The method of fitting metal-impregnated carbon contact strips is very important for practical use. The carbon strips are generally manufactured with a dovetail base that can be clad with a close fitting steel sheath, which is a fabricated metal holder to grip a full-length carbon strip and has fixing bolts for mounting on a pantograph head. The authors have developed three other carbon fitting methods. The first is to use the close fitting steel sheath with built-in fixing bolts for mounting; the second is to stick carbon directly on a pantograph head with electrical conducting adhesives and the last is to apply the metal-impregnated carbon/carbon composite in which a female thread can be cut.

Copyright (c) 2003 Railway Technical Research Institute