New or Improved Appliances for use in Securing the Copper Bonds or Conductors in Electric Tramway Rails.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1898
New or Improved Appliances for use in Securing the Copper Bonds
or Conductors in Electric Tramway Rails.
We, EDWARD MAY MUNRO, HENRY BRECKNELL, and HUGH INNES ROGERS, all of
64, Lawrence Hill, Bristol, Mechanical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to a new or improved appliance to be used in inserting and
securing copper bonds or conductors in the webs of electric tramway rails, constructed
especially for use with bonds of the type known as the "Columbia" bond, the said
bonds being inserted near the abutting ends and other parts of the rails and facing
points, to convey the current with uniformity.
Various means have hitherto been employed for inserting the head of the bond in
the hole prepared for it in the web of the rail, the most usual being a hinged die to
enclose the curved end of the bond, and to engage on the shoulder of the head, a
screw clamping press being employed to force the head, which is usually cone shaped,
into a ferrule placed in the hole in the web, and thus form the head, ferrule, and
web into a solid conductor for the current. It is found, however, that the hinged
dies which are put round the copper rods for pressing them, very soon get broken
and out of condition, and require considerable time in placing them in the correct
position around the shank of the bond, to remedy this, we make our improved die
from two solid pieces of metal, to surround the bond, and so arranged that they will
bear evenly on the shoulder, and at the same time endure any quantity of pressure
from the screw press or other means used for inserting the head, without fracture
or strain.
The accompanying sheet of drawings will illustrate the manner in which the
copper bonds are inserted in the web of the rails to ensure a continuous current,
and our special and improved die for use in inserting and securing the bonds.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan and part section of two abutting rails,
with the copper bonds inserted; Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan of part of a bond with a
cone shaped head, ready for insertion in the web, either in the hole direct, or in a
ferrule placed in the hole: Fig. 4 is an elevation, and Fig. 5 a section of the principal
part of our solid die, in which a curved chase, conveniently shaped to surround
the bond, is cut in a solid piece of steel or other metal, the angular piece being
cut out at the lower corner to receive a complementary piece, similarly shaped,
shown in elevation and section in Figs. 6 and 7, this piece also has a semicircular
chase, cut vertically therein to partly surround the shank of the bond, this piece
bears with the principal piece on the shoulder of the cone shaped head, the wedge
shape of the block and of the recess in the other block, causing it to hold
rigidly in position and to bear as required on he bond; Fig. 8 shows the two
blocks in position around a bond, the enclosed part being indicated by dotted
lines; Fig. 9 is a section on the line x, y, of Fig. 8, showing the two blocks
surrounding the shank.
A is a copper bond, bent to a suitable shape for lying snugly near the web of the
rail B is the head of the bond, shown cone shaped, but may be cylindrical if

page_text: preferred, to engage with, and be pressed into a hole in the web, either direct or by
means of a ferrule placed in the hole; b is the shoulder against which the lower
faces of the blocks C, E, bear when the pressure is applied; a block C of steel or
other metal, shaped as shown, has a chase D, cut in it from the shorter side, as
indicated by dotted lines and section; this curved chase enables it to be placed
around the bond without pressing it in any way, the only points of contact being
at the base, where it rests against the shoulder b; the block E is complementary, and
the chase Fallows it to be placed round part of the shank of the bond, as shown
in Figs. 8 and 9, and the wedge shape of the block and of the recess in the
block C causes the small block to be held firmly in position, and both to slide
with perfect unison over the shank to the shoulder when the pressure is applied.
To prevent the wedge piece E from being lost, a piece of chain connects it to
the principal piece C as shown, this keeps it always at hand ready for use; if preferred
the block E may be made rectangular, and engage in a corresponding recess in the
block C, being attached thereto by a hinge or a pin in projecting lugs; but we
prefer the wedge shaped piece, as it is more firmly held in position and is easier of
application.
In putting this invention into operation, the principal block is placed round the
curved part of the bond, the smaller block being placed round the uuenclosed part
of the shank, the wedge part fitting into the recess; the clamping press or other
means for forcing the head into the ferrule or web is employed, as with other dies,
and the head is secured to the web without any strain on the die.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
f.
The construction of solid dies for placing round the bond rods for the electrical
connection of the abutting ends and other parts of rails and points for tramways and
the like, with complementary wedge or other shaped pieces, both being grooved or
chased in such a manner as together to surround the bonds, the lower face of the
dies made to bear evenly on the shoulders of the heads, substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Datod this 26th day of October 1808