling contact wheel or the like moves along in contact with the overhead wires of
electric railway or tramway systems, and carries off the current required to drive
the motor. Hitherto the pole which supports the trolley bearing has been provided
with a loose cord to enable the trolley to be pulled away from contact with the
wire, or to enable it to be replaced in contact when required. This loose cord
has always been more or less inefficient, as it is often difficult to re-set the trolley
with it, and there is always a considerable amount of undesirable slack.
Now the present invention has for its object to avoid these defects, and it
comprises a device which will automatically take up the slack of the cord while
facilitating the trolley being re-set against the wire. This is effected by means
of a spring. In its preferred form the device comprises a box or casing in which
is mounted a rotatable barrel around which is wound the cord which is secured
at one end to this barrel, and then passing through a hole in the casing, is secured
at the other to the trolley pole. In one with the barrel at one side of it, there
is a recess in which is mounted a coiled spring, one end being secured in this recess
and the other end fastened to the stationary spindle forming the axis of the
barrel. This spindle is mounted and supported at one end in the casing and at
the other in the lid or cover thereof, so that while the barrel is free to rotate
the spindle is kept stationary. In order to prevent any danger of the coiled
spring coming out of the recess I may provide an auxiliary cup-shaped piece
mounted on the stationary spindle into which the recess in the barrel is socketted,
thus forming an enclosed box for the spring. When therefore the various parts
are arranged in situ, the lid is put on and fastened down in place, which prevents
any of the parts getting displaced. The action is such that the tendency of the
spring will be to turn the barrel and wind the cord thereon, thus taking up the
slack and keeping the cord stretched. Thus if the trolley be pulled off the over-
head wire, the barrel will immediately take up the slack in the cord, while when
the pole is let go again to re-set the trolley, the barrel will pay out enough cord
for the purpose.
In thus describing the invention however it must be understood that my corre-
spondent does not confine himself to the exact details set forth, as these can be
varied in many ways without departing from the invention of automatically
taking up the slack in the cord of the trolley pole by means of a spring. The

page_text: device is fastened to a suitable part of the car, preferably on the platform thereof,
and besides taking up the slack considerably facilitates the trolley being re-set
in contact with the wire.
Dated this 28th day of March 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant,
Improvements in or in connection with Trolley or like Current
Collectors for Electric Railways and Tramways.
A communication by BALDASSARE VILLA, of 2, Via Saronno, Milan, in the Kingdom
of Italy, Engineer.
I, BONOMO MAGRINI, of 12-13, Lombard Chambers, Bixteth Street, Liverpool,
in the County of Lancaster, Knight of the Italian Crown, 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:
This invention relates more especially to that class of current collectors in which
a rolling contact wheel or the like moves along in contact with the overhead wires of
electric railway or tramway systems, and carries off the current required to drive
the motor. Hitherto the pole which supports the trolley bearing has been provided
with a loose cord to enable the trolley to be pulled away from contact with the
wire; or to enable it to be replaced in contact when required. This loose cord
has always been more or less inefficient, as it is often difficult. to re-set the trolley
with it and there is always a considerable amount of undesirable slack.
Now the present invention has for its object to avoid these defects, and it
comprises a device which will automatically take up the slack of the cord while
facilitating the trolley being re-set against the wire. This is effected by means
of a spring.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus.
Figure 2 a detail view, being a face view of part of inside of box A.
Referring to these figures, A is a box or casing in which is mounted a rotatable
flanged barrel B around which is wound the cord C, which cord is secured at one
end to barrel B, and then passing through a hole D in the casing is secured at
the other to the trolley pole. In one with the barrel on one side of it there is a
recess E, in which is mounted a coiled spring F, one end being secured in this
recess by the pin G, and the other end fastened to the stationary spindle H
forming the axis of the barrel B. This spindle is mounted and supported at one
end in the casing A, and at the other in the lid of cover I thereof, a pin h being
provided on the spindle engaging in the groove, ¹, so that while the barrel Bis
free to rotate, the spindle H is kept stationary. In order to prevent any danger
of the coiled spring coming out from the recess E, I may provide an auxiliary cup
shaped piece into which the recess on the barrel is socketed, thus forming an
enclosed box for the spring, these two cup shaped pieces E and J being held
together by the pin G. When therefore the various parts are arranged in situ,
the lid I is put on and fastened down in place, which prevents any of the parts
getting displaced. The action is such that the tendency of the spring will be to
turn the barrel, and wind the cord thereon, thus taking up the slack and keeping

page_text: the cord stretched. Thus if the trolley be pulled off the overhead wire, the barrel
will immediately rotate and automatically take up the slack in the cord, while
when the pole is let go again to reset the trolley, the barrel will pay out enough
cord for the purpose, and will always keep the cord taut or free from slack. The
device is fastened to a suitable part of the car, preferably on the platform thereof.
and besides taking up the slack, considerably facilitates the trolley being re-set
in contact with the wire. The barrel flanges are of such depth as to admit of the
cord being wound round the barrel several times, thus rendering it possible to
wind some wards of loose cord on the barrel.
In thus describing the invention however it must be understood that my corre
spondent does not confine himself to the exact details set forth, as these can be
varied in many ways without departing from the invention of automatically
taking up the slack in the cord of the trolley pole by means of a spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
1. In connection with trolley or like overhead wire current collectors a device
for taking up the slack of the cord that is connected with the trolley pole, con-
sisting of a rotary barrel to which one end of the cord is attached, and a spring
arranged to turn the barrel in such a direction as to automatically wind all spare
or slack cord thereon, thus keeping the cord taut even when the pulley be pulled
down off the wire, while always allowing the cord to be instantly unwound or paid
out when required to reset the trolley against the conductor, substantially as
described.
2. In a device of the kind described, the combination with the barrel on which
the slack cord is wound, of a recess at one side in which the coiled spring of the
barrel is placed, and a cap into which the recess is socketted, in such a manner
as to form a box for the spring and prevent any danger of the said spring coming
out of place, substantially as described.
3. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved device for automatically taking up the slack cord of trolley poles,
substantially as set forth.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.