Improvements in or connected with Surface Contact Studs for Electric Traction.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Surface Contact Studs for
Electric Traction.
I, WILLIAM KINGSLAND, of Clarence Buildings, Llandudno, in the County of
Carnarvon, in the principality of Wales, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to surface contact studs for electric traction, on what
is now well known as the surface contact system, and the primary objects of my
invention are to improve the construction of such contact studs, to render the
renewal of the contact plates, or wearing surfaces of the plates, capable of being
easily and simply effected, and to improve the insulation of the said studs or
plates.
According to my said invention I form the aforesaid device in two principal
parts, which I will term respectively the "body" and the "contact plate," the
body being solidly and permanently fixed on the road bed, while the
"contact plate" is removable as hereafter described.
"
"
The "body
portion of the stud may be composed of metal, or of insulating
material or of a combination thereof, according to the amount of insulation
required, or the conditions under which the device is or may be employed.
The said "body" I make in the form of a box open at the top, and of circular,
rectangular, or other desired shape in plan view, the interior sides of same
not being vertical, in order that the interior of the body shall be larger at the
top than at a lower part.
The contact plate I form wholly of metal, and of somewhat wedge-shaped
formation, so that it may fit tightly into the hollow of the body of the stud,
the said contact plate having also a projecting flange, which covers the top edges
of the body of the stud when the plate is in position. I form the flange of
the contact plate, so that it can be gripped underneath, when required, by two
or more claws of some suitable lifting apparatus, such as a screw-jack, so that
in this manner a great amount of force can be conveniently applied to draw
the contact plate out of the body of the stud.
The sectional conductor, which has to be electrically connected to the contact
plate, is brought into the box-like cavity in the body of the stud, and terminates
in any suitable form of connector. The contact plate has connected to it a
flexible conductor of sufficient length to be attached to the end of the sectional
conductor, before the said contact plate is put into its place, and space is left
in the body of the stud to receive the coiled flexible connecting wire, when
the contact plate is in position.
The cavity in the body of the stud may be partially filled with insulating
material run in. in a liquid state and allowed to set after the connections
have been made, in order to efficiently seal the sectional conductor and profect
it from damp.
When the body of the stud is not made wholly of metal or wholly of insu-

page_text: lating material, 1 may provide a lining of insulating material between the contact
plate and the body of the stud, and this insulating material may extend over
the top edges of the body of the stud and down the outside.
Dated 1:00
1
P
1
1000
Improvements in or connected with Surface Contact Studs for
Electric Traction.
I. WILLIAM KINGSLAND, of Clarence Buildings, Llandudno, in the County of
Carnarvon, in the principality of Wales, Electrical Engineer, 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 state-
ment:-
--
This invention refers to surface contact studs for electric traction, on what
is now well known as the surface contact system, and the primary objects of my
invention are to improve the construction of such contact studs, to render the
renewal of the contact plates, or wearing surfaces of the plates, capable of being
easily and simple effected, and to improve the insulation of the said studs or
plates.
"
"
According to my said invention I form the aforesaid device in two principal
parts, which I will term respectively the "body" and the "contact plate"; the
body" being solidly and permanently fixed on the road bed of the electric
tram or railway, while the contact plate" is removable as hereafter described.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan of the general arrangement
of my improved contact stud. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line XY of
Fig. 1 of a contact plate" detached from the "body," and Fig. 3 is a vertical
section on the line XY of Fig. 1, of a "body" composed wholly of insulating
material, the contact plate" being indicated in position in dotted lines.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a complete contact stud of a slightly modified
construction, and in which the "contact plate" is separated from a non-
insulating "body" by means of an insulating lining or cover to the latter,
and Fig. 5 is an external side elevation of the contact stud shewn at Fig. 4.
"
The body" portion A of the stud may be composed of metal, or of insu-
lating material, or of a combination thereof, according to the amount of
insulation required, or the conditions under which the device is or may be
employed.
Referring to Figs. 1, 3 and 4, it will be seen that I make the "body" A in
the form of a box, open at the top, and it may be of circular, rectangular, or
other desired shape in plan view. The interior sides are made to slope slightly
inwards towards the bottom, in order that the interior of the "body" may be
larger at the top than at the bottom.
The contact plate" B Figs. 1, 2 and 4, I form wholly of metal, and of
somewhat wedge shaped formation, so that it may fit tightly into the hollow
body of the stud, the said contact plate B having also preferably a projecting
flange C, which partly covers, as for example at Figs. 1 and 3, or wholly covers,
as at Figs. 4 and 5. the top edges of the body of the stud, when the plate B
is in. position. I form the flange of the contact plate so that it can be
gripped underneath. when required, by two or more claws of some suitable
lifting apparatus, such as a screw-jack, so that in this manner a great amount of
force can be conveniently applied to draw the contact plate B out of the body A

page_text: of the stud. With this object, the body A may be recessed at places, as shewn
at 1, Figs. 1 and 3, in order to permit of the claws being inserted underneath
the flange C, and the flange C may likewise be recessed or undercut at C³,
in order to receive such claws or other lifting appliance.
The sectional conductor S, Figs. 4 and 5, which has to be electrically con-
nected to the contact plate B, is brought into the cavity in the body of the
stud, through a suitable opening E, Figs. 3 and 4, and terminates in any
suitable form of connector F, Fig. 4. The contact plate B has connected to
it a flexible conductor G, of sufficient length to be attached to the connector I
before the said contact plate B is put into its place, and space is left in the
body of the stud to receive the slack flexible wire G, when the contact plate
is in position.
The cavity in the body of the stud may be partially filled with insulating
material, run in, in a liquid state, and allowed to set after the connections
have been made, in order to efficiently seal the sectional conductor S, and protect
it from damp.
When the body A of the stud is made wholly or partially of metal or is not
made wholly of insulating material, I may provide a lining of insulating
material H, Fig. 4, between the contact plate B and the body A of the stud,
and this insulating material may extend over the top edges of the body A of
the stud, and down the outside, or even round the whole of the outside,
according to the amount of insulation it is desired to provide for the stud.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A contact stud for electric traction, composed wholly of metal, or partly
of metal and partly of insulating material, and made in two main parts, one
of which fits tightly within the other, in the manner of a wedge, and so that
it may be withdrawn when required, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The construction and arrangement of contact stud for electric traction,
substantially as described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying
drawings.