US2943295A

US2943295A - Rejection type fuse clip

Info

Publication number: US2943295A
Application number: US638573A
Authority: US
Inventors: Vincent N Stewart
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1957-02-06
Filing date: 1957-02-06
Publication date: 1960-06-28
Anticipated expiration: 1977-06-28

Description

June 28, 1960 v W RT 2,943,295

REJECTION TYPE FUSE CLIP Filed Feb. 6, 1957 F Fig.2. /3

Inventor:

Vincent N. Stewart,

United States Patent f REJECTION TYPE FUSE CLIP Vincent N. Stewart, Springfield, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 638,573

8 Claims. (Cl. 339--258) My invention relates to fuse clips for cartridge fuses and more particularly to fuse clips incorporating means for preventing insertion of improper fuses.

Fuse clips of the conventional type which include fierible clamping-arms for receiving the end terminals of cartridge fuses have the inherent disadvantage of being susceptible to the insertion of fuses having current-interrupting capacities different from the preferred fuse. Wlth a view toward correcting this possibly dangerous situation, some prior fuse clips have been provided with rejection features, in the form of interference means, for resisting the insertion of such improper fuses. However, the interference means have been formed in the flexible clamping arms of the fuse clip, and the arms, whileresisting the insertion of an improper fuse, were susceptible to being overstressed during attempted insertion. Moreover, in some cases, even with fuse clips which included interference means incorporated with flexible clamping arms, improper fuses could be inserted, provided sufficient pressure was exerted on the fuse. My present invention incorporates improved rejection means, eliminating-the disadvantages of the prior art structures.

It is an object ofmy invention to provide a fuse clip including an improved arrangement for insuring regection of improper fuses.

Another object of my invention. is to provide a fuse clip including an improved arrangement for preventing overstressing the flexible contact arms by attempted insertion of an improper fuse.

A further object of my invention is to provide a fuse clip including an improved means for insuring axial alignment of the fuse within the clip.

Furtherobjects and advantages of my invention Wlll become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the specification.

In accordance with one form of my invention, I provide a fuse clip having spaced generally-parallel flexible ams. These arms are provided with aligned slots. An interference member, which is formed as a rigid element separate from the clip itself, is mounted in these slots and extends transversely across the gap between the flexible arms to prevent insertion of improper fuses in the fuse clip. I

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mounting clip and a specially grooved cartridge'type fuse embodying one form of my invention. Figure 2 is also a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention. Figure 3 is an end view of the second embodiment showing the fuse in operative position within the mounting clip.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawing, there is shown a fuse clip for engagement with an. appropriately dimensioned cartridge fuse, the fuse clip including an interference means for rejecting an improper fuse. The fuse clip comprises a main body 1', preferably of a interference member 5. The diameter 2,943,295 Patented June 28, 1960 highly conductive material such as copper, which includes a pair of upstanding, spaced, generally parallel, flexible arms 2. The arms 2 have outwardly curved portions 3 defining opposing concave contact surfaces for engaging opposite sides of the ferrule or end terminal of a cartridge fuse. The curvature of the contact surfaces enables the flexible arms to contact as much of the cylindrical ferrule surface as possible, thereby insuring good electrical con tact as well as aiding in the axial alignment of the fuse within the clip. The flexible clamping arms 2 are provided with aligned slots or openings 4 for positioning the transversely extending, relatively rigid interference member 5. The interference member has its end portions 6 extending through the aligned slots 4, allowing free lateral movement of the flexible clamping arms with respect to the stationary interference member during insertion of the fuse within the clip. The bottom of the main body 1 of the fuse clip is adapted to be rigidly connected or anchored to a conventional mounting block, not shown.

The interference member 5 is anchored in place with n the aligned slots 4 of the flexible clamping arms by of ears 7 contacting the laterally extending shoulder portions 3 of interference member 5. The ears 7 are formed from the material punched out of the flexible clamping arms 2 to provide the aligned slots 4. This construction lends itself to a relatively economical method of anchoring the interference member within the main clip body.

The upper portion of interference member 5 has a centrally located, generally U-shaped opening therein for receiving a specially reduced portion of the cylindrical fuse ferrule 19. The cartridge fuse 11 includes the cylindn'cal ferrule 10, which has a grooved portion 12 of reduced diameter for engagement Within opening 9 of the of the ungrooved portion of the fuse ferrule it is larger than the width of the U-shaped opening 9 of the interference member, but the dimension across the ferrule at the grooved portion 12 is sufficiently reduced to permit the fuse to be inserted within this opening. In other words, the special recess 12 is formed in the ferrule 19 to accommodate the interference member 5 upon insertion of a proper cartridge fuse 11 in the fuse clip. Since the U-shaped openings conforms to the curvature of the recessed portion of the fuse ferrule, the interference member engages the ferrule for a full and is therefore effective to precisely limit the inserting movement of the fuse to the desired position in the clip. Thus, the interference mcmber cooperates with the flexible clamping arms for insuring proper positioning and axial alignment of the fuse within the clip. More perfect alignment is therefore achieved by providing an interference member which extends the whole distance, between the flexible clamping arms.

The present invention is also applicable to fuse clips for receiving fuses having blade-type terminals. For example, referring to the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3, there is shown a somewhat modified form of fuse clip comprising a main body 13 which includes a pair of upstanding, spaced, parallel, flexible arms 14. Unlike the previous clip member of Figure l, the opposing contact surfaces 15 of the arms 14 are not curved, but are flattened to conform to the rectangular end terminal of the cylindrical cartridge fuse 2G. The flexible clamping arms are provided with aligned slots 16 for positioning the transversely extending rigid interference member 17 in the same manner as the embodiment shown in Figure 1. However, the rigid interference member is attached to the floor portion of the main clip body by means such as welding rather than by use of the inwardly extending ears integral with the flexible clamping arm's in Figure 1. The interference member-d7 is" provided" with a on either side, which allows it to be inserted within this opening. Figure 3 illustrates the relationship of the parts after the properly configured fuse 20 has been fully inserted into the clip.

The interference element is a relatively rigid member preferably of steel, and is supported independently of the flexible clamping arms. It forms the resisting element upon an attempted insertion of a fuse having an end terminal of improper configuration and absorbs the full insertion force. Previous fuse clip arrangements were of such a nature that the flexible clamping arms themselves acted as the resisting members, and insertion of an improper fuse was still possible provided sufiicient pressure was exerted on the fuse. Moreover, the exertion of such pressure could result in overstressing of the flexible clamping arms. In the present design, however, attempted insertion of a standard fuse, i.e., a fuse having an ungrooved ferrule and hence no special provision for accommodating the interference member, merely results in some lateral movement of the flexible clamping arms, with the interference member absorbing the insertion force and rejecting the fuse. The interference member acts to block such fuse insertion before the fuse can be moved to a point where it can be held by the flexible clamping arms. Thus, the flexible clamping arms may be designed to give ideal performance from the standpoint of providing a good electrical connection with the fuse terminals without any compromise being needed in order to render them capable of withstanding the forces incident to insertion of an improper fuse.

'While I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described and i intend by the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A fuse clip comprising a main body member including spaced, generally-parallel flexible clamping arms hav 'ing opposing contact surfaces for engaging opposite sides of the end terminal of a cartridge fuse, and a rigid interference member disposed between the opposing contact surfaces of said clamping arms for preventing the insertion of any cartridge fuse whose end terminal is not provided with a special recess arranged to accommodate said interference member.

2. A fuse clip comprising a main body member in cluding spaced, generally-parallel flexible clamping arms having opposing contact surfaces for engaging opposite sides of the end terminal of a cartridge fuse inserted between said clampiug arms, said arms having openings therein, and a rigid interference member received within said openings and extending transversely between said clamping arms for permi g insertion of only those carfridge fuses having end terminals of proper configuration for accommodating said interference member, said openings allowing free lateral movement of said clamping arms relative to said interference member.

3. A fuse clip comprising a main body member including spaced, generally-parallel flexible clamping arms,

said arms having aligned slots therein, and a rigid interference member received within said slots and extending transversely between said clamping arms for permitting only a properly configured fuse to be inserted in the fuse clip, said interference member having a pair of laterally extending shoulder portions, said flexible clamping arms including integral inwardly extending ears, said ears being formed from at least a portion of thematerial dis- 4 V placed from said clamping arms to form said aligned slots and said ears contacting said shoulder portions of said interference member for holding said interference member within said main body member.

4. A fuse clip comprising a main body member including spaced, generally-parallel flexible clamping arms having opposing contact surfaces for engaging opposite sides of the end terminal of a cartridge fuse, and a rigid interference member transversely extending between the opposing contact surfaces of said clamping arms, said interference member including a generally U-shaped opening adapted to receive a cooperating grooved portion of the end terminal of a proper cartridge fuse inserted in the fuse clip, said interference member being effective to reject any cartridge fuse having an end terminal the minimum dimension across which is greater than the maximum transverse dimension of said opening.

5. A fuse clip comprising a main body including spaced, generally-parallel flexible clamping arms, said arms having openings therein, and a rigid interference member received within said openings and extending transversely 'between said clamping arms, said interference member including a generally U-shaped opening adapted to receive a cooperating slotted rectangular fuse terminal.

6. A fuse clip' comprising a main body having a bottom adapted to be rigidly connected to a mounting base and including a pair of spaced, flexible clamping arms, said flexible clamping arms having aligned slots, a relatively rigid interference member positioned between and at right angles to said flexible clamping arms, said interference member having end portions positioned within and extending through said aligned slots in said flexible clamping arms allowing free lateral movement of said flexible clamping arms with respect to said interference member, inwardly extending ears integral with said flexible clamping arms and engaging said interference membar for anchoring said interference member-to the bottom of said main body, a generally U-shaped centrally located opening in the upper portion of said interference member adapted to receive a cooperating grooved cylindrical fuse ferrule. i

7. A fuse clip comprising a main body including a pair of spaced, flexible clamping arms, said flexible clamping arms having aligned slots, a relatively rigid interference member positioned between and at right angles to said flexible clamping arms, said interference member having end portions positioned within and extending through said aligned slots in said flexible clamping arms, allowing free lateral movement of said flexible clamping arms with respect to said interference member, inwardly extending ears integral withsaid flexible clamping arms and engaging said interference member for anchoring said interference memberwithin said base member, a generally U-shaped centrally located opening in the upper portion of said interference member adapted to receive a-cooperating grooved cylindrical fuse ferrule, said U-shaped opening of said interference member being adapted'to engage approximately 180 of the grooved portion of the fuse ferrule, whereby axial alignment of the fuse within the clip is facilitated.

8. A fuse clip for a cartridge fuse comprising: a main body member including spaced, generally-parallel flexible clamping arms having opposing contact surfaces for engaging cooperating contact surfaces of an end terminal of a cartridge fuse inserted between said clamping arms;

and a rigid, transversely-extending interference member disposed intermediate the opposing contact surfaces of said clamping arms, said interference member being provided with an opening adapted to receive a specially reduced portion of the end terminal of said cartridge fuse when inserted between said clamping arms. the maximum transverse dimension of said opening being smaller than themaximum distancebetween said cooperating contact surfaces of the end terminal whereby said interference 5 6 member will reject an otherwise appropriately dimen- FOREIGN PATENTS sioned cartridge fuse whose end terminal is not pro- 6031539 Great Britain June 17 1948 vided with said specially reduced portion. 841,302 Germany June 1952 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 OTHER REFERENCES UNITED STATES PATENTS Page et a1., Abstract of application Serial No. 193,380, 2,068,314, Dotterer June 19, 1937 published March 24, 1953, 668, O. G. 1125.