US263554A

US263554A - Benjamin mcoabe

Info

Publication number: US263554A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1882-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 1899-08-29

Description

(No Model.)

B. MoOABE, 0. R. SWAIN & J. T. SUTTON.

SWITCH EOE GROUNDING TELEPHONE 0B. TELEGRAPH LINES. No. 263,554. Patented Aug. 29, 1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN MGGABE, CHARLES R. SWAIN, AND JAMES T. SUTTON, OF PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK.

SWITCH FOR GROUNDING TELEPHONE OR TELEGRAPH LINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 263,554, dated August 29, 1882.

"Application filed May 27, 1882.

.To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, BENJAMIN MoUABE, CHARLES R. SWAIN, and JAMES T. SUTTON,

of Peeksltill, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented anew and useful Improvement in Switches for Grounding Telephone and Telegraph \Vires, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a front elevation of our improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same, taken through the line 00 00, Fig. l.

The object of this invention is to prevent telephone and telegraph instruments from being injured by electricity discharged from the clouds during thunder-storms.

The invention consists in a switch for grounding telephone and telegraph wires, con structed with a series of conductors and springs connected with the ground-wire, a series of conductors and springs connected with the instrument-wires, and aseries of conductors attached to a sliding bar and connected with the line-wires, whereby the line-wires can be connected with the ground-wire or the instrument-wires, as set forth.

A represents a frame, of wood or other suitable material. The frame A is secured to the wall of a room or other suitable support, and to its lower bar is attached abar, B, of copper or other conducting material, with which the ground-wire O is connected. \Vith the bar B are connected the ends of as many strips or narrow plates D, of copper or other conducting material, as there are line-wires E entering the office. Each of the strips D is provided with a spring, F, of brass or other suitable material, so arranged as to press a strip, G, of copper, that may enter between the copper plate D and the spring F, down closely upon the said plate D, and thus make a true contact. The outer ends of the plates 1) and springs F are so formed as to guide the ends of the approaching strips G into the space between the said plates and springs. The line-wires E are attached to the middle parts of the strips G, and the said strips at their middle parts are attached to a bar, H, of wood or other suitable material, the ends of which slide in grooves in (No model.)

with the ground-wire C, so that the current will pass directly into the ground without passing through the instruments. When the storm has passed the bar H is moved upward, bringing the strips G into contact with the plates I and springs J, and connecting the line-wires E with the wires K, leading to the switch-board or instruments. The bar H can be moved by hand or by means of a rack-bar and pinion operated by a crank, or by a lever or other convenient means.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A switch for grounding telephone and telegraph wires, constructed substantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of the frame A, aseries ofcondnctors andsprings, D F, connected with a ground-wire, and a series of conductors and springs, 1 J, connected with the instrument-wires, and the sliding bar H, provided with a series of conductors, G, connected with the line-wires, as set forth.

2. In a switch for grounding telephone and telegraph wires, the combination, with a series of conductors and springs, D F, connected with the ground-wire O, and a series of conductors and springs, I J, connected with the inn strument-wires K, of aseries of conductors, G, attached to a sliding bar, II, and connected with the line-wires E, snbstantiallyas herein shown and described, whereby the line-wires can be connected with the ground-wire or the instrument-wires, as set forth.

BENJAMIN MOOABE. CHARLES R. SYVAIN. JAS. T. SUTTON. \Vitnesscs:

ELBERT P. JAMES, GEo. D. MoOUToHEN.