US1762509A - Single-conductor disconnecter - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1930. s. P. EDMONDS SINGLE CONDUCTOR DISCONNECTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1925 June 10, 1930. a. P. EDMONDS, 1,762,509

S INGILE CONDUCTOR DISCONNECTER Filed May 20, 1925 2 Shoots-Sheet 2 & IE 5 g Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE I. EDMONDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO G. 86 W. ELECTRIC SPECIALTY 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SINGLECONDUCTOR DISCONNECTER Application filed May 20,

This invention relates to a single conductor disconnecter.

One object of the invention is to provide simple, reliable and efiicient means for electrically connecting and disconnecting electrical conductors in a manner insuring good electrical contact bet-ween the conductors, and which permits of ready electrical disconnection of said conductors.

Another object is to provide a disconnecter in which the main contact parts are positively locked against accidental disconnection, and which may be readily disconnected when it is desired.

Another object is to provide an electrical disconnecter for electrical conductors of the. pothead type, in which the parts cooperate in a new and improved manner to produce efiicient results, and whereby burning of the main contacts is avoided.

Another object is to provide a device of the class described which is safe to handle and adapted to meet all of the requirements under service conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangements disclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a pothead type of single cable disconnecter embodying my invention, the parts being shown as electrically connected;

Fig. 2 is a similar vertical longitudinal sectional view showingthe same arrangement with the connecter rod in its inoperative position for electrically disconnecting the table contact lugs;

- Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken in the plane of line 33 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are fragmentary detail sectional views showing various modifications of the electrical connections between one of the cable contact lugs and the contact rod.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring generally to the figures of the 1925. Serial No. 31,521.

drawings, it will be noted that my present invention is illustrated in connection with a pothead type of single conductor disconnecter in which the pothead, taking the form of a porcelain tube 10, is secured between two clamping members 11 and 12, the latter of which is provided with bracket portions 13 for attachment to any suitable support, such as a pole. 1

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, it will be noted that an aerial cable terminal 14 is secured to a cable contact lug 15 by any suitable means such as 16. The cable contact lug 15 includes a central cylindrical portion 17, the lower end of which is enlarged at 18 and has vertically-extending teeth 19 which are interlocked with cooperating portions in a cementing ring 20. Gaskets 21 are interposed between the enlarged portion 18 of the contact lug and a portion of the cementing ring 20, and other gaskets 22 are interposed between said cementing ring 20 and the top of the porcelain tube 10 and a cap 23, the latter of which is mounted over the gaskets 22. A nut 24 engages threads at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 17 0f the contact lug for clamping the cap 23 in position and firmly securing the cable contact lug in its supported position with respect to the porcelain tube 10. The intermediate cylindrical portion 17 of the cable contact lug has a guide socket 25 for the reception of a cooperating guide pin 26 formed at the upper end of a contact rod 27. Also the enlarged portion 18 of the contact lug is internally threaded for the reception of a cooperating interfitting threaded portion 2801 said contact rod 27. As will. be explained later, the threaded portions of the contact lug 15 and the contact rod 27 are for the purpose of locking said rod to said lug for preventing accidental disconnection between said parts.

Cemented into the lower end. of the insulating tube 10 is an annular contact 29 having a cable lug 30 which is secured to a ground cable terminal 31 in any suitable manner, such as by screws32. The annular contact 29 is internally threaded at 33 for the reception of an intermediate contact ring 34, which has a central annular opening 35 through which the contact rod 27 extends. Secured to the contact rod 27 are yieldablc auxiliary contact or arcing tips 36 which with the contact member 36 form an electrical connection between the contact ring 34 and the contact rod 27, or, as a matter of fact, said contact members form an electrical connection between the cable contact lug 30 and the contact rod 27. In other words, the contact rod 27 is partially yieldably or flexibly electrically connected at its lower end to the cable contact lug 30 through the spring contact members 36, and the upper end of the contact rod 27 is electrically connected to the uppercontact lug 15, through the interengaging threaded portions of said contact rod and lug.

As shown in Fig. 1, the contact rod 27 is locked in its operative position by virtue of the interengaging threaded portions of the contact lug 27 and contact cable lug 15, the rod 27 having been moved into such position by a handle 37 secured to the lower end of the rod 27, there being an insulating disk 37 between the handle 37 and the rod 27 for protecting the operators hand. It will be understood that the cooperating interfitting guide portions 25 and 26 of the upper contact lug 15 and rod 27 guide the rod'in its upper vertical movement for bringing the interengaging threaded portions into operative association. As shown in Fig. 2, the cable terminals 14 and 31 are electrically disconnected because the contact rod 27 has been electrically disconnected from said parts. In breaking said electrical connection, it will be observed that the circuit is broken at the arcing tips 36 to prevent burning of the contacts at the interengaging threaded portions of the contact rod 27 and portion 18 of contact lug 15. This is insured by so proportioning the arcing tips with reference to the length of the arcing opening and the length of the cooperating members 25 and 26, that said members 25 and 26 will not be electrically disconnected before the arcing tips 36 and the Walls of the annular opening 35 are disconnected. Like wise the circuit is finally established by engagement of the contact tips 36 and the contact ring 34.

It will be noted, reference being had to Fig. 2, that when the contact rod 27 is in its lower or inoperative position, said rod is not electrically connected to the contact ring 34. As a matter of fact, for safety purposes, it is insulated therefrom by a porcelain buslr ing 38 which is secured to a flange portion 39 of the rod 27 by screws 40. An annular shoulder portion 41 of said bushing 38 rests upon and is supported by the intermediate contact ring 34 so that normally it is impossible for the contact rod 27 to fall away from the tube 10. If it is desired to remove the contact rod 27 from the tube 10, such may be accomplished by first removing the intermediate contact ring 34.

Referring particularly to Fig. 7, it will be noted that the construction is substantially 'the same, with the exception that the contact tips 42 are slightly different in shape. In the modification shown in Fig. 5, contact tips 43 are provided which are supported at both ends for making the electrical connection more positive. In this modification the cable strands 44 are clamped between and electrically connected to conducting rings 45 and 46, the former of which is electrically connected to the contact ring 45. In Fig. 6 the arrangement is substantially identical with that shown in Fig. 5, with the exception that contact tips 47 of the loop type are provided for giving greater strength and durability. In Figure 7. the arcing tips 42 are so disposed as to have the collar portion thereof substantially parallel to the walls of the annular opening in the member 34. It will be understood, however, that there will be a slight spring action, which in disconnected position will cause the arcing tips 42 to assume an obtuse angle between the leg of the arcing tip fastened to the contact member 42 and the upstanding leg.

There may be various other modifications of the invention. and it is my intention to cover all such modifications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulating tube, a plurality of spaced contact members carried thereby. a contact rod for forming an electrical connection between said contact members, said rod and one of said contact members having cooperating interlitting locking portions for positively locking said contact rod in operative position, and an insulating bushing surrounding said contact rod for protection purposes and adapted to rest upon one of said contact members when said rod is in an inoperative position.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulating tube, a plurality of spaced contact members carried thereby, a contact rod for forming an electrical connection between said spaced contact members, said rod and one of said members having interengaging threaded portions for locking same in operative position, and guide means for guiding said threaded portions into engagement with each other.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulating tube, a plurality of spaced contact members carried thereby a contact rod for forming an electrical connection between said spaced contact men'ibers, said rod and one of said members having interengaging threaded portions for locking same in operative position, guide means for guiding said threaded portions into engagement with each other, and means for supporting said rod with respect to said tube in an inoperative position.

4.'In a device of the class described, the combination of airinsulating tube, a contact supported at one end thereof, a contact ring supported at the other end thereof,- a contact rod having a portion adapted to interlit with said contact member, and yieldable contacts carried by said contact rod for making and breaking the electrical circuit at said contact ring.

5. In a device. of the class described, the combination of an insulating tube, a contact supported at one end thereof, a contact ring supported at the other end thereof, a contact rod having a portion adapted to interfit with said contact member, yieldable con tacts -arried by said contact rod for makin and breaking the electrical circuit at said contact ring, and an insulating bushing carried by said rod for protection purposes and adapted to engage said ring W men said rod is in inoperative position for supporting the rod in said position.

(5. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulating tube, a contact member carried thereby and having a guide socket and a threadedportion, a second contact member carried by said tube, and a contact rod for forming an electrical connection between said contact members, one end of said rod having a guide pin adapted to cooperate with said guide socket and having a threaded portion adapted to cooperate wlth the treaded portion of one of said contact members for locking said contact rod in position.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of an insulating tube, a contact member carried thereby and having a guide socket and a threaded portion, a second contact member carried by said tube, a contact rod for forming an electrical connection between said contact mcn'ibcrs, one end of said rod having a guide. pin adapted to cooperate with said guide socket and having a threaded portion adapted to cooperate with the threaded portion of one of said contact members for locking said contact rod in position, and arcing tips carried by said contact rod and electrically associated with the other of said contact members to prevent arcing between said rod and the first of said contact members. I

, 8. In a device of the character described, the combination with an insulating member, a plgrality of spaced contacts carried thereby, a movable connecting member adapted to electrically connect said spaced contacts, saidconnecting member having a plurality of contacting means for cooperating with each of said spaced contacts, one of said means providing an interlock in electrical connection and the other of said means comprising a contact means and an aaxiliar contact means, said auxiliary means provid ing at making and breaking connection be tween said spaced contacts for the purpose described.

f). In a. device of the character described, the combination with an insulating member,

a plurality of spaced contacts therein, a mem ber movable to connecting position between contacts, said member comprising a plurality of means cooperating with each of said spaced contacts in operative position, and insulating means carried by one of said first named means adapted to cooperate with one of said spaced contacts to support said movable member in inoperative position.

10. In a device of the class described, the

combination of an insulating tube, a plurality of spaced contact members carried thereby, a contact rod for forming an electrical connection between said contact members, said rod and one of said contact members having cooperating guide means for guiding said rod into electrical contact forming position, and means cooperating with said rod and one of said contact members for breaking the circuit when said rod is moved to electrical disconnect position, said means operating prior to disconnecting said rod and said first named contact member.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 19th day of May, 1925.

GEORGE P. EDMONDS.

Images