US1492714A - Insulator clamp - Google Patents

Description

C. G- KQPPITZ INSULATOR CLAMP 7 Filed April 8, 1919 Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL G. KOPPITZ, 0F. GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR- TO RAILWAY AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF GREENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- ronarron or rnnnsnvanm.

INSULATOR CLAMP.

Application flied April 8, 1919. Serial No. 288,444.

To all 'u'lmm itwzag concern:

Be it known that I, CARL G. Korrrrz, a citizen of the United States, residin at Greensburg, in the county of \Vestmore and and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insulator Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to electrical insulators and more particularly to that type of insulators which are made of a plurality of sections of porcelain or other similar material to form any desired length of in sulating column for use on high tension lines.

It is the object of this invention to provide a clamp which is particularly adapted for clamping adjoining insulator sections together.

The invention consists broadly of a num ber of separate elements or units adapted to engage adjoining insulator sections and means for forcing these elements into contact with the insulator sections to hold them firmly together.

For a fuller understanding of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 represents a device which, at present, I consider as the preferred embodiment of the invention, a part of it being shown inelevation and a part in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the clamp.

Fig. 3 a fragmentary side view of the clamp.

Fig. 4 a section on the line 44, Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are a fragmentary side view and section respectively of a modification; and

Fi 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing another modification.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings a plurality of insulator sections 1 of porcelain or other similar material is shown stacked up in the usual way to form an insulating column. Each section or disk 1 has the usual etticoat 2 and between the petticoat an the upper and lower surfaces are provided circumferential depressions or grooves 3 defining corresponding rims 4. The walls 9 of the rims 4 defined by glrploves 3 are slightl v tapered outwardly. e sections 1 are referably hollowed out. in the center as indicated by the numeral 5 and intermediate the adjoining sections 1 I prefer to place sheets 18 of cop er which are co-extensive with the contacting faces of the sections 1.

Vhile I consider copper as particularly the adjoining surfaces, i. e. afford a substantially uniform contact over the adjoining faces without causin any extreme local stresses. At the top and bottom I provide end pieces 6 and 7 of cast iron or other suitable material. These end pieces are likewise formed to define rims 8 similar to rims 4.

To securely fasten the various sections 1 together to form an integral mechanical unit I use the clamping mechanism shown as a complete clamping unit in Fig. 2. This clamping mechanism comprises a plurality of individual clamping elements or sections 10 circularly arranged to embrace two adoining insulator sections 1, a band 11 bearlng upon the outer surface of the clam ing elements andmeans for tightening or 00sening the ends of the band.

The elements 10 have the form of an inverted open ended trough, i. e. have a top wall 12 and side walls 13. These walls 13 are inclined toward each other to. the same angular extent as the walls 9 of the rims 4. Lips 14 are struck up from the top walls 12 and bent inwardl toward each other to loosely embrace the liand 11. The band 11 and the elements 10 are thus held together and form a complete clamping device.

When the insulator sections are properly stacked up as previously described the clamping devices are placed around the insulating column, the side walls 13 of the elements 10 engaging the walls 9 of adjoining insulating sections 1. The ends of the bands are then tightened by suitable mechanism. In the particular form shown there are used for this purpose lugs 15 con-, nected to the ends of the bands, bolts 16 extending through the ln s andnuts 17 for drawing the lugs 15 togeter.

The mechanical significance of the clamp ing device described is this: The various sections 1 of the column must be firmly and securely clamped together. The material of the insulatorsections is exceedingly brittle as is well known and care must be exercised not to break, crack or otherwise damage them. It would be fairly easy to meet these two inconsistent requirements, if the diameter of adjoining sections 1 were substantially the same and if irregularities in the sections did not exist. It would be possible in such case to use a clamp made up of a single piece or two similar halves bolted together. However, as is well known, it is inherently impossible to PI'OdLCO insulator sections which are absolutely uniform. It is thus also inherently impossible to firmly join insulator sections together without running the risk of damaging either one or both of the adjoining sections or even breaking them or unevenly straining them which usually results in subsequent fracture. By subdividing the clamp into a relatively large number of clamping elements 10, the individual elements can readily adjust themselves to the diameter of the adjoining in sulator sections 1 or to other irregularities due to inherent manufacturing conditions.

The lips 1 1 loosely surround the band 11 so that the individual elements 10 may readily shift one way or the other, transversely or longitudinally to accommodate themselves relatively to the contour of the edge or rim of the insulator sections. This flexible girdle structure assures contact of the clamp with the insulator sections all around their periphery and a substantially uniform distribution of the pressure applied by the band. The strain on the insulator sections is therefore substantially uniformly distributed and the danger of damaging or breaking largely eliminated.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a clamping device in which the clamping elements or units 20 are not entirely separate from each other, but are integral with a rib or band 21 which serves as the means for forcing the elements 20 into contact with the rims of the insulating sections 1. In practice I may form relatively long bands or strips having the cross-sectional configuration shown in Fig. 6 or any other shape, then stamping out portions to form the slots 22 then cutting the strips into sections of desired length and finally attaching, preferably by welding, lugs 15 or other means for drawing the ends together. While the general adaptability of the individual elements or units 20 is not as pronounced as that of the elements 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the device operates satisfactorily as a flexible girdle for the purpose specified.

Fig. 7 shows another modification in which the clamping elements or units 30 are provided with lugs 31, the lugs of adjoining elements 30 being interconnected by chain-links 32 or other similar connecting contrivances. The lugs 31 are preferably enlarged at their upper ends to form linkretaining projections 33. The free ends of the clamping device thus formed receive lugs such as lugs 15 or other suitable means for drawing the flexible girdle device tight about the rims'of adjoining insulator sections 1.

The invention may be modified in various other ways as is obvious.

I claim:

1. A clamping device for uniting insulator sections, comprising a plurality of clamping elements interconnected to form a flexible girdle and means at the free ends of the girdle thus formed for adjustably interlocking the latter.

2. A clamping device for uniting insulator sections, comprising a plurality of clamping elements, means for flexibly interconnecting them to form a flexible girdle and means at the ,free ends of the girdle thus formed for adjustably interlocking the latter.

3. A clamping device for uniting insulator sections, comprising a band, a lurality of clamping elements extending a ong the band and connected thereto and mechanism at the free ends of the band for adjustably interlocking the latter.

4. A clamping device for uniting insulator sections, comprising a plurality of clamping elements, a band extending along the outer surface thereof, means on the said elements for loosely holding the band thereto and means at the ends of the band for adjustably interlocking the latter.

5. A clamping device for uniting insulator sections, comprising a plurality of clamping elements, a band extending along the outer surface thereof, lips struck up from the said elements to loosely embrace the band and means at the ends of the band for adjustably interlocking them.

6. The combination of a pair of circular insulator sections having adjoining rims and a clamping device comprising a plurality of clamping elements defining a flexible girdle and circumferentially engaging the adjoining rims and means for forcing the said clamping device into contact with said rims.

7. The combination of a pair of circular insulator sections having adjoining rims and a clamping device comprising a plurality of clamping elements circumferentially engaging the adjoining rims, a band surrounding the said elements and bearin thereon and means for drawing the ban tight.

8. The combination of a pair of circular insulating sections having adjoining rims and a clamping device comprising a plurality of clamping elements circumferentially engaging the adjoining rims, a. band surrounding the said elements and bearin thereon, means for loosely holding the band on the elements and means for drawing the band tight.

9. The combination of a pair of circular insulating sections having adjoining rims, said rims having beveled walls, and a clam ing device comprising a plurality of troug like clamping elements engaging the said beveled walls, a band surrounding the said elements and bearing thereon and means for drawing theband tight.

10. The combination of a pair of insulator sections having peripheral projections adjacent their joining faces and a flexible girdle engaging said projections and holdmg the sections in assembled relation.

11. The combination of a pair of insulator sections having peripheral projections adjacent their joining faces, the pro ections having walls tapering toward each other,

a flexible girdle surrounding said projections and means on the girdle bearing upon the tapering walls.

12. The combination of a pair of insulator sections having recessed central portions and substantially annular contacting portions, peripheral projections adjacent their joining faces and a flexible girdle enprojections and holding the sections in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

CAR G. KOPPITZ.

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