Abstract: A trolley pole support apparatus is provided in which the trolley pole is urged to an extended position by a spring acting against a moment arm and the force required to position the trolley pole in the stowed position is minimized by minimizing the moment arm between the spring contact point and the trolley pole pivot. By doing so, even with the maximum compression of the spring in the stowed position, this small moment arm permits only small forces to be transmitted to the trolley pole shoe.

Abstract: A current collector for transmitting energy between a contact wire and a motor coach having at least one collector shoe (1) and at least one suspension spring (16) with a positive stiffness, the suspension spring supporting the collector shoe which lies with a contact force from below and against the contact wire. The suspension spring (16) is arranged in parallel with a correction spring (17), the correction spring having a negative stiffness in a zero-crossing of its spring characteristic curve, which coincides with the spring travel of the suspension spring (16), which spring travel corresponds to the desired contact force.

Abstract: A trolley brush for sliding electrical connection with a live rail, which is of simple construction and maintains precise alignment of the sliding contact with the live rail with relative change of position between the live rail and the base of the trolley brush. The trolley brush is comprised of a base, an arm attached thereto which can be turned about a first axis which is almost at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the arm and a sliding contact support attached to the arm which can be turned about a second axis which is almost perpendicular to the first axis and to the longitudinal axis. The base has a slot-like recess whose plane extends in the plane formed by the first axis and the longitudinal axis, the recess having a limiting first wall.

Abstract: A hollow trolley pole associated with an electrically propelled vehicle has an upper end portion and a lower end portion. A passageway extends downwardly through the trolley pole from the upper end portion to the lower end portion. A trolley wire contact shoe is mounted on the pole upper end portion and slides along an electric power line or trolley wire that is suspended, for example, from a mine roof in an underground mine. An electrical conductor extends from the contact show through the passageway to the lower end portion of the pole which is received within a socket-like connector which is spring mounted in a base member connected to the vehicle frame. The conductor is enclosed within an impact resistant flexible conduit that extends from the passageway in the lower end portion of the pole through the connector and the base member and into a contactor box for connection to a propulsion motor.

Abstract: The electrical collector unit (41) and the overhead conductor entrance (26) are designed so that four collectors (63, 64, 66, 67) can properly enter the conductor slots (18, 19, 21, 22) without manual assistance and with the vehicle, not shown, carrying the collection unit (41) traveling at near a walking speed. Two collector subassemblies (42, 43) are mounted on the vehicle, not shown, each of which carries two collectors and includes spring biased parallel links (73, 74, 76, 77) between a pair of pivot posts (71, 86), a guide roller (61) engageable with side walls (28, 29, 36, 67) of the entrance chute (26) and equalizer beams (134, 136) supporting the collectors (63, 64 or 66, 67).

Abstract: A movable structure for supporting a current-collector bow is pivotally mounted on a frame and lifted by means of a spring attached to the structure and to the frame. Upper members of the bow support structure permit displacement of the bow independently of the structure. Hook-engagement means or valve units are provided for neutralizing the lifting spring and transmission means are provided for connecting the bow-displacement means to the spring-neutralizing means. A load limiter inhibits the bow-displacement means below a predetermined load threshold value and releases the bow above this value.

Abstract: The contact pole of a trolley bus carries at its normally upper end a trolley shoe and an upwardly projecting guide which may jointly pivot on the pole about an approximately vertical axis. When the pole is partly raised by a heavy spring and swung horizontally, the trolley shoe is vertically aligned with an overhead wire when the guide abuts against the wire. When the pole is further raised by the spring, the trolley shoe engages the wire, and the guide is automatically dropped below the trolley shoe so as not to collide with hangers for the overhead wire. When the pole is lowered by an operating mechanism against the biasing force of the spring, a motor-driven element of the mechanism connected to the guide by a motion transmitting train automatically returns the guide to its position above the trolley shoe.