US3460281A - Electrical distribution circuit directory - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 12, 1969 M, LEVY 3,450,281

ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION CIRCUIT DIRECTORY Filed April 19, 1966 BY/ W A OQ U 3,460,281 ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTIQN (IHRCUIT DIRECTORY Marvin J. Levy, 2133 Kenwood Piace, Bellmore, N.Y. 11710 Filed Apr. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 543,677 Int. Cl. (20% 7/00 US. CI. 40-63 3 Claims ABSTRACT (2F THE DISCLOSURE An electrical circuit directory which is to be located at a main fuse or circuit-breaker box, the directory being in the form of a chart divided into a group of individually numbered major blocks, one for each fuse or circuit breaker, each block on the chart being subdivided into minor sites for accommodating pre-printed, pressure-sensitive labels for identifying the lights or other devices on the circuit branch related to the major block in question, the number of the block corresponding to a number applied in sticker form on the fuse or circuit breaker.

This invention relates generally to electrical distribution circuit directories, and in particular to a directory for correlating the fuses or circuit breakers in a given installation with the light fixtures, outlets and other electrical elements controlled thereby.

In electrical light and power distribution systems, whether in a household or in commercial or industrial establishments, the protective fuses, circuit breakers or other control elements for the various branches of the circuit are generally centralized in a common distribution box. In the typical modern household, because of the increasing use of electrical appliances the distribution system is relatively elaborate, usually involving no less than six to eight fuses or circuit breakers. Even a modest household now has, in addition to standard lighting circuits and outlets, special lines for air conditioners, oil burners, washing and drying machines, and home workshop equipment.

In factories, it is not uncommon to have twenty or thirty circuits branching out of a distribution box to feed machinery and processing equipment as well as to supply lighting fixtures. Restaurants, ofiice buildings, and hospitals all make use of large distribution boxes for elevators, refrigerating equipment, operating rooms, and other electrically powered devices. A problem frequently encountered in all such installations is that of identification, namely which fuse or circuit breaker controls which branch of the system. While this information may be gleaned from original circuit diagrams, these require careful tracing of the circuit by a skilled electrician, and cannot be read by the average householder or factory operator.

For example, in the typical household, should the livingroom lights go out but those in the dining-room remain lit, it is obvious to the householder that power has not failed, but only that a particular fuse has blown. He then goes to the fuse box and there he is confronted with an array of, say, eight fuses, but no means of singling out the blown one. What be normally does under these circumstances, is to determine which fuse has blown by the process of elimination or trial-and-error.

This is a time-consuming and annoying procedure, for the householder must first turn on all of the switches in the house and then one by one unscrew each fuse to establish a correlation between the selected fuse and the lights and other elements controlled thereby. It is possible in an eight-fuse system to have to unscrew seven fuses befores discovering that the remaining fuse is the defective one. Moreover, with the fuse box in the basement, while this 3,460,281 Patented Aug. 12, 1969 procedure is being carried out by one person, another person must report the result of unscrewing a given fuse, or the effect thereof cannot be seen in the basement.

Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a directory which serves to correlate each fuse, circuit breaker or other control element in a distribution box with the various light fixtures, outlets and appliances on a common circuit branch controlled thereby.

While the invention will be described herein in connection with a household circuit directory, it is to be understood that the same principles are applicable to commercial and industrial installations to provide a key to the protective devices in the distribution box.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a directory which is to be located at a main fuse or circuit-breaker box, the directory being in the form of a chart which is divided into a group of individually numbered major blocks, one for each fuse or circuit breaker, each block being subdivided into minor sites for accommodating pre-printed pressure-sensitive labels for identifying the lights and other devices on the circuit branch related to the major block in question, the number of the block corresponding to a number applied to the fuse.

Thus one using the directory can at a glance locate the blown fuse or the proper circuit breaker, for knowing, say, that the lights in the bedroom are off, he can, by consulting the directory, immediately identify the fuse controlling these lights, thereby ending guesswork and delay in restoring the lights.

For a better understanding of the invention as well as other objects and further features thereof, reference is had to the following detailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fuse box having labels applied to the fuses, which labels bear numbers corresponding to the numbers on the major blocks on the directory; and

FIG. 2 is a circuit directory in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a typical household fuse box 10 having two rows of four fuses, each fuse serving to protect a specific branch in the distribution circuit. It is to be understood that the simple box shown is merely by way of example, and that in practice, in lieu of fuses, circuit breakers or other elements may be employed in more elaborate arrangements.

Attached to the head of each fuse is a round pressuresensitive sticker, each bearing a different number. Since eight fuses are involved, the stickers are numbered 1 to 8 to identify the fuses (or circuit breakers). Since fuses must be replaced on occasion, the consumer is given several stickers having the number 1 thereon, and so on, to be applied to replacement fuses. Alternatively, each numbered sticker may be applied in the box at a position adjacent its related fuse so as not to require replacement.

The directory, as shown in FIG. 2, is in the form of a chart, preferably formed of a laminated plastic sheet or other relatively stiff, long-lasting material, the chart being suspended on the wall at a convenient location which is either near the main fuse or circuit-breaker box or at any suitable place in the garage, basement or workshop area.

Since we are, by way of example, dealing with a fuse box containing eight fuses, the directory has printed thereon eight major blocks identified by numbers 1 to 8. In practice, a chart containing eight major blocks is suitable for an installation having no more than eight fuses, and where, say, only six fuses are involved, two of the blocks remain unused. However, in the event additional circuits are added to the household, the two reserve blocks may then be used for identification purposes. It will be ap preciated that the chart may be printed with any desired number of major blocks for larger commercial installations.

Each block is subdivided into eight smaller rectangular areas or sites adapted to accommodate pressure-sensitive labels which are received within the site guidelines. The labels are pro-printed with legends appropriate to a typical household, such as kitchen lights, dining-room wall outlets, etc. Within the major blocks designated by nu meral 1, labels are applied to the sites therein having legends identifying those lights and other elements operating on the circuit branch controlled by the correspondingly-numbered fuse.

Thus in block 1, as shown in the drawing, there are applied labels for the lights, appliances and wall outlets in the kitchen, as well as the dinette lights and wall outlets; block 2 has bathroom, den and basement labels; block 3 is for the workshop, the remaining blocks being used for other circuit branches.

If a directory is made up by the electrical contractor at the time the circuits are installed, the householder is thereafter able at a glance to locate a blown fuse whenever a light or appliance lacks power. But if the directory is made up at a later time, the householder must organize the major blocks by trial and error, by unscrewing each fuse and then determining the branch element controlled thereby. But once this is done and the directory is established, the householder will have no further difiiculty.

The directory in no way alters the electrical circuits, its purpose being only to organize and correlate the existing circuit installation.

The directory may be assembled as a package, with the labels for the chart and the stickers for the fuse box being placed on backing sheets from which they can be readily peeled off for application to the chart and fuses, as required.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of electrical distribution circuit directory in accordance with the invention, it will be appreciated that many changes and modifications may be made therein without, however, departing from the essential spirit of the invention as defined in the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical circuit directory for an installation having a central distribution box containing control members, each of which is in the form of a fuse or a circuit breaker which is associated with a particular circuit branch and acts to control electrical power supplied to lights, outlets and other elements connected to said branch, said directory serving to correlate said control members and said elements, and comprising:

(a) a chart having a series of major blocks printed thereon each designated by a distinct numeral, each block being subdivided into a group of minor sites, said chart being of a sheet material onto which pressure-sensitive labels may be readily applied and removed,

(b) a series of pressure-sensitive stickers equal in number to said blocks, each sticker having a number thereon corresponding to a respective block and being applicable to the control members in said box to correlate the members to the blocks on the chart, and

(c) a plurality of pressure-sensitive pre-printed labels each bearing a legend identifying an element powered by said installation, those labels identifying the elements powered by a particular branch being applied to the sites in the corresponding numbered block on the sheet material, whereby one may at a glance locate that control member which has caused a loss of power anywhere in the installation.

2. A directory as set forth in claim 1, wherein said chart is formed by a laminated plastic sheet onto which pressure-sensitive labels may be readily applied and removed.

3. A directory as set forth in claim 1, wherein there are at least eight major blocks.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,366,968 2/1921 Starrett 40-152 2,254,810 9/1941 Will 40-142 X 2,936,540 5/1960 Power 4063 OTHER REFERENCES Instruments and Control System, August 1961, vol. 34, p. 1458-1461.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner WENCESLAO J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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