US1638438A - Tool for the use of electricians - Google Patents

Description

Aug." 9, 1927. 1,638,438

F. *P. GOTTSCHALK TOOL FORTHE USE OF ELECTRICIANS.

Original Filed Dec. 1. 1920 Patented Aug. 9 1927. i

, 4 1,638,438- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK I. GOTTSCHALK, OF PLAECNFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

'roor. son 'rnn use or ntncrmcmns.

Application med December 1, 1920, serial No. 427,487. Renewed June 22, 1821.

- The invention pertains to testing tools for the use of electricians in locating a defective fuse in an electric circuit, the tool also being adapted for the removal of a defective l fuse and its replacement by a new fuse.

' The tool of my invention comprises a panof bars pivoted together, in the nature of pliers, having specially-shaped jaws and equipped with detachable conductors connected with an electric lamp bulb, said conductors being intended for application to circuit connections in which fuse plugs or other fuses are interposed, so as to determine whether or not the fuse has become defective, the electric lamp lighting, due to the circuit, when the fuse has not become defective and remaining dark when the fuse is defective. The fact that the electric lamp remains dark in the testing of a fuse plug or fuse, is an indication to the operator that the circuit has become broken at the fuse. The tool of my invention is, therefore, intended for locating defective fuses and also for removing a defective fuse, when found, and replacing the same with a new fuse. The pivoted bars constituting the body of the tool are each in one piece and areof insulating material, and P y saidbars may be opened out and closed together, similar to other tools, such as pliers, shears and the like.

The conductors for locating a defective fuse are detachably connected with the mem- 'bers of the tool for convenience in-carrying, packing and utilizing the tool.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a testing tool constructed in accordance with and' embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view, partly broken away, of the same; A

Fig. 3 is a sectional .view, partly broken away, of one/of thetesting conductors detached from the tool; Fig. 4 is a top view. illustrating the aplication of'the tool for applying or remov-" ing a-fuse plug,-and

Fig. 5 is a top view, partly broken away, illustrating the method of applying the tool for testing fuses of one character located in an electric circuit.

In the drawings, 10 indicates the testing tool'as a .whole, and 11, 12 designates the two bars comprising'the body of the tool, .said

recess each other bars being pivoted together at 13, and form- I manner of 'an ordinary pair of pliers, said bars turning on the pivot 13 and being shown as closed together in Fig. 1 and spread open in Figs. 4 and 5. The bars 11, 12 may be of suitable outline in exterior form, but in accordance with my invention the inner edges of the jaws 14, 15 and handles 16, 17 are stralght and parallel with each other and normally come together,-or substantially so, in the closed position of the tool, as I illustrate in Fig. 1. The jaws 14, 15 correspond with each other, except that. they are in reversed relation, and each jaw has a forwardl projecting member 18, and an inner. straig t edge 19 extendin inwardly toward the pivot of the tool. The forwardly proectlng members 18 constitute jaws adapted for one class of work, and the straight edge portions 19 constitute jaws for a diflerent class of work, and hence the jaws 14, 15 are of special construction intended to facilitate the necessary work of an electrician in ap- 1 mg and removing fuse plugs or fuses.

The jaws 14, 15 are rimarily intended to carry the testing con uctors 20, 21 which are in electrical connection with conductors contained in insulating material 22, 23 leadng to an electric lamp 24 of customary character. The conductors 20, 21 are formed at their rear ends with sleeves 25 into which the wires 26 contained in the cables 22, 23 are inserted, as shown in Fig. 3, asa means for electrically connecting the lamp conducting wi s with the conductors 20, 21. The sleeves 2 are formed with laterally extendng pins or projections 27, and these proections re adapted for insertion within the or sockets 28 formed in the faces of the jaws 14, 15 so asto connect the conductors 20, 21 with the tool 10 and permit plugs, wires and other connections placed at varyi-n distances apart. The tool 10 detachab y receives the conductors 20, 21, and said conductors are used only for testing purposes and may be moved outwardly from to varying distances by the opening out or spreading of the handles 16, 17 and jaws 14,- 15, as' will be understood on reference to Fig. I prefer the employment of two projections 27 oneach conductor 20 and 21 and two recesses or sockof the use of said conductors for testing various locations required without interference from the body portions of the tool, prefer to connect the lamp circuit wires with the conductors 20, 21 in the manner shown in Fig. 3, but obviously this connection may be formed in various ways which will be readily understood by an electrician. The construction shown in Fig. 3 is however, one of efliciency and capable of being carried into practical effect.

The rear ends of the handles 16, 17 are correspondingly recessed out in their facing inner edges, as at 29, so as to form a pair of gripping jaws adapted to seize a cartridge fuse for withdrawing the same from its supports, and also to receive a new cartridge fuse fOr application to the supports therefor. The jaws formed by the recesses 29 are useful in connection with carj tridge fuses because with their use the electrician is not compelled to place his hands inany position likely to result in his receiving a shock from the current.

The bars 11, 12 constitutethe body of the tool and will be formed of wood or other non-conducting material, and hence the tool may be employed for testing purposes and for the other duties to which it is adapted without danger of electric shock to the per- Between the main and incoming wires are the customary fuse-plugs 33. The application of the conductors 20, 21 to the binding ortions 30, in the manner shown in Fig. 5, 1s for the purpose of determining whether the hidden fuses have been blown out, and in the event that a fuse has become defective, the circuit between the wires 32, 3-1 willbecome broken and this fact will-be determined b the lam bulb 24 which will remain dark if the bid en fuses have become defective, since then no current can conductors 20, 21 to the amp whic will light if the said fuses are in perfect condition, since the current will then pass through the conductors'20, 21 and li ht the lamp. If it should be found that the fuse is defective, by .the lamp remainin' dark, the fuse-plug should be removed an a new plug ass throu the substituted therefor, and the process of removing and re-applying the fuse-plu is indicated in Fig. 4, in which it may e seen that the jaws 14, 15 have'been applied to the top or outer end of the plug in position to be employed as a wrench or pair of pliers for unscrewing the plug and removing it from the base or of applying a new plug in position on the base.- The jaws 14, 15 are opened out and applied against the fuseplug cap in such manner that the members 18 of the jaws will gri the edges of the cap and that the outer en of the cap may lie within the recess formed at the forward end of'the tool between the jaw members 18. hen the presence of the conductors 20, 21 and lamp 24 result in any inconvenient use of the tool for removing or applying a fuseplug, said conductors and lamp may be rea 11y detached from the tool by withdrawing the pins 27 from the recesses 28 of the jaws 14, 15, and thereafter the conductors 20, 21 may be reapplied to the jaws 14, 15 for further use in testing. If in testing for a defective cartridge fuse it should be found necessary to remove a fuse, the jawsformed at the rear ends of the handles 16, 17 will be employed, as hereinbefore mentioned.

If the fuse should,be a plain 'wire fuse of the kind commonly employed, it may be removed by gripping the same between the plain surfaces 19 ofthe jaws 14, 15, said edges by coming close together in the manner shown in Fig. 1 adaptin the jaws 14, 15 for the extraction or withdrawal ofa wire fuse. v

The conductors 20, 21 and lamp 24 may be removed from the tool 10 for convenience in packing andcarrying the instrument and may also be removed when their resence interferes with the convenient use 0 theinstrument "as a pair of pliers. In the construction presented the conductors 20, 21;

may with entire convenience be applied to an removed from the jaws 14, 15, and said conductors by being on the upper faceof said jaws are exposed and their application to the o posite oints of a circuit connection may e readl y performed. The mounting of the testing, conductors 20, 21 on the jaws- 14, 15 is of considerable importance because the separation between testing points in electric circults vary, and'the present tool ermits of the lateral movement of the con uctors 20, 21 so as to adapt the tool for testmg circuits under all usual conditions.

The tool of my invention, as will be understood from the foregoing description, is of special use to electricians-in locating'defect-ive fuses, and removing such fuses and replaclng the same with new fuses, the one tool serving for the detection of the defec-- tive fuses, and facilitating the work of re moving defective fuses and replacing themwith new fuses.

amass V i a The tool is so formed that is posseses 'for the use of electricians, comprisinfia' air 15 great durability and compactness, and, by of pivoted together crossed bars a or ing reason of the inner facing edgesof the two handles at one end and jaws at the other bars normally coming together, said bar's end, forwardly projecting-testing conduc- 5 are not liable to become broken or distorted tors mounted on. said jaws and an electric when placed with other tools and relieve lam in circuit with said'conductors, saidthepivot of strain except when the tool is con uctors having laterally extending pins in actual use, and in ad ition said construcon their rear portions, and said 'aws having tion of the'bars permits of the use of both sockets to detachably receive sai pins.

1 ends of thevtool for removing or applying 'S'ignedat New York city, inthe county ofv fuses. New. .York and State of New York, this 30th 25 'What I claini as my invention and desire day of November, A. D. 1920.

. I to secure by Letters'Patent, is:

A hand-tool or the character described FREDERICK rzieo'r'rscnanx;

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