Apparatus for connecting multiple windings

• US 4,880,391 A
• Filed: 06/30/1988
• Issued: 11/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hurtgen, Jerome P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US07/213,720
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 439/166-175, 439/217-224, 439/814, 310/71, 310/89, 310/181, 310/184, 318/770, 318/771, 318/441, 318/442
• US Class Current: 439/221
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132

Abstract

A terminal box assembly for use in a dynamoelectric machine adapted to be energized from an electrical power source and including a plurality of windings and each winding terminating in a corresponding lead wire. The lead wires are connectable to each other and to an electrical power source in at least two different configurations for operating the motor from two different voltages. The terminal box assembly includes a plurality of terminations for connection to each of the lead wires and a terminal block having a plurality of apertures for receiving the terminations. A plug device is provided for coupling with the terminal block in at least two different orientations for interconnecting the lead wires of the motor windings. A base member is releasably coupled to the terminal block and includes a latch integral with the base for releasably coupling the terminal block and base member to the dynamoelectric machine. The terminal block also includes apparatus for connecting the electric power source to at least some of the terminations for energizing the windings of the dynamoelectric machine.

Claims

1. A dynamoelectric machine adapted for energization from a power source comprising:

a housing including a stationary assembly having a plurality of winding means for excitation upon the energization of the dynamoelectric machine and disposed in a predetermined relationship with each other, each winding means having a plurality of lead wires connectable to each other and to the power source in at least two different configurations;

a terminal box assembly mounted to said housing exteriorly thereof and having a mounting table disposed within the terminal box assembly;

a plurality of termination means for connection to said lead wires respectively;

a terminal block having a plurality of predeterminately oriented aperture means for respectively receiving said termination means;

a plug device for coupling with said terminal block in at least two different orientations to effect interconnection of the winding means in the at least two different configurations;

a base member releasably connected to said terminal block and seated in engagement on said mounting table within said terminal box assembly, said base member for releasably maintaining said base member against displacement from the seating engagement thereof with said mounting table; and

means associated with said terminal block for connecting at least some of the said termination means to the power source thereby to effect energization of the dynamoelectric machine and the excitation of said winding means in a preselected one of the two different configurations.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for connecting the electrical power source comprises a plurality of electrical terminals each having a first end with integral bendable tabs for crimping onto preselected ones of said lead wires and a second end formed in a closed loop for receiving a conductor from the electrical power source, each said closed end including a threaded aperture and a second screw threaded therein, said screw being positioned for clamping said conductor within said closed loop.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said second end of said electrical terminals comprises a metallic strip having a first end integral with said second end of said terminal and extending from said second end perpendicular to an axis of said closed loop, a second end of said strip terminating in a reduced width tang, an aperture being formed in said strip adjacent said first end thereof, said strip being repetitively bent to form said closed loop such that said tang extends through said aperture.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said second end of said electrical terminal overlaps said second end of said strip, said threaded aperture extending into said closed loop through said overlapping second ends.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said second end of said electrical terminal extends beyond a perimeter of said closed loop in a direction opposite to the direction of said tang, said terminal block including a plurality of slots with each slot being adapted to receive one of said electrical terminals, said tang and said extended second end of said terminal frictionally engaging sides of said slot for inhibiting removal of said terminals.

6. A terminal box assembly for use in a dynamoelectric machine adapted to be energized from an electrical power source, the dynamoelectric machine including a plurality of windings disposed in a predetermined relationship with each other, each winding terminating in a plurality of lead wires, the lead wires being connectable to each other and to the electrical power source in at least two different configurations, the terminal box assembly comprising:

a plurality of termination means for connection to the lead wires, respectively;

a terminal block having a plurality of predeterminately oriented aperture means, said aperture means including a plurality of means for engaging said termination means and preventing inadvertent removal thereof from the terminal block member, respectively;

a plug device for coupling with said terminal block in at least two different orientations, said plug device including a plurality of electrically conductive elements disposed therein, each element terminating in a plug means for electrically mating with a selected one of said termination means in said terminal block when said plug device is coupled to said terminal block, and said elements interconnecting predetermined ones of said plug means to effect connection of the windings to each other in each of the two different configurations when said plug device is coupled to said terminal block in a corresponding one of the two different orientations;

a base member releasably connected to said terminal block and latching means integral with said base member for releasably coupling said connected terminal block and base member to the dynamoelectric machine; and

means associated with said terminal block for connecting the electrical power source to the at least some termination means for energizing the windings of the dynamoelectric machine in a preselected one of the two different configurations.