US2262226A - Conductor and track wire connector for signal systems - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 11, 1941. o. s. FLATH 2,262,226 CONDUCTOR AND TRACK WIRE CONNECTOR FOR SIGNAL SYSTEMS Filed Feb. 21, 1938 Patented Nov. 11, l1941 UNITED STATE-s PATENT .oFF-ICE CONDUCTOR AND TRACK W IREV CONNECTOR FOR VSIGNAL SYSTEMS Claims.

My invention relates more especially to connectors whereby the current conducting cables or conductors, which are generally disposed in trunking along the right-of-way, are mechanically and electrically connected with the wires which 4lead to and are suitably secured to the rails of the track for use in railway signalling. The current conducting cable at the location of the track wires generally is brought upwardly in a suitable standard or riser of any suitable material, usually consisting of a metallic conduit or pipe.

The invention has for its object the provision of connectors whereby the conductor and track wires will be rmly held in electrical relation against accidental rupture and the electrical relation maintained under the adverse weather conditions encountered, While at the same time providing connectors which enable installation and maintenance to be readily accomplished.

The invention also has for its object the provision of a structure wherein the wire clamping elements are all threaded on a single upstanding threaded pin or bolt arranged in non-rotating intimate relation with the base portions of the connectors so as to withstand the strains encountered during the tight screwing down of the nut members through the use of wrenches; the intimate relation being effected either by constituting the bolt portion an integral part of theyoke or base portion of the connectors or by a partial embedment of the bolt in the yoke and base portion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire endreceiving and solder receiving element adapted to be readily applied to the upstanding pin or bolt member of the conductors and also adapted to function as a wire clamping element.

The foregoing objects or purposes, as well as the advantages, of my invention will allbe readily comprehended from the detailed description rof the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the base plate member, employed in Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View of a cable outlet or riser with my improved connector means.

Figure 3 is a similar view illustrating a modi- Iied assembly.

Figure 4 is avplanview ofthe structures shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the combination solder holding and wire clamping element employed in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

The invention, in its various forms, for purposes of exemplication'has been shown applied to metallic conduits Vor risers, the upper ends whereof are indicated at v20; it will, however, be understood that my improved connectors in the forms disclosed in Figures 1 and 2 are adapted for use on a horizontally disposed trunking without need of alteration.

Inthe embodiment vshown in Figures 2 and 4, the connector comprises the main plate or base member 31 of suitable dimensions and preferably of approximate circular form with laterally disposed ears or lobes 44 at diametrically opposite points (see Figure 4); the lobes being provided with suitable openings to receive the fastening elements or bolts 23 which are adapted in this instance-to screw into tapped holes formed in the registering ears of a riser encircling collar 24, which in turn may be secured to the upright or riser by set-bolts 2 5. The bolts 23 are preferably insulated from the plate or base member 31 by suitable insulating washers.

The plate or base member 31 is centrally provided on its upper face with an enlargement or boss 38 and an integral upstanding threaded pin portion 39.

`The basemember 31 has an opening for passage of the cable wire 32 and the enlargement or boss 38 on oppositesides of the pin portion 39 (threaded `to receive the nut 34) is preferably provided with arcuate grooves to receive the track wires 3,0, 30, which are clamped inrplace by my improved combination solder holding and wire clamping member 53 of the construction shown in Figure 5 consisting. of the solder holding portion 54 Whose opposite side walls are apertured as shown at 55 for passage of the track wires therethrough and the bottom of this solder holding portion is also apertured to register with the aperture in the base member 31 for passage of the unsheathed portion ofthe conductor wire 32. One Wall of the solder holding portion at its upper end is provided with the laterally disposed plate portion 56 recessed on its lower face at 51 to fit over the track wires 30 while the upper'face is provided with the recess 58 for reception of the upper end of the cable wire 32 and this portion is apertured for passage of the pin 39 therethrough. After the wires have been inserted in place the chambered portion 54 is then lled with a solder which may contain a. suitable ux whereby the respective wires are not only additionally held in place but further electrical relation between the Wires provided. The solder holding portion 54 of the element is of predetermined depth to permit a wire clamping relation to be effected between the portion 56 of element 53 and the boss 38, as shown in Figure 2, and with the solder holding portion 54 arranged flush with one side of the boss 38. It is apparent that element 53 will be held against any rotative movement when the nut 34 is screwed down on the pin 39 with the washers 33 therebeneath, thus relieving the wires of any twisting strains.

In Figure 3 I disclose a structure involving a base plate 4| adapted to be secured by suitable bolts (not shown because the sectional view is taken transversely between the points where the bolts would appear) to the collar 24 which in turn is secured to riser 20; the base plate 4| on its upper face being provided with a socket 42, as shown in Figure 1, to receive a part of the head of bolt 43. The remainder of the head of the bolt is located in a suitable angular socket formed in the yoke member 41 whose upper face is provided with transverse grooves on opposite sides of the bolt to receive the track Wires 3D; these track wires, in turn, are clamped down in place by the plate portion 56 of the element 53 shown in detail in Figure with its upper face recessed to receive the unsheathedr end of conductor wire 32 which extends through a suitable opening in base plate 4| and through an opening in the bottom of the solder box portion 54 of element T in a plane beneath that of the plate portion are 53, with the end of the conductor wire encircled about the bolt in the recess 58 of the element. The conductor wire is then rigidly clamped in lplace by means of the washers 33 and nut 34 as previously described. After the wires have been put into place as just described, the pocket 54 is then lled with a suitable solder. The apertured side wall of element 53 is arranged flush with a side of yoke member 41 thus preventing any rotative movement of element 53'.

Where element 53 is used with a structure as shown in Figure 3, namely where yoke member 41 is employed, I also prefer to provide the base plate 4| with suitable upstanding ribs, as shown at 59, 59, see Figure 1, spaced apart sufliciently t0 receive the body portion of the yoke member therebetween. With this construction, namely where a yoke member is secured to the base plate by means of bolts or'other fastening means, the rotative strains that may be encountered by the yoke member will not be transmitted through the yoke member 41 to its fastening means or bolts but will be transmitted directly to the base plate 4|. f

I have disclosed a number of embodiments of the invention which are believed best adapted to present day signalling systems as employed by the railroad systems, but certain modifications may be possible without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention defined by the appended claims.

What I Claim is:

1. In a connector of the character described, a conducting element provided at one end with a plate portion having a fastening member receiving opening and a conductor wire receiving surface on its upper face and track wire receiving surfaces on its lower face,lthe other end of said element being provided with a solder receiving cavity, the bottom whereof has a conductor wire receiving hole while the side wall of the cavity,

coincident with the track wire receiving surfaces on the bottom of the plate portion, is provided with a pair of track wire receiving holes.

2. A connector of the character described comprising, in combination with a main member secured to the outlet for the conductor wire of a signalling'system and provided on its top with a non-circular boss and an upstanding threaded portion; a conducting member apertured at one end for reception of said upstanding threaded portion while the other end is formed to provide a solder receiving cavity which extends beneath the horizontal plane of the apertured end with a side wall of the cavity in abutting relation with the boss on the main member to prevent rotation of said conducting member, the bottom of said cavity having an opening for passage of the cable-wire while the side wall of the cavity has openings for receiving the ends of the track wires.

3. In a connector of the character described, a conducting member provided with a box-like formation at one end and with a plate portion at the other end extending laterally from the upper part of said box-like formation, said plate portion being apertured to receive a fastening bolt, the box-like formation constituting a solder receiving cavity, the bottom of the cavity having a conductor wire receiving hole, while its sides provided with track wire receiving holes.

4. A connector of the character described comprising, in combination with a base member adapted to be secured at the outlet for the conductor wire of a signalling system and provided with a boss on its upper surface having a vertical side face and track wire receiving surfaces on its upper face; conducting means consisting of a single piece member having a plate portion at one end adapted to extend across said boss and provided with a fastening bolt receiving opening and wire receiving grooves on its lower face coincident with the wire receiving surfaces of the boss for clamping the track wires in place, while the top of the plate portion is provided with a conductor wire receiving surface, the other end of said single piece member being of boxlike formation depending beneath the plane of the plate portion and provided with a vertical sidewall adapted to cooperate with the vertical side face of said boss to prevent rotative movement of the member, said box-like end constituting a solder-holding cavity whose bottom and side walls are provided with wire receiving openings.

5. In a connector of the character described, a single piece member having a solder receiving cavity at one end provided with conductor and track wire receiving openings and a plate portion disposed laterally from the upper part of one side wall of said cavity, said plate portion lhaving conductor and track wire receiving recesses on its opposite faces and a fastening bolt receiving opening disposed through the recess on the upper face and between the wire receiving recesses on the lower face thereof, the wire receiving recesses on the lower face being substantially in alignment with the track wire receiving openings in the wall of sai-d cavity.

OTTO S. FLA'I'H.

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