US508629A

US508629A - Safety cut-out

Info

Publication number: US508629A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1893-11-14
Anticipated expiration: 1910-11-14

Description

(No Model.)

0. OPPRELL. SAFETY GUT-OUT.

No. 508,629. Patented Nov, 14, 1893.

UNHED STATES PATENT Fries.

OLOF OFFRELL, OF MIDDLETOWVN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SCHUYLER ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT,

SAFETY CUT-OUT.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 508,629, dated November 14, 1893.

Application filed December 5, 1892. SerialNo. 454.204. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLOF OFFRELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown,in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Safety Cut-Outs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to ceiling cut-outs or safety-fuse boxes, which afford a means of connecting a branch electric circuit with the supply mains. These boxes, or rosettes, as they are sometimes called,-are made of some insulating material, like porcelain, and contain poles or contact plates connected with the line wires by short lengths of fusible wire, and afiording means for attaching the terminals of the branch wires leading to the lamp, or other translating device.

Heretofore the fuses and contact plates have been arranged inside of the box, the smallness of which makes it awkward to get at the binding screws, and to attach the fuses to them. This is especially the case when it becomes necessary to renew a fuse, the box being usually on the ceiling, or in some other inconvenient place, where it is difficult to work at it. My invention aims to avoid all these objections, and it consists in a ceiling cut-out having the fuses mounted on the inner face of a flat cover, so that they can be easily applied or renewed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom plan View of my improved ceiling cut-out. Fig. 2 is a plan of the inner or upper side of the cover. Fig. 3 is a side view, partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan of the box with the cover removed. Fig. 5 is a diametrical vertical section on line 55, Fig. 1. I

The body A has one or more holes ath rough its bottom to receive the screws which fasten it to the ceiling or other support. At two points, preferably diametrically opposite are two line wire clamping blocks B of metal, let into the body A and fastened by a screw b, or otherwise. Each block has a binding screw b for clamping the line wire, and a beaded stud or screw b standing out from a face b which is preferably flat and lies in the plane of the edge of the body A.

The cover C has a flat inner face 0 surrounded preferably by a rabbeted shoulder 0' adapted to rest against the edge of the body A. In the center of the coveris a hole 0 for the branch wires 1), the terminals of which are connected as by binding screws e with the metallic plates E fastened upon the face 0 of the cover, as by screws 6'. The plates are preferablylet into the cover, as shown. Two contact arms F are also let into the cover, and fastened by screws f. The surface of these arms lies flush with the shoulder c and in these ends, which project beyond the edge of the cover, are cut concentric slots or notches f. The inner end of each arm F is provided with a binding screw f to hold one end of a fuse G, the other end of which is similarly connected with one of the plates E. When the cover is put on the body A and given a turn, the arms F slide around until the slots f engage the studs b on the blocks B, whereby not only is the cover securely attached to the body A, but also the circuit is closed from the line wires through the branch wires.

It will be noticed that the-fuses and their contact plates are carried on the cover, and that the cover is flat. This latter feature greatly facilitates the operation of inserting the fuses, since their. ends can be quickly twisted around the projecting screws, there being no flanges or other portions of the cover to obstruct the movement of the wire in the plane of the surface 0. It is evident that this advantage can be obtained by a convex instead of a flat surface, and I do not Wish to be understood as limiting my invention to a cover having a plane surface 0. Any surface which lies even with or above the plane of the outer edge of the cover, so as to afford unobstructed access thereto and permit the hand of the operator to swing freely in winding the fuse-wire around the binding screws, falls within the spirit of my invention. When a fuse is to be renewed, the cover can be readily detached, and may be carried to a bench or other convenient place for working at it. These practical advantages render inyinvention of great value, and, in addition thereto, it is simple and cheap in construction, and neat in appearance.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- The combination with the body A, of the line contact blocks B, having the surfaces b plates E, and the arms F, substantially as dein the plane of the edge of the body, the cover scribed. 0, having the unobstructed inner surface 0,

and the shoulder c, the plates E let into the OIOF OFFRELL' 5 cover, the arms F attached to the cover and Witnesses: flush with the shoulder c, and having the EDWIN H. PARK,

slots f, and the fuses G connected with the WALTER W. LOVEGROVE.