US979292A

US979292A - Telephone cut-out.

Info

Publication number: US979292A
Application number: US55719410A
Authority: US
Inventors: Philip H Harner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1910-04-23
Filing date: 1910-04-23
Publication date: 1910-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 1927-12-20

Description

P. H. HARNER. TELEPHONE CUT-OUT. APPLICATION FILED APR.23,1910.

979,292, Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

TELL, I

RHHarn/er,

UNITED STATES PHILIP H. HARNER,

OF DOOIVIS, VIRGINIA.

TELEII-IGNE CUT-OUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

Application filed April 23, 1910. Serial No. 557,194.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP H. HARNnu, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dooms, in the county of Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone Cut- Outs, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

his invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in cut-outs for telephones and has for its object to provide a simple and efficient device of this character which is particularly designed for use upon rural telephone lines whereby eliective protection is provided to the telephones to avoid the same being burned out.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cut-out for telephones which will completely neutralize the ground and line currents, and conduct the current from one or more line wires to the ground when the circuit is cut or broken.

A still further object is to provide a simple and etlicient cut-out of such construction that the circuit ma be quickly and securely closed between the ground and line wires and the telephonic instruments.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved switch or cut-out; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section through the contacts when the switch is closed; and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail perspective views of the contact plates.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 5 indicates a base which is formed in two sections, a stationary and

movable section

6 and 7 respectively. The stationary section 6 is secured by means of screws 8 to a wall or other suitable support. The movable section 7 is somewhat longer than the base section 6 and is adapted to extend beyond the end of the same to provide a suitable handle portion by means of which the section 7 may be conveniently grasped to open the cut-out.

The

base sections

6 and 7 are connected by means of the hinges 9. In the present instance three such hinges are employed, and

j the knuckles 9 thereof are spaced from each 10. Between the opposed ends of the knuckles of each hinge a coiled spring 11 is arranged upon the pintle. This spring is preferably formed of copper wire or other suitable conducting material and has its ends secured to the plates or leaves of the hinges 9. Adjacent to the other end of the stationary base member 6, current carrying contact members 12 are arranged. These members are each formed with a groove or channel 13 intermediate of their ends, the walls of said channel being vertically disposed with relation to the base and diverging with relation to each other. The contact members are secured to the base by suitable screws or rivets i l which are passed through the base of the channel portion 13. The ends of the contact members are laterally extended as shown at 15 and are disposed in the same horizontal plane. The end edges of the adjacent contact members are disposed in juxtaposition to each other and are serrated as shown at 16. In the operation of the device the current is adapted to jump from the ends of the contact members arranged adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the base to the intermediate contact member to discharge the current from the line wires into the ground as will hereinafter appear.

Upon the other movable base section 7, the contacts 17 are secured and are formed with the upstanding tongues 18 which are adapted to engage in the channels 13 of the members 12 and. cooperate with said members to close the electric circuit between the ground and line wires and the telephonic instruments will now be set forth. The contacts 17 are connected by means of the wires 19 to one end of one of the springs 11 of the hinges 9. The other end of said springs are connected by means of the wires 19 to the binding posts 20 arranged in the edge of the stationary base section 6. Wires 21 and 22 connect said binding posts with the telephones, the two line wires 21 being each connected to one phone and the ground wire 22 being connected to both phones.

These wires are adapted to convey the cur rent from the wires 21 and 22 which are connected to the binding posts 23 arranged on the end of the base section 6, said binding posts being electrically connected to the contact members 12.

other and connected by the hinged pintles From the above it will be seen that when the switch or cut-out is closed and the tongues 18 disposed in the channels 13 of the contact members carried by the base section 6, the circuit will be connected through the line wires 21. and the hinges 11 to the wires 21 and the telephonic instruments and from said ii'istruments through the ground wires 22 and 22 to the ground, the current passing through the central hinge spring 11 to the

central contacts

12 and 17. To cut the telephones out of the circuit, tne movable base 'rtion 7 is lifted to disconnect the

contact members

12 and 17 whereby the circuit is broken. The current from the line wires 21 when of abnormal strength will extend from the serrated ends of the outer contact members 12 to the central contact member upon the base section (3 and thence through the ground wires to the ground. This increase of cur rent is often caused by lightning and frequently causes serious oamage to the telephonic instruments and puts the line out of operation for an appreciable length of time. In this manner the current between the ground and line wires is completely neutralized and danger of the telephone being burned out and cut ell from electrical connection with the circuit wires is thus eliminated.

From the above it will be seen that I have provided a simple and effective cut-out for telephone systems. The device is also capable of use as a lightning arrester, the line wires serving to direct the electric fluid into the ground. It will of course be understood that the base sections (5 and T are formed of hard rubber, porcelain or other suitable nonconducting material. The device ma be very quickly operated to make or break the electric circuit and is particularly devised with a view to its use upon rural telephone systems where party lines are generally used.

The device is susceptible of a great many minor changes in the form, proportion and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the essential features or sacrificing any of the advantages of the inven tion.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a cut-out, the combination of a stationary base section and a movable base seetion, hinges connecting said sections, a plurality of contacts secured to the stationary section each having a channel formed between its ends, the extremities of said contacts being arranged adjacent to each other, a ground wire connected to one of said contacts and line wires connected to the contacts arranged adjacent thereto, a plurality otvcontact members carried by the movable base section each having a centrally termed tongue adapted to engage in the channel of the rst named contacts, electrical connections between the contacts of said movable base section and the hinges and the electrical apparatus, whereby when said movable base section is disposed upon the stationary section and the contacts engaged, the electrical circuit is connected through the ground wires and the hinges connecting said .base sections to the electrical apparatus and from said apparatus through the ground wires and the contacts to the ground.

2. In a cut-out, the combination of a stationary base section and a movable base section, a plurality of contacts secured to the stationary section, said contacts each being formed with a central U-shapcd channel, to provide oppositely extending arms, fastening devices extending through the base of the channel portion and into the base section to secure the-contacts thereto, said contacts being arranged transversely on the base scction and having their arms disposed in tho 1e plane, the extremities of the arms of adjacent contacts being disposed in juxtaposition to each other, a ground wire con nected to one of said contacts and line wires acent ality of contact members car ried by the movable base section each having I a centrally formed U-shaped tongue adaptl l l l I connected to the contacts arranged ad] thereto, a plur ed to engage in the U-shapcd channel of the first named contacts, tions between the base section and substantially tied.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the and e ectrical conneccontacts of said movable the electrical apparatus, as and for the purpose specipresence of two witnesses. PHILIP H. HARNER. Witnesses \V. K. Cnrw, t J. S. DECKER.