US696497A - Fuse-box. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Apr. I, I902. H. R. SABGENT.

F U S E B O X.

(Application filed. Aug. 29. 1900.)

(No Model.)

i Inventor. Howard Rfiarg-enf.

1 JEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

HOWARD R. SARGENT, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEXV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRlC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEXV YORK.

FUSE-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 69 6,497, dated April 1, 1902. Application filed August 29, 1900. Serial No. 28,431. (No model.)

To (0% whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HOWARD R. SABGENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuse Boxes, (Case No. 1,482,) of which the following is a specification.

This invent-ion relates to fuse-boxes; and its specific embodiment disclosed herein is in a contact device through which connection is made from main to auxiliary circuits.

Of the drawings, Figure l is a plan view showing the interior of the base of the contact device. Fig. 2 is a plan of the under side of the cover. Fig. 3 is a section along the line X X of the base and cover as assembled, and Fig. 4 is a section of the assembly, taken through the contacts E and U.

Hitherto in fuse-boxes it has been customary to provide a chamber for the fuse, the latter being connected at its ends to two terminals. In such cases unless the fuse is of impractically great length there is danger after the fuse blows of an are being maintained for a greater or less length of time across the terminals, and thus seriously or totally damaging the entire device. My invention consists of a means for preventing danger of this sort.

Fig. 1 represents the base B, of suitable insulating material, such as porcelain, to which terminals L are secured for the reception of the line-wires. The base is formed with countersunk screw-holes S, whereby it is adapted to be suitably secured to a ceiling or wall. A rim K is formed on the upper part of the base to form a large cavity, which is divided into four parts by the ridges R and Q. After the cover is placed on the base these four divisions of the cavity are made separate chambers. Spring-contacts U are secured to the terminals L and are adapted to be engaged by terminals in the cover to complete the circuitand secure the base and cover togetnc as described hereinafter. Aftcr the ass the cover 0 fits closely the top of the 1 and the holes V in the rim K serve as vents for the chambers.

Fig. 2 shows the under side of the cover O, which is made of similar material to that of the base B. It is formed with a depending rim J, divided into two parts, which rim fits within the rim K of the base B to keep the base and cover in position with respect to each other. Included within the rim J is acavity similar to that in the cover, and in this cavity are mounted the various terminals. The cavity is divided upinamanner-similar to that ofthe base by ridges R and Q, which correspond with the ridges R and Q of the base B. E E are L- shaped terminals within the cavity,which are adapted toengage beneath thospring-contacts U of the base to secure the base and cover together and complete the circuit, as shown in Fig. a. T T are the working terminals,to which the leads D D are connected, which leads extend out through a hole H in the top of the cover to form a branch circuit for one or more translating devices. The terminalsEE,Which are connected with the contacts of the base, are connected by fuses F F with the working terminals T T, screws serving to secure to the respective terminals the clips to which the ends of the fuses are attached, as is the common practice. Hitherto these fuses in wall or ceiling boxes of the type shown herein have been located entirely in a single chamber, so that when they were blown there was a liability to arcing between each terminal E and its corresponding terminal T. This danger is prevented in the following manner: The ridge R divides the chamber between the terminals E and T into two parts, thus separating the terminals; but as provision must be made for the passage of the fuse the ridge is provided with grooves A, in which the fuses are laid. lVhen the cover is mounted upon the base, as shown in Fig. 3, the ridge R closes up the grin)" in the ridge R, thus forming a ver t passage for the fuse, inclesed, exce t to its ends, and through which passage there is little likelihood of any are being established. WVhen the cover and base are assembled, not only are the grooves A covered to form the closed passages, but the cavities on theopposite sides of the ridges of both the cover and the base are brought together to form chambers on opposite sides of the adjoining ridges, so that each end por tion of the fuses has substantiallya separate chamber, the chambers being connected only by the very small passages for the fuses. Furthermore, the fuse passes through the opening which is formed by the integral portions of the insulating members, which also form the partition itself, and consequently it isnot necessary to adapt the main portions of the insulating members for the passage of the fuse. Again, as both the cover and base are formed with depressions, in which are located the ridges which form the partition, each chamber on'a side of the partition consists of the corresponding depressions of the cover and base. The-operation of replacing a burned fuse is as easy as if there were no inclosed passagefor it, as after the cover 0 is removed a new fuse is simply placed in the groove A in the ridge. Since the terminals T and E are of opposite polarity, the ridges Q of the cover and the ridge Q of the base when brought together serve to separate these terminals from each other, and thus prevent arcing. Passages P are formed in the cover between the pairs of ridges Q and R, so that the wires D can be led from the terminals T to the depression in the center of the coverand thence out through the hole 11.

Having'thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with the members B and O, of the ridges R, R, Q, Q, the terminals T and U and the fuses F, F.

2. The combination with two insulatingdisks each formed with a depression and with a ridge in the depression, of means for holding the disks together so that the ridges register to form a partition having an opening, terminals on one disk on opposite sides of its ridge, a fuse connecting said terminals and passing through said opening, and terminals on the other disk which are connected with said terminals when the disks are held together. V

3. The combination with two insulatingdisks each formed with a depression and with a ridge, the ridge on one disk being formed with a groove, means for holding the disks together so that the ridges register to form a partition, terminals on one disk on opposite sides of its ridge; a fuse connecting said terminals and passing through the partition at the groove in said ridge, and terminals on the other disk which are connected with said terminals when the disks are held together.

4. The combination with two insulating members which together form a chamber, of two terminals mounted on one of said members, a fuse connecting said terminals, an in tegral insulating-partition formed by two ridges integral with the two insulating members, which divides said chamber into two parts, the fuse extending through the partition, and means for securing the two insulating members together.

5. The combination with two insulating members each formed with a depressiomwhich together form a chamber, of twov terminals mounted on one of said members, a fuse connecting said terminals, a ridge integral with each insulating member, so formed that when the members are brought together to form a I members each formed with a depression which together form a chamber, of two terminals mounted on one of said members, a'fuse connecting said terminals, a ridge integral with one of said members and formed with a groove for the reception of the fuse, a ridge integral with the other member, so located that when the members are assembled toform a chamber, the ridges will lie adjacent to form a partition having an opening for the passage of the fuse, said partition dividing the chamber formed by the members into two parts, and terminals on the other disk which are connected with said terminals when the insulating members are held together.

7. In a contact device, the combination with an insulating-base and cover adapted to form a chamber, line-terminals in the base, terminals in the cover adapted to engage with those in the base, work terminals in the cover, fuses connecting the work-terminals with the other terminals of the cover, and an integral insulating-partition through which the fuses pass, which partition is formed by two ridges integral with the base and cover, the chamber being located between the work-terminals and the other terminals of the cover and being divided into two parts by the partition.

8. In a contact device, the combination with an insulating-base and cover adapted together to form a chamber, line-terminals in the base, terminals in the cover adapted to engage with those in the base, work-terminals in the cover, fuses connecting the work-terminals with the other terminals in the cover, a ridge integral with the base, and a ridge integral with the cover, so located that when the base and cover are brought together to form a chamber located between the work-terminals andthe other terminals of the cover, the ridges form a partition having an opening for the passage of the fuse, said partitionv dividing the chamber into two portions.

9. In a contact device, the combination with an insulating-base and cover adapted to'be brought together to form a chamber, of lineterminals on the base, terminals in the cover the base, so located that when the base and cover are brought together to form a chamber located between the work-terminals and the other terminals in the cover, the ridges will form a partition having an opening through which the fuse extends, the chamber being divided into two parts by the partition.

10. In a contact device, the combination with an insulating-base and cover adapted to be brought together to form a chamber, of line-terminals on the base, contact-springs connected therewith, terminals in the cover adapted to engage said contact-springs to connect the cover-terminals with the line-termi nals and secure the cover to the base, workterminals in the cover, fuses connecting the work-terminals with the cover-terminals connected to the spring-contacts, and an integral insulating-partition through which the fuse passes, the chamber formed by the base and cover being divided into two parts by the partition, and said partition being formed by two ridges integral with the base and cover.

11. In a contact device, the combination with an insulating-base and cover, of lineterminals on the base, terminals in the cover adapted to be connected with the line-terminals, work-terminals in the cover, fuses connecting the work-terminals withthc other cover-terminals, an integral insulating-partition between each work-terminal and one of the other cover-terminals of opposite polarity, integral insulating partitions between the terminals which are connected by fuses, openings being formed in the latter partitions for the reception of the fuses, a hole in the top of the cover for the entrance of the branchcircnit wires, and passages from the workterminals between the partitions to said hole for the reception of said Wires.

12. The combination with two insulating members, each formed with corresponding depressions and with corresponding ridges in the depressions, two terminals being mounted on one of the insulating members on 0pposite sides of the ridge, and a fuse connecting such terminals, whereby when the insulating members are assembled, the terminals will be separated from each other by a partition formed by the ridges, and the portions of the fuse on opposite sides of the partition will lie in chambers formed by the depressions in the insulating members. a

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of August, 1900.

IIOXVARD R. SARGENT.

Vi tnesses:

BENJAMIN B. IIULL, FRED Russ.

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