US805288A

US805288A - Inclosed fuse.

Info

Publication number: US805288A
Application number: US21394004A
Authority: US
Inventors: Caryl D Haskins
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1904-06-24
Filing date: 1904-06-24
Publication date: 1905-11-21
Anticipated expiration: 1922-11-21

Description

PATENTED NOV. 2l, 1905.

C. D. HASKINS.

INGLOSED FUSE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24.1904.

Inventor Caryl D. llaskn WitrweSses:

. metallic terminal blades 4,

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARYL D. HSKINS, OF SCHENECTADY,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEN- ERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

' INCLOSED FUSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, :1905.

Application filed June 24:, 1904. Serial No. 213,940.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARYL D. HAsKINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Inclosed Fuses, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to thermal cut-out devices for use in interrupting electric circuits upon the passage of abnormal currents, and has for its object the provision of a device of this character which will act more positively and safely than the cut-out devices heretofore in use.

In the practical embodiment of my invention I provide a suitable casing or shell having electrical terminals for engagement with the usual contacts, and within this casing are arranged a cavity with a collapsible wall, a shutter adapted to move toward the cavity under the stress of a spring or similar device, but normally sustained in retracted position by the fusible conductor passing through the casing and electrically connecting the metallie terminals at the ends, and an absorbent powder loosely filling the space between the end of the shutter and the collapsible wall and surrounding more or less of the middle section of the fusible conductor, so that when the fusible conductor is disrupted or greatly weakened by excess current the shutter instantly moves forward under the stress of its spring, forcing the collapsible wall into the cavity and compacting by a shearing movement the absorbent powder about the severed ends of the fusible conductor, and thereby interposing a barrier and effectually smothering any arc that tends to form at the time of rupture of the fusible conductor.

For a more complete understanding of my invention reference may be had to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specilication, in which is shown in longitudinal section a standard cartridge-fuse with my invention applied thereto.

The shell or casing consists of a tube l of fibrous insulating material provided at its ends with metallic thimbles or caps 2, secured in position by screws 3, extending through the flanges of the thimbles and entering screwthreaded holes in the sides of the tube, and riveted to the ends of the caps 2.

The fusible conductor consists of a strip 5 of metal or alloy connected to the lower terminal, extended upwardly adjacent the inner surface of the tube 1 at one side to about the middle of the tube length, where it is bent at right angles and led to the opposite side of the tube and then bent up parallel to its first course and led along' the inner surface of the tu ble to the terminal at the Lipper end of the she l.

The cavity 6 is formed in the upper end of a cylindrical block of suitable insulating material, such as unglazed porcelain or chalk, which substantially fills the tube 1 for about one-half its length and has at its upper end a shoulder 8, upon which the transverse section of the fusible conductor 5 rests. The side walls of the cavity 6 are in the form of an inverted cone, and at their Lipper' end a ledge 9 is formed upon which the collapsible wall 10, consisting of a disk of paper or other readilyfoldable material, is placed. From the ledge 9 the material of the block 7 is cut away to provide an upwardly-flaring opening to the cavity 6.

The movable shutter 11 is of the same material as the block 7 and has a conical projection l2 at its lower end and a cylindrical chamber 13 at its upper end for the reception of a light spring 14, which is arranged to bear against the inner side of the upper cap 2 and the bottom of the chamber 13. The conical projection 12 has near its point a small transverse aperture 15, through which the fusible conductor 5 is threaded at its transverse section. An air-space is provided about the central section of the fuse by means of a channel 16, formed in the shutter 1l and extended axially from the bottom of the chamber 13 and intersecting the aperture 15.

The absorbent powder 17, which fills the space about the fusible conductor 5 between the adjacent ends of the block 7 and the shutter ll, may be of any of the various kinds employed for absorbing and condensing metallic gases.

When an excessive current passes through the fusible conductor 5, the latter .tends to heat up throughout its entire length; but by reason of the heat conductivity of the materials in immediate contact therewith the point of actual rupture will be confined to the portion extending through the air-space 16. As soon as the fusible conductor 5 becomes rup- IOO tured or greatly weakened the shutter 11 moves under the recoil of the spring 14E toward the cavity 6, breaking in the collapsible wall 1() and plunges its point 12 and a portion of the powder 17 into the vacant space and at the same time interposing the insulating-barrier of its body part between the severed ends of the fusible conductor and forcing the absorbent powder 17 into intimate Contact with the conductor ends, thereby effectually smothering any arc that may have formed between them at the instant of rupture.

rounding said-conductor, and a shutter provided with an air-space through which the said conductor is threaded.

6. The combination with a fusible conductor, of a support therefor provided with a vacant space, an absorbent insulating material, and a shutter adapted to move between the severed ends of said conductor into said vacant space and to force said absorbent material into intimate contact with said ends upon disruption of said conductor.

7. rI he combination with a fusible conductor and casing therefor, of a vacant space or It is apparent that the form and construcl chamber arranged in said casing and provided tion of parts herein described and shown may be changed and modified without departing from my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the Unitedv States, is-

1. The combination with a fusible conductor, of an absorbent insulating material, and means to force said insulating material into intimate contact with the ends of said cond uctor upon disruption thereof.

2. The combination with a fusible conductor, of an absorbent insulating material, and means to separate the severed ends of said conductor and to force said insulating mate- -rial into intimate contact therewith upon disruption of said conductor.

3. The combination with a fusible conductor, of an absorbent insulatingmaterial, and means to interpose abarrier between the severed ends of said conductor and to force said absorbent insulating material into intimate contact with said ends upon disruption of said conductor.

f1. The combination with a fusible conductor, of an absorbent insulating material, and a biased shutter normally held in retracted position by said conductor and adapted upon disruption of the latter to move between severed ends of the conductor and force the said absorbent insulating material into intimate contact with said ends.

5. The combination with a fusible conductor, of an absorbent insulating material surwith a collapsible wall, a shutter normally held in retracted position, and an absorbent insulating` material filling the space within said casing between the end of said shutter and said collapsible wall. l

8. The combination with a fusible conductor and its casing, of an insulating-block in said casing provided with a vacant space or chamber having a collapsible wall, a springpressed shutter normally held in retracted position by said conductor, and an absorbent insulating material loosely filling the space within said casing between the end of the shutter and the said collapsible wall.

9. The combination of a casing, a fusible conductor extending therethrough and provided with a central transverse portion, an insulating-block having at one end a shoulder for engaging the transverse portion of said conductor and a vacant space or chamber provided with a collapsible wall, a spring-pressed shutter normally held in retracted position away from said collapsible wall by the fusible conductor, and an absorbent insulating material filling the space between the adjacent ends of said block and shutter.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand the i this 23d day of June, 19011.

CARYL D. HASKINS.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD.