US2761643A - Transformer cluster rack - Google Patents

Description

S- J- WARD ET AL TRANSFORMER CLUSTER RACK Sept. 4, 195

a Sheet-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1953 INVENTORS} Samuel J Ward Mzlton C. Cross ATTORNEY P 1956 5. J. WARD ETAL 2,761,643

TRANSFORMER CLUSTER RACK Filed March 30, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Samuel J. WZzrd Mlton C. Cross- INVENTORS ATTORNEY Sept. 4, 1956 I 5. J. WARD ETAL 2,761,643

TRANSFORMER CLUSTER RACK Filed March '30, 1953 a Sheets-Sheet s Samuel Wizrd Milton C. Cross INVENTORS I ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,761,643 TRANSFORMER CLUSTER RACK Samuel J. Ward and MiltonC. Cross, Houston, Tex., as-

sign'ors to Universal Pole Bracket Corporation, Houston, Tex., acorporation of Texas Application March so, 1953, Serial No. 345,538

l 9 Claims. 7 (Cl. 248-230) This invention pertains to transformer cluster racks and 1s a continuation-in-part of ourco-pending application S. N. 250,234, filed October 8, 1951, now abandoned.

It is. an object of the invention to provide a cluster and disconnected.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rack upon which a plurality of transformers maybe supported.

v i It is another object of. the invention to provide a cluster rack for poles which may be quickly connected Another object of the invention is to provide a cluster rackwhich can be securely positioned regarding a telephone pole so that the transformers may be securely supported thereon. A

Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality .of relatively closely spaced cluster racks so that the support framework of the transformer may be connected to adjacent cluster racks properly spaced so as to support the transformer closely adjacent the pole.

Another object of the invention is to providev a cluster rack for transformers which may be firmly clamped about the pole without materially weakening the pole by boring, cutting, high localized stresses,x-and the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cluster rack to which as many as three transformers may be supported while still leaving adequate climbing space for workmen on the pole. 3

Another object of the invention is to provide a cluster rack which without change of size is capable of supportingeither small or large transformers, so as to provide a maximum of utility with a minimumof manufacturing cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cluster rack for poles with an outstanding double arm to support a plate to which the transformer is in turn connected, whereby the transformer will be adequately.sup-

ported against side thrusts such as that due to unequal tension in the wires connected to the transformer or due to wind blowing against the transformer.

A still further object is to provide a brace for attachment to a transformer cluster rack so that relatively large transformers may be afiixed to the cluster rack and properly braced relative to the telephone pole.

Another object 'is to provide a rack which without change of size of its parts is adapted to be secured to poles of different diameters, and to this end a further object of the invention is to provide a rack having retaining bolts long enough to fasten the rack to a large diameter pole and having extending arms which have openings therein to allow for attachment of the rack to a relatively small diameter pole so that the retainer bolts "ice may project through the arms which support the transformer.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a pole to which the cluster racks have been attached and whereon three transformers are supported on a pair of cluster racks suitably adjusted.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation to a larger scale showing two transformers, one large and one small, which are attached to a pair of spaced cluster racks which have been clamped about the pole.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation to a still larger scale of a portion of the device shown in Figure 2 and in which a brace has been afixed between the supporting lug andthe transformer supporting plate to give additional strength to the bracket. Fig. 3 also shows a horizontal plate bolted to the vertical supporting plate to provide spaced connections for very large transformers having two horizontally spaced connectors at each level. Also shown in Fig. 3 in phantom is a vertical plate used when a very small transformer is supported from a single bracket.

Figs. 4, 5, 6 are similar transverse sections, Figure 5 being taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and looking down on cluster racks afiixed to small, medium, and large poles respectively.

In Fig. l, a pole 2 is shown as having been positioned in the ground and the usual crossbar 3 serves to support wires. The pole is also shown as serving as a support for a plurality of transformers such as 4, 5, and

6 which may be used in connection with three phase power transmitted by the wires.

This cluster of transformers is shown in Fig. 2 more in detail. The transformers are supported on the pole by the racks 8 and 9 which are identical. Two such racks are provided about the pole each providing brackets 10, 11, and 12 upon which the transformers 4, 5 and 6 respectively are supported. a single pole may serve to support a number of transformers and they may be securely fastened by using the racks 8 and 9 in combination.

Fig. 5 is a transverse view through the pole and illustrating the manner of assembling the racks on the pole for supporting the transformers. The pole 2 is illustrated as receiving the rack 9 which is shown as being made up of a plurality of arcuate bodies in the form of straps or curved plates 13, 14, 15, 16. Each of these plates comprises a bar or strap of metal which is arcuately curved to fit generally around the periphery of the pole 2. The initial curve is such as to fit a medium diameter pole as shown in Figure 5. Although the fit will not be perfect on smaller poles as shown in Figure 4,

or larger poles as shown in Figure 6, the plates will tend strap is equal to 360 degrees divided by the number of straps, which is ninety degrees.

It will be seen that the bolts are of sufficient length to go through two of the cars 17 which may be spacedv apart depending upon the diameter of the pole 2. Each bolt 20 is arranged to receive the supporting or back-up Patented Sept. 4, 1956 In this manner nuts 21 behind the ears 17 and to receive the nuts 22 on theends. of. the bolt to draw the ears 1-7 of the adjacent plates together. The nuts may be adjusted as desired so as to cause a tight fitting of the plates about the pole.

-Rlate 13. is a; simple strap of steel with bent ends, to one or more of each of the other plates 14, 16' there are weldedthe' lateral projecting arms 25 and 26 which goto' make up; a bracket by having a supporti ri'g plate 27 welded tothe' arms and supporting them in: spaced relation. Each support plate 27 is provided witlr vertically spaced upper; and lower holes 23; 29 to receive the transformer bolts as hereinafter described The double aims together with the curved plates andsupport: ing plates form a rigid boxlike structure of greatstrfength which can takeaside thrusts: due to wind: or tension of-I the wire.

onl y'one ofuthe' racks suclras. the rack 9 is to be used, then it can be assembled and the transformer or transformers supported on the vertical plates 30' which are. bolted; to'plate 27 aslshown in dotted lines in Figure 3. Plate 30 has holessuchas31 therein-vertically spaced theproper distance to receive the transformer bolts. This arrangement is suitable for very small transformers. For larger transfomers it is necessary to utilize two of the racks in spaced relationship upon the pole 2 as seen in- Fig,- 2 and the racks 8' and 9' will be thus employed; Whenthe transformers are' connected, one of them may bea small transformer, such as 32while the other may be a large transformer such as 33 or any suitable com-- bination of transformers.

'l'ihe. plates- 14; 15, 16,, are each provided with a lug such as; 40. extending. longitudinally along the pole and: arranged to receive the lag screws such as42whiehmay be driven into the pole. In thisrmanner the rack. will be secur ly anchored and: any torque tending to twist the rackf-romposition will be resisted by the lag screw 42.

In. Fig, 2 there is shown the manner of securing the transformers to the racks. Referring tortransformer 32 the upper bolt 43 of the transformer will pass through the lower hole 29 of the plate 27 of the upper rack whereas the bolt- 44 which is the lower bolt on the transformer will pass through: the hole 28 in the upper end of the plate 27 of the lower rack. In the case of the large transformer 33 the bolts 43- and 44 will pass through the upper andlower openings in the plates 27 respectively. In thiswmannen two of the racks with, identical brackets 10,. 11, 12 on all three sides are adapted Without alteration to take care of different size transformers when utilized; at the same timeon the same pole.

Large transformers, such as the transformer 33, may weigh asmuchas five thousand pounds. Hence, such transformers normallytend to exert a greater force-on theupper and lower cluster racks in a direction tocause; themto-slide, downwardly ofthe pole. This tendency is counteracted when. the transformer is secured to thecluster racks in the manner shown atthe right handside ofjFig, 2, where the means for securing the lower end oflthe transformer to-the support or bridging plate 27 is located at.- ahorizontallevel'below thelevel of the clampingbolts 20,. and the means: for securing. the upper end of thetransform'er to the upper supportor bridgingplate 27 is located atahori'zontal level above the level of the bolts 2.0 which clamp the arcuate bodies of the upper bracket. set-to the. pole. With the transformerso secured to. the upper and lower bracket sets, the arcuate bodies of both bracket sets are caused to'exert their maximum, clamping pressure against the pole along their lower edges and thustendfto bite into the pole at those places. This. gives. maximum resistance to the tendency of the arcuate bodies 1310 slide downwardly of the pole.

Rarticular attention is directed to the opening. 48 in each of the bracket arms. This opening is to receive the ends of the bolt such as when an exceptionally small pole isutilized and the straps may be of a length, and'close enough together to. allow the bolt 2010 project 4 into the opening 48. This will avoid cutting ofi the bolt orbending of the parts ast-hecasemayis illustrated in Figure 4. It is also to be noted that in this situation the back-up nuts 21 are omitted, the cars 17 being closely adjacent each other.

The openings perform an additional function in that they facilitate deformation of. thecurved plates 13, 14, 15 and 16 as they are clamped against poles of different diameter whileweak ening the arms 2'5to a minimum extent. As shownin the drawings, the bracketsare-curved to fit a pole of the diameter shownin- Fig,- 5; When. the brackets are clamped abouta pole. of; different. diameter,

I the openings facilitate the slightbending of the. arms which must take lace. Th'eo enin s preferati-y are elongated in the dlFBGflQILOf, the arms. 25 and are spaced from both the inner and outer ends of the arms. Hence, the openings lie in a relatively neutral area as far as the portions of the arms which take a strain in the supporting of tl etransfermersa Attention is directed to the Brackets at the right of. Figure 2 sup er-tin the heavy t-ransformef33; If; the transformer is of very heavy weight there can be added the z-braeess which is a short fiat late with thebe'nt ends 5-1 and-sa-thereen which-maybe attached atone end to theplate 27' by means of" the bolt 4 and may be attached at the other end to the extensionor log 41). In this manner-a rigid -box-like-structure is proviuedwhich includes the lug 40; plate 27, arms 25'- and 26 and the brace member 55. The Z-braces may also beused in the case of very: light transfbrmers supported on" a single-rack, i I

It will be understood that the Z braces may-Be omitted in the case of medium weighttransrormers'; even though the transformer bolts are spaced far apartas shown at the right of Figure 2. On the other hand, in the-caseofextra heavy-transformers wliich are provided with tour bolts: (two u per and" two lower-) instead Of tw' bolts 43 i 44:.as preyiously described, there; is provided, as

zontally spaced holes. thereth r oug'h torec'eive the trans'-' former bolts;

Broadly; the. invention contemplates one ormo'r'eracks which; may be suitably affixed to" a suitable poteand adjustable as tO'SlZBitO fit vario'us situations While the: invention has} been described and claimed in connection with the. support of: transformers, it-is te 'be understcodathar other objects of substantial weight may andthe: claims areto. be; so construed;

What is claimed is:

14- A; transformer cluster rack for supporting" trans formers; on poles. comprising. a plurality of strapiron arcu'ateimembers, to'fita-bout thepole, the ends of each member. being bentoutwardly from the arcuatepole-pdrtion, bolts joining the ends to clamp the members-about the-pole, adjustable means: to tighten the bolts and lock them. to the pole, a support arm. extending laterally from at. least: one off said members, a! transformer supporting member'connectedrto the outer ends: ofsaid support to which a-. transformer may be atfixed', a lug extending from each; member. having a support arm to engage against the pole, each;ofsaid lugs'extending'from its strap member at right angles-to; the direction of elongation of the strap membenandj at: rightrangles to the directionofi' extension of the. support arm from its: strap member, and: a brace connected at! one: end. to. said transformer support arm and; at-itsiother end to thezlug. of the member from which.the;-support arm extends 'to'suppor tsaid arm- 2. A transformer cluster. rack comprising: a'- plurality of arcuate straps adapted+t0= fit around a pole, each strap having aperturedioutturned ears onthe ends thereof,v an outwardly, extending arm; on art-least one of: said straps,- each; arm cumprisinge twin spacedi apertured platcs located;

be secured. to thecluster r'aclc for support from poles,

between said ears, means on each arm to support a transformer, bolts passing through each adjacent pair of said ears, the apertures in the plate being sufiiciently large to receive said bolts, the axes of said bolts being aligned with the apertures in adjacent plates, whereby when said straps are secured to a small diameter pole the ends of said bolts can extend through the apertures in said plates, and a nut on at least one end of each of said bolts to secure said straps together.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which there is additionally a pair of nuts on each of said bolts behind the ears on each strap to back up the ears when the straps are adjusted to fit poles of such diameter as to leave space between adjacent pairs of cars of adjacent straps.

4. A transformer cluster rack comprising a plurality of arcuate bodies adapted to fit around a pole, each body having apertured outturned ears on the ends thereof, an outwardly-extending arm on at least one of said bodies, a vertically extending plate on each arm, said vertically extending plate having upper and lower vertically spaced apertures therethrough, an apertured vertically extending lug on each body, each of said lugs extending from its body at right angles to the direction of elongation of the body and at right angles to the direction of extension of the arm from said body, and a brace of generally Z- shape connected at one end to the lower end of each plate and at its other end to the lug on the adjacent body.

5. A transformer cluster rack comprising a plurality of arcuate bodies adapted to fit around a pole, each body having apertured outturned ears on the ends thereof, an outwardly extending arm on at least one of said bodies, a vertically extending plate on each arm, said vertically extending plate having upper and lower vertically spaced apertures therethrough, an apertured vertically extending lug on each body, each of said lugs extending from its body at right angles to the direction of elongation of the body and at right angles to the direction of extension of the arm from said body, and a second vertically extending plate bolted to said first plate, the second plate being longer than said first plate and having two pairs of upper and lower vertically spaced apertures therein, the first of said pair of apertures being spaced the same as those in the first said plate and the second said pair of apertures being spaced farther apart.

6. A transformer cluster rack comprising a plurality of arcuate bodies adapted to fit around a pole, each body having apertured outturned ears on the ends thereof, an outwardly extending arm on at least one of said bodies, a vertically extending plate on each arm, said vertically extending plate having upper and lower vertically spaced apertures therethrough, an apertured vertically extending lug on each body, each of said lugs extending from its body at right angles to the direction of elongation of the body and at right angles to the direction of extension of the arm from said body, and a horizontally extending plate having three horizontally spaced apertures therein and bolted to the vertically extending plate through the central one of said three apertures.

7. Supporting means of the character described comprising a pole, spaced upper and lower sets of brackets, each bracket set including a plurality of arcuate bodies fitting against the pole peripheral surface, each arcuate body having outwardly bent ends, means connecting the adjacent outwardly bent ends of the respective arcuate bodies and securing the arcuate bodies against the pole, spaced, substantially aligned outwardly-extending arms carried by at least one of the arcuate bodies of each bracket set, said arms being positioned between said bent ends, a member connected to the outer ends of said arms and bridging the space between them, the member bridging the space between the arms of the arcuate member of the upper bracket set having an opening therein located horizontally above the level of the means connecting the outwardly bent ends of the arcuate bodies of said set to secure said bodies to the pole, and the member bridging the outer ends of the arms of the lower bracket set having an opening therein located horizontally below the level of the means connected to the outwardly bent ends of the arcuate bodies of said lower set to secure said bodies to the pole, a transformer mounted on both said brackets, and members passing through said openingsin said bridging members of the upper and lower bracket sets and supporting said transformer.

8. Supporting means as set forth in claim 7 in which each of said arms has an opening spaced inwardly from its inner and outer ends and elongated in the direction of the outward extension of said arms to facilitate deformation of the arcuate bodies when being secured to poles of difierent diameters.

9. Supporting means of the character described comprising a pole, spaced upper and lower sets of brackets, each bracket set including a plurality of arcuate bodies fitting against the pole peripheral surface, each arcuate body having outwardly-extending ends, means connecting the adjacent outwardly-extending ends of the respective bodies and securing the bodies to the pole, an outwardly-extending arm carried by at least one of the arcuate bodies of each bracket set, said arms being positioned between said outwardly-extending ends of the respective arcuate bodies :and being substantially aligned in a vertical direction and an attaching plate at the outer ends of each of said arms, a transformer, mechanical connections between said attaching plates and the transformer securing the transformer to the respective attaching plates for support therefrom, the mechanical connection between the transformer and the attaching plate of the upper bracket set being located horizontally above the level of the means connecting the outwardly-extending arms of the arcuate bodies of said upper bracket set to clamp the arcuate bodies of that set to the pole, the mechanical connection between the transformer and the attaching plate of the lower bracket set being located horizontally below the level of the means connecting the outwardly-extending arms of the arcuate bodies of said lower bracket set to clamp the bodies of that set to the pole whereby the transformer exerts a force on arcuate bodies of the respective bracket sets from which it is supported tending to force the lower edge of said arcuate bodies against the pole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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