Universal fuse holder and cut-out with built-in safety features and method

• US 5,532,668 A
• Filed: 02/15/1995
• Issued: 07/02/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David H. Fritts
• Original Assignee: Robert B. Fennell
• Inventors: Fennell, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RYAN, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US08/388,925
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 337/171, 337/172, 337/173, 337/174, 337/175, 337/176, 337/177, 337/178, 337/179, 337/180, 337/181, 337/169, 337/170, 337/168
• US Class Current: 337/168
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 31/127 Drop-out fuses

Abstract

A universal fuse holder and cut-out safety adapter. The adapter is adapted to be secured to the fuse tube and has a slot having a length L and a width W for engagement by the projecting arm of a hot stick switch.

Claims

1. A safety device for aiding a lineman to mount and demount a fuse cut-out switch element to a distribution switch using a hot/switch stick having a longitudinal axis and a member projecting laterally of said axis and an enlargement on the end of said member, said element having a tubular body and a pair of spaced contact assemblies at the ends thereof, said safety device having means forming a slot having a width W and length L, said width W of said slot being smaller than said enlargement, said member having an intermediate portion which is narrower than W, said slot having a member engaging base at the opposite end, said slot having a length such that, in conjunction with the weight of said fuse cut-out, jiggling and wind and rain forces are insufficient to displace said projection member from said slot while said hot/switch stick is being raised to fit said fuse cutout switch element to said distribution switch, means mounting said safety device on said tubular body and adjacent one of said pair of spaced contact assemblies such that when said member is at the base of said slot, said device is guidingly moved parallel to said tubular body to engage said one of said pair of spaced contact assemblies and preclude rotation thereof relative to said tubular body.

2. The safety device defined in claim 1 including means forming a diverging mouth on one end of said slot so that the lineman can guide said projection member by movement along said tube into said slot from ground level.