US995702A - Fuse-box. - Google Patents

Description

IP. J. MGDONALD.

y FUSE B0X. Y

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1908.

995,702. K Patented June2o,1911.

Fati

PATRICK J'. MCDONALD, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F OIQ'E-ILALI` T0 GEORGE H. SMITH, F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

FUSE-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 18, 1908.

Patented June 20, 1911.

serial No. 421,934.

To'aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK J. Mo- DoNALn, of Rochester, in the county of -Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuse-Boxes; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadl to the'accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

This invention relates to Jfuse boxes, and

more particularly to devices of this kind j adapted to be used as lightning arresters in high tension current circuits.

An object of the invention is to provide a fuse box in which the terminals are so arranged and separated that the jumping of a spark from one terminal to another is practically impossible. y

Another object is to' provide for fuse boxes and the other electrical devices, cooperating terminals in which rm contact is secured, and which are interlocked to pre vent them from becoming accidentally separated.

Still anot-her object is to construct a fuse box in which a ground conductor is so arranged and constructed that upon the burning of a fuse, the excess of current will be conducted to the ground, and the ground circuit will then automatically open to prevent particles of the fuse establishing a circuit between the terminals and the ground conductor.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combina.- tions of parts all as will be hereinafter .more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification. y

ln the drawings: Figure l is a longitudinal section of a fuse box embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line a-a of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the box with the cover removed.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on line Zz-v-V l of Fig. 3. Fig. 5'is a transverse section on tive View of one of the compressible terminals, and Fig. 7 is a view of the key for removing'r the compressible terminals.l

With more extended reference to -the drawings. A indicates an insulating support or base which in this instance is provided with two pairs of terminals B, to be more particularly described. To prevent a spark jumping from one terminal of one pair to a terminal of the other pair, there is arranged between the two pairs of terminals, an insulating barrier l which is integral with the base A. and extends transversely of said base between the pairs of terminals.

Insulated fuses C, as for instance, fuse wires 2 and insulations 2a, pass about the barrier and each carries at its ends, terminals D to coperate with the terminals B on the support. -These terminals B and D may be of any suitable construction, but the novel forms, herein shown, have special advantages in fuse boxes, as they are so arranged that they prevent spark jumping.

As shown, the terminals Bare hollow and A are rectangular in cross section, being arranged in pockets 3 in the base or support and spaced fromthe upper and the lower ends of the said pockets. Each of the pockets 3 is provided with a lateral outlet 4 and has one of its walls formed With'a vertical groove 5 branching from the outlet, the line wire 6 having its insulation inserted in the outlet t and its conductor wire bent laterally into the groove 5 to bear against a wall of the terminal B. Below the lower end of each terminal B, the pockets are enlarg-ed on opposite sides, asat 7 to receive locking projections on the coperating terminal D, as will be described.

Each of the terminals D, herein shown, is compressible and comprises a wire attaching portion 8 or head, adapted to rest upon the base or support/A about a pocket 3, the wire 2 being, in the present instance, soldered thereto. A pair of yielding members, preferably in the form of two spring arms, is carried by the wire attaching portion' and Jfor interlocking the terminal D with a terminal B, this means, in this instance, comprising a laterally extending projection 10 ,sradapted to engage beneath the lower end of the line c-c of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a perspeccontact B and to extend into an enlarged portion 7 of a pocket 3. To remove a. terminal vD, a key, in the form of a U-shaped member 11, has its arms adapted to be inserted into a poeket on opposite sides of YYthe spring arms ot the te'minai/Ijise that the ends of the key will ride on the curved contacting portions 9 and compress rthe said terminal to move the interlocking projections 10 from engagement with the lower end of the terminal l The barrier 1 is formed with grooves 12 corresponding in number to the fuses C, to hold the latter against lateral displacement; ,and these grooves have lateral outlets '13 to permit the escape of fused portions, thus preventin f the grooves holding the fuses together an thereby maintaining connections between the 'terminals after a fuse has been blown.

To conduct 'the encess of current away from a blowing fuse, l provide a ground conductor, which rests against fuse C, between the terminals of the latter, the Yfuse having its insulation weakened, as for instance, recessed at 1li, and the Iground conductor being arranged to projectinto this recess. rlhis ground conductor comprises circuit breaking or opening device, which is held in circuit closing position by one ot the fuses C, and which automatically moves to break the ground circuit from the inse, when the fuso has been destroyed, thus preventing particles of the fuse maintaining a circuit from a terminal to and through the ground conductor.

In the present instance, the ground conductor passes through a groove 16 in the under. side of the base or support, to a transverse pocket 17 in which is arranged a binding screw 18 extending through a vertical bore 19, to a vertical pocket 20, having an anchoring nut 21 arranged therein. The binding screw 18 also retains within the pocket 17, a leaf spring 22 which projects from both sides of the binding 'screw and branches the ground conductor. Each branch ot' the `ground conductor embodies an automatic circuit breaking device, which, in this instance, is in the form ot a plunger 25%, arranged in a vertical bore in the support, and held against one free end ot' thc leaf spring 22 by one ot' the Yfuses C, positioned within a groove 12; thc lealc spring yielding slightly, as shown in Fig. 2, so that a firm contact is formed between it and the plunger 22. The plunger is, through a coil spring 24, moved automatically when its retaining tuse C burns, the bore in which the plunger moves being enlarged at its upper portion. as at 25, to provide a seat for the spring, and the plunger boing formed at its upper end with a head 2G lo provide au abutment for the spring.

The fuse parts are housed ,by a cover 27, preferably shaped to conform to the upper surface ot the support, .and having` an insulatinnr lining 28. Thedovice is mounted in any suitable manner. as for instance. by bolts 20 passing through openings 30 in the support A.

aow/os l claim as my invention@ 1. ln a fuse box, a support, open ended hollow terminals on the support, and a rcmovable fuse carrying terminals at opposite ends, each vformed to pass through one oiE the hollow terminals and having locking devices to engage below the lower end of the latter.

2. ln a fuse box, a support, hollow terminals carried by the support, and a fuse carrying at each end a terminal formed of spring arms adapted to engage the inner walls of a hollow terminal and provided with means to interlock with said terminal.

3. ln a fuse box, a support, hollow terminals carriedby the support, and a fuse "carrying at each aend a terminal formed ot spring arms adapted to engage the inner walls oi a hollow `erminal and provided with lateral projections to interlock with said latter terminal.

4. Yin a fuse box, a support, open ended hollow terminals carried by the support, and a fuse carrying at each end. a terminal comprising springl arms alapted to engage the inner walls ot a hollow terminal and formed with outwardly curved contacting portions and with lateral projections at its ends, the curved, portions engaging opposite inner walls of a hollow terminal, and the lateral projections engaging an cud of the said hollow terminal. I

5. A. fuse provided at its ends with terminals each comprising a fuse-wire attaching portion, and spring arms'projccting from the attaching portion, each spring arm being formed with an outwardly curved contacting portion between its ends, and with an outwardly turned lateral projection at its free end.

6. An electric terminal, comprising a wire lattaching portion, aud spring ,arms extending from said portionand provided with outwardly curved contacting portions between their ends and with outwardly turned lateral extensions at their free ends.

7. The combination with an insulating support, of a hollow terminal arranged on the support, and a compressible terminal adapted for cpcration with the hollow terminal, and provided with means moved out of interlocking connection with the hollow terminal upon the compression of thc said cooperating terminal,

8. In a fuse box, a support, an insulated fuse having a portion of its insulation weakcned, and a ground conductor hcld vicldably in engagement with the weakened portion.

9. ln a fuse box. a support, au insulated fuse having a portion ot its insulation provided with a notch. and a `ground conductor hold yieldably in Contact with the notch.

10. ln a -fusebox, a fuse. and a ground connection comprising means held in circuit closing position by the fuse and moved auto matioally to break the Circuit when the fuse blows out.

vll. ln a fuso box, a' fuse, and a ground connection Comprising a plunger held in cifcuit closing position by the fuse, and means moving the plunger automatically to break ibo circuit when the fuse blows out.

l2. In a fuse box, a fuse, and a ground connection comprising a membez' held in circuit closing position by the fuse, and a spring vmowing the member to break the ground oix'cuit when the fuse blows out.'

13. LVD, a fuse box, an insulating ,appo/t, a fuso arranged on one side of the rsupport 15 and a ground Conduoor comprising. a flat spring, a plunger adaped to engage the free end of the spring and to be held thereagainst by the fuse, and a spring for moving tho/ plunger out of Contact with the flat spring 20 when 'the' fuso blows out,

mamon' J. MCDONALD.

'Vitnssses: v

RUSSELL B. GMFFTH, lf-. Simms.

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