Assembly for connecting a current take-off unit to a plurality of bus bars

• US 3,884,541 A
• Filed: 03/08/1974
• Issued: 05/20/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allan E. Slicer, George N. Jorgensen, Glenn S O'Nan
• Original Assignee: Allan E. Slicer, George N. Jorgensen, Glenn S O'Nan
• Inventors: Jorgensen, George N., O'Nan, Glenn S., Slicer, Allan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaefer, Robert K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tolin, Gerald P.
• Application Number:
  US05/449,299
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 317/118,120 174/71B,88B 339/22B,255P,261,266 200/256
• US Class Current: 439/122
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 5/08 Connection boxes therefor

Abstract

An assembly is provided to facilitate connecting of a current take-off unit to a plurality of bus bars as normally found in an electrical distribution system. The assembly includes pairs of jaw members disposed within a housing. The corresponding ends of each pair of jaw members project from the housing and clampingly engage a bus bar. The corresponding opposite ends of said pair of jaw members engage an elongated connector piece which projects from the housing and is adapted to be connected to the current take-off unit. The assembly is provided with a spring for providing adequate contact clamping pressure between the jaw members and the bus bar. An adjustable means is also provided for the jaw members for attaining a higher contact clamping pressure and thus a lower contact resistance even under severe operating loads. An insulating element substantially encompasses a portion of the pair of jaw members, a portion of the connector piece, the biasing spring, and the adjustable jaw member tightening means disposed within the housing. An adjustable adaptor member of nonconductive material is disposed within the housing and is in engagement with the jaw member tightening means whereby the latter may be manually adjusted relative to the jaw members to increase the clamping pressure thereof on the bus bar. The adaptor member has a portion thereof accessible from the housing exterior whereby manual force can be applied thereto to effect manual adjustment of the jaw member tightening means.

Claims

1. In an electrical distribution system, an assembly for connecting a current take-off unit to a plurality of bus bars;

said assembly comprising a housing and pairs of jaw members mounted within said housing and protruding outwardly therefrom;

each pair of jaw members having corresponding ends for clampingly engaging a bus bar;

an elongated connector piece secured to the opposite corresponding ends of said jaw members and adapted to be connected to the current take-off unit;

first means for resiliently retaining said jaw members in a bus bar-clamping relation;

adjustable second means for tightening said jaw members into said bus bar-clamping relation;

an insulating element substantially encompassing a portion of said jaw members, said first and second means, and a portion of said connector piece disposed within said housing, and an elongated third means having at least a portion thereof disposed within said housing and engaging said second means, said third means having a segment thereof accessible from the housing exterior whereby manual adjustment of said third means is effected from said housing exterior.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the adjustable second means of said pair of jaw members includes an elongated first piece disposed transversely of and extending through said jaw members, said first piece having one end thereof threadedly connected to a second piece on one jaw member and a second end thereof projecting from the second jaw member of the pair and in adjustable engagement with said third means.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the third means of each pair of jaw members includes an elongated hollow adaptor element having an open one end and an opposite end, said opposite end being provided with means accessible from the housing exterior whereby manual turning force applied thereto effects adjustment of said second means to either a tightened or loosened position relative to the pair of jaw members, the interior of said adaptor element being contoured and accommodating a portion of said second means whereby said second means and said adaptor element are adapted to turn as a unit and said second means is movable longitudinally of the adaptor element.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the second end of said first piece is provided with a facetted peripheral segment, and said third means of each pair of jaw members includes an elongated hollow adaptor element having one end thereof accessible from the housing exterior for the application thereto of a manual turning force, and an open second end thereof through which the one end of said first piece extends into the interior of said hollow element, said interior being contoured to accommodate the facetted peripheral segment of said first piece one end whereby said second means and said adaptor element turn as a unit when the manual turning force is applied to the accessible end of said adaptor element.

5. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said adaptor element is formed of nonconductive material, and said housing is provided with an opening through which extends an exposed end portion of said hollow element.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the exterior of said hollow element is provided with a shoulder impassable relative to the housing opening and engaging the interior surface of the housing circumjacent the opening.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the exterior of said hollow element is provided with a plurality of shoulders arranged in longitudinally spaced relation disposed intermediate the ends of said hollow element, the outward projection of said shoulders relative to the longitudinal axis of the adaptor element being progressively greater starting with the shoulder closest to the exposed end of said element.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the interior of said housing is formed into a plurality of compartments, one pair of jaw members being disposed within each compartment.