US1885111A - Fuse box - Google Patents

Description

F. C. HUSH FUSE BOX Filed July 27. 1929 fss Ci ua/i,

' Broadly speaking, I accomplish my obhe contactblock thereis a fuse block 25 which Patented Nov. 1 1 932 1 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOSS G. HUSH, F LINCOLN, NEBRASKA FUSE BOX Application filed July 27, 1929. Serial No. 381,444.

My invention is concerned with boxes or box which I use may vary considerably, but casings adapted to contain fuses and electriprefer to employ a box such as is shown cal apparatus such as meters. Such boxes 111. my co-pending application Serial No. are frequently used out of doors, and must 329,798 filed Jan. 2, 1929. This application 5 be designed in such a manner that they Will hSClOSBS a two-part box, one part of which is 55 b th f d ill t t th adapted to be secured to a support such as paratus from unauthorized tampering. It apole l0 and comprises a back 11, top 12, and is frequently desirable, however, that the a bottom 13. The other box-part is a removfuscs be accessible to persons from whom the le Cover 14 which has front and id ll remainder of apparatus in the box should be n a bottom flange adapted to overlie the protected bottom 13. Secured to the back of the box It i th bj t f my i ti t r d c 1s a panel 15 upon which the meter or other such a box which is adapted to enclose fuses pparatus may be mounted. and a meter or other electrical apparatus and Xtending forwardly from the ba k f th to construct the box in such a manner that h X at a distance above the bottom is a ta- 05 access can be had to the fuses while the meter nary Contact block adapted to su po t th l t i l apparatus remains terminals 21, which are ordinarily connected tected from tampering. A further object of o the hue and to the meter, and contacts 22 my invention is to provide a box in which wh ch are conveniently similar to those ordithe fuses, when accessible, will be completearily used in the usual form of knife switch. 79 1y disconnected and free from association The outer end of the contact blo k 20 y with any current-carrying wires, so that the be supported by a bracket 23 extending u fuses may be inspected or changed without W r ly from the box-bottom 13. dangen Movable into and out of association with jects by mounting the meter and all the eleecarries in any convenient manner one or more trical Wiring within the box, the wiring infuses 26. As shown in the drawing, these eluding contacts with which the fuses are es a e supported in clips 27 of the usual to be connected, and I mount the fus in form, such clips being respectively connected so a movable support hi h can b ithd to contacts 28 adapted to engage the station- 30 from the box, such withdrawal serving to my contacts 22 on the contact block 20 when break the electrical connections between the the fuse block is in operative position. I fuses and the wiring within the box. Deprovide, preferably in the bottom 13 of the sirably, I provide the box with a removable box, an opening through which the fu cover which may be locked in place in order block and the fuses carried thereby may 85 that an unauthorized person may not obbe withdrawn. Associated with this opentain access to the interior of the box. mg is a closure in the form of a plate pro- The accompanying drawing illustrates vlded with upwardly projecting flanges my invention: Fig. 1 is a vertical section 31 adapted to extend into the opening. Also through the box parallel to one side-wall Secured to the closure 30 are one or more up- 90 thereof; Fig 2 is a front elevation of the box Wardly projecting rods 32 which guide the in partial section showing the fuse block closure in its movement toward and away and fuses in operative position; Fig. 3 is a from the box opening. The upper ends of the view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the fuse guide rods 32 are supported for sliding move- I block and fuses withdrawn from the box; merit as by being slidable in tubes 33 located and Fig. 4 is a bottom plan illustrating debehind the panel 15.

tails of the double latch by which the box The rear end of the fuse block 25 is pivotcover and the fuse block are retained in ally connected to the guide rods 32, and its place. other end is supported by means of a link '9 The general constructional features of the 35 WhlCll is pivoted to the front end of the out of doors.

fuse block and to some stationary point conveniently near the front edge of the box-bottom 13.

The parts are shown in full-lines in Figs. 1 and 2 in the position they normally occupy, the opening in the box-bottom being closed by the closure 30, and the contacts 28 on the fuse block being in engagement with the stationary contacts 252. If the closure 30 is drawn downward away from the opening in the box-bottom, the rods 32 move downward with it to lower the rear end of the fuse block 25. his downward movement of the rods 32 first serves to tilt the fuse block and move the rear movable contacts 28 out of engagement with the rear fixed contacts 22; and as downward movement of the rods 32 continues, the front pair of movable contacts 28 are moved out of engagement with their associated fixed contacts. At the lower limit of movement of'the rods 32, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 3, the fuse block 25 has been turned into a vertical position and completely withdrawn from the box, and the fuses are accessible for inspection or replacement.

For the purpose of preventing unauthorized tampering with either the fuses or the apparatus within the box, I may provide the double latch construction illustrated in F igs,

1 and 4. That part of this latch construction nearest the front of the box is similar to the latch shown in my co-pending application above referred to. It comprises a latch 36 which is pivoted on the under side of the box-bottom 13 and which has a downwardly extending ear 37 co-operating with an ear 38 secured to the cover 14 of the box. The cars 37 and 38, which overlap when the latch is closed, are provided with alined holes adapted to receive the hasp of the padlock 39. This construction is substantially identical with thatshown in my co-pending application.

To retain the closure 30 in closed position, I provide-a pivoted bar 41 which is pivotally secured to the box-bottom 13, desirably coaxially with the pivotal mounting of the latch 36. This bar 41 extends rearwardly beneath theclosure 30 and normally prevents its withdrawal. It may be swung from the full-line to the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 4, however, to permit the closure to be moved downwardly. The bar 41 may be provided with a downwardly extending ear 42 adjacent to a similar ear 43 on the rearwardly extending end of the latch 36. The ears 42 and 43, like the cars 37 and 38, are provided with alined holes for the reception of the hasp of the padlock 45.

My box is especially suited to use in rural electrification, where it is frequently desired to mount the meters of individual power users l/Vhen so used, the power user is supplied with a key to the padlock 45, and

the power company retains the key to the lock 39. Normally both locks are locked, and no unauthorized individual can obtain access to any of the apparatus within the box. Should the user desire to inspect the fuses, he is only obliged to remove the padlock 45, swing the bar 41 to the dotted-line position shown in F ig. 4, and draw the closure 30 downward by means of a handle 47 which may be provided thereon. This lowering of the closure 30 and the rods 32 which move with it, draws the fuse block 25 completely out of the box into the position shown in dotted-lines in Fig. 1 and in full-lines in Fig. 2. When the fuses are out of the box, there is no connection between them and any of the wiring in the box, and they therefore may be safely handled with out danger. Upward movement of the closure 30 and rods 32 carries the fuse block and the fuses back into the operative position shown in full-lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

Should a representativeof the power company desire access to the fuses, meter, or any other apparatus contained in the box, the lock 39 is removed, the latch swung out of engagem ent with the ear 38, and the entire cover 14 of the box is removed. 1 Because of the interconnection of the latch 35 and the bar 41 provided by the padlock 45, the bar 41 swings w th the latch 85, and it is therefore possible, when the latch 35 is released, either to with draw the fuses while leaving the cover in place or to remove the cover.

It will be evident that my box provides an arrangement by means of which the fuses may be readily withdrawn from the box and moved into a position where they are accessible. The remainder of the apparatus wit-h in the box is not rendered accessible to an unauthorized person by the lowering of the fuse block, and access to the inte ior of the box can be obtained only by an authorized indivi dual possessing a key to the lock 39. The

' fact that the opening through which the fuses are withdrawn is in the bottom of the box ensures that no water can leak through such opening.

It will be noted that in removing or replacing the fuse block the contacts 38 are not all simultaneously disengaged from or engaged with the stationary contacts 22. Instead, the contacts move into or out of engagement a pair at a time as a result of the fact that the initial movement of the fuse block in the operation of withdrawal is a tilting movement. This is advantageous as it decreases materially the frictional resistance which otherwise would attend movement of the fuse block. Z I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a casinghaving an opening in its wall, a removable. closure for said opening, a member secured to said closure and extending into the casing therefrom, means for guiding said closure and member for sliding movement toward and away from said opening, a contact block mounted within said casing, contacts on said contact block, a fuse block, contacts on said fuse block adapted to engage those on the contact block, one end of said fuse block being pivotally connected to said member, and a link pivotally connected to the other end of said fuse block and pivotally mounted in said box in position to guide such other end of said fuse block toward said opening as said closure is moved away from said opening.

2. In combination, a casing, said casing comprising a body portion and a removable cover, the body portion of said casing being provided with an opening in one wall, electrical contacts within said casing, a movable member, contacts carried by said movable member and engageable with said first mentioned contacts, a closure for said opening, means interconnecting said closure and said member for removing said member from said casing when said closure is moved away from said opening, a releasable fastening member for holding said cover in position, and a second releasable fastening member for retaining said closure in position over said opening, said second fastening member being movable to releasing position either independently of or jointly with said first fastening member.

The combination set forth in claim 1 with the addition that said casing comprises a body portion and a cover portion, said closure, member, contact block and link being carried by said body portion, and said cover being removable to expose such parts.

4. In combination, a casing having an opening in its wall, stationary contacts within 5 said casing, a movable member, contacts carried by said movable member and engage able with said first mentioned contacts, a part slidably mounted for rectilinear movement through said opening, one end of said member being pivotally connected to said part, and means for guiding the opposite end of said member for movement toward said opening.

In combination, a casing having an opening in its bottom wall, stationary contacts within said casing, a fuse block, contacts on said fuse block engageable with said stationary contacts when said fuse block is in horizontal position within said casing, a closure for said opening, means for guiding said closure for vertical sliding movement, said closure being operatively connected to said fuse block near one end thereof, whereby that end of the fuse block will be moved downwardly when said closure is moved away from said opening, and means for guiding the other end of said fuse block toward said opening.

6. In combination, a casing having an opening, stationary contacts within said casing,

a fuse block, contacts on said fuse block, and means for guiding said fuse block for movement between a position in which its contacts engage said stationary contacts and a position in which it is withdrawn from said casing with its contacts exposed, said means comprising a closure for said opening, means for guiding said closure for sliding movement toward and away from said open" ing, said closure being operatively connected to said fuse block near one end thereof whereby that end of the fuse block will be moved toward and through said opening as the closure is moved away therefrom, and means for guiding the other end of said fuse block toward said opening.

7 In combination, a casing comprising a body portion and a cover, the cover being removable to expose the interior of the body portion, said body portion being provided with an opening positioned so as not to be covered by said cover when it is in place, stationary contacts within said casing and carried by said body portion, a fuse block, contacts on said fuse block adapted to engage the first-mentioned contacts, and means carried by said body portion and including a member movable through said opening for withdrawing said fuse block through said opening to expose the fuse block and the contacts thereon.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Lincoln, Nebraska, this 23d day of July, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twenty-nine.

FOSS C. HUSH.

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