US1396297A - Electric fuse - Google Patents

Description

A. W. STEELE.

ELECTRIC FUSE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24.1919;

8 n-ve wfo-z 2 EMMA/0101 M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIE W. STEELE, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO W'ILFOBD J.

HAWKINS, OF. MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC FUSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Application filed September 24, 1919. Serial No. 325,882.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, ARCHIE TV. STEELE, a subject of the King of Great-Britaimresiding at Bloomfield, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Fuses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fuses employed in safeguarding electric systems and more particularly to such a device in which the fuse element is readily removable and replaceable.

The object of the invention is to produce a fuse of simple and relatively inexpensive construction and in which a burnedout fuse element may be replaced with the utmost facility, the element being, nevertheless, securely fastened within the fuse body with its ends firmly gripped, and held in electrically conductive relation with metal parts adapted to be connected to a circuit.

Further objects and advantages of the in vention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification, when read in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, it being understood that numerous details of the structure may be modified without departing from the essentials of the structure, In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fuse;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, 011 theline 22 of Fig. 4, illustrating my invention;

Fig. 3 is plan view of a fuse element;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the fuse;

Fig. 5 is a detail in section 011 the line 5-5 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of a slightly dif ferent form of my invention slightly difierent from that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inelusive. In general structure my improved fuse conforms substantially to established practice, having a body 5 consisting of a tube of vulcanized fiber, or other suitable insulating material, carrying metal ferrules 6 at opposite ends, the edges of the ferrules being preferably crimped over the ends of the tube so that they are held securely in place. The

ferrules are adapted to contact with the usual clips not shown) whereby the fuse is connected to an electric circuit. A fuse element which may be of the form illustrated in Fig. and of any usual or suitable material, is arranged within the tube 5 diagonally thereof and wi h its ends in contact with the opposite ferrules 6. Que projecting end of the fuse element may be stamped, if desired, with the capacity of the fuse.

To hold the fuse element 7 securely in position, T have provided caps 8, adapted to be ins rted within the ends of the tube 7, thereby holding the extremities of the fuse element in close contact with the inturned edges of the ferrules 6. Preferably the caps S are slotted at 9 to render'them more resilient, thus permitting insertion and removal with facility and insuring retention of the fuse element when the fuse is in use.

Fuses of the smaller dimensions usually carry relatively thin fuse elements which do notinterfere in any way with the insertion and removal of the caps 8. In the larger sizes, however, the thickness of the fuse element is material and to accommodate my invention to the larger sizes, 1 preferably employ a construction as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The body of the fuse in this form of my invention comprises a tube 10 of insulating material, with ferrules 11 having crimped edges 12 as previously described. A fuse element 13 is disposed within the tube diagonally thereof and its extremities are held in contact with the crimped ends 12 of the ferrules 11 by caps 1a, which are preferably slotted at 15 to give them resiliency. The caps lt are, however, flattened at one side as indicated at 16 (Fig. 6) to allow for the thickness of the fuse element 13, and may thus be inserted and removed without interference b i the fuse element which is gripped between the flattened surfaces of the caps and the inturned edges of the ferrules. In removing and replacingfuse elements in fuses of the. character described, it is necessary merely to pry out or otherwise remove the end caps, thus freeing the fuse ele ment. A new fuse element may be as readily inserted and the caps replaced, the entire operation requiring but a few moments.

The extreme simplicity of the construction is at once apparent. The parts, with the exception of the insulating tube, may be readily stamped from sheet metal, or formed which become worthless when the fuse ele- I ment is burned out by excessive fiow of current therethrough.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the structure as illustrated in the drawing and hereinbefore described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims. 7 i

I claim:

1. An electric fuse, comprising, a hollow body of insulating material, metallic ferrules at the ends of said body having inturned edges engaging the inner surface of the hollow body, a fiat fuse element within said body and resilient friction caps slightly smaller in external diameter than the internal diameter of the hollow body engaging said inturned edges and firmly gripping the extremities of said fuse element in electrical contact therewith.

2. An electric fuse, comprising, a hollow body of insulating material, spaced metallic ferrules on said body having their edges crimped over the ends thereof, a fuse ele- 'ment within said body, and having metal friction caps slightly smaller in external diameter than the internal diameter of the hollow body adapted to be inserted in the ends of said body to hold said fuse element in electrical contact with the crimped edges of said ferrules. I

3. an electric fuse, comprising a hollow body of insulating material, metallic ferrules at the ends of saidbody having inturned edges engaging the inner surface of the hollow body, a fiat fuse element diagonally disposed within said body and friction caps disposed within the ends of said body to grip and hold said fuse element in contact with said inturned edges, said caps being slotted to increase the resiliency and thereby facilitate insertion and removal thereof. v

4. An electric fuse, comprising, a hollow body of insulating material,metallic ferrules at the ends of said body having inturned edges engaging the inner surface of the hollow body, a fuse element diagonally disposed within said body andfriction caps disposed in the ends of said body to hold the extremities of said fuse element in electrical contact with said inturned edges, said caps being flattened at one side .to permit insertion thereof in contact withfuse elements of substantial thickness.

In testimonyw whereof I affix my signature.

' ARCHIE W. STEELE.

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