US1228859A - Meter-switch. - Google Patents

Description

' R. S. WHITE.

METER SWITCH- APPLICATION FILED Auc.2z. ms;

1,228,859. Patefited June 5,1917

ROGER s. WHITE, or WASHINGTON, ms'rmc'r OF COLUMBIA.

METER-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'latcnted June 5, 1917.

Application filed August 22, 1916. Serial No. 116,295.

To all tr/mm. it mayo-0710mm Be it. known that 1, Room: 5. \Vurrn, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have im'ented certain new and useful Improvements in l\leterS\\'it -hes, of which the following is a specification.

This intention relates to a switching dc- \'iee allapted for use particularly on meter test blocks. The invention comprises a suit.- able base of insulating material, a switch terminal secured upon the trout ol the base, and a ('OtiHQl'tltlllg switch terminal eompris ing a threaded stud projecting from the base beyond the first mentioned terminal and a threaded contact member adjustable on the stud into and out of engagement with the lirst mentioned terminal, said eo-aeting switch member having means, in front of the base, for detachably connecting a meter test wire thereto. The, means for detachably connecting.the meter test wu'c prefcrmay com-prises an opening or' recess into which the wire maybe hooked, and this opening may-be either in the stud or in the memberadjustable thereon, the former arrangement.being prelrrred, and the said ad-.

justable meniber then becomes a locking means fol-the wire. It will be understood that several switching devices are required to make the necessary rireuit changes to apply a lest meter, but as these devices may be all alike, it is unnecessary to illustrate or deseribc the entire set of switches. 7

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates my invention,

Figure l is a front or plan View of a switch block having thereon a pair of switches embodying my invention;

Fig-L 2. IS a section on the line 2-2 of .Fig. 3 is a section on the, line I, 3 of Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of switch; and, I

, Fig. is a section on the line 55 of Fig.4.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the rlij'awing, A indicates a base of insulating 'lnaterialu 'ion which two similar switches a opening and through an opening in the base.

This stud is provided with a conical shoulder 9 which tits against the base, and a conicalwasher 10, of insulating 1natcrial,fits into the opening 8 between said shoulder and the plate 1. The stud is held in fixed position by a nut 11 thereon, .at the back of the base, and the terminal of a conductor 12 is secured on the stud .by a nut 13.

The stud '9 projects in front of thebase and of the plate 1 for a suitable length tosuppoii .a metal contact member 14, which isin the form of a nut threaded on to the stud and which is movable into and out of engagement with the plate 1. The plate 1 forms one terminal of the switch and the,

stud and nut form the other switch terminal.

WVhen the nut is-scr'ewed inwardly against the plate, as shown at the right 1n Fig. 2, the switch is closed, and the eoiuluetors 7 and 12 are electrically connected together. \Vhen the nut is unscrewed, as shown at the. left in Fig. 2, the electrical connection between the conductors 7 and 12 is interrupted.

The stud of each switch isprovided with wires of a. test meter thereto. In this instance, holes 1!) are bored through the studs, near their outer ends, to receive the test meter wires, one of which is shown at 16-, which wires are usually bent into hook form at their ends and hooked into the perforations The perforation in each stud forms a satisfactory means for connecting a test wire to the stud, but in order to secure the wire against accidental displacement, the nut 14 may be adjusted outwardly on the stud. until its outer face bears against the wire, a's indicated in Fig. 3, and the nut then locks the wife against displacement.

the nut 14 p ays' between the opening 1? and Thus,

means for detachably-connecting one of the the terminal 1 and performs the mechanical function of clamping the test wire when in 1ts outer [)(ylSllZlOIl, and the electrical function of connect ng the conductors 7 and 12 when l v o in its innermost position. As the exposed end of the stud projects a considerable distance from the opposing terminal 1, ample room is provided for connecting the test wire to the stud without bringing the wire close to the terminal 1. There is, therefore, little or no danger of short circuiting the switch in handling the meter test wire.

In the switching device above described, the metal surfaces of the nut and stud where they project forward or in front of the base are uninsulatcd and wholly exposed, so that the meter test wire might be attached to either the nut or the stud, if a suitable perforation were provided in the former. In Figs. 4 and 5, a switch is shown in which the nut is perforated to receive the test wire.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the parts arcthe same as in Figs. 1 t0 3, inclusive, with the exception of the stud and nut. Referring to these latter figures of the drawing, the stud 9 is not perforated, and the nut or sleeve 14" ext'ends beyond the end of the stud in the closed position of the switch. The nut, near its outer end, is provided with a perforation 15", extending diametrically through it, for receiving the hooked end of a meter test wire, and a slot 17 .'is formed in the end of the nut or sleeve so that a screw-driver may be inserted to tighten or loosen it. When the switch is opened by unscrewing the nut, the meter test wire may be inserted through the perforation 15, and then by screwing the nut downward, the Wire will be clamped against the end of the stud.

In'both forms of switch, a single turn of the nut will open or close the switch; but the stud is long and threaded to its outer end,

so that many turns of the-nut would be re quired to remove it from the stud. It is intended that the nut shall remain on the stud at all times, and with this arrangement the operator is not likely t0 unscrew the nut'so -mctml parts.

What I claim is: I 1. In a switch for meter test blocks;- a suitable base, a switch terminal supported.

thereby, and a co-acting switch. terminal comprising a threaded stud projecting from the base outwardly beyond the first mentioned terminal and a threaded Contact memher on said'stud, said co-acting terminal having, in front of the first mentioned terminal, means for detachably connecting a meter wire thereto.

2. In a. switch for meter test blocks, a suitable base, a switch terminal supported there by, and a co-acting switch terminal compris ing a threaded stud projecting from the base outwardly beyond the first mentioned terminal and a threaded contact member on" said stud, said co-acting terminal having, in front of the first mentioned terminal, a perforation to receive a meter test wire.

3. In a switch for meter test blocks, av suitable base, a switch terminal supported thereby, and a co-acting switch terminal comprising a threaded stud projecting from the base outwardly beyond the first menti idned terminal'and having means infront of'said latter terminal for the attachment of a'wire' and a threaded contact member on the stud, said member adjustable into locking enga ement with the wire, when the latter'is,attac ed.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

ROGER s. WHITE.

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