Improved Apparatus for Automatically Cutting Off Current of Electric Overhead or other like Wires.
Year: 1898

page_text: 1
Date of Application, 6th May, 1898
1000
2000
Date of Application, 6th May, 1898
جمسه بدجه ولا محبيهم جيمس جمين صيم سم ." :889 daanجهم، وجب بار. بووو
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Automatically Cutting Off Current of
Electric Overhead or other like Wires.
We, RALPH BOSTOCK, of White Swan Inn, Brighouse, in the County of York,
Licensed Victualler, and FRANK ARTHUR CHEETHAM, of Longroyd, Brighouse,
aforesaid, Silk Spinner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
-
i
The object of this invention is by the improved apparatus hereinafter described
to prevent accident to life or limb in event of overhead wire breaking by auto-
matically shutting or breaking current.
Attached to the arm of the overhead wire by means of an insulated clip is a
frame in centre of which is an upright piece to which a pair of weighted L
lever arms are hinged and insulated. Each inner arm of the lever is connected
by a hinged link with a block free to slide within the frame the inner face of
each block being insulated and the outer face of each block carries
a hook to which the overhead wire is attached. The communi-
cation way for the wheel or pully for taking the electricity from the wire is made
by means of a pair of hinged concave arms which are held in position by means
of two loops and two hooked pins which engage in the said loops holding them in
a horizontal position and so that a continuous wheel race is provided from one
length of wire to the next length of wire.
The action is as follows:-
In the event of a wire breaking there being no longer tension on the wire and
hook the lever arm of the broken wire falls and through its fall gives motion to
the connecting link and draws back the block in its side until the inner end of
the block is brought into contact with an insulated case of the upright and the
current is shut off instantly and automatically. The same current of the slide
piece withdraws the hooked pin from the loop of the concave arm which at once
falls into vertical position and so moves clear of the broken wire.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1898
Improved Apparatus for Automatically Cutting Off Current of
Electric Overhead or other like Wires.
We. RALPH BOSTOCK, of 23, Huddersfield Road, Brighouse, in the County of
ork, late of White Swan Inn, Brighouse, aforesaid, Licensed Victualler, and

page_text: FRANK ARTHUR CHEETHAM, of Longroyd, Brighouse, aforesaid, Silk Spinner, 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 to an apparatus for supporting electric wires such as
overhead lighting or street railway wires in such a manner that the current may
be automatically cut off on the breakage or disconnection of same so that accidents
may be prevented.
Such being the nature and object of our said invention, the following is a
complete description of same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
in which:-
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Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved apparatus, partly in section.
Fig. 2 is a cross section of same on line x, x, of Fig. 1.
According to this invention the apparatus consists of a frame 1 an upright of
which carries a ring 1" or other means by which it may be held or slung. The
block also carries bearings 22 (of which, one only is shewn) such bearings sup-
porting a pin 3 and wooden or other suitable insulating blocks 4. These latter
parts and those which follow are duplicated on the other side, the same letters of
reference being applied to them.
The pin 3 forms a pivot point for a cranked lever 5 carrying an adjustable
counterweight on its long end while its short end is pivotally attached to links 66
(see Fig. 2) which in turn are pivoted to a lug 7 of a block 8. This block 8
has V-shaped grooves in its sides as shewn in Fig. 2 and can slide in correspond-
ingly shaped guides 99 held in the sides of a slot in the frame 1. These guides
are of wood or insulating material, and the inside end of the slot is also pro-
vided with a block 10 of wood or insulating material for the block 8 to abut against.
Or the block may be otherwise supported so that it can slide and yet be suitably
insulated.
The parts of the frame 1 on either side of the slot are connected by an arched
plate 11 in lugs on the upper or central part of which is pivoted an arm 12 behind
which is a spring 13 adapted to bear against a shoulder 12" of the arm 12 and to
keep the outer end forced down. This outer end is preferably grooved so as to
bear on a rod 14 pivotally connected through its head 14" and a pin 14b, with a
rod 15 attached to the block 8. The rod 14 terminates in a hook or eye to which
the electric wire is attached.
Pivoted to a lug 16 on the frame 1 is an arm 17 forming a shield carrying a
pin or hook 17 adapted to engage with a hole in the sliding block 8. The outer
end of the shield at 17b is grooved so as to embrace the rod 14 and is so shaped
that it forms a gradual inclination from the under surface of the rod 14 and
thus forms a path in the case of a trolley system railroad for the contact wheel
or pulley for taking the electricity from the wire. The shield 17 is
connected by a flexible wire 18 with the shield 17 on the opposite
side of the frame, and the arm 12 is connected by a flexible wire 19 with the
corresponding arm 12. The pin 14 of rod 14 is insulated by a bushing 14° of
suitable insulating material and the head 14" of the rod 14 is enamelled inside
or otherwise insulated from the head of rod 15. The other end of the wire carry-
ing the current is attached to a similar rod 14 on the next block, and a suit-
able tension being put on same it will be seen that the rods 14 and 15 and block 8
will be drawn out, thus holding the cranked lever 5 in its raised position as shewn
on the right hand side of Fig. 1.,, The current is, then on rod 14 shield 17 flexible
wire 18 and the parts on the opposite side of the apparatus which are normally
of course in the same position as those above described,, and said current is also
on arm 12 wire 19 and the corresponding parts on the other side.
If a breakage occurs of the wire carrying the current, the rods 14 and 15 are
released and the counterweighted lever falls and draws back the block 8 thus
releasing the pin or hook 17" and allowing the shield 17 to fall, the parts being

page_text: then in the position shewn on the left hand side of Fig. 1 where it will be seen
that the wire being separated from the shield 17 and arm 12 the current is cut
off and hence such broken wire becomes harmless.
When such a breakage occurs the arm 12 and shield 17 on the opposite side
to the broken side may be separated by some insulating material such as a block
of wood placed between same and the wire 14 so that the current from the
unbroken wire is kept off same, thus allowing the broken wire to be replaced and
the parts 17 12 to be restored before the current is allowed to come on same,
which is only effected when the block is removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
(1) The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts constitut-
ing the improved apparatus for disconnecting electric wires, as and for the purpose
herein described and substantially as illustrated by Fig. 1 of the annexed
drawings.
.
(2) The cranked and weighted lever 5, links 66, block 8, arm 12, rods 14 15,
arm 17, and pin or hook 17 all in combination as and for the purpose herein
described and substantially as illustrated by Fig. 1 of the annexed drawings.
(3) A block such as 8 held in a forward position by the tension of the wire
the arm 17 normally held in contact with the said wire by the pin or hook 17"
but released and allowed to fall when the wire breaks by the weighted lever 5
acting on the said block 8 all in combination as and for the purpose herein
described and substantially as illustrated by Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of March 1899.
RALPH
BOSTOCK,
FRANK ARTHUR CHEETHAM,
By their Agents,
Brierley & Howard,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.