US464548A - Cut-out - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

C. R. ARNOLD.

GUT-OUT.

Patented Dec.8, 1891.

INVENTDH.' Crazy R. Hrw/old ATTEST,l

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CRAIG RITCIIIE ARNOLD, OF SHARON IIILL, PENNSYLVANIA.

CUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,548, dated December 8, 1891.

Application tiled June l1, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CRAIG RrroHiE An- NOLD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sharon Hill, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Cut-Out, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of that class of devices employed in connection with electric circuits wherein the wire or strip of some readily-fusible material is interposed in the electric circuit and is adapted to fuse and break the circuit when a current of abnormal strength flows through it. In this class of devices there are ordinarily provided two holding devices of conducting material placed atopposite sides of a break in the circuit, and the fusible wire or cut-out is carried by a suitable support and is connected at its ends to piecesof metal adapted to make connection with the said holders, so as to complete the circuit through the fusible wire or strip.

My present invention relates to a special construction of these devices, and is designed to provide a simple, efficient, and cheap device for the purpose.

The invention consists in the details of construction and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and more particularly specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the apparatus with the detachable tube and fuse removed. Fig. 2 shows the said tube and fuse separately in perspective.

A is an open-ended tube of glass or similar conducting and non-fusible material adapted to receive the fuse wire or strip B.

C C are ferrules or rings fastened around the ends of the open tube by any desired means and having the ends of the fusible wire in the tube soldered to them, as shown in the drawings. The tube protects the fusible strip or wire from injury and permits inspection. The ferrules or rings C C are adapted to make connection with and bridge the space between the holders at opposite sides of the gap in the electric circuit to be completed by the fuse-wire. These holders are indicated at D D. Each consists of a plate of metal fastened in a block E of some non-conduct- Serial No. 395,866'. (No model.)

ing substance by a screw passing up from beneath the block E, as indicated in dotted lines. They arealso each provided with a bindingscrew F for attachment of the wires of the circuit. v

G G are U-shaped springs forming jaws or contacts adapted to grasp the ferrules C C. The spring jaws or clips G consist of pieces of spring metal, which are soldered beneath tongues II at the ends of the plates D opposite the binding-screws F, as clearly shown in the drawings. The plates D, with the tongues Il, may be readily struck up from sheet metal, and the springs G may be also cut out and bent up to the desired shape from sheets of metal and soldered in place.

As will be observed, no particular pains need be-taken to insert the tube into the holders in any particular position, as contact may be made indifferently at all parts of the rings or ferrules by the contact springs or jaws G.

I am aware that it has been before proposed to place the fuse-wire in a glass tube and to put the ends thereof in electrical connection with pieces of metal carried by said tube, and do not therefore wish to be understood as claiming such construction, broadly; but in the previous instances where tubes have been employed the end of the tube has been practically closed by means of a cap of metal through which connection is made to the fuse-holder springs or clips. In this construction, the end of the tube being practically closed, there results a violent explosion of the tube when the tubes melt, so that in case of a blow-out the device is uniitted for further use, the tube being destroyed. In my construction, the ends of the tube being open, there is no opportunity for the confinement of the explosive air or gases which form when the fuse suddenly melts.

Another advantage of my construction is that connection is made at each end of the tube by means of two contacts or contactsurfaces formed by the two springs which engage the ferrule at its opposite sides, whereas in prior constructions where the connection is made by a spring-clamp bearing longitudinally against the cap on the end of the tube, but one contact-path is provided for the current.

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What I claim as my invention is l. In a fusible cut-out for electric circuits, the combination, substantially as described, of the open glass tube having the metal ferrules or rings applied at its ends and a fusible strip or Wire Within the tube having its ends fastened to said ferrules.

2. In a fusible cut-ont for electric circuits, the combination,'substantially as described, of the glass tube open at its ends, having ferrules or rings attached toits ends and containing a fusible Wire, the ends of Which are soldered to said ferrules, and the spring jaws or holders G, as and for the purpose'f described.

3. In a fusible cut-out for electric circuits, thccornbination, with the terminal plates D D, having binding-screws, of the spring-jaws G, fastened beneath tongues on said plates, and a fuse wire or strip carried bya suitable support having rings 0r ferrules C, to which the ends of said strip are soldered.

Signed at Chester, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, this 19th day of March, A. D. 1891.

CRAIG RITCIIIE ARNOLD.

INTitnesses:

J. LENTZ GARRETT, B. W. BLAKELEY.

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