CA1138066A - Bonding connector - Google Patents
Bonding connectorInfo
- Publication number
- CA1138066A CA1138066A CA000359911A CA359911A CA1138066A CA 1138066 A CA1138066 A CA 1138066A CA 000359911 A CA000359911 A CA 000359911A CA 359911 A CA359911 A CA 359911A CA 1138066 A CA1138066 A CA 1138066A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- strap
- component
- body portion
- passage
- connector
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Abstract
T&B 841 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE:
A bonding attachment means for the attachment of a grounding conductor to a component of an electrical raceway connector. A metallic strap having a central portion, to be installed about such component, terminates in two spaced-apart free ends arranged to be drawn to-gether by a selectively operable fastener to bring the strap into intimate electrical contact with the connector component. A ground conductor receiving clamp is coupled to the strap to permit the connector to be connected to a grounding system.
A bonding attachment means for the attachment of a grounding conductor to a component of an electrical raceway connector. A metallic strap having a central portion, to be installed about such component, terminates in two spaced-apart free ends arranged to be drawn to-gether by a selectively operable fastener to bring the strap into intimate electrical contact with the connector component. A ground conductor receiving clamp is coupled to the strap to permit the connector to be connected to a grounding system.
Description
BACICGROUND O~` Tl~ INVENTION:
Field of the Invention:
The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires bonding jumpers to be run along with all liquid-tight flexible metallic raceways in hazardous loca-tions and with 1 1/2 inch and larger sizes in all areas. These bonding jumpers permi-t -the ground system -to be con-tinued at connectors between - raceway sections and electrical enclosures and extended to o-ther raceway sections.
1~ Description of the Prior Art:
The simples-t system for running a bonding jumper along a liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway is to extend such a ~umper through the raceway ltself. Such a method often requires a long run of bonding jumper conductor and reduces -the allowable wire-fill of the raceway. The use of a gland nut with a cast bonding tab increased the turning radius for installing the gland nut, prevented close moun-ting of two or more raceway fittings and of-ten resulted in inconvenient mounting positions of the tab since the final position of the gland nut on the raceway with respect to the enclosure could not be predicted or controlled. The use of multiple pads on cast gland nuts into which tapped holes extended -to accept mechanical lugs increased the cost and also the turning radiu~for installing the gland nut. The greater the number of pads, the better the final position of the bonding lug could be controlled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention overcomes the difficulties noted above with respect -to prior art devices by providing mbJ~c ~3~
a bondi.ng strap whlch can easily be attached to a component of a Eitting for coupling a flexible metallic raceway to an electrical enclosure. The component most commonly used is the gland nut of such fitting. The strap can be applied before the fitting is installed or af-ter same has been installed to an electrical enclosure and raceway. The mb/\~ - la -~3~
position of the strap can be corrected at any time to place the bonding lug in the most convenient position.
Contouring the strap tends to center it with respect to the gland nut, while selectively weakening it permits it to more easily conform to the periphery of the gland nut.
The lug is arranged to accept a bonding jumper directly without special terminals. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved bonding jumper attachment means for liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connectors.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved bonding jumper attachment means or liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connectors which can be installed either before or after the raceway is installed to an electrical enclosure.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a retrofit bonding jumper attachment means for a liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connector.
It is another object of this invention to provide a bonding jumper attachment means for a liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connector which re~uires no special preparation of the bonding jumper.
Specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus for attaching a ground conductor to an electrical raceway connector, comprising: a metallic strap having lengthwise extent for encircling a component of the electrical raceway connector and a widthwise extent for extending along a longitudinal portion of the component. The strap includes a central flat portion flanked by inclined portions on either side thereof, the strap having at intervals along its length mb/~ ~- 2 -~L3~
a plurality of slots extending from a marginal edge of the inclined portion in-to the central flat portion in a direction transverse to the lengthwise direction of the strap. Means are provided for urging the strap into contact with the component. Connecting means are coupled to the strap for receiving a ground conductor thPrein.
The features of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principles of the invention and the best mode which has been contemplated for carrying it out.
BRIEF DES~RIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
In the drawings in which similar reference characters:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art connector for coupling a flexible metallic raceway to an electrical enclosure. FIG. 1 is FIG. 1 of U.S. Patent No. 3,393,267 issued July 16, 1968.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the connector of FIG. 1 assembled and is FIG. 2 of the cited U.S. patent.
:~.
mb/~ - 2a - ' '~
1 FIG. 3 i~ a perspective view of a prior art connector used in a bonding jumper system and is FIG. 11 of U.S. Patent No. 3,052,748 issued September 4, 1962.
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a bonding jumper attachment means for a liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connector constructed in accordance with the con-cepts of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a portion of the connector of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a portion of the connector of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the strap of FIG. 4.
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the strap of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a section of the strap of FIG. 8 taken along the lines 9-9.
FIG. 10 is an alternate embodiment of a lug to be used with the bonding jumper means of FIG. 4.
FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the bond-ing jumper means of FIG. 4 attached to a typical gland nut.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a typical connector C forcoupling a flexible metallic raceway H to an electrical enclosure. Body B has a mounting head 22 which is in-serted into the knockout of an electrical enclosure andattached thereto by a suitable locknut or the like. The raceway H is held to body B by a gland nut N, as is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows a similar connector 20 with saddle clamps 52 arranged to be bolted together. Bosses 30 ~ ~ ers~r~receive bolts 86 to mount grounding clamps 76. The grounding clamps 76 engage the bonding jumper 88 to con~inue the grounding system to the various sections of the raceway 34 and the connectors which couple the raceway to the electrical enclosure 38.
Turning now to FIGS. 4 to 11, a bonding jumper attachment means 100 for liquid-tight metallic raceway ~;3~
1 connectors constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention is shown. Connector 102 has a body portion 104 with a shoulder 106 to abut the wall of an electrical enclosure (not shown) as the externally threaded portion 108 extends therethrough to be connected thereto by locknut 110. A gland nut 112 is atta~hed to an externally threaded portion (not shown) to fix a raceway to the body 104. Jumper attachment means 100 comprises a strap 114 and a jumper attachment lug 116 coupled to the strap 114 by means of a fastener 118.
As is best seen in FIG. 7, the strap 114 is hexagonal in shape ~o conform to the shape of the gland nut 112, having six generally linear sides 120 joined by arcuate sections 122. ~he free ends 124, 126 of the strap 114 are spaced apart in confronting r~lationship with aligned apertures 12g therethrough. A nut 132 tightened upon a bolt 130 passed through apertures 128 brings strap 114 into intimate electrical and mechanical engagement with gland nut 112 placed within the strap 114, as is shown in FIG. 11. The strap 114 has a flat central portion 134 and inclined flaps 136 flanking the marginal edges of central portion 134. When placed upon a gland nut, the strap 114 has a tendency to center itself with the inclined flaps 136 on the leading and trailing edges of the gland nut. A series of cutouts 139 permit the strap 114 to conform more easily to the periphery of the gland nut 112 without undue springback which could tend to open the strap 114.
The bolt 130 which controls the contact of attachment means 100 with gland nut 112 also mounts the jumper attachment lug 116 to strap 1140 Lug 116 has a planar member 134 with an aperture 136 therethrough at one end and a conductor receiving cylinder 13~ at the other. Cylinder 133 has a first passage 140 therethrough, the bottom surface of which acts as an anvil, as will be discussed b~low. A second passage extends along the l~lL~O~i~
1 longitudinal axis of cylinder 138 and communicates with passage 140. This passage is threaded to accept a threaded stud 144 which can be advanced by the blade of a screw-driver placed in slot 146. As the stud 144 is ad~anced a conductor (not shown) is trapped between end 148 of stud 144 and the anvil to make a good mechanical and electrical joint with the lug 116. Alternately, lug 116 can be fitted with a bolt 150 having a hexagonal head 152, as is shown in FIG. 10. Its function is duplicative of the lug 116 of FIG. 5.
While there have been shown and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes of the form and details of the device illustrated and in their operation may be made by those skilled in the art, with out departing from the spirit of the invention.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
Field of the Invention:
The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires bonding jumpers to be run along with all liquid-tight flexible metallic raceways in hazardous loca-tions and with 1 1/2 inch and larger sizes in all areas. These bonding jumpers permi-t -the ground system -to be con-tinued at connectors between - raceway sections and electrical enclosures and extended to o-ther raceway sections.
1~ Description of the Prior Art:
The simples-t system for running a bonding jumper along a liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway is to extend such a ~umper through the raceway ltself. Such a method often requires a long run of bonding jumper conductor and reduces -the allowable wire-fill of the raceway. The use of a gland nut with a cast bonding tab increased the turning radius for installing the gland nut, prevented close moun-ting of two or more raceway fittings and of-ten resulted in inconvenient mounting positions of the tab since the final position of the gland nut on the raceway with respect to the enclosure could not be predicted or controlled. The use of multiple pads on cast gland nuts into which tapped holes extended -to accept mechanical lugs increased the cost and also the turning radiu~for installing the gland nut. The greater the number of pads, the better the final position of the bonding lug could be controlled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention overcomes the difficulties noted above with respect -to prior art devices by providing mbJ~c ~3~
a bondi.ng strap whlch can easily be attached to a component of a Eitting for coupling a flexible metallic raceway to an electrical enclosure. The component most commonly used is the gland nut of such fitting. The strap can be applied before the fitting is installed or af-ter same has been installed to an electrical enclosure and raceway. The mb/\~ - la -~3~
position of the strap can be corrected at any time to place the bonding lug in the most convenient position.
Contouring the strap tends to center it with respect to the gland nut, while selectively weakening it permits it to more easily conform to the periphery of the gland nut.
The lug is arranged to accept a bonding jumper directly without special terminals. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved bonding jumper attachment means for liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connectors.
It is another object of this invention to provide an improved bonding jumper attachment means or liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connectors which can be installed either before or after the raceway is installed to an electrical enclosure.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a retrofit bonding jumper attachment means for a liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connector.
It is another object of this invention to provide a bonding jumper attachment means for a liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connector which re~uires no special preparation of the bonding jumper.
Specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus for attaching a ground conductor to an electrical raceway connector, comprising: a metallic strap having lengthwise extent for encircling a component of the electrical raceway connector and a widthwise extent for extending along a longitudinal portion of the component. The strap includes a central flat portion flanked by inclined portions on either side thereof, the strap having at intervals along its length mb/~ ~- 2 -~L3~
a plurality of slots extending from a marginal edge of the inclined portion in-to the central flat portion in a direction transverse to the lengthwise direction of the strap. Means are provided for urging the strap into contact with the component. Connecting means are coupled to the strap for receiving a ground conductor thPrein.
The features of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way of example, the principles of the invention and the best mode which has been contemplated for carrying it out.
BRIEF DES~RIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
In the drawings in which similar reference characters:
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art connector for coupling a flexible metallic raceway to an electrical enclosure. FIG. 1 is FIG. 1 of U.S. Patent No. 3,393,267 issued July 16, 1968.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the connector of FIG. 1 assembled and is FIG. 2 of the cited U.S. patent.
:~.
mb/~ - 2a - ' '~
1 FIG. 3 i~ a perspective view of a prior art connector used in a bonding jumper system and is FIG. 11 of U.S. Patent No. 3,052,748 issued September 4, 1962.
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a bonding jumper attachment means for a liquid-tight flexible metallic raceway connector constructed in accordance with the con-cepts of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a portion of the connector of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a portion of the connector of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the strap of FIG. 4.
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the strap of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a section of the strap of FIG. 8 taken along the lines 9-9.
FIG. 10 is an alternate embodiment of a lug to be used with the bonding jumper means of FIG. 4.
FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the bond-ing jumper means of FIG. 4 attached to a typical gland nut.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a typical connector C forcoupling a flexible metallic raceway H to an electrical enclosure. Body B has a mounting head 22 which is in-serted into the knockout of an electrical enclosure andattached thereto by a suitable locknut or the like. The raceway H is held to body B by a gland nut N, as is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows a similar connector 20 with saddle clamps 52 arranged to be bolted together. Bosses 30 ~ ~ ers~r~receive bolts 86 to mount grounding clamps 76. The grounding clamps 76 engage the bonding jumper 88 to con~inue the grounding system to the various sections of the raceway 34 and the connectors which couple the raceway to the electrical enclosure 38.
Turning now to FIGS. 4 to 11, a bonding jumper attachment means 100 for liquid-tight metallic raceway ~;3~
1 connectors constructed in accordance with the concepts of the invention is shown. Connector 102 has a body portion 104 with a shoulder 106 to abut the wall of an electrical enclosure (not shown) as the externally threaded portion 108 extends therethrough to be connected thereto by locknut 110. A gland nut 112 is atta~hed to an externally threaded portion (not shown) to fix a raceway to the body 104. Jumper attachment means 100 comprises a strap 114 and a jumper attachment lug 116 coupled to the strap 114 by means of a fastener 118.
As is best seen in FIG. 7, the strap 114 is hexagonal in shape ~o conform to the shape of the gland nut 112, having six generally linear sides 120 joined by arcuate sections 122. ~he free ends 124, 126 of the strap 114 are spaced apart in confronting r~lationship with aligned apertures 12g therethrough. A nut 132 tightened upon a bolt 130 passed through apertures 128 brings strap 114 into intimate electrical and mechanical engagement with gland nut 112 placed within the strap 114, as is shown in FIG. 11. The strap 114 has a flat central portion 134 and inclined flaps 136 flanking the marginal edges of central portion 134. When placed upon a gland nut, the strap 114 has a tendency to center itself with the inclined flaps 136 on the leading and trailing edges of the gland nut. A series of cutouts 139 permit the strap 114 to conform more easily to the periphery of the gland nut 112 without undue springback which could tend to open the strap 114.
The bolt 130 which controls the contact of attachment means 100 with gland nut 112 also mounts the jumper attachment lug 116 to strap 1140 Lug 116 has a planar member 134 with an aperture 136 therethrough at one end and a conductor receiving cylinder 13~ at the other. Cylinder 133 has a first passage 140 therethrough, the bottom surface of which acts as an anvil, as will be discussed b~low. A second passage extends along the l~lL~O~i~
1 longitudinal axis of cylinder 138 and communicates with passage 140. This passage is threaded to accept a threaded stud 144 which can be advanced by the blade of a screw-driver placed in slot 146. As the stud 144 is ad~anced a conductor (not shown) is trapped between end 148 of stud 144 and the anvil to make a good mechanical and electrical joint with the lug 116. Alternately, lug 116 can be fitted with a bolt 150 having a hexagonal head 152, as is shown in FIG. 10. Its function is duplicative of the lug 116 of FIG. 5.
While there have been shown and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes of the form and details of the device illustrated and in their operation may be made by those skilled in the art, with out departing from the spirit of the invention.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
Claims (7)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An apparatus for attaching a ground conductor to an electrical raceway connector, comprising: a metallic strap having lengthwise extent for encircling a component of said electrical raceway connector and a widthwise extent for extending beyond a longitudinal portion of said component, said strap including a central flat portion flanked by inclined portions on either side thereof, for engaging opposite longi-tudinal portions of said component said strap having at intervals along its length a plurality of slots extending from a marginal edge of said inclined portion into said central flat portion in a direction transverse to the lengthwise direction of said strap; means for urging said strap into contact with said component; and connecting means coupled to said strap for receiving a ground conductor therein.
2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said metallic strap has a main body portion, for encircling the component of an electrical raceway connector, terminating in two spaced-apart free end portions, said urging means coupled to said free end portions to draw said main body portion into intimate electrical contact with the component of said electrical raceway connector encircled by said metallic strap main body portion.
3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said connecting means comprises a body portion having a longitudinal axis; a first passage extending through said body portion transverse to said longitudinal axis, the surface of said body portion defining the lower portion of said first passage providing all anvil; a second passage extending through said body portion parallel to said longitudinal axis and communicating with said first passage; the surfaces of said body portion defining said second passage having a helical thread formed therein; and a threaded stud having a first end and a second end threadedly engageable with said thread of said second passage;
the advancement of said threaded stud into said body portion by a suitable tool applied to said first end engaging a ground-ing conductor inserted into said first passage between said second end of said threaded stud and said anvil.
the advancement of said threaded stud into said body portion by a suitable tool applied to said first end engaging a ground-ing conductor inserted into said first passage between said second end of said threaded stud and said anvil.
4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said slots extend transversely from either marginal edge.
5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said slots extend transversely from both marginal edges.
6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said slots extending from both marginal edges are located sub-stantially opposite each other lengthwise along said strap.
7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said metallic strap has a central flat portion flanked by inclined portions to center said metallic strap as it is brought into contact with the connector component about which it is placed, said slots extending from a marginal edge of said inclined portion into said central portion.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US7408779A | 1979-09-10 | 1979-09-10 | |
| US06/074,087 | 1979-09-10 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1138066A true CA1138066A (en) | 1982-12-21 |
Family
ID=22117647
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000359911A Expired CA1138066A (en) | 1979-09-10 | 1980-09-09 | Bonding connector |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1138066A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5536185A (en) * | 1990-04-30 | 1996-07-16 | Guiol; Eric | Metallic connector housing |
-
1980
- 1980-09-09 CA CA000359911A patent/CA1138066A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5536185A (en) * | 1990-04-30 | 1996-07-16 | Guiol; Eric | Metallic connector housing |
| US5718608A (en) * | 1990-04-30 | 1998-02-17 | Guiol; Eric | Metallic connector housing |
| US5997353A (en) * | 1990-04-30 | 1999-12-07 | Guiol; Eric | Metallic connector housing |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |