Automatic Circuit Breaking Safety Apparatus for Electric Railway and other Electric Circuits.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Circuit Breaking Safety Apparatus for Electric Railway
and other Electric Circuits.
I CARL PETERSON, residing at No. 1374 Broadway, in the City of Brooklyn,
in the County of Kings and State of New York, United States of America,
Mechanical Engineer, 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 :--
I will describe the invention as applied to support a trolley-wire in that class of
trolley-wire ways in which the usual upright poles are set a considerable distance
away from the road, with wires across, and the trolley-wire is supported over the
center of the road by such transverse wires.
The object of the invention is to reduce the danger of accidents from the
communication of the current from the broken ends of the wire when a fracture
occurs. It ensures a prompt and complete breakage of the electrical connection
through the wire at the support each side of the fracture.
I provide at each supporting point two bell-crank levers oppositely arranged. I
cut the wires into lengths only sufficient to extend from the lever at one support to
the adjacent lever on the next support with means for firmly attaching them.
The levers are arranged each with an arm extending upward, and the tension of
the proper wire on the horizontal arm of each tends to hold the upper ends of the
levers reliably in contact. The clectric current flows from the wire to the lever
and through the joined upper ends to the other member of the pair of levers, and
thence through the clamp out again into the next length of wire.
I provide for efficiently supporting the centers of the levers, using any ordinary
or suitable means for insulating the levers from their supports and from each other
except at the joined points at their upper ends. I provide for matching the upper
ends one into the other so as to make a contact which is capable of sliding, and in
what I esteem the best form of the invention, face the contact surfaces with platina.
When a fracture of a wire occurs, the broken ends being un-supported, descend
by gravity and turning their corresponding bell-crank levers, disconnect their upper
ends each from its adjacent lever, and the electrical current then ceases to be
transmitted beyond the support.
The accompanying drawings form a part of this Specification, and represent what
I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.
Figure 1 is a perspective view.
The remaining figures show parts on a larger scale.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 3 a plan view of the same with the top-cap or roof removed.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 5.
Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion.
Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a portion on a still larger scale.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where
they appear.
A is the track, B B etc. are the poles, and C the transverse wires extending
across from the head of a pole on one side of the track to the head of a pole on the
opposite side of the track. All these parts may be of the ordinary and long-
approved construction.
Along the line where the trolley-wheel is to traverse, I apply a casting D,
having its upper side grooved transversely to receive about half the thickness of
the wire C, to which it is secured at each side by narrow binders D', D2,
correspondingly grooved, held by screws D³. Below these extend wings D', each

page_text: having two holes D³, which receive transverse bolts E, held by nuts E¹. On each
of these bolts E, I mount a bell-crank lever, the upright arm of which is marked G',
and the lower arm is marked G2. The upper arm is adapted to form a mechanical
engagement, each with the other, and support, to keep the parts in their places, and
also an efficient electrical connection. The lower arm G2 of each, I form with a
straight and narrow under edge corresponding to the trolley-wire, and these form,
when the parts are in place for use, a nearly continuous track for the trolley-wheel,
not shown. The upper edge is formed to be engaged strongly by the bent end of
the wire. Each lower arm is also provided with a hole, which receives a bolt I,
which engages a loop or strap H, secured by a nut I'. The strap H is tapped and
receives a strong screw J, which is set down firmly upon a clamping-piece K, curved
to match the outline of the upper edge of the arm G².
M M are lengths of the trolley-wire, each bent near its end by compression
between suitable cheeks, or otherwise, to correspond to the upper face of the
arm G. Such face and the adjacent under face of the clamp K, are each grooved,
as indicated. At the outer end or terminal point the wire M extends horizontally
in line with the lower edge of the arm G².
There are two of the bell-crank levers mounted in reverse positions in each of
the castings D, and it will be understood that the opposite end of each wire M is
correspondingly secured to the next support, and so on.
and
The upper end G₁ of one lever is notched as indicated by g, and the adjacent end
of the opposite lever is formed with a corresponding angular projection G³. When
the parts are in position for use, the projection G³ matches in the notch
locks the parts against a tendency to displacement vertically. On the upper ends
of one lever of each pair, are riveted two thin cheeks G', which extend across the
junction and lap upon the upper end of the adjacent lever, thus locking the upper
arms G of each pair together against displacement laterally. The inner face of
each cheek G¹ is faced with a thin layer of platinum. The adjacent surfaces of the
enclosed arm G' of the opposite lever is also faced with platinum.
It will now be seen that the casting D is supported on the transverse wire C.
It supports the two bolts E, E, and each of these supports a bell-crank
lever G1, G2, which by means of their clamping pieces K and straps H, and screws J,
firmly hold and support the wires M. The trolley-wheel, not shown, which may
be of the ordinary form and adapted to serve in the ordinary manner, rolls along
under each length of wire M, and under the lower arms G³, G, of each pair of
levers, and again off and under the next length of wire M. All these parts are in
the circuit. Thimbles L, of hard rubber or analogous insulating material defend
these levers against the communication of the current to the bolts E, and washers
of similar material defend them against the communication of the current laterally
to the casting D. I make the electrical contact between the clamping pieces K,
and each corresponding arm G₁, as complete as possible. The junctions at the
upper ends of the two arms G of each pair are complete, and practically the
current flows through my ample connections with about the same freedom as it
would if the lengths of wire M were directly joined.
When a wire breaks, the broken ends, being un-supported, will fall and tilt their
attached levers G1, G2, each drawing its upper end Gout of engagement with the
other arm of the pair. The strain remaining on the adjacent length of the
trolley-wire will pull the central casting D into an inclined position. Both
movements will tend to insure the separation of the upper arms G¹ and the complete
insulation of the part of the wire which is broken. The dotted lines in Fig. 2
show the tilted position which will be assumed by the lever G¹, G², and of the
attached length of wire M, when such fracture has occurred.
The tilting of the casting D when one of the lengths of wire breaks, is due to
the strong pull of the remaining length. So long as the tension on the two lengths
is practically equal, the casting D remains upright and the lower edges of the levers
are in a right line. When one part breaks the pull of the other length not only
tilts one lever G¹ G as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, but also tilts the casting D

page_text: so that the other lever G1, G2, that connected to the broken end, is lower. The
form of the parts prevents their contact under these conditions, and the tilting of
the part D aids materially to ensure the complete stoppage of the current.
With my invention the ends of the wires which fall on the track, are harmless
and continue to be so whatever may be the condition of the current in the portion
of the wire remaining in place. The repairs may be effected expeditiously by
removing the broken parts, and clamping the ends of a new length M in the proper
levers.
.
I defend the tops of each pair of arms G¹. G', against the weather by applying
a thin roof or top-cap P of hard rubber, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. These are
elastic, and grip the tops of the arms with sufficient force to hold themselves
efficiently against the slight disturbing forces to which they are exposed while the
parts are in condition for use. When a wire breaks and the lever arms G¹, G¹,
pull apart, these roofs being open at each end, offer no serious resistance to the
movement.
Parts of the invention may be used without the whole. The invention has been
described as applied to trolley-wires, but it may be used with advantage in electric
lighting systems and other situations where an electric current of such strength as
to be dangerous is employed. For such uses the straightness and narrowness of
the lower edges are not essential.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A trolley-wire made in separate lengths, two bell-crank levers attached to
adjacent lengths, each with an arm extending upward detachably united, so that
when a wire breaks, the falling of the broken ends by gravity will effect such
detachment and thus cut both of the broken ends out of the circuit, in combination
with each other and with the supporting casting D, supported at the point C, and
pivoted to the levers at the separated points E, adapted to tilt with the strain of
the unbroken length of the wire, and thus increase the certainty of the disconnection
of the upright arm of such bell-crank levers, all substantially as specified.
2. In combination with a trolley-wire made in separate lengths, an open-ended
roof P, applied as shown, over the upper ends of the levers and retained simply by
its gravity and lateral friction, and the pair of levers G G, connected to adjacent
lengths, each having an arm extending upward, these arms being adapted to form.
electrical contact at their upper ends, and with provisions for causing them to
separate when either length of wire breaks, all arranged for joint operation
substantially as herein specified.
3. A trolley-wire made in separate lengths, in combination with two bell-crank
levers attached to adjacent lengths, each with an arm extended upward, detachably
united, arranged substantially as herein shown so that when a wire breaks the
falling of the broken ends by gravity will effect such detachment and thus cut both
the broken ends out of the circuit, one of the upright arms thus engaged being
embraced between two cheeks carried on the other, substantially as herein specified.
4. A trolley-wire made in separate lengths in combination with two bell-crank
levers attached to adjacent lengths each with an arm extended upward detachably
united substantially as herein shown, so that when a wire breaks the falling of the
broken ends by gravity will effect such detachment, and thus cut both the broken
ends out of the circuit, the upright arms thus engaged being interlocked by the
projection G³ on one arm, and the recess g on the other so as to support each other
mechanically against displacement vertically while leaving them free to separate,
all substantially as herein specified.
5. A trolley-wire made in separate lengths in combination with two bell-crank
levers attached to adjacent lengths, each with an arın extended upward detachably
united substantially as shown, so that when a wire breaks the falling of the broken
ends by gravity will effect such detachment and thus cut both the broken ends out

page_text: of the circuit, the upright arms thus engaged being interlocked by the projection G³
on one arm and the recess y on the other so as to support each other mechanically
against displacement vertically and also by side cheeks G4 against displacement
laterally while leaving them free to separate by the drawing of the arms directly
apart when the wire breaks, all substantially as herein specified.
Dated this 6th day of June 1893.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.