GB2149843A

GB2149843A - Switch box

Info

Publication number: GB2149843A
Application number: GB8428356A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Manfred Wetzel
Original assignee: Rittal Werk Rudolf Loh GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Rittal Werk Rudolf Loh GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1983-11-09
Filing date: 1984-11-09
Publication date: 1985-06-19
Also published as: GB8428356D0; SE8405313L; FR2554648B1; DE3340491C1; SE450449B; FR2554648A1; GB2149843B; SE8405313D0

Abstract

A switch box has a box-like base portion (10) with an inwardly displaced closure rim (12) and a cover (14) which closes the opening of the base portion and is provided with rim (15), wherein the rim (15) of the cover (14) extends over the closure rim (12) of the base portion (10) at a spacing therefrom and the cover (14) is pivotally connected to the base portion (10), at one side, by means of at least two hinges. Each hinge has a first hinge member (17), comprising a plate (18) with the cover rim (15) located by L-shaped projections (21, 22) and secured by a screw (32), and a second hinge member (25) having an eye portion (27) located between eye portions of the first hinge member (17) and pivoted thereto by pin (24). A web portion extends from the eye portion (27) and has a fixing plate (28) extending perpendicularly from its free end. The rim (12) of the base portion (10) is secured by a screw (33) to the fixing plate (28). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Switch box The invention relates to a switch box comprising a box-like base portion having an inwardly displaced closure rim and a cover portion which closes the opening of the base portion and is provided with a rim, in which the rim of the cover portion extends over the closure rim of the base portion at a spacing and the cover portion is pivotally connected to the base portion along one side by means of at least two hinges.

A very wide range of different hinges have already been used in switch boxes of the above-indicated kind, in order to give a range of pivotal movement of 180 . Usually, the component expenditure is considerable particularly when the hinges are moved into the interior of the switch box, as disclosed in German Utility Model No. 83 08 787. Shifting the hinges into the interior of the switch box restricts useful utilisation of the space within the switch box.

According to the invention there is provided a switch box comprising a box-like base portion having an inwardly displaced closure rim and a cover portion which closes the opening of the base portion and is provided with a rim, in which the rim of the cover portion extends over the closure rim of the base portion at a spacing; the cover is pivotally connected to the base portion along one side by means of at least two hinges; each hinge comprises a first hinge member and a second hinge member; the first hinge member comprises a hinge plate with a screwthreaded bore therein and is secured to the outside of the rim of the cover portion by means of a screw which is screwed into the bore from the inside of the rim of the cover portion through an aperture in the cover portion, at least one mounting eye which projects below the lower edge of the rim of the cover portion is provided at the lower edge of the hinge plate and an L-shaped holding projection is provided on the or each mounting eye and, with the hinge plate, forms receiving means for the rim of the cover portion; and the second hinge member has at least one cooperating mounting eye pivotally connected by means of a mounting pin to the mounting eye or eyes of the first hinge member, a web portion extends from the or each cooperating mounting eye and a fixing plate with a screwthreaded bore therein extends from the free end of the fixing plate perpendicular thereto and is secured to the outside of the closure rim of the base portion by means of a screw which is screwed into said further screwthreaded bore from the inside of the closure rim through an aperture in the closure rim.

With such a configuration of hinge, only two simple hinge members are required for each hinge, and those hinge members can be non-rotatably fixed in position in each case by means of a single screw, as the received rim of the cover portion non-rotatably fixes the first hinge member and the second hinge member is non-rotatably mounted to the first hinge member by way of the mounting pin.

The hinges essentially only require space between the closure rim of the base portion and the rim of the cover. When the cover is in the closed position, virtually only the hinge plate of the first hinge member projects at the outside of the switch box, and is visible at that position. The screws are within the switch box and are not visible. In that connection, the appearance of the arrangement may be further enhanced by the screwthreaded bore in the hinge plate of the first hinge member being closed on the outside of the hinge plate.

The non-rotatable fixing of the first hinge member to the rim of the cover can be further enhanced by the mounting eyes of the first hinge member being arranged at the ends of the lower edge of the hinge plate and the screwthreaded bore being formed in the hinge plate centrally between the two mounting eyes, while the L-shaped holding projections are disposed with the end limb portions thereof at a spacing from the back of the hinge plate of the first hinge member, that spacing corresponding to the thickness of the rim of the cover.

The appearance of the visible hinge members can be made more pleasing by the upper edge of the hinge plate of the first hinge member terminating in a tapered configuration.

So that the cover, in the closed condition, automatically takes up the correct position with respect to the base portion, an embodiment provides that the web portion on the second hinge member fixes the fixing plate, in the closed position of the cover, in such a way that, with the side thereof that is remote from the mounting pin, it coincides with the outside of the closure rim of the base portion.

The screws for mounting the hinges in position certainly do not impede the operation of closing the cover when the design configuration is such that the side, that is towards the mounting pin, of the fixing plate of the second hinge membe, when the cover is in the closed position, is at a spacing from the inside of the rim of the cover, which is greater than the height of the head of the screw which fixes the first hinge member in place.

The closed position of the cover may be defined, in the region of the hinges, by the web portion of the second hinge member bearing against the lower edge of the rim of the cover, when the cover is in the closed position.

In accordance with an embodiment, the pivotal connection of the two hinge members may also be such that only one mounting eye is provided on the hinge plate of the first hinge member and two co-operating mounting eyes are provided on the fixing plate of the second hinge member.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a partly sectional view showing a hinge which pivotally connects a cover portion to a base portion of a switch box according to the invention, part of the cover portion and the base portion also being shown; Figure 2 shows the hinge of Fig. 1 in the closed position, viewing onto the inside; and Figure 3 shows a side view of the hinge illustrated in Fig. 2.

As diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1, a base portion 10 of a switch box terminates in a closure edge portion or rim 1 2 which is at a set-back location. An inclined transitional portion 11 determines the spacing between the closure rim 1 2 and an edge portion or rim 1 5 or a cover 14, in the closed position. The free end of the closure rim 1 2 is bent over again to extend in'a direction towards the rim 1 5 of the cover 14 and may perform a sealing function, in conjunction with a sealing element on the rim 1 5 of the cover 14.

The cover 14 is pivotally connected along one side to the base portion 10 by means of at least two hinges. Each hinge comprises a first hinge member 1 7 and a second hinge member 25. The first hinge member 1 7 has a hinge plate 18 which is fixed on the outside of the rim 1 5 of the cover 14. For that purpose the hinge plate 1 8 has a screwthreaded bore 19 into which a screw 31 is screwed, from the inside of the rim 1 5 of the cover 14, through an aperture 16 therein.

The head 32 of the screw 31 bears against the inside of the rim 1 5 of the cover 14. The screwthreaded bore 1 9 may, if desired, be closed on the outside of the hinge plate 1 8 so that the screw 31 is not visible.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, provided at the lower edge of the hinge plate 1 8 are two spaced apart mounting eyes 20 and 20'. The mounting eyes 20 and 20' project beyond the lower edge of th rim 1 5 of the cover 14. Lshaped holding lugs or projections are formed on the mounting eyes 20 and 20', and have limb portions 21, 22 and 21', 22' respectively. The free end limb portions 22 and 22' form, with the hinge plate 18, receiving means 23 for receiving the rim 1 5 of the cover 14. The spacing between the hinge plate 1 8 and the free end limb portions 22 and 22' of the holding projections corresponds to the thickness of the rim 15 of the cover 14.In that way, the first hinge member 1 7 can be secured against rotation with respect to the rim 1 5 of the cover 14 by the single screw 31. The upper corner of the hinge plate 1 8 terminates in a tapered configuration so as not to project out too far.

A mounting eye 27 of the second hinge member 25 is pivotally mounted between the spaced apart mounting eyes 20 and 20' of the first hinge member 1 7 by means of a mounting pin 24, as can be seen from Fig. 2.

Extending from the mounting eye 27 is a web portion 26 which has a fixing plate 28 extending perpendicularly from its free end. The fixing plate 28 carries the screwthreaded bore 29. The length of the web portion 26 and the thickness of the fixing plate 28 are such that, in the closed position shown in Fig. 1, the face of the fixing plate 28, that is remote from the mounting pin 24, lies against the outside face of the closure rim 1 2 of the base portion 10. In that way, the proper association of the cover 14 and the base portion 10 is ensured in the closed position. A screw 33 is screwed into the screwthreaded bore 29 in the fixing plate 28 from the inside of the closure rim 12, through an aperture 1 3 therein.The second hinge member 25 is in that way secured to the closure rim 1 2. The head 34 of the screw 33 bears against the closure rim 1 2 by way of a washer 35. In the closed position of the arrangement, the web portion 26 bears against the lower edge of the rim 1 5 of the cover 14, or is at a small spacing therefrom.

The thickness of the fixing plate 28 is preferably such that in the closed position, it is at a spacing from the inside of the rim 1 5 of the cover 14, which leaves space for the head 32 of the screw 31. The fixing plate may be bevelled or chamfered at the upper and lower edges so that it is also partially supported against the transitional portion 11 of the closure rim 12.

The rotary mounting between the two hinge members 1 7 and 25 could be such that the hinge plate 18 carries only one mounting eye which is rotatably mounted on the mounting pin 24 between two mounting eyes of the second hinge member 25. In that construction, the correspondingly wide mounting eye of the first hinge member 1 7 carries the Lshaped holding projection and the mounting eyes of the second hinge member 25 are connected to the fixing plate 28 by way of two web portions 26. Other constructions are possible but each hinge member 17, 25 should have at least one mounting eye.

Claims

1. A switch box comprising a box-like base portion having an inwardly displaced closure rim and a cover portion which closes the opening of the base portion and is provided with a rim, in which the rim of the cover portion extends over the closure rim of the base portion at a spacing; the cover is pivotally connected to the base portion along one side by means of at least two hinges; each hinge comprises a first hinge member and a second hinge member;; the first hinge member comprises a hinge plate with a screwthreaded bore therein and is secured to the outside of the rim of the cover portion by means of a screw which is screwed into the bore from the inside of the rim of the cover portion through an aperture in the cover portion, at least one mounting eye which projects below the lower edge of the rim of the cover portion is provided at the lower edge of the hinge plate and an L-shaped holding projection is provided on the or each mounting eye and, with the hinge plate, forms receiving means for the rim of the cover portion; and the second hinge member has at least one co-operating mounting eye pivotally connected by means of a mounting pin to the mounting eye or eyes of the first hinge member, a web portion extends from the or each cooperating mounting eye and a fixing plate with a screwthreaded bore therein extends from the free end of the fixing plate perpendicular thereto and is secured to the outside of the closure rim of the base portion by means of a screw which is screwed into said further screwthreaded bore from the inside of the closure rim through an aperture in the closure rim.

2. A switch box according to claim 1, in which the first hinge member has two spaced apart mounting eyes which are arranged at the ends of the lower edge of the hinge plate and the screwthreaded bore is provided in the hinge plate centrally between the two mounting eyes.

3. A switch box according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the upper edge of the hinge plate of the first hinge member terminates in a tapered configuration.

4. A switch box according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the or each L-shaped holding projection is disposed with its end limb portions at a spacing from the hinge plate which corresponds to the thickness of the rim of the cover portion.

5. A switch box according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the screwthreaded bore in the hinge plate is closed on the outside of the hinge plate.

6. A switch box according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the web portion on the second hinge member positions the fixing plate in the closed position of the cover portion in such a way that the face of the fixing plate remote from the mounting pin, coincides with the outside of the rim of the base portion.

7. A switch box according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the face of the fixing plate of the second hinge member which is towards the mounting pin is disposed at a spacing from the inside of the rim of the cover portion, in the closed portion of the cover portion, which spacing is larger than the height of the screw head of the screw which fixes the first hinge member.

8. A switch box according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the web portion of the second hinge member bears against the lower edge of the rim of the cover in the closed position of the cover.

9. A switch box according to claim 1, in which only one mounting eye is provided on the hinge plate of the first hinge member and two co-operating mounting eyes are provided on the fixing plate of the second hinge member.

10. A switch box substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.