Protector for electric circuit

Claim 2

A mounting, which can accommodate a front-mounted fuseholder and which can be telescoped forwardly into an opening in a panel from a point rearwardly of said panel, that comprises a generally-annular body portion which is dimensioned to accommodate the forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder, locking means on said mounting which will permit said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder to be telescoped rearwarldy into said generally-annular body portion from a point forwardly of said mounting but which will thereafter resist separation of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder from said generally-annular body portion, a resilient portion that is disposable in register with a part of said panel which helps define said opening, said resilient portion being bendable inwardly relative to said opening to enable said resilient portion to pass into said opening, a flange that is disposable in register with a part of said panel which helps define said opening, said flange being disposable rearwardly of said panel to limit movement of said mounting forwardly relative to said panel, a surface on said mounting which can coact with a complementary surface on said panel to prevent rotation of said mounting relative to said panel, and a further surface on said mounting which can coact with a complementary surface on said front-mounted fuseholder to prevent rotation of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder relative to said mounting.

Claim 3

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein a wall is spaced rearwardly of said locking means, and wherein said wall limits movement of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder rearwardly relative to said mounting.

Claim 4

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein a wall limits movement of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder rearwardly relative to said mounting, whereby said locking means and said wall coact to prevent shifting of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder forwardly or rearwardly relative to said mounting.

Claim 5

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein a wall limits movement of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder rearwardly relative to said mounting, and wherein said further surface is on said wall.

Claim 6

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein a wall has an opening therein to accommodate a rearwardly-extending portion of said front-mounted fuseholder, and wherein said wall limits movement of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder rearwardly relative to said mounting.

Claim 7

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein said generally-annular body portion is bendable to permit said locking means to move out of the path of said forward portIon of said front-mounted fuseholder as said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder is telescoped rearwardly into said generally-annular body portion from a point forwardly of said mounting.

Claim 8

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein said locking means includes an inwardly-extending lip on said generally-annular body portion.

Claim 9

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient portion is a finger that is part of, but that extends outwardly of, said generally-annular body portion.

Claim 10

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient portion is a finger that is part of, but that extends outwardly of, said generally-annular body portion, and wherein the outer surface of said finger acts as an inclined plane while said finger is being passed into said opening.

Claim 11

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient portion is a finger that is part of, but that extends outwardly of, said generally-annular body portion, and wherein said generally-annular body portion has slots at each side of said finger.

Claim 12

A mounting as claimed in claim 1 wherein said locking means is adjacent the front of said generally-annular body portion, wherein said flange is adjacent the rear of said generally-annular body portion, and wherein said resilient portion is intermediate said locking means and said flange.

Claim 13

A mounting, for a fuseholder which has a rear portion of limited transverse dimension and a front portion of larger transverse dimension and which enables said front portion of said fuseholder to be passed forwardly through an opening in a panel and to be held securely in assembled relation with, but forwardly of, said panel, that comprises an essentially-annular body portion having a generally-transverse wall with an opening therein dimensioned to accommodate said rear portion of said fuseholder but to prevent the passage therethrough of said front portion of said fuseholder, a surface which is disposed forwardly of said generally-transverse wall and which normally lies in the path of said front portion of said fuseholder, said surface responding to pressures, which are applied to said fuseholder in a direction generally axially of said essentially-annular body portion and which tend to force said front portion of said fuseholder rearwardly past said surface toward said generally-transverse wall, to permit said front portion of said fuseholder to move past said surface and into engagement with said generally-transverse wall, said surface thereupon automatically moving back into said path of said front portion of said fuseholder to resist accidental separation of said fuseholder from said essentially-annular body portion, said essentially-annular body having an outer surface dimensioned to permit the front of said essentially-annular body portion to be passed forwardly through said opening in said panel but having an outwardly-extending projection adjacent the rear thereof which extends outwardly beyond the periphery of said opening in said panel to limit movement of said essentially-annular body portion forwardly relative to said panel, and a locking means on said essentially-annular body portion which can be passed forwardly through said opening in said panel but which will thereafter resist movement thereof and of said front portion of said essentially-annular body portion rearwardly through said opening in said panel, said fuseholder being inserted into said essentially-annular body portion by being telescoped through said front portion of said essentially-annular body portion but said front portion of said essentially-annular body portion and said front portion of said fuseholder being insertable through said opening in said panel by being telescoped forwardly through said opening in said panel from a point rearwardly of said panel.

Claim 14

A mounting, for a fuseholder which has a rear portion of limited transverse dimension and a front portion of larger transverse dimension and which enables said front portion of said fuseholder to be passed forwardly through an opening in a panel and to be held securely in assembled relation with, but forwardly of, said panel, that comprises an essentially-annular body portion having a generally-transverse wall with an opening therein dimensioned to accommodate said rear portion of said fuseholder but to prevent the passage therethrough of said front portion of said fuseholder, a surface which is disposed forwardly of said generally-transverse wall and which normally lies in the path of said front portion of said fuseholder, said surface responding to pressures, which are applied to said fuseholder in a direction generally axially of said essentially-annular body portion and which tend to force said front portion of said fuseholder rearwardly past said surface toward said generally-transverse wall, to permit said front portion of said fuseholder to move past said surface and into engagement with said generally-transverse wall, said surface thereupon automatically moving back into said path of said front portion of said fuseholder to resist accidental separation of said fuseholder from said essentially-annular body portion, said essentially-annular body having an outer surface dimensioned to permit the front of said essentially-annular body portion to be passed forwardly through said opening in said panel but having an outwardly-extending projection adjacent the rear thereof which extends outwardly beyond the periphery of said opening in said panel to limit movement of said essentially-annular body portion forwardly relative to said panel, and a locking means on said essentially-annular body portion which can be passed forwardly through said opening in said panel but which will thereafter resist movement thereof and of said front portion of said essentially-annular body portion rearwardly through said opening in said panel, said fuseholder being inserted into said essentially-annular body portion by being telescoped through said front portion of said essentially-annular body portion but said front portion of said essentially-annular body portion and said front portion of said fuseholder being insertable through said opening in said panel by being telescoped forwardly through said opening in said panel from a point rearwardly of said panel.

Claim 15

A mounting as claimed in claim 12 wherein said surface is an inwardly-extending lip, and wherein said essentially-annular body portion is bendable to permit said lip to move out of the path of said froNt portion of said fuseholder.

Claim 16

A mounting which can be telescoped forwardly into an opening in a panel from a point rearwardly of said panel and a front-mounted fuseholder which has a forward portion and a rear portion, said mounting having a generally-annular body portion and said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder being disposed within and held by said generally-annular body portion, locking means on said mounting which was moved to permit said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder to be telescoped rearwardly into said generally-annular body portion from a point forwardly of said mounting but which resists separation of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder from said generally-annular body portion, a resilient portion of said mounting that is disposable in register with a part of said panel which helps define said opening, said resilient portion being bendable inwardly relative to said opening to enable said resilient portion to pass into said opening, a flange on said mounting that is disposable in register with a part of said panel which helps define said opening, said flange being disposable rearwardly of said panel to limit movement of said mounting forwardly relative to said panel, a surface on said mounting which can coact with a complementary surface on said panel to prevent rotation of said mounting relative to said panel, and a further surface on said mounting which can coact with a complementary surface on said front-mounted fuseholder to prevent rotation of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder relative to said mounting.

Claim 17

A mounting which can be telescoped forwardly into an opening in a panel from a point rearwardly of said panel and a front-mounted fuseholder which has a forward portion and a rear portion, said mounting having a generally-annular body portion and said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder being disposed within and held by said generally-annular body portion, locking means on said mounting which was moved to permit said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder to be telescoped rearwardly into said generally-annular body portion from a point forwardly of said mounting but which resists separation of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder from said generally-annular body portion, a resilient portion of said mounting that is disposable in register with a part of said panel which helps define said opening, said resilient portion being bendable inwardly relative to said opening to enable said resilient portion to pass into said opening, a flange on said mounting that is disposable in register with a part of said panel which helps define said opening, said flange being disposable rearwardly of said panel to limit movement of said mounting forwardly relative to said panel, a surface on said mounting which can coact with a complementary surface on said panel to prevent rotation of said mounting relative to said panel, and a further surface on said mounting which can coact with a complementary surface on said front-mounted fuseholder to prevent rotation of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder relative to said mounting.

Claim 18

A mounting and front-mounted fuseholder as claimed in claim 14 wherein a wall is spaced rearwardly of said locking means, and wherein said wall limits movement of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder rearwardly relative to said mounting.

Claim 19

A mounting and front-mounted fuseholder as claimed in claim 14 wherein a wall limits movement of said forward portion of said front-mounted fuseholder rearwardly relative to said mounting, and wherein said further surface is on said wall.

Claim 20

A mounting and a front-mounted fuseholder as claimed in claim 14 wherein said locking means includes an inwardly-extending lip on said generally-annular body portion.

Claim 21

A mounting and front-mounted fuseholder as claimed in claim 14 wherein said resilient portion is a finger that is part of, but that extends outwardly of, said generally-annular body portion, and wherein said generally-annular body portion has slots at each side of said finger.

Claim 22

A fuseholder which can be telescoped forwardly into an opening in a panel from a point rearwardly of said panel and that has a rear portion and a front portion, said front portion of said fuseholder being dimensioned to be passed forwardly through said opening in a panel, means extending laterally outwardly of said fuseholder to engage a part of said panel, which helps define said opening in said panel, and to thereby limit the extent to which said front portion of said fuseholder can be telescoped forwardly relative to said opening, spaced-apart electric terminals mounted on said rear portion of said fuseholder, said laterally outwardly extending means on said fuseholder engaging said part of said panel while said spaced-apart electric terminals are disposed rearwardly of said panel, and thereby keeping said spaced-apart electric terminals rearwardly of said panel, resilient means that is movable forwardly with said fuseholder as said front portion of said fuseholder is telescoped into said opening in said panel, said resilient means being dimensioned to enter said opening in said panel as said front portion of said fuseholder is telescoped into position within said opening in said panel, said resilient means permitting said front portion of said fuseholder to be telescoped far enough forwardly relative to said opening in said panel to enable said laterally outwardly extending means on said fuseholder to engage said part of saId panel and to thereby limit the extent to which said front portion of said fuseholder can be telescoped forwardly relative to said opening, said resilient means thereafter preventing accidental movement of said front portion of said fuseholder rearwardly relative to said opening in said panel, and complementary interacting surface means that prevent rotation of said fuseholder relative to said panel after said front portion of said fuseholder has been telescoped forwardly into said opening in said panel.

Claim 23

A fuseholder which can be telescoped forwardly into an opening in a panel from a point rearwardly of said panel and that has a rear portion and a front portion, said front portion of said fuseholder being dimensioned to be passed forwardly through said opening in a panel, means extending laterally outwardly of said fuseholder to engage a part of said panel, which helps define said opening in said panel, and to thereby limit the extent to which said front portion of said fuseholder can be telescoped forwardly relative to said opening, spaced-apart electric terminals mounted on said rear portion of said fuseholder, said laterally outwardly extending means on said fuseholder engaging said part of said panel while said spaced-apart electric terminals are disposed rearwardly of said panel, and thereby keeping said spaced-apart electric terminals rearwardly of said panel, resilient means that is movable forwardly with said fuseholder as said front portion of said fuseholder is telescoped into said opening in said panel, said resilient means being dimensioned to enter said opening in said panel as said front portion of said fuseholder is telescoped into position within said opening in said panel, said resilient means permitting said front portion of said fuseholder to be telescoped far enough forwardly relative to said opening in said panel to enable said laterally outwardly extending means on said fuseholder to engage said part of saId panel and to thereby limit the extent to which said front portion of said fuseholder can be telescoped forwardly relative to said opening, said resilient means thereafter preventing accidental movement of said front portion of said fuseholder rearwardly relative to said opening in said panel, and complementary interacting surface means that prevent rotation of said fuseholder relative to said panel after said front portion of said fuseholder has been telescoped forwardly into said opening in said panel.