US1241558A - Trolley. - Google Patents

Description

W- SCHAAKE.

TROLLEY.

APPLICATION FILED APR-12, 19l5- 1,241,558.; Patented Oct. 2,1917.

2 SiflEETSSHEET I.

Fig. l.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Wf/l/am 5 (baa/re BY r / ATTORNEY WILLIAM SCI-IAAKE, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TROLLEY.

Application filed April 12, 1915.

To aZZ whom it may concern."

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM SCHAAKE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trolleys, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to trolleys, and it has special reference to pantograph trolleys that are respectively adapted to collect relatively large amounts of current from trolley conductors when operating at high speeds.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a structure'of the above indicated character which shall be simple, light and durable in construction and which shall embody an arrangement of parts that shall relieve the pantograph frame of unnecessary frictional resistance, particularly while it is being lowered in position by means of fluid-actuated operating devices.

In pantograph trolleys, as usually constructed, the fluid-actuated operating devices are commonly supported in the central longitudinal plane of the pantograph frame and frequently are carried directly upon the transverse operating shafts, or, at least, are connected-thereto at substantially their midpoints. Therefore, there is a tendency, when performing their intended functions, to spring the shafts out of alinement. It has been found advisable, therefore, to provide suitable bearing members at the central portions of the shafts, as well as at their ends, in order to maintain the positions thereof and prevent undue strains therein.

lVith such a construction, however, the force of the fluid-actuated operating device, that normally tends to spring the shaft, is taken up by the central bearing member, and, therefore, a considerable amount of frictional resistance is encountered which renders the operation of the pantograph frame relatively sluggish and unresponsive. Moreover, it is difficult to aline three bear ing members, and, consequently, undesirable friction is practically certain.

According to my present invention, I propose to overcome these difliculties and to provide a pantograph trolley in which the fluid-actuated operating devices are supported directly by a'suitable supporting frame at the sides of the pantograph frame proper,

" ;.-instead, of in the middle-thereof, and it-is' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2, 1917.

Serial No. 20,644.

my intention to associate said operating devlces with the transverse shafts near the ends thereof and adjacent to the end bearing members, whereby the usual central bearing members may be omitted and the strains which tend to spring the shafts are avoided.

Moreover, as a consequence of this arrangementof parts, a material reduction in the frictional resistance of the pantograph frame is realized which renders the structure particularly responsive to varying operating conditions and insures good electrical contact and smooth running qualities.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view, partially in section and partially in side elevation, of a pantograph trolley constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, certain parts of the apparatus being broken away in both figures for the sake of clearness and economy of space.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus shown comprises a plurality of supporting insulators 1, a supporting frame structure 2 carried thereby, a pantograph frame 3 mounted upon said structure, a current-colle'cting device a associated with said pantograph frame, an interconnecting mechanism 5 for prescribing the movements of the pantograph frame, a plurality of fluid-actuated operating devices 6 for lowering the pantograph frame, and a plurality of springs 7 for elevating said frame.

The supporting insulators 1 are disposed longitudinally, in pairs, on the respective sides of the device and are severally pro vided with caps 10 having integral oppositely projecting lateral lugs 11 upon which a pair of longitudinally disposed supporting members or angle irons 12 are positioned. The supporting members 12 constitute a part of the frame structure 2, the other portion thereof comprising transverse supporting members or angle irons 13 which are rigidly fastened to the longimembers 13, in a suitable manner. Supporting members 15 also formparts of the frame structure 2, being secured between the respective pairs of longitudinal memhere 12 for the purpose of supporting the operating devices 6.

Rotatable operating shafts 17 are disposed transversely in parallel relation and are rotatably mounted, at their respective ends, in bearing members 19 that are secured beneath the inner supporting members or angle irons 12. The shafts 17, however, project beyond the bearing mem bers 19, at one end and on the opposite sides of the apparatus, whereby the shaft extensions are conveniently located with refer ence to the corresponding operating devices 6 by means of which the shafts may be actuated in a manner to be hereinafter set forth.

The pantograph frame 3 comprises a plurality of jointed frame- members 22 and 23 the upper ends of which are pivotally united together in a suitable manner and support the current-collecting device or contact shoe 4 and the lower ends thereof are severally fixed to the rotatable shafts 17.

Inasmuch as my present invention has no direct bearing upon the specific structural details of the pantograph frame, it is deemed sufficient to state that any wellknown and applicable type of construction may be employed, a detailed description of'a suitable structure being presented in a co-pending application, Serial No. 20,680,

filed by Christian Aalborg of even date herewith and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, to

' which reference may be made.

Reference may, however, be had to the lower frame members 25 of the pantograph structure which are secured to the operating shafts 17 and which severally embody a toothed cam 26 and a downwardly projecting arm 27. Intermediate the cams 26 of the lower frame members 25 that are locatedxon the corresponding sides of the apparatus, is the coil elevating spring 7 which has its respective ends connected to chains 28 that engage the toothed cams 26 in the usual manner and serves tov actuate the pan tograph frame to its raised position.

The interconnecting linkage 5 comprises a bell-crank lever 31 that is pivoted upon a shaft 32 which is suitably supported beneath the supporting members or irons 12. The respective ends of'the bell-crank lever 31 are associated with the downwardly projecting arms .27 of the adjacent lower frame members'25 by means of links 33 and 34, whereby the linkage serves as an equalizer between the component jointed frame- members 22 and 23 of the pantograph frame 3 and, moreover, serves to insure vertical movements thereof.

Y The operating .cylin'dersor fluid-actuated devices .6 are of .likeconstruction and each issm n edl up n the supportin members or angle irons 13 and 15 which constitute parts of the supporting frame structure 2, and, each comprises a cyllnder 36, a movable piston 37 contained therein and a crank ed portion of the operating shaft 17 and adjacent to the bearing member 19, whereby the efiort exerted by the operating mechanism is delivered to the shaft in proximity toits bearing members and, hence, there is little tendency to cause the shaft to spring. Moreover, by this arrangement of parts a minimum number of bearing members is provided and, hence, all unnecessary frictional resistance is eliminated.

I contemplate various changes in the construction of the apparatus shown and described, and, in order that I may protect such changes as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, I desire that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting frame, a plurality of transverse rotatable shafts, bearing members for supporting the ends of said shafts upon said frame, and a pantograph frame mounted upon said shafts and adapted to be raised into its operative position, of means disposed at the side of said pantograph frame and cooperating with said shafts for lowering said pantograph frame.

2. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting frame, a plurality of transverse rotatable shafts carried thereby, a pantograph frame mounted upon said shafts, and means cooperating therewith for elevating said frame, of means disposed on the respective sides of said pantograph frame and severally cooperating with said respective shafts for lowering said pantograph frame.

,3. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting frame, a plurality of transverse rotatable shafts, and a pantograph frame mounted upon said shafts, of a plurality of fluid-actuated devices carried by said supporting frame and. severally'associated with the respective shafts and disposed on the opposite sides of said pantograph frame for actuating said frame.

4:. In a trolley, the combination with substantially square supporting structure, and a pantogra-ph frame mounted :thereon and adapted be; ais d a dlowered inlpo sition, of means mounted upon diametrically opposite corners of said supporting structure for actuating the said pantograph frame to only a lowered position.

5. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, and a pantograph frame mounted thereon and adapted to be raised and lowered in position, of a plurality of actuating means independently carried by said supporting structure and respectively disposed at diametrically opposite corners of the pantograph frame, said actuating means adapted to operate only for lowering said frame.

6. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, a plurality of transverse operating shafts, a plurality of bearing members for rotatably associating the respective ends of said shafts with said supporting structure, and a pantograph frame mounted upon said transverse shafts and adapted to be raised and lowered in position, of means associated with said operating shafts adjacent to the supporting bearing members for raising said pantograph frame, and means also associated with said shafts adjacent to the bearing members for lowering said pantograph frame.

7. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, a plurality of transverse operating shafts, a plurality of bearing members for rotatably associating the respective ends of said shafts with said supporting structure, and a pantograph frame mounted upon said transverse shafts and adapted to be raised and lowered in position, of a plurality of coil springs disposed at the respective sides of said pantograph frame and cooperating with said operating shafts near their respective ends for elevating said pantograph frame, and a plurality of fluid-actuated operating devices disposed at the respective sides of the pantograph frame and severally mechanically associated with one end of the respective operating shafts adjacent to the bearing members.

8. In a trolley, the combination with a Copies of this patent may be obtained for plurality of supporting insulators, caps attached to said insulators and having oppositely projecting lateral arms, supporting members disposed on the respective sides of said insulators and carried by said supporting arms, and a pantograph frame pivotally supported between said side supporting members and adapted to be raised and lowered in position, of a plurality of fluid-actuated devices disposed on the respective sides of said pantograph frame and carried by said side supporting members and mechanically associated with said pantograph frame for actuating the same.

9. In a trolley, the combination with a supporting structure, a plurality of trans verse shafts, a plurality of bearings disposed near the ends of said shafts for rotatably mounting the same upon said structure, a pantograph frame rigidly mounted upon the shafts and adapted to be raised and lowered in position, and a plurality of coil springs interposed between the shafts and operatively connected thereto for biasing the same to a raised position, of fluidoperated means disposed substantially near the ends of said shafts for lowering the said frame.

10. In a trolley, the combination with a substantially square supporting structure, a plurality of transverse shafts, means for operatively connecting the corresponding ends of the shafts, a pantograph frame rigidly mounted upon the shafts and adapted to be raised and lowered in position, and a plurality of coil springs interposed between the shafts near the ends thereof and cooperating therewith for biasing said frame to an operative position, of means for lowering said frame respectively disposed at diametrically opposite corners of said supporting structure and operatively connected to the shafts substantially near the ends thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th day of h-[arch WILLIAM SCH'AAKE.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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