GB2140983A

GB2140983A - A bi-polar adaptor for multi-polar armoured electric lines forming part of installations for the illumination of interiors

Info

Publication number: GB2140983A
Application number: GB08411001A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Guido Zucchini
Original assignee: PROFILUX Srl
Current assignee: PROFILUX Srl
Priority date: 1983-04-28
Filing date: 1984-04-30
Publication date: 1984-12-05
Also published as: CH658942A5; FR2545288B3; BE899532A; GB2140983B; FR2545288A1; IT8321669V0; DE3415899A1; GB8411001D0

Abstract

The adaptor 12 comprises a first casing 51 which is a sliding-fit into a length of channelling 2 of inverted U cross section carrying internally two sets 7a, 7b of electrical conductors facing each other. Integral with the casing 51 is a second casing 52 which remains outside the channel 2 and is for connection to an illumination unit. Three contacts 16, 17, 18 project from the same side of the casing 51 and are operated so as to be moved towards the conductors 7a, 7b by cams 25 and 26 of a control shaft 24 which is free to move vertically and is arranged at right angles to the contacts. The cam 25 permanently engages the contact 16 but one of two cams 26 selectively engages the contact 17 or 18 according to the selected position of the shaft 24. Means for operating the control shaft and locking the adaptor structure to the channelling include a knob control grip 22 provided with a blind hole in which one end of the control shaft is rigidly inserted. The grip controls the projection of the contacts, and is provided peripherally with a recess (34), Fig. 4 (not shown), into which by a sliding fit a retention pin (35) enters. The pin is connected to a push-button 36 which can be moved vertically against the pressure of a spring 38. The contacts 17, 18, 19 are arranged in axial alignment and co-operate with right-angle flanged plates 30, 33 forming terminals for clamping electric cables connected to the illumination unit and inserted into adaptor through the second casing 52. Locking of the adaptor to the channel 2 is by a rotating latch 20 moved by the grip 22. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A bi-polar adaptor for multi-polar armoured electric lines forming part of installations for the illumination of interiors This invention relates to a bi-polar adaptor for multi-polar armoured electric lines forming part of installations for indoor illumination, comprising a first casing intended to make contact by sliding insertion into a length of channelling having a cross-section of inverted U-shape and which channelling carries internally two sets of electrical conductors facing each other, a second casing for connection to a unit, said second casing being in one piece or fast with the said first casing and intended to remain outside the channelling, a trio of contacts projecting from the same side of the first casing, the contacts being operable so as to be moved towards the conductors by cams of a shaft which is free to move vertically and arranged substantially at right angles to the contacts, means of operating the said control shaft and locking the same in the preselected position, as well as means of locking the adaptor structure to the channelling.

As is well known, a bi-polar adaptor for multi-polar electric lines of armoured type is a device which is inserted into the channelling carrying the electric lines and permitting firm contact with the conductors of the latter. By then making the necessary connections of the electric cables of an illumination unit with the adaptor terminals, the user can fit the said illumination unit to the adaptor itself. With the aid of these adaptors, therefore, the illumination units may be placed at the most convenient points of the line to suit the users' requirements. At present bi-polar adaptors of the type described above are available on the market in numerous forms.All these adaptors essentially take the form of a first casing containing the contacts and a second casing connected below the first, which contains the means of operation and locking, also the means for connection to the illumination unit.

The first casing is intended to be inserted com- pletely within the chanelling carrying the electric lines, whilst the second casing is intended to project completely from the channeling.

This second casing, owing either two its actual construction or to the complexity of the design of the above-mentioned means of operation and locking, constitutes a rather cumbersome and difficult-tohandle structure.

The main purpose of the invention is that of overcoming or at least mitigating the abovementioned disadvantages by constructing a bi-polar adpator for multi-polar electric lines of armoured type, which is designed so as to be less cumbersome than the known adaptors, at least as regards the second or connection casing which projects outside the channelling.

Another important purpose is that of producing an adaptor having components which are structually simplified so that, on one hand the costs of construction may be reduced, and on the other the use of the adaptor by the users may be made easier.

According to the invention there is provided a bi-polar adaptor for multi-polar electric lines of armoured type forming part of installations for the illumination of interiors, the adaptor comprising a first casing intended for sliding-fit insertion into a length of channelling which is of inverted U-shape cross section and carries internally two sets of electrical conductors facing each other, a second casing for connection to an illumination unit, said casing being in one piece or fast with the said first casing and intended to remain outside the channel, a trio of contacts projecting from the same side of the first casing, the contacts being operable so as to be moved towards the conductors by cams of a control shaft which is free to move vertically and is arranged substantially at right angles to the contacts, means of operating the control shaft and locking the adpator structure to the chanelling, said means of operation including a control grip provided with a blind hole in which one end of the said control shaft is rigidly inserted, said control grip controlling the projection of the contacts, and being provided peripherally with a recess into which by a sliding fit a retention pin enters supported by a push-buttom which can be moved vertically against pressure of spring means, and the said contacts being appropriately arranged in axial alignment and co-operating with plates flanged at substantially right-angles to form terminals for the attachment of electric cables connected to the illumination unit.

These purposes, and others, which will appear more clearly from the following description, will be achieved in accordance with the present invention by a design of bi-polar adaptor for multi-polar armoured electric lines forming part of installations forthe illumination of interiors which ischaracte- rised by the fact that the said means of operation include a grip provided with a blind hole, into which is rigidly inserted one end of the said shaft which controls the exit of the contacts, and provided peripherally with a recess into which a retention pin slides, this being connected to a push-button which moves vertically against the pressure of a spring; the said contacts being correspondingly arranged in axial alignment and co-operating with plates flanged at right angles to form terminals to grip the electric cables from the illumination unit.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of adaptorformed according to the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 shows in cross section a multi-polar armoured electric line in which the adaptor shown in front elevation is inserted; Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views from either side of the adaptor; Figure 4 is a cross-section on a larger scale, showing internal components, of the adaptor in the previous Figures, and Figure 5 is a "partially cut away" perspective view of the adaptor.

With reference to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular, 1 constitutes a general indication of a multi-polar electric line - in the present case hexapo lar - of armoured type. This line comprises a length of channelling 2 made from anodised aluminium with a cross-section generally in the form of an inverted-U. The length of channelling 2 is provided at the top with a pair of projections in the form of hooks 3 which serve to fix the channelling in the premises in which it is to be used. Internally the channelling 2 is provided with two projections 4 at the top and two projections 5 at the bottom, these latter being of hooked form to facilitate the fitting of two continuous support units 6 made from insulating material, for example polyvinyl chloride.The support units 6 extend lengthwise inside the channelling 2 and are provided with appropriate seatings 6a and 6b, facing each other which act as housings for longitudinal electrical conductors 7a and 7b, of which there are three in each support unit 6.

After the channelling 2 is fitted, the electrical conductors 7a face the conductors 7b and are accessible along longitudinal openings 8a and 8b facing inwardly of the channelling 2.

In its upper portion, the channelling 2 is also provided internally with a seating 9 extending lengthwise and suitable for housing an earth wire 10.

Finally, 11 indicates two bottom flanges of the channelling 2 which mark the end of its open area.

With particular reference to Figures 2 to 5,12 indicates generally an adpator having a first casing 51 for contacts and a second, lower connection casing 52.

The casing 51 is intended to be a sliding fit into the channelling 2, whilst the second casing 52 is designed to accept the attachment of an illumination unit not shown in the drawings.

The contact casing 51 is provided on one side with three apertures 13,14 and 15 through which project three contacts 16, 17 and 18, appropriately arranged in axial alignment and intended to make electrical contact, respectively and alternatively, with the conductors 7a and 7b, according to the way in which the adaptor 12 is arranged inside the chanelling 2.

A slit 19 on each side of the contact casing 51 is provided to allow the projection of means of locking the adaptor 12 to the channelling 2.

This means comprises a latch device 20 secured externally by a unit 21 fixed in one piece to a knob or control grip 22. In the middle of the coupling 21 and the grip 22 is a blind hole 23 housing one end 24a of a control shaft 24 with which a cam 25 and a double-cam arrangement 26 are fast.

The grip 22 is fast, for rotation, with the shaft 24 and the double-cam arrangement 26, whilst the shaft is free to move axially along its own axis for reasons which will become clear below.

With particular reference to Figures 4 and 5, contact 16 is formed by a piece bent over at an end of a fixed, resilient, metal strip 27, secured at its opposite end to the contact housing 51 by means of a screw 28. The above-mentioned opposite end of the strip 27 co-operates, by means of screw 29, with a flanged plate 30 of L-shaped cross-section, to form a terminal for the fixing of an electric cable (not shown) fixed to the illumination unit. The strip 27 is permanently engaged by the cam 25 formed of insulating material.

Similarly to contact 16, also contacts 17 and 18 are formed by bending over the free ends of arms of a U-shaped rsilient metal strip 31, fixed to the casing 51 by means of a pair of screws 62 and 63.

The metal strip 31 is provided with an extension 31 a intended to co-operate, by means of a screw 32, with another L-shaped plate 33 to form a terminal for gripping the other cable (not shown in Figures 4 and 5) connected with the illumination unit.

By moving the double cam device 26 upwards or downwards one of the two cams connected thereto is brought alternatively into contact with the arm of the strip 31 carrying the contact 17 or that arm carrying the contact 18. In this way the pre-selected contact for a particular use, is made to project from the aperture 14 or 15.

With particular reference to Figure 4, the control grip 22 is provided peripherally with a recess 34 which receives as a sliding fit a pin 35 supported by a push-buttom 36.

The push-buttom 36 is fitted in a suitable seating 37 arranged in the first casing 51,the push-buttom being urged down by a helical spring 38 arranged in the seating 37.

Still with particular reference to Figures 4 and 5, a strip 39 is provided for contact with the earth lead 10 (Figure 1). The upper end of the strip 39 is pressed upwards by a spring 40 arranged in a suitable housing fitted to correspond with the upper end of the casing 51. The other end of the strip 39 is associated with a clamping unit 41 supported by a screw 42 fitted in a seat 43 so that even when fully unscrewed, the screw 42 and the clamping unit 41, which thus form a genuine terminal, cannot fall into or out of the adaptor.

With reference to Figure 3, for the choice of the contact 17 or 18 to be used, there is provided on the casing 51 an aperture 44from which project partially the cams of the double-cam arrangement 26. Still with reference to Figure 3,45 indicates a flexible tongue made from a part of the second casing 52 and intended to act as a stop for the latch 20 of the locking means when the adaptor is disconnected from the channelling.

When the adaptor is connected to the chanelling as a result of the pressure exerted by the lower edge 11 of the channelling on the flexibie tongue 45, the latter moves downwards leaving the latch 20 free to rotate and fix the adaptor to the channelling 2 where the latch may press on the flanges 11. Finally 46 indicates a hollow portion of the connection casing 52, the inside of which is accessible through a hole 47 formed lower down to facilitate the insertion of the electric cable of the illumination unit to be connected to the terminals of the adaptor.

From the above description, the method of operation of the adaptor covered by the present invention will be found extremely simple.

The adaptor 12 can be connected to the channelling 2 in one of two positions differing from each other by 180".

In the first position connection with the conductors 7b is possible, whereas in the other position the connection will be with the conductors 7a, whilst in each position connection with the earth lead 10 is assured.

As regards the other contacts, whilst the connection of the contact 16 with one of the conductors 7a or 7b is obligatory, a choice is available between the other conductors 7a or 7b by moving the double cam device 26 vertically so as to switch successively to contact 17 or contact 18.

The adaptor is connected to the channelling 2 in the manner desired, with the push-button 36 in the raised position and with the control grip 22 arranged as shown in FigureS. In this way the control grip is free to rotate and can be rotated so that the corresponding cams on the shaft 24 an the double cam arrangement 26 press, via the respective strips 27 and 31 on to the contacts 16 and 17 or 18. At the same time the latch 20 which locks the adaptor to the channelling is rotated. At this point the push button 36 is automatically released and inserts the pin 35 into the recess 34 so that the electrical contacts with the conductors of the line remain "live" without the possibility of their being accidentally or involuntarily disconnected. The adaptor thus achieves the purposes suggested of a considerable structural simplification with a reduction in manufacturing costs and of space required, particularly as far as concerns the second casing 52 which remains outside the channelling 2.

Claims

1. A bi-polar adaptor for multi-polar electric lines of armoured type forming part of installations for the illumination of interiors, the adaptor comprising a first casing intended for sliding-fit insertion into a length of channelling which is of inverted U-shape cross section and carries internally two sets of electrical conductors facing each other, a second casing for connection to an illumination unit, said second casing being in one piece or fast with the said first casing and intended to remain outside the channel, a trio of contacts projecting from the same side of the first casing the contacts being operable so as to be moved towards the conductors by cams of a control shaft which is free to move vertically and is arranged substantially at right angles to the contacts, means of operating the control shaft and locking the adaptor structure to the channelling and means of operation including a control grip provided with a blind hole, in which one end of the said control shaft is rigidly inserted, said control grip controlling the projection of the contacts and being provided peripherally with a recess into which by a sliding fit a retention pin enters supported by a push-button which can be moved vertically against pressure of spring means, and the said contacts being appropriately arranged in axial alignment and co-operating with plates flanged at substantialy right-angles to form terminals for the attachment of electric cables connected to the illumination unit.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, in which the second casing is provided with a flexible tongue, made from the same piece, which, when the adaptor is disconnected from the channelling prevents the operation of the locking mechanism of the adaptor to the chanelling itself.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the spring means which opposes vertical movement of the push-button is a helical spring housed in the same seating in which the push-button itself is housed.

4. A bi-polar adaptor for multi-polar electric lines of armoured type forming part of installations for the illumination of interiors, said adaptor being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.