Tracking pantograph for railway electrification
OwnerMarvin Garfinkleinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A pantograph apparatus for an electric locomotive is provided that possess two degrees of freedom, a vertical motion similar to that of the conventional pantograph apparatus and a unique lateral motion without any longitudinal component that permits the collector head to track an overhead conductor independently of the position of the overhead conductor relative to the track centerline. Tracking is accomplished electronically by two laterally-positioned contactors on the collector head that generate an error signal when contacted by the overhead conductor, thus actuating a servomechanism to reposition the collector head so as to maintain the overhead conductor between the lateral contactors. The pantograph apparatus disclosed herein is fully compatible with conventional catenary electrification.
Claims7
A pantograph apparatus secured to the roof of an electric locomotive, for collecting power from an overhead electrified conductor;
- wherein said apparatus comprises:
- a base secured to said roof of said locomotive;
- a trapezoid linkage assembly having first and second ends, wherein said first end is rotatably secured to said base;
- an elbow-swivel assembly having first and second arms and allowing only pivotal movement in one-dimension between said first and second arms and wherein one of the said two arms is connected to said second end of said trapezoid linkage assembly;
- a rhomboid linkage assembly having first and second ends, wherein said first end of said rhomboid linkage assembly is connected to the other end of said two arms of said elbow-swivel assembly, thereby allowing only pivotal movement in one-dimension between said trapezoidal linkage assembly and said rhomboid linkage assembly;
- a collector head connected to said second end of said rhomboid linkage assembly, and wherein;
- said locomotive travels in a longitudinal direction and there exists a vertical direction pointing essentially directly above said locomotive and there exists a lateral direction pointing from said locomotive and being substantially perpendicular to both said longitudinal direction and said vertical direction, and wherein;
- said trapezoid linkage assembly constitutes a lower pantograph arm and includes means to maintain said collector head at substantially a same longitudinal position relative to said base regardless of a change in a lateral position of said collector head relative to said base, and
- said elbow-swivel assembly includes means to maintain said collector head at substantially a same longitudinal position relative to said base regardless of a change in a vertical position of said collector head relative to said base, and
- said rhomboid linkage assembly constitutes an upper pantograph arm and includes means to maintain said collector head orientated substantially parallel to said lateral direction regardless of changes in a lateral or a vertical position of said collector head relative to said base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.