GB2247339A - "Bus bars" - Google Patents

Abstract

A bus bar (6) is 1 metre long, and is provided with connection formations (8), on 18 mm centres, to enable the bus bar to be connected as desired to an array of circuit breakers or other electrical components. The bus bar is provided, extending across the bus bar from side-to-side, both on top and bottom surface, with grooves or notches (10), enabling, by the use of two pairs of pliers, the bus bar to be snapped-off at any desired length. Other bus bar shapes are disclosed (Figs 3 & 4). <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Improvements relating to bus bars" Description of Invention This invention is concerned with improvements relating to bus bars, particularly of the kind conventionally used with mounting rails upon which electrical components may releasably be secured.

Thus in a known electrical supply system a mounting rail is provided, conveniently in the form of an inverted "top hat" section, known generally as a "din-rail", upon which a variety of electrical components, such as circuit breakers, transformers, switches and the like, may be mounted. Running along side and parallel to the din rail will be a bus bar, which may be electrically connected to the components mounted on the din rail.

A conventional bus bar is elongate, and may be parallel sided, or provided at spaced intervals with formations with engagement with contact means of the electrical equipment.

Conventionally bus bars will be provided in a number of lengths, and a bus bar of desired length will be selected, dependant upon the installation involved, and the number of electrical components desired to included. This is inconvenient since it requires a number of different sizes to be provided, and requires an engineer to decide on commencement of an installation operation as to the length of bus bar he will need.

Conventionally electrical equipment is mounted on bus bars on an 18 mm centre: thus typically a circuit breaker will have a width of 18 mm, whilst other components may have a width which is an integral multi multiple of 18 mm.

According to this invention there is provided a bus bar which is provided at intervals along the length thereof with grooves or notches or other indentations across the width thereof, [hereafter referred to as notches for convenience], to enable a part of the length of the bus bar to snapped-off.

Thus an installation engineer may select a bus bar of standard length [typically 1 metre], and use it for his installation, and snap-off any surplus length of bus bar which is not required. This will reduce tendency for him to undesirably "crowd" the bus bar in the event that he has inadvertently selected a bus bar of unduly small length, or to leave surplus length of bus bar dangerously exposed, in the event that he has inadvertently selected a bus bar which is too long.

Preferably the notches are provided across the width of the bus bar at 18 mm intervals.

If desired the bus bar may be provided with such notches along the entire length of the bus bar, but conveniently the notches are provided over part only of the length of the bus bar, typically commencing at the smallest practical length of the bus bar to the longest.

Thus for us in an electrical installation where the length of bus bar commonly used varies between 0.5 and 1.0 metres, the bus bar will be 1 metre long, and be provided with notches of 18 mm over half its length.

An example of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of part of a bus bar; FIGURE 2 is a side elevation on Figure 1; and FIGURES 3 and 4 show alternative constructions of bus bar.

A bus bar shown in Figure 1, indicated by the numeral 6, is typically 1 metre long, and is provided on 18 mm centres with connection formations 8, enable the bus bar to be connected as desired to an array of circuit breakers or other electrical components.

Between the connectors 8, and extending across the length of the bus bar from side-to-side, on both top and bottom surface, are grooves or notches 10, enabling, conveniently by the use of two pairs of pliers, the bus bar to be snapped-off at any desired length. It will be appreciated that the depth of the grooves 10 will be such as to enable a portion of the bus bar conveniently to be snapped-off, without unduly impairing the strength of the bus bar.

It will of course be appreciated that the invention may be utilised with bus bars of other construction, for example as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in the terms or means for performing the desired function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS:

1. A bus bar which is provided at intervals along the length thereof with notches to enable a part of the length of the bus bar to snapped-off.

2. A bus bar according to Claim 1 wherein the notches are provided across the width of the bus bar at 18 mm intervals.

3. A bus bar according to one of Claims 1 and 2 provided with such notches along the entire length of the bus bar.

4. A bus bar according to one of Claims 1 and 2 wherein the notches are provided over part only of the length of the bus bar.

5. A bus bar according to Claim 4 wherein the notches are provided at a point commencing at the smallest practical length of the bus bar to the longest.

6. A bus bar according to Claim 5, of 1 metre long, provided with notches 18 mm apart over half its length.

7. A bus bar constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. Any novel feature or novel combination of features hereinbefore described and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.