US814671A - System of preventing the collection of ice on rails. - Google Patents

Description

No. 814,671 PATBNTBD UAR. 13, 1906.

' J. D. BURNS.

SYSTEM OF PREVENTING THE COLLECTION OF 105 ON RAILS.

' APPLICATION FILED EEB.7,1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET r.

PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

J. D. BURNS SYSTEM OF PREVENTING THE COLLECTION OF ICE 0N APPLICATION FILED PEBJ, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- mwmoz abtoowzq UNIT D STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

JEREMIAH-D. BURNS, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF ooLuMmA. ASSIGNOR F TWENTY-FOUR ONE-HUNDREDTHS To LiNcoLN GUYNN, QF WABASH, INDIANA, AND WILLIAM J.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.-

WASHINGTON,

SHEETZ, OF.

SYSTEM. OF PREVENTING THE QOLLECTION OF ICE ON'RAILS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed February 7, 1905. Serial No. 244,549.

Patented us 13. 1906.

To aZZ whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH D. BURNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Preventing the Collection of Ice on Rails, of which the following is a specificationyreferencc being had therein 'to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in a system of preventing the collect-ionof snow or me on or about rails on. which cars are to be propelled, the main object being the provision of means whereby electricity is so used as t0" increase the temperature of such rails or the atmosphere surrounding the same, so as to be above the freezing-point, and thereby prevent snow or ice from collecting thereon or adjacent thereto.

In order to carry this invention into effect, a resistance-wire of low conductivity is embedded in a non-conductor of electricity, but a conductor-.of heat, and held in contact with or adjacent to the rails and electricity caused To pass through the resistance-wire in such manner as to heat the substance surrounding the same, and thereby transmit to the rails or to the atmosphere surrounding the same such heat as will cause the temperature of the rails or atmosphere to raise and be held at such a degree of temperature as to prevent snow or ice from collecting on rails or adjacent thereto.

To attain these objects and carry this invention into effect, my invention consists of a system of this character embodying novel features of construction audcombination of parts substantially as disclosed herein.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatical view showing a complete system embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through a rail and my heat-conducting means, showing the method of attaching the same to the rail. Fi 3 is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional view taken through the heat-conductor.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the bus-bar, while the numeral 2 to the bus-bar 1 is a wire 3, which is connected to a post 4, adapted to be contacted by one member 5 of the double switch 6, a wire 7 connecting the member 5 of the switch to the rheostat 8. Connected to the outgoing post of the rheostat is a wire 9, which is-eonnected to one end of the resistance-wireolo, whose other end is connected either to the ground at 11 or to the rail '12, as may be desired. o the bus-bar 2 I connect a wire 13, which is connected to-a post 14, ada ted to be contacted by the member 15 of tlie switch 6, the said member 15 being connected to the ground at 16 by means of a wire- 17. Thus the circuit for feeding the resistance-wire 10 is completed. This resistance-wire is in cased within a tube or iron pipe 18 by means of a concrete filling 19, made of a non-conductor of electricity, but of a conductor of heat, such as clay, cement, or any silica composition, either pure or composition, such as glass or porcelain. The pipe 18 is suspended to the Web 20 of the rail 12 by means of a series of hooks 21, which pass through the web and are held in place by the fastening means 22, the hooks being so constructed as to clamp the pipe 18 closely against the underside of the flange .23 of the rail. By this means, the resistance-wire being of the lowest possible conductivity, heat is generated within the tube or pipe 18, conducted through the filling 19 to the pipe, and conse( uently to the under side of the flange 23 of the rail in such a manner as to increase the temperature of therail, so as to be above freezing-point, and by means of the rheostat the degree of tem perature may be increased by increasing the voltage of electricity passing through the resistance-wire.-

I would have it understood that although I have shown the resista11ce \\'ire as grounded and fed only at the two'po'ints in a system the said resistance-wire will be fed the same as in power systems at intervals and grounded in like manner, thus insuring the best possible results and the more even distribution of electricity through the resistance-wire.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it is evident that I provide a system whereby the temperature of the flange of a rail or rails may be kept at such a degree as to prevent the -ol= lection of ice thereon, and thus prevent :lu'idents by also lossof power by giving a better contact tems, the form heretofore described being readily applicable to this underground. system.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a system of this'character the cornbrnation with electric feed-wires and the rails of a'railway system, of a metallic support carried by the Web of the rails, and means for increasing the temperature of the rails to melt or prevent snowor ice from collecting on the rails carried by said supports, above the same and directly below the tread oi Lhe rail, the said'means being connected. directly to the feed-wires, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a systemof this character, the cone bination with electric feed-Wires and the rails of a railway system, of metallicsupports carried by the webs of the rails,a metallic tube or pipe removably supported in said supports, a resistance-wire incascd within said tube or pipe, 'a- .lastic non-conductor of electricity and con uctor of heat forming a homogeneous mass within the tube or pipe and surrounding the resistance-wire, and means for con necting the wire tosaid resistance-wire.

3. In a system of this character, the combination with electric teed-wires and the rails of a trolley system, of metallic supports arried by the'web of the rails and a metallic tube or pipe removably supported in said supa ports, a resistance-Wire incased within said tube or pipe, a plastic non-conductor of ele'ctricity and conductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass within the tube or pipe and surrounding the resistance-wire, and means for connecting the fcedavirc to said resistance-wire. 4. In a systemof this character, the combination with electric feed-wires and the rails of atrolley system, of metallic supports carried by the web of the rails, a metallic tube or pipe removably supported in said supports, a coiled resistance-wire incased within said tube-or pipe, a plastic non-conductor of electricity and conductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass within the tube or pipe and surrounding the coiled resistance-wire, and means'for connecting the feed-wires to said resistance-wire.

5. In a system ofthis character, the combin-ation with feedwires and rails of a trolley system, of metallic supports carried by the web of the rails, a metallic envelop detachably carried by the supports, and a resistance-wire so mounted within' the envelop as to be free from. the action of oxygen thereon so that the wire cannot be burned out and .movably supported by means forconnecting the feed-wires to said resistance-wire. (3. In a-system of this character, the combination with feed-wires and rails of a. trolley system, ofmetallic supports carried by the -web of the rails, a metallic envelop detachably carried by the supports, a coiled resistance-wire so mounted Within the envelop-as to be free from the action of oxygen thereon so that the wire cannot be fused, and means for connecting the feed-ivires to said resistance-wire.

- 7. The combination with bus-bars and rails of a trolley system, of'metallic supports carried by the web of the rails, a metallic tube or pipe removably supported by the sup ports, tube or pipe, tricity and conductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass within the tube or pipe and surrounding the resistance-wire and conductors for electricity connected to the bus-bars and the resistance-wire.

8. In a system of this character, the combination with bus-bars and rails of a trolley system, of metallicsupports carried by the web of the rails, a-metallio tube or pipe rethe said supports, a coiled resistance-wire incased within said tube orpipe, a plastic non-conductor of electricity and conductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass within the tube or pipe and surrounding the coiled resistance-wire, and conductors "for electricity connected to the bus-bars and resistance-wire.

9. In a system of this character, the combination with electric feed-wires and the rails of a trolley systein, of metallic supports carried by the iveb of the rails, a metallic tube 'or pipcremovably attached to the supports,

a resistance-wire of low conductivity incased within said tube or pipe, a plastic non-conductor of electricity and conductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass Within the tube or pipe and surrounding the re.sistancewire and means for connecting the feed-wire to said resist ance-w ire. I

10. In a system of this character the combination with feed wires and rails of a trolley system, of metallic supports carried by the web of the rails, a metallic envelop detachably supported by the supports, a resistancewire of low conductivity so mounted within the envelop as to be free from the action'of oxygen thereon so that the wire cannot be fused and means for connecting the feedwires to said resistance-wire.

11. The combination with bus-bars and rails of a trolley system, of metallic supports carried by the web of the rails, a metallic pipe or tube removably attached to the rails, aresistance-wire of low conductivity incased within said tube or pipe, a plastic non-conductor of electricity and conductor of heat forming a homogeneous mass within the tube a resistanc'ewvireincased within saida plastlc non-conductor of elecor xipeand surrounding the x'0sistance\\'ir6, anti conductors of'elm-tricity connected to the hus baI's and the resistante-wire.

12. In a system 01 this c aracter, the (unil i1mtion with busters and rails of a trolley system, Qf metallic supports carried by the web (if the rails, a metallic tube removably attached to the supports, a (oiled resistance- \\'ire-0f low tulw or pipe, :1, plastic non-conductor of elec? tricity antlconductor of heatforming a hoconductw'ity incased within said inogeneous mass within the tube or pipe and surrounding the coiled resistance-wire, and conductors for electricity connected to the bus-bars and the resistance-wire.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JEREMIA D. BURNS. Witnesses W. J. SnEETz, DAVID P. MOORE.

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