US1665126A

US1665126A - Safety switchboard

Info

Publication number: US1665126A
Application number: US570364A
Authority: US
Inventors: James F Burns
Original assignee: V V FITTINGS Co
Current assignee: V V FITTINGS Co
Priority date: 1922-06-23
Filing date: 1922-06-23
Publication date: 1928-04-03
Anticipated expiration: 1945-04-03

Description

April 3, 1928. 1,665,126

J. F. BURNS SAFETY SWITCHBOARD Filed June 25, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l April 3, 1928.

J. F. BURNS SAFETY SWI TCHBOARD u .3. ,.f.\. wvflqhfl L \m, Q F R f G,

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Filed June 23, 1922 April 3, 1928. 1,665,126

J. F. BLJRNS SAFETY SWITCHBOARD 7 Filed June 23, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. BURNS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO V. V. FITTINGS COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

SAFETY SWITCHBOARD.

Application filed June 23, 1922.

One object of my invention is to provide a switch board construction in which a series of switch containing boxes shall be so assembled as to provide or define a compartment or chamber for the reception of the bus bars for supplying current to the switches in said boxes, and the invention more especially'contemplates a novel arrangement of parts for completely inclosing said bus bars.

Another object of my invention is to provide a switch board having the above characteristics, which shall also be constructed on the unit principle so that it may be con- 'veniently extended or added to, while having its various elements conveniently accessible for purposes of inspection.

It is further desired to provide a substantial, inexpensive, compact, easily assembled switch board in which the various current conductors and apparatus shall be inclosed or isolated and which shall be in the highest degree flexible as to the possibility of making additions, alterations, or repairs under conditions of use.

Another object of my invention is to pro' vide a novel combination of switch containing boxes with spacing and cover members so arranged as to provide a closed chamber for the reception of main current supply conductors electrically associated with the switches in said various boxesthe arrangement being such as to permit of the convenient subdivision of the conductors and switch boxes into electrically independent circuits and the convenient rearrangement or alteration of these circuits to meet the requirements incident upon additions, extensions, or changing load conditions.

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a switch board constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of a portion of the switch board shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2, certain details of the switch mechanism being omitted; and v Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating certain details of the invention.

In the above drawings I provide a suitable frame work of structural or ro led ec- Serial No. 570,364.

tions including vertical elements 11 and a series of

horizontal elements

2, 3, 4 and 5, connecting said vertical elements. On this frame I mount any desired number of metallic switch boxes, preferably each having an 1nclosed safety switch construction such as is described in my Patent No. 1,443,867, Serial No. 198,968, filed October 29, 1917.

Each of said switch boxes includes a compartment 7 containing one or more fuses 24 and a second compartment 6 for a switch 22, and, in accordance with my invention, these switch boxes are arranged on the frame in pairs with their switch-containing compartments 6 directed toward each other and spaced apart so that they together define an elongated, horizontally extending passageway or chamber 11. For properly spacing the switch boxes and to provide a supporting structure for the cover plates hereafter described, I provide suitable spacers 8 as shown in Fig. 4, each consisting of an e1ongated plate or frame having a top flange 9, a bottom flange 10 and with its main portion or body cut away or perforated, while its ends are extended between and are rigidly bolted or otherwise connected to the adjacent switch boxes on the opposite sides of the chamber 11. The flanges 9 and 10 may be formed on theportions of the spacer 8 intermediate the adjacent sides of opposite switch boxes, as shown in Fig. 4, forming shoulders 11 and 12.

On the adjacent faces of each pair of 0pposite switch boxes I mount short lengths 12 of angle section having their tops extended in the plane of the adjacent top flanges 9 of the two spacers 8 at either end of it, and for closing the front opening of that section of the chamber 11 between each pair of opposite switch boxes, I provide a cover plate 13 resting on the angles 12 and the top flanges 9 of the adjacent spacers 8 to which it is preferably held by screws or bolts. For closing the rear side of the chamber thus defined between the adjacent parts of the switch boxes, I provide a series of back plates 14 bolted or screwed to the back flanges 10 of said spacers.

It will thus be seen that the switch boxes for any given system of electrical distribution are arranged, in accordance wit-h m invention, in two horizontally extended lines having between and coextensive with them the chamber 11 in which are mounted the main current supply conductors or bus bars 15, 16 and 17. The end walls of the switch compartments 6 defining the sides of the chamber 11 are provided with suitable openings, usually having insulating bushings 18, through which extend conductors 19., 20 or 21 for delivering current from the bus bars to the switches 22 Within said compartments. Said switches are each preferably operated by a handle 23 mounted on the cover 6 of the compartment 6, and are connected to the branch circuits which they supply through suitable fuses 24 mounted in the fuse compartments 7 of the several boxes.

As shown in Fig. 1, the bus bars 15, 16 and 17 may be sub-divided into sections conveniently connected to each other by jumpers 25, and said bars at suitable points are supplied with current through cables or other suitable conductors indicated at 26, 27 and 28. Where these enter the chamber 11, the back cover plate 14 is replaced by a box-like rearwardly-projectin extension 29, preferably having knockouts 30 to permit of the entrance of said cables.

From the above description it will be appreciated that a switch board made as described may be indefinitely extended in the line of the chamber 11 merely by making suitable additions to the supporting frame and mounting thereon the necessary switch boxes these being preferably arranged in pairs as desired and having the above described spacers and closure plates; the bus bars being extended sectionally or otherwise as required and connected by the

conductors

19, 20 and 21 to the various switches. The latter and their boxes preferably have such construction that the movable cover 31 of any fuse compartment is maintained locked until the switch in the compartment 6 associated therewith is fully opened and the switch cannot be closed until after said cover is closed, all as described in my aforementioned patent. Then only can access be had to the fuses 24 in said fuse compartment and it is obvious that the terminals in said compartment are-then dead or isolated from the current source. Obviously the bus bars are completely inclosed so that access to them is effectually prevented and all live parts of the switches are similarly inclosed in their respective boxes.

At each end of the bus bar chamber or compartment 11, an end plate 32 is bolted or screwed to the outer sides of the last pair of switch boxes so that said chamber is completely inclosed. At the same time access may conveniently be had to any section of it merely by removing the appropriate front or back plate.

As shown there are a plurality of current supply sources for sets of conductors 26-27 and 28, each delivering current to a definite memes length of bus bars and hence to certain definite sets of feeders through their controlling switches. One advantage of my invention lies in the convenience with which any set or sets of jumpers 25 may be positioned or adjusted to vary the number of switches and feeders supplied from any particular set of supply conductors 26-27-28 to suit difierent load conditions which may occur from time to time on certain feeders.

I claim:

1. The combination in a switch board structure of a plurality of pairs of switchcontaining boxes spaced apart to define the top and bottom sides of an elongated busbar chamber; spacing frames extending between adjacent pairs of boxes; and means for closing the front and back sides of said bus-bar chamber.

2. The combination in a switch board of a supporting frame; a plurality of pairs of switch-containing boxes mounted thereon with the boxes of each pair spaced apart to define two sides of a bus-bar chamber; spacing frames extending between the boxes of adjacent pairs; and plates supported on said frames for closing the front and back sides of said chamber.

3. The combination is a switch board of two lines of switch boxes spaced apart to define an elongated bus-bar channel, each box including a switch-containing compartment and a fuse compartment and the switch compartments of one line of boxes being adjacent those of the other line; plates for closing the front and back sides of the channel defined by said lines of boxes; and frames carried by adjacent boxes and adapted to support said plates.

4. The combination in a switch board of two lines of switch-containing boxes spaced apart to define an elongated channel; frames extending across said channel and secured to adjacent boxes; plates mounted on said frames to close the front and back sides of the channel; and electrical conductors in the channel connected to the switches in the boxes.

5. The combination in a switch board of two lines of switch-containing boxes spaced apart to define an elongated channel; frames extending across said channel and secured to adjacent boxes; plates mounted on said frames to close the channel; bus bars in the channel connected to the switches in the boxes; supply conductors connected to the bus bars; and a housing opening into said channel, said housing being adapted to receive said supply conductors.

6. The combination in a switch board of a supportlng frame; lines of switch-containing boxes mounted thereon and spaced apart to define an elongated channel; a series of frames having openings therein, extended between the boxes of adj acent pairs and having boxes mounted thereon and spaced apartto define an elongated channel; removable plates cooperating with said boxes to enclose the front and back of the channel; removable closures for the ends of the channel; and electrical conductors in the channel connected to the switches in the boxes.

8. The combination in a switch board structure of a supporting frame; a plurality of pairs of switch-containing boxes mounted on said frame and spaced apart to define the top and bottom sides of a chamber; a plurality of-frames carried by the boxes of adjacent pairs and provided with flanges;

front and rear plates carried by said flanges; bus bars extending longitudinally through said chamber; and connections from said bus bars to the several switches.

.9. In a switch board structure, a pair of spaced switch boxes constituting the sides of a bus-bar chamber; a pair of frames havin the o posite ends thereof secured to sai spaced switch boxes, said frames having front and rear flanges; and a pair of closure plates for said chambers respectively mounted on said flanges.

10. The combination in a switch board structure of a supporting frame; a plurality of pairs of switch-containing boxes mounted on said frame and spaced apart to define an elongated chamber; sectional bus bars extending longitudinally through said chamber; jum rs connecting together certain I sections 0 said bus bars; sets of current supply conductors respectively connected to different sections of the bus bars; and conductors connecting the switches and the bus bars adjacent thereto.

'11. Apparatus comprising two lines of switch boxes spaced apart to define an elongated channel; frames extending across said channel and interposed between adjacent boxes; and closure plates mounted on said frames.

12. In a switch board structure, a pair of spaced switch boxes constituting opposite sides of a bus-bar chamber; a pair of frames having the opposite ends thereof secured to said spaced switch boxes, said frames having front and rear flanges; a shoulder formed on one of said switch boxes; and a pair of closure plates for said chamber respectively mounted on said flanges, said shoulder also serving to support one of said plates.

13. A; switch board structure comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced switch boxes; pairs of frames extending between at least one of said plurality of pairs of boxes and secured thereto; flanges on said frames; a pair of plates respectively mounted on said flanges; and a pair of shoulders respectively mounted on said last-mentioned pair of switch boxes, said shoulders serving to support one of said plates.

14. In a switch board structure, the combination with a pair of spaced switch boxes constituting sides of a bus-bar chamber; of a pair of frames having the opposite ends thereof secured to said switch boxes and provided with front and rear flanges; and closure plates for said chamber respectively mounted on said flanges, at least one of said frames being adapted to provide a passage for a bus bar.

15. A switch board comprising a pair of spaced switch boxes constituting sides of a bus-bar chamber; a pair of frames having the opposite ends thereof secured to said switch boxes and provided with front and rear flanges; closure plates for said chamber respectively mounted on said flanges, at least one of said frames being adapted to provide a passage for a bus bar; and flanges respectively extending from .said spaced switch boxes so as to support one of said plates. y

16. A switch board structure comprising a plurality of pairs of spaced switch boxes; spacing frames having the ends thereof respectively secured to at least one of said plurality of pairs of boxes; and a closure plate, a portion of said frame between said last-mentioned pair of boxes being provided with a supporting flange for said plate.

17 A switch board structure comprising a plurality of pairs of s aced switch boxes defining two sides of a us-bar chamber; a frame having the ends thereof respectively mounted on corresponding sides of at least one of said plurality of pairs of boxes; and a plate constituting at least one portion of another side of said chamber, a portion of JAMES F. BURNS.