Abstract: An electric distribution system which includes an elongated generally channel-shaped busway having a top wall and a pair of side walls with bus bars secured to the interior of the side walls. An electrical take-off is slidably secured within the busway with the take-off having a housing, a pair of spaced rotatable electrical contact supports having a circuit selection portion for rotating the contact support. At least one electrical contact passing through a passageway in the support and a spring which surrounds a portion of the support adjacent the passageway, urging the electrical contact in a first direction. The contact support is structured to be rotated to a first position wherein the electrical contact is disposed within the take-off housing and a second position wherein it projects outwardly into contact with a bus bar.

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 rail-guided apparatus-carrying system for conveying and moving an apparatus such as a loudspeaker or a spotlight along a predetermined path defined by the system when fixed in a wall or roof of a housing, the system comprising a rail-like stationary holder to be fixed to the roof and a movable carrier including a driving motor unit for moving the carrier along the holder and an apparatus actuating unit for moving the apparatus relative to the carrier, the apparatus being connected to the carrier by an apparatus hanging member, the carrier being supported in the holder by a supporting-guiding-estabilizing mechanism including damping-resilient devices for obtaining steady and smooth movements for the carried apparatus, an electrical system being provided to supply electricity to the units.

Abstract: A support for current conductor rails at an essentially double T-shaped beam girder is welded together of two mirror-symmetrical profiles. A support, carrying the current rails, surrounds the top flange of the beam girder (1) and rests with an angled clamping face (7) at an angled holder strap (4) of the top flange. The support (6) is held by U or V-shaped clamps (12) at the holder strap (4) of the top flange. This arrangement provides for a suitable attachment possibility for current conductor rails above the bottom flange of a double T-shaped beam girder.

Abstract: A suspended monorail track system has a box-shaped cross section with flanges extending inward and upward from the bottom edges of the side walls to form an acute angle between each flange and its attached side wall. An opening remains between the flanges extending along the bottom of the track. An intermediate horizontal wall may be added below the top wall to form an enclosed channel for power and signal cables within the track. A number of power and signal conductors extend along the interior surfaces of the track to provide electrical contact with vehicles moving along the track. Signal conductors are used to prevent collision between vehicles. Each vehicle is suspended from the track by a bogie assembly extending through the opening along the bottom of the track. The bogie assembly is supported by load-bearing wheels riding on the upper surfaces of the flanges, and stabilized by a second set of wheels rolling along the bottom surfaces of the flanges.

Abstract: An assembly for suspending electricity power supply rails comprising a cross member (2), bolts (6) or the like for fixing the cross member to a fixed structure (4) in a direction which is perpendicular to the direction of the power supply rails (8), and members for suspending the rails from the cross member. The members for suspending the rails comprise: a series of at least two generally T-shaped half-clamp elements (10) comprising a crossbar (12) and a riser (14) perpendicular to said crossbar (12), with the length of the crossbars corresponding to the spacing between centers of two adjacent power supply rails (8) or to a multiple of the spacing, with the riser (14) of each T shape including a hooking rim (16) on opposite rail engaging faces. A slidable connection is formed between each T-shaped element (10) and the cross member (2) and locking elments (20,22) are provided to lock the endmost T-shaped elements (10e) of the series against translation.

Abstract: A trolley rail section includes an elongated housing wherein a conductor junction assembly is retained by virtue of its connection to an elongated conductor within the same housing and with the cooperation of the conductor of an adjacent connected trolley rail section such that the unitary conductor and junction assembly may be assembled into or disassembled from their housing according to a method of assembly when the respective trolley rail section is disconnected from other trolley rail sections.

Abstract: A transporting device having an overhead track arrangement with straight sections, curved sections, crossing sections and switching sections. A track carriage is movably mounted on the track. A wheeled transport carriage unit moves over a floor surface and is releasably coupled to the track carriage. Structure is provided for effecting a desired movement of the track carriage through switching sections and crossing sections. The transport carriage unit has the drive mechanism thereon and essentially pushes and follows the guide offered by the cooperating track and track carriage.

Abstract: There is disclosed an elongate housing member of insulating material defining a downwardly open interior space for reception of a conductor strip so as to form an electric current conductor rail with the strip, the housing member being provided at each of two opposite sides thereof with a respective longitudinally extending rib. The ribs are arranged and constructed in such a manner that the housing member can be connected to a further such housing member at substantially the same height. One of the ribs is provided at its underside with a groove and the other rib with an upwardly projecting bead, the groove and bead having substantially the same cross-sectional shape.

Abstract: An overhead plural conductor trolley rail and flying pickup for supplying electrical power to a vehicle includes a plastic extrusion fastened to an overhead structure housing parallel flat conductors, the exposed underside of each of the conductors being engaged by shoes carried on vehicle supported trolley units. At one end of the rail a guide structure for the trolley includes a central, side skirted or inverted channel shaped portion, flanked at either end by oppositely extending side-skirted ramps each inclined upwardly from the central portion. The approach ramp also diverges horizontally outwardly of the rail support. To accurately engage the trolley carried shoes with the rails, the operator need only insure that the trolley enters the divergent portion of the guide at its widest open end.

Abstract: An elongated rail conductor has a rail formed with a groove for a current take-off, and a synthetic plastic housing which surrounds the rail but leaves access to the groove. The edge faces bounding the groove are inwardly offset from the corresponding edges of the casing, so that the moving current take-off cannot contact and wear the edges of the casing.

Abstract: There is disclosed a metallic conductor strip of approximately Z-shaped cross-section which serves as current conductor in a housing. The strip in cross-section has a limb with a flat contact surface and a limb with an inwardly curved contact surface. The strip is retained in the housing, with which it forms a current conductor rail, by two ribs protruding into an interior space of the housing and by two outwardly bent edge portions of the strip which are engaged in corresponding grooves in the housing. The possibility exists of including a copper conductor member in the housing to cope with higher current intensities.

Abstract: A current collecting means in an aerial cableway system collecting electric power for driving a self-propelled aerial carriage, is capable of maximization of the lifetime of a current collecting shoe. The current collecting means comprises a current-carrying cable having at least a planar surface on the outer surrounding thereof and a current collecting shoe having a planar contacting surface to be urged onto the planar surface of the cable. The contact between the shoe and cable is carried out in both planar surfaces to prevent uneven wear of the shoe.

Abstract: A shuttle rail assembly, capable of carrying a pair of pallets to which workpieces are fixtured, is mounted on a wheeled vehcile movable along a pair of tracks extending adjacent machine tools and set-up stations. The vehicle is positively driven by a DC motor and pinion, mounted on a adjustable eccentric, which meshes with a toothed rack secured to one of the pair of tracks. A vertical standard extending upward from the vehicle is slidable along power and control electrical buses contained within an enclosed overhead trolley. The shuttle rail assembly includes a pair of rails, extendable to either side of the vehicle by a hydraulic rail motor, mounted on a platform rotatable by a hydraulic index motor to 180.degree. positions when pallets are to be interchanged, and having a 90.degree. latched position during vehicle travel.

Abstract: A trolley rail section is formed from a tubular housing that has a front side provided with laterally spaced slots extending lengthwise of the rail, and a partition wall extending across the inside of the housing and closing the inner sides of the slots, the side walls of which are provided with grooves receiving electrical conductor bars. The partition wall and the back of the housing have opposed openings therethrough, with each pair of openings communicating with a different one of the slots. Disposed in each partition wall opening and straddling the adjoining conductor bar is a U-shape metal clip with inturned free front edges overlapping the front of the bar. Disposed in the clip behind the bar is a metal plate that is pressed against the bar by set screws threaded in the back of the clip. A rigid metal conductor connection extends loosely through an opening in the back of the clip and is rigidly secured to the plate and provided with an abutment spaced rearwardly from the clip.

Abstract: A duct section serves as part of a supply system for supplying electric power or a pressure medium to a mobile appliance and especially to a mining machine in a mine working where protection against explosion or fire is necessary. The duct section has a wall with a longitudinal slot therein and pick-up engages in the slot to collect the electric current or pressure medium. The slot is sealed with the aid of thin flexible sealing strips held flat against the inner and outer surfaces of the slotted wall. The pick-up is shaped to progressively deflect the strips away from the slotted wall to permit the passage of the pick-up and maintains the interior sealing with the aid of further seals slidable engaging with the slotted wall over the region where the strips are deflected.

Abstract: A contact device for interconnecting an electrically energized rail with a removable contact finger mounted on a movable vehicle includes a hollow housing and two cooperating contact members therein, the contact members being mounted in a hinge-like fashion so as to be mirror images of one another, one set of cooperating ends contacting the removable contact finger and the other set of cooperating ends contacting the insides of the spaced-apart walls forming the rail.

Abstract: A guide rail assembly for transmitting electrical current to a trolley or like vehicle and comprising a pair of non-linear support rail assemblies attached to one another and formed of light-weight metallic alloys, with each support rail including a band of highly wear-resistant metal for engaging and transmitting electrical current to the trolley. At least one of the support rail assemblies further including a plurality of fin-like projections for dissipating excess heat.

Abstract: A trolley rail housing provided with a plurality of parallel open-bottom slots extending lengthwise thereof has an electric conductor mounted up in each slot, with an end portion of the housing offset upwardly and connected by a downwardly inclined portion to the rest of the housing. An electrical pick-up unit adapted to be carried by a vehicle includes a plurality of collectors mounted for vertical and lateral movement, with spring means urging the collectors upwardly. This unit also includes a pair of laterally spaced guide members disposed above the collectors and movable laterally with them and adapted to engage the opposite sides of the rail housing when the pickup unit, separated from the housing, is moved toward its offset end.

Abstract: A tracked vehicle system comprises a load-carrying vehicle formed by two bogies each of which has two co-axial rollers, the two bogies being connected by an articulating spindle carrying a centering roller arranged to bear against the internal sides of the track. Each bogie preferably carries a steering roller rotatable about a vertical axis and situated substantially in the same plane as the centering roller.

Abstract: A supporting rail for supporting electrical fixtures or the like. The device comprises an extruded plastic elongate member which is formed at least in part by spaced inner and outer walls that are joined at spaced locations about the cross-sectional periphery of the member. The spaced walls define therebetween longitudinally extending hollow channels for carrying wires or the like, and the inner wall encloses an elongate inner chamber which is open along its length. A structurally rigid rail is thus provided but without requiring the use of substantially solid construction in the extruded rail.

Abstract: A conductor rail construction, and a joint for connecting conductor rails of electrification systems as used for vehicles, cranes and the like, comprising rail members whose cross-sections are like the figure H, and joints each comprising a relatively thick connector block and a relatively thin clincher strip underlying the block, both adapted to extend into T-slots of the end portions of the rail members. The clincher strip is bowed or otherwise formed, and closely fits into undersized or V-grooves in the T-slots of the rail members, being flattened by screws threaded into the connector block whereby it forcibly wedges into said grooves to dominate and maintain precise alignment of the rail member end portions. Flanges of the end portions which define the slot opening are initially relatively angularly disposed, and are flattened into springing position by the force exerted against them by the connector block.

Abstract: A trolley rail is formed from a plurality of aligned tubular housings, each of which has a front side provided with laterally spaced slots extending lengthwise of the rail, and a partition wall extending across the inside of the housing and closing the inner sides of the slots, the side walls of which are provided with grooves receiving electrical conductor bars. The partition wall and the back of the housing have pairs of aligned openings therethrough, with each pair of openings connecting with a different one of the slots. Disposed in the partition wall openings and straddling the adjoining conductor bars are U-shape metal clips with inturned free front edges in front of the bars. The clips are provided with springs or screws pressing conductor bars therein against the inturned edges of the clips.

Abstract: An extruded plastic housing of indefinite length contains an electrical conductor bar in a slot extending lengthwise of the housing. The bar is retained in the slot by a pair of ribs integral with the side walls of the slot and extending lengthwise thereof and projecting toward each other. The width of the bar is greater than the space between the ribs, but the housing is so formed that in assembling it and the bar the distance between the ribs can be increased temporarily by pressure of the bar against them to permit it to be moved rearwardly past the ribs, whereby the bar can be inserted from the front or outer side of the slot, thus permitting the use of a single conductor bar regardless of the number of housing units that may be disposed end to end to form the housing.

Abstract: A clamping holder for busbars includes a base member having at least one projection, opening and clamping surface all located and shaped for reversible positioning of a pair of the base members with the projection on each received in the opening in the other, and with the clamping surfaces in spaced-apart facing relationship to define a part receiving aperture in which a busbar or other part is clamped and held.

Abstract: A rail construction for rail-type electrification systems, comprising a metal, conducting carrier rail member of relatively high expansion coefficient, having a cross-sectional configuration somewhat like a pair of channel shapes disposed back-to-back. One channel shape is used for suspension or mounting, as well as rigidity. The other channel shape contains a metal insert in the form of a flat contact member of relatively low expansion coefficient which is secured in place by being pinched between opposed wall areas of flanges of the rail member, in consequence of the flanges being swaged or displaced beyond their elastic limit to effect a gripping of the contact member. The inner walls of the flanges, which adjoin the elongate contact member, constitute metal guideways that assure a positive tracking of the collector shoe.

Abstract: A hanger for supporting single or multiple conductor rails in a rail-type electrification system, comprising a cross support member extending transversely of the rails and one or more spring clips carried by the member and having legs adapted to clamp against opposite faces of the rails so as to support them in operative positions. Each clip is movable on the member between extended and retracted positions, and has resilient latching fingers which cooperate with two sets of shoulders on the member. One set of shoulders prevents inadvertent removal of the clip when it is disposed in its extended position, and the other set operates to lock the clip in its retracted or operative position. In the extended clip position, the legs of the clip are separable an extent to permit insertion of a conductor rail therebetween.

Abstract: A trolley busway housing has a generally T-shaped top portion which stiffens the housing to provide improved bending resistance and also provides a continuous top flange on which hangers can be clamped.

Abstract: A rigid power conductor to be suspended from an overhead structure or ceiling by means of insulators for the supply of electric energy to electric power driven vehicles on rails. The conductor is a conductor wire held between two side-by-side I-beams urged together so as to form a continuous clamp for the wire.The wire has lateral grooves whereas the I-beams define a conforming downwardly opening slot with projections engaging the grooves in the wire.The joints connecting the successive I-beams are longitudinally displaced, and an expansion joint is disclosed which permits relative displacement of the successive lengths of conductor.There is also disclosed an apparatus for the installation of the conductor wire and various devices for interconnecting the I-beams.

Abstract: The power line comprises a conducting section enclosed in an electrically insulating casing open on one side. The section and the casing are hung by claws. At least one claw is designed to block the conducting section and the casing. Expansion joints are designed at some intervals, and end elements prevent any access to the conducting section which is electrically supplied by junction units included in the end elements connecting two adjacent segments.

Abstract: an electrical conductor system to supply power to a travelling collector comprises an elongated hollow conduit formed with a continuous longitudinally extending slot. An insulating layer is bonded to the outer surface of the conduit and the conduit may be used as the sole current carrier. A continuous elongated conductor may be held in electrical contact with the inner surface and supported by discrete lengths of conduit in a position where the conductor is adapted to be contacted by a brush extending through the slot.