US3204022A - Terminal connector for terminal bushings - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 31, 1965 o. H. SOLES ETAL 3,204,022

TERMINAL CONNECTOR FOR TERMINAL BUSHING-5 Filed April 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 230 Fig. 4

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TERMINAL CONNECTOR FOR TERMINAL BUSHINGS Filed April 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent '0 3,204,022 TERMINAL CONNECTOR 'FOR TERMINAL BUSHINGS Otto H. Soles, North Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland County, and Carl G. Lentjes, Churchill, Pa., assignors to, Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 189,090 '3 Claims. (Cl. 174-75) This invention relates to terminal connectors for terminal bushings in general and, more particularly, to an improved terminal-connector construction for a terminal bushing for readily adapting the same for interchangeable use with circuit breakers and transformers.

A general object of the present invention is to provide I an improved terminal connector for a terminal bushing involving few parts, being economical to manufacture, having a reduced height for the terminal bushing and enabling rapid change-over from circuit-breaker use to transformer use.

A more specific object of the present invention is the provision of an improved terminal-connector construction for a terminal bushing eliminating bolted joints as far as possible, requiring few parts and enabling rapid change-over from circuit-breaker to transformer use.

According to one feature of the present invention, a plug-like terminal cap adaptable for attachment to the transformer lead is inserted Within the outer end of the tubular conductor stud and fixedly secured into place by the external enveloping terminal cap of the terminal bushing. Preferably, the enveloping cup-like terminal cap is of bifurcated construction and is clamped into place by the clamping action of the clamp bolt associated therewith.

Further objects and advantages will readily become apparent upon reading the following specification, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a terminal bushing embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the improved terminal-connector construction of the present invention and illustrates the adaptation of the terminal bushing for circuit-breaker use;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the improved terminal-connector construction of the present invention employing the plug-like terminal cap and illustrating the adaptation of the terminal bushing for transformer use; and,

FIG. 4 is a detailed end view of the plug-like terminal connector cap of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a terminal bushing which may be adaptable for interchangeable use in connection with circuit breakers or with transformers. As shown, the terminal bushing 1 ineludes an external weatherproof shell 2, a mounting flange assembly 3, a lower interiorly-disposed porcelain shell 4 and a clamping ring 5. As shown, the terminal bushing 1 is adaptable for mounting to a flange ring 6 associated with a collar support 7 welded, as at 8, to the cover 9 of an enclosing structure or tank 10.

As well known by those skilled in the art, the enclosing tank structure 10 may be utilized for circuit breaker use, as illustrated in FIG. 1, or for transformer use, the circuit breaker unit 11 being threadedly secured and clamped to the lower end 12a of the tubular terminal stud 12 extending axially through the terminal bushing 1. For transformer use, the flexible lead from the transformer winding, not shown, is threaded through the tubular terminal stud 12 and is secured to the cap structure 14 3,204,022 I Patented Aug. 31, 1965 associated with the external end of the terminal bushing 1 in a manner more fully described hereinafter.

FIG. 2 more clearly illustrates the improved terminal cap construction 13 associated with the terminal bushing 1. As shown, the tubular conductor stud 12, extending axially through the terminal bushing 1, has fixedly secured thereto, as by soldering, for instance a mounting ring 17, the latter in turn being secured, as by soldering, to the cap shell shell 18. As well known by those skilled in the art, the cap shell 18 encloses suitable compression springs, not shown, which place the porcelain shells 2, 4 and the flange assembly 3 into compression, while at the same time exerting tensile stress upon the elongated axially-extending tubular conductor stud 12.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for circuit-breaker use, a cup-shaped external enveloping terminal connector 19, preferably of split bifurcated construction, has a clamping bolt 19a associated therewith, and cooperates with the upper extremity 12b of the tubular conductor stud 12 to fixedly clamp the two together in good contacting engagement. An annular gasket 21 may be interposed between the end extremity 12b of conductor stud 12 and the base 22 of the terminal connector 19.

For transformer use, the same construction with the addition of the plug-like terminal cap 23 may be employed, as shown in more detail in FIG. 3 of the drawings. As illustrated, the terminal cap 23 has a cavity 23a provided therein, within which may be inserted and fixedly secured, as by soldering, the terminal lead 24 associated with a transformer, not shown. By providing a spherical contact seat 25 there results cooperation between an indented surface area 22a of the terminal connector 19 and the spherical contact surface 25 so that good contacting engagement is provided. FIG. 4 illustrates in more detail the particular construction of the plug-like terminal cap 23.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that for transformer use the terminal cap 23 may be fixedly secured to the lead 24 of an associated transformer, and clamped into engagement with the terminal bushing end 1211, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. For circuit-breaker use, on the other hand, the terminal cap 23 may be omitted altogther, and the construction, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, may be employed.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that there is provided an improved simplified terminal-connector construction 13 for a terminal bushing 1 adapting the same for interchangeable circuit-breaker use and for transformer use. There are utilized only few parts adapted for economical manufacture, and also the overall height of the terminal bushing 1 may be somewhat reduced by an application of the present invention. This is of some importance during shipment of circuit breakers or transformers to expedite travel in tunnels, etc.

The present invention offers a simple and efficient method of interchanging circuit-breaker bushings and the transformer bushings. Change-over is quickly accomplished in the field. There is merely necessitated the removal of the terminal 19 and insertion of the plug-like terminal cap 23 into place within stud 12. The terminal 19 may then be screwed back into place and fixedly clamped into position by tightening clamp bolt 19a. The present invention has the advantage of eliminating as far as possible bolted joints, and also eliminates complicated assembly items as there are no soldered joints or mounting hardware. In addition, it requires no extra parts and transformer changeover may readily be made with the use of the plug 23. As a result, changeover is quick and efiicient. Simplicity of construction and considerably reduced costs are effected by the elimination of the soldered joint and flanged bolted joint, as employed in some priorart constructions.

illustrated and described a par- 7,

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein a threaded engagement is provided between the end of the tubular able transformer and circuit-breaker use having a tubular conductor stud for transmitting the current therethrough when in circuit-breaker use, the combination therewith of a unitary plug-like insertable terminal cap having a cavity provided therein for the reception of the end of a transformer lead, said unitary terminal cap having a radially outwardly extending end flange portion seated upon the end extremity of the tubular conductor stud and having an integrally-formed tubular shank portion surrounding said cavity inserted within the extremity of the tubular conductor stud, and an outer enveloping terminal cap enclosing the end of the tubular conductor stud and pressurally engaging the outer end of the unitary insertable terminal cap to form an electrical connection between said unitary terminal cap and said enveloping terminal cap.

conductor stud and the outer enveloping terminal cap.

3. A terminal bushing according to claim 1 wherein the end flange portion of the unitary insertable terminal cap is additionally characterized as having a substantially spherical end surface, and the inner surface of the enveloping terminal cap is additionally characterized as having a substantially centrally disposed indented surface area into which a portion of the spherical surface of the flange portion of the unitary insertable terminal cap extends while the enveloping terminal cap is secured to the end of the conductor stud, the spherical surface and indented surface area cooperating to provide a large current carrying surface contact area.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/32 Burr 17474 X 10/33 Calloway a 174-75

Claims (1)

1. IN THE TERMINAL BRUSHING ADAPTABLE FOR INTERCHANGEABLE TRANSFORMER AND CIRCUIT-BREAKER USE HAVING A TUBULAR CONDUCTOR STUD FOR TRANSMITTING THE CURRENT THERETHROUGH WHEN IN CIRCUIT-BREAKER USE,THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF A UNITARY PLUG-LIKE INSERTABLE TERMINAL CAP HAVING A CAVITY PROVIDED THEREINFOR THE RECEPTION OF THE END OF A TRANSFORMER LEAD, SAID UNITARY TERMINAL CAP HAVING A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING END GLANGE PORTION SEATED UPON THE END EXTREMITY OF THE TUBULAR CONDUCTOR STUD AND HAVING AN INTEGRALLY-FORMED TUBULAR SHANK PORTION SURROUNDING SAID CAVITY INSERTED WITHIN THE EXTREMITY OF THE TUBULAR CONDUCTOR STUD, AND AN OUTER ENVELOPING TERMINAL CAP ENCLOSING THE END OF THE TUBULAR CONDUCTOR STUD AND PRESSURALLY ENGAGING THE OUTER END OF THE UNITARY INSERTABLE TERMINAL CAP TO FORM AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID UNITARY TERMINAL CAP AND SAID ENVELOPING TERMINAL

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