Abstract: A control lever assembly in the form of a foot pedal includes a pedal arm pivotally mounted on a shaft supported on a base or bracket, and a helical spring for returning the arm to a home position. Lateral displacement of the spring during loading thereof is prevented through the use of either a mechanical stop engaging one side of the spring or eccentric mounting of the spring on relative to shaft.

Abstract: A duplex electrical collector for a rail electrification system comprises a pair of slim elongate back-to-back metal conductor shoes which are supported respectively intermediate their ends by short sturdy offset metal plates that project laterally of the shoes. The metal plates can be cast integral with the shoes, or else attached to the shoes by ribs that are crimped into grooves of the shoes. The metal plates have bores to accommodate a pivot pin that carries a torsion spring, thereby to impart a bias that tends to spread apart the shoes. The ends of a copper lead wire are secured to the plates, and a terminal strip is carried at the center of the lead wire. This assemblage is encased in an insulating two-part housing that mounts it, and is held captive by interlocking shoulders on the plates and housing parts. The center portion of the lead wire and the terminal attached thereto are brought out through a collar of the housing.

Abstract: An electrical collector shoe assembly for a rail electrification system, including a metal holder member in the form of an elongate block body having spaced-apart gripping flanges projecting from its opposite sides upwardly and inwardly of the body, an elongate metal collector shoe extending along the top of the block body and having recessed surfaces in its opposite sides and in which the gripping flanges are disposed, and advanceable studs carried by the block body and engaged with the under portion of the collector shoe, applying an upward thrust to the shoe to cause the gripping flanges of the block body to be forcibly engaged with the recessed surfaces of the shoe. There is thus established a unitary electrical and mechanical connection between the shoe and holder member. Servicing and/or replacement of the shoe is greatly facilitated as a consequence of the simplicity of the assembly.

Abstract: A conductor rail and method for its production. The rail is constituted as a bimetallic, non-integral, unitary laminate assemblage of two formed, nesting dissimilar metal strips, for sliding engagement by an electrical collector shoe. The assemblage has a grooved track portion for receiving the shoe, and a suspension portion adapted to be clamped by suspender fittings. One of the metal strips is fully exterior to the other strip and is preferably constituted of steel, whereas the other metal strip is preferably copper, characterized by relatively higher electrical conductivity. The arrangement is such that the nested strips are in intimate, large-surface contact with each other. The rail thus enjoys the advantage of high strength and abrasion resistance, and improved electrical performance. The rail can be utilized in new equipment, or as a replacement for worn or damaged rail sections, essentially without modification of existing hanger or insulating hardware, or existing jacketing insulations.

Abstract: A coupling for coupling a foot pedal to a sensor used to control the throttle of a vehicle's engine. A shaft assembly is provided including a shaft having ends configured to interconnect the rotative movement of a pedal with the shaft of a potentiometer. The shaft is provided with bearings, a cross pin and the mounting for pedal return springs. A housing assembly is produced from a pair of identical castings that together provide the seats for the bearings, cross pin and springs mounted to the shaft. The housing halves split the housing lengthwise. With the halves separated, the shaft assembly is placed in the seats of the bottom half and the top half is assembled to the bottom half to complete the assembly. The seat for the cross pin provides the stops to prevent axial movement of the shaft and to provide restricted rotative movement of the shaft.

Abstract: An electrical rail conductor assemblage for an insulated electrification system, including an elongate electrically-conducting rail having a longitudinal groove for receiving a cooperable collector shoe and for guiding it for travel along the rail. The rail has opposite wall portions which border the groove. The wall portions have thin wall sections with rounded longitudinal edges that constitute the mouth of the groove of the rail. The rail is covered by an essentially tubular, insulating, hollow, resilient and rigid cover member enveloping essentially all portions of the rail except for the mouth of the groove thereof. The cover member has a longitudinal cut which registers with the mouth of this groove, and curved, longitudinally-extending snap-on retainer portions that extend along the cut and are adapted to snap over the rounded longitudinal edges of the rail. These retainer portions extend in a circumferential direction through substantially a full semi-circle.