IE80782B1 - Improvements in and relating to electrical distribution equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical loadcentre bus bar mounting assembly comprising a plurality of juxtaposed synthetic plastics moulded members (10, 11), each formed so as to interlock with each adjacent member and each formed with plurality of location lugs (15) for engagement with apertures in a support member, in use. A first of the moulded members (10) comprises a single incoming module formed so as to be attachable to either the top or the bottom end of the assembly, in use. The incoming module (10) may be formed with four upstanding spaced apart barrier members between each adjacent pair of which barrier members is formed a separate channel, each for locating the input end of one of three output bus bars (L1, L2, L3), in use.

Description

The invention relates to electrical distribution equipment and more particularly to electrical loadcentres and parts therefore.

Our copending United Kingdom patent application 2,264,399 discloses a loadcentre bus bar mounting assembly comprising a plurality of juxtaposed synthetic plastics moulded members, each formed to interlock with each next adjacent member and each formed with location lugs for engagement with apertures in a support member. Such an assembly provides the advantages that it is easily variable in capacity, has a reduced number of separate parts, is easily assembled and has many enhanced safety features.

This prior arrangement is particularly suitable for use with installations having a current rating of up to 200 amperes.

It is an object of the invention to provide a loadcentre bus bar mounting arrangement having all of the advantages of the abovementioned prior arrangement and being suitable for use with installations having a current rating of up to 250 amperes.

According to the present invention there is provided an electrical loadcentre bus bar mounting assembly comprising a plurality of juxtaposed synthetic plastics moulded members, each formed so as to interlock with each adjacent member and each formed with plurality of location lugs for engagement with apertures in a support member, in use, a first of the moulded members comprising a single incoming module formed so as to be attachable to either the top or the bottom end of the assembly, in use.

Preferably said incoming module is formed with four upstanding spaced apart barrier members between each adjacent pair of which barrier members is formed a separate channel, each for locating the input end of one of three output bus bars, in use, and said incoming module is formed with identification indicia at each end of each said channel.

The plastics moulded members may include at least one set of second, third and fourth members, the or each second member comprising a way module formed along one edge thereof with projection means for engaging with slot means formed along an abutting edge of the base module or for the corresponding opposed edge of a juxtaposed further way module and formed with three spaced apart channel portions extending between said opposed edges for locating an output bus bar in each thereof, the or each third member comprising a way barrier formed to locate over its corresponding way module so as to enclose the outgoing bus bars and formed with channels to accommodate separate output terminals for each of the output bus bars, and each fourth member comprising a blanking member for engagement over one of said output terminals to prevent finger access thereto.

The or each way module may be formed with apertures therethrough which allow passage of location lugs formed on the corresponding way barrier for engagement with apertures in the support surface, in use.

The or each way module may also be formed with six solid cylindrical mounting portions three adjacent each side thereof each one located between upstanding flanges for accommodating mounting of an electrical device to be connected to one of said output terminals.

Each blanking member may comprise a generally I-shaped member, in plan, which is formed at one end with a stepped reduced thickness portion for locating beneath a portion of the way barrier to one side thereof and formed at the other end with a barbed tang portion for locking beneath further portion of the way barrier to the other side thereof.

The plastics moulded members may include a fifth member comprising a capping member formed to locate with said opposed (free) edge of the way module most remote from the incoming base module.

The fox-egoing 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:Figure 1 is a plan view of an electrical loadcentre bus bar mounting assembly; Figures 2A and 2B are perspective and plan views respectively of the incoming base module of Figure 1, on enlarged scale; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a way module of Figure 1, on an enlarged scale; Figures 4A and 4B are perspective and elevational views, respectively of a way barrier of Figure 1, on enlarged scale; Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the way module of Figure 3 with the way barrier of Figures 4A and 4B located thereon; Figures 6A and 6B are perspective views, from opposite sides of the capping member of Figure 1, on enlarged scale; Figure 7 is a perspective view of a blanking member of Figure 1 on enlarged scale, and Figures 8A and 8B are end sectional views illustrating the attachment of a blanking member of Figure 7 to a way barrier of Figures 4A and 4B.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings there is shown an electrical loadcentre mounting assembly comprising a plurality of juxtaposed, interlocked moulded synthetic plastics members, comprising: a first member in the form of an incoming base module 10; four second members in the form of way modules 11,- three third members, in the form of way barriers 12; five fourth members, in the form of blanking members 13, and one fifth member, in the form of an end cap 14 .

Each of the members 10 and 11 have location lugs 15 formed thereon, which depend downwardly to engage with apertures in a support surface (not shown) which would normally be in the form of the base of a metal base housing.

A neutral bus bar 16 is located tranversely beneath incoming base module 10, is attached to the support surface and is connected to terminal strips 17 by members 18, indicator strips 19 being located adjacent terminal strips 17 on the support surface. An assembly 20 located beneath neutral bus bar 16, on the support surface, may comprise an incoming circuit breaker or switch. The provision of neutral bus bar 16, terminal strips 17 and assembly 20 are standard and do not form part of the invention, being shown merely for completeness.

Referring now also to Figures 2A and 2B the incoming module 10 comprises a base portion 21 which is formed with four upstanding spaced apart barrier members 22 between each adjacent pair of which is formed a channel 23, each for locating the input end of an output bus bar 24 (Figure 1) . The channels 23 have stepped portions 25 formed therein for locating input terminals 2 6 (Figure 1) . The module 10 is formed symmetrically with identification indicia 27 moulded in each channel 23 at each end thereof. A male interlocking protrusion 2 8 is formed along one edge of base 21 and a female channel (not shown) is formed along the opposed edge for interlocking with adjacent way modules 11. With this arrangement the incoming module 10 can be located beneath a plurality of way modules 11 as shown in Figure 1 and can alternatively be located above such way modules 11 when incoming supply cabling is located above the assembly.

Referring now to Figure 1 in combination with Figures 3 and 5 each way module 11 is formed with three channels 29, the centre channel 29 having channels 30 along each side thereof and the outer sides of outer channels 29 having channels 31 formed therealong. Arranged symmetrically on each side of: channels 29 are three solid cylindrical portions 32 carried between upstanding webs 33. Downwardly extending location lugs 15 are also integrally formed with base portion 35. Rectangular apertures 36 are symmetrically located centrally of channels 30.

Referring now to Figures 4A, 4B and 5 there is shown a way barrier 12 for locating over a way module 11 when output bus bars 24 are located in channels 29 thereof, To locate barrier 12, downwardly depending legged lugs 37 locate through apertures 36 in way module 11 and locate in location apertures in the support surface and downwardly depending ribs 38 engage in respective channels 30 of way module 11. Upstanding webs 39 provide three channels 40 for the location of output terminals 41 for the output bus bars 24 for connection with electrical devices, such as circuit breakers, located between each terminal 41 and cylindrical portions 32. Apertures 42 are formed in barrier to enable connection of terminals 41 with respective bus bars 24.

The channels 29 in way modules 11 have well portions 43 formed therein beneath the areas above which the electrical device will connect with terminals 41. Terminal 41, connecting and fixing screws enter well portions 43 and centralize output busbars 24 horizontally in channels 29.

Each of the members 10, 11 and 12 have corresponding interengaging formations 28 formed along their opposed edges such that they interlock when located together on a support surface, with lugs 15 and 37 being a snap fit in location apertures in such support surface.

Figures 6A and 6B show a capping member 44 which is formed to .'Locate and lock with the outermost free edge 45 (Figure 1) so that when the assembly is in use in a loadcentre box housing and is wall mounted, no foreign matter can enter the assembly from above, or below when capping member 44 is located at the bottom of the assembly with incoming module 10 located at the top.

Figure 7 shows the safety blanking member 13 which is formed with a generally I-shaped body portion 46 with a stepped reduced thickness portion 47 formed at one end, with a groove 48 formed thereacross, and a barbed tang portion 49 formed at the other end.

Figures 8A and 8B show the method of attaching blanking member 13 to way barrier 12. The blanking member 13 is inserted at an angle with groove 48 engaging with a tongue portion 50 at the side of way barrier 13 above terminal 41 and portion 47 locating beneath the upper surface of way barrier 13. The member is then rotated about the tongue 50 and groove 48 until the barbed tang portion 49 lockingly engages beneath the upper surface of the other side of way barrier 13. A blanking member 13 is located above each terminal 41, three such members 13 being provided for each way barrier 12 and preventing finger access to terminals 41.

During assembly within a loadcentre housing the incoming module 10 is firstly snapped into the back of the housing with location lugs 15 entering location apertures within the housing. The required number of way modules 11 are then snapped into the housing, working upwardly or downwardly from module 10. The neutral bus bar 16, required number of terminal bars 17 and output bus bars 26 are then located into position. The way barriers 12 are then located above the way modules 11 and the output terminals 41 are then located above the way barriers by the way mounting well 43 together with the apertures and 'cavities in way barrier 12 and secured by screw fixings to the bus bars 26.

Blanking members 13 can then be located in position as previously described.

With the arrangement as shown by having a snap-in mounting arrangement assembly time is reduced. By having Ί the output bus bars 26 almost totally enclosed and supported along the whole of their length, they can be provided of lesser material, thus providing a saving, ie in the order of 15%, of material required. Furthermore the availability of positioning incoming module 10 at the top or bottom of the assembly is of considerable advantage to an installer.

Claims (9)

1. An electrical loadcentre bus bar mounting assembly comprising a plurality of juxtaposed synthetic plastics moulded members, each formed so as to interlock with each adjacent member and each formed with plurality of location lugs for engagement with apertures in a support member, in use, a first of the moulded members comprising a single incoming module formed so as to be attachable to either the top or the bottom end of the assembly, in use.

2. A loadcentre mounting assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein said incoming module is formed with four upstanding spaced apart barrier members between each adjacent pair of which barrier members is formed a separate channel, each for locating the input end of one of three output bus bars, in use.

3. A loadcentre mounting assembly as claimed in claim 2 wherein said incoming module is formed with identification indicia at each end of each said channel.

4. A loadcentre mounting assembly as claimed in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said plastics moulded members include at least one set of second, third and fourth members, the or each second member comprising a way module formed along one edge thereof with projection means for engaging with slot means formed along an abutting edge of the base module or for the corresponding opposed edge of a juxtaposed further way module and formed with three spaced apart channel portions extending between said opposed edges for locating an output bus bar in each thereof, the or each third member comprising a way barrier formed to locate over its corresponding way module so as to enclose the outgoing bus bars and formed with channels to accommodate separate output terminals for each of the output bus bars, and each fourth member comprising a blanking member for engagement over one of said output terminals to prevent finger access thereto.

5. A loadcentre mounting assembly as claimed in claim 4 wherein the or each way module is formed with apertures therethrough which allow passage of location lugs formed on the corresponding way barrier for engagement with apertures in the support surface, in use.

6. A loadcentre mounting assembly as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the or each way module is formed with six solid cylindrical mounting portions three adjacent each side thereof each one located between upstanding flanges for accommodating mounting of an electrical device to be connected to one of said output terminals.

7. A loadcentre mounting assembly as claimed in claim 4, 5 or 6 wherein each blanking member comprises a generally I-shaped member, in plan, which is formed at one end with a stepped reduced thickness portion for locating beneath a portion of the way barrier to one side thereof and formed at the other end with a barbed tang portion for releasably locking beneath a further portion of the way barrier to the other side thereof.

8. A loadcentre mounting assembly as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 inclusive wherein said plastics moulded members include a fifth member comprising a capping member formed to locate with said opposed (free) edge of the way module most remote from the incoming base module.

9. A loadcentre mounting assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.