Base mounted electrical assembly

A surge arrestor, comprising:

• a plurality of generally cylindrical, metal oxide varistor blocks aligned in a row along an axis and having axially directed ends, said varistor blocks being in electrical connection with one another through said axially directed ends;
• first and second generally cylindrical, conductive terminals at opposite ends of each said row, each said terminal having a first axial end in contact with one of said varistor blocks, and an opposite second axial end with an internally threaded socket, said terminals having inner sections adjacent said first axial ends and outer sections adjacent said second axial ends, said inner sections being wider than said outer sections to define open grooves which are axially open at said second axial ends and substantially normal to said axis, said varistor blocks and said inner sections of said terminals having substantially equal transverse diameters;
• a non-conductive filament winding wrapped around said varistor blocks and said terminals and applying an axially-directed compressive force on said varistor blocks and said terminals to maintain electrical connection thereof, said winding filling said grooves and extending axially outwardly beyond said second axial ends of said terminals;
• and
• elastomeric weathershed means, resiliently enclosing said varistor blocks, for protecting said varistor blocks, said weathershed means having a substantially cylindrical throughbore with a diameter substantially equal to transverse diameters of said filament winding.

A method of making an electrical assembly, comprising the steps of:

• coaxially aligning a plurality of electrical components having nonlinear voltage-current characteristics in a row along an axis;
• coaxially aligning first and second conductive terminals with each terminal having a shoulder surface nonparallel to said axis and substantially coaxial with said components and having inner a radial flange at opposite axial ends of the row;
• releasably attaching removable caps to outer ends of the terminals defining grooves between the radial flanges and the removable caps with portions of the grooves extending axially beyond the terminals;
• wrapping a resin-coated non-conductive filament winding about the electrical components and the terminals such that the winding passes over the radial flanges and winds about the terminals filling the grooves;
• and
• removing the removable caps after the resin has cured.

A modular electrical assembly, comprising;

• a plurality of electrical components aligned in a column along an axis and having axially directed ends, said electrical components being electrically connected at said axially directed ends;
• first and second conductive end members located at opposite ends of said column, said end numbers having shoulders extending radically relative to said axis;
• and
• a non-conductive filament winding wrapped about said electrical components and said end members, engaging said shoulders, and applying an axially directed compressive force through said shoulders on said electrical components and end members to maintain electrical connection therebetween, said winding having axial end portions wrapped about said end members and extending axially beyond said end members in a direction opposite to said electrical components.