Spring Erector Patents (Class 191/68)
  • Patent number: 11858358
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for fastening a sliding element to a current collector or to a rocker mounted thereto, to draw electrical energy from an overhead contact line to an electrically driven vehicle. The device comprises a sliding element, a carrier, a carbon contact piece arranged on the carrier, and a fastening point for fastening the sliding element to the current collector is formed between the sliding element and the current collector. At each fastening point between the sliding element and the current collector, a detent assembly is arranged on the side of the sliding element and, for each detent assembly, a receptacle for the detent assembly is arranged on the side of the current collector. Each detent assembly and the receptacle associated therewith are releasably brought into engagement with each other by inserting and locking the detent assembly in the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: PANTRAC GMBH
    Inventor: Bastian Grothe
  • Patent number: 6363862
    Abstract: This power pick-up for a railway vehicle comprises a pantograph (4) and a pantograph support (7), the pantograph support (7) comprising a stationary chassis (8) for mounting on the roof (2) of a railway vehicle (3), and a mobile chassis (9) carrying the pantograph (4) and connected to the stationary chassis (8) to tilt laterally with respect thereto on each side of a position of rest. The mobile chassis (9) is connected to the stationary chassis (8) by two tilting rigid lateral supports (14), each tilting support (14) being articulated, on the one hand, to the stationary chassis (8) at two longitudinally-spaced points (17) and, on the other hand, to the mobile chassis (9) at two longitudinally-spaced points (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Alstom
    Inventors: Laurent Hazard, Eric Benard
  • Patent number: 6193035
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Brookville Mining Equipment Corporation
    Inventor: Larry James Conrad
  • Patent number: 6152273
    Abstract: A current collector assembly for positioning a current collecting shoe into electrical contact with an electrified rail for use with a mobile unit. The collector assembly includes a pair of identical mounting blocks which are used to mount the collector assembly to the mobile unit. The mounting blocks can be used with either a single collector head configuration or a dual collector head configuration. The collector assembly includes a universal support arm that can be used either alone or in combination with a second identical support arm to connect a collector head to the mounting block. The universal support arm includes a main body and a first and a second end. The first end extends at an angle with respect to the main body and is connected to a connecting rod passing through the mounting block. The second end of the support arm includes a pair of mounting holes which are used to connect the support arm to the collector head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: MagneTek, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen W. Kilkenny
  • Patent number: 5673774
    Abstract: An energy collector allows flow of electrical energy between a vehicle and a rail of a railway track. The energy collector includes a vehicle mounting device for mounting the energy collector to such vehicle; a collector shoe for sliding electrical contact on such rail; and a lever arm having a first end and a second end. The energy collector also includes a bottom torsion unit connected to the collector shoe and connected to the second end of the lever arm. The bottom torsion unit is disposed so that the collector shoe is forcefully and generally aligned upon such rail even as the collector shoe encounters physical deviations along a surface of such rail. The energy collector further includes a top torsion unit connected to the vehicle mounting device and connected to the first end of the lever arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Westinghouse Air Brake Company
    Inventors: Scott M. Trapp, Michael A. Weiss
  • Patent number: 5386895
    Abstract: A current collector includes the following members. A frame is mounted at its base end on a movable body. A current collector shoe assembly is mounted on a top end of the frame and is brought into contact with a feeder. A first spring applies a spring force to the frame so as to urge the top end of the frame toward the feeder. A second spring is arranged between the frame and the current collector shoe assembly for pressing the current collector shoe assembly to the feeder. A damper applies a damping force to the vibration of the current collector shoe assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiichi Ohuchi
  • Patent number: 4221282
    Abstract: An assembly for attaching a conductive shoe to a trolley or like vehicle, wherein a pair of elastic rods function to bias the conductive shoe into gliding, electrical contact with a conducting rail in spite of changing distances therebetween, with the elastic rods also providing electrical insulation between the conductive shoe and the trolley, effectively reducing the overall weight of the shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1980
    Assignee: Wampfler GmbH
    Inventor: Manfred Wampfler