GB2279501A

GB2279501A - Switch interlocked electrical connectors

Info

Publication number: GB2279501A
Application number: GB9313162A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Neill; Keith Wray Ball
Original assignee: Square D Co
Current assignee: Schneider Electric USA Inc
Priority date: 1993-06-25
Filing date: 1993-06-25
Publication date: 1995-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 2013-06-25
Also published as: GB9313162D0; IE74892B1; IE940421A1; GB2279501B

Abstract

A saddle device, for an electric motor control centre power distribution arrangement, including lever actuation means for effecting engagement and disengagement of a plurality of power supply connection members carried on the saddle with corresponding power supply connection members carried on racking for accommodating such saddle device and including power supply switching means (12) which includes an arrangement for preventing insertion or removal of the saddle device whilst said switching means is in its "ON" position. The insertion/removal prevention arrangement comprises means (14) associated with a rotatable actuation shaft (13) of the switching means (12) for transforming such rotatable motion thereof to linear motion of a latching member (15) for selectively preventing or allowing movement of the lever actuation means. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION The invention relates to electric power distribution arrangements and more particularly to saddle devices for use with electric motor control centre power distribution arrangements.

Typical motor control centres comprise a group of motor starters contained in one or more vertical columns, each column containing a number of motor starters. Each starter is contained in a saddle which has reawardly projecting power supply connection members for plugging onto vertical busbars.

To ensure reliable electrical connections, substantial forces are required between the vertical busbars and the saddle. Considerable manual effort is required both to plug-on and to withdraw the saddle from the vertical busbars. The provision of handles on the saddle door is an aid but does not reduce the physical force required which may be in the order of tens to over one hundred pounds.

Our copending United Kingdom patent application No. 2,258,568A discloses a saddle device, for an electric motor control centre power distribution arrangement, including lever actuation means for effecting engagement and disengagement of a plurality of power supply connection members carried on the saddle device with corresponding power supply connection members carried on racking for accommodating such saddle device. The saddle includes power supply switching means including an arrangement for preventing insertion or removal of the saddle device whilst in its "ON" position, which comprises a member rotatable with an actuation shaft which locates to prevent actuation of the lever when the switching means is in such "ON" position.

Although such above arrangement is normally effective and efficient, there are situations, such as when a switch fuse unit is provided on the saddle device, where the restricted space available causes difficulty in the utilisation of such previous arrangement.

It is an object of the invention to obviate or mitigate the above problem.

According to the invention there is provided a saddle device, for an electric motor control centre power distribution arrangement, including lever actuation means for effecting engagement and disengagement of a plurality of power supply connection members carried on the saddle with corresponding power supply connection members carried on racking for accommodating such saddle device and including power supply switching means which includes an arrangement for preventing insertion or removal of the saddle device whilst said switching means is in its "ON" position, the insertion/removal prevention arrangement comprising means associated with a rotatable actuation shaft of the switching means for transforming such rotatable motion thereof to linear motion of a latching member for selectively preventing or allowing movement of the lever actuation means.

The latching member may be arranged to locate in a slot formed in a base member of the saddle device and in a lever of the lever actuation means when the switching means is in its "ON" position and retracted therefrom when the switching means is in its "OFF" position.

The switching means actuation shaft may carry a bell-crank lever which is connected to control movement of the latching member.

The foregoing and further features of the invention may be more readily understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a saddle device.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the saddle device of Fig.1 with switching means in an open or "OFF" position, and Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 but with the switching means in its closed or "ON" position.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown a saddle device 10 with a switch fuse unit 11 carried thereon. When the saddle device 10 is located in racking there for (not shown) with electrical connection completed with busbars contained in the racking, power supply to components carried on the saddle device 10 is controlled by switching means 12 in switch fuse unit 11.

The switching means 12 is controlled by an actuation shaft 13 which is of square transverse crosssection and extends from switching means 12 to engage an actuation knob carried on a closure door (not shown). The actuation shaft 13 carries a member 14, for rotation therewith, which acts as a bell crank lever with its "arm" portion rotatably mounted to the upper end of a latching member 15.

The latching member 15 is slidably mounted for vertical movement on a bracket 16 attached to the base of saddle device 10, a pin 17 on bracket 16 slidably engaging within a slot 18 formed in member 15.

Fig. 2 shows the saddle device 10 located with the switching means 12 in its open or electrically "OFF" condition, the latching member 15 then being in its uppermost position allowing saddle device 10 to be inserted into or removed from racking therefor. Fig. 3 shows saddle device 10 located with the switching means 12 in its closed or electrically "ON" condition where actuation shaft 13 has been rotated 900 in a clockwise direction to move latching member 15 to its lowermost position projecting downwardly below the base of saddle device 10. When in this position the latching member prevents insertion into or removal from racking therefor. Such projecting portion would be arranged to depend within the slot 28 of the actuation lever 14 as shown in our copending UK patent application No.

2,258,568, the disclosure of which is to be regarded as included herein by reference.

Hence there is shown a compact arrangement for ensuring that a saddle device cannot be inserted into or removed from racking when such device is in its electrically "ON" condition.

Claims

1 A saddle device, for an electric motor control centre power distribution arrangement, including lever actuation means for effecting engagement and disengagement of a plurality of power supply connection members carried on the saddle with corresponding power supply connection members carried on racking for accommodating such saddle device and including power supply switching means which includes an arrangement for preventing insertion or removal of the saddle device whilst said switching means is in its "ON" position, the insertion/removal prevention arrangement comprising means associated with a rotatable actuation shaft of the switching means for transforming such rotatable motion thereof to linear motion of a latching member for selectively preventing or allowing movement of the lever actuation means.

2 A saddle device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said latching member is arranged to locate in a slot formed in a base member of the saddle device and in a lever of the lever actuation means when the switching means is in its "ON" position and retracted therefrom when the switching means is in its "OFF" position.

3 A saddle device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said switching means actuation shaft carries a bellcrank lever which is connected to control movement of the latching member.

4 A saddle device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.