Improvements in Current Collecting Apparatus for Electric Tramways.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 17th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 25th Nov.,
1899
Improvements in Current Collecting Apparatus for Electric
Tramways.
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CHARLES WILLIAM GODSON LITTLE, Heckington, Lincolnshire, ARTHUR JAMES
IRELAND, Glencoe Mortlake Road, Kew, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the current collecting apparatus or trolley head used
in connection with the over head system of electric traction. It consists in
combining with the trolley head or with the upper part of the trolley pole
carrying the head, a guiding device to facilitate the placing or replacing of the
trolley head on the trolley wire, which consists of a metallic structure, if
necessary insulated, pivoted to the trolley head or upper part of trolley pole
and provided with horns or guides and arranged so that it may be worked by an
operator by means of a string or wire which string may be the ordinary one for
controlling the trolley arm, in such a way that when the trolley is running on
the trolley wire, the horns or guides take up a position by means of a spring or
springs or by gravity so that they are clear of the trolley wire but when it is
necessary to replace the trolley on the trolley wire, the operator by pulling the
string cause the horns or guides to turn on a pivot in opposition to the controlling
springs or gravity so that they stand above the trolley wheel thereby forming
a guide by means of which the replacing of the trolley on the wire is greatly
facilitated. When the trolley is again on the wire the controlling spring or
gravity causes the horns or guides to take up a position so as to clear the trolley
wire.
1000
C. W. G. LITTLE.
A. J. IRELAND.
Improvements in Current Collecting Apparatus for Electric
Tramways.
CHARLES WILLIAM GODSON LITTLE, of Heckington, Lincolnshire, Electrical
Engineer, and ARTHUR JAMES IRELAND, of Glencoe, 10, Mortlake Road, Kew.
Surrey, 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 statement:-
Our invention relates to the current collecting apparatus or trolley head used

page_text: in connection with the overhead system of electric traction. It consists in
combining with the trolley head or with the upper part of the pole
carrying the head a guiding device to facilitate the replacing of the
trolley head on the trolley wire, which consists of a metallic structure if
necessary insulated, pivoted to the trolley head or upper part of trolley pole
and provided with horns or guides and arranged so that it may be worked by an
operator by means of a string or wire which string may be the ordinary one for
controlling the trolley arm, in such a way that when the trolley is running on
the trolley wire the horns or guides take up a position by means of a spring or
springs or by their own weight so that they are clear of the trolley wire but when it
is necessary to replace the trolley on the trolley wire the operator by pulling the
string cause the horns.or guides to turn on a pivot in opposition to the controlling
force so that they stand above the trolley wheel thereby forming a guide by
means of which the the replacing of the trolley on the wire is greatly facilitated.
When the trolley is again on the wire the controlling springs or gravity cause the
guide to take up a position so as to clear the trolley wire.
We will now describe with reference to the accompanying drawing a method
which we consider the most practical for carrying our invention into effect,
but it being clear that other arrangements can be devised for combining guiding
horns or fork with a trolley head we therefore do not limit ourselves to the
particular method we describe.
Fig. 1 shows an ordinary form of trolley head with the guiding fork attached.
Fig. 2 shows a part of the trolley head in combination with which the guiding
fork is used. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the axle fork showing the
coil spring fixed in its recess before the guide is attached.
In these figs. A represent the guiding horn or fork. B is the trolley wheel
which revolves on pivot H. C is the axle fork of trolley head which carries the
axle or pivot H and W is a piece of the line wire.
It will be seen that the guiding horn or fork A is pivoted on H and free to
move thereon. K is a cord or wire connected to the short arm L of the guiding
fork. G is a coil spring which fits in a recess E made in the axle fork Č. The
piece connected to the guiding fork A projects into the recess E & works in
connection with the spring G by fitting into the bent over end J. The other
end of the spring is attached to the spindle H as shown or it may be attached to
the side of the recess E.
The action of the apparatus is as follows.
Under normal conditions when the trolley is running on the wire the guiding
fork A is in the position shown in Fig. 1 being held in this position by the spring G
acting on the projecting piece F. When the trolley requires replacing on the
line wire the operator pulls the string M or by means of a rod & hook pulls the
wire or cord K which brings the guiding fork into the position shown in Fig. 2
and shown dotted A, in Fig. 1. Having guided the trolley wire into the groove
of the trolley wheel by means of the guide fork A the operator slackens the string
which allows the spring G to again bring the guide fork into the position shown
in Fig. 1, suitable stops being provided both for highest & lowest positions of
guide fork. Or the weight of the guide fork A may be sufficiently great for
gravity to give the required controlling force in place of spring G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our in-
vention & in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. For facilitating the replacing of a trolley head on the line wire the com-
bination with the trolley head of a guiding horn or fork such that when the
guiding horn or fork is not required it is held clear of the line wire either by
its own weight or by means of a spring, being brought into action when required
by the operator.
2. The combination with a trolley head & a guiding horn or fork of one or

page_text: more spiral springs carried in a recess or recesses in the axle fork substantially
as described.
3. The combination with a trolley head of a guiding horn or fork pivoted on
the same axle which carries the trolley wheel and controlled by a spiral spring
or springs,substantially as described.
4. The combination with a trolley head of a guiding horn or fork controlled
by means of a spring or springs & a wire or string substantially as described.
Dated this 16th day of October 1899.
C. W. G. LITTLE.
A. J. IRELAND.