An Improved Automatic Electrical Out-out.
Year: 1896

page_text: An Improved Automatic Electrical Out-out.
I, HENRY JOHN WAGG, Consulting Electrical Engineer, of 15, Great
George Street, Westminster, in the County of London, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A slab of insulating material, has fixed on its face, three pairs of fuse blocks,
preferably side by side, with a space between each pair, one of the centre blocks is
arranged so that it can move in a vertical position, & supports by means of a double
arm two metal contact pieces, which either dip into metal cups containing mercury,
or rest in or on other metal contact pieces, these cups or contact pieces being fixed
onto two of the outside fuse blocks. If the centre fuse breaks, the loose centre
fuse block is drawn out of position, by means of a spring or counterbalance weight,
at the same time lifting or lowering the contact pieces from the outside fuse blocks,
thereby breaking all three circuits. This cut-out is intended for use, especially on
the three wire system, but by increasing the number of fuse blocks, it may be used
for systems having a greater number of wires.
Dated this Sixth day of October 1896.
HENRY JOHN WAGG.
ut.
I, HENRY JOHN WAGG, of 15 Great George Street, in the City of Westminster,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved cut-out for electric systems in which three
or more wires are employed, characterised by three or more contacts each allotted
to a single lead or circuit and a cut-out device operating in combination with the
contacts and controlled by a fuse, the cut-out apparatus being so arranged that it
tends always to interrupt all the circuits in which the contacts are included but
normally is prevented from doing so by a fuse; should this fuse which forms a part
of one of the circuits be broken or burnt out it will no longer be able to counteract
the tendency of the cut-outs to become operative and they will therefore at once
open the remaining circuits. Such a device is particularly advantageous for use
in a three-wire system, and its application to such a system is hereinafter described
by way of example, but it is applicable also by multiplication of its parts to
systems in which more than three wires are employed.
The accompanying drawing is an elevation of one construction of the improved
cut-out, but it is to be understood that the various details shown, such as the fuses
and the contacts and the means which tend to break the circuits at these contacts
may be modified without departure from this invention.

page_text: In the drawing. A is a slab of insulating material. The chain lines B C and D
represent three circuits for current. as for.instance in a three-wire system. In the
circuit B is included a mercury cup B' fixed to the slab A, and a mercury cup B'
similarly fixed to the slab and fortning part of a fuse block B from which extend
fuse wires B' to a lower fuse block B which also is fixed to the slab A. In the
circuit D are parts D D D D D. similar respectively to the parts B' B' B'
B B. In the central circuit C are parts C C C similar respectively to the
parts D D D', except that the fuse block C is arranged so as to be movable
vertically as hereinafter described. E is a bar of insulating material; at one end it
supports a conducting bridge constituted by the conducting bar F from which
extend conducting projections F1 F; these latter when the bar E is in its normal
position, i.e., the position in which it is shown in the drawing, extend into mercury
in the cups B1 B2 and with the bar F complete the circuit from the cup B' through
the fuse wires B*. At the other end of the bar E are secured parts G G G
which with the mercury cups D¹ D' constitute a combination appropriated to the
circuit B, similar to that of the parts F F F B B. To the centre of the
bar E the fuse block C³ is connected by a spindle C which is preferably rectangular
in cross section and adapted to slide in and make contact with a guide H fixed to
the slab A. J are pulleys free to turn on pivots K fixed to the slab A; over these
pulleys pass cords L each of which is connected at one end to the counterbalance M
and at the other end to the bar E. The counterbalance tends constantly to
descend and raise the bar E, but is prevented from doing so by the fuse wires C
which keep the fuse block C³ and therefore the bar E to which it is attached, in
the position in which they are shown; but if these fuse wires be broken or burnt
out the fuse block C will be released, and as there will then be nothing to oppose
the downward tendency of the counterbalance M it will operate to raise the bar E
and drawn the contacts F F G G2 out of the mercury cups B' B' D' ', whence
it will be seen that immediately upon the interruption of the cire tit C by the
burning out or breakage of its fuse the circuits B and D are automatically
interrupted by breakage of the circuits between the parts F' B' and F' B' G' D'
G' D'.
The dotted lines in the drawing illustrate an alternative construction in which
the counterbalance M is dispensed with and springs N each attached to one end of
the bar E and at the other end to eye bolts O on the base-plate are substituted
therefor.
If desired contact brushes or other contacts might be substitute for the mercury
cups before referred to, or flexible wires can be brought direct t, F G and C' to
enable the mercury cups B' D' and guide H to be dispensed with.
!
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said ven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In an electric cut-out the combination-with conductors for different circuits of
a device tending always to interrupt them and a fuse included in one of the circuits
to control such device for the purpose specified.
2. A cut-out for a three-wire electric system substantially as described.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting a complete electrio
cut-out substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of October 1896.
HENRY JOHN WAGG.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.
HENRY JOHN WAGG.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.