US2289306A - Multiple fuse - Google Patents

Description

' y 1,1942. H. B. JOSUN 2,289,306

MULTIPLE FUSE Filed Dec. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l In uentor A itorn e y July 7, 1942. H. B. JOSLIN MULTIPLE FUSE Filed Dec. 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A iior 'ney Patented July 7, 1942 MULTIPLE FUSE Harry B. Joslin, Columbia Falls, Mont., assignor of one-third to Mary E. F. Dowler, Columbia Falls, Mont.

Application December 5, 1940, Serial No. 368,700

3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in fuse blocks for automobiles, although not necessarily restricted thereto, and the primary object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient arrangement of this character whereby a fresh fuse may be instantly brought into circuit following the blowing out of another fuse, without the necessity of replacing any of the fuses until all of the fuses have been blown out.

Another important object of my invention is to provide an arrangement of the character indicated which is especially adapted for mounting on the reverse side of the instrument panel of the automobile or the like, with the control or operating knob exposed at the opposite side of the instrument panel for instant operation by the driver.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description taken in connection with the appended drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a general front elevational view of the embodiment.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view showing the embodiment applied to the reverse side of an instrument panel, the latter being shown fragmentarily.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken alongside of the switch arm and through portions of the contact are and the guide for the switch arm.

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the contact arc.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 generally designates the embodiment which comprises a suitable generally rectangular casing 6 which is closed at its front side as indicated by the numeral 1 and open at its rear side as indicated by the numeral 8, the casing being provided with a telescoping cover 9 removably mounted on the rear of the casing to close the rear of the casing and to be held in place by spring catches It at opposite ends of the casing. Along the forward wall I is applied a plate or block I I of insulating material which forms the base for the fuses and the switch arrangement.

A bus bar I2 is secured on the base I 1 adjacent one end of the casing as indicated in Figures 2 and 3, the bus bar terminating at one in a binding post l3 which traverses the bottom of 55 the wall of the casing from which it is insulated by a grommet M. The fuse clips I5 are attached to the bus bar l2 both structurally and electrically to connect all together the barrels IS on the adjacent ends of the fuses ll, of which a suitable number will be provided. The opposite fuse clips l8 are secured to the insulating base II to receive the opposite barrels on the fuses in alignment with the clips l5. Each individual fuse clip l8 has a corresponding conductor l9 leading to a corresponding one of the segmental contacts 2B which are separated by insulation 2| on the contact are 22 which is mounted on the insulating base II in the space between the fuses and the left hand wall 23 of the casing 6, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, of the drawings.

Overlying each insulation 2| of the contact are 22 is a reclining L-shaped spring 24 which is fastened as indicated by the numeral 25 to the base II, and to the underside of the horizontal portions of these springs are attached the semicircular insulating material guide 26 which is registered with the contact are 22, with the head 21 of the switch arm 28 slidably interposed between the guide 26 and the contact are 22, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings. The said head has a copper plate for engagement with the conductive segments or contacts 20. on the contact arc 22.

The switch arm 28 is relatively rigid and has its radially inward end overlying the rotary shaft 29 to which it is non-rotatably connected by means of a screw 30 passing through th switch arm and into the end of the shaft 29 as shown in Figure 4. An insulating spacer 3| surrounds the shaft 29 and keeps the switch arm 28 properly positioned. The switch arm 28 has on its upper side the opening 32 in which the head of the screw 30 is countersunk, widened and rounded to accept the hemi-spherical terminal 33 on a spring arm 34 comprising the reclining standard portion of an L-shaped spring 35 which has its foot portion traversed by a binding post 36 which passes through a grommet 37 in the wall 23 of the casing as indicated in Figures 2 and 3.

The shaft 29 passes through a conforming opening in the base II and another conforming opening in the front wall I of the casing 5. In passing through the instrument panel 38, in the manner shown in Figure 2, the shaft traverses an insulating sleeve 39 which protects it from the instrument panel, and the shaft carries a lock nut 40 on its threaded portion 4|. The nut 40 is adapted to be turned up against the sleeve 39 with its flange 42 engaged with the front of the instrument panel, so as to draw the casing 6 up tight against the back of the instrument panel. The front end of the shaft 29 has a suitable knob 43 which has on its front end numerals 44 corresponding in number and spacing to the number of fuses in the casing 6, so that the driver can tell by the position of these numerals how many good fuses are left and which ones they are, so as to be thereby effectively warned whenever replacement of the fuses becomes nec essary.

Th binding posts i3 and 36 are adapted to be connected in the lighting or other circuit of the automobile ignition or lighting system to be protected by the fuses H, as will be obvious.

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not wish to limit the application of the invention thereto except as may be required by th scope of the subioined claims.

Having describe-d the claimed as new is:

1. A multiple fuse unit of the character described, said unit comprising a casing for mounting on the reverse side of an instrument panel or the like, an insulation plate on the wall of said casing lying against the instrument panel,

invention, what is a plurality of longitudinally arranged fuses, longitudinally paired fuse clips receiving the opposite ends of the fuses, a bus bar connecting all of the spring clips at one end of the fuses, a contact are adjacent the opposite spring clips, said contact are embodying space and insulated segmental contacts each electrically connected to a corresponding one of the said opposite fuse clips, a switch arm having its terminal riding on said contact arc, a rotary shaft carrying said switch arm, said rotary shaft being arranged to extend through said insulation plate and the said wall of the casing and through an opening formed in said instrument panel and having a knob in front of the panel for moving the switch arm from one contact to another, spring pressed guide means overlying the free end of said switch arm and pressing said free end into positive engagement with said contact arc.

2. A multiple fuse unit of the character described, said unit comprising a casing for mcunting on the reverse side of an instrument panel or the like, an insulation plate on the wall of said casing lying against the instrument panel, a plurality of longitudinally arranged fuses, longitudinally paired fuse clips receiving the opposite ends of the fuses, a bus bar connecting all of the spring clips at one end of the fuses, a contact arc adjacent the opposite spring clips, said contact arc embodying spaced and insulated segmental contacts each electrically connected to a corresponding one of the said opposite fuse clips, a switch arm having its terminal riding on said contact arc, a rotary shaft carrying said switch arm, said rotary shaft being arranged to extend through said insulation plate and the said wall of the casing and through an opening formed in said instrument panel and having a knob in front of the panel for moving the switch arm from one contact to another, a spring pressed conductor engaging the radially inward end of said switch arm in alignment with the rotary shaftand pressing said shaft toward the instrument panel.

3. A multiple fuse unit of the character described, said unit comprising a casing, an insulation plate on a wall of said casing, a plurality of longitudinally arranged fuses, longitudi nally paired fuse clips receiving the opposite ends of the fuses and supported on the plate, a bus bar connecting all of the spring clips at one end of the fuses and having an end passing from the casing, said end acting as a terminal, a contact arc on the plate and located adjacent the opposite spring clips, said contact are embodying spaced and insulated segmental contacts each electrically connected to a corresponding one of the said opposite fuse clips, a switch arm having its terminal riding on said contact are, an arcuate guide member of ncn-conducting material spaced from the contact arc and between which and the said contact are the terminal of the switch arm moves, spring brackets connected with the insulation plate and carrying the arcuate member of insulation, a rotary shaft carrying said switch arm, said rotary shaft being arranged to extend through said insulation plate and the said wall of the casing and having a knob thereon for moving the switch arm from one contact to another, said knob having reference numerals thereon corresponding to the fuses to indicate the fuse presently in circuit.

HARRY B. JOSLIN.

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