US1988650A

US1988650A - Lightning arrester

Info

Publication number: US1988650A
Application number: US494164A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward A Everett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1930-11-07
Filing date: 1930-11-07
Publication date: 1935-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 1952-01-22

Description

Earn. 22, 1935.

E. A. EVERETT LIGHTNING ARRESTER' Filed Nov. '1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q all-N Jan. 22, 1935. E. A. EVE RETT 1,988,650

LIGHTNING ARRESTER Filed Nov. 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 22, 1 935 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE:

LIGHTNING Anaas'raa Edward A. Everett, Long Island City, N. 1!. Application November '1, 1939, Serial No. 494,164 13 Claims. (01. 175-30) This invention relates to lightning arresters circuit while it has comparatively low resistance and has for an object to provide an arrester to the discharge of lightning. Arresters have which is compact, easily assembled, and disasalso been made in which the spark gap and resembled and readily inspected when in service. sistor element are used in multiple to discharge 5 Another'object'of the invention is to provide an lightning. The present invention can be readily 5 arrester which can be mounted upon a terminal adapted for discharging lightning by the spark block of a commercial type; another object of the gap method, however, a resistant compound has invention is to provide 'a lightning arrester of been found suflicient for this purpose, without the the resistor type which can be connected into one use of spark gaps with their liability to become or more circuits to discharge lightning. Other fused. 10 objects of the invention will appear from the fol- It is "found, in practice, that a resistant has the lowing specification and the accompanying drawcharacteristic of being able to discharge lightning ings, in which, for lightning arrester purposes without material Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly. sectioned, of a change in use and with a comparatively large terminal block fitted .with an arrester according capacity. For this reason spark gaps are not 15 to the present invention; used in this arrester. The compound referred to.

Fig.2 is a plan view'corresponding to Fig. 1; is more particularly described in my co-pending Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly sectioned, showing application Serial No. 493,097 filed, November 3, aslight modification'of the arrester construction; 1930, which has matured into patent Number Fig. -4 is a horizontal cross-section of the 1,939,679. 20 mounting for the arrestertaken on the top of the This arrester is constructed so that it can be connecting strip; readily inspected on the ground and so that it 4 Fig. 5 is another modified form'of the invenmay be takenapart and any of its parts replaced. tion shown insectional elevation in whicha pluwithout impairing the operation of the device.

rality of resistor elements are provided for dis- The construction includes a central stem to which 25 charging lightning'from a plurality of independone of the connections may be made, as for inent circuits, this figure also shows one applicastance the ground connection. The lower part tion of the deviceto the circuits of a railway of this stem is'surrounded by a hollow insulating signal system; stem and around this hollow stem a cylinder of '30 Fig. 6 is an endelevation, in section, correthe resistor is placed. The bottom face of the sponding to Fig. 5, and; resistor directly contacts with terminal strips Fig. 7 is. a plan view correspon in t 8. 5, leading to the conductors and the top face connects by a washer or spring disc with the central Fig. 8 is another modification, in sectional elestem. ,This provides a path of very high revation, in which a pair of discharge elements consistance between the terminal strips and the cen- 35 nect a plurality of independent circuits with a tral stem which ordinarily does not influence the plurality of grounds. normal operation of the circuit, but which on the In the installation of railway signal systems, it discharge of lightning lowers its resistance and is common practice to terminate the insulated permits the discharge of lightning to ground. As

4,0 conductors which control the apparatus in juncsoon as the lightning is discharged and the re- 40 tion boxes andinstrument cases and these wires sister has cooled 011?, its high resistance to the are usually connected to terminals whichare normal circuitis restored. The resistor is enmounted on a porcelain base. A standard form closed by a bell shaped glass or transparent conhasbeen adapted for this base, by the American tainer to protect it against the accumulation of '45 Railway Association, which is known as the R. dust and foreign matter and to facilitate inspec- A S. A. terminal" and the purpose of the present tion.

invention is to construct a lightning arrester so In the drawings 11 is a terminal block, usually that it may be mounted upon a standard base. made of porc n, pp ti th b d Posts Arresters of this type have been made, which in- 12 and 13, to which the electric wires are con- 9 clude a spark gap by the metallic plates across nected and the circuit is maintained between which the lightning jumps when a brealmlown these binding posts by the connector strip 14, voltage is reached. Another form of arrester in which for convenience in application is usually common use includes a resistor element, that is, applied with a jaw connection. In the form an element which has the characteristic of oiiershown in Fig. 1, the arrester is mounted upon ing a comparatively high resistance toth normal the connector, strip 14 by providing an enlarged aperture in the center of this strip, as indicated in Fig. 4 through which the stem ,75 projects from the flanged base 71. The base 71 and the stem are preferably formed integral from a moulded insulating material, such as bakelite. The binding post 72 is centered in the projecting stem 75 and is thoroughly insulated from the connector strip 14. This binding post may be provided with a flanged head as at in Fig. 3 and embodied in the mould of the stem, or it may be fitted to the stem after it is moulded by moulding a nut-73 in the flange 71, into which the stem is screwed until the collar 76 rests upon the stem 75. The post may be further secured in the stem by the use of a suitable adhesive cement as indicated at 74.

A cylindrical resistor 77 with a tapered aperture is mounted upon the tapered stem 75 as shown in section in Figs. 1 and 3, a spring washer 78 is mounted on the post 72 to engage the upper end of the resistor 77, a collar 79, also mounted on post 72 restsupon the washer 78 and this collar is clamped in place by the nut 81' and washer 80 on the stem 72.

In order to protect the resistor against dustand foreign matter and, at the same time, to

make inspection easy,a transparent cover in the form of thebell shaped glass 84 is mounted upon collar 79 and is clamped in place between the gasket 82 at the top' and gasket 83 at the bottom and by the washer 80 and nut 81.

It will be noted that the yielding washer 78 is rigidly engaged by the collar 79 which is clamped by the washer 80, also that the glass bell 84 is engaged by the yielding

gaskets

82 and 83 clamped by the washer 80 with the purpose of eilecting a tight seal around the glass container 84', and, at the same time, securing pressure between washer '78 and the resistor 77. It

will be observed that by removing the binding nuts on the terminal post 27 the container 84; washer 78, resistor 77 and stem 75 maybe removed from the connector strip 14 thereby facilitating inspection, replacement of parts and assembling.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2,3 and 4 the line circuit is usually connected to the

binding posts

12 and 13 and the ground circuitis connected to the central post at 20-. It is apparent that a circuit is established from the connector strip 14 to the terminal post 72 through the mass of the resistor 77 which has its lower face connected with the connector strip 14 and its upper face connected with the post 72 through the washer 78. This will discharge lightning in accordance with the characteristic of the resistor 77 for this purpose. It should here be noted that the position of the line conductors and the ground connection can be reversed without impairing the operation of the device as a lightening arrester. 3

Fig. 5 illustrates a'form' of my invention in which a plurality of resistors are mounted upon a base llb from which stems 75 project for each "arrester unit. In this construction it will be noted thatthe end binding post 101 connects to terminal plate 103, flush with the top of the mounting and extends in a continuous piece on one side below the resistors of the units 105. 106 and 107; and the other end binding post 102, connects to a similarplate 104, flush with the top of the mounting and extending in a continuous piece on the opposite side

belowthe resistor elements

105, 106 and 107. As indicated Fig. 6, each of the resistors 77a, rest upon the

conductor strips

103 and 104 and form a shunt in multiple between each of these strips.

One application of this arrester is illustrated in Fig. 5 to a railway signal system in which advantage is taken of the grounding effects of the trackrails as well as an independent ground connection to discharge lightning. The central unit of the arrester 105 is grounded by wire 109. The unit- 106 connects by wire 119 to one rail 118 of the track and the binding post 107 connects by wire 117 with the other rail 116 of the track. The track relay 112 is also connected by wire 113 with the post 107 and by wire 114 with the post 106. The line circuit connectsto the end post 102 and the line circuit 111 connects to the post 101. -The'end post 101 also connects by wire 121 to the relay contact finger 122 and the end post 102 connects by wire to the same relay contact. This is a form of the invention which has gone into extensive use. It will be noted that lightning on either lines 110 or 111 is shunted from the apparatus by the-resistors in each of the

units

105, 106 and 107, bridging the

contact strips

103 and 104, also that each of these resistors provide an independent shunt path to ground.

' Another form of this invention is illustrated in Fig. 8 in which a'pair of arresterunits are connected to a central ground post. It will be noted that the contact strip 123, th'roughthe metallic collar 124a, is grounded on wire 109 and that lightning on conductor 111 is shunted through the resistor to the contact strips 123,

connecting to ground, also through strip 124, terminal 1-01, andwire 127 to rail 118. Lightning 'on conductor 110 is shunted through the resistor of the arrester to the ground plate 123 andto the plate connected to terminalpost 102 and by wire 126 to the rail 116. The

plates

123, 124 and 125 are flush with the top of the base 11b and are separate from each other, the

plates

123 and 124 are bridged by theresistoron stem 107 and the plates 123 and 125' are bridgedbythe resistor on stem 106.

This invention permits a variety of applications and is intended to cover a full range of equivalents.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a

conducting strip, an insulating stem projecting at right angles thereto, a terminal post centered in said stem, a cylindrical resistor surrounding said stem and having one end connecting with said strip, a spring washer mounted on'said terminal post engaging the opposite face. of said resistor, a sleeve on said post engaging said washer, a transparent cylindrical container mounted on said terminalipost, a gasket on said container and a nut on said post for clamping said strip, resistor, washer and container in place.

2. In a lightning arrester, thev combination, a conducting strip, a flange with an insulating stem, a terminal post centered in said stem, said strip resting upon said flange, a cylindrical resistor mounted on said stem and having one end engaging said strip, a washer mounted onsaid post engaging the opposite end of said resistor, a collar on said post engaging said .washer, an insulated cylindrical container mounted on said collar and a nut on said post for clamping said strip, resistor, washer, collar and container in place.

3. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a conducting strip, a flange of insulation with a stem, 9. terminal post centered in said stem, said 1,9ss,eso

strip resting upon said flange, a cylindrical resistor mounted on said stem and having one end engaging said strip, a spring washer mounted on said post engaging the opposite end of said resistor, a collar on said post engaging said washer, a cylindrical glasscontainer enclosing.

said resistor, a gasket mounted on said collar engaging said glass container, and a nut on said post clamping said resistor in place and independently clamping said container through said gasket.

4. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a rectangular insulating block, a plurality of arrester elements arranged in a row on said block, each of said elements having a resistor, projections formed integral with said block engaging said resistors to hold said resistors in place and a plurality of bars spaced longitudinally and flush with the surface of said block, said resistor elements resting upon said bar 5. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a rectangular insulating block having spaced projections thereon, a plurality of arrester elements, each placed around one of said projections and having a resistor, parallel conducting bars on said block passing on each side of said projections,

' said bars being bridged by said resistors.

6. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a conducting strip having an aperture, a flange of insulation with an integral stem projecting through saidaperture, said strip resting on said flange and projecting beyond said flange, means for supporting the projecting ends of said strip, a terminal post projecting from said stem, a cylindrical resistor centered on said stem with one face resting on said strip and a binding nut on said post clamping said resistor, flange and strip in place.

"I. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a conducting strip having an aperture therein, a flange of insulation with an integral stem projecting through said aperture, said strip resting on said flange and projecting beyond said flange,

a terminal post projecting from said stem, a resistor surrounding said stem with one face resting .on said strip, a spring resting on said resistor and a binding nut on said terminal post clamping said resistor, strip and flange in place through said spring. a

8. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a conducting strip, a flange of insulating material with 'an integral stem, a terminal post centered in said stem, said strip resting upon said flange and projecting on each side beyond said flange, a resistor mounted on said stem and resting on said strip and means for clamping said resistor,

strip and flange by a nut on said terminal post.

9. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a conducting strip with an aperture therein, a flange of insulating material with a stem projecting through said aperture, said strip resting on said flange and projecting on at least one side substantially beyond said flange, a terminal post centered in said stem, a cylindrical resistor surrounding said stem and having one face making electric contact with said strip opposite said flange, a spring washer mounted on said terminal post and engaging the opposite face of said resistor and a nut on said post for clamping said washer, resistor, strip and flange in place.

10. In a lightning arrester, the' combination, a rectangular insulating block having a pair of parallel grooves, a terminal post at each end of said block, a conductor strip connected to each post, said strips embedded in said parallel grooves flush with the top of said block and a plurality of arrester elements arranged on the centre line of said block, each of said elements having a resistor bridging said conducting strips.

11. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a block of insulation, a terminal post at each end of said block, a conducting strip connected to each post, said strips extending parallel to each other'on said block, said block having projections between said strips and an arrester element mounted on said projections and resting upon the top of said strips. I Y

12. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a block 01' insulation, a terminal post at each end of said block, a conducting strip connected to each post, said strips extending parallel to each other on said block, said block having integral projections between said strips, an arrester element surrounding each ot said projections and bridging said strips and a terminal post centered in each of said projectionsand clamping said arrester element in place.

13. In a lightning arrester, the combination, a block of insulation, a terminal post at each end of said block, a conducting strip connected to each post, said strips extending parallel to each other and embedded in said block soas to be subjstantially flush with the surface of said block,

terminal posts mounted in said block centered between said strips; an individual arrester element mounted on each post and arranged to bridge said strips and forming a lightning discharge path between said posts and strips and an insulating cover for each element secured in place by said terminal posts.

EDWARD A. EVERE'I'I.