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US4075755A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

High voltage fuse and method of attaching tubular members therein

Assignee: S&C Electric Co
•
Filing: 1976-11-11
•
Granted: 1978-02-28
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Expires: 1996-11-11
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Abstract

Abstract A method of attaching one tubular member such as a hollow metallic conducting tube to another tubular member such as a hollow insulator tube of a high voltage fuse comprises the steps of inserting the metallic tube into the insulator tube to a desired location and then expanding the metallic tube radially outwardly at a position where engagement is desired until the metallic tube engages and at least partially fills an annular groove on the interior of the insulator tube. To further provide a moisture tight seal at the point of engagement, an elastomeric compound such as a room-temperature-vulcanizing silicone rubber may be placed in the groove to assure a moisture tight seal when the metallic tube is expanded. The exterior of the insulator tube is slightly deformed due to expansion of the metallic tube, and the quality of the connection between the tubes may be determined by the amount of this slight deformation. Also disclosed is a novel fuse produced by this method.

Inventors

  • 👤 Joseph Bernatt
  • 👤 Alfred Steegmueller

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 12:00
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H69/00; H01H69/02; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49107; Y10T29/49803; Y10T29/49826; Y10T29/49908; Y10T29/49938; Y10T29/4994

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 87 words
A method of attaching a hollow metallic tube to a hollow insulator tube in the manufacture of a high voltage circuit interrupter comprising the steps of: a. forming a groove on the interior of the insulator tube; b. inserting the metallic tube into the insulator tube to a desired location; and c. expanding the metallic tube at a position where attachment is desired until the metallic tube engages the groove and the insulator tube is slightly, exteriorly, and outwardly deformed adjacent the expansion of the metallic tube.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 87 words
A method of attaching a hollow metallic tube to a hollow insulator tube in the manufacture of a high voltage circuit interrupter comprising the steps of: a. forming a groove on the interior of the insulator tube; b. inserting the metallic tube into the insulator tube to a desired location; and c. expanding the metallic tube at a position where attachment is desired until the metallic tube engages the groove and the insulator tube is slightly, exteriorly, and outwardly deformed adjacent the expansion of the metallic tube.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 50 words
A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of coating the groove on the interior of the insulator tube with an elastomeric compound prior to insertion of the metallic tube into the second tubular member to provide a moisture tight seal when the metallic tube is expanded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method, as claimed in claim 2, wherein said elastomeric compound is a room-temperature-vulcanizing silicone rubber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
A method, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of measuring the slight deformation of the insulator tube to determine the quality of the attachment between the metallic tube and the insulator tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 61 words
A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of expanding the metallic tube is accomplished by inserting a resilient member into the metallic tube at the position where attachment is desired and then compressing the resilient member to cause the resilient member to expand against the metallic tube so that the metallic tube is expanded to engage said groove.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 41 words
A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of expanding the metallic tube causes a permanent increase in the diameter of the insulator tube that indicates the quality of the attachment between the metallic tube and the insulator tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 21 words
A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of expanding the metallic tube is accomplished by electromagnetic pulse forming.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of expanding the metallic tube is accomplished by rolling with an expanding roller mandrel.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 109 words
A method of attaching a hollow metallic conducting tube to a hollow insulator tube in a high voltage fuse comprising the steps of: a. forming a groove on the interior of the insulator tube; b. inserting the metallic tube into the insulator tube to a desired location; c. inserting a resilient member into the metallic tube to a position at which attachment is desired; and d. axially compressing the resilient member to cause the resilient member to radially expand so that the metallic tube expands to engage the groove and the insulator tube is slightly, exteriorly and outwardly deformed adjacent the expansion of the metallic tube into the groove.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 109 words
A method of attaching a hollow metallic conducting tube to a hollow insulator tube in a high voltage fuse comprising the steps of: a. forming a groove on the interior of the insulator tube; b. inserting the metallic tube into the insulator tube to a desired location; c. inserting a resilient member into the metallic tube to a position at which attachment is desired; and d. axially compressing the resilient member to cause the resilient member to radially expand so that the metallic tube expands to engage the groove and the insulator tube is slightly, exteriorly and outwardly deformed adjacent the expansion of the metallic tube into the groove.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method, as claimed in claim 9, further comprising the step of coating the groove with an elastomeric compound to provide a moisture tight seal when the metallic tube is expanded.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein said elastomeric compound is a room-temperature-vulcanizing silicone member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 16 words
A method, as claimed in claim 9, wherein said insulator tube is a nonmetallic fuse housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 31 words
A method, as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of measuring the slight deformation to determine the quality of the attachment between said metallic tube and said fuse housing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 39 words
A method, as claimed in claim 9, wherein when the metallic tube is expanded, the insulator tube is permanently expanded by a predetermined amount that indicates the quality of the attachment between the metallic tube and the insulator tube.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 97 words
A method of attaching a hollow metallic conducting tube to an insulator tube for fabricating a circuit interrupter comprising the steps of: inserting the metallic tube into the insulator tube to a desired location; and expanding the metallic tube at a position where attachment is desired until the metallic tube is forced against the interior of the insulator tube with sufficient force to cause a permanent predetermined increase in the diameter of the insulator tube at the position of the attachment that will indicate the quality of the attachment between the insulator tube and the metallic tube.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 97 words
A method of attaching a hollow metallic conducting tube to an insulator tube for fabricating a circuit interrupter comprising the steps of: inserting the metallic tube into the insulator tube to a desired location; and expanding the metallic tube at a position where attachment is desired until the metallic tube is forced against the interior of the insulator tube with sufficient force to cause a permanent predetermined increase in the diameter of the insulator tube at the position of the attachment that will indicate the quality of the attachment between the insulator tube and the metallic tube.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2709092A Cited
DE948894C Cited
GB766741A Cited
US3176100A Cited
US3313536A Cited
US3432916A Cited
US3555831A Cited
US3590464A Cited
US3893056A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1981-02-27 1981-08-29 1982-02-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1985-02-27 1985-08-29 1986-02-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1989-02-27 1989-08-29 1990-02-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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