Improvements in Trolley Ears for Electric Railways.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trolley Ears for Electric Railways.
We, THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON COMPANY, LIMITED, of 83, Cannon Street,
in the City of London, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention (which has been communicated to us from abroad by Henry Geisen-
hoener, residing at Schenectady, in the County of Schenectady, State of New
York, United States of America, Electrical Engineer), and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The present invention relates to means for securing in place the trolley wire
of an overhead system; and has for its object to provide a simple and cheap
device which may be readily applied and as readily taken down if necessary.
For this purpose there is provided a trolley wire having a spiral groove cut
in it within which a small fastening wire may be seated. This groove may be
and preferably is, formed in the wire in the course of manufacture, and preferable
throughout its entire length. It is manifest, however, that it may be, if desired,
formed on the wire at the time of erection, and only at such points as are to
be fastened to the supports. With such a wire is employed a trolley ear of
special construction, having lugs to which the fastening wire may be secured,
and of course having a groove within which the trolley wire may be seated.
With this construction an absolutely straight under-run is obtained, the advan-
tages of which are apparent, and at the same time a secure fastening.
In the accompanying drawings which shown an embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 1 shows the device in perspective, with the trolley-wire secured in place,
and Fig. 2 is a vertical section, through the stud, of the parts shown in Fig. 1.
A is the trolley-ear, and A¹ is a boss or lug arranged so that it may be readily
fastened to the usual insulating stud. A is an opening through the web of the
trolley ear. Within the opening are two lugs a, a, and upon the outer end of
the ear are other lugs a¹, a¹. Grooves a² in the sides of the ear lead to these lugs.
The trolley-wire is lettered B, and the spiral groove in it is shown at b.
In making use of the invention the ear is first secured to its support, which
is not illustrated; the trolley-wire is then brought up to it and seated in the
channel on the lower face, and then the securing wire C is passed around it in
the way shown, being first secured to one of the lugs a¹, then passing to the
channel b around the trolley-wire, and then around the lugs a, a and back around
the trolley wire, and finally secured to the other lug The securing wire C,
being under tension, will draw the trolley wire tightly against the ear, and a
strong and secure joint will be made.
It is manifest however that the wire may be readily cut and removed, when
the trolley wire will drop out of place.
It will be evident that the form of the ear and groove may be greatly varied
without departing from the spirit of the invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, as communicated to us from abroad, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:-
1-The combination with an electric railway trolley-wire having grooves, a
trolley ear having lugs, and a wire laid in the grooves and passing around the
Tugs to secure the ear and trolley-wire together.
2 As a new article of manufacture, a trolley-ear for electric railways having
lugs for holding a wire adapted to secure the trolley-wire in place.
3-A trolley-ear for electric railways provided with a groove for the trolley
wire, and lugs and grooves for the fastening wire.
4 As a new article of manufacture, a trolley-ear for electric railways having
the lugs a, a¹ and the grooves a².
5 An electric railway trolley-wire having a groove for the reception of a
fastening wire.
5--As an article of manufacture, a trolley wire for electric railways provided
with a spiral groove.
7-The combination with a grooved electric railway trolley-wire of an ear
fitting the wire, and a fastening wire sunk in the groove and secured to the ear.
Dated this 18th day of October 1898.
THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO. LTD.
W. MARTINDALE,
A. R. MONKS,
Directors.
ALFRED CLEMENTS,
Assistant Secretary.