US1840072A - Electrical connecting device - Google Patents

Description

1932' P. F. WILLIAMS 1,840,072

ELECTRICAL commune DEVICE Filed June 17, 1922 I 1. Y MAME:

' irweizzzw .flWfMWW S Patented Jan. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL r. WILLIAMS, or CHICAGO, ILL NoIs, AssIGNoR T G. a w. ELECTRIC SPECIALTY 00., or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE Application flledIune 17,

My invention relates to electrical connecting devices, particularly of the kind known as potheads. I .7

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple,practical and advantageous device of the class specified;

Another object of the invention is to simplify and improve the connecting devices by which the conductors are electrically connected with one another.

In the accompanying drawings Fig.1 is an elevation of a pothead embodying my present invention; j c

Fig. 2 is a-longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3 is across section-taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

In the drawings I have shown a single conductor pothead but the invention is applicable to potheads of other styles and kinds.

Referring to the drawings, the .pothead shown comprises a tubular member 15501 the cable and an upper member or cap 2 for-the overhead conductor, said members 1 and 2 being preferably made ofinsulating material such as porcelain. I

A cable 3 is shown enteringthe lower end of the lower member 1 and extending up well into said member so that the upper end of the cable conductor 4 is inserted into a socket formed in a terminal member 5. This member 5 has an extension 5awhich' has a screw threaded socket which receives a threaded plug 6. The latter'is provided with a transverse flange 7, the outer edge of which rests on collar 8 secured to the upper end of the tubular member 1 asbya layer 9 of cement. The plug member 6 has a small recess 10 in its upper surface. 7

The overhead wire 11 has its conductor 12 fitted into a socket in terminal 13 which is arranged in a recess 14 in cap or head 2. Terminal 13 has a threaded socket 15in an extension 16 and threaded plug member 17 fits into threaded socket 15. Plug 17 is provided with a lateral flange or disc 18.- A projecting member 19, preferably a'threaded screw, is attached to plug member 17 as by screwing its threaded end into a threaded socket therein. Member 19 is adapted to fit into recess 10 in member 6. A collar 20 is fitted in an 1922. Serial No. 569,056.

enlargement'at the lower end of bore 14 of cap 2 and is secured therein vby a layer 21 of cement 'or other similar material. This collar 20 serves as an abutment for flange or disc 18 just as collar 8 serves asan abutment for. flange or disc 7. Thus when members 7 and 18 are brought together connection is made between terminals 13 and 5 and this connection is held against sidewise movement by member 19. In order to prevent opening the electrical connection above referred to and also to make said connection firm mechanically and efiective electrically, means are provided for drawing and holding the outside members 1 and 2 together. While various arrangements could be made I show one which is very simple and efl'ective, comprising clamping means for clamping the lower end of member 2 to the upper end of member 1. This comprises a collar 24 secured to member 2 as by cement 25,'said collar 24 having an outwardly projecting flange 26. Member 1 is provided with a collar 27 having a screw thread 28 and a clamping collar 29 fits over collar 27 and is threaded correspondingly to threads 28. Member 29 is provided with an annular flange 30 adapted to engage flange 126 on member 24, Member 29 is preferably provided with outwardly projecting lugs 31 for engagement of a wrench or other tool. Thus by turning collar 29 collars 24 and 28 will be drawn together, and this will draw cap 2 downwardly on member 1 and so prevent separation of members 1 and 2 which would open the circuit and also insure an electrical'contact between members 18 and 7. To gain access to the interior of the device or open a circuitcollar 29 may be unscrewed so as to separate it entirely from collar 27 and thereby permit removal of cap 2 from member 1. Member 19'will serve to take up any spark that may occur upon the opening of the circuit, and inasmuch as member 19 is separable from member 17, it may be readily removed and; replaced by a new one, when worn or burned away by use. 1 r

It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination of outside members one of which is a cap, terminals carried by said members, contacts detachably connected with said terminals and adapted to make contact with one another when said outside members are together and means for drawing and holding said outside members together, said contacts being threaded plugs fitted in sockets formed in said terminals.

2. The combination of outside members one of which is a cap, terminals carried by said members, contacts detachably connected with said terminals and adapted to make contact with one another when said outside members are together and means for drawing and holding said outside members together, said contacts being threaded plugs fitted in sockets formed in said terminals, and a detachable member carried by one contact and fitting into a recess in the other contact and adapted to take up a spark which may be formed. on separation of the contacts.

3. The combination of outside members one of which is a cap, terminals carried by said members, contacts detachably connected with said terminals and adapted to make contact with one another when said outside members are together and means for drawing and holding said outside members together, said contacts being threaded plugs fitted in sockets formed in said terminals, and collars carried by said outside members and cemented thereto to serve as abutments for said contact members.

4. In a device of the class specified, the combination of an outer casing member, a terminal therein for connection with a conductor, said terminal having a threaded socket, a contact member provided with a threaded plug, adapted to fit into said threaded socket, said contact member having a transversely extending contact surface, and an abutment member in said outer casing having abutment portions at the side of said terminal for forming abutments for the projecting portions of said contact.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a pair of complementary insulating casings having bores extending therethrough of considerable diameter at their meeting ends, of annular seats in each of said ends, conductors passing through the casings toward said ends, terminals connected to the adjacent ends of said conductors and having enlarged disk-like ends, the adjacent surfaces of which contact andthe overhanging edges of which rest on said annular seats, and a centrally located spark absorbing projection on one of said terminals adapted to enter a centrally located recess in the contact surface of the other terminal.

6. In a device of the class described. the combination with a pair of complementary insulating casings having bores extending therethrough of considerable diameter at their meeting ends, of annular seats in each of said ends, conductors passing through the asings toward said ends, terminals connected to the adjacent ends of said conductors and having enlarged disk-like ends, the ad jacent surfaces of which contact and the overhanging edges of which rest on said annular seats, and a centrally located spark absorbing projection on one of said tcrminals adapted to enter a centrally located recess in the contact surface of the other terminal, said projection being removably held in place by screw threads.

7. In a device of the class desc ibed, the combination with an insulating cap having a comparatively small bore at one end for the entrance of the cable and a larger bore at the other end for the insulating body, of said insulating body having its upper end fitting into the bore of the cap and having the upper part of its bore substantially as large as the diameter of its upper end will permit, a conductor extending up through the body, a terminal secured thereto and having its contact surface consisting of a disk of substantially as great a diameter as the bore will accommodate, a conductor extending down through the cap, and a terminal secured thereto and having its contact surface consisting of a disk similar to the other disk with which it engages, one of said terminals having a small cylindrical spark absorbing plug projecting from its center and the other having a cylindrical bore in which it fits when the terminals are brought together.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with an insulating cap having acomparatively small bore at one end tor the entrance of the cable and alarger bore at the other end for the insulating body, of said insulating body having its upper end fitting into the bore of the cap and having the upper part of its bore substantially as large as the diameter of its upper end will permit, a conductor extending up through the body, a terminal secured thereto and having its contact surface consisting of a disk of substantially as great a diameter as the bore will accommodate, a conductor extending down through the cap, and a terminal secured thereto and having its contact surface consisting of a disk similar to the other disk with which it engages, one of said terminals having a small cylindrical spark absorbing plug screwed into and projecting from its center and the other having a cylindrical bore in which it fits when the terminals are brought together.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with an insulating cap having a comparatively small bore at one end for the entrance of a cable and alarger bore at the other end for the insulating body, of said insulating body having its upper end fitting into the bore of the cap and having the upper part of its bore substantially as large as the diameter of its upper end will permit, a conductor extending u through the body, a connection for the con uctor having a threaded end, a terminal screwed into said connection and having its contact surface consisting of a disk of substantially as great a diameter as the bore will accommodate, a conductor extending down through the cap, a connection for the last mentioned conductor having a threaded end, a terminal for said last mentioned connection screwed thereinto and having its contact surface consisting of a disk similar to the disk of the other terminal with which it engages.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with an insulating cap having a comparatively small bore at one end for the entrance of a cable and a larger bore at the a other end for the insulating body, of said insulating body having its upper end fitting into the bore of the cap and having the upper part of its bore substantially as large as the diameter of its upper end will permit, a conductor extending up through the body, a connection for the conductor having a threaded end, a terminal screwed into said connection and having its contact surface consisting of a disk of substantially as great a diameter as the bore will accommodate, a conductor extending down through the cap, a connection for the last mentioned conductor having a threaded end, a terminal for said last mentioned connection screwed thereinto and having its contact surface consisting of a disk similar to the disk of the other terminal with which it engages, one of said terminals having a small cylindrical spark absorbing plug projecting from its center and the other having a cylindrical bore in which said plug fits when the terminals are brought together.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 12th day of May,vA. D. 1922.

PAUL F. WILLIAMS.

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