US3290468A - Clip for fuse employed as movable member of switch - Google Patents

Description

1966 R. D. CLARK, JR, ETAL 3, 68

CLIP FOR FUSE EMPLOYED AS MOVABLE MEMBER OF SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. '7, 1962 Fig .9.

INVENTORS Russell D. Clark, Jr. 8 Charles J. Mahler 1966 R. D. CLARK, JR., ETAL 3,

CLIP FOR FUSE EMPLOYED AS MOVABLE MEMBER OF SWITCH Original Filed Nov. 7, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet z LE: I 354 400 I Fig.2.

1966 R. D. CLARK,-JR., ETAL 3,290,468

CLIP FOR FUSE EMPLOYED AS MOVABLE MEMBER OF SWITCH Original Filed Nov. '7. 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.3.

1966 R. D. CLARK,YJR., ETAL 3,290,468

CLIP FOR FUSE EMPLOYED AS MOVABLE MEMBER OF SWITCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Nov. '7, 1962 Fig.4.

Dec. 6, 1966 R. D. CLARK, JR, ETAL 3,290,468

CLIP FOR FUSE EMPLOYED AS MOVABLE MEMBER OF SWITCH Original Filed Nov. '7, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 10 Claims. (Cl. 200114) This application is a division of application Serial No. 235,940, filed Nov. 7, 1962.

This invention relates to switching apparatus and more particularly to line starters of the type having in series in the power circuit, a disconnect or isolating switch, a fuse, and main or power contacts of a contactor, and wherein the power fuse employed as the movable portion of the disconnect switch is rockably mounted at one end thereof, while its other end is coupled to a movable carrier that selectively swings said other end of the fuse backward and forward into and out of circuit closing relation with the stationary contact of the disconnect switch. Such a switching apparatus is generally disclosed herein and is also disclosed and claimed in the U.S. patent application, Serial No. 235,938, filed by Alfred W. Hodgson on November 7, 1962, and assigned to the same assignee. Particular features of a fuse mount for pivotably supporting one end of a power fuse disclosed herein (FIG. 6) are claimed in US. patent application, Serial No. 235,939, filed on November 7, 1962, by Alfred W. Hodgson and Russell D. Clark, Jr., and assigned to the same assignee.

Certain safety features and operating mechanisms disclosed herein are claimed in the aforesaid copending parent US. patent application Serial No. 235,940. The present invention is more specifically directed to features of the fuse clip at the end of the fuse coupled to the carrier. This clip which is self-aligning, includes forward fuse jaws for clamping the fuse and rearward stab jaws for engaging the line stab, the arrangement being such that as the line stab is engaged by the stab jaws, the contact pressure at the fuse jaws and the stab jaws is increased.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a carrier-mounted double ended fuse clip for moving one end of a fuse into and out of circuit closing relation with a stationary contact, the fuse end of the clip being arranged to tighten around the fuse when the other end of the clip engages the stationary contact.

Another object is to provide means to position such a clip for convenient fuse insertion when the clip is moved to open circuit mode.

Other and further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagram of an example of a circuit for switching apparatus built in accordance with one embodiment of the invention and described herein;

FIGURE 2 is a front view with parts broken away of switching apparatus incorporating features of the inven tion;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken generally along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2, with some parts shown in full. FIG. 3 shows the apparatus in the OFF position while FIG. 4 shows the apparatus in the ON position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view looking at the fuse clip carrier from the top and illustrating the slidable mounting of the carrier and the cooperative relation between the 3,299,468 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 carrier and a shutter along the back wall which is interposed between the switching apparatus and active line elements in the off position of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 illustrates details of upper and lower fuse clips included in the apparatus of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 shows a detail of the upper fuse clip in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative form of the detail in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an alternative arrangement for pivotably mounting the lower end of the fuse.

Circuit Included in the diagram of FIG. 1 is a power-operated main contactor 20 with power contacts 22 to connect three-phase load lines L1, L2 and L3 to conductors A, B and C, which are normally connected to main supply lines S1, S2 and S3, through a disconnect or isolating switch 24 formed in accordance with the invention by a unique arrangement of main fuses 26 and sets of complementary disconnect contacts 28.

Contactor 29 includes an electromagnetic operator 30, which is energized by a rectifier 32 in response to the operation of a normally biased open push button start switch 34. Closure of the start switch energizes a relay 36 whose normally open contacts 38 and 40 respectively connect the output of rectifier 32 to the operator 30 and the input of the rectifier to the secondary 42 of a stepdown transformer 44, whose primary 4'6 is connected across one phase of the main power lines. The input to primary 46 includes fuses 48 and stab type disconnects 50. The electromagnetic operator of relay 36 is energized from the tiansformer secondary 42 through a circuit which includes a double pole, double throw switch 52, normally in the position shown, fuses 54, a normally closed stop switch 56, and a normally closed thermostatic switch 58. Included in the output circuit of rectifier 32 are the normally open contacts 38, male-female type plug disconnects 6i and an adjustable resistor 62 which may be adjusted when needed to compensate for aging of the rectifier cells in rectifier 32. A hold or latch circuit 64 is shunted across the start button 34 and includes malefemale plug type disconnects 66 and normally open contacts 68, which are operated to close the circuit across the start button when contactor 26 is operated, thereby holding relay 36 and consequently contactor 20 in the operated condition.

The thermostatic switch 58 is an overload switch and responds to overload of the load lines as manifested in the heating of resistors '76 and 72, energized respectively from current transformers 74 and 76 through intermediate transformers 78 and Eli. Current transformers '74 and 76 are coupled to the load lines.

Cabinet and general disposition of components therein The apparatus components of FIGURE 1 are distributed in various areas of the enclosure or cabinet indicated generally at 94) in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

Located one above the other on the left side and central portions of the cabinet 99 (FIG. 2) are an isolating switch unit 92 and a main contactor unit 94, each being slidably removable from the cabinet. The isolating switch 24 andits operator are included in the unit 92 while the main contactor 26 is included in the unit 94. The power fuses 26 are supported by both units 92 and 94. Thus the main power components are located in units 92 and 94. Thus, the main power components lying within the dashed line enclosure (FIG. 1) are located in units 92 and 94 (FIG. 2).

The apparatus within the dashed line enclosure comprising the contactor 20, the isolating switch 24, and the power fuses 26, may be designated the main power apparatus, while that outside the dashed line enclosure may be referred to as the auxiliary equipment.

Referring again to FIG. 2, it is seen that the current transformers 74 and 76 are located in the lower section of the cabinet below the contactor unit 94, while most of the rest of the auxiliary equipment is located in the space on the right side of cabinet 90 formed between the right wall of the cabinet 90 and units 92 and 94. Most of the wiring between the components is not shown in FIG. 2.

Although the back of cabinet 90 is shown generally open to provide convenient access for connections to main power and load lines, it will be appreciated that either the top or the bottom of the cabinet may be .apertured instead of the back for the receipt of supply and load lines. Cabinet 90 is provided with a frontal opening 97 through which units 92 and 94 are accessible and removable. When the isolating switch unit 92 is properly located in the cabinet, a portion of opening 97 is covered by a front panel 98 attached to and forming a part of unit 92. The rest of the opening 97 is coverable by a main door 100 and an auxiliary door 102, both hinged to the right wall 95 of cabinet 90.

Main contactor unit The main contactor unit 94 is provided with a frame 104 formed from side walls 106 and 108 held in rigid spaced relation by cross pieces 110 and 112 Whose ends are secured to the side Walls of the frame. In a particular example, the cross piece 110 was made of strong insulating material to improve the voltage rating of the apparatus. While the side walls and the front cross piece 110 of this frame are visible in FIG. 2, the back cross piece 112 is visible only in FIGS. 3, 4, 9 and 10. The cross piece 110 is also visible in section in FIGS. 3 and 4. One or the other of the side walls may be seen in each of FIGS. 3, 4, 9 and 10.

At their lower edges, walls 106 and 108 are provided with inturned flanges 114 and 116 for seating on and slidably engaging a pair of rails 118 and 120 secured to the cabinet floor and extending from front to back Since a three-phase example is shown, contacts 22 comprise three sets of relatively movable, mutually engageable, complementary main contacts, one set per phase line. Thus the contactor has three sets of main contacts and attendant blowout coils and are chutes. In FIG.. 2, details for only one set, C, are shown, while in FIGS. 3 and 4, the set shown in detail is that of B. However, all sets are the same, being duplicates of one another.

Each set of contacts 22 includes a fixed contact 122 (FIGS. 3 and 4) and a movable contact 124. Contact 122 is secured to a conductive bracket 126 which extends from and is an integral part of the conductive base 128 of a fuse mount 130 for rockably supporting the lower ferrule or contact end 131 of a main power fuse 26. By way of example, the fuse shown is an elongated tubular type having an insulating casing 132 and end contacts such as ferrule type terminals 131 and 133 coupled to the opposite ends of the fuse, the end contacts 131 and 133 being connected to an internal fusible element. The fuse mount 130 is carried by an insulating support 134 fixed to the back cross bar 112 which is provided with an aperture 135 for the passage therethrough of a bushing portion 136 of the insulating support 134. The insulating support 134 has upper and lower side walls 138 and 139 to provide insulative shielding between phases.

Movable contact 124 is carried by an assembly 140 clamped with an intervening insulating sleeve 142 to a contactor operating shaft 144 for rotation therewith. More specifically, contact 124 is secured to a springloaded arm 146 pivoted to a member 148 that is clamped to rotate with shaft 144. A bias spring 150 urges the arm 146 forward to seat the contacts when they are operated (closed). When the contacts are in an unoperated position (open) the arm 146 is stopped by an abutment 152 on member 148. The spring loading and pivoting of arm 146 provides a rolling contact force when the contactor shaft 144 is rotated to close the contacts. The insulation 142 is part of insulative molding around the shaft 144, which molded insulation includes annular flanges 154 on opposite sides of member 148 to provide insulation between phases.

Each phase section of the contactor is provided with a blowout coil and associated arc chute 162.

It will be noted that the connector 178, the flexible strap 180, and the movable contact and contactor arm 146 form a reverse current loop which in response to power current through the contacts provides magnetic forces that react to help hold the contacts closed.

Contact 124 is driven into engagement with contact 122 by rotation of shaft 144 which is journalled in the side walls 106 and 108 of the contactor assembly frame 104 and is driven by the electromagnetic actuator 30 as described in greater detail in the aforesaid US. patent application Serial No. 235,940.

It will be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 that the fuse mount 130, which pivotably supports the power fuse 26, has conductively atta-ched'thereto and integral therewith a contact clip 260 which extends through bushing 136 and engages a stab contact 262 when the contactor unit 94 is disposed in operative position in the cabinet. Stab 262 is mounted on an insulator 264 carried by'an insulator cross bar 266 secured to opposite sides of the back end of cabinet 90. Clip 260 and stab 262 constitute the disconnect set 50 connected to phase B, stab 262 being connected through a fuse 48 to the primary 46 of transformer 44. It will be appreciated that a similar stab 262 associated with the fuse mount 130 in phase C is connected to the other end of the transformer primary 46 through a fuse 48.

Fuse receptacle 130 is provided with a pair of spaced front contact fingers 270 and 272 extending upwardly from the base 128 to frictionally and conductively engage the contact ferrule 131 of fuse 26 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 6). The fuse receptacle 130 is further provided with a rearward upstanding gripping finger 276 pivoted at its lower end to the base 128 and forwardly biased by a spring 280.

As seen in FIG. 4, when the power fuse 26 is in a vertical position, the lower contact ferrule 131 is engaged and forwardly urged by finger 276 into forced tight engagement with contact fingers 270 and 272, thus holding the lower fuse ferrule in the grip of the three fingers. On the other hand, when the upper end of fuse 26 is forwardly tilted (leftward in FIG. 3), a stop 281 is engaged by finger 276, thereby limiting its forward movement and disengaging it from the lower ferrule 131 of the fuse. In this position, the lower end of fuse 26 is loosely cupped by the fuse receptacle 130, thus permitting easy removal and replacement.

Isolating switch unit The upper ferrule 133 of fuse 26 is held in a conductive fuse clip 286 pivotally suspended from a carrier 288, made of insulating material, which is slidably mounted in the isolating switch unit 92 for backward and forward movement in response to an operating linkage 290 (FIGS. 3 and 4). In addition to a forward set of complementary fuse jaws 291, the clip 286 is provided with a posterior set of complementary stab aws 292, for conductively engaging a stationary contact in the form of main line stab 294 mounted on an insulator arrangement 296 carried by cross member 298 secured between the side walls of cabinet 90. In the example shown, the clip 286 is a contact directly engaglng the fixed contact 294. However, since the end contact 133 is coupled to the upper end of the fuse, and since the clip 286 is an extension of the end contact 133, the upper end of the fuse is in electrical contact with the line stab 294 when clip 286 is in contact with line stab 294. Being in phase B, the line stab 294 in FIG. 3 is connected to supply line S2.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, clip 286 comprises two similarly shaped complementary members 300 and 302, each having an intermediate shank portion 304 and the fuse jaw and stab jaw end portions 291 and 292, respectively. At their shank portions 304, members 300 and 302 (FIGS. 7 and 6) are pivotally coupled together and to a pivot plate 314 by means of a spring loaded bolt 310 passing through oversize apertures 312 formed in members 300 and 302 and an aperture 316 formed in bracket 314. A spring 317 resiliently biases members 300 and 302 toward each other. As seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, spring 317 and belt 310 provide a resiliently biased movable purchase arrangement, against which members 300 and 302 bear to translate expansive or spreading force applied to one set of jaws into compressive force at the other set of jaws. In this connection it may be noted that member 300 bears outwardly against the inner end of spring 317, while member 302 bears outwardly against th head of the bolt 310, as the stab jaws 292 are spread apart by wedging of the stab 294 therebetween (FIG. 4). At their inner faces, member 300 and 302 are provided with protuberances 313 about which members 300 and 302 can rock with the pivot plate 314 providing the fulcrum. A pin 322 affixed to and extending from opposite sides of bracket 314 extends through and engages the walls of slots 324 formed in the intermediate portions of members 300 and 302, thereby maintaining the members in alignment with each other and with the bracket 314.

In the position shown in FIG. 3, the stab jaws 292 are not in engagement with the stab 234 and the upper fuse ferrule 133 is held in the fuse jaws 231 under light pressure. However, in the position shown in FIG. 4,

the stab jaws of the clip 286 are in engagement with the stab 294, which acts as a wedge to drive the stab jaws 292 apart and compress the spring 317, thereby increasing the compressive force of the fuse jaws 291 to tightly clamp the upper ferrule of the fuse. This compression of the spring increases the contact force on both the stab 294 and the upper ferrule of the fuse. When the clip is withdrawn from the stab 294 as in FIG. 3, the elements 300 and 302 are permitted to touch the pivot plate 314. In this position the spring force is much reduced, allowing easy removal of the fuse.

Pivot plate 314 is suspended on a pivot 326 (FIG. 3) carried by a bracket 328 attached with bolts 329 to the carrier 288, whereby the clip 286 is moved forward and backward together with the carrier 288. Plate 314 has a tab 331 and a pin 333 to provide opposite travel limits for clip 286 about pivot 326.

From the above description it will be appreciated that the carrier 283 is flexibly coupled to the fuse 26 by means of the pivot plate 314, which with pivot 326 provides a flexible or articulate (movable) joint between the carrier 288 and the fuse 26. It should be apparent from the foregoing that the carrier 288 and the clip 236 are interconnected to move the clip in response to movement of the carrier.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 8, the protuberances 318 may be eliminated, and the pivot plate 314 thickened along its extent between the members 300 and 302 to provide sufiicient rocking clearance, thus to allow the elements 300 and 302 to be rocked around the pivot plate as a fulcrum. In this arrangement the pivot plate provides a fulcrum at its rearward edges 320 around which the members 300 and 332 rock when the fuse jaws are forced apart.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the isolating unit 92 is provided with a frame 330 comprising the front panel 98, a back panel 332 made of insulating material, and side plates 334 and 336 rigidly secured together in the form of an open rectangle as viewed from the top. The side plates 334 and 336 are provided with inwardly facing channels 354 and 356 which provide guidance and one end pivotally connected at 372 to the carrier 288.

The connecting rod 370 includes an internally threaded pivot block 374 pivoted at 372 to the carrier 288, an internally threaded clevis block 376 and an intermediate shank 378 which is threaded at opposite ends and links the two ends blocks 374 and 376. One end of the intermediate shank 378 is threaded into and locked with respect to the pivot block 374 while the other end of the shank 378 is threaded into but not locked with respect to the clevis block 376. Thus the clevis block 376 is rotatable aroundthe longitudinal axis of the connecting rod 370 employing the threaded end of the shank portion 378 as a hearing. The clevis block 376 terminates in a clevis 380 pivotally coupled at 382 to an arm 384 of a bell-crank shaped switch handle 386. The latter is rotatable about a pivot 383 fixed relative to a handle housing 390 which is rotatable about an axis generally in line with the longitudinal axis of the connecting rod 370 when the linkage is aligned as in FIG. 3.

In order to allow coupling between the clevis 380 and the bell-crank 386, the front panel 93 is provided with a vertical slot 392 (FIGS. 1, 3, 4) through which the clevis block 376 and the crank arm 384 are passable when moved between the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Except for a reduced rounded portion 394 the clevis block 376 and the handle 386 each have opposite fiat sides and a thickness therebetween which allows movement of these members between the positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. However, their rotational movement about the general axis of the connecting rod 370 is blocked by the vertical sides of slot 392 in all positions of the handle 386 around axis 388, except the position shown in FIG. 3, wherein the reduced rounded portion 394 of the clevis block 376 is aligned within the slot 392. In the latter position, it is apparent that the clevis block 376 may be rotated and the handle 386 may be rotated around an axis generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the connecting rod 370.

Since FIG. 3 shows the clip 286 disengaged from the line stab 294, the isolating switch and its operating elements are in the OFF position in this figure. Thus the particular position assumed in FIG. 3 by the fuse receptacle 130, fuse 26, clip 286, carrier 288, clevis block 376, and handle 386, shall be referred to as the OFF position of each of these elements. On the other hand, in FIG. 4 the clip 286 is fully engaged with line stab 294, and the isolating switch and all its operating elements are therefore in the ON position.

Referring now to the OFF position in FIG. 3, the operating handle 386 points downwardly and the reduced section 394 of the clevis block 376 is aligned with the slot 392. In order to operate the isolating unit from the OFF to the ON position, the handle 386 is moved upward and clockwise around the pivot 383 until it assumes the position shown in FIG. 4, that is, its ON position. As the handle 386 is rotated clockwise around pivot 388, its arm 384 moves the clevis block 376 and the carrier 238 from the positions of FIG. 3 to that of FIG. 4. During this movement, carrier 238 moves the clip 286 to the rear and into engagement with line stab 294. During the course of this movement, the upper end of fuse 26 is swung or rocked in a vertical arc around a pivot point approximately at the contact between the lower ferrule 131 and the fuse receptacle I30.

Attached to the isolating unit frame 330 is a ground bar 400A which is engaged by a flat contact spring 402A attached to the bracket 328 when the isolating switch is moved from the ON to the OFF position, thus grounding the upper end of fuse 26 for purposes of safety. Also during the movement from ON to OFF position, the upper edge of one fuse jaw engages a guide member 404A fixed relative to the frame 330, thereby to force the fuse jaw down and the stab jaws 292 upward relative to the fuse, thus changing the angle between the axes of the fuse 26 and the clip 286 from substantially 90 to an angle slightly greater than 90. This action moves the stab jaws 292 to a sufliciently upward position where they may be easily viewed through the open door of the cabinet for visual indication of the open position. Guide 404A also positions clip 286 for fuse insertion.

Attached to the front face of the front panel 98, is a bearing plate 395 which supports the housing 390 for rotation in the directions of the double. headed arrow 396 (FIG. 2) around an axis which is normal to panel 98 and generally parallel to the path of movement of the connecting rod 370. Housing 390 comprises a pair of spaced parallel guide walls 398 and 400 (FIG. 2) integral with and extending forward from a back portion 402, which is provided with a slot 404 that is aligned with the space between the guide walls. This slot may also be aligned with the slot 392 in the front panel 98 by rotating the housing 390 to that position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The axis of the pivot 388 around which the handle 386 is rotatable is crosswise of the rotational axis of the housing 390. Thus the handle 386 is rotatable about two axes, that of pivot 388 and that of the housing 390. Housing 390, bearing plate 395, and their relation to the operating linkage 290 are described in greater detail in the aforementioned patent application Serial No. 235,940.

An alternative arrangement for rockably mounting the lower end of the fuse 26 on a support that also carries the fixed contact 122 of the contactor 20 is shown in FIG. 9. In this figure a conductive tab 282 fixed, for example by brazing, to the lower ferrule 131 of the fuse, is attached by a bolt 283' to a hinge member 284 which is rockable around a pivot 285 that is fixed to a variation of the fuse mount 130 which is supported by the insulating member 134-. A flexible conductor 285A is provided for improved electrical connection between the fuse ferrule 131 and the fixed contact 122. For fuse removal, the single bolt 283 is pulled out to separate the fuse from the hinge member 284 on the fuse mount 130. The conductive clip 260 is attached to base 130. Thus, in each of the arrangements shown in FIGS. 3 and 9, the lower end of the fuse is pivotally carried on the fuse mount 130, whereby the upper end of the fuse is pivotable around the lower end of the fuse and is movable forward and backward in a generally arcuate path.

While any suitable insulating material may be employed to fabricate the various parts made of insulation, glass alkyd and glass polyester were found to be particularly advantageous for the dimensions involved. For example, glass polyester was employed for the member 172 and the phase barrier plates 209 and 210, while glass alkyd was used for the members 134, 142, carrier 288, and backwall 332.

For an independent check of the start-stop circuits, an alternative position of switch 52 will connect fuses 54 to lines 55 which may be connected to a test voltage source (FIG. 1).

While not limited thereto, a practical operating ex- :ample of the disclosed apparatus was constructed for 3- phase operation with a rating of 2500 volts, 180 amperes, 700 horsepower, interrupting capacity 150,000 kva., in a unit 22 inches wide, 33 inches high and 24 inches deep. .An additional 6 inch depth was used as a cable pull box. Because of the compat fi and unique construction, two

men were able to handle the subassemblies without need of hoists, cranes, dollies, etc.

From the foregoing description, it is seen that the disclosed apparatus provides novel switching structure including a stationary contact, a movable fuse and a unique arrangement of a fuse clip carried by a movable carrier for moving one end of the fuse in and out of closed circuit relation with said contact, the fuse clip being arranged to tighten a grip at one set of jaws in response to spreading force applied to a second set of jaws.

It is to be understood that the herein described arrangements are simply illustrative of the principles of the invention, and that other embodiments and applications are within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In switching apparatus wherein a movable carrier mounted for guided movement is adapted to move one end of a movable fuse along a path to and from a contact to close and open a circuit, a clip, means coupled to said clip and said carrier for interconnecting the clip and the carrier for movement of the clip along said path in response to movement of the carrier, said clip comprising a pair of conductive elements resiliently biased toward each other, said elements having a set of complementary jaws at one end thereof for receiving therebetween in engaging relation said one end of the fuse whereby said one end of the fuse is movable in response to movement of the carrier, said elements having a second set of com? plementary jaws at the other end thereof for receiving therebetween in engaging relation said contact, and means for supporting said elements for relative movement toward and away from each other along their entire length in a manner to translate spreading force applied to one set of jaws into compressive force to the other set of jaws, whereby an end of a fuse lightly held within the first set of jaws is tightly clamped in response to said contact being forced between the second set of jaws against said bias force in response to movement of said clip along said path to said contact.

2. Electrical apparatus comprising a stationary contact, an elongated fuse having one end disposed forward of said stationary contact, first means rockably mounting the other end of the fuse to provide swingability of said one end about the other end rearward and forward in a predetermined path, second means for swinging said one end of the fuse rearward and forward respectively into and out of closed circuit relation with said stationary contact, said second means comprising a clip, a movable carrier, said clip and third means on said clip coupled to said carrier for connecting the clip to the carrier to move the clip rearward and forward respectively in and out of contact with said stationary contact in response to movement of the carrier, said clip comprising a pair of side-by-side disposed conductive elements each having at each end thereof a jaw, the jaws at corresponding ends of said elements facing each other to form first and second sets of complementary jaws located at opposite ends of said clip, and fourth means holding said elements for resiliently constrained relative movability therebetween to apply compressive force to one set of jaws in response to expansive force applied to the other set of jaws, said resilient constraint being in a direction urging said elements toward each other, said one end of the fuse being disposed in the embrace of said first set of jaws whereby movement of the carrier swings said one end of the fuse, said second set of jaws being directed rearward toward said stationary contact to engage and grip the stationary contact in response to rearward movement of the clip.

3. The combination as in claim 2 wherein the movable carrier is flexibly coupled to said clip, and which combination further includes means located in the path of movement of said clip for engagement by said clip when the clip is moved forward away from said contact to position the clip for fuse insertion.

4. The combination as in claim 2 wherein the relative movability of each of said elements with respect to the other is of the whole element as a unit.

5. The combination as in claim 4 wherein said fourth means includes fifth means for applying to said elements intermediately of their ends a resilient bias urging said elements toward each other along their entire length.

6. The combination as in claim 4 wherein said fourth means includes resiliently biased movable purchase means in engagement with at least one of said elements intermediately of its ends to provide a yieldable mechanical purchase against which the intermediate portion of said one element bears to translate force applied in the jawopening direction to one end of said one element into force in the jaw-closing direction at the other end of that element, the bias of said purchase means being in a direction urging said one element toward the other element.

7. In switching apparatus having cooperable switch members including a movable elongate fuse and a stationary contact disposed in a particular direction away from one side of said fuse, and wherein a movable carrier mounted for guided movement is adapted to move one end of the fuse in said particular direction and the reverse direction respectively into and out of closed circuit relation with said contact, said particular direction being the circuit closing direction of the fuse, a clip, coupling means including means on the clip for coupling the clip to said carrier to move the clip in response to movement of the carrier, said clip comprising a pair of side-by-side disposed conductive elements each having at each end thereof a jaw, the jaws at corresponding ends of said elements facing each other to form first and second sets of complementary jaws located at opposite ends of said clip, and means holding said elements for resiliently constrained relative movability therebetween to apply compressive force to one set of jaws in response to expansive force applied to the other set of jaws, said resilient constraint being in a direction urging said elements toward each other, said one end of the fuse being disposed in the embrace of said first set of jaws whereby movement of the carrier moves said one end of the fuse, said second set of jaws being directed toward said stationary contact to engage and grip the stationary contact in response to movement of the clip in said particular direction.

8. The combination as in claim 7 wherein said clip, when holding said one end of the fuse in open circuit position, is substantially mechanically independent of the other end of the fuse through any path external to the fuse.

9. The combination as in claim 7 wherein the relative movability of each of said elements with respect to the other is of the Whole element as a unit.

10. The combination as in claim 9 wherein said means holding said elements includes means for applying to said elements intermediately of their ends a resilient bias for urging said elements toward each other along their entire length.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,666,979 4/1928 Sachs 200-414 2,059,987 11/1936 Frank et a1. 2001 14 X 2,334,810 11/1943 De Mask 200-114 3,211,859 10/1965 Kobryner 200-1 14 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

H. A. LEWITTER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN SWITCHING APPARATUS WHEREIN A MOVABLE CARRIER MOUNTED FOR GUIDED MOVEMENT IS ADAPTED TO MOVE ONE END OF A MOVABLE FUSE ALONG A PATH TO AND FROM A CONTACT TO CLOSE AND OPEN A CIRCUIT, A CLIP, MEANS COUPLED TO SAID CLIP AND SAID CARRIER FOR INTERCONNECTING THE CLIP AND THE CARRIER FOR MOVEMENT OF THE CLIP ALONG SAID PATH IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIER, SAID CLIP COMPRISING A PAIR OF CONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS RESILIENTLY BIASED TOWARD EACH OTHER, SAID ELEMENTS HAVING A SET OF COMPLEMENTARY JAWS AT ONE END THEREOF FOR RECEIVING THEREBETWEEN IN ENGAGING RELATION SAID ONE END OF THE FUSE WHEREBY SAID ONE END OF THE FUSE IS MOVABLE IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIER, SAID ELEMENTS HAVING A SECOND SET OF COMPLEMENTARY JAWS AT THE OTHER END THEREOF RECEIVING THEREBETWEEN IN ENGAGING RELATION SAID CONTACT, AND MEANS

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