Visual latching indicator arrangement for an electrical bushing and terminator

• US 6,504,103 B1
• Filed: 03/20/1997
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Meyer, Andrew Edgar, Knapp, Todd Kim, Muench, Frank John
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/821,760
• Time in Patent Office: 2,119 Days
• Field of Search: 174/167, 439/86, 439/88, 439/181-187, 439/354, 439/357, 439/358, 439/489, 439/680, 439/921, 285/93
• US Class Current: 174/167
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/53 Bases or cases for heavy duty; Bases or cases for high voltage with means for preventing corona or arcing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement

Abstract

An elbow terminator has a socket in which an electrical probe is disposed. The terminator is insertable onto an electrical bushing such that a tongue of the bushing is received in the socket of the terminator, and the probe of the terminator is electrically coupled to a contact sleeve disposed within the tongue. A latching mechanism produces positive latching between the tongue and socket when the tongue has been inserted to a predescribed depth within the socket. In order to enable an operator to visually observe that the tongue has been inserted to the prescribed depth, the bushing carries a color band which becomes completely disposed (invisible) in the socket when positive latching occurs. Alternatively, the bushing can be provided with gauge tabs which become aligned with a witness line formed on the terminator when positive latching occurs.

Claims

1. In combination, an electrical terminator and an electrical bushing component, said terminator including a socket rigidly fixed thereto, and said bushing component including a tongue receivable in said socket to electrically interconnect said terminator and bushing, said tongue and socket including a latching mechanism for positively latching said bushing component and terminator together when said tongue longitudinally enters said socket to a prescribed depth, a color band formed flush on a portion of an outer circumferential surface of said tongue, said portion arranged to enter said socket and be radially covered completely by a covering portion of said socket when said tongue enters said socket to said prescribed length to provide a visual indication of positive latching, said tongue including a longitudinal center axis and a longitudinal free end which constitutes an initial portion of said tongue to enter said socket;

said portion of said outer circumferential surface on which said color band is disposed flush being spaced longitudinally from said free end and being spaced radially from said longitudinal axis by a first radial distance, and wherein all other portions of said outer circumferential surface disposed between said color band and said free end being spaced radially from the center axis by a radial spacing no larger than said first radial distance.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first radial distance is larger than said radial spacing of all portions of said outer circumferential surface disposed between said color band and said free end.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said outer circumferential surface includes a first portion extending from said free end, and a second portion spaced radially outwardly from said first portion by a radial surface of said tongue oriented perpendicular to said center axis, said second portion defining said portion of said outer circumferential surface on which said color band is disposed.