US1824167A

US1824167A - Connecting means for electric conductors

Info

Publication number: US1824167A
Application number: US228025A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hermon P Ober
Original assignee: General Railway Signal Co
Current assignee: SPX Corp
Priority date: 1927-10-22
Filing date: 1927-10-22
Publication date: 1931-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1948-09-22

Description

Sept. 22,1931. H. P. OBER 'CONNECTING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC QONDUCTORS Filed Oct. 22, 1927 TTORNEY Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERMON P. OBER, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAILWAY SIGNAL comm OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK CONNECTING MEANS FOR ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS Application flled october 22, 1927. Serial No. 228,025.

This invention relates in general to terminal connecting means for electricconductors and has more particular reference to a conduit outletblock, and cap therefor, for making connection between parkway cable or other conductor, and wires leading, for example, to track rails, signals, switch boxes, etc., as used in railway'practice, or to any other desired means. 1

It is usual practice to run cable underground and bring it up to the surface at the point where power is to be used by passing it up through upright risers. This invention consists essentially in an insulating block which can be readily assembled on, and removed from, such a riser as it exists in the field, together with a protecting and holding cap.

Among the objects sought to be accomplished by this invention are, to produce such a device which is simple, economical to make, easy to install and to take down, and extremely practical in use. 1

With the ordinary method of connection used in such cases, the apparatus assembled on the top of the riser is either a box or its equivalent, so that the conduit space below such block is made practically inaccessible or at least requires considerable time and effort who made accessible. With the present invention however, the terminal block can be readily separated from the riser a suflicient distance to permit inspection of the wires in the riser and the filling of the riser with sealing compound, all without disconnecting the wires from the terminal block.

A further object of this inventionis to provide means for preventing'flooding of up right risers by water and this is accomplished by. so forming the cap as to have it extend sufliciently below the upper end of the riser to form an air seal against entrance of water into the riser in the event, for example, of the trackway being flooded.

Furtherobjects, purposes and characteristic features of this invention will appear as the description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings showing, solely by way of illustration, one form which taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 2 is an elevatlonal view, with parts shown in section and Fig. 3 is a detail view of the terminal block.

Referring to the drawings, at 1 is shown avertical riser of any usual or desired form containing a cable 2, shown in the present instance as comprised by two conducting wires 3 and 4..

The riser 1 has a portion cut away at one side of its upper end by means of a vertical cut parallel to the axis of the riser forming a vertical face 5 and a transverse cut forming :1v face 6, to thereby cut out an integral section of the riser. A transverse notch 7 is formed in the face 5, as shown in Fig. 2, the

notch having slightly rounded edges for facilitating assembling of the terminal block, as described below.

Formed to be set into the above described portion of the riser 1 is a block indicated in its entirety by B. This block is formed of composition board or any other suitable insulating. material. The block comprises a main face portion 8 of generally rectangular form, having an inwardly extending shelf portion 9 near its lower edge therein for receiving binding posts 11, and having holes 12 formed in the face portion 8 for accommodating outlet wires 3 and 4 Formed on the inner surface of the portion 8 is a rib 13 of a configuration to readily and accurately set into the notches 7 formed in the riser 1, while extending below the shelf portion 9 of the block B is a toe 14, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The block B is assembled in the cut out portion in the riser 1, to take the position shown in Fig. 2, with the rib 13 received in the notches 7, and the downwardly projecting toe 14bearing against the inner side of the so with aperture 10 riser below the transverse face 6 of the cut cut out portion of the riser, an effective air 'trackway.

so i

taugular configuration 17 to match the outer surface of the part 8 of block B, in the manner shown in Fig. 1 whereby the cap closely embraces the block when in its assembled po- 1 sition to aid in holding the block against movement. A bulged out portion 18 is formed on the cap for accommodating the outlet wires, and the lower edge 19 of the cap extends downwardly, a short distance below the face 6 of thecut out portion of riser,-

for a purpose explained below. 7

The wires 3 and 4 of cable 2 are attached to the binding post 11 carried by block B, after having described an upwardly directed, long loop 20, as shown in Fig. 2, while the outlet wires 3 and 4 are attached to the respective binding posts 11 and pass out through the apertures 12 of the outlet block and through the outwardly bulge portion 18 of cap 15. 1

The cable 2 can be sealed into the riser in the usual manner by'pouring a sealing com "pound into the riser so as to completely fill it to a. desired level, as indicated bydotted line 21,'to seal the wires :of the cable and prevent foreign matter from dropping down into the riser.

'VVith the construction described above it will beobvious that with the riser filled with sealing compound as indicated at 21, and

with the cap 15 having its lower edge 19 extending down below the lower edge of the sealis provided against entrance of water into the riser in the event of flooding of the Thebloc k B is held in its assembled position against movement in any direction by theca'p 15 embracing'the upper end thereof and by theinteraction'of the ribs 13 with the notches 7 and of the downwardly projecting toe 14 and theinterior surface of the riser 1.

The block can move neither upwardly or downwardly, sidewise of the riser 1, or out-' wardly thereof, when cap15 is in place.

For inspecting the wire connections, however, for filling the riser with sealing compound, or for any other desired purpose,easy access is attainable by merely loosing the set screw 16, removing the cap 1 5, and lifting outlet block B away from the riser 1. The

'long wire loop QO'formed by wires 3 and 4: permitiremoval' of the outlet; block a considerable distance fromthe riser without necessitating disconnecting the. wires therefrom. This 11117611131011 thus provides 7 a simple 'form'of insulating block, readily assembled on and disconnected from, a riser, which can be easilyprepared for receiving the block by merely taking out a small section thereof to form a receiving cut out portion, and permits ready inspection of the cables placed inside the riser andofthe'various wire connections,

"while atthe *sa'me'time' all parts are protect- 'ed against entry of foreign matter and are sealed against entry of water upon flooding of the trackway.

The above rather specific description of one form of this invention has been given solely by way of example, and is not intended, in any manner whatsoever, in a limiting sense. Obviously, the invention can assume many different physical forms, and is susceptible of numerous modifications, and it is intended that'the present application cover all such forms and modifications as come within the scope of the app-ended claims.

Having described my invention I now cl'aim":' V V y 1. In'cable connecting. means, a hollow riser, a cut outpo-rtlon 1n one side of the riser, an outlet block of insulating material, loosely inserted into said cut out portion,-

means sealing the riser below the cut-out portion, and a cap fitting over the end of the means sealing the riser'below the cut-out portion, a cap fitting over the end of the riser and bearingagai'nst the outlet block, the lower edge of the cap extending below the lower edge of said cutout portion, and sealing compound closing the riser below-said outlet block, whereby to form an air seal against water entering the rlser. V

3. In cable connecting "means, a hollow y1indrica1 riser a straight edge out out portion inone side of the riser, an outlet block of insulating material'ha'ving all its faces substantially'plane and loosely inserted into said out out portion,"conductor connecting means carried by the block,

and a cap fitting over the end of'the riser and bearing against the'outlet block.

4. "in connecting means for cable, 'a hollow riser, a cut out portion at the upper end of theriser, an outlet 'block-looselyfitting into the out out portion and extending into, andlonly partway across, the'riser, and a cap removably fitting over the end of the riser and around the -block. V

the riser, an outlet block"loosely fit'tin-g'into the cut out portion and extending into, but only part way across, the riser, whereby to leave room in the riser for cable to run past the block, and a capremovably fittingover the'end ofthe riserf ud around the block, conductor connectlngineans carried bythe block, and a cable fastened'to said vconnecting means after it has described long loop,

whereby,'upon removal of said cap, said out Too o. In connecting meansfor cable, a hollow riser, a 'cut' out portionat the upper end of I let block can be readily separated a eonsiderable distance from the riser without necessitating disconnecting cable therefrom.

6. In connecting means'for cable, a hollow riser, a portion cut out of one side of the riser by a cut parallel with the axis of the riser and a cuttransverse to such axis, a transverse notch cut out of the edge formed by the said parallel cut, and a cable outlet block fitting into said cut out portion and having portions for fitting into said transverse notch.

7. In connecting means for cable, a hollow riser, a portion cut out of one side of the riser by a cut parallel with the axis of the riser and a cut transverse to such axis, a transverse notch cut out of the edge formed by the said parallel cut, and a cable outlet block fitting into such cut out portion and having an inwardly extending part carrying connecting means for attachment thereto of cable.

8. In connecting means for cable, a hollow riser,.a portion cut out of one side of the riser by a cut parallel with the axis of the riser and a cut transverse to such axis, a transverse notch cut out of the edge formed by the said parallel cut, a cable outlet block fitting into such cut out portion, a projecting rib on. the block fitting into said transverse notch, av depending toe extending below said transverse cut when the block is in position in the riser, and a cap removably fitting over the end of the riser and the block, and having a configuration to match that of the block, whereby to aid in holding the block in position on the riser. 9. In connection means, a hollow riser, a Hit out portion in one side of the riser at its top, an outlet block loosely inserted in the art out portion. a removable cap fitting over the end of the riser and embracing said block, terminal posts on the block to which cable can be connected. outlet means in the block and the cap for lead out wires, sealing com pound filling the riser to a level below the block. the lower edge of the cap extending well below said cut out portion of the riser. 10. In connection means. a hollow riser. a cut out portion in one side of the riser at its top. an outlet block loosely inserted in the cut outportion and extending only part way across the riser, a removable cap fitting over the end of the riser and embracing said block, terminal posts on the block, and outlet means in the block and thecap for lead out wires. 11. An outlet block of insulating material for use with conduit risers, comprising, a generally rectangular face portion, a shelf extending away from, and connected to, the lower part of the face portion, a toe offset From the face portion and extending from,

tlld substantially parallel to, the face portion and to one side of said shelf, and a rib spaced from the shelf and extending from the face portion substantially parallel to the and to one side of said shelf, and a rib spaced from the shelf and extending from the face portion substantially parallel to the said shelf, said toe and said rib being positioned at opposite sides of said shelf.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature. u

HERMON P. OBER.