Abstract: A method and device supply a vehicle with main and auxiliary air, wherein the device includes a compressor driven via an electric motor for generating compressed air to fill at least one main air tank for supplying pneumatic units of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle has at least one first and second power source for supplying electric energy, wherein a pneumatic actuator that upgrades the vehicle and activates the first power source is provided with the compressed air produced by the compressor in that, in that phase, the second power source feeds the electric motor of the compressor, wherein a switching valve device supplies the compressed air for upgrading to an auxiliary air tank associated with the pneumatic actuator, and otherwise the switching valve device supplies the compressed air produced by the to the main air tank.

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: The invention relates to a moving contact which has a sliding contact for the transmission of electrical power from an overhead line to an electrically powered vehicle. The overhead line can cause damage to the sliding contact, since the overhead line can be deflected vertically due to the influence of external forces. In order to prevent such damaging effects on the sliding contact, the moving contact is equipped with at least two height adjusting components. According to the invention, at least one passively sprung component and at least one component whose height can be controlled are installed between the electrically powered vehicle and the sliding contact.

Abstract: A current collector for a railway trolley vehicle includes a current collecting member having a contact strip, a driving system for moving the current collecting member into and out of contact with a trolley wire, a load cell for detecting force acting between the current collecting member and the driving system, a displacement meter for detecting displacement of the driving system, first and second estimating circuits, and a control circuit. The first estimating circuit provides an estimated value of the contact force between the current collector and the trolley wire by estimating values of first parameters of the contact strip, the current collecting member, and the trolley wire and summing products of each of these values and a corresponding weighting factor.

Abstract: Pneumatic device for applying the upper end of a pantograph, termed a horned slipper holder, against the overhead contact wire with an appropriate pressure, characterized in that the pneumatic cushion (4) has, inside the leaktight enclosure (28) which is formed by the two cover plates (21, 22) and the rubber bellows (23), a connecting rod (32) exerting on the movable cover plate (22) a translational displacement which is reproducible as a function of the air pressure prevailing in the enclosure (28). This translational movement is transformed, via the two arms (34) acting on two ropes (38) and on two cams (39), into a rotation of the shaft (7) of the lower arm (8) of the pantograph.

Abstract: A trolley pole is supported on a vertical shaft so as to be rotatable from side to side while in its elevated, operating position. The shaft is supported on a support structure which is tiltably mounted on a base plate on a vehicle. The base plate can be tilted by extending the arm of a linear actuator. When the base plate is tilted, the pole is lowered and centered and a gravity operated latch structure comes into effect to maintain the pole centered whenever it is not in its operating position. A control circuit coupled to the actuator extends and retracts the actuator arm to pivot the support structure between an upright and a stowed position.

Abstract: An improved technique for regulating the contact pressure of a pantograph brush on an overhead guide conductor is described. The brush is supported for vertical movement in a brush support member for adjustable wiping contact with the overhead conductor. The brush support member is in turn supported for movement in a vertical plane via a two-arm scissors arrangement which is supportable on the roof of an electric vehicle. A high-frequency signal picked up by a transducer situated in the area of the brush and representative of the instantaneous contact pressure of the brush on the wire is compared with an adjustable reference indication indicative of a desired contact pressure, and the resulting difference signal is employed to incrementally adjust the brush contact pressure.