Improvements in or connected with Electrical Distribution Fuseboards.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1897
'Complete Specification Left, 29th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 11th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Electrical Distribution
Fuseboards.
VERITYS LIMITED, of Plume Works, Aston, in the County of Warwickshire, and
MORTON BLENCOWE COTTERELL, also of Plume Works, Aston, in the County of
Warwickshire, Electrical Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
By electrical distribution fuseboards is understood devices of any description
for sub-dividing a main electrical circuit into two or more sub-circuits each of the
latter being controlled by a safety fuse, and the fuseboard may be constructed for
one or more poles. In these distribution fuseboards it is in all cases desirable that
a high electrical insulation should exist between the conductors of opposite polarity,
and also between each conductor and earth. This is more especially the case
where an E. M. F. of 200 volts or more is employed. It is further important that
the terminal connections should ensure good and tight contact for all wires, cables,
fuses, or other conductors which they are intended to secure, and that there should
be no risk of these conductors working loose through vibration, heat,
or other
causes. Our invention provides for each of these requirements effectually, and
further admits of considerable ease and economy in manufacture while-presenting
a neat appearance.
In our invention we make each single-pole 'fuse way of a separate slab or strip
of china, porcelain, earthenware, or other material. The terminals and connec-
tions are fitted at either end of the china strip and the fuse wire passes between
these connections. Through each strip are pierced holes (usually two in number)
in a lateral direction at right angles to the length of the strip.
When it is desired to construct a distribution fuseboard of a given number
of ways the same number of strips is placed side by side so that the holes before
mentioned are continuous throughout the combined breadth of the strips. Rolls,
tubes, or wires of any suitable material are passed through the holes and .con-
veniently screwed or fastened at their ends, thus clamping the strips or fuse ways
together. Suitable separators or washers, of glass or other insulating material,
are first threaded on to the clamping rods botween every strip. By these means
the insulating properties of these fuseboards are brought to a high state and any
leakage due to moisture is confined within a limited area.
In the terminals of our invention tightness and security of contact is insured
by the employment of flat metal springs of the shape of the letter C. A screw or
pin is used to compress the open.end of these springs, and pressure is thus brought
'to bear upon the wires, cables, or fuse wires. By means of a milled washer, wing-
nut, or other arrangement, in conjunction with these springs equal pressure can
be obtained' by hand as is possible in other systems by the employment of tools.
By making (a) one or more indentations on the face of the spring round the point
where the holding down pin or screw passes through the same, and by providing
corresponding projections on the underside of the milled washer or nut, or (b) by

page_text: making one or more projections on the face of the spring with corresponding
indentations on the underside of the milled washer or nut, an automatic locking
action is provided by means of which the washer or nut every revolution or part
of a revolution is so locked in position that it cannot work. loose by means of
vibration.
In our invention the ends of the clamping rods are allowed to project a certain
distance outside of the two outermost fuse slabs, and corresponding holes or slots
are provided in the battens or fixing pieces or in the ends of the box or case
enclosing the fuseboard, into which holes or slots the rods are thrust. In this
manner a fuseboard consisting of a number of fuse slabs as above described is
readily fixed in position and very high electrical insulation is insured. In our
invention a double pole board may practically be considered to consist of two
single pole boards.
Improvements in or connected with. Electrical Distribution
Fuseboards..
VERITYS LIMITED, & MORTON BLENCOWE COTTERELL, of Plume Works, Aston, in
the County of Warwick, Electrical Engineers, 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:-
We will now describe our invention by referring to the accompanying drawing
in which Fig. I is a side elevation of one of our fuse boards. fitted for 4 ways,
Fig. II is a plan of the same, Fig. III is an end elevation, Fig. IV is a side eleva-
tion to a large scale showing the locking arrangement as described, and Fig. V
shows the insulator C separated from the fuse slab.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the figures of the drawing. A, A; A, A³ are slaba composed of china or other
suitable material. Through two side holes in these are thrust the two rods B, B.
Between each fuse slab and also on the two outside slabs are inserted insulating
washers, C, C, C, of glass or other suitable material. The slabs are held tightly
together by means of hexagon nuts screwing on the rods B, B on the outside of
the outer washers. D is a case or box composed of iron or other material. Holes
are provided at the points E, E, & F, F, and' into these the rods are inserted.
One method of holding the rods securely in position is shown in Fig. II. One
end of each rod, on the same side of the fuse slabs, is provided with a coned end.
The points of these cones enter the holes E, E The other ends of the rods are
cut to such a length as to clear the inside of the box or case for the purpose of
removing the fuse slabs and rods. On these ends the nuts G, G, provided with
projecting shoulders, are screwed. By screwing these nuts along the rods, in a
direction proceeding from the fuse slabs, the shoulders of the nuts enter the two
holes F, F. By continuing to tighten these nuts in this direction the rods and
the fuse slabs carried by them. are held rigidly and securely in position in the
box.

page_text: "
Referring to Fig. 1 H, H', are terminal pins in connection with the electric
circuits. J, J are flat springs of the type known as C-springs." K, K. are
nuts by tightening which the springs are compressed. Between the nuts K, K¹
and the springs J, J₁ the fuse L is inserted. By tightening the nuts the springs
are brought into compression and the requisite pressure afforded for properly
clamping the fuse.
Referring to Fig. IV a method is shown by which a locking arrangement is
obtained: In this drawing H is the spindle or pin, J is the spring & K the nut.
On the under side of K are provided two recesses M, M, and on the face of
the spring J are provided two corresponding projections capable of entering the
recesses M, M Where there are two recesses and two projections provided in the
nut and spring respectively, the projections enter the recesses at every half revolu-
tion of the nut. By this means an adequate locking arrangement is obtained.
A variation of this arrangement is obtained by providing projections on the under
side of the nut K, and corresponding recesses in the spring J.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
(1) A method of clamping together insulating slabs or fuse ways by means of
rods substantially as described herein.
(2) The use of a" C-spring" substantially as described for ensuring good
surface contact for electric fuses and the like.
(3) A method of securing or locking a nut and spring for electrical purposes
substantially as described herein.
(4) A method of securing a slab or slabs, supported on rods, tubes, or the like,
in a box or case substantially as described.
(5) The arrangement of an improved electrical distribution fuse board sub-
stantially as described.