BUS DUCT

• US 3,636,237 A
• Filed: 09/08/1970
• Issued: 01/18/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paul M. Hafer
• Original Assignee: Paul M. Hafer
• Inventors: Hafer, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Clay, Darrell L.
• Application Number:
  US05/070,010
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• Field of Search: 174/68B,88B,99B,16B
• US Class Current: 174/68.3
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/005 Laminated bus-bars
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/06 Totally-enclosed installations, e.g. in metal casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/10 Cooling

Abstract

A bus duct comprised of a group of elongated, flat bus bars positioned in side-by-side relation within an elongated housing, the housing having sidewalls of a height substantially greater than the width of the bus bars. In preferred form, the bus duct of this invention includes bus bars separated one from the other and from the sides of the housing only by insulator sheets positioned therebetween to form a sidewall-insulator sheet-bus bar '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'sandwich.'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' Further, the sidewall-insulator sheet-bus bar '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'sandwich'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' is maintained in functional assembly by (a) at least two clips spanning the sidewalls at separate positions longitudinally spaced one from the other along the top edges of the sidewalls, the spanning portion of each of the clips being substantially spaced above the bus bar group, and (b) at least two clips spanning the sidewalls at separate positions longitudinally spaced from one another along the bottom edges of the sidewalls, the spanning portion of each of the clips being substantially spaced below the bus bar group. Thus, the clips serve to restrain mechanically the bus bar group, insulator sheets, and the housing'"'"''"'"'s sidewalls in compact, assembled, sideby-side relation.

Claims

1. A bus duct comprising a group of elongated flat bus bars positioned in side-by-side relation, said bus bars only being separated one from the other by insulation means, and an elongated housing substantially enclosing said bus bars, said housing including (a) a pair of eLongated sidewalls of height substantially greater than the width of said bus bars, one of said sidewalls being positioned on each side of said bus bar group in side-by-side relation with said group and only being separated therefrom by further insulation means, (b) at least two clips spanning said sidewalls at separate positions longitudinally spaced from one another along the top edges of said sidewalls, the spanning portion of each of said clips being substantially spaced above said bus bar group, (c) at least two clips spanning said sidewalls at separate positions longitudinally spaced from one another along the bottom edges of said sidewalls, the spanning portion of each of said clips being substantially spaced below said bus bar group, all of said clips serving to restrain mechanically said bus bar group and said sidewalls in compact, sandwichlike, side-by-side relation, and (d) an elongated top and an elongated bottom interconnected between the tops and bottoms, respectively, of said sidewalls and substantially spaced from said bus bar group, said sidewalls said top and said bottom forming said elongated housing for said bus bar group.

2. A bus duct as set forth in claim 1 wherein said top and bottom clips are positioned in pairs, each pair comprising a top clip and a bottom clip and being in a plane substantially transverse to the axis of said bus bar duct.

3. A bus duct as set forth in claim 1 wherein said clips are substantially U-shaped and fitted over the top edges and bottom edges of said sidewalls, the legs of said clips being positioned on the outside of said sidewalls.

4. A bus duct as set forth in claim 3 including stop means cooperating with each of said clips to prevent longitudinal movement of said clips relative to the axis of said bus bar duct.

5. A bus duct as set forth in claim 4 further including at least one spacer block positioned between said top and said bus bar group intermediate the ends of said bus bar duct and at least one spacer block positioned between said bottom and said bus bar group intermediate the ends of said bus duct said blocks cooperating to maintain said bus bar group in centered position relative to said sidewalls inside said housing.

6. A bus duct as set forth in claim 5 wherein each of said spacer blocks has a recess cooperating with said clip to maintain said block between said clip and said bus bar group. 7 A bus duct as set forth in claim 6 wherein each of said bus bars have either a protuberance or a recess on the edge of said bus bar, and wherein said spacer blocks have a complimentary recess or a protuberance receiving that configuration formed on each of said bus bars, said stop means, clip, spacer block and bus bars thereby cooperating to prevent said bus bars from sliding longitudinally relative to the axis of said housing.

8. A bus duct as set forth in claim 3 wherein said housing further includes a plurality of rigid support members positioned against each of said sidewalls for reinforcing said housing configuration, each of said members being positioned substantially transverse to the axis of said bus bar duct.

9. A bus duct as set forth in claim 8 wherein each of said support members is restrained in position against said sidewall by one of said top clips and one of said bottom clips.

10. A bus duct as set forth in claim 1 wherein said insulation means comprises a series of separated, flat, elongated insulator sheets positioned between bus bars and positioned between each of said sidewalls and the outermost bus bar of said bus bar group, each of said sheets being of a width substantially greater than the width of said bus bars.

11. A bus duct as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sidewalls are comprised of channel sections positioned to face away form one another, and wherein said top and bottom are comprised of channel sections positioned to face toward one another, the flanges of said side channels being fixed to the center sections of said top and bottom channels.

12. A bus duct comprising a group of elongated flat bus bars positioned in side-by-side relation, said bus bars only being separated one from the other by insulation means, and an elongated housing substantially enclosing said bus bars, said housing including (a) a pair of elongated sidewalls of a height substantially greater than the width of said bus bars, one of said sidewalls being positioned on each side of said bus bar group in side-by-side relation with said group and only being separated therefrom by further insulation means, (b) at least two clips spanning said sidewalls at separate positions longitudinally spaced from one another along the top edges of said sidewalls, the spanning portion of each of said clips being spaced above said bus bar group, and (c) at least two clips spanning said sidewalls at separate positions longitudinally spaced from one another along the bottom edges of said sidewalls, the spanning portion of each of each of said clips being spaced below said bus bar group, all of said clips serving to aid in restraining said bus bar group and said sidewalls in compact, side-by-side relation.

13. A bus duct as set forth in claim 12 including an elongated top and an elongated bottom fixed in position relative to the top edges and bottom edges, respectively, of said sidewalls and substantially spaced from said bus bar group, said sidewalls, said top and said bottom forming said elongated housing for said bus bar group. 14 A bus duct as set forth in claim 13 wherein said clips are substantially U-shaped and fitted over the top edges and bottom edges of said sidewalls, the legs of said clips being positioned on the outside of said sidewalls.

15. A bus duct as set forth in claim 14 further comprising at least one spacer block positioned between said top and said bus bar group intermediate the ends of said bus bar duct and at least one spacer block positioned between said bottom and said bus bar group intermediate the ends of said but duct, said blocks cooperating to maintain said bus bar group in a centered positioned relative to said sidewalls inside said housing.

16. A bus duct as set forth in claim 15 wherein each of said spacer blocks has a recess cooperating with said clip to maintain said block between said clip and said bus bar group.

17. A bus duct as set forth in claim 16 wherein each of said bus bars have either a protuberance or a recess on the edge of said bus bar, and wherein said spacer blocks have a complimentary recess or a protuberance receiving that configuration formed on each of said bus bars, said clip, spacer block and bus bars thereby cooperating to prevent said bus bars from sliding longitudinally relative to the axis of said housing.

18. A bus duct as set forth in claim 13 wherein said sidewalls are comprised of channel sections positioned to face away from one another, and wherein said top and bottom are comprised of channel sections positioned to face toward one another, the flanges of said side channels being fixed to the center sections of said top and bottom channels.

19. A bus duct as set forth in claim 14 wherein said sidewalls are comprised of channel section positioned to face toward one another such that said sidewall channel sections are telescoped within one another when assembled, and including a bracket fixed to the top and bottom of each rigid support member, said elongated top and said elongated bottom of said elongated housing being fixed to said bracket.

20. A bus duct as set forth in claim 19 wherein said clips are substantially U-shaped and fitted over the top and bottom edges of said sidewalls, wherein said brackets are fixed to said support member such as to define a slot at the top and bottom of each support member, and wherein the legs of said U-shaped clips are positioned in said slots.

21. A bus duct as set forth in claim 12 wherein said top and bottom clips are positioned in pairs, each pair comprising a top clip and a bottom clip and being in a plane sUbstantially transverse to the axis of said bus bar duct.

22. A bus duct as set forth in claim 12 wherein said housing further includes a plurality of rigid support members positioned against each of said sidewalls for reinforcing said housing configuration, each of said members being positioned substantially transverse to the axis of said bus bar duct, said support members being restrained in position against said sidewall by one of said top clips and one of said bottom clips.

23. A bus duct as set forth in claim 12 wherein said insulation means comprises a series of separate, flat, elongated insulator sheets positioned between bus bars and positioned between each of said sidewalls and the outermost bus bar of said bus bar group, each of said sheets being of a width substantially greater than the width of said bus bars.

24. A bus duct as set forth in claim 12 wherein said sidewalls are comprised of channel sections positioned to face toward one another such that said sidewall channel sections are telescoped within one another when assembled.