Improved Safety Connections or Couplings for Electric Conductors.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1890-Accepted, 13th Sept., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Safety Connections or Couplings for Electric Conductors.
We, ROBERT HOWE GOULD, and THEODOR GOTTSCHALK, trading under the style or
firm of "Messrs. Gould & Company," of No. 94a Gitschiner Strasse, Berlin, Germany,
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this said invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
Our invention relates to a safety connection or coupling for electric conductors, the
object of said invention being to entirely interrupt the electric current between two
carriers, standards or posts by automatically interrupting or cutting out the connection
between the said standards in case the wire should be broken or otherwise severed. A
broken wire serving to conduct strong electric currents can prove excessively dangerous
or even fatal when the depending end comes in contact with living creatures so as
to short circuit the current to earth through the body of the living creature thus
touched.
We will here chiefly consider the danger to human beings as being the most
important, and would mention that the accidents in question can happen in two
different ways, viz., the broken end of the wire leading from the source of electricity,
(dynamo machine), in falling down, comes in contact with a passer-by,-in addition to
the injury caused by the sharp and whip-like recoil of a thick iron wire stretched at
high tension, the whole current passes through that part of the person so struck to
earth. In the second case, the end of the broken wire which does not lead from
the dynamo falls down and being still attached to the post acts mechanically
in the manner above described, but does not do any wischief through electrical
shock.
Now according to our invention this possibility of transmitting current by contact
with the depending wire is entirely prevented by the ends of the wire being auto-
matically released from their connections, so that the conductor is cut out for the
entire distance between two carriers or standards.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is the elevation of two standards with a wire stretched from one to the
other, the broken wire fallen out of its connecting clip being represented by dotted
lines.
Figure 2 is a top view of Figure 1,
Figure 3 is an elevation, and
Figure 4 is a top view of the automatic cut out device in connection with an
insulator, drawn on an enlarged scale.
The conductor a is, as customary with electric conductors connected to the in-
sulators c carried by the posts or standards b, b.
Should the conductor a break or
become severed, for instance, at a', (Figures 1 and 2), the two halves of the same
will be released from their connections d, which are attached in appropriate
manner to the insulators, for instance by means of a suitably formed clip à to d or
other attachment.
These clips consist preferably of two rails d, d¹ bent in the middle to correspond
with the form of the insulator, and provided near the ends with an inclined slot d², so
as to form a kind of hook with the open slot directed downwards. The rails d, d'are
connected to each other by screw bolts d and suitable distance pieces d³ or in other
suitable manner. The incline of the slots d² run in opposite directions to the strain
on the conductor which is attached to small spindles or rollers e, the journals of
which fit into the slots d² in the rails d, d'. But it is not absolutely necessary that
these spindles should be provided with journals, as they may simply consist of short
pieces of copper-sheathed iron rod of requisite dimensions.

page_text: •
According to the accompanying drawing the conductor is either passed through a
boring in the spindles or rollers or is laid around the same, the ends being, as
customary, coiled onto the wire. The tension on the conductor a will cause the
journals of the spindles or rollers e to remain in snug contact with the slots d² in the
rails of the clip, so that in consequence of the electric connection through the con-
ducting rails d, d¹ the current can flow without hindrance through the conductors
or wires.
If, however, a wire breaks or is severed from any cause the tension on the wire a
will cease and the rollers or spindles e fall by their own weight and the weight of the
wire out of the slots d² in the rails d, d', of the clip, so that the current is instan-
taneously interrupted for the entire distance between the standards or posts b, b'.
There is another advantage connected with this sudden cession of tension in the
broken wire ends, viz., the dangerous and violent recoil is prevented, thus our safety
connection is useful for overhead wires which merely conduct currents of low tension,
such as telegraph and telephone wires etc.
In order that the automatically released parts of the conductor falling out of the
connection or coupling and the rollers or connecting pieces e may be prevented from
falling to the ground and thus causing injury the same can be loosely attached by
means of wire or other suitable material, for instance with the standard or carrier, in
such manner that when the connecting pieces or rollers are freed from their
grip with the clips or couplings and the conductor is insulated for the distance between
the two standards or posts, they will remain hanging to the latter without being in
connection with the other part of the service.
It will be evident to all versed in the art that our invention can be modified in form
and size to suit requirements, and we desire it to be understood that we do not confine
ourselves to the special form and construction of the parts as these can be varied in
many ways without in any way departing from the nature of my said invention, but
what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1 An automatically releasable attachment for conductors of electricity, so con-
structed and operating that as soon as a conductor is broken or severed the connection
between the broken parts and the other parts of the service is instantaneously cut
off, substantially as specified and shown.
2: A safety connection for electric conductors or wires and their carriers,
standards or posts, by means of which when the conductor is broken or severed,
the releasement of the conductor and the insulating of the service between the two
carriers or standards is thereby caused that the parts of the conductor a are
attached to spindles or rollers e which are arranged in inclined or other slots d²
open at their lower ends in the clips d to d or other suitable attachments, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth and shown.
3-Preventing the released parts of the conductors and their rollers or similar
parts e from falling to the ground by attaching the same to the standards or posts, or
in other suitable manner, substantially as specified and shown.
4: Our improved safety attachment for conductors for conducting electrical
currents, substantially as specified in the foregoing specification, and illustratin
the accompanying drawings.
Hated this 20th day of June 1800
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent for Applicants.