Elbow canister fuseholder

• US 6,491,548 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International LLC (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Reed, Anthony, Stepniak, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prasad, Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US09/824,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20010044242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 439/622, 439/805, 439/801, 439/921, 439/621, 439/186, 439/187, 337/208, 337/209, 337/210, 337/211, 337/202
• US Class Current: 439/620.28
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2085/0225 Means for preventing discharge, e.g. corona ring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/205 Electric connections to contacts on the base
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 85/22 Intermediate or auxiliary parts for carrying, holding, or retaining fuse, co-operating with base or fixed holder, and removable therefrom for renewing the fuse
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/102 Fuses mounted on or constituting the movable contact parts of the switch

Abstract

A new elbow canister fuseholder is provided that includes an electrically insulated and shielded housing for placing a fuse in-line between a cable and an electrical apparatus for underground distribution application. An insulating tube is contained within the housing for easy sliding removal of the fuse through an end plug such that the elbow is reusable when a fuse is replaced.

Claims

1. An elbow fuseholder, comprising:

a housing including a generally elongate insulative sleeve defining at one end thereof a cable entrance for receipt of a cable therein and at the opposing end a fuse entrance opening;

an elbow interface joined to said sleeve at an angle and defining a mating interface for electrical connection with an external bushing insert;

a fuse electrically connected at one end to a conductor of said cable received in said sleeve and electrically connected at another end to said elbow mating interface;

an insulating tube disposed interiorly of said insulative sleeve, said fuse being slidably supported interiorly therein, said tube being elongate and of length to extend substantially from the cable conductor connection to the elbow interface; and

a plug removably supported by said insulative sleeve at said fuse entrance opening and affixed to said fuse adjacent said elbow mating interface, said plug and said fuse being jointly removable from said sleeve through said fuse opening upon removal of said plug from said sleeve.

2. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 1, further including an apparatus for releasably securing said plug to said sleeve.

3. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 2, wherein said apparatus includes a metal contact attached to said sleeve and releasable securement members selected from the group consisting of threads, twist locks and external clamps.

4. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 1, wherein said plug includes a contact said fuse includes a ferrule, said plug contact and fuse ferrule being detachably connected.

5. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 4, wherein said plug contact and said fuse ferrule are detachably connected by connection members selected from the group consisting of setscrews, elbow probe thread clamps and threads.

6. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 4, wherein said insulative sleeve includes a cable conductor contact adjacent said cable entrance.

7. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 6, wherein said cable conductor contact is connected to a fuse ferrule by securement members selected from the group consisting of garter springs, louvers, and pins and sockets.

8. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 1, wherein said insulative sleeve adjacent said cable entrance includes a cable adapter capable of receiving cables of different outer diameters.

9. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 1, wherein said insulating sleeve is molded rubber.

10. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 1, wherein said sleeve and said elbow interface are joined at a substantially right angle.

12. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 1, further including an apparatus for releasably securing said plug to said sleeve.

13. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 12, wherein said fuse includes a ferrule, said plug contact and said fuse ferrule being detachably connected.

11. An elbow fuseholder, comprising:

a housing including a generally elongate insulative sleeve defining at one end thereof a cable entrance for receipt of a cable therein and at the opposing end a fuse entrance opening;

an elbow interface joined to said sleeve at an angle and defining a mating interface for electrical connection with an external bushing insert;

a fuse electrically connected at one end to a conductor of said cable received in said sleeve and electrically connected at another end to said elbow mating interface;

an insulating tube disposed interiorly of said insulative sleeve, said fuse being slidably supported interiorly therein; and

a plug removably supported by said insulative sleeve at said fuse entrance opening and affixed to said fuse adjacent said elbow mating interface, said plug including a contact thereon in electrical connection with said fuse at said elbow mating interface, said plug, said contact and said fuse being jointly removable from said sleeve through said fuse opening upon removal of said plug from said sleeve.

14. An elbow fuseholder, comprising:

a housing including a generally elongate insulative sleeve defining at one end thereof a cable entrance for receipt of a cable therein and at the opposing end a fuse entrance opening;

an elbow interface joined to said sleeve at an angle and defining a mating interface for electrical connection with an external bushing insert;

a fuse having at one end a first projecting ferrule electrically connected to a conductor of said cable received in said sleeve and at another end a second projecting ferrule electrically connected to said elbow mating interface, said first ferrule being releasably received within a cable contact secured to said cable conductor;

an insulating tube disposed interiorly of said insulative sleeve, said fuse being slidably supported interiorly therein; and

a plug removably supported by said insulative sleeve at said fuse entrance opening and affixed to said fuse adjacent said elbow mating interface, said plug and said fuse being jointly removable from said sleeve through said fuse opening upon removal of said plug from said sleeve.

15. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 14, wherein said insulating tube has a length extending substantially from said first ferrule to said second ferrule.

16. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 15, wherein said insulative sleeve adjacent said cable entrance includes a separate cable adapter capable of receiving cables of different outer diameter.

17. An elbow fuseholder according to claim 16, wherein said cable adapter is supported in engagement with said insulating tube and receives said cable contact therein.