Electrical connectors – Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient... – Spring actuated or resilient securing part
Patent
1996-08-16
1998-09-15
Paumen, Gary F.
Electrical connectors
Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient...
Spring actuated or resilient securing part
439249, H01R 448
Patent
active
058071458
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns a break-contact block for connecting and disconnecting busbars that can move relative to each other. The break-contact block comprises a housing and bridge-like contacts arranged parallel to each other in such a way that they can move relative to each other in the housing. The bridge-like contacts have contact faces at their ends for making contact with the busbars that are to be connected and they are biased against the busbars. Two contacts are arranged opposite each other to form parallel conducting paths. Such break-contact blocks are used, for example, in electric switching units arranged in a manner that allows the circuit-breakers to be withdrawn.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A break-contact block of this type is disclosed in European patent B 107,611. The housing for this break-contact block is made of sheet metal parts that are riveted or bonded together. The spacing between the contacts is maintained by spacers with arms that reach between the contacts. Therefore, break-contact blocks with different housings are needed, depending on the thickness of the busbars to be connected. However, the contacts and spacers can be used without any changes.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of this invention is to reduce the variety of models required for these break-contact blocks.
According to this invention, this object is achieved by a housing comprising two half-housings having certain foot sections that are provided with passages for mounting elements that are intended for mutual contact. The half-housings are also provided with partitions to subdivide the space provided to accommodate the contacts. This subdivision of the housing of the break-contact block into half-housings makes it possible to manufacture break-contact blocks for busbars of different thicknesses by mounting the half-housings with the required distance between them. The partitions also make it possible to use a larger or smaller number of contacts or contacts with a greater or smaller thickness as needed.
Within the scope of this invention, an especially advantageous possibility of assembling the half-housings with two different fixed spacings consists of the fact that the foot sections have a base and at least one projection with a face extending outward from the base. The projections are offset with respect to each other so that when two half-housings are joined in one position, at least one projection on one foot section comes to rest with its face on the base of the opposite foot section, thereby defining a relatively small distance between the two half-housings. However, when the two half-housings are joined in a 180.degree.-rotated position, the faces of the projections on opposing foot sections come in contact, which thus defines a relatively great distance between the two half-housings.
With a refinement of the above-mentioned design of the foot sections, it is possible to ensure that if the mounting elements are used, the two half-housings will be aligned relative to each other without any misalignment, despite the relatively small total area of the foot sections. This can be accomplished by arranging the projections and recesses in each foot section so they are symmetrical with the passage for the respective mounting device. More specifically, a design is proposed where each of the two foot sections has four projections with essentially the same total cross section that can be joined to form a closed shape to create the relatively small distance between the half-housings on the basis of their offset arrangement. This results in a stable but space-saving arrangement of the two half-housings, providing only a small distance between the two busbars that are to be connected and thus relatively short contacts.
Each half-housing of the break-contact block may have two ribbed pedestal-shaped foot sections. In this regard it is advantageous for the ribs to be designed so they form supporting faces for contact with an abutment. The significance of such a design will be
REFERENCES:
patent: 4087668 (1978-05-01), Nakanishi et al.
patent: 4230388 (1980-10-01), Thierry et al.
patent: 4983132 (1991-01-01), Weidler
Paumen Gary F.
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
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