A. B. Chance Company

Edward L West

Melvin E Clutter

Gerald B Roberts

L Ronald Beard

An improved, failure-resistant, low mechanical stress electrical connector bushing (10) is provided which includes an elongated, central metallic conductor rod (12) with an insulative epoxy body (14) cast about the central rod (12). The rod is of substantially constant diameter throughout its length, and includes a male connection end (16) and an opposed female connection end (18). The connection end (18) presents an upset, integral, cold-forged, radially expanded terminal portion (20) having a diameter greater than the constant diameter rod (12), and presents a butt end face (24). Stress analysis confirms that the bushing (10) develops reduced, mechanical thermally induced stresses, as compared with a prior design.

Reduced mechanical stress bushing and conductor rod assembly

Improved switchblade-type, air dielectric switchgear apparatus is provided which utilizes a minimum of supporting insulators and incorporates readily field-replaceable bushing assemblies so that the switchgear apparatus may be serviced in the field using only conventional tools. In preferred forms, the switchgear apparatus includes internal switch assemblies making use of substantially vertically oriented switchblades mounted for pivotal movement about an elevated, generally horizontal axis located above the corresponding stationary contacts. The replaceable bushing assemblies are advantageously mounted at a level for interconnection with the upper ends of associated switchblades, and the assemblies include a conical outermost connection and adapted to receive a line connecting elbow, together with an elongated, inwardly extending, electrically conductive intermediate portion carrying an innermost terminal. The inner terminal is designed for frictionally engaging the upper end of an associated switchblade, and for this purpose includes a pair of depending, spring-loaded contact plates. If a given bushing assembly requires replacement, it is only necessary to externally disconnect the assembly from the switch housing wall, followed by manual removal of the defective assembly. An identical replacement assembly is then inserted through the tank wall and the assembly terminal is initially positioned relative to the switchblade, this operation being facilitated by visual inspection through a window below the bushing assemblies. The replacement bushing is then attached using external connection hardware, this operation serving to properly and finally position the terminal relative to the switchblade.

Replaceable bushing and contact assembly for blade type air insulated

A C-type electrical grounding clamp is provided for high voltage distribution lines wherein structure on the main body of the clamp presents at least a pair of separate, cooperable ground cable receiving elements oriented with the longitudinal axes of the cable passages in perpendicular relationship relative to one another. The user may thereby employ a plurality of the clamps all of identical construction for either phase-over-phase or phase-by-phase grounding in a manner wherein in each instance the grounding cables between adjacent conductors are all essentially parallel and of minimum length to span the distance therebetween for maximum resistance to fault current induced grounding cable whipping, and minimum imposition of non-fault stresses thereon. The clamps are especially adapted for supporting dual grounding cables between each pair of proximal conductors.

Ground clamp for dual electrical cable terminals

A high current grounding assembly especially adapted for electrically interconnecting and grounding substation phase busses conductors is provided which includes rigid metallic connector elements capable of handling extremely high fault current loads without violent whipping or other motions. The clamp and connector assembly, or one of the phase busses, is connected to ground in order to protect linemen or other workers in the vicinity of the assembly from the effects of fault or inductive currents. In preferred forms, novel conductor-gripping clamps and rigid tubular connector elements may be partially or completely preassembled and thereafter installed on phase busses. The clamps include a shiftable gripper for engaging a respective phase conductor, with a pair of transversely disposed clamp sections on the underside of the gripper for receiving and gripping the rigid connector elements; this construction presents the shortest possible current path through the clamps, which is important when very high fault currents or the like must be grounded.

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Centralia, MO, United States of America

Edward L West