Electrical bushing assembly

Claim 2

A load break bushing assembly adapted to receive a plug-in cable connector, comprising: an insulating body member, a conductive sleeve member disposed in said body member, said conductive sleeve member having first and second ends, and an aperture which extends between its ends, a contact member removably disposed in said conductive sleeve member, said contact member having a terminal disposed near the first end of the conductive sleeve member which is adapted to contact the conductor of the plug-in connector, a second terminal disposed at the second end of the conductive sleeve member, said second terminal sealing the second end of the conductive sleeve member to provide a surge chamber within the conductive sleeve member for the expansion of gases when the plug-in connector is assembled with the load break bushing assembly, an arc confining and extinguishing member disposed to surround an arc formed between said contact member and the conductor of the plug-in connector, and a tubular protective member removably disposed about the terminal of said contact member and a portion of said arc confining and extinguishing member, said tubular protective member maintaining the removable characteristic of said contact member by absorbing energy from an arc, and protecting said conductive sleeve member from arc produced contact splatter.

Claim 3

The load break bushing assembly of claim 1 wherein the surge chamber has a longitudinal dimension in the range from about 1 inch to 4 inches.

Claim 4

A load break bushing assembly adapted to receive a plug-in cable connector, comprising: an insulating body member, a conductive sleeve member disposed in said body member, a contact member removably disposed in said conductive sleeve member, said contact member having a terminal adapted to contact the conductor of the plug-in connector, an arc confining and extinguishing member disposed to surround an arc formed between said contact member and the conductor of the plug-in connector, and a tubular protective member removably disposed about the terminal of said contact member and a portion of said arc confining and extinguishing member, said tubular protective member maintaining the removable characteristic of said contact member by absorbing energy from an arc, and protecting said conductive sleeve member from arc produced contact splatter, said insulating body member being cast of a resinous insulation system which includes finely divided inorganic filler means selected to substantially match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the cast resinous insulation system with that of the conductive sleeve member.

Claim 5

A load break bushing assembly adapted to receive a plug-in cable connector, comprising: an insulating body member, a conductive sleeve member disposed in said body member, a contact member removably disposed in said conductive sleeve member, said contact member having a terminal adapted to contact the conductor of the plug-in connector, an arc confining and extinguishing member disposed to surround an arc formed between said contact member and the conductor of the plug-in connector, and a tubular protective member removably disposed about the terminal of said contact member and a portion of said arc confining and extinguishing member, said tubular protective member maintaining the removable characteristic of said contact member by absorbing energy from an arc, and protecting said conductive sleeve member from arc produced contact splatter, said insulating body member being cast of a resinous insulation system which includes finely divided inorganic filler means selected to substantially match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the cast resinous insulation system with that of the conductive sleeve member.

Claim 6

The load break bushing assembly of claim 3 wherein the cast resinous insulation system includes an epoxy resin.

Claim 7

A load break bushing assembly adapted to receive a plug-in cable connector, comprising: an elongated body member formed of a cast resinous insulation system, said body member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, said cast resinous insulation system including an epoxy resin and filler means, said filler means being selected to substantially match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the cast resinous insulation system to that of the tubular conductive member, a tubular conductive member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, said tubular conductive member being disposed in the aperture of said body member with its first end spaced from the first end of said body member, and its second end located substantially adjaceNt the second end of said body member, a contact member having first and second ends, and a pressure terminal disposed at its first end, said contact member being removably disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member, with its pressure terminal being spaced form the wall of the aperture, an arc confining and extinguishing member removably disposed in the aperture of said insulating body member at its first end, having a cylindrical projection disposed within and spaced from the wall of the aperture, which extends toward the terminal of said contact member, providing a maximum distance between the arc confining and extinguishing member and contact member of 0.063 inches.

Claim 8

A load break bushing assembly adapted to receive a plug-in cable connector, comprising: an elongated body member formed of a cast resinous insulation system, said body member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, said cast resinous insulation system including an epoxy resin and filler means, said filler means being selected to substantially match the coefficient of thermal expansion of the cast resinous insulation system to that of the tubular conductive member, a tubular conductive member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, said tubular conductive member being disposed in the aperture of said body member with its first end spaced from the first end of said body member, and its second end located substantially adjaceNt the second end of said body member, a contact member having first and second ends, and a pressure terminal disposed at its first end, said contact member being removably disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member, with its pressure terminal being spaced form the wall of the aperture, an arc confining and extinguishing member removably disposed in the aperture of said insulating body member at its first end, having a cylindrical projection disposed within and spaced from the wall of the aperture, which extends toward the terminal of said contact member, providing a maximum distance between the arc confining and extinguishing member and contact member of 0.063 inches.

Claim 9

A load break bushing assembly adapted to receive a plug-in cable connector, comprising: an elongated body member formed of a cast resinous insulation system, said body member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, a tubular conductive member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, said tubular conductive member being disposed in the aperture of said body member with its first end spaced from the first end of said body member, and its second end located substantially adjacent the second end of said body member, a contact member having a pressure terminal disposed at one end thereof, said contact member being removably disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member, with its pressure terminal being spaced from the wall of the aperture, an arc confining and extinguishing member removably disposed in the aperture of said insulating body member at its first end, having a cylindrical projection disposed within and spaced from the wall of the aperture, which extends toward the pressure terminal of said contact member, and a terminal stud disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member at its second end, sealing the second end of the aperture to provide a gas expansion chamber within said tubular conductive member for containing gas generated when a plug-in cable connector is assembled with the load break bushing assembly, said gas expansion chamber having a maximum longitudinal dimension of 4 inches, and a tubular protective member removably disposed in the aperture of the tubular conductive member, about at least a portion of the cylindrical projection of the arc confining and extinguishing member and at least a portion of the pressure terminal of the contact member, to protect the tubular conductive member from arcing by-products produced by an arc between the pressure terminal and the conductor of a plug-in cable connector.

Claim 10

A load break bushing assembly adapted to receive a plug-in cable connector, comprising: an elongated body member formed of a cast resinous insulation system, said body member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, a tubular conductive member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, said tubular conductive member being disposed in the aperture of said body member with its first end spaced from the first end of said body member, and its second end located substantially adjacent the second end of said body member, a contact member having a pressure terminal disposed at one end thereof, said contact member being removably disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member, with its pressure terminal being spaced from the wall of the aperture, an arc confining and extinguishing member removably disposed in the aperture of said insulating body member at its first end, having a cylindrical projection disposed within and spaced from the wall of the aperture, which extends toward the pressure terminal of said contact member, and a terminal stud disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member at its second end, sealing the second end of the aperture to provide a gas expansion chamber within said tubular conductive member for containing gas generated when a plug-in cable connector is assembled with the load break bushing assembly, said gas expansion chamber having a maximum longitudinal dimension of 4 inches, and a tubular protective member removably disposed in the aperture of the tubular conductive member, about at least a portion of the cylindrical projection of the arc confining and extinguishing member and at least a portion of the pressure terminal of the contact member, to protect the tubular conductive member from arcing by-products produced by an arc between the pressure terminal and the conductor of a plug-in cable connector.

Claim 11

The load break bushing assembly of claim 6 wherein the tubular protective member is formed of an electrical insulating material.

Claim 12

The load break bushing assembly of claim 6 wherein the tubular protective member is metallic.

Claim 13

A load break bushing assembly adapted to receive a plug-in cable connector, comprising: an elongated body member formed of a cast resinous insulation system, said body member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, a tubular conductive member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, said tubular conductive member being disposed in the aperture of said body member with its first end spaced from the first end of said body member, and its second end located substantially adjacent the second end of said body member, a contact member having a pressure terminal disposed at one end thereof, said contact member being removably disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member, with its pressure terminal being spaced from the wall of the aperture, an arc confining and extinguishing member removably disposed in the aperture of said insulating body member at its first end, having a cylindrical projection disposed within and spaced from the wall of the aperture, which extends toward the pressure termiNal of said contact member, and a terminal stud disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member at its second end, sealing the second end of the aperture to provide a gas expansion chamber within said tubular conductive member for containing gas generated when a plug-in cable connector is assembled with the load break bushing assembly, said gas expansion chamber having a longitudinal dimension in the range of 1 inch to 4 inches.

Claim 14

A load break bushing assembly adapted to receive a plug-in cable connector, comprising: an elongated body member formed of a cast resinous insulation system, said body member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, a tubular conductive member having first and second ends and an aperture which extends between its ends, said tubular conductive member being disposed in the aperture of said body member with its first end spaced from the first end of said body member, and its second end located substantially adjacent the second end of said body member, a contact member having a pressure terminal disposed at one end thereof, said contact member being removably disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member, with its pressure terminal being spaced from the wall of the aperture, an arc confining and extinguishing member removably disposed in the aperture of said insulating body member at its first end, having a cylindrical projection disposed within and spaced from the wall of the aperture, which extends toward the pressure termiNal of said contact member, and a terminal stud disposed in the aperture of said tubular conductive member at its second end, sealing the second end of the aperture to provide a gas expansion chamber within said tubular conductive member for containing gas generated when a plug-in cable connector is assembled with the load break bushing assembly, said gas expansion chamber having a longitudinal dimension in the range of 1 inch to 4 inches.