Improvements in and relating to Collectors or Trolleys for Electric Tramways and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in and relating to Collectors or Trolleys for Electric
Tramways and the like.
I, ROBERT NAUDIN TWEEDY, of Old Cemetery Lodge, Kidderminster, in the
County of Worcester, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to collectors for overhead electric tramways, and it con-
sists in the employment of compressed air to exert the required pressure to keep
the trolley wheel or collector in contact with the overhead cable or wire.
According to this invention, the moving, i.e., swivelling axis of the trolley arm
or pole carries a small cylinder fitted with a piston which is connected by means
of a suitable connecting rod or link with an arm or extension of the trolley arm.
Air under pressure is admitted to this cylinder from any suitable source or
reservoir through suitably arranged pipes the connecting pipe preferably passing
through the centre of the pin or stud on which the trolley arm or pole is mounted,
being provided with a swivelling air-tight joint.
The pipes connecting the cylinder with the reservoir of other source of supply
are so arranged that the driver from his platform can-by means of suitable
valves regulates the pressure of the conductor or trolley wheel, on the overhead
wire or cable by varying the pressure in the cylinder.
If desired a relief or safety valve adapted to allow the air to escape at any
given pressure may be fitted to the cylinder so as to prevent excessive pressure
on the overhead cable or wire and further, a gauge may be employed to indicate
the momentary pressure in the cylinder.
By this invention the pressure of the collector or trolley wheel on the overhead
cable wire can be regulated to the greatest nicety from the platform of the car
and by its use, the height to which the arm or hole may jump on leaving the
wire can be adjusted with absolute accuracy, thus avoiding the danger of fouling
guard telephone or other wires, and after so jumping can be lowered with
case and despatch from the platform.
1000
Improvements in and relating to Collectors or Trolleys for Electric
Tramways and the like.
I, ROBERT NAudin Tweedy, of Old Cemetery Lodge, Kidderminster, in the
County of Worcester, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this

page_text: 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 collectors for overhead electric tramways, and it con-
sists in the employment of compressed air to exert the required pressure to keep
the trolley wheel or collector in contact with the overhead wire or conductor, the
objects being the supersession of springs and other devices at present employed to
maintain the contact between the collector carried by the car and the conductor
carrying the current, the maintenance of a constant pressure between the col-
lector and the conductor, and the efficient and ready control of the collector from
the car.
In the accompanying drawing which illustrates this invention as applied-by
way of example only--to a "side arm" trolley or collector:-
Figure 1 is a view in front elevation.
Figure 2 is a view in side elevation-partly in section and Figure 3 is a view
in plan.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
Mounted on a bracket V carried by the swivelling axis X carrying the socket Y
of the trolley arm or pole Y₁ (shown in dot and dash lines) is a small cylinder A
fitted with a piston A¹ the rod A2 of which is connected by means of a suitable
connecting link B with an arm C forming an extension of the socket Y carrying
the trolley arm or pole Y¹.
Air under pressure is adimitted to this cylinder from any suitable source such
as a reservoir by means of a pipe D connected by a swivelling union d with a
pipe D passing through the centre of the pin or stud Z on which the swivelling
axis of the trolley arm or pole is mounted.
The pipe D connecting the cylinder A with the reservoir or other source of
supply of compressed air is so arranged that either the conductor or the driver can
from his platform by means of a suitable valve regulate the pressure within the
cylinder and thus regulate the pressure of the conductor or trolley wheel on the
overhead wire or conductor.
If desired a relief or safety valve E adapted to allow the air to escape from the
cylinder at any given pressure may be employed in order to prevent the collector
from pressing against the overhead wire or conductor with more than a given
pressure, and further a gauge may be employed to indicate either the momentary
pressure in the cylinder or that of the collector on the conductor.
By this invention the pressure of the collector or trolley wheel on the overhead
wire or conductor can be regulated to the greatest nicety from the platform of
the car, and the height to which the arm or pole can jump on leaving the wire
or conductor can be limited with accuracy, thus avoiding the danger of fouling
guard, telephone or other wires, and further after the collector or trolley wheel
has so jumped it can be lowered with ease and despatch from the platform
I prefer to employ a three-way valve to control the admission of air to the
cylinder A so that the cylinder can be put in communication either with the
reservoir or other supply of compressed air, or with the atmosphere, or it can be
cut off from both.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
(1) The improved device for maintaining and regulating the contact between
collectors and conductors of overhead electric tramways, as herein before described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
(2) In overhead electric tramways the employment of compressed air for main-
taining and regulating the contact of the collector with the conductor, as set
forth.
(3) In overhead electric tramways, the combination with a pole or its equivalent

page_text: carrying a collector, of a cylinder the piston of which is connected with the pole
or its equivalent and is caused to move in the cylinder by pressure exerted
by compressed air, and of a valve for regulating the admission of the air to the
cylinder, as set forth.
قييم
1000
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M.Iust.C.E, M.I.Mech. E..
Chartered Patent Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.