US508672A - Edward m - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

E. M. BENTLEY. SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

o. 508,672. Patented Nov; 14,1893.

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EDWARD M. BENTLEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC RAl LWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,672, dated November 14, 1893.

Application filed August 31, 1889. Serial No. 322,622. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD M. BENTLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches for Electric Railways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric railways and its object is to provide a switch of sim: ple and reliable construction which will control the movement of a traveling contact device at a turn-out, and which is arranged, preferably, to guide the contact device normally along the main line when the car is traveling in one direction, but which will yield to permit the passage of the contact device when a car comes out of the siding in the opposite direction.

With these objects in view I have provided a switching section of conductor which forms at one end a continuation of the branch conductor, and which at its other end normally bears against the main line wire.

My invention is illustrated in the accom panying drawings wherein Figure I represents aplan View of the main, branch and switching conductors. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the conductor showing a grooved contact device in engagement with its under side. Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating in modified form the contact device, and Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a modified form of the switching conductor.

In the views A is the main supply conductor which is herein shown as extending continuously beyond the switch.

pivoting the conductor, as at D Fig. 5 and.

providing a spring E attached to the conductor at one end through'the crank-arm projecting arms a, a, a to which the line' conductors are attached, while the hood itself is supported bya hanger F, which includes the insulator G. It is, however, apparent that the present invention can be applied with equal advantage to any system of line conductors, wherever located, and I do not, therefore, intend to be limited to an overhead system alone.

H. Fig. 2 represents conventionally a contact device consisting of a supporting rod, and a grooved wheel I at its outer end adapted to form a traveling engagement with the under side of the supply conductor; this form of contact device maybe connected toa ve'hiclein any wellknown,or suitable manner.

In Fig. 4 the contact device is shown as consisting of an upright rod pivoted to the car on a longitudinal axis, and making contact with the side of the conductor, a spring connection J being provided to maintain the contact device constantly against the conductor with a yielding pressure.

Iclaim as my invention 1. The combination with the main and branch working conductors A, B, of an electric railway, of the switching conductor D, one end of which forms a direct continuation of the branch conductor B, and is movable laterally around its end as a center toward and away from the main conductor, and a spring normally holding the free end of the switching conductor against the main conductor.

2. The combination with the main and 5 branch conductors, of a switching conductor normally spring pressed against the main conand having its lower edge so shaped that it sinks gradually below the level of the under side of the main conductor, whereby it guides I 5 the contact laterally across and clear of said main conductor when taking the switch.

This specification signed and witnessed this 21st day of August, 1889.

ED WARD M. BENTLEY.

Witnesses:

RoBT. W. BLACKWELL, ALEXANDER MoFFA'r.

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