US1553930A

US1553930A - Electric-switch block

Info

Publication number: US1553930A
Application number: US424976A
Authority: US
Inventors: Catlin Hoyt
Original assignee: Bryant Electric Co
Current assignee: Bryant Electric Co
Priority date: 1920-11-18
Filing date: 1920-11-18
Publication date: 1925-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 1942-09-15

Description

H. GATLIN ELECTRIC SWITCH BLOCK Filad Nov. 18, 1920 Sept. 15, 1925.

l. MEE-:Eig

9 9H@ A 4 o m Patented Sept. 15, 1925 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HCYTCATLIN, or nitrnenronfr, CONNECTICUT, iis-sienes ATo Tian Bn'vitNT ELiaCTRiC COMPANY, or BRInGEro-RT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION or CCNNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC-SWITCH BLOCK.

Application filed November 18, 1920. Serial No. 424,976.

To aZZwLom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HCYT GATLIN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Switch Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric switches, and particularly to switches of the general type shown in the Goodridge Patent No. 1,323,047, November 25, 1919, and my copending application Ser. No. 328,222, filed October 3', 1919. The object of the present invention is to providel a combined fuse and connection block of simplified Construction having certainfeatures of novelty hereinafter described or shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a group of connection blocks in whichmy invention is embodied in one form;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of one of the blocks; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively sections on the lines 3 3 and 4 4, Fig. 1.

Inasmuch as the present invention is concerned primarily with the connection block upon which is mounted a switch of the type shown in the Goodridge patent above mentioned, the switch is not here illustrated. It is to be understood, however, that the present block is primarily designed to receive such a switch base, and to afford means for connection tothe switch terminals in an analogous fashion.

As vshown in the accompanying drawings the connection block comprises a body 5 of insulating materialof generally rectangular shape having its lower face transversely channelled at 6 and 7 to receive two of the wire `

mains

8, 9 and 10. Projecting into these grooves are Vwire terminals in the form of clamping plates 11 and 12 engaged by screws 13 and 14, and serving to clamp bared sections of the mains against the ends of straps 15 and 16 respectively. These straps lie in recesses 17 'and 18, which eX- tend at right angles to the wire grooves, and the straps are Vheld in the grooves not only by the wire terminal clamping screws 13 and 14, but also by the screw bolts 19 and 20, which lie at right angles to screws 13 and 14 and take into oilset lugs 21 and 22 attlre ends of the straps to hold these lugs against shoulders 23 and 24 formed in the porcelain base for this purpose. The heads of the screws 19 and 20 form center contacts of fuse plug receptacles and overlie insulating discs 25 4)y which in turn overlie the yoke straps 26 and base `flanges 27 of the screw shell side contacts 28' and 29 of the receptacles, the axes of which arev parallel with the upper face of the block 5.V` Vells 30 and 31 let into one end of the block 5, house the receptacles and effectively insulate them. The yokes 26 are provided with

oil'set'lugs

32 and 33, respectively, engaged by the heads of

screws

34 and 35 which pass through the block 5 and secure,` on thel upper face of the latter, the

counter-sunk terminal plates

36 and 37, which are tapped at 38 to receive screws, by which connection is established with certain of the switch terminals upon the associated switch base (not shown).

The block is also pierced at 39, 40 and 41 to accommodate branch leads (not shown) connected tothe terminal plates 42, 43 and 44, to which current is distributed by the switch through connections (not shown) from certain of the switch terminals by means of screws which take into the taps 45, 46 and 47 in the several plates.

It is common practice in heater switch installations for electric ranges and the like, to mount a battery of switches side side to control the several heater units. While two-wire systems are frequently used, it is also common to use a three-wire system in such installations, and it is good practice to balance the several switches on the line by connecting all of the switches to the neutral main, and alternate switches to the positive and negative mains. For a two-wire installation the mains are led directly through the grooves 6 and 7 in the lower face of the several blocks. For a three-wire system, however, the positive or negative main to which connection is not made is accommodated in a third groovev 48 formed in the end of the block opposite that at which the fuse receptacles are located, and connected by channels 49 and 50 on opposite sides of the block with vertical grooves 51 and 52 eX- tending to the groove 7. A typical installation is shown in Fig. 1, in which the positive main 9 jumps the unitvA, is then led through groove 7 in unit B where it is connected to terminal 12, and is then led up through channel 51, 52 and into the jumper channel 48 of unit C; while the negative main 8 is connected to the terminal l2 of the unit A, uinps around unit B, and is connected again at unit C. The jumper loop J is thus kept out of the groove 7 and positioned on the block at a point remote from the binding clamps 12. This construction not only renders the block 5 more. compact, but it facilitates the connection to the binding terminal l2 by taking the unused main at a particular unit entirely out of the groove 7, and furthermore it enables the wireman to readily assure himself that a properly balanced connection has been made since the lacing of the mains in the jumper loop grooves graphically displays the connection and insures a proper arrangement of the mains for a balanced installation. Of course the neutral main l() is carried straight through the switch group in the groove 5, and is connected to the terminal ll on each block.

In order to facilitate the placing of the cables in the groove 48, the corner of the block adjacent the side groove 50 may be cut away as at 53.

The block is lightened and material saved by the present construction, since the usual three-groove base is not only larger, but requires a binding terminal for each groove, as well as a connection between one of the contacts of a fuse receptacle and both of the terminals in the grooves for the positive and negative mains; or the different blocks must be provided respectively with connections to the plus and minus wire terminals. This entails complication of manufacture and a. burdensome increase in stoclr, and also necessitates great care in filling orders, and in the arrangement of the blocks when installed, in order to insure the proper positioning of the different blocks to obtain a balanced connection. The present block is, on the other hand, universal, so that in a given installation all of the units are alike, while the correctness of the wiring connections is graphically displayed. It may be pointed out that a further saving of nia-- terial is secured by carrying the Side walls of the fuse receptacle wells 3() and 3l only part of the depth of the base. The barrier between adjacent wells is, however, carried to the full depth of the fitting, thus affording a substantial foot piece, as well as amply insulating the receptacle chambers from each other. Again it will be noted that the only screws used for holding the fuse receptacle contacts in position serve also as conductors for connection with the mains, or with the terminal plates engaged by the screw bolts from the switch terminals.

Vari-ous modifications in detail of construction and arrangement of the parts will readily occur to those dealing with the problem, without departing, however, from what I claim as my invention.

I claiml. A connection block for a three-wire system comprising a body of insulating material grooved in one face for the reception of the. neutral conductor and a conductor of one polarity, means for establishing electrical connection to said conductors on the block, said block being grooved in another face to receive the conductor of opposite polarity looped around the block.

2. A connection block for a three-wire system comprising a body of insulating material grooved for the reception of the neutral conductor and a conductor of one polarity, means for establishing electrical connection thereto on the block, said block being recessed in an end face to accommodate the conductor of opposite polarity looped around the block.

A wire connection block comprising a body of insulating material grooved on its lower face to accommodate a pair of wire mains, and on one end to accommodate a jumper loop, said block having channels leading from one of the grooves in its lower face to the jumper loop groove in its end.

a. A connection block for a three-wire system comprising a body of insulating material grooved for the reception of the neutral conductor and a conductor of one polarity, fuse receptacle terminals arranged at one end of the block, means for establishing electrical connection between one of said receptacle terminals and one of said conductors, said block being recessed at the end opposite the fuse receptacle to receive the conductor of opposite polarity looped around the block.

5. A wire connection block for a threewire system comprising a body of insulating material grooved to afford three parallel channels for the reception of the conductors, means at two of said channels for establishing electrical connection with the conductors arranged therein, said block being further recessed to form channels substantially at right angles to the third channel in which is accommodated the third wire looped around the block.

6. A wire connection block comprising a body of insulating material grooved on its lower face to accommodate a pair of wire mains, and on one end to accommodate a jumper loop at a different level, said block being cut away at one corner to facilitate the placing of the jumper loop in said end groove.

7 In a wire connection block, a body of insulating material grooved in its lower face to accommodate a pair of wire mains, terminals mounted in the uppei' face of the block to cooperate with an associated switch member, fuse plug receptacle contacts arranged at one end of the base on an axis parallel to the top of the block, wire terminal straps lying at right angles to the said grooves in the base, and securing screw connections between certain of said straps and certain of said receptacle contacts, on the one hand, and between certain other of said receptacle contacts and certain of the terminal plates on the top of the block.

8. A connection block for use with an electric switch, having on one face terminal plates for establishing connection with the contacts of a superposed switch, said block being recessed on said face outside the area of the terminal plates for the accommodation of a conductor, a Jfuse receptacle arranged below said face of the block, a line terminal adapted to be connected with one of the terminal plates through a fuse inserted in said fuse receptacle, said block being pierced to accommodate conductors passing through the block at the terminal plates for connection thereto and affording means through which current may be distributed by the switch.

9. In a connection block for use with an electric switch, terminal plates on one face of the block for establishing connection with the contacts of a superposed switch base, said block being recessed on said face outside the area of the terminal plates for the accommodation of a conductor, a Jfuse receptacle arranged on the opposite face of the block, a line terminal connected to one of the contacts of the fuse receptacle7 the other contact of said receptacle being connected with one of the terminal plates, certain other of said plates being adapted for electrical connection to branch wires led to the opposite face of the block from that upon which the terminal plates rest.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication.

HOYT CATLIN.