US1040941A - Circuit-closing device or switch for use in connection with electric or other railways. - Google Patents

Description

W. GRUNOW, J11. CIRCUIT CLOSING DEVICE 0R SWITCH FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH ELECTRIC OR OTHER RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION IILED MAY 10, 1911.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

M. L i r @LJQ da 15 W. GRUNOW, In. CIRCUIT! CLOSING DEVICE 0R SWITCH FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH ELECTRIC OR OTHER.

RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1911.

1,040,941; v Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

4 BHEETS-BHEET 8.

W. GRUNOW, Jn. CIRCUIT CLOSING DEVICE 0R SWITCH FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH ELECTRIC OR OTHER RAILWAYS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 10, 1911.

, 1,040,941 Patented Oct. 8, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I I I 1 I l I k l I I 1 sw m o wamf,

W. GRUNOW, JR.

CIRCUIT CLOSING DEVICE 0B. SWITCH F APPLICATION IILED MAY 10, 1911.

Patented Oct. 8, 1912 4 BHEET8SHEET 4.

STATES Plillllhlhlill tllllhfiitltt.

WILLIAM GRUNOW, .JR., OF WATERBUEY, CONNECTICUT, .ASSIGNOB T0 AMERICAN RAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION 03? CONNECTICUT.

CIRCUIT-CLOSING DEVICE 0R SYVITCH FOR USE IN CONNECTION 71TH ELECTRIC 0R OTHER BAILVIAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. May 10, 1:). Serial No. 626,312.

Patented Pct it, 19122.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Gnunow, J12, a citizen of the United States, and resident of lVaterbury, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have made a new i and useful Invention in Circuit-Closing De any other electric translating device when a car passes a given polnt and in such manner as to be operative, no matter in which direction nor at what speed the car may be moving. To th1s end it is particularly d1- rooted to improvements upon an invention disclosed 1n a'prior patent granted to Roy C. Cram, Charles L. Graves and myself on the 16th day of July, 1907, and numbered 860,532, and it has for its objects: First, to provide a switch of the type indicated which shall be simpler in its construction, more practical in its operation and more durable under all conditions of usage than was the device disclosed in the before-mentioned patent. Second, to'provide a switch of the type indicated in which the feature of main.- taining the circuit closed for a predeten mined time, when a car is passing in either direction, shall be more assuredly effected and by purely mechanical devices, in that the use of a liquid is absolutely avoided in the present instance, a feature which constitutes one of the essential elements of the before-mentioned invention. Third, to effectually locate and arrange all of the operative parts in a water-tight switch box so that such parts are concentrated in a most.

compact form within the box, and also that said box may be carried directly by the trolley wire and sustained thereby with the least possible danger of being seriously damaged, either by the rapid movement of a car or by extraneous effects, such as wind,

rain, and sleet storms. Fourth, to provide a switch of this nature in which access to all of'the parts may be quickly and easily had, for inspection orfor repairs in the event. of possible damage thereto. Fifth, to

provide a switch of the typerefer-red to having all of the essential characteristics which necessarily flow from the compact, rigid and mecluinically good arrangement of all or the parts as disclosed in the drawlugs and as hereinafter pointed out in the specification.

For a full and clear understanding of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to construct and use the same. reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side'elevutional view illictrating the exterior portion of the switch box and attachments which inclose my novel switch and also its attachment to a trolley wire, the two conductors to which the terminals are adapted to be connected by the switching parts of the apparatus being illustrated as entering the box and as broken oil at their outgoing ends. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through the box and the apparatus on the broken line X--X, Fig. 8 and as seen looking thereat from left to right in the direction of the arrows and upon the supposition that the lid is imposition upon said box, the conductors which enter the box being detached. Fig. 3 is a plan view ot' the interior of the box illustrating the entire operative apparatus of the switch. Fig. 4; is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the box. and the apparatus on the line Y----Y Fig. 3, and upon the supposition that the lid in place, the trolley wire and part 01'' the apparatus being shown in side clevational view. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken through Fig. 3 on the line Z Z and upon the supposition that the lid or cover is open, the switch arm or lever and other features of the device being shown in elevational view. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of one oi the retatable circuit controlling disks illustrating also its yielding or spring attachments, the supporting means of the dislc being shown in section.

Referring now to the drawings in detail in all of which like letters and numerals of reference represent like parts wherever used, all of the operative parts of: the apparatus being shown in full working size, 1 reprecured to the box by two hinges 3, 3.

.ing designed to secure the twoinsulating conductors 6, 6, at their points of entrance into the box wherein they are connected to the switching terminals, as will be described later on.

7, 7, represent side lugs cast integral-with the box for attaching guy-wires thereto running to stationar points of support, as poles or trees, W ereby the boxand the trolley wire will be protected, as far as possible, from violent vibrations and the box held vertically above the wire, as shown.

8, 8, represent extensions or lugs provided with holes extendin through both for securing the lid when it is closed to one of the lugs 7 through the agency of a lockingpin 10 extending also through a hole 9 in the lug 7, such an arrangement making it possible, by virtue of the over-hanging nature of the lid 01'' cover, to effectually protect the entire apparatus from the evil effects of inclement weather.

11 represents the trolley wire and 12, 12 are two metallic trolley wire ears of well known form which are grooved in their lower edges and secured to the trolley wire in the Well known manner by swaging them therearound; or by soldering or brazing them thereto or both, as clearly illustrated at the lower part of Fig. 5. These trolley ears are, as is well understood, practically angular in cross section and in their upper ends are screw-threaded bolt holes for receiving the bolts 13, 18 so as to thereby secure t e entire box and its inclosed apparat'usdirectly to' and above the trolley wire, as is clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4.

14, 14 represent dependent walls which are cast integral with the box and taken to gether are of angular entering. conforma tion as the trolley wheel approaches in either dircction when it passes under the box. These dependent walls also have inward extensions at their lower edges as clearly illustrated in Fig. 5 so as to protect the lower part of the apparatus from the evil effects of inclement weather, the entire structural arrangement being such as to offer the least possible opposition to the free movement of the trolley-wheel between the dependent walls.

15, 15 are inward extensions at the bottom I of the box proper, constituting the means of support for such of the operative parts as are practically stationary and also for the insulation of such parts.

(see Fig. 1) after all of the parts are as? sembled. I

18 represents a metallic sleeve which is rotatably ournaied upon the shaft 16 and providcd0n its lower and upper sides with integral or cars 19, 19 and 19, 19' respectively, the lower set of lugs or ears being slotted in the direction of the axis of the shaft 16, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose of supporting the operating arm or lever 20 which is grooved at its lower end as shown for permitting itto extend a definite distance below the trolley wire 11 and on opposite sides thereof. Anoiling hole is provided at he center and upper side of the sleeve 18 for the purpose of affording lubrication between the sleeve and the shaft.

21, 21 are rotatable metallic disks constituting electrical terminals, the hubs 21 2 1 of which are journaled upon the shaft 16 and on opposite sides of the arm or lever 20 and its supporting sleeve 18, the hubs abutting against the ends of said sleeve.

22, 22 represent circuit breaking notches. or spaces in the periphery of the two conducting disks 21, 21 and located, when the disks are in position in direct slinenieut with each other, their function being to leave the-circuitof the terminals normally w broken, as will be described in connection with the description of the mode of opera tion.

23, 23 are lugs located on the inner faces of the disks 21, 21, and on opposite sides respectively of the lugs 19 19 as is clearly indicated in Fig. 5, by virtue of the sectional and dotted lines respectively.

24, 24 are stops cast integral with "he innerfaces of the metallic disks 21, 21 and near the outer surface thereof, their function being to stop the disks from rotating when they come into mechanical contact with stationary stops 25, 25 located respectively at the opposite ends of the box and secured directly to the inward bottom extensions 15, 15. 4

26, 26 are braking disks having plane faces on one side adapted to bear frictionally against the outer faces of the rotatable metallic terminal disks 21, 21 and journaled upon the hubs 21 21 of said disks.

27, 27am spring washers adapted to yieldingly hold the friction disks 26, 26 with their friction faces against the outer faces of the disks 21, 21. I

28, 28 are nuts secured upon the outer ends of the hubs 21 21 with their inner faces so adjusted in engagement with the spring washers 27 as to give the proper frictional relation between the braking disks, or inertia devices 26, 26 and the rotatable disks 21, 21, said nuts being locked respectively,,by pins p, p, when properly adjusted. 29, 29 are spiral springs having their inner ends secured directly to the nuts 28, 28 by set- screws 30, 30 and their outer ends, after having been placed under proper tension, secured to the inner walls creasing of the box by screw- clamps 31, 31 the turned over ends of the wires being of sufficient length, as shown in Fig. 6, to give proper tensile strength, it being understood that these springs, when under stress, tend to I rotate vthe terminal disks with their friction disks in reverse direction.

32, 32 are blocks of insulating material, preferably of hard rubber, secured to the upper surface of the inward extensions 15,

15 of the box by screws and constituting means of support for the fixed terminals 33, 33 located at opposite ends of the box. These fixed terminals 33, 33 are connected respectively, as will be apparent on in'spection of Fig. 3 of the drawings, to the outgoing conductors, 6, 6, the one running to a signal located say at a distance in the rear and adapted to be released by a current passing therethrough, and the other running say a definite distance in front and adapted to set a signal.

34, 34 represent yielding conducting terminals pivotally supported at the tops of the fixed terminals and provided with ad- 35 justing screws for adjusting their free rectangular ends 35 with relation to the conducting surfaces of the disks 21, it being apparent that both of these rectangular ends are located, when the switch is normal, ex-

40 actly in the middle of the air spaced insulating notches 22, 22 above the disks so that the circuit is broken in all directions.

It will be apparent, particularly on inspection of Fig. 4 of the drawings, that when the switch is in normal position the arm or lever 20 hangs vertically with its lower end in the path of a trolley wheel as it is moved in either direction under the trolley wire 11, and also, as before stated,

that the circuit is broken between the trolley wire and the yielding terminals 34., 3a, be

cause of the fact that their rectangular ends are out of contact with the disks 2.1, 21. It

will also be understood that the entire box 1, its lid or cover 2, its dependent walls 14, and the ears 12, 12 are normally charged directly by the current in the trolley wire. Upon the supposition, therefore, that proper adjustment has been effected with relation to' the frictional bearing between the faces of the disks 21, 21 and 26 26 and the proper stress effect placed upon the springs 29, 29,

so that they tend to rotate the disks 26, 26

in opposite directions, I have provided a means for efiecting a definite time element;

that is to say, a definite'timc for which the circuit must be closed through either of the yielding terminals 34, 34, no matter in which direction the car may be traveling, or what the speed thereof. In the operation of my invention, a slowly traveling car will impart a relatively slow rotation to the disk 21, thereby permitting the latter to overcomethe inertia of its frictionally-engaged disk 26 and carry the latter around with it; the relatively small kinetic energy of such slowly moving disks being quickly absorbed by the spring 29 upon disengagement of the arm 20 from the moving car. On the other hand, a rapidly moving car will rotate the disk 21 at such high speed that it will be unable to overcome the inertia of the disk 26 by its frictional engagement withthe latter. and the disk 21. will, therefore,- rotate more or less independently of said disk 26. During such forward rotations at s eeds sulliciently low to permit rotation o the combined disks 21 and 26 as a single mass, the disk 21 will be shifted at low velocity through a relatively small angle, while higher velocities of the disk 21 will cause independentrotation of the latter at higher speeds and through larger angles; the pe riod, or length of time, of all such forward rotations of the combined disk 21 and 26 as a single mass being practically constant, and the similar periods of all independent rotations of the disk 21 at higher speeds bcing constant and slightly less than the rotativo period of the combined disks. The relatively small angular swing of the combined disks 21 and 26 as a sing] mass places the spring 29 under a relatively low tension, which causes said spring to return said disk to normal position in definite constant periods of time; the independent swing of the disk 21 through larger angles placing the spring 29 under greater tension and causing said spring to return the disks to normal position in definite constant periods of time slightly larger than the return period of'said disks when forwardly rotated as a single mass through lesser angles. My invention, therefore, provides a compact and simple construction adapted to act with certainty 115 to maintain the circuit closed through a definite constant period of time under all prac tical conditions.

I do not. limit my invention to the especial details of construction disclosed in the accompanying drawings, as obviously a number of the details thereof might be tlcparted from and still come within the scope of my claims hereinafter made, the essence of my invention lying in the perfection of a circuit controlling device of the type indicated in which a constant time interval is effected solely through the agency of mechanically impelled devices, such as are d sclosed in the before-mentioned patent, 130

and my claims are generic as to this feature; also as to the features of general utility pointed out in the statements of the objects of invention.

I believe it is broadly new with me to provide means in the nature of frictional brake surfaces so interrelated and so 0peractively connected to the switch box or base that the evil eiiects of undue momentum are overcome and a relatively constant time element obtained.

Having thus describeduny invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is-" 1. A normally open circuit provided with a movable terminal, in ,t-combination With,

- resilient means tending to maintain said movable terminal in normal, open position, means for shifting said terminal to closed position against the tension of said resilient means, and a}'freely-supported inertia device frictionally engaging said movable terminal, where ycsaid circuit will be closed for definite, constant periodsof time under all practical conditions.

2. A normally open circuit provided with a movable terminal, in combination with means for-shifting said movable terminal to close -the circuit, and a freely-supported inertia device frictionallyengaging said movable terminal.

3. A normally open circuit provided with a movable terminal, incombination with means for shifting said movable terminal to close the circuit, a freely-supported inertia device frictionally engaging said movable terminal, and resilient means engaging said movable terminal for yieldingly maintaining the latter in open position.

4. A normally open circuit provided with a movable terminal, in combination with means for shifting said movable terminal t-o-close the circuit, a freely supported inertia device, yielding means for maintaining said device in frictional engagement with said movable terminal, and means for adjusting said yielding means.

5. In a circuit-closing switch, the combination of stationary and movable terminals, resilient means tending to normally maintain said movable terminals in open position, means for shifting said movable terminals against the tension of-said re silient means to close the circuit, and an inertiadevice mounted for free movement in frictional engagement with said movable terminal, whereby said circuit will be closed for definite, constant periods of time under all practical conditions.

6. In a circuit-closing switch, the combination of stationary and movable terminals, means for shifting said movable terminal to close the circuit, and an inertia de vice mounted or free movement in frictional en 'a ement with saidmovahle ter- Witnesses C. J. Kmrnna, M. F. KEATING.

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