US2557370A

US2557370A - Support for insulators

Info

Publication number: US2557370A
Application number: US698291A
Authority: US
Inventors: Aloysius B Bussmann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-09-20
Filing date: 1946-09-20
Publication date: 1951-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 1968-06-19

Description

June 1951 A. B. BUSSMANN 2,557,370

SUPPORT FOR INSULATORS Filed Sept. 20, 1946 INVENTOR. ALoYs/us B BusS/MNN A-TTORNEY.

Patented June 19, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUPPORT FOR INSULATORS Aloysius B. Bus'smann, St. Louis, Mo. Application September 20, 1946, Serial No. 698,291

4 Claims- This invention relates to improvements in supports for insulators. More particularly this invention relates to improvements in supports for insulators that have threaded recesses in the bases thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved support for insulators that have threaded recesses in the bases thereof.

In using insulators, and in particular in using insulators for electric fences, it is desirable to provide aquick and easy method of securing them to a post or other stationary object. One very useful method includes passing a nail, or other smalldiameter post-penetrating element, through an opening in an insulator-engaging member and then forcing the post-penetrating element into a post to bring the insulator-engaging member into assembled relation with the post. With such a method .the nail and the insulator-engaging member are first aifixed to the post, and thereafter the insulator is threaded onto the insulatorengaging member. The insulator and the insulator-engaging member are so dimensioned that the recess in the insulator telescopes over and completely encloses the head of the nail and the insulator-engaging member. Consequently the insulator support is protected against attack by the weather and will .be long lived.

In driving the nail or other post-penetrating element into the post, it is desirable to space the head of the nail from the post a distance approximately equal to the depth of the recess in the insulator. Where this is done the insulator-engaging member can be rotated into engagement with the innermost threads of the recess of the insulator; thus increasing the amount of pull that the insulator can withstand without being dislodged from the post. The present invention insures this full and exact spacing of the head of the :nail from the post by providing a spacer that is carried by the nail. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a spacer that is carried by the nail and acts to provide a minimum distance between the post and the nail head when the nail is forced into the post.

Other objects and advantages of the invention can be ascertained from an examination of the drawing and the accompanying description.

In :the drawing and accompanying description, four preferred embodiments of the invention are shown and described, but it is to be understood that the drawing and accompanying description are merely illustrative of and do not limit the invention and that the invention will be defined by :the appended claims.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ins ator-enga ing member,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a spacer made in accordance with the principles and teachings .of the present invention,

Fig. 3. is a frontelevational view of a nail,

Fig. 4 is a perspective .view of an assembled in: sulatorrengaging member, a spacer, and a nail,

Fig. ,5 is an insulator with a recess in the base thereof,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view .of another in: sulatoreengaging member,

Fig. 7 is a perspective View .of a spacer,

Fig, :8 is a perspective view of another nail,

9 is a perspective view .of an assembled insulator..-.engaging member, a spacer, a screw, lock washer, and nut, and

'Fig. 10 is a perspective view .of an insulator: engaging member of modified form that is as.- semjbled with a modified spacer, a screw, lock washer, and nut.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral I ll denotes an insulator.-.engaging member of disc form. The member In is provided with a notch I-2 that has edges which constitute the leading and trailing edges of a one turn helix; which helix is formed by the periphery of the member Ill. The member [0 is also provided with an opening I 4 and with two radially extending notches 18 that are contiguous to the opening .I 4.

Ihe numeral 18 denotes a spacer that is provided with a central opening 20. The opening 20 is-provided with radially extending notches 22 that. are contiguous to the opening -29. ='-I he spacer 18 is bowl-shaped and terminates in a circular flange 24 that lies in .a plane perpendicular to the axis .of the spacer. The spacer may be made of any desired material and may be made by any desired method, but it iseasily made by punching it from a :flat sheet .of metal.

'The numeral 26 (denotes a nail which has ,a head 28. Adjacent :the head 28 of the nail 26 are two longitudinally extending fins or ribs '30 that are formed integrally with the nail and make the upper endof the shank of the nail raciizcular, that is, non-circular. These -fins .or ribs taper from the *headof .the nail until they are flush with the generally cylindrical .body .;of .the nail. The ribs 30 are sold-imensioned that they fit easily into the notches l 6 in the member 1 0 land so they provide asnug fit with the notches 22 in the spacer 1.8.

In using the insulator-engaging member {I 0, the spacer I18, and the nail 26, :the sharp endof the nail 26 is inserted through the opening .14 in .the insulator-engaging member ID, and the insulator.-

2,557,370 :Q' l. I

3 engaging member In is moved along the generally cylindrical body of the nail until it engages the ribs 30 of nail 26. At this time, if the ribs 30 are in register with the notches [6, the insulatorengagin member I can be moved adjacent the head- 28 of the nail 26. If, however, the ribs 30 are not in register with the notches [6, the nail 26 or the insulator-engaging member I6 must be rotated until the ribs .30 are in register with the notches l6; whereupon the insulator-engaging member [0 can'be moved adjacent the head 28 of the nail 26. Thereafter the sharp end of the nail 26 is inserted through the opening 20 in the spacer 18 and the spacer is moved along the generally cylindrical body of the nail 26 until it engages the ribs 36. At that time, if the ribs30 are in register with the notches 22, 'the spacer can be moved adjacent the insulator-engaging member. If, however, the ribs 30 are not in register with the notches 22, the spacer I8 or the nail 26 must be rotated until the ribs 30 of nail 26 are in re ister with the notches 22 in the spacer [8; whereupon the spacer H can be moved adjacent the insulator-engaging member I ll.

When this has been done, the nail 26, insulatorengaging member [0, and spacer [8 will form an assembled unit because of the snug fit between the notches 22 of the spacer l8 and the ribs 30 of the nail 26. This unit can then be picked up, placed with the sharp end of nail 26 against a post, and hammered or otherwise forced into the post until the head 28 of the nail 26 holds the insulator-engaging member ID adjacent the top of the spacer l8 and, thus holds the flange 24 against the post. At this time, the insulatorengaging member It] will be spaced from the post by the spacer l8. Thereafter the insulator 32 can be placed so its threaded recess 34 is in contact with the insulator-engaging member l0; and the insulator can be rotated until the helical periphery of the insulator-engaging member In is snugly seated in the threaded recess 34. At this time the base of the insulator will be immediately adjacent the post and will cooperate with the post to substantially enclose the insulator-engaging member ID, the spacer l8, and the upper section of nail 26.

The ribs '36 of nail 26 not only cooperate with the notches 22 in the spacer l8 to provide a snug fit that holds the insulator-engagin member ID and the spacer [8 in assembled relation with nail 26, but they also cooperate with the notches l6 in the insulator-engaging member ill to prevent rotation of member [0 relative to nail 26. Moreover, since the nail 26 will be held against rotation by the fibers in the wood of the post, the

insulator-engaging member H], which is locked to the nail 26 by the ribs 30, will also be held against rotation. This makes it possible for the insulator to be threaded onto or off of the insulatorengagingmember with ease. The frictional engagement between the flange 24 and the post will assist in preventing rotation of the nail 26 relative to the post, since the spacer I8 is also locked to the nail by the ribs 30. Not only does the flange 24 assist in preventing rotation of the nail, but it provides'a broad blunt surface that will prevent the forcing of. the end of the spacer into the fibers of the post. This is desirable because it guarantees the maintenance of the desired minimum distance between the post and the insulator-engaging member II]. In addition, the flange may be made so it will serve as a surface against which the edges of the recess in the insulator may bear... With. such an arrangement,

4 the flange 24 on the spacer l8 and the engagement between the head 28 of the nail 26 and the insulator-engaging member 10 could provide three points of support for the insulator.

In the event the insulator-engagin member Ill or the spacer l8 or the nail 26 has to be replaced.

the nail 26 can be removed from the post, the spacer 18 can be removed from the nail 26, the insulator-engaging member I0 can be removed from the nail 26, and the needed substitution can be made. This obviates the need'of disposing of all three members when only one member needs replacement.

By providin the spacer, the invention insures proper spacing of the insulator-engaging member ID from thepost. This not only insures easy assembly of the insulator 32 with the insulatorengaging member 10, but it insures engagement between the insulator-engaging member ID and the innermost portion of the thread in the recess 34. Moreover, the use of thespacer appreciably increases the resistance of the insulator to forces that tend to dislodge the insulator by urging rotation of the insulator about an axis parallel to the surface of the post. The spacer 18 does this by shifting the instantaneous center of rotation of the insulator from the periphery of the nail to the periphery of the spacer.

The bowl-shape of the spacer I3 is quite valuable. It permits the spacer to be held in snug engagement with the nail and yet permits the spacer to be tilted relative to the nail. This isv valuable because it permits firm and correct seating of the spacer against the post even when the nail is not perpendicular to the surface of the post. The bowl-shape is additionally valuable because it provides a flat surface that receives the insulator-engaging member and will be parallel to the post when the nail is driven into the post. This surface will keep the insulatorengaging member parallel to the surface of thepost, and will thus make it quite easy to assemble the insulator with the insulator-engaging member.

The teachings of this invention have been.

found to be very useful in making supports for insulators that are used on the portable electric fences employed by farmers in confinin grazing animals. By using a nail that'was approximately two inches long and was less than five thirty-' seconds of an inch in diameter, and by' using a engaging member which has a central opening 33 of rectangular form therein. The periphery: of the insulator-engaging member 36 has a notch 46 therein'that provides the leading and-trailing edges of a helix, which helix is the periphery of the member 36.

of resilient material, such as leather, and that has an axially-extending opening 44 therethrough.

The numeral 46 denotes a nail which has a generally cylindrical body and a notched head 48. Depending downwardly from the head 48. of.

the nail 46 and secured to the head 48 adjacent the notches are lugs '50. The head 48 of the nail J and the lugs 56 of the head 48 are dimensioned so the lugs will fit into the rectangular opening 1 36 of the insulator-engaging member 36, and-can The numeral 42 denotes a generally cylindrical spacer member that is made the insulator-engaging memberv 36.1

In using this modified form of the invention,

the sharp end of nail 46 is inserted through the opening. 38 of the insulator-engaging member 36 and the member 36 is moved along the generally.-

cylindrical body of the nail 46 until it engages the nail head 48. At this time, "if-the lugs 53 of the nail head 48 are in register with the'rectangw.

lar opening 68 of the insulatoreengaging member 36,- the lugs 50 can be movedinto engagement with opening 38. If, however, the lugs 50 and the opening 38 are notfiin register, the hall 46 or the insulator-engaging--member 36 must be rotated to bring the lugs 58 0f nail head 48 into register withv the opening 38 of the insulatorengaging member 36; whereupon the lugs 50 can be moved into engagement with the'opening 38. Thereafter the sharp end of the nail 46 can be inserted through the opening '44 of the spacer 42 and the spacer can be urged along the generally cylindrical body of the nail 46 until it cent the insulator-engagingmember 36.

The opening 44 in the resilient spacer member 42 is so dimensioned as to provide a snu fit between the spacer and the nail 46. The lugs 50 in the nail head 48 cooperate withthe'opening 38 in the insulator-engaging member 36 to prevent relative rotation th'erebetween."

When nail 46, spacer 42 and-i-nsulator-engaging member 36 are assembled together, they form a unit that can be handled in the same way as the unit formed by assemblingnail 2'6, spacer I 8, and insulator-engaging -'member ID can be handled.

" Fig. 9 shows a screw 52, an insulator-engaging in the shape of the openings therethrough. The

opening 56 in disc 54 and the opening 60 in spacer 58 are circular while the openings l4 and 26 oi the disc [8 and spacer 20 are acirculart However, the opening 60 in spacer 58 is dimensioned to provide a snug lit with screw 52, whereby the screw 52, disc 54 and spacer 58 can be picked up and used as an assembled unit j 'in the manner of nail 26, disc l8 and spacer l8.

In using the assembled insulator support of Fig. 9, the nut 64 and the lock washer 62 are removed, and the threaded end of the screw 52 is inserted through an opening in the post; and thereafter the lock washer 62 and the nut 64 are replaced on the threaded end of screw 52 and are drawn up tightly against the rear surface of the post. This causes the head of the screw 52 to be pressed tightly against the insulatorengaging disc 54, and to force that disc against the spacer 58, and to force spacer 58 against the post. Depending on the tightness with which the nut is drawn up on the threaded end of the screw 52, the pressure between the head of the screw 52, the insulator-engaging disc 54, the spacer 58, the post, and the lock washer 62 can be great enough to prevent rotation of the insulator-engaging disc 54 relative to the post. This permits ready engagement and disengagement of the insulator with the insulator-engaging disc 54. g

The structure shown in Fig. 9 is very useful with posts that have openings therethrough; and it is particularly useful with metal posts. Such posts usually have a number of openings is. adjatherethrough. and the screw 52 can be set at almost any desired level on the post merely by inserting it through an opening at that level.

Fig. 10 shows an assembled unit that is very similar to the unit of Fig. 9, and this includes a screw 66, an insulator-engaging disc 68, a spacer 14, a lock washer 80, and a nut 82. The disc 68 and the. spacer, 74 are similar to the disc 54 and spacer 58 of Fig. 9, in that they have the same general configuration and have circular openings 16 and 16 therethrough. However, disc 68 and spacer 16 are. unlike disc 54 and spacer 58 in that disc 68 is provided with radially-extending ridges on the under side thereof and spacer 74 is provided with radially-extending grooves 18 in the upper surface thereof. The ridges on the under side of disc 68 are adapted to be placed in register with the grooves 78 in the substantially plane upper surface of spacer l4; and those ridges'are indicated in Fig. 10 by the depressions 12 that were formed in disc 68 when the ridges were formed, as by punching in a press.

In using the assembled support of Fig. 10, the nut 82 and the lock washer 86 are removed, the

threaded end of screw 66 is inserted through an opening in the post, and the lock washer 86 and the nut 82 are replaced on the threaded end of screw 66 and are drawn up tightly against the post. Again, depending on the tightness with which the nut 82 is drawn up against the post, the insulator-engaging disc 58 can be held in such intimate engagement with the spacer l4 and the spacer 14 can be held in such intimate engagement with the post, that the insulator-engaging disc 68 can be held against rotation relative to the post. The provision of the grooves 16 in the substantially plane upper surface of the spacer l4, and the provision of the cooperating ridges on the under side of the disc 68 additionally assist in preventing-any rotation of disc 63 relative to the post.

- 'As a matter of actual practice, the structure shown in Fig. 9 will adequately prevent rotation of the insulator-engaging disc 54 relative to the post under most, if not all, normal operating conditions." However, the provision of the grooves 16 in the upper surface of spacer l4 and the provision'of the ridges on the under side of disc 68 additionally increases the resistance of disc 68 so therethrough. Whether used with wood or metal posts, the

spacers

58 and 14 of Figs. 9 and 10 will maintain the required minimal distance between the post and the insulator-engaging

discs

54 and 68, and will seat firmly against the post even though the

screws

52 and 66 are inclined at an angle to the surface of the post.

While the drawing and accompanying description show and describe four preferred embodiments of the invention, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without affecting its scope. For example, the post-penetrating member and the insulator-engaging member could be made unitary rather than in two separate pieces, or the screws, washers and nuts could be replaced by wood screws for use with wood posts; and these and other things can be done ammo fe'rred embodiments of, and do not limit, the invention and that the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

WhatIclaimis: g

1. In a support for an insulator, a post-penetrating member, an insulator-engagin member, and a spacer that is adapted to be positioned between a post and the insulator-engaging member, said spacer having means adapted to bear against said post and having a flat surface spacedfrom said means in a direction parallel to said'postpenetrating member, said post-penetrating member projecting through an opening in said flat surface of the spacer and projecting through an opening in the insulator-engaging member, said bearing means of said spacer being disposed radially outward from the point where the postpenetrating member enters the post, said spacer fitting snugly onto the post-penetratin memberand being carried by it, said insulator-engaging member being a disc with a helical periphery that extends beyond said fiat surface of said spacer to engage a threaded recess in an insulator.

2. In a support for an insulatona post-penetrating member, an insulator-engaging member, and a spacer that is adapted to be positioned between a post and the insulator-engaging member, said spacer having a surface adapted to bear against said post and having a second surface adapted to bear against said insulatorengaging member, said second surface bein spaced from the first said surface in a direction parallel to said post-penetrating member, said postpenetrating member projecting through an opening in said second surface of the spacer and projectingthrough an opening in the insulator-engaging member, said spacer fitting snugly onto the post-penetrating member and being carried by it, said insulator-engaging member being a disc that is adapted to engage and hold an insulator.

3. In a support for an insulator, a post-penetrating member, an insulator-engaging member, and a spacer that is adapted to be positioned between a post and the insulator-engaging member, said spacer havin a surface adapted to bear against said post and having second surface adapted to bear against said insulator-engaging member, said second surface being spaced from the first said surface in a direction parallel to said post-penetrating. member, .said post-penetrating member projecting through an opening in said second surface of the spacer and projecting through an opening in the insulator-engaging member, the portions of said insulator-engaging member and said spacer which define said openings being thin so they contact only very limited portions of the length of said post-penetrating member, said portions of said spacer which define said opening insaid spacer being adapted to coact with said post-penetrating member to provide a snug fit, the limited engagement between said post-penetrating member and said portions of said spacer and said insulator-engaging.v member permitting tilting of said post-penetrating memberrelative to said insulator-engaging member and said spacer.

4. In a support for an insulator, apost-penetrating member, an insulator-engaging member, and a spacer thatis adapted to be positioned between a post and the insulator-engaging member, said spacer having a surface adapted to bear against said post and having a second surface adapted to bear against said insulator-engaging member, said second. surface being spaced from the first said surface in a direction parallel to said post-penetrating member, said post-penetrating member projecting through an, opening in said secondsurfaceofthespacerandprojectingthrough an opening in the insulator-engaging member, said insulator-engaging member being, a disc which engages only a limited portion of the length of said post-penetrating member andsaid spacer being thin where it engages said post-penetrating member so said spacer and said insulator-engaging member can tilt relative to said postpenetrating member. v

. ALOYSIUS B. BUSSMANN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Harms Jan. 20, 1920