Improved Electric Coupling for Fusible Cut-outs, which may be Adapted for use as a Switch.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th July 1890-Accepted, 20th Sept. 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CLAUDE GRIVOLAS, of 16, Rue Montgolfier, Paris.]
Improved Electric Coupling for Fusible Cut-outs, which may be
Adapted for use as a Switch.
I EDWARD WILLIAM LANCASTER of Albert Works Graham Street, Birmingham
Electrical Engineer and Contractor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention is to provide an easy, reliable, and inexpensive moveable connection
for an electrical fusible cut-out, so that in the event of the fuse-wire on the moveable
connection being fused another connection may be easily inserted.
I employ an insulating piece of china, slate, wood, or other insulating material,
grooved and countersunk to receive a metallic piece for the connections of the leads or
cables and which is fixed into position by screws or otherwise. This connecting piece
may be in the form of an U shaped spring the upper portion of the U being for the
reception of the moveable connection and the lower portion for the connecting
terminal for the conductor.
There may be two or more of these U shaped pieces, which allow for a moveable
piece to be inserted in the upper portion which is held in position and good contact by
the elasticity of the U.
By my invention the connecting piece can be taken out as soon as the fusible metal
has melted, and a new connecting piece can be instantly inserted, all the pieces being
made to gauge and interchangeable.
The basis may be made of any shape and of any suitable material, and the cut outs
may be used for main, branch, or any circuits or any number of circuits having any
number of fusible pieces.
The moveable pieces can also be used as a switch, one end being fixed permanently
on a hinge or otherwise as may be desired.
Dated the 14th dor of Ontahan 1000
For EDWARD WILLM LANCASTER
Arthur Mackenzie.
Arthur Mackenzie.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Electric Coupling for Fusible Cut-outs, which may be
Adapted for use as a Switch,
-I, EDWARD WILLIAM LANCASTER of Albert Works Graham Street, Birmingham, 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:
My invention is to provide an easy reliable and inexpensive moveable connection
for an electrical fusible cut-out, and so that in the event of the fusible metal on the
moveable connection being fused, another connection may be easily inserted. I
employ an insulating piece of china, slate, wood, or other insulating material, grooved
and countersunk to receive a metal piece for the connections of the leads or cables
and which is fixed into position by screws or otherwise. This connection piece may
be in the form of a U shaped spring, the upper portion of the U being for the
reception of the moveable connection, and the lower portion for the connecting
terminal for the conductor. In order to better describe my invention I attach
drawings hereto which illustrate the various parts of my improved out-out. Similar
letters in all figures represent similar parts.

page_text: Figs. 1. shew U shaped pieces of metal n, n, n, with holes or spaces a a a for the
reception of the ends of leads or cables, u, v, being screws for securing said leads or
cables.
Fig. 2. shews metal pieces m, m, which are for insertion in the U shaped metal
pieces n, n. m, m, are preferably of an inverted U shape but may be of any desirable
s is a spring ensuring contact of the fusible wire (o Fig. 5) with the metal
piece m without danger of destroying the said fusible wire by excessive pressure
between screw, b, and metal piece, m.
form.
Fig. 3. is a perspective and plan view of an insulating base, h; of china slate, wood,
or other insulating material ground and countersunk to receive n, which is fixed into
position by the screws at, b, the large screw, v, being the connecting terminal for the
conductor.
Figs. 4. are perspective views of the insulating pieces of china, slate wood or other
suitable material on which are fixed the two pieces of metal m, with the screws, b, for
the fusible metal, the whole constituting the moveable connection.
Fig. 5. is a plan and side view of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6. is a plan view of a single electrical fusible cut-out with the conductor c, c,
fixed by the screws u, v, of the U shaped pieces.
Fig. 7. is a plan of Fig. 6 with the moveable piece
inserted and held firmly
between the U shaped pieces and shewing the fusible metal o.
Fig. 8 is a side view of Figs. 6 & 7.
Figs. 9 & 10 shew forms of my invention which may be adapted for use as a
switch as well as a fuse. The general construction of the apparatus being the same as
described above.
In Fig. 9 an extension of one of the parts is formed into a hook over a
staple forming a hinge which enables the insulating piece i to be removed as shewn
by the dotted lines thus breaking the circuit and forming a switch. In Fig. 10, the
hinge is formed by pivotting the insulating piece i on a pin p.
Fig. 11 shews a form of my invention arranged as a double pole cut-out and a
"tee" coupling piece for leads or cables.
It will be seen that by my invention the piece Fig. 4 can be taken out as soon as
the fusible metal has melted and a similar one ready provided with a new fusible piece
can be instantly inserted. All the pieces are made to gauge for the various sizes and
are interchangeable.
The base may be of any shape and of any suitable material, and the cut-outs may
be used for main, branch or any circuits having any number of moveable pieces.
The moveable pieces can also be used as a switch as in Figs. 9-10-11 being fixed
permanantly on a hinge or otherwise as may be desired.
Having now particularly described my invention and the manner in which the same
is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:―
1. The moveable insulated bar with metallic pieces provided for receiving the
fusible metal.
2. The U shaped springs for receiving the moveable bar as herein described and
illustrated.
3. The combination of a moveable insulating bar with metallic contact pieces
provided for the fusible metal, and the U shaped spring pieces fixed to the insulating
inaterial as herein described and illustrated.
4. Moveable insulated pieces carrying metallic contacts for receiving the fusible
metal as herein described and illustrated.
.u'llנים
JT1- 1000
EDWARD W. LANCASTER.