US3150290A

US3150290A - Panelboard locking means

Info

Publication number: US3150290A
Application number: US53309A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edmunds William Harold
Original assignee: ITE Circuit Breaker Co
Current assignee: ITE Circuit Breaker Co
Priority date: 1960-08-31
Filing date: 1960-08-31
Publication date: 1964-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-22

Description

Sept 22, 1964 w. H. EDMuNDs 3,150,290

PNELBOARD LOCKING MEANS Filed Aug. 51, 1960 PRIOR APT mi 4 n n .INVENTok United States Iatent '3,150,290 PANELBOARD LOCKING MEANS William Harold Edmunds, Havertown, Pa., assigner to I-T-E Circuit Ereaker Company, Philadeiphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 53,309

6 Claims. (Cl. 317-119) The instant invention relates to panelboards and more particularly Ito a novel panelboard construction whereby av circuit breaker of a given width may be replaced by a pair of circuit breakers which together occupy the same Width.

In recent years it has been the practice to construct panelboards for home and light industrial applications in a manner such that the panelboards are adapted to receive circuit breakers Whose widths are one inch or multiples thereof. More recently half inch wide circuit breakers have made their appearance on the market. While panelboards may be constructed specilically to utilize breakers of half inch width, it is highly desirable to utilize panelboards whichgare adapted for either breakers of one inch width or one-half inch width.

The prior art utilizes existing panelboards with narrow type circuit breakers by positioning two independently,

operable circuit breaker units in a single Wide housing and providing a common line terminal for both circuit breaker units. With this arrangement, if there is a mechanical or electrical failure in one of the circuit breaker units a replacement of the unit at fault entails the replacement of two circuit breaker units. Further, in the original construction of the circuit breaker the ratings of the pole units must be established. That is, once the circuit breaker units are mounted within the single housing, if the rating of one circuit is changed then an entirely new circuit breaker comprising two poles must be changed.

In order to overcome the problems outlined above, the Leonard et al. copending application, Serial No. 18,411, filed March 29, 1960, now Patent Number 3,095,524, entitled Panelboard Adapter, and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention, provides a line terminal adapter means which electrically connects two narrow circuit breakers each of which is provided with its own housing. The adapter means may be placed between two circuit breakers to achieve a duplex breaker or may be placed on either the right or left side of a single breaker, so that this breaker may be utilized individually in the panelboard. Extreme flexibility is achieved in thatthere are two separate and independent circuit breakers which can be tied together in any combination of ratings after the individual circuit breakers are completed.

The adapter means is primarily intended to provide an electrical connection.` However, the adapter means often provides the only mechanical connection between the circuit breakers. '.l`hus,VV it is necessary to provide some means for holding the circuit breakers together at their load sides. The conventional mounting hook for one inch circuit breakers cannot be utilized if the half inch circuit breakers are to be of identical construction, with one exception. That is, the mounting recess of the half inch breakermay extend the full width thereof, so that when two half inch breakers are placed side by side there is in effect a single wide recess. It is most desirable that The open ended mounting recess arrangement gives rise` to two major problems,namely, the circuit breaker combination is not held ina central position with respect to the mounting'hook, nor is the load side` of the circuit Cil ICC

reaker combination held together. If the load side of the combination is not held together, it is possible to spread the line side adapter means thereby adversely affecting the line side electrical connections.

The instant invention solves the previously noted problem by providing a panelboard mounting hook which includes a central notch thereby effectively subdividing each hook into two portions. When it is desired to mount a one inch wide breaker to the panelboard, the mounting recess of the one inch wide breaker receives both portions of the mounting hook. When a pair of half inch wide breakers are mounted in place of the one inch wide breaker, each portion of the panelboard mounting hook is received by an individual recess of the circuit breakers. With this arrangement the mounting recesses of the half inch wide circuit breakers may be closed at the ends thereof. The closed-ended mounting recess assures that the circuit breakers are held in a substantially fixed position so that the possibility of spreading the line terminal adapter is eliminated. .Y

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a novel arrangement whereby a pair of narrow circuit breakers may be installed in a panelboard in piace of a Wide circuit breaker.

Another object is to provide a panelboard of novel construction whereby a pair of narrow circuit breakers of identical external constructions may be mounted in place of a single Wide circuit breaker.

Still another object is to provide a novel panelboard construction whereby either one inch or half inch wide circuit breakers may be mounted with the load ends thereof substantially fixed in position.

A further object is to provide a novel panelboard having mounting hooks which are centrally notched so that a pair of half inch wide breakers of identical construction may be securely mounted in place of a one inch Wide breaker.

These as well as other objects of this invention shall become readily apparent after reading the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective cfa prior art panelboard illustrating the mounting of one inch wide circuit breakers thereto.

FIGURE 2 is an end View of one of the wide circuit breakers of FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 3 and 4 are end views of a pair of narrow circuit breakers constructed to be mounted to the panelboard of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an end View of a pair of narrow circuit breakers of identical construction which cannot be mounted to the panelboard of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective of a panelboard housing whose mounting ledge is provided with hooks constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention, whereby the circuit breakers ofY FIGURE 5 may be mounted thereto.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary View taken through section 7-7 of FIGURE 5 looking in the direction of arrows '7-.-'7y and showing the relationship between the notched mounting hook of FIGURE 6 and the mounting recesses of the half inch circuit breakers 0f FIGURE 5.

Now referring to the iigures, and -more particularly to FIGURE 1v fwhich illustrates prior art panelboard v10.

y block 14 is provided with suitable recesses, asiswell known to the art, `to maintain bus bars'15, 16 in operative positions extending parallel to the

walls

12, 13;

Mounting block 14 also maintains male stabs V17-19` El; connected to appropriate ones of the

bus bars

15, 16 so that when

bus bars

15, 16 are electrically energized stabs 17-19 are also energized.

Each of the

walls

12, 13 is provided with a mounting ledge 20 which is secured in place by screws 21. Each mounting ledge 20 is provided with a suitable recess 22 which receives an extension 23 of mounting block 14 to maintain mounting block 1li in a fixed position relative to base 11.

Mounting ledge 2G is provided with a plurality of spaced mounting hooks 25 whose free ends extend toward stabs 17-19. YThere is a mounting hook 25 on each of the mounting ledges 2t), which is positioned in alignment with individual ones of the stabs 17-19. so that each stab is positioned to energize circuit breakers extending from both

Walls

12 and 13.

For mounting of circuit breaker 26 to panelboard I@ the mounting recess 27 at the load end of circuit breaker 2.6 is moved until it receives one of the mounting hooks 25. Thereafter the line end 28 of circuit breaker 26 is pivoted toward stabs 17-19V with hook 25 acting as a pivot point. The jaws of circuit breakerline terminal 29 engage the one of the stabs 17-19 Vwhich is aligned opposite the mounting hook in question.

It is to be noted that mounting Vrecess 27 is closed at the ends thereof and that the width of this mounting recess is only slightly greater than the width of mounting hook 25. With this arrangement the load end 29 of circuit breaker 26 is maintained against movement transverse to the plane in which breaker 26 is pivoted into engagement with the male stab.

In FIGURE 3 there is illustrated a pair of half inch circuit breakers Sil, 31 mounted in adjacent side by side relationship. In this arrangement the

mountingrecesses

32, 33 of circuit breakers 3d, 31,.respectively, are each open at only one of the ends thereof. Thus, with circuit breakers 3f?, 31 mounted as shown,

recesses

32, 33 communicate with one another to form a single recess, which is as wide as recess 27, so that thecombination of

breakers

30, 31 may be mounted to panelboard 10 in place of one of the circuit breakers 26. Y

It is to be noted that the bases 34, 35 of circuit breakers 3i), 31, respectively, are of different constructions and that the covers 36, 37 of

circuit breakers

30, 31, respectively, are also of different constructions. This is highly undesirable and impractical lfrom the manufacturing standpoint as it requires the stocking of many different parts.

In addition, with this arrangement circuit breaker 3hV cannot be mounted in combination withjcircuit breaker 31 while mounted to the left thereof with respect to FIGUREV 3. Further, since mounting

recesses

32, 33 are each open at one of the ends thereof, mechanical securing means are required at the load ends of

breakers

30, 31 to prevent these breakers from spreading apart and Vadversely affecting the electrical connections with stabs FIGURE 4 illustrates an arrangement for utilizing two Y identical half Vinch circuit breakers in combination held in substantially fixed position, i- Thus, circuit Y breaker 40 is not held against movement transverse 'to the plane in which circuit breaker 40 is jpivoted during mounting' thereof. 5

FIGURE 5- illustrates avpair of identical circuitrbreakers mounted in adjacentl side bysidefrelationship. Each ofthe circuit breakers 45 is provided with a mounting recess' 46 which is closed at both ends thereof. j In order to accommodate a kcombination of two-circuit breakers 4S, a panelboard,v having mounting ledge 5d i Said second means cooperating to define a first location z3 (FIGURE 6) must be utilized. Mounting ledge 50 re-4 places mounting ledges 20 of panelboard 10 and in all other respects the panelboard 9@ is the same as panelboard 10.

Mounting ledge Sil includes hooks 51, each having a width A which is the same as the Width of hook 25 so that the entire hook 51 may be received in mounting recess 27 of a Wide circuit breaker 26. Each hook 51 is provided with a central notch 52 extending inwardly from the free end thereof. Notch 52 effectively divides hook 51 into two

sections

53, 54 of equal width. The width Bof section 5d is slightly less than the width of mounting recessV 46 of narrow circuit breaker 45.

As is best seen in FIGURE 7, when a pair of narrow circuit breakers 45 are mounted to hook 51,

hook sections

53, 54 are each disposed in mounting recesses 46 of an individual circuit breaker 45. Since both ends of mounting recess 46 are closed, the load end of circuit breaker 45 is maintained against movement transverse to the plane in which circuit breaker 45 is pivoted during mounting thereof. The combination of two circuit breakers 45 is held in a central position with respect to mounting hook 51, so that the possibility of adversely affecting the circuit breaker line connection is substantially eliminated.

Thus, this invention provides a novel mounting hook construction whereby either narrow or wide circuit break- Vers may bemounted in the same panelboard with the load ends locked in place. The narrow circuit breakers may be of identical external construction, each provided with mechanically independent housings, and there is no necessity for mechanically securing the narrow circuit breakers to one another at the load ends thereof.

Although the invention herein has been described in connection Withan exemplary embodiment, it is to beV understood that variations and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A panelboard comprising an electrically energizable first means and a second means comprising a mechanical retainer for a circuit breaker load side and a point about which a circuit breaker line terminal is pivotable in a plane into engagement with said first means, said first and said second means cooperating to define a first location for mounting of a wide circuit breaker, said second means including a plurality of selections for mounting first and a second identically Vconstructed narrow circuit v reakers at said first location, said plurality of sections locking said rst and second narrow circuit breakers against movement transverse to said plane; adjacent ones of said section being spaced by a notch. Y

2. A panelboard comprising an electrically energizable first means and a second means comprising a mechanical retainer for a circuit breaker load side and a point about which a circuit breaker line terminal is pivotable in a plane into engagement with said first means, said first and for-mounting of a wide circuit breaker, said second means constructed to lock a first and second identically constructed 'narrow circuit breakers at said first location,

against movement transverse toY said plane; said second; means comprising a hook adapted to be rece1ved by a c1r- Y cuit'breaker mounting recess of a wide circu1t breaker;

said hook being divided into a plurality of sections sepay hook, each of saidsectio'ns adapted' to be received by a irst'means anda second means Vcomprising a mechanicalf circuit breaker mounting recess of a narrow circuit breaker and provide means to pivot said narrow circuit breakers at recited plane'.` Y Y 3. `A panelboard comprising an electrically*energizable said VVfirstlocation, in planespparallel'to said previously fret'a'iner'for a circuit breaker load side and a point about which aY circuit breaker line terminal is pivotable in a plane into engagement with said first means, said Vfirst and said second means cooperating to define a first location for mounting of a wide circuit breaker, said second means constructed to lock a first and a second identicaliy constructed narrow circuit breaker at said first location against movement transverse to said plane; said second means comprising a hook adapted to be received by a circuit breaker mounting recess of a wide circuit breaker; said hook being divided into a plurality of sections separated by notch means communicating With an edge of said hook, each of said sections adapted to be received by a circuit breaker mounting recess of a narrow circuit breaker and provide means to pivot said narrow circuit breakers at said rst location, in planes parallel to said previously recited plane; said third means comprising a central notch in an edge of said hook positioned closest to said first means.

4. A panelboard comprising an electrically energizable first means and a second means for mechanically retaining a circuit breaker load side and providing pivot means about which a circuit breaker load side is pivotable into operative engagement with said first means; said first and said second `means having a plurality of sets .of cooperating formations each defining a location Where either a single wide circuit breaker or a pair of narrow circuit breakers in adjacent side by side relationship may be mounted; the cooperating formation in each set for the second means comprising a irst and a second section separated by a notch; said first and said second sections being spaced from one another Within the limits defined by its respective location, and each being adapted to be received by a mounting recess, closed at both ends, of a narrow circuit breaker; said first and second sections being positioned so that both can at the same time be received by a mounting recess of a wide circuit breaker.

5. A panelboard comprising an electrically energizable rst means and a second means for mechanically retaining a circuit breaker load side and providing pivot means about which a circuit breaker load side is pivotable into operative engagement with said iirst means; said lirst and said second means having a plurality of sets of cooperating formations each deiining a location where either a single wide circuit breaker or a pair of narrow circuit breakers in adjacent side by side relationship may be mounted; the cooperating formation in each set for the second means comprising a iirst and a second section separated by a notch; said first and said second sections being spaced from one another Within the limits dened by its respective location, and each being adapted to be received by a mounting recess, closed at both ends, of a narrow circuit breaker; said first and second sections being positioned so that both can at the same time be received by a mounting recess .of a wide circuit breaker; said cooperating formation in each set for the second means comprising a hook whose free end extends toward said first means.

6. A panelboard comprising an electrically energizable first means and a second means for mechanically retaining a circuit breaker load side and providing pivot means about which a circuit breaker load side is pivotable into operative engagement with said first means; said first and said second means having a plurality of sets of cooperating formations each deiining a location where either a single wide circuit breaker or a pair of narrow circuit breakers in adjacent side by side relationship may be mounted; the cooperating formation in each set for the second means comprising a rst and a second section; said first and said second sections being spaced from one another within the limits defined by its respective location, and each being adapted to be received by a mounting recess, closed at both ends, .of a narrow circuit breaker; said first and second sections being positioned so that both can at the same time be received by a mounting recess of a wide circuit breaker; said cooperating formation in each set for the second means comprising a hook whose free end extends toward said first means; said first and said second sections comprising portions of said hook separated by a notch communicating with an edge of the hook positioned closest to said first means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,647,225 Cole et al July 28, 1953 2,883,586 Christensen Apr. 2l, 1959 2,883,587 Dorfman Apr. 2l, 1959 2,914,708 Edmunds Nov. 24, 1959 2,921,240 Cole lan. l2, 1960 2,997,628 St, John Aug. 22, 1961

Claims

1. A PANELBOARD COMPRISING AN ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZABLE FIRST MEANS AND A SECOND MEANS COMPRISING A MECHANICAL RETAINER FOR A CIRCUIT BREAKER LOAD SIDE AND A POINT ABOUT WHICH A CIRCUIT BREAKER LINE TERMINAL IS PIVOTABLE IN A PLANE INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST MEANS, SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND MEANS COOPERATING TO DEFINE A FIRST LOCATION FOR MOUNTING OF A WIDE CIRCUIT BREAKER, SAID SECOND MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SELECTIONS FOR MOUNTING FIRST AND SECOND IDENTICALLY CONSTRUCTED NARROW CIRCUIT BREAKERS AT SAID FIRST LOCATION, SAID PLURALITY OF SECTIONS LOCKING SAID FIRST AND SECOND NARROW CIRCUIT BREAKERS AGAINST MOVEMENT TRANSVERSE TO SAID PLANE; ADJACENT ONES OF SAID SECTION BEING SPACED BY A NOTCH.