US1701877A

US1701877A - Disconnecting device

Info

Publication number: US1701877A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1929-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 1946-02-12

Description

Feb. 12, 1929, 1,701,877

Feb. 12, 1929. 1',701,877

w. FOSTER DISGZDNNECTING DEVICE Fil NOV. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 12,1929.

1,701,877 w. FOSTER DI SCONNECTI NG DEVICE Filed Nov. 5, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 12, 1929.

W. FOSTER DISCONNECTING DEVICE Fil 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FOSTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DISCONNECTING DEVICE.

. Application filed November 5, 1325. Serial No. 66,957.

My ,invention relates to disconnecting switches for use in line circuits.

A purpose of my inventionis to provide a disconnecting device having the switch element inside of a tubular insulator.

A fur her purpose is to protect separated terminals by an insulator encasing them and to connect them to close the circuit by a plug. 7 wholly insulated in all exposed parts and protected against accidental contact exterior to the insulator.

A further purpose is to provide spaced circuit terminals enclosed within an insulator and to unite them by a plug guided to 'tial position andthre'aded into final conspaced contact-terminals enclosed within an insulator as a stop toprevent removal of the plug whose operating parts are also enclosed within the insulator and which is protected I against accidental exterior contact.

A further purpose is to provide a plug for engagement with two spaced and insulator enclosed circuit terminals witha thread terminal adapted to draw the plug to final position and with an insulating. sleeve between it and the otherterminal.

'A further. purpose is to provide a plug for connecting two spaced and insulator-enclosed circuit terminals with insulation between its contact points and with a guiding and arcing device between the insulation and one of its;

contacts.

A further purpose is to divide one of two circuit terminalsspaced and protected by insulation and axially in line into two parts of which one is removable and adjustable for p the purpose of determining the setting of the connecting plug and by removal of the plug under normal-conditions to permit its withdrawal when the part is removed.

A further purpose is to fasten switch terminals in opposite ends of a tubular insulator and to provide a plug or bolt connection having'a threaded portion adapted to screw into one of the terminals and a shoulder adapted to engage the other terminal and stop againstit when'screwed home.

A further purpose is to provide a double break in the same side of a circuit and to wholly enclose both breaks. 7

- A further purpose is to safeguard a plug or bolt disconnecting device to more fully protect the user.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section, corresponding to Figure 3 but member disconnected.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of the switch member.

In the drawings similar numerals indicate like parts.

with the switch Describing in illustration and not in limiv tation and referring to the drawings The disconnecting switch operates inside a tubular insulator 10.

The insulator is shown as fastened to a supporting bracket 11 by a perforated band 12 and screws 13. The ends of the band are preferably stiffened by reversely bending them into the screw shanks at 1 1, Figure 2; the arrangement being such that the screw shanks support the band ends from bending inward when the screws are tightened.

The inside terminals of the switch comprise upper and lower conductor elements, 15 and 16, sealed into opposite ends of the insulator 10 by means of molded insulation 1'7 and 18; and presenting outwardly extending flattened shanks 19 (vertical) and 20 (hori- I V (Figure 4) are sweated into the bored ends of the oustide terminals, and the removable screw connections at'2l between the outside and inside terminals adapt the outside terminals to be easily interchanged in position, either line end connecting to either end of the switch while the other line end connects into the other end of the switch.

7 Insulation sleeves 26 and 27 are shown at the ends of the line conductors, extending over and suitably insulating the terminal connections. These sleeves are preferably adapted to be moved away along the conductors to give access to the screw connections at2l.j:v 7

The inside terminals and 16 are desir ably corrugated at 28 and 29 to allord more firm connection with the molded insulation- (cement) and the lower terminal 16, in the form of a horizontal rin'g and shank is I terminal member.

- plugand is held in place against the bottom sealed to place against a downwardly di-' rected shoulder 30 near-the bottom'otthe insulator.

Switch connection is made and broken 'between theinside terminals by means of a Ver tical plug connector 31 .within the tubular insulator,- and provided with an insulation handle 32 beneath the lower endot the'insulater. Connection is made between the in side terminals by moving the plug up and then screwing it into one oi the terminals until it makes stop engagement with the other.

Preferably the threaded connection is with the upper terminal and the stop engagement with the lower, and I have so illustrated it in" the figures, where the upper terminal is bored at 33, (Figure l cou'nterbored and internally threaded at 3s to receive respec-' tively the guide pin 35'and' threaded head 36 on theup per end of the plug connector 31.

The plug isscrewed up until it makes stop engagement with the lower mside terminal member 16, an upwardly directed face 37 ot the bolt member engaging a downwardly directed time 38 of the terminal member. 7 When the bolt connector is unscrewed to open the switch, it is loosely supported upon the lowerinside terlnlnal 16,'a downwardly directed collar (preferably of insulating material). engaging an upper face 40 of the In the structure shown, the plug comprises an upper portion with guide-pin 35 and threaded head 36 and body portion a1 which is'threaded area into a flanged base 43, fitting the internal bore of the lower terminal mem- 'ber.- An insulating Sleeve at, suitably of bakelite, and presenting a downwardly di rected collar 39, surrounds the bodyot the of the'threaded head 36 bya guiding'andarcmg thimble between the body and base.

When moved upwardly for swltch connection the plug is guided at the top by the pin 35 and at the bottom by the thimble l5 so that the mating threads of the head and upper terminal come together in perfect reg,

vided with ridges for more easy gripping and extends downwardly from an insulation flange 51 which normally loosely fills and closes the enlarged opening in the bottom of the insulator. -The flanged handle is fastened to the plug in suitable way, was by moldingit about a shank 52 screwed into the bottom of the plug. I

The top of the insulator is given finish and the'switch interior is protected from the weather by a rubber w-2'1sher53 cap 54; and

nut 55 upon a threaded portion: 56 of the terminal member 15;

The gist of the invention lies inenclosing the two spaced hollow terminal members 15'and 16 46 axially in line, surrounding them by'a protectiveinsulator and connecti1 1g them by a plug which is soinsulated as to prevent accidental'contact with any live plug part. 7 r

.The guide pin facilitates introduction of the plug. The thread uponthe plug cooperatingwith terminal member l5inakes it possible totighten the plug into position and the removable threaded bushing 46 supports tor adjustmentot' the position at whichcontact engagement between it and the face 37 upon the plug shall take'place and'by its removal provides for complete withdrawal of the plug. The arcing guide 45 also has considerable value. Though these are highly the'plug against accidental removalyprovides beneficial they are ancilliary to the main invention above.

in assemblage :The members 15' and 16 are inserted within the insulator 10' and are readily fastened by the insulation 17,j 13

which molded to place. The collar 39 is mounted upon the sleeve a4,'wh1ch is slipped over the rear of the front endot the plug,

aft-er which the guiding and sparking thimble e5 isputinto position where. it is held by screwing the contact 43 upon the rear end of the plug.

The handle 32 carrying the shank 52 is then screwed to position, completing the assemblage'or the plug member. I

The'busliing ll} is adjusted to any proper position and is held there by the set screw shown. Nolclose adjustment is required be- 7 c I use the screw 36 need not come home within the threads 34, a great deal of difierence in final position being permissible at this end.

' n1 operationafter connection of the cir-' cuit has been made to the terminals In disconnected positionydotted in Figure 4, the collar 39 will rest upon the surface 40 of the bushing 46 with the, result that the upper end of the plug will be'wholly disconnectedt'rcm the upper contact and will be spaced at the sides, even trom'the insulator. by the insulating collar 39.

The interior of the plug will meantime be insulated from the bushing 46 by the sleeve at with the result that the plug will be wholly I insulated fromboth of the disconnected contacts, preventing the possibility of shock or leakagev by engagement with the lower plug contact 43 or the guiding and arching member 45, the only metallic parts of-the plug which are exposed beneath the insulator.

As the plug is passed up into the insulator to make contact between the circuit terminals the metallic parts of the plug continue to be protected from engagement. with the lower contact member until the upper end of the guiding and arcing member 45 first Comes in contact with the bushing a6, at which time the lower plug contact 43 is too much protected by insulation 51 for reasonable chance of accidental contact with it.

As the plug is advanced further into the .nsulator the cooperating guide members upon the plug and upon the upper contact of the circuit engage and guide the plug thread 36 into engagement with the thread 3a while the guiding member 15 is maintaining the lower end of the plug in line so that the contact portion 43 is passed up into the opening in the bushing 46.

lVhen the plug is screwed home within the thread 34: the upper surface 37 of lower con tact part 43 is brought firmly into contact with the lower surface 38 of the bushing, completing an effective and reliable connec tion between the circuit contacts.

When the parts aredisconnected by withdrawal of the plug any are that is'formed is intended to be taken up by the member 45, after which the parts move up or down to the dotted position of the plug at which this description started.

The switch is weather proof and fool proof. hen the switch is opened any arcing can take place inside the insulator only, where it can do no harm, and at a thimble member 45 readily and inexpensively replaced. Bare conductors are at all times everywhere out of sight and out of reach of the operator, whether .the switch be open or closed and during opening and closing, making the switch extremely safe.

In view of my invention and disclosure, variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, and I therefore claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim'as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A tubular insulator, a pair of hollow circuit terminals whose hollow portions are located axially in line in front and rear of the insulator and are protected by it, in combination with a plug having a guide and thread in its forward end in the direction of the movement cooperating with one of the terminals and an inwardly facing contact surface spaced therefrom, located near its rear end and adapted to engage the second of the terminals.

2. A tubular insulator, a pair of hollow circuit terminals whose hollow portions are located axially in line in opposite ends of the insulator, in combination with a plug having contacts near opposite ends both in one position out of contact with the terminals, con nected by an intervening conductor and one threaded for engagement with one of the circuit terminals, an insulating sleeve surrounding the conductor between the two contacts and a collar of the sleeve adapted to engage with one of the circuit terminals to prevent normal withdrawal of the plug.

3. A tubular insulator, a pair of hollow circuit terminals whose hollow portions are located axially in line in opposite ends of the insulator, in combination with a plug having contacts near opposite ends connected by an intervening conductor and one threaded for engagement with one of the circuit contacts, an insulating sleeve surrounding the conductor, a guiding and arcing metallic fitting surrounding the conductor between the sleeve and second plug contact and a handle for applying the plug to close the circuit contacts 4. A tubular insulator, a pair of hollow circuit terminals whose hollow portions are lo cated axially in line in opposite ends of the insula or, one havinga removable annular inner portion, in combination with a plug having. contacts near opposite ends both in one positionoutofcontact withtheterminals,connected by an intervening conductor and one threaded for engagement with one of the circuit terminals, an insulating sleeve about the conductor between the plug contacts and a collar upon the insulating sleeve adapted to engage the removable portion of the second circuit terminal to prevent withdrawal of the plug without the removal of this portion.

5. A tubular insulator, a conducting terminal fastened in the upper end thereof and presenting a downwardly threaded portion, a conducting terminal fastened in the lower end of the insulator, bored co-axially therewith and presenting a downwardly directed face, a plug connector having an upper por tion threading into the upper terminal and a lower portion presenting an upwardly directed face in disconnected position disengaged from the lower terminal but in engaged position engaging the face of the lower terminal, and an insulation handle fastened to the bottom of the plug for screwing and unscrewing the plug.

6. A tubular insulator, a conducting terminal fastened into the upper end thereof and within the insulator presenting a downwardly directed portion having a bore and internal threaded counterbore, a conducting terminal fastened to extend laterally into the lower end of the insulator, bored coaxial therewith and presenting a downwardly di rected face, a plug connector having a dowel and threaded upper'portionfitting thebore an'd'threaded counterbore respectively and a lower portionwithin thebore of the lower terminal and presenting an upwardly directed face to engage the face of the lower terminal but free fromit in disengaged'position, and an insulation handle extending downwardly from the bottom of the plug for screwing and unscrewing the plu i.

7. A tubular insulator, a conducting terminal fastened to extend into the upper end thereter having a circular recessed seat, a strap adapted to partly surround the insuthereof and downwardly threaded inside the insulator, a lower terminal fastened laterally into the lower end of the insulator and having a bore coaxial w th the insulator, a con ductor plug having an upper end threaded into the upper terminal, a shoulder on the 'plugupwardly enga the bottom of the I UAU 1 lower terminal, a sleeve on the plug intermediate the terminals, a downwardly directed shoulder uponthe sleeve adapted to engage the lower terminal when the plug member is removed from engagement with the thereof and downwardly threaded inside the insulator, a lower terminal fastened laterally into the lower end of the insulator and having a bore coaxial with the insulator, a conductor plug having an upper end threaded into the me er? upper terminal, a shoulder on the plugiupwardly engaging the bottom ofthe lower terminal, a sleeve on the plug intermediate the terminals, an arcing thiinble carried by the engagement with the upper terminal, and an insulation handle downwardly extending from the plug.

' 9. A disconnecting switch having a cylindrical body, in combination with avbracket lator and having screw holes throughpthe strap, strap ends reversely bent into axial with the screw holes and screws passing through the screw holes in the straps, engaged by the reverselybent strap ends and holding the stra 'is to the bracket.

10. A disconnecting switchcomprising a tubular insulator having circuit terminals withinit and connecting approximately semis cylindrical members projecting laterally and vertically therefrom, in combination with circuit connecting emembers also approxi mately semi-cylindrical, adapted to engage alternatively with the members projecting from the disconnecting switch, fastening devices for holding the members togethe and insulating sleeves fitting over the connections thus formed.

' lVlLLlf-tl FOSTER.