US2638520A - Electric fuse holder - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1953 c. J. WARD ELECTRIC FUSE HOLDER Filed Dec. 24, 1949 5 INVENTOR. cunRLEs .s. WARD ATTORNEY Patented May 12, 1953 FUSE; HOLDER- Charles: I. Wand; Philadelphia, Pa., assignoc to Hugh- Ri By; 1 10,, Philadelphia, Eat, a compo; rafion-oflrennssrljvsnia Apnlicotionneccmhcr. 24, 13.49,.Serial1Nc. 134,927

This invention relates to fuses and more Q3.1"- ticular to an improvement in fuse holders and; proteotots, which are adapted; for, use in mounting cartridge type fuses for the protection of automobile, lighting, generator-andbattery circuits" or' for use in the wiring of other electrical and electronic equipinei t.

One of the principal objects of the. intention is to provide a fuse holder capable of use in an individual wire of circuit and which will be. supported by the wiring, avoiding the necessity for a central fuse panel to whicl'i extra leng tlis of must be run. The improved fuse holder. may be supplied in assembled form. inducing;

fuse, connector elements, and conductor Wires, so that a complete section of wiring, with e. protected. fuse thetein,.msy be. provided, fol: re-

.it purposes. Altemativcly the fuse. holds component. parts, less. the. conducts: my supplied for use xvii h existing. wir- In such case the existing ring may be.

s e in nature, may then. be assembled o e. the and secured togetloerv with. its contsin iuse electrics-11;? connected to the ends ol the. out Wire.

Another. major object of the invention lies. in provision of a. multipeirt fuse holder capable. of entirely enclosing a fuse and protecting it from physical injury, access of. (ii-it. gtease .i' oil, and which is further capable-oil insulating said fuse from sli It ciiicuiting Contact with adjacent metal objects.

Another object of the. invention lies. in the provision of a. multipart. fuse holder Whose. parts are so 0 .istructed as to, be easily and quickly separable for th replacement of. a. blown. fuse, and ch. is. further capable of being quickly reass sled. without need for special tools or .suzning. manual operations.

Still, ll-31' object of the invention is. to pro.-

a. muitipaizt holder... for encasi-ng a cartridge type in which will maintain the teliminal caps of the in good. electrical contact, under press sure, with the eon-nector'elements. of, a; sir cuit the some pressure means, within the holder, being also utilized to maintain the. parts of the hold r closed and locked condition- A 1]; further purpose of the invention resides in the provision of a fuse holder and protector of loch-ably secured casing parts which are. of relatively inexpensive molded construction and whose internally assembled metal parts are also inexpensively fabricated by metal stamping and vide forming-- operations, avoiding the necessity fOl" costlymocl'i-ining operations.

These and still other objects of the invention Will become more apparent fromai'cading: of the description of one embodiment of the invention which has been selected for illustrative purposesand which is shown inthe attached drawings.

Referringto the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view ofalength of Wiring capable of use as a. circuit section, including a fuse, and the fuse holder assembly with its parts. shown in their separated relationship on the Wiringas if ready for replacement of the fuse.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the fuse holder with its casing parts in joined relationship, occupying theii normel' positions as after insertion of a fuse, and ready for use in the circuit.

Figure 3 is longitudinal sectional viewof the fuse holder token axially thereof on line 3 of Figure. 2 show-mg the other elements or the fuse holder assembly, inolumg a. fuse, inelevation therein.

Figure 4 is a sectional ti of Figure 5, and is simall" to that shown Figure 3 but with the 3 parts. ed complctc- 13 together in the manner required price todis assemlolg of" the holders.

Figure 5 is an elevationel view showing part of the fuse holder with the casing members pusl'ied' completely together as in Figure 4.

Figure 6- ison elevationel' View to Fig:- ure 5 but with the casing parts rotated relative to each other in the ni-anne 'requi'zed for sepamtionand clisassemb-ly;

Figure "1 is a, sectional view perpendicular to the axis of'the fuse holder taken on line l-l' Figure Figure 8 is a sectional view s ilor to that of Figure 7' taken line i -ll of k 6 with the casing parts'rotetecl i disassembl'.

Figure 9 is an end view of one of the casing partsof the taken along- 9-4) of Figure I.

Figure 10 is an entli view of the other of said casing parts taken a line iil lll oi? Figure 1.

Figure 11 is on end v1 of saitl last mam-eel cos-- ing part taken along e i i-H of Figure l.

v Figure 12 is a, sectional View taken along line Figure 13 is a sectional view taken alon line l-3l3 of Figure l, and showing one of the pro- .ieotions wl'iichv is an element of bayonet type securing means for the parts.

The. specific embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings is adapted to hold a fuse H) of the conventional cartridge part of the side wall of which is preferably split,

lengthwise, as at 2!, to enable the fuse cap to spread the side wall of the connector element upon insertion, thus causing the fuse cap to be resiliently grasped under pressure by said split wall of the cup-shaped part of the connector element. A plurality of lugs 22, see Figures 3 and 4,

are bent inwardly from the side wall of each connector element, to form the base of the cup. each element including also an end lug 23 which is bent inwardly as at 24 and thence at right angles axially of the cup. The outer extremities of each end lug 23 are adapted to be crimped over a conductor wire end for securement and electrical connection thereto. The illustrated wires of the circuit are referenced 25 in the drawings, and are preferably provided with ring terminals 26 at their outer ends.

A helical coil spring 30 is floatingly carried around one of the conductor wires 25, this spring being preferably formed with flattened end turns to provide planar ends. One end of the coil spring is adapted to abut the base 22 of one of the above described connector elements, while the other end of the coil is adapted to abut an internal shoulder in the fuse holder as will be shortly described.

The fuse holder includes two casing members and 50 which are detachably secured together to completely enclose and protect the fuse it. The casing members are preferably molded of suitable insulating material and are preferably tubular in shape. Member 40 is provided with an internal bore 4! slightly larger than the diameter of the connector element 2 I, the member 50 being also provided with a bore 5| of equal diameter. When the casing members are secured together with their respective bores in axial a1inement, said members protectively enclose the fuse, the connector elements and the spring described above. The bore 4| communicates with the exterior of casing member 40 through an opening 42 of reduced diameter suitable for passage of wire 25, while a similar reduced passage 52 is provided at the opposite end of easing member 50. The presence of the reduced opening 42 provides a beveled shoulder 43 at the outer end of bore 4!. The base lugs 22 and the inturned part 24 of lug 23 of one of the connector elements abuts this shoulder 43 when the fuse holder is assembled. In like manner a square shoulder 53 is provided at the outer end of bore 5i to provide a seat for the outer end of the coil spring 30.

Casing member 40 is provided with a cylindrical surface 44 which is adapted to be telescopically received within an enlarged mouth 54 formed in the end of the bore 5! of the casing member 50. A pair of diametrically opposed bayonet lugs 45-45 project outwardly from the surface 44 of the member 40, while a pair of diametrically opposed grooves 55-55 are formed in the mouth 54 of easing member for axial sliding reception of the lugs 45-45, respectively. In addition, a pair of circumferential slots 56 are provided, which respectively communicate with the grooves -55 to form therewith internal bayonet type slots for accommodation of the bayonet lugs 45-45. Each of these slots extends outwardly and is open to the outer surface of the casing member 50 as shown in Fig ure 2, rendering the positions and operational movements of lugs 45 visible from the exterior of the fuse holder. Each of the slots 55-55 is provided with an end notch 51 providing a detaining seat for the lug 45 when the latter is in its final inserted position within its accommodating bayonet groove.

Casing member 40 is provided with a portion of enlarged diameter having a grooved or ridged peripheral surface 41 to facilitate finger grasping and prevent slippage. A flattened surface 58, best shown in Figures 2 and 11, facilitates manual gripping of easing member. The two casing members are adapted to be brought together, when grasped on the surfaces mentioned, and portion 44 of one member telescoped into the widened mouth 54 of the other, with the lugs 45 entering slots 55 in the face of the second member. If the casing members 40 and 50 are then pushed together until the end faces 45 and 59 thereof meet they may be relatively rotated for approximately 50 with the lugs 55 traveling in slots 56 until the lugs are in alignment with their detaining notches 51. At this time, release of the casing members causes the lugs 45 to enter the slots 51 under pressure of the compressed coil spring 39. The bayonet lug 45 is then seated in its detaining notch 5'! as shown in Figure 2 and rotational disengagement of the bayonet type connection is prevented by pressure of the compressed coil spring 35. When thus locked against rotation, the end faces 59 and 59 are slightly separated as are the complementary bevel surfaces BI and 52 provided on the casing members 40 and 50 respectively. The presence of these bevels maintains the internal chamber closed against direct entry of foreign objects even though spread slightly.

When it is desired to separate the casing members of the fuse holder in order to inspect the fuse or replace a blown fuse, the two casing members 40 and 58 are again grasped and pushed together to occupy their positions of Figure 5. This movement releases the lug from its detaining notch 57 and permits relative rotational movement of the casing parts. When the lug 45 comes into alignment with the slots 55, pressure of the coil spring will force the two casing members apart and completely separate them, the lug traveling along groove 55. It is then only necessary to pull apart the two expose-d con nector elements 20 to disengage the blown fuse. A new fuse is then inserted between the connector elements, and the casing members may then be pushed together to surround the fuse and secured in locked relationship in the manner previously described.

It will be noted that the coil spring 35 is compressed between one of the connector elements 20 and the internal shoulder 53 when the pair of casing members are secured and locked together as shown in Figure 3, the fuse being prevented from movement to the left by abutment of the other connector element against shoulder 43.

Compression of the coil spring holds the fuse firmly in place with lowered contact resistance, and at the same time exerts a separating force on the two casing members. It is this force which maintains these members locked against relative rotation for disassembly through engagement of lug 45 with the notch 51. Thus, accidental separation of the casing members by shaking, jarring or like movements of the apparatus in which the fuse holder may be mounted is effectually prevented. In order to accomplish their separation it is necessary to wilfully press the two casing members together for release of their locking engagement.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the electrical arts that many modifications may be made in the shape, size, configuration and material of the fuse holder of this invention without departing from its teachings and spirit. The holder and protector may be utilized not only in the types of circuits enumerated above but in any wiring where it would be desirable to fuse individual circuits without lengthening and extending the wires to a central fuse panel. For example, such other application may well be made in the wiring of telephone, telegraph, radio and television apparatus. The holder may be modified to accommodate a plurality of fuses and thus adapted to the fusing of multiple circuits. It is, therefore, desired that the invention not be restricted to the specific construction shown in the drawings but be limited only by the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

In a fuse holder, a pair of separable members of insulating material conjointly adapted to form a protective casing for a cartridge fuse having end terminal caps, each of said members having extending axially therethrough an elongated bore terminating at its outer end in a hole of a diameter less than that of said bore to provide an internal shoulder at the outer end of each member, cup-shaped contact elements respectively seated in said bores and respectively embracingly receiving said end terminal caps for frictional engagement therewith over a wide area, each of said elements having secured thereto a conductor extending outwardly from each of said casing members through the reduced diameter end hole thereof, a coil spring floatingly embracing one of said conductors and disposed in intervening relation between the contact element of said conductor and the internal shoulder of the member accommodating said last-mentioned contact element, said casing members being respectively provided at their inner connecting ends with interfitting male and female portions adapted to be interconnected and locked together by coacting bayonet and slot means which include an external projection on the male portion of one member and an internal groove on the female portion of the other member, the arrangement being such that upon interlocking assembly of the casing members with the cartridge fuse enclosed thereby the said coil spring exerts its pressure axially against the cartridge fuse to secure the latter between said cup-shaped contact elements and to maintain said casing members locked together.

CHARLES J. WARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,601,673 Bridgman Sept. 28, 1926 1,602,227 Hentschel Oct. 5, 1926 1,798,860 Woodruff Mar. 31, 1931 1,969,301 Edwards Aug. 7, 1934 2,288,680 Chandler July 7, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 335,642 Great Britain Oct. 9, 1930

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