GB2031988A

GB2031988A - An end stop for a row of electrical terminal blocks

Info

Publication number: GB2031988A
Application number: GB7932147A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Cegelec SA
Current assignee: Cegelec SA
Priority date: 1978-09-27
Filing date: 1979-09-17
Publication date: 1980-04-30
Also published as: IT7953597V0; IT1165710B; DE2937996A1; ES484470A1; IT7968867A0; FR2437707B1; GB2031988B; DE2937996C2; FR2437707A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a stop for electric connection strips. The stop which includes at least one resilient fixing leg (3, 4) providing both a resiliently mounted lock notch (31, 41) for fixing under one of the lower edges of a parallel-edged supporting section bar and a shoe (5, 6) which has a bearing surface for engaging the corresponding upper edge of the supporting section bar. Said shoe includes means (53, 63) for fixing it in a locking position. The invention applies to constituting electric connection strips for wiring. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An end stop for a row of electrical terminal blocks The invention relates to an end stop for a row of electrical terminal blocks mounted on a parallel edged section bar.

Such electrical terminal arrangements are generally constituted by means of terminal blocks disposed side by side and fixed by snap-fitting resilient legs on a parallel-edged supporting section bar.

However, at the ends of a connection strip of terminal blocks thus constituted, it is advisable to have end stops which, although also fixed by resilient snap-fitting on the supporting section bar, nevertheless include effective position locking, thereby locking the terminal blocks on the supporting bar. For this purpose, it has been proposed to fit under one of the lower edges of the supporting section bar a nut integral with one of the fixing legs of the stop and fastened by a screw which passes through the body of the stop, the nut thus clamping the edge of the section bar against the body of the stop due to the action of the screw.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide a stop for connection strips which does not require a separate nut.

The invention provides an end stop for a row of electrical terminal blocks mounted on a paralleledged section bar, the stop including a rigidly mounted fixing leg for engaging one side of the bar and at least one resiliently mounted latching member for engaging the opposing side of the bar, the said resiliently mounted member comprising a shoe with a bearing surface for engaging an upper edge of the said opposing side of the bar and a leg projecting from the lower portion of the shoe to constitute a lock notch for fixing against the corresponding lower edge of the said opposing side of the bar, the shoe including a tapped hole in which there is screwed a screw which passes through a bore of the upper body of the stop, the head of the screw being applied against the upper surface of the body of the stop in a stop-locking position.

Preferably, the latching member is resiliently hinged on the body of the stop by a tendon disposed adjacent to a slot separating the body of the stop from the latching member.

When in the locking position, the head of the screw can also be disposed at the bottom of a cavity in the upper surface of the body of the stop.

The stop may include several resiliently mounted latching members to enable the stop to be used with several different types of parallel-edged supporting section bar.

An embodiment of the invention is described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - figure 1 is a partially cut-away side view of a stop in accordance with the invention; - figure 2 is a partially cut-away end view of the stop illustrated in figure 1; - figure 3 is a plan of the top of the stop illustrated in figure 1; - figures 4A and 4B illustrate the assembly of the stop illustrated in figure 1 on supporting section bars with inwardly-turned edges; and -figures 5A and 5B illustrate the assembly of the stop illustrated in figure 1 on a supporting section bar with outwardly-turned edges.

In the figures, 1 designates the body of a stop made of a plastics material. It has at its base three fixing legs 2,3 and 4. The fixing leg 2 on the right of the figure is constituted by an extension of the right-hand side of the body 1 and is rigid; it has a lock notch 21 opening towards the outside of the stop and a lock notch 22 opening towards the inside of the stop.

The fixing leg 3 on the opposite side has a lock notch 31 opening towards the inside of the stop and is constituted by the extension of a shoe 5 connected by a first narrow resilient strip or tendon 51 to the upper portion of the body 1 of the stop. The first tendon 51 itself constitutes an extension of the left side of the body 1 and the shoe 5 is separated from the body 1 by a horizontal slot 50 facing the first tendon 51. The shoe 5 and the leg 3 constitute a first resiliently mounted latching member.

This arrangement provides a resilient hinge for the shoe 5 about the tendon 51 by elastic deformation of the plastics material of which the stop is made. This elastic deformation is transmitted to the fixing leg 3 which is integral with the shoe 5, as well as to the lock notch 31 which is thereby resiliently mounted.

The fixing leg 4 situated between the legs 2 and 3 includes a lock notch 41 disposed facing the leg 3.

The leg 4 is constituted by an extension of a shoe 6 connected by a second tendon 61 to the upper portion of the body 1 of the stop. The shoe 6 is separated from the body 1 firstly by a horizontal slot 60 disposed facing the second tendon 61 and secondly by a vertical slot 62 which starts level with the second tendon 61. Another vertical slot 52 which starts at the junction between the slots 50 and 60 separates the shoes 5 and 6. This disposition also provides a resilient hinge for the shoe 6 about its tendon 61 and the deformation is transmitted to the fixing leg 4 which is integral with the shoe 6 as well as to the lock notch 41 which is thereby resiliently mounted. The shoe 6 and the leg 4 constitute a second resiliently mounted latching member.

The shoe 5 has a vertical tapped hole 53 which opens out in front of the lock notch 31. The hole 53 is disposed in the line of a vertical hole 11 of the upper portion of the body 1. The width of the hole 11 which is oblong is greater than the diameter of the hole 53 and opens out on the upper surface 10 of the body of the stop in a cavity 12.

The shoe 6 also has a vertical tapped hole 63 which opens out in front of the lock notch 41. The hole 63 is disposed in line with a vertical hole 13 through the upper portion of the body 1. The width of the hole 13 which is oblong is greater than the diameter of the hole 63 and opens out on the upper surface 10 of the body of the stop in a cavity 14. The body of a screw 7 which passes through the hole 13 and the slot 60 is screwed into the tapped hole 63, its head 70 being disposed in the cavity 14.

The stop operates as follows. To assemblethe stop on a section bar 8 with parallel inwardly turned edges 81,82, the notch 21 engages against the edge 81 as illustrated in figure 4A, then the stop is tilted in the direction of the arrow F1 so as to slide the edge 82 against the leg 4 until by resilient movement of the leg, the edge 82 is resiliently locked in the notch 41 by means of the resilient instailation of the shoe 6.

During this operation, the leg 4 pivots with the shoe 6 about the tendon 61, firstly in the direction of the arrow F2, thus opening the slot 60 and closing the slot 62 then, when the edge 82 locks against the notch 41, in the direction F3 as shown in figure 4B.

In this locking position, the screw7 is then screwed into the tapped hole 63 until the head 70 is tightly screwed home in the bottom of the cavity 14.

Then the shoe 6 can no longer pivot in the direction of the arrow F2. This locks the stop in the required position.

To install the stop on a section bar 9 with outwardly turned edges 91,92, the notch 22 engages against the edge 91 as illustrated in figure 5A, then the stop is tilted in the direction of the arrow F1 so as to slide the edge 92 against the leg 3 until by resilient movement of the leg, the edge 92 is resiliently locked in the notch 31 by means of the resilient installation of the shoe 5. During this operation, the leg 3 pivots with the shoe 5 about the tendon 51, firstly in the direction of the arrow F2, thus opening the slot 50, then, when the edge 92 locks against the notch 31 in the direction of the arrow F3 shown in figure 5B.

In this locking position, the screw 7 is then screwed into the tapped hole 53 until the head 70 is tightly screwed home in the bottom of the cavity 12.

Then the shoe 5 can no longer pivot in the direction of the arrow F2. This locks the stop in the required position.

In both cases, the screw 7 can previously be engaged in the tapped holes 63 or 53. Indeed, because there are oblong holes 11 and 13, the screw 7 can pivot with the shoe 6 or 4 when the resilient lock notch 41 or31 engages on the edge 92 or 82 of the supporting section bar.

Claims

1. An end stop for a row of electrical terminal blocks mounted on a parallel-edged section bar, the stop including a rigidly mounted fixing leg for engaging one side of the bar and at least one resiliently mounted latching member for engaging the opposing side of the bar, the said resiliently mounted member comprising a shoe with a bearing surface for engaging an upper edge of the said opposing side of the bar and a leg projecting from the lower portion of the shoe to constitute a lock notch for fixing against the corresponding lower edge of the said opposing side of the bar, the shoe including a tapped hole in which there is screwed a screw which passes through a bore of the upper body of the stop, the head of the screw being applied against the upper surface of the body of the stop in a stop-locking position.

2. A stop according to claim 1, wherein the head of the screw when in the locking position is disposed at the bottom of a cavity in the upper surface of the body of the stop.

3. A stop according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the latching member is resiliently hinged to the body of the stop by a tendon disposed adjacent to a separation slot lying between the body of the stop and the latching member

4. A stop according to claim 1,2 or 3, including a plurality of shoes with resiliently mounted latching members which are adaptable to several types of parallel-edged section bar for supporting terminal blocks.

5. A stop according to any preceding claim, wherein the bore of the upper body of the stop is oblong.

6. An end stop for a row of electrical terminal blocks, the stop being substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.