US2497470A

US2497470A - Multiple element fuse

Info

Publication number: US2497470A
Application number: US674960A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Fred J Roukos
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-06-07
Filing date: 1946-06-07
Publication date: 1950-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1967-02-14

Description

Feb. 14, 1950 U JR 2,497,470

MULTIPLE ELEMENT FUSE Filed June '7, 1946 l Ill IN V EN TOR.

FRED J ROUKOS,JR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 14, 1950 EEUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE ELEMENT FUSE Fred J. Roukos, Jr., Columbia, S. 0.

Application June 7, 1946, Serial No. 674,960

' 2 Claims. (01. 200-125) My invention relates to improvements inmultiple element fuses, especially although not necessarily for automobile lighting systems, and the primary object of my invention is to provide a practical, eificient, and low-cost device of this nature which can be installed in place of the usual single fuses in the usual contact brackets provided therefor, and includes means to readily connect in circuit a new fuse element whenever the element in use blows out.

Another important object of my invention is to provide a multiple element fuse of the character indicated above which comprises a substantially dust proof protective casing in which a revoluble core is enclosed, on which a plurality of fuse elements in the form of strips are removably mounted in conductive spring metal clips, so that blown out strips can be readily replaced.

Other important objects and advantageous features of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein a presently preferred embodiment of my invention is set forth merely for illustrative purposes.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the multiple element fuse.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken through the casing and showing the rotatable core in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on an intermediate plane through Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale, showing the side of the lower part of the rotatable core and the manner of association of the lower end of one of the replaceable fuse elements with a clip.

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevation, partly broken away, of one of the combined connector lugs and contactors, and,

Figure 6 is a top plan view on a similarly enlarged scale of one of the clips.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improvement in multiple element fuses comprises the generally cylindrical casing 1 of appropriate insulating material having the fixed end 8, and the threadably removable end 9, these ends being formed with relatively large axially aligned circular openings 10 and II, respectively.

A cylindrical insulating material core l2, slightly smaller in diameter than the inside of the casing I, has at one end the axial cylindrical extension l3 turning in the opening ill of the casing end 8, and the elongated axial cylindrical extension l4 having an inner portion turning in the opening I l of the removable casing end 9, and an exposed outer portion l5 formed as a finger grip enabling manual rotation of the core l2 in the casing.

The outer ends of the core l2 work close to the inner sides of the casing ends 8 and 9, and the sides of the core are formed with a plurality, in the herein illustrated case of five longitudinal substantially parallel relatively wide grooves l6 which extend between points adjacent to the outer ends of the core. The troughs of the grooves I6 are preferably rounded, as indicated in Figure 3, with their ends I! plane and right. angular and slotted at 18 to accommodate fuse: element clips IS.

The fuse element clips !9, as shown in Figure: 6, comprise flat metal strips bent U-shaped to provide the curved bight portion 20 having the substantially parallel legs 2| on the outer ends: of which are outwardly and rearwardly curved flanges 22. The clips [9 are mounted in the slots; I 8 in each end 11 of each groove It by forcing; the U-shaped part into the slots 18 so that the flanges 22 lie conformably along the curved outer surface of the core 12 at the sides of the slots l8 and at the outer ends of the grooves [6, as shown in Figure 4.

The aperture between the clip legs 2| at their outer ends serves the double purpose of providing entrance for the replaceable fuse element strips 23 and providing a stop recess for the ball contact of the combined connector lugs and contactors hereinafter described.

The fuse element strips 23 are flat parallel sided lengths of appropriate fuse material capable of withstanding sufiicient pressure for their insertion into and removal from frictional engagement between the legs 2! of the clips [9 at their opposite ends.

The combined connector lugs and contactors 24 are of suitable conductive metal and comprise the cylindrical heads 25 to snap into the usual fuse clips provided in automobile lighting systems and elsewhere, in replacing therein the conventional cylindrical single element fuses. Flanges 26 are provided inwardly of the heads 25 to engage the outside of the casing 1, while squared hollow shanks 2! fitting in accommodating openings 28 formed in the side of the casing opposite the circles of clips IS on the cylinder l2 contain springs 29 exerting constant outward pressure upon contactor balls 30 which roll on the exterior of the cylinder [2. The casing I2 is provided with a longitudinal inspection opening 3| on the side opposite the connector lugs 24,

the holding depressions defined by-the' openings,

between the outer ends of the legs 2| of theclips l9, so that reliable electrical contact is made with the clips related to the fuse elements 23, and idle rotation of the cylinder I2 is precluded When-v-= ever a fuse element 23 in use blows out, restoration of the electrical circuit concerned is made simply by turning the handle L5; until the, two:

ball contactors 3i: engage as described'with an other pair of clips IS with which an unblown fuse strip 23 is associated; Whenever desired the core l2;may be-removed by removing the casing endfi and the blown out fuse strips replaced with fresh ones. v

What is claimed is:

1- A multiple fuse assembly adapted to be substituted for the single fuse in the terminal clips of a fuse, block, said multiple fuse; assembl comprising an: insulated tubular cylindrical casing having a, pairof longitudinally spaced conductive contactors mounted having heads projecting radially from the. exterior of said. casing and: formed: for engagement with thefuse block clips whereby the assembly is supported on the fuse block with said contactorselectrically connected to the fuse block clips, said cylindrical casing comprising ends formed with axially aligned cylindrical openings, a cylindrical insulated core having reduced cylindrical, end portions jour nalledin said cylindrical openings, one of said end portions being extended and formed to provide a, handle for manually rotating said core within said casing, said core being formed at equal circumferential intervals, with longitudinal recesses ofsubstantialj width terminating at. their opposite ends in relatively narrow longitudinal slots, conductive clips removably insertedlinsaid slots, said clips; comprising, opposed elements arranged. to be compressed toward each. other upon insertion inv the slots vlongitudinally. elongated fusiblestrips positioned, in said recesses with their opposite ends removablyclampedbetween the opposed elements of therelated clipsinserted inx slots, and contacts on said, contactors within said cylindrical, casing, each, contact embodying a. ball, and aspring operativel connected to. said ball for urging the latter into engagement; with the. clip alignedtherewith. and seat; between the opposed elements of said aligned clip; to thereby 4 establish positive electrical engagement of the ball contacts with the clips aligned therewith and resist vagrant rotation of said core while said contacts are engaged with the clips of a fusible strip.

2. In a changeable fuse assembly involving a plurality of selectively usable fuses, a tubular cylindrical casing, a cylindrical core journalled in said casing and having a handle at one end for rotating the. core, relativento thev casing, said core being formed in its surface with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending recesses, said recesses terminating at their opposite ends in relatively narrow slots, V-shaped spring clips having legs normally tensioned away from'each'other and removably inserted in said slots, so as to. be. compressed toward each other, fusible strips positioned along and within said 7 recesses with their opposite ends extending into the slots at the opposite ends of the recesses and removably inserted between and clampedyin place by/ the legslof the. related spring clips inserted; whereby said fusible strips can. beremoved for replacement by. removing the related spring clips from their slots, and longitudinally spaced contactors mounted on said tubular cylindrical casing, each of said contactors having a ball con.- tact, and a spring operativel connected to. said ball contact for urging the latter into: engagement with the spring clip aligned therewith; said core being rotatable relative to said casing" to align the spring clips of different fusible strips with said contacts, the outer ends of the legs of said clips when-in place in their slots being suffl'ciently spaced from eachother to provide notches in which said contactor contacts seat to provide positive electrical engagement with the clips and resist vagrant'rotation of said core relative'to' said casing.

FRED J. ROUKOS; JR!

REFERENCES CITED The following references. are of recordin; the file of this patent:

UNI-'IEDi STATES Number Name Date 5915,2451; Ehrhardti r l Decl 7,, 1.89:7 951,305 Dunfee Man. 8,191!) 1,774,801 Macke. et. al., Sept. 2, 1930 119511271 Burtn vMar. 13,,1934 2,206,794, Vatava v r.. l July), 1-940 2,303,592 Weaver Dec. 1-, 1942 g FOREIGN PATENTS;

Number Country Date 13,9852; GreatBritain Sent 1930