Improvements in Current Conveyors for Electric Railways.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 21st, Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE LAWRENCE ELECTRIC Co., of 13, Astor
Place, New York City, U.S.A., Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Current Conveyors for Electric Railways.
I, REGINALD WALTER BARKER, of Monument Chambers, King William
Street, London, Middlesex, Patent Agent, 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 :-
My invention pertains to the means employed for conveying the current from an
electric wire to a current distributer connected with propelling apparatus and its
object is to provide a contact or conducting plate formed in two parts held together
within suitable insulation by an outer casing, whereby should said outer casing
become worn through the lower part of the contact plate will fall away, and danger
of the current becoming grounded will be avoided. My invention also comprises
means for maintaining a perfect connection between the wheels of the contact plate
and the electric wire.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and explained in detail,
I have annexed bereto a sheet of drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective side elevation of my contact plate complete, and,
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the insulating material in
section.
The contact plate consists of two separate parts A and B, which are adapted to
fit together to make electrical contact. The plates are shown provided with the
tongues a and grooves, or their equivalent, the tongues of the one part entering
the grooves in the other part, whereby the two parts form one substantially
continuous plate.
The plate A. B thus organized is protected by plates C which serve to encase the
parts A B, thus covering the joint ab; and said plates Care shown extended at
the sides to enable bolts c, or their equivalent, to be passed through said extended
ends to hold the casing against the parts A B. But the casing C may be otherwise
suitably held on plate A B. D indicates suitable insulating material which is
wrapped around the parts A B, insulating said parts from the casing C. It will
be seen that with insulating material D of a more or less elastic nature, and the
casing C clamped against the insulating material, the parts A and B will be held
securely together.
The upper or part A of the contact plate has a suitable connecting piece d
formed therewith or secured thereto to connect with a distributing plate on a
vehicle. The lower part B of the contact or conducting plate is provided with
grooved contact. wheels e, which are adapted to engage with an electric wire or
conductor F. I have shown two of these contact wheels e in the drawing, but it is
obvious that a greater or less number may be employed without departing from
iny invention. Said contact wheels may be provided at either end of a bow or
other shaped spring which is secured to the lower part B of the contact plate
(as seen in Fig. 1,) or, as is obvious, said contact wheels may be journalled directly
in said part B or in an extension thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A contact plate for conveying the current of electricity from an electric wire,
said plate consisting of two separate parts tongued and grooved together, and
1
.
...
13 L

page_text: a bow shaped spring secured to the lower edge of said plate, and grooved
contact wheels at its outer ends, substantially as shown and for the purposes
described.
2. A contact plate formed in parts, fitted one against the other, insulating
material around said parts, a casing binding said parts together, and contacts
connected with one of said parts, substantially as set forth.
3. A contact plate formed in parts fitted together, a casing holding said parts
together, insulating material between said plate and said casing, wire engaging
contacts and movable connections carrying said contacts and connected with said
contact plate, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of September 1893.
REGINALD W. BARKER.