US1159678A - Trolley-wheel guard. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

INVENTOR WITNESS WILLIAM L. JAM-ES, OF WEST HOMESTEAD, PENNSYLVANIA.

TROIJLEY-WHEEL GUARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

Application filed April 13', 1915. Serial No. 21,037.

-- Homestead, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Wheel Guards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to guards for preventing the trolley-wheel from becoming separated from the trolley-wire.

The object of my invention is to provide a mechanism which shall be cheap and simple and which shall prevent the trolley-wheel from jumping from the line-wire at crossings, curves, switches, and other points.

Another object of my invention is to provide a guard of the character described which may be removed from its guarding position and readily restored to such posi tion.

It is also an object of my invention toprevent the trolley-wire from acting upon the guard in such a manner as to remove the latter from its guarding position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a side view of a trolleyhead containing my invention, parts being broken away; Fig. 2, an elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 1, looking toward the right; and Fig. 3, a top plan view of the upper portion of Fig. 1.

On the drawing, 1 represents the trolleypole carrying the harp '2 at its upper end.

3 is the trolley-wheel located between the members of the harp and having bearingon the pin or axle 4, which extends through the members of the harp. The trolley-wheel "3 is :shown bearing on the underside of the trolley-wire 5 supported by the hanger 6 carried by the cross-support '7.

The mechanism so far described contains no novelty. v

On the pivot-pin 4: at the outer side of the harp members, I pivotally mount the levers 8 having their upper ends 9 turned toward each other and adapted to meet above the center of the trolley-wheel 3. These levers are provided with openings 10 through which the ends of the pivot 1 extend, the levers being retained on the said pivot-pin by means of the cotter-pins 11 extending through the pivot-pin adjacent to the outer faces of the levers 8. The inner faces of the levers 8 are curved slightly where they bear upon the outer faces of the harp to provide roundlng bearings on which the levers may rock to cause the ends 9 to separate from each other or to engage each other.

12 represents a clamp secured to the trolley-pole below the harp and provided with rearwardly adjustable arms 13 between which the levers 8 below the trolley-wheel are positioned,one of the levers lying against the inner face of one of the arms 13 and the other lever 8 lying against the inner face ofthe other member 13. The pin 14 extends through the said levers 8 and the arms 13, cotter-pins 15 being passed through the ends of the pin just beyond the outer faces of the arms 13 to hold the said pin in place. A coil-spring 16 surrounds the pin 14 and pressesoutwardly against the inner faces of the levers 8.

with the rearwardly projectingmemb'er 18 which terminates just below the lower ends of the levers 8. The member or rope guide 18 is provided with a guide opening 19 through which the ropes or cables 20 pass. The upper ends of these ropes or cables are secured to the lower ends of the levers 8 which are spread more widely apart than the ropes or cables 20 are where they pass through the guide 19.

By pulling down on'the ropes or cables '20 the lower ends of the levers 8 will be drawn toward each other, thereby causing the upper ends '9 of the levers 8 to 'move away from each other, in order that'the said ends may not engage the trolley-wire holder 6 or obstruct the passage of the trolley-wire 5 between the said ends 9. When the lower ends of the levers 8 have been drawn toward each other the spring 16 is compressed and when the said levers are released, the spring expands and causes the upper ends 9 of the levers to move into contact with "each other. The ropes 2O are brought together below the rope guide 18, where they support the loop or eye 21, to the lower end 'of which the rope 22 is attached. The arm '17 has below the guide 18 the downward extension or arm 23 having a hook opening downwardly to receive and hold the loopor eye 21 in the manner shown on Fig. 1. I prefer to make this hook comprise the two fingers 24 and 25 separated to form a notch or slot 26 of a size to receive the loop 21. The rear finger 241 is prefer ably shorter than the rear finger 25, whereby the latter may serve as a stop and a guide for the loop 21, as will now be explained. lVhen the rope 22 is pulled down in the process of opening the lever ends 9, the rope 22 is drawn forwardly so as to make the lower end of the loop engage the finger 25, whichacts as a stop for the loop. The rope 22 is slackened a little allowing the loop to be guided up on the finger 25 and into the slot 26. It is not necessary always to connect the loop to the hook when the rope 22 is pulled down, but the loop and hook are very convenient for holding the lever ends 9 apart, whenever it is desired to have them separated, as, when the trolley car is running on a straight track or whenever there is no danger of the trolley wheel jumping off the trolley wire.

The meeting ends 9 of the levers 8 just above the trolley-wire 5'are beveled upwardly away from said meeting line, thereby forming inclined guides to draw the trolley-wire away from the said center line and beneath one or the other of the said ends 9, thereby preventing the trolley-wire from forcing the said ends 9 apart and per mitting the trolley-wheel to jump from. the trolley-wire.

It will be seen that as the trolley-wheel rotates along beneath the trolley-wire the ends 9 will remain in contactabove the trolley-wire and hold the trolley-wheel in contact with the trolley-wire, and that when the said ends 9 engage the holder 6 or other suspending device for the trolley wire the said ends will be forced apart by the said support or suspending device to allow the trolley-wheel to pass. The spring 16 will immediately bring the said ends 9 together after they have passed the said support or suspending device.

I have shown the wear-blocks 27 secured in the opposing faces of the ends 9 of the levers 8, these blocks being secured in place in any desired manner and being replaceable when worn out. I

I do not desire to be restricted to the details and combinations shown and described but desire to cover such modifications thereof as come fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim- 1. In a device of the class described, a trolley pole, a harp on the upper end thereof, a trolley-wheel mounted in the harp, a pair of levers mounted on the harp and having their upper ends meeting above the trolley-wheel, a pair of arms secured to the trolley-pole and having their ends embracing the said levers below the trolley-wheel, an expansion spring to urge the lower ends of the levers away from each other, and ropes secured to the said ends of the levers.

2. Ina device of the class described, a trolley pole, a harp on the upper end thereof, a trolley-wheel. mounted in the harp, a pair of levers mounted on the harp and having their upper ends meeting above the trolley-wheel, a pair of arms secured to the trolley-pole and havingtheir ends embracing the said levers below the trolleywheel, an expansion spring to urge the lower ends of the levers away from each other, ropes secured to the said ends of the levers, and a second arm movable with the trolley-pole and having a guide for the ropes, the guides being arranged between the levers.

3. In a device of the class described, a trolley-pole, a harp, a trolley-wheel mounted in the harp, a pair of levers having their upper ends meeting above the trolley-wheel, means for yieldingly holding the said ends of the levers in engagement, ropes attached to the lower ends of the levers, a hook carried by the pole, a rope for pulling the said 7 two ropes downwardly to separate the upper ends of the levers, and means carried by the rope and. adapted to engage with the hook and prevent the upward movement of the ropes.

4- In a device of the class described, a trolley-pole, a harp, a trolley-wheel mounted in the harp, a pair of levers having their upper ends meeting above the trolley-wheel, means for yieldingly holding the said ends of the levers in engagement, ropes attached to the lower ends of the levers, a hook carried by the pole, a rope for pulling the said two ropes downwardly to separate the up per ends of the levers, an arm extending downwardly from the pole and having a hook and a rope-guide thereon, and means carried by the rope and adapted to=engage with the hook and prevent the upward movement of the ropes. V

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa, this 8th day of April, 1915.

WILLIAM L. JAMES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G.

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