GB2134336A - Mounting electrical components on rails - Google Patents
Mounting electrical components on rails Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2134336A GB2134336A GB08400525A GB8400525A GB2134336A GB 2134336 A GB2134336 A GB 2134336A GB 08400525 A GB08400525 A GB 08400525A GB 8400525 A GB8400525 A GB 8400525A GB 2134336 A GB2134336 A GB 2134336A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- mounting
- securing member
- contactor
- mounting member
- movement
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02B—BOARDS, SUBSTATIONS OR SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SUPPLY OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
- H02B1/00—Frameworks, boards, panels, desks, casings; Details of substations or switching arrangements
- H02B1/015—Boards, panels, desks; Parts thereof or accessories therefor
- H02B1/04—Mounting thereon of switches or of other devices in general, the switch or device having, or being without, casing
- H02B1/052—Mounting on rails
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Switch Cases, Indication, And Locking (AREA)
Abstract
A mounting assembly for the mounting of electrical contactors on a "din rail", comprises a mounting plate secured to a contactor (6), the mounting plate comprising a relatively rigid securing member (30), and a relatively resilient securing member (32) clipped over the mounting rail. The mounting plate has two parts, each secured to one of two body parts of the contactor, and each capable of undergoing relative movement, enabling the interior of the contactor to be accessed without removal of the contactor from the mounting plate. The mounting plate comprises means (50) accessible from the exterior of the mounting plate, to release the resilient securing member (32) from the mounting rail. A resilient support member (36) urges the securing member (32) against movement in a release direction, to hold the securing member in a position in which it retains the mounting plate on the mounting rail, should the resilience of the securing member fail. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Improvements relating to mounting assemblies
Description of invention
This invention is concerned with improvements relating to mounting assemblies, in particular, to the provision of means for enabling electrical contactors to be mounted on a mounting rail.
A conventional electrical contactor (hereinafter referred to as being of the kind specified) comprises a two-part housing, frequently secured together by clips, and containing electro-magnetic switching mechanism and contacts for the switching mechanism. When it is required to gain access to the interior of the housing, e.g. for the purposes of maintenance, such as replacement of the coil or contacts, the clips are removed and the housing parts are separated.
A conventional mounting means for electric switches including contactors, is a mounting rail of the kind conventionally termed a "din rail" which comprises a base portion, and parallel, upwardlyextending flanges provided with narrow out-turned lips. A conventional manner of mounting a contactor of the kind specified on such a mounting rail involves the use of a mounting member or plate which is secured to the base of the contactor, and which comprises means by which the mounting plate, and the contactor secured thereto, may be secured to the mounting rail.
Difficulty is encountered when it is subsequently necessary to gain access to the interior of the housing of the contactor as aforesaid, since it is then not only necessary to remove the mounting plate from the mounting rail, but it is also necessary to remove the contactor from the mounting plate, and particularly where the mounting plate is moulded from plastics material, this is often difficult.
According to this invention there is provided a mounting member suitable for a contactorofthe kind specified, comprising:
(a) a first mounting means to enable the mounting member to be secured to the contactor; and
(b) second mounting means to enable the mounting member and the contactor secured thereto to be secured to a mounting rail; the construction and arrangement of the mounting member being such that relative separative movement between the housing parts of the contactor may be effected whilst the housing parts are secured to the mounting member.
Thus to gain access to the interior of the housing, it is simply necessary to remove the mounting member from the mounting rail, and it is not necessary to move the contactor from the mounting member.
Preferably the mounting member comprises two parts capable of relative (e.g. arcuate) movement.
Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting member comprises two parts joined together by a relatively thin web, the two parts each being adapted to be secured to a respective one of the two parts of the housing of the contactor.
In this manner, since it is not necessary that the contactor be capable of ready removal from the mounting member, the first means by which the mounting member is secured to the contactor may be such as will provide a more robust and/or safer securement between the mounting member and the contactor.
Preferably the mounting member comprises supporting means which, in a first condition, prevents or restrains such movement of the mounting member as is necessary to accommodate relative separative movement between the housing parts of the contactor, and a second condition in which such movement may be effected. Conveniently, change of the supporting means from its first to its second condition involves permanent modification thereof: thus the supporting means may comprise a reinforcing member which normally prevents or restrains such movement, and which may be severed to permit such movement.
In this manner, the supporting means when in its first condition assists the mounting of the contactor on the mounting member. Subsequently, there being reduced reason for removal of the contactor from the mounting member, the supporting means may be dispensed with.
Additionally, in a conventional mounting plate for the mounting of electrical contactors and the like on a mounting rail, it is conventional to utilise a securing member provided with an in-turned flange adapted to be clipped over a lip of the mounting rail, and which is in the form of a body of moulded plastics material which is resilient (necessary to allow the securing member to be moved away from the lip for securing to and removal from the rail) by virtue of its being of plastics material. Conventionally such a securing member is used in conjunction with a further, relatively rigid securing member.
Difficulty is encountered in such a construction, in the moving of the securing member in a manner such as to enable the mounting plate to be removed from the mounting rail.
Thus according to this invention there is also provided a mounting member, for mounting a component on a mounting rail, and comprising a resilient securing member adapted to be clipped over one side of the mounting rail, and a release member connected to the securing member in a manner in which the release member may effect movement of the securing member between operative and inoperative positions, and which is accessible from the exterior of the mounting plate.
In this manner when it is necessary to remove the mounting member from the mounting rail, the securing member may be moved against its resilience by the use of the release member without difficulty.
Conveniently the mounting member comprises a second securing member opposed to the resilient securing member, and which is rigid as compared with the resilient securing member.
The release member may be connected directly to the resilient securing member, or may be connected thereto through the intermediary of a further member.
Conveniently, the release member extends through an aperture in a side wall of the mounting member, and is conveniently afforded by a length of bent wire.
Another difficulty encountered in a conventional mounting plate, is that with age the plastics from which it is formed may lose its resilience and become brittle, and fail on release movement of the securing member to return to its initial position, with the danger that the securing member does not adequately secure the mounting member, and hence the component, to the mounting rail.
Thus according to a further aspect of this invention there is provided a mounting member for mounting a component on a mounting rail, and comprising a resilient securing member adapted to be clipped over one side of the mounting rail, wherein a supplementary resilient supporting member is secured adjacent to the securing member, and is adapted to restrain the securing member against movement to release the mounting member from the mounting rail.
In this manner, should the resilience of the securing member fail, the resilience of the supplementary member will hold the securing member in a position in which it retains the mounting member on the mounting rail.
Conveniently, the supplementary member is afforded by a length of wire, the end portions of which are located in fixed positions in relation to the mounting member, and which extends along one side face of the securing member.
Preferably the supplementary member of the last three preceding paragraphs is utilised in conjunction with a release member of the last preceding paragraph but seven.
There will now be given a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a mounting member for a contactorofthe kind specified, which is a preferred embodiment of this invention and which has been selected for the
purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view, as seen from the underneath, of a contactor of the kind specified and the mounting member which is the preferred embodiment of this invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view, as seen from above, of the contactor and mounting member;
Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of part of the mounting member, showing a release member and supplementary supporting member thereof;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view on Figure 3; and
Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of part of the mounting member, illustrating a modified arrangement of release member and supplementary supporting member thereof.
The contactor shown in Figure 1, being of the kind specified, comprises a housing 6 comprising a base part8 and a superstructure 10 extending upwardly from the base part, the housing comprising two parts 6a, 6b, which are linearly separable on a joint line 12, to expose the electro-magnetic switching mechanism located within the housing, and various internal contacts. The housing parts 6a and 6b are retained together against separative movement by spring clips 14, in conventional manner.
The base part 8 comprises, at each of the four corners thereof, a bore 16 to enable the contactor to be bolted to a supporting structure.
The mounting member which is the preferred embodiment of this invention is in the form of a plate 20 comprising a body moulded in one piece from plastics material and comprises a generally flat mounting surface 22 which is rectangular in outline, side walls 24a, 24b, extending downwardly from.the mounting surface, and end walls 26a, 26b.
Extending upwardly from the mounting surface 24 at each of the four corners thereof, are four spigots 28, so positioned and shaped as to enable them to be pressed through the bores 16 of the contactor whereby the contactor may be retained securely in position on the mounting surface 22. In the preferred embodiment it is envisaged that the spigots are such that the contactor cannot subsequently be removed from the mounting plate without destruction thereof, but of course if desired the spigots may be such as to render the mounting plate capable of subsequently being separated from the contactor.
The side walls 24 are of a lesser depth than the end walls 26, and extending downwardly from the mounting surface 22 between the end walls 26 are spaced securing members 30 and 32, each of which being provided at a lower end portion thereof, with an inwardly-facing securing formation 34a and 34b respectively.The securing member 30 is thicker than the securing member 32, and is relatively rigid: the securing member 32 is capable of undergoing flexing movement towards and away from the formation 34a of the securing member 30, and is urged into a first position, somewhat closer to the securing member 30, by its own natural resilience and by a straight wire spring 36 extending on the rear side of the securing member 32, opposite end portions of the spring 36 being located within recesses 37 of formations 38 of the mounting plate and passing adjacent to the mounting plate across a shoulder 31 thereof (see Figure 3).
In the use of the mounting plate 20, the formation 32 of the securing member 30 may be positioned beneath one oftheout-turned lips 42 of a conventional din rail 44, and by arcuate movement of the mounting plate towards the din rail a cam face 35 of the formation 34b is pressed against the other lip 42 of the din rail, deflecting the securing member 32 outwardly and over the edge of the lip, and subsequently inwardly beneath the din rail lip to hold the mounting plate on the din rail.
When it is required to remove the mounting plate 20 from the mounting rail 44, it is necessary to move the securing member 32 away from said first position, in the direction A (Figure 4), against its natural resilience and against the resilience of the spring 36. To enable this to be done without difficulty, the mounting plate is provided with a release member 50, being of generally U-shape, as shown in Figure 3, end portions of the limbs of which being bent downwardly to enable them to be inserted into short bores 52 of the shoulder 31. The base of the release member 50 extends through an aperture 54 in one of the side walls of the mounting plate, and enables, by grasping with fingers or with a tool, the securing member 32 to be moved away from its first position without the necessity to gain access to interior parts of the mounting plate adjacent to the mounting rail.
Desirably said end portions of the release member 50 extend between the shoulder 31 and the spring 36, as is shown in Figure 4, whereby the spring 36 restrains said end portions against separation from the bores 52. Should the natural resilience of the securing member 32 fail, whether due to age or repeated use or a combination thereof, the wire spring 36 will urge the securing member into its first position, thereby providing a supplementary resilient support with reduced the danger that the securing member 22 does not adequately secure the mounting plate to the mounting rail.
In a modified construction of the preferred embodiment, illustrated in Figure 5, the release member 50 is not connected directly to the securing member 32, but is instead secured to the spring 36. thus, when it is desired to release the mounting plate from the mounting rail, the base of the release member 50 which is accessible from the outside wall of the mounting plate may be moved in the direction shown in Figure 4, causing the spring 36 to be moved in a direction in which it in turn causes the securing member to move to its release position.
Each of the side walls 24 is provided with a
V-shaped recess 40, and the thickness of the mounting surface 22 is such as to allow relative hinging movement between the two parts of the mounting plate on opposite sides of a line joining the apexes of the recesses. Thus when the mounting plate 20 is secured to the contactor, when it is desired to gain access to the interior of the housing the clips 14 may be removed, and the two parts 6a and 6b of the housing may be moved apart by relative arcuate movement whilst in position on the mounting plate.
Thus, when a contactor of the kind specified is secured to the mounting plate for securement to the mounting rail, it is not necessary for the contactorto be removed from the mounting plate when it is desired to gain access to the interior of the housing for maintenance purposes.
In the preferred embodiment each of the side walls 24 is provided with a supporting bar 41 extending across the recess 40, and which prevents relative movement between the two parts of the mounting plate. In this manner the mounting plate may be secured to the contactor relatively easily, and the combination of contactor and mounting plate may be mounted on a mounting rail, and when it is necessary to gain access to the interior of the housing for maintenance purposes, the reinforcing bars may be cut away by the use of a sharp blade to allow the relative arcuate movement between the two parts of the mounting plate as aforesaid. It will be appreciated that such removal of the supporting bars will not impair the re-mounting of the mounting member on the mounting rail subsequent to the re-assembly of the contactor.
Whilst the mounting plate which is the preferred embodiment of this invention is specifically designed for securementto a contactor of the kind specified, it may of course be used in the mounting
of other components on a mounting rail, and for this
purpose the mounting plate may be desired with
ancillary formations, such as holes 46, for interior fixing for such secondary use.
Additionally whilst the mounting plate has been
designed specifically for use in readily enabling a contactor of the kind specified to be mounted on a mounting rail, the mounting plate may be provided with ancillary formations to enable the mounting
plate to be used in the securement of contactors to
mounting means other than the conventional mounting rail, when this is desired.
Claims (18)
1. Amounting member suitable for a contactor ofthe kind specified, comprising:
(a) first mounting means to enable the mounting member to be secured to the contactor; and
(b) second mounting means to enable the mounting member and the contactor secured thereto to be secured to a mounting rail; the construction and arrangement of the mounting member being such that relative separative movement between the housing parts of the contactor may be effected whilst the housing parts are secured to the mounting member.
2. A mounting member according to Claim 1 comprising two parts capable of relative movement.
3. A mounting member according to Claim 2 wherein the two parts are joined together by a relatively thin web, the two parts each being adapted to be secured to a respective one of the two parts of the housing of the contactor.
4. A mounting member according to any one of the preceding claims comprising supporting means which, in a first condition, prevents or restrains such movement of the mounting member as is necessary to accommodate relative separative movement between the housing parts of the contactor, and a second condition in which such movement may be effected.
5. A mounting member according to Claim 4 wherein change of the supporting means from its first to its second condition involves permanent modification thereof.
6. A mounting member according to one of
Claims 4 and 5 wherein the supporting means comprises a reinforcing member which normally prevents or restrains such movement, and which may be severed to permit such movement.
7. A mounting member, for mounting a component on a mounting rail, and comprising a resilient securing member adapted to be clipped over one side of the mounting rail, and a release member connected to the securing member in a manner in which the release member may effect movement of the securing member between operative and inoperative positions, and which is accessible from the exterior of the mounting plate.
8. A mounting member according to Claim 7 comprising a second securing member opposed to said resilient securing member, and which is rigid as compared with the resilient securing member.
9. A mounting member according to one of
Claims 7 and 8 wherein the release member is connected directly to the resilient securing member.
10. A mounting member according to one of
Claims 7 and 8 wherein the release member is connected to the resilient securing member through the intermediary of a further member.
11. A mounting member according to any one of
Claims 7 to 10 wherein the release member extends through an aperture in a side wall of the mounting member.
12. A mounting member according to any one of
Claims 7 to 11 wherein the release member is afforded by a length of bent wire.
13. A mounting member for mounting acompo- nent on a mounting rail, and comprising a resilient securing member adapted to be clipped over one side of the mounting rail, wherein a supplementary resilient supporting member is secured adjacent to the securing member, and is adapted to restrain the securing member against movement to release the mounting member from the mounting rail.
14. A mounting member according to Claim 13 wherein the supplementary member is afforded by a length of wire, the end portions of which are located in fixed positions in relation to the mounting member, and which extends along one side face of the securing member.
15. A mounting member according to one of
Claims 13 and 14, comprising a release member connected to the securing member in a manner in which the release member may effect movement of the securing member between operative and inoperative positions, and which is accessible from the exterior of the mounting plate.
16. A mounting member according to Claim 1 comprising the features set out in (a) Claims 7 to 12, andlor (b) Claims 13 to 15.
17. A mounting member for the mounting of a component on a mounting rail, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
18. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB08400525A GB2134336A (en) | 1983-02-02 | 1984-01-10 | Mounting electrical components on rails |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB838302849A GB8302849D0 (en) | 1983-02-02 | 1983-02-02 | Mounting assemblies |
| GB08400525A GB2134336A (en) | 1983-02-02 | 1984-01-10 | Mounting electrical components on rails |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8400525D0 GB8400525D0 (en) | 1984-02-15 |
| GB2134336A true GB2134336A (en) | 1984-08-08 |
Family
ID=26285108
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB08400525A Withdrawn GB2134336A (en) | 1983-02-02 | 1984-01-10 | Mounting electrical components on rails |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2134336A (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2623963A1 (en) * | 1987-11-26 | 1989-06-02 | Lepaillier Patrick | Support for fixing electrical or electronic accessories to a profile |
| EP1713099A1 (en) * | 2005-04-11 | 2006-10-18 | Murr-Elektronik Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung | Base attachment for a transformer |
| GB2433846A (en) * | 2005-12-27 | 2007-07-04 | Boeing Co | Electrical connector having a modular bracket to secure the connector to a support |
-
1984
- 1984-01-10 GB GB08400525A patent/GB2134336A/en not_active Withdrawn
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2623963A1 (en) * | 1987-11-26 | 1989-06-02 | Lepaillier Patrick | Support for fixing electrical or electronic accessories to a profile |
| EP1713099A1 (en) * | 2005-04-11 | 2006-10-18 | Murr-Elektronik Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung | Base attachment for a transformer |
| GB2433846A (en) * | 2005-12-27 | 2007-07-04 | Boeing Co | Electrical connector having a modular bracket to secure the connector to a support |
| US7524214B2 (en) | 2005-12-27 | 2009-04-28 | The Boeing Company | Electrical quick lock interconnect |
| GB2433846B (en) * | 2005-12-27 | 2010-07-07 | Boeing Co | Electrical quick lock interconnect |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB8400525D0 (en) | 1984-02-15 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |