US 4,698,717 AGranted

Electrical safety drop disconnect

OwnerWilliam J. Scheidinventor

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Abstract

An electrical safety disconnect device inserted in overhead power wires to prevent live broken wires from contacting the ground or persons in their vicinity. The device takes the form of a male-female plug combination that automatically separates when the wire experiences a predetermined force generally less than that required to break the wire itself. A band encircles both the male and female components to hold them together and maintain the electrical connection. This band breaks when a predetermined stress pulls on the wires to allow the male and female portions to separate. The device sits on the wire near to the pole closer to the source of electricity. Upon separating, as in a storm for example, the "live" end of the wire hangs above the ground where it cannot contact people or other objects. Placing the female component on this portion of the wire provides additional protection to the environs.

Claims23

Dependent claims

An electrical separating device comprising:

(A) a first member having:
(1) a first electrically nonconductive housing with first opening means:
(2) a first elongated connector, coupled to said housing, composed of an electrically conductive substance extending from inside said first housing through said first opening means in said housing and projecting outside of said housing;
and
(3) first adjoining means, coupled to said first connector and located inside of said first housing, for connecting said first connector to an electrical wire;
(B) a second member having:
(1) a second substantially electrically nonconductive housing with second opening means into which said first connector may enter;
(2) a second connector, coupled to said second housing, composed of an electrically conductive substance and positioned within said second housing, to make contact with said first connector entered into said second opening means, establishing an electrical connection between said first and second connectors;
and
(3) second adjoining means, coupled to said second connector and located inside of said second housing, for connecting said second connector to an electrical wire;
and
(C) coupling means, separate from and in contact with said first and second members, for, in addition to friction between said first and second members, holding said first and second members together but, upon a nonmanual disengagement of said coupling means from between said first and second members, pemitting said said first and second members to separate from each other upon the exertion of a predetermined force pulling said first and second connectors apart from each other.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.