SHORT CIRCUIT LOCATOR APPARATUS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF INTERMITTENTLY OPERATED CIRCUIT BREAKERS

• US 3,699,433 A
• Filed: 11/24/1970
• Issued: 10/17/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raymond Peter Jr. Smith
• Original Assignee: Raymond Peter Jr. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Raymond Peter Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Strecker, Gerard R.
• Application Number:
  US05/092,388
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 324/51,52,115 340/250,255,253A,256 337/79
• US Class Current: 324/523
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/52 Testing for short-circuits, leakage current or ground faults

Abstract

A method and apparatus for locating short circuits, primarily in a vehicle, which comprises of placing a pair of test leads across the defective fuse in a shorted circuit, the test leads being connected to a plurality of circuit breakers through a selector switch for selecting one of the circuit breakers. A relay in parallel with the selected circuit breaker operates a switch which controls a light and tone generator, such that when the circuit breaker is placed across the fuse terminals of a shorted circuit, an audible and visual signal will be generated by the tone generator and light.

Claims

1. An apparatus for locating shorts in an electrical circuit including a protective means comprising:

a. first and second test lead means for connecting said apparatus across said protective means;

b. a plurality of intermittently operating circuit breakers, each circuit breaker connected to said first test lead means and opening and closing in response to a different magnitude of current therethrough;

c. selector switch means connected between said second test lead means and said plurality of circuit breakers for selecting one circuit breaker from said plurality;

d. switch means connected between said first and second test lead means and in parallel with said selected circuit breaker for conducting the current between said test lead means when said one circuit breaker opens, with the resistance of said switch means being high relative to the resistance of said selected circuit breaker; and

e. indicator means connected to said switch means for operating in response to the operation of said switch means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each circuit breaker is a thermal type whereby when the current exceeds the rated value of said circuit breaker said circuit breaker opens and after cooling closes in a cyclic action, thereby causing an intermittent current to flow through said switch means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said switch means comprises a relay.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said indicator means comprises both an audible and visual indicator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further including ammeter means connected across said first and second test leads means for indicating the magnitude of the current flowing in the shorted circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said indicator means comprises an audible and visual indicator;

and further including ammeter means connected across said first and second test lead means for indicating the magnitude of the current flowing in the shorted circuit.