Improvements in Trolley Stands for Electric Railways.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1900-Accepted; 15th Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trolley Stands for Electric Railways.
We, THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON COMPANY, LIMITED, and FREDERICK
SAMUELSON, all of 83, Cannon Street, in the City of London, Electrical Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to an improvement in a trolley standard having
an inner tube provided at its lower end with a pivot and at the upper end with
a cup shaped head which has two arms or lugs carrying, on a horizontal pivot,
the pole socket. The upper or outer end of this socket is clamped over the the
trolley pole while the lower or inner end is provided with a double hook. This
hook carries a block with trunnions and a vertical rod passes down through this
block. The rod has at its upper end a head resting against this block while at
its lower end it is provided with threads which engage with a nut; this nut can
be moved up or down the rod if the latter is turned.
The nut on the rod has two projections extending through longitudinal slots
in the tube, said projections support a collar moving up and down outside the
tube with the motion of the rod. Outside the tube and between this collar and
the head a helical spring is placed. Any compression in the spring will conse-
quently be communicated through the collar and nut to the rod and hence to
the hook of the pole socket. The spring being under compression will cause an
upward force to the pole. The strength of this force can be graduated by
compressing the spring more or less by means of the rod-the head of which is
suitably shaped to receive a tool for turning the same.
In order to prevent unauthorized persons tampering with the tension of this
spring, the head of the rod is made so that a special tool is required for turning
same. The head is fitted with a ball race consisting of two suitably shaped
collars and a retaining nut.
The inner collar is fixed to the head and the outer
fitted over the outside tube of the standard. These two collars form the ball
races. The outer collar is provided with an inside flange projecting above the
retaining nut, in order that the ball race may be removed from the standard
intact and thereby facilitating the assembling of the standard. The outer tube
forms the standard and supports the head at the upper end, while the lower end
is rigidly fitted to a base. Inside the base, close to the end of the tube, a
bearing is provided to receive the pivot fixed in the lower end of the inner tube.
This pivot has a flange at the end of the tube. A screw or stud projecting
from the base passes over this flange and keeps the inner tube down while it also
serves as a stop to the rotary motion of the inner tube by engaging with the
screw stud, fixing the pivot of the inner tube, allowing only the tube to revolve
something less than a full turn, thereby preventing any excessive twists in the
cable.
To prevent water entering the standard, a suitably shaped disc is fixed to
the head covering the mouth of the inner tube and forming a water tight joint
to the same. An oblong hole with a raised edge is provided in this disc to allow
the tension rod to work freely, both horizontally and vertically. Over this hole
is placed a cup shaped slide which allows the rod to pass through it, but covers
the opening in the disc and prevents the entrance of rain or any other objection:
able matter.

page_text: The disc has also a suitable hole and bushing to receive the cable which carries
the current from the trolley head to the car.
By properly fixing the relative positions of the hook and the centre of the
pivot of the pole socket, an almost constant pressure of the trolley against the
wire may be obtained at any position met with in practice, i.e. equal upward
pressure independent of the height of the trolley wire.
Dated this 21st day of November 1899.
THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., LTD.
GEORGE FRANKLIN,
W. MARTINDALE,
ALFRED CLEMENTS,
} Directors.
Assistant Secretary.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Trolley Stands for Electric Railways.
We, THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON COMPANY, LIMITED, and FREDERICK
SAMUELSON, all of 83, Cannon Street, in the City of London, Electrical Engineers,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to an improvement in a trolley standard having
an inner tube provided at its lower end with a pivot and at the upper end with
a cup shaped head which has two arms or lugs carrying, on a horizontal pivot,
the pole socket. The upper or outer end of this socket is clamped over the
trolley pole while the lower or inner end is provided with a double hook. This
hook carries a block with trunnions and a vertical rod passes down through this
block. This rod has at its upper end a head resting against this block while at
its lower end it is provided with threads which engage with a nut; this nut can
be moved up or down the rod if the latter is turned.
The nut on the rod has two projections extending through longitudinal slots
in the tube, said projections support a collar moving up and down outside the
tube with the motion of the rod. Outside the tube and between this collar and
the head a helical spring is placed. Any compression in the spring will conse-
quently be communicated through the collar and nut to the rod and hence to
the hook of the pole socket. The spring being under compression will cause an
upward force to the pole. The strength of this force can be graduated by
compressing the spring more or less by means of the rod-the head of which is
suitably shaped to receive a tool for turning the same.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a broken vertical sectional view of
our improved trolley stand;
Figure 2 is a sectional view of a part of the head and arm of our device;
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing clearly the construction of
the head;
Figure 4 is a detail view showing a swivel-contact device;
Figure 5 is a detail view of a displacable stop and Figure 6 is a sectional view
of the water-tight cover..
Referring to the drawings 1 represents the outer tube fixed at one end to the
base 2 and enclosing the inner tube 3 outside, of which is placed the helical
spring 4. The inner tube is pivotally supported at the lower end by means of
the pivot fixed in the end of this tube and the bearing provided in the base.
At the upper end of the inner tube is secured the head 5.

page_text: The several parts forming the head are arranged so that it can readily be
removed from its position on the outer tube without disarranging any of the
parts especially the ball bearings. This head consists of the cup shaped head
proper integral therewith are two lugs or arms 6 which carry a horizontal pivot
for the pole socket 7. The head is fitted with a ball race consisting of two
suitably shaped collars 8 and 9 and a retaining nut 10 (see Fig. 3) the inner
collar 8 being fixed to the head and the outer collar 9 fitted to the tapered end
of the outer tube 1. These collars form the ball race. The outer collar is
provided with an inside flange projecting above the retaining nut 10 in order
that the ball race may be removed intact with the head, thus facilitating the
assemblage or disassemblage of the stand.
As mentioned before the spring 4 is outside of the inner tube and inside the
outer tube. This spring is always under compression when in use and its
tension can readily be lessened or increased by means of the vertical rod 11
inside the inner tube. This rod has at its lower end threads which engage a
nut or follower 12 which has two projections 12¹ extending from the sides and
each passing through one of the longitudinal slots 13 in the inner tube. These
projections extend sufficiently far so that they support a sliding collar 14. The
rod has at its upper end a head 15 resting on a block 16. When the rod is
tightened the sliding collar will be drawn up. The spring abutting against
this collar at the lower end and against another collar 17 at the upper end' will
have its tension increased. By a reverse operation the tension of the spring will
of course be lessened. In order to prevent unauthorized persons from tampering
with the tension of this spring the head 15 is made so that a special tool is
required for turning the same.
The pole socket is composed of two parts the upper or outer end 19 is clamped
over the trolley pole or arm while the lower or inner end is provided with a
double hook or fork 20. The fork carries the block 16 by means of the
trunnions 18 forming a part of this block. The tension of the spring will tend
to move the rod 11 in a downward direction thereby imparting a downward
movement to the end of the trolley arm or hook 19, this will in turn cause the
arm to turn on its pivotal support and thus raise the end which carries the
trolley head (not shown). By properly fixing the relative positions of the hook
and the center of the pivot of the pole socket, an almost constant pressure of the
trolley against the wire may be obtained at any position met with in practice,
i.e. equal upward pressure independent of the height of the trolley wire.
In order to prevent too great an upward or downward movement of the
trolley arm stops are provided. The shoulder a formed at the pivotal point of
the trolley arm strikes against the shoulder b. formed between the projections of
the head prevents too great a downward movement of the arm and screws or
stops e passing through lugs d in the ends of the hook 19 striking against the
raised surfaces e of the head will prevent too great an upward movement.
The cable 21 passes along side of the rod 11 through the inner tube. The
nut 12 is constructed so that this cable will clear it. In order that the wire will
not become twisted and injured, the trolley arm is not permitted to turn com-
pletely around and in order that it will not a bolt or stop 22 is provided in the
base. This stop strikes against the head of the bolt 23 which prevents a com-
plete turn of the arm.
The bolt 23 holds in place the pivot at the lower end of the inner tube. This
pivot has a flange 24 extending outside of the inner tube and the stop 22 engages
therewith and prevents any upward movement of the inner tube. In practice
we have sometimes found it necessary to provide in lieu of the stop already
described such a stop as is clearly shown in Fig. 5. The flange 24 has on opposite
sides two lugs 25. These lugs engage with a stop 26 which is screwed into
the cast iron base limiting the swing of the trolley pole to 60 degrees on either
side of the center of the car. The aforesaid stop is placed eccentrically on the
stud in such a manner that by giving the stud half a turn it disengages from

page_text: the two lugs and the trolley arm is free to be swung to the opposite side of the
car. The stop is then turned to its former position and the swinging motion of
the trolley pole is again confined to 120 degrees. The trolley rope 27 is not
allowed to hang vertically from the head but brought along the pole through
an eyelet in the stand and hence to the stop in the base. By having the rope
the proper length it will be seen that it cannot be attached to the stud lever
without the latter being in its locked position.
To prevent water entering the standard a suitably shaped disc 28 is fixed to
the head covering the mouth of the inner tube and forming a water tight joint to
the same.
An oblong hole 29 with a raised edge is provided in this disc to
allow the tension rod to freely work, horizontally and vertically. Over this hole
is placed a cup shaped slide 30 which, while allowing the rod 11 to pass through
it, covers the opening in the disc and prevents the entrance of water or other
undesirable substances. The disc has also a hole 31 and bushing 32 to receive
the cable which carries the current from the trolley head to the car.
When it is desired that the trolley arm shall have freedom in turning around,
the stop used for preventing the complete turning is dispensed with and the
arm is therefore permitted to turn completely around and in order to avoid the
twisting of the cable a swivel contact is provided, such for instance as the one
shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.
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 In a trolley stand for electric railways the combination of an interiorly
located spring normally under tension, means for regulating the tension of said
spring and means whereby the tension of said spring is imparted to the pivotted
trolley arm, substantially as herein shown and described.
2 In a trolley stand for electric railways the combination of an inner and
an outer tube, a water-tight cover therefor, said outer tube enclosing a helical
spring normally under tension, means for regulating the tension of said spring
consisting of a vertical rod having a head at the upper end and threaded at the
lower end to engage a nut having projections, said nut prevented from turning
but free to move up and down by means of said projections entering longitudinal
slots in the inner tube and the sliding collar carried by these projections, a
pivotted, ball-bearing head and a pivotted trolley arm having a forked end
with hooks to engage a block provided with trunnions all arranged and for the
purposes set forth.
3 In a trolley stand for electric railways a pivotted trolley arm forming a
part of the stand and provided with stops for preventing excessive downward or
upward movement also a stop at the base of the stand to permit a partial turning
of the trolley arm, substantially as herein shown and described.
4 The combination and arrangement of parts composing the trolley stand and
the arm which forms a part thereof for use in connection with electric railways
substantially as herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of August 1900.
THE BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., LTD.
and
A. R. MONKS,
ALFRED CLEMENTS,
Director.
Assistant Secretary.
FREDERICK SAMUELSON.