US1637090A - Automatic disconnecting pot head - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1927. 1.637,090

A. C. RUMBLE AUTOMATI C DISCONNECTING POTHEAD Filed Nov. 5. 1926 Ig f 2 17 19 fi; o I 37 1r l 1 iff" f 6 Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEX c. RUMBLE, .or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AssI'GNoR or ONE-HALF "ro WILLIAM EDWARD LA UEB, oF Los ANGELES, .CALIFORNIA Appuc'altie'n mea Ngember 5, 1926, "'seria1 No.146,374.l

tween the underground cablesf-andnthefcables ""tlle'l';

or conductors that vextend upwardly lamp supporting'"post 'or standar.' 'in the event tliat'jtheilatter shoullflie accidentally?" View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts'thatfwill hereinafter be more fully deyscribedand claimed andI illustrated in the :accompanying drawing, in 4which- VllF1001 '1s 'a vertical'section Itaken on a 'cene taken on 4the \i 's"'a`=fdetail 'elevational vieur of a to 'generally 'improvelupon :andfsirfplifyll the', i

.and further, to provide :1.devie'f the char-f act-er referred to thatis relatively'siinple in construction', inexpensive' ofvv manufacture '1- and which inay be readilyiassembled and n stalled for use. Y

It' will be understood that{liscpnpectingif pot-heads of the type to whichIiiyinveiition'f 'Suitable nortcorrodlble material, relates are gcnerallyused'i'nthe base pori coppefandsald'slell or housing tions ot the lamp' supporting .posts vand standards thatforni a' part of street lighting# systems and, in viewof Athe'A fa'ict'that the* lainp posts or standards 4are"sonxetirnes struck and over-'turnedor'broken, it'is high-f" ly desirable and in some instances'obligatory1 that the connection between the underground j cables andconductois that lead upwardly through the posts or standards he of such nature that an 'autor'iatic disconnection he effected in the event that the post or standard is broken or over-turned and at the. saine time that the undergrouiul cables vbe shrt-- circuited within thi` hase ofthe'posts or' standards.

It is therefore one of the principal objects Of myinvention to provider. disconnecting'v pot-headl that may he readily installed in the lamp carrying posts and standards of' street lighting systems andthe like 'and which pot-head will act automatically in the event. that the post or standard is overturned or broken, to instanl)Y effect a dis' connection ot the partsthat conduct'the curirent to the lamps of the post oij'standardv and parts of which pot-head are effective in short-,circuiting the underground cables', thereby eliminating a source' of danger that would otherwise exist` liy'reason 'of an open: circuit in the lighting eircuit.

lith the foregoing anduother objects inl Aexisting forms 'of disconnectingpot-heads; fFi'g. 5*,is in elevatonal-'view of a modified form' of :the: automatically acting disconnectmg means Referring by Vnumerals to thc .accompany- 'ing drawing which illustrates a practical emf-bodiment' Iof f my invention,- 10 designatesVv the '-bdy'ofa' shell or housing that isformed of preferably eing sub- Stantially'oval-Shped in horizontal section. The-,bottom *of the housing is provided -\vi th spaced openings '11 4'for the' reception 'of the end portions of 'a pair oflu'nder-ground-cables` 12.*;Surrounding the openings 11 are depending'lange's 13 'and 'the-Jewel' portions oftlie" Alatt'er'are firmly clamped' tolthecables12. "I

A cap Aor 'cover 14 is removably seated on the upperfend of the body ol the shell or housing-"10 and in order to retain said cap or cover 0n the housing, portions of the'eud walls-.of said coverare pressed outwardly as designated by 15 in'order to receive oorresponding projecting portions 16 that are pressed out\ \'ardly'=in the end portions of the housing 10, it being'undeifstood' that the portions ljoceupy the outwardly pressed port-ions'15 Lwhenthe cover is properly positioned on tli'e housing. The top ot' cover 14 is provided with spaced openings 17, which accommodate the cables 18 that extend upwardly in the lamp post or standard and surrounding these openings 17-'are upwardly projecting flangesl) that are firmly clamped tothecables 18.

" 'Removably positioned at an intermediate point Within the housing 10 is av horizontally 'disposed partition 2O of'suitab'le insulating .n'laterial7 preferablv fiber. and whichp'a'rtition is retained in position bythe engagei l' l -`I1 l l inentiof its end portions in groovcs'or indentations 21 that are formed in the end por tions of the wall of housing 10.

Extending through the partition 20 and in vertical alignment with the-cables 12 are the lower portions 22 of socket members 23 and the lower portions 22 of said' socket members are externally threaded` for the reception of upper and lower clamping nuts 24 and 25 respectively.

The upper clamping nuts, when4 tightened` engage against the underface of partition 20, thereby securely clamping the sockets to said partition. The lower portion of each socket 22 is. provided with an v-axially disposed bore or recess 2G that is internally threaded lil)- and said lower portion 22 is provided with a centrally arranged longitudinally dis` posed .slot 27. The threaded. bore 26 receives the end portion of the conductor 28 that passes through cable-,12: andwhen. the lower one of the nuts 25 on the lower portion of the socket member is screwed downwardly on said lower portion, the divided parts of the split lower portion 22 are clamped upon` the conductor 28,50 that. thezlatter is.

very lirmly secured to the socketimeinber.

The upperportion 230i each socketmein, ber pro]ects upwardly. into the chamberV within the housingrabove the .partition- 20 and said upper portion i s pr0vid ed.-,witl1 an vaxially disposed bore or recess. 29.3thatl re.

ceivesv thelongitudinal-ly slotted lower portion.30of.a contact plug 31. The upper. portion of the body of this .plugl is externally threaded. for thereceptionof aclafmping nut` 32 .and saidrupper portionyis also; provided .with an axially disposed threaded: boixeor, recess 33- that receivestheendfportion: of, the conductor 34' and which latter.- projects' from the end of the corresponding cahle 18.-

The upper portion of eachpl-ug 31. is pro! vided with a centrally arranged, longitudinally disposed slot 35fand thus Vwhengnut 32 is screwed. .upwardlyon .the threaded por-v tion of the plug, the split, endthereof will very securely clamp the'engagedA end of conductor 34 so that said. plug isjpractically locked to the conductor. Y

Arranged within the chamber in housing 10 above the partition 2O ,therein and .im-.v

Ving members 37 and 38 are perforated at the proper point for the accommodation of` cables 18.

Secured. in any suitable manner to the upper surface of partition 2O are the hase portions 39 of short-circuiling inenilicrs` said base portions being in direct contact with the intermediate portions of the socia-t inein bers and the inner ends of the base portions 394are extendedupwa-idly to forni springv contact fingers 4,0. Secured in aniY suitable manner to the central portion ot' thi` top 14 a'nd ,extending downwardly therefrom is a pin or finger 41 of suitable insulating niaterial, either hard rulilier or liber. and when cover 14 is properly positioned on the lionsing, the lower portion of this insulating pin or finger occupies a, position between thc upper portions of the contar: lingers 1'() and holds the saine out of Contact with other.

Positioned on top of the contact lingers 40 is a disl: 4i) of suitable insulatingl inaterial through the center ol which projects each the lower portion of thc linger ll and inter- A posed between this disleand the set-tion 2li ol' insulating material is :rn expansive coil spring 43 that surrounds the stein or linger 41. Under normal conditions. or while cap 144 is positioned on thc housing. spring 13 iscompressed and under tension, but, as the cover is clamped to the cables 1S and thc itter normally occupy fixed positions within the post or standard, the spring 4:) will be retained under compression as long as the cover occupies its normal position on the housing 10.

The entire space in the housingY l() beneath the insulation partition 2O is lillcd with a suitable insulating compound.

Thus, when my improved pot-head propverly assembled a'nd applied for use, it will be seen Athat the terminal portions ot' liec underground Acables are in direct alignment With and are directly connected to the ter- ,minal portions of the cables 18 that extend upwardly into the lamp post or standard and that the conductors and connections on one lside 'of the circuit are thoroughly insulated I pot-head isassocizrted is struck and over turned,. the cables 18 will, as the post or Standard swings downwardly, exert an upward p ull on the parts of the pot-head to which said cables a're connected and which parts include the cover 14 and the Contact plugs 31 and, as this upward pull continues, Vthe Coverwill be drawn from the housing l0 and the split lower portions 30 ot the contact plugs will be withdrawn from the recesses 29 in the upper portions of the sockets 23 land this disconnecting movement is greatly accelerated and made positive by the action ot vcoilspring 43, which exerts an upward pressure on the cover of the pot-head si'niifltaneous with the'upward pulling inoreinent exerted .by the cables =,8. i

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i -Thuswith the existence of the power I storedl in the coil'spring43, a disconnection ofthe automatically acting contact springs- Y that are normally held apart b the stem or Offinger 41- and in this construction the lower portion of the stem or finger is provided on its oppositefaces with recesses 50 that receive correspondingly shaped portions of the i spring .fingers and which construction is effectivc in gripping the stem or -fingerfso as I'to prevent withdrawal thereof and consequently firmly holding the cover in position non the housing ofthe pot-head. In this con- :struction thellow'er; portions, of the spring 2&0 fingers are extended toward each other be- A lo-wthe-llowerfend of the.finger41.so that f i. saidi portions will make direct contact with` each otheiaas soon as theinsulatingtfingerA alias been withdrawniq'A Y an externally ar@ e; f ln Fig. 5, Iy have shown rangedfbow spring 51 thattakes the place of I the coil spring 43fi`n exerting. upwardpressure-on the cover' when-thepot-head is dis-'.

"lf vf.f.connected as a result ofthe accidental over- 40;turning1;of; the lamp-supportingy post orl lstandard andiin this modified-structure, one end ofthe spring- 4is connected to the housing .ofthe,pot-headiavhile the other end termi- -ifnates inia -liookthat engages a ring 53 on i,

15 the top of Coverlet;

f; Amongtheiexceptional advantages of my improved.construction `of pot-head are the 'tfoi'i'nation-of thei Shell orhousing: of nonfzfcorrodible and non-breakablematerial and 59fwliich provision enables the pot-,head to be .,fniadeg relatively i small and comparatively lightinpweight and therefore capable of be- ,ifingfsustaiiied within a single-lighting post without supports other than thecables that enter andextend through the post. Y

i The'housin'g ofthe pot-head is constructed so that the use of all screws is eliminated; likewise there is no requirement for the sweating on of lugs or the taping of joints 60 and there are no cork closed apertures through which filling compound might leak.

The socket members and Contact plug members are firmly clamped to the parts of the housing without the use of screws and 55 said sockets and plug members are arranged in f'direct alignment with each other so'that direct and straight or axially disposed connections are made between the cables that come from the underground conduits to the cables or conduits that pass upwardly into the post. Further, the use of a disconnecting pot-head of my improved construction enables the direct splicing of the lead sheathed cables that are brought into the lower portions of lamp posts and standards to the rubber covered cables that carry the current upward through the posts to the lamps supported thereby.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a disconnecting pot-head that is especially designed foi' service between the terminals of underground current carr ing cables and the cables that extend upwardy into a street lighting fixture, such as a lamp carrying post or standard, which pot-head will be effective in instantly effecting a disconnection between the current carrying conductors in the event that the lighting fixture is struck and overturned and the construction of said pot-head being such that it may be readilyassembled and applied for use. v

It will be understood that minor changes in thev size, form and construction of the VVarious parts of my improved automatic disconnecting pot-headI may be madev and sub-,l stitutedvfor those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims. I I claim as my invention:

1.- In a disconnecting pothead, a housing `formed in ,two parts,'each of which is adapted toxrecei've a pair of cables, means within the potfhead for detachably connecting the terminals-of the conductors in said cablesand. means associated with4 said pot vhead fornormally exerting pressure onthe parts thereof tending to separate the saine and effect a ydisconnection of theparts that connect the conductors within said cables.

2. In a disconnecting pot-head, a housing, a cover tliere'forsaid housing and cover be- .ingp'rovided with openings for the acceuimodation of cables, socket members secured to the conductors of the cables entering the housing, contact plugs secured to the cables entering thecover, which contact plugs are adapted to berreinovably positioned iii the socketmembers wheiithe cover is properly positionedon the housing and a spring ei .7,3 gaging said cover and normally tending to remove the same from said housing.

In a disconnecting pot-head, a housing, a cover therefor.y said housing and cover being provided with openings for the accommodation of cables, socket members secured to the conductors of the cables entering the housing, contact plugs secured to the cables entering the cover, which contact plugs are adapted to be removably positioned in the lill) LIU' connected to the socket members therein amd means carried by the cover for normally hold-ing saiid contact members out of engagement with each other.

4. In a disconnect-ing pot-head, a. housing, a cover therefor, said housing and co-ver being` provided with openings for the reception of electric cables, socket members secured to the conductors ol one pair of the cables. contact plugs secured to the conductors of the other pair of caf-bles` which plugs are engage-d i-n the socket members when the coverI is properly positioned on the housing and yielkliin-g pressure means bearing on the cover. and norma lflv tending to force the. same from` said honsi-ng.

5. ln a disconnecting pot-head, a housing, :r cover therefor` said housing and cover being provided withopenings for the recepti'on ot' elect-ricY cables. socket members secured to the conduct-ors of .one pair of the cables, lcont-act plugs securedI tov the confv duc-tors of the. other pair ot' cables. which plugs are engaged in the, 'socket lmembers when 'che vcover is properly positioned on the housing, yielding pressure means bearing on the cover and' noi-mall;Y tending to force the. saine from said housing andlmeans with-L E in the'housing for sl'iort-eir'cniitmgthe con' ductors tha-t 'enter said housing when thea cover is removed. l

G. In a disconnecting'pot-head, a housing, a cover therefor', .sa-id' housingl and 'cover be-l ing pi-ovicledwvith openings ffor `the, reception of pairs of electric cablesha pair 'of socket members 'within the housing to-Which the; conductors of a pairi of the cables are connected, means for securing said sockety members Within'the housing, Contact plugs secured to the conductors of the cables that enter the cover, Whiclr plugs are adapted?! to engage theA socket members and means for securing said' Contact plugs to the'cond-uctors of the cables that enter Said cover.

T. In a disconnecting pot-heacha housing',I

secured to the conductors of the cables tha'tv enter the co-ver, which Iplugs are adapted to engage the socket members, means for securing said con-tact plugs to the conductors of the cables that enter Said cover and a spring hearing on said cover and normally tending to remove: the swine from said housing.

b. l-n a disconnecting pot-head, a housing,` a cover therefor` said housing and cover beimg pifovided with openings for the reception ot pairs of electric cables, -a pair ot socket mem-bers within the. housingto which the conductors of a pair ot' the cables are connected, means 'tior securing said Socket members n'iihin the housing. conta/ct plugs secured io (he conductors ot the cables that. 'enter the cover` wvl'iiich pliugs. are adapted to engage the. socket members, means lior securing sxvid' contact phrgs tothe conductors oili- .the cables that enter said cover, shortciil'cuitingmem-bers arranged within the housing a nd connecting saidl socket mem-bers andv means carried by the cover for normally 'holdirngfsaiid short-cifreuiiting members out of 4cor-itact with' each other;

In a disconnecting pot-head;T a two-part housing formeel of non-corroclible, non-breakable'rnateriail. each part of the housing being adapted tmreceive a pair of caibles, read-ily detachable 'means within the housiang for connecting- 1the conductors Within sa'iid cables and means associated! with sa-icl housing for normally-*exerting pressure on one of the parts thereof lendingl to: remove said part airdef'ect a disconnection of the parts that v'connect the conductors ot the cables.

1Q. In a disconnecting pot-head. a two- --fpart housingt'orined of non-corrodible, nonvbiealloilile material, each part of the housing beings;1 adfaptecll toreceive the terminal portions of ai pair of cables, socket members detaohalb'ly seated in one part of the housing andi connected' to the conductors of the. cables 'that enter said part, a pair of Contact members carried by the other part of the hous- Iing'and 4conncctecl'to t'he conductors in the cables that enter said other part, which contact members are adapted to engage in the socket members and1 means associatedi with the two-part housing for normally exertingpressure on one part thereof, which pressure tends to separate said Iparts and effect a disconnection ot' the contact members from said socket. members.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ALEX C. RUMBLE.

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