ELECTRIC POWER BUSWAY ADJUSTABLE POWER TAKE-OFF-JOINT

JOINT DE CONTACT REGLABLE POUR BARRE BLINDEE ELECTRIQUE

English Abstract

41PR-6822
ELECTRIC POWER BUSWAY ADJUSTABLE
POWER TAKE-OFF-JOINT
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An electric power busway joint includes a plurality of metal
electrically conductive splice plates and electrically
insulative separator plates interleaved to receive the ends of
adjoining electrical busway power conductors. The busway joint
is defined by a pair of apertured side plates which receive an
elongated bolt electrically connecting the ends of the busway
conductors with the conductive splice plates by means of
spring-loaded Belville washers. A plurality of busway stabs
having elongated slots formed within one end are electrically
interconnected with the busway conductors by means of the
conductive splice plates and a separate elongated bolt. The
elongated slots allow the ends of the busway stabs to be ad-
justed accordingly while maintaining the integrity of the
electrical connection between the busbar connectors.

Claims

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CLAIMS
1. A busway power take-off joint comprising:
a pair of opposing metal side plates;
a plurality of interleaved electrically-conductive
splice plates and electrically insulative separator
plates arranged intermediate said side plates:
a first elongated bolt extending through said
splice plates, said separator plates and said side
plates;
a plurality of busbar stabs having first slotted
ends arranged within said side plates and second planar
ends extending a predetermined distance beyond said
side plates; and
a second elongated bolt extending within said first
slotted ends whereby positioning said first slotted
ends relative to said second bolt determines said
predetermined distance.
2. The busway joint of claim 1 wherein said first
elongated bolt is fastened to said side plates through
a first pair of Belville washers.
3. The busway joint of claim 2 wherein said second
elongated bolt is fastened to said side plates through
a second pair of Belville washers.

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4. A method of interconnecting a plurality of busbar
conductors together and to the power take-off plug
comprising the steps of:
providing a busway joint having a plurality of in-
terleaved electrically-conductive splice plates and
electrically-insulative separator plates arranged in-
termediate a pair of apertured metal end plates;
connecting a plurality of electrical power busbar
conductors to opposite sides of said splice plates by
means of a first elongated bolt traversing said splice
plates, said separator plates and said end plates;
inserting a plurality of busbar stabs terminating
in first slotted ends and second planar ends
intermediate said splice plates;
positioning said first slotted ends within a second
elongated bolt within said end plates; and
extending said second planar ends external to said
end plates.
5. The method of claim 4 including the steps of
translating said first slotted ends along said second
bolt to provide a first predetermined distance between
said planar ends and said end plates.
6. The method of claim 5 including the steps of
inserting said planar ends within a busway plug.

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7. The invention as defined in any of the preceding
claims including any further features of novelty
disclosed.

Description

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ELECTRIC POWER 8USWAY ADJUSTABIE
POWER TAKE-O~FF-JO:lNT
BACXGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Patent 4,804,804 enti~led "Thermally Efficient
Power Busway Housing" describes a plurality of electric
power busbar conductors (hereaftar "busbars'l) that are
bolted together to provide excellent thermal transfer
away from the busbars and to hold the busbars ~gainst
strong electromagnetic repulsive forces. A thin layer
of epoxy resin deters the trans~er of cuxrent between
the busbars while, at the same time, promotes the
- 10 thermal transfer.
U.S. Patent 4,842,533 and 4,849,581 describe ad-
justable electrical joint connectors for connecting be-
tween corresponding pairs o~ electrical busbars.
: U.S. Patent 4,097,103 describes a busway plug as-
; 15 sembly wherein the busbars are electricall~ connected
to an electrical switch or circuit breaker to control
the trans~er of current through the busway systemO
To pr w ide external electrical connection with the
electrically connected busbars, the busway joint is
provided with a plurali~y of busbar stabs extending
from the busway housing as described in the

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aforementioned U.S. Patent 4,097,103. To prevent
inadvertent electrical circuit with the busbar stabs, the
busway plug assembly is mechanically joined to the busway
housing.
In prior art designs, th~ busway plug assembly is
custom-modified to fit the space requirements of the
busway system. It would be economically advantageous to
provide a busway system whereby a modular busway plug
assembly can be readily connected at the busway joint
without requiring custom modification of the busway plug
assembly or to the busway syste~ itself.
One purpose of the invention is to describe a busway
joint which connects two associated sections of electric
power busway and which also includes a plurality of ad-
justable busbar stabs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A busway joint consisting o~ a plurality of inter-
leaved electrically-conductive splice plates and electri-
cally-insulative separator plates bolted together by
means of an elongated bolt and a pair o~ Belville washers
further includes a second elongated bolt and a plurality
of busbar stabs having elongated slots at one end. The
elongated slots allow the length o~ the busway stabs to
be adjusted without requiriny mechanical disconnection of
the busway joint.
,

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure l is a side perspective view of a busway
system and busway plug in accordance with the prior art:
Figure 2 is a top perspective view in isometric pro-
jection of the busway joint prior to assembly accordiny
to the invention having adjustable busbar stabs;
Figure 3A is a top plan view of the busway joint of
Figure 2 assembled together according to the tsachings of
the invention with the adju table busbar stabs positioned
at a minimum distance from the busway joint; and
Figure 3B is a top plan view of the busway joint of
Figure 3A with the adjustable busbar stabs positioned at
a maximum distance from the busway joint.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIM~T
: lS Be~ore describing the adjustable power take-off joint
in accordance with the invention, it is helpful to review
th~ state of the art of electrical power systems and
busway power take-off plugs as describ~d within
aforementionad U.S. Patent 4,097,103. One such busway
system 10 is depicted in Figure 1 and consist~ of a first
busway section whic~ includes a plurality af busbars 11
supported within a first busbar housing 12 which are
joined to a second busway section which includ2s a plu-
rality of busbars 13 within a sacond busbar housing 14D
2S The first and second plurality of busbars are joined
together by means of a busway joint 15 which include top
and bottom side plates 16, 17 and which are joined
together by means of an elongated bolt 18 and Belville
'

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washers 19. A plurality of electrically conductive
splice plates g electrically connect between the
adjoining busbars 11, 13. After positioning the busbar
stabs 20 extending from the busway joint 15 within the
busbar plug assembly 25 in the power take-o~f busway plug
22, the plate 21 attached to the busway plug is fastened
to the busway housings 12, 14 to prevent inadvertent
contact with the busbar stabs. The busbar plug assembly
25 includes spring-loade~ contact platas 26 and
corresponding angulated terminal stabs 27 that are
arranged for electrical connection with a circuit breaker
or electric switch (not shown). Electrical access to the
interior of the power take-o~f busway plug is made by
means of the side opening 24 in the housing 23.
The adjustable power take-o~f joint 28 in accordance
with the invention is depicted in Figure 2 between first
busbars 11 within first support housing 12 and second
busbars 13 within second support housing 14. The adjust-
able power take-off joint is similar to the splice joint
described in aforementioned U.S. Patent 4,842,533 and
contains similar apertured side plates 29, 42 within
which are arranged electrically conductive splice plates
31 and similar intervening insulative separation plates
30, 32 that are apertured to receive a ~irst elongated
bolt 33. With the busbars 11, 13 positioned within the
electrically conductive splice platss the elongated bolt
. 33 is inserted within a spring-loaded Belville washer 34,
~:: the aperture 38 in the side plate 29, the corresponding
`~ apertures within the separation plates and splice plates
..
`:`
.

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as indicated a~ 40, 41, the aperture 39 in the opposite
side plate 42, a s~cond Belville washer 34 all of which
are fastened together by means of the nut 35. The
slotted busway stabs 36, each consisting of an elongated
slot 37 formed within one end and an opposite planar end
as indicaked at 47 are then interleaved between the
corresponding splice plates and separator plates before
being attached to the ~djustable power take-off joint by
means of a separate elongated bolt 43, separake Belville
washers 45 and a separate nu~ 44.
The assembled adjustable power take-o~f joint 28 is
depicted in Figure 3A with first busbars 11 wi~hin ~ixst
housing 12 electrically connected with second busbars 13
within second housing 14 by means of first elongated bolt
33 and firs~ Belville washer 34. The top insulative
separation pla~e 30 electrically isolate~ the busbars
from the top apertured side plate 29. The slotted busbar
stabs 36 are depicted with second elongated bolt 43 and
~ second Bslville wa~her 45 arranged at the innermost part
; 20 of the elongated slot 37 to depict the shortest distance
Dl between the exposed planar end 47 of the slotted
busway stab and the edge 28A of the adjustable power
take-off busway joint. When a busway power take-off
plug, such as that depicted at 22 in Figure 1, is to be
connected with the adjustable power take-off joint 28,
: the elongated bolt 43 is loasened which allows the
slotted busway stabs 3~ to be slidably displaced relative
to the edge of the adj~s~able p~wer ~ake-of~ joint and
the power take-off plug by guiding the elon~ated slot 37

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along second elongated bolt 43 to change the distance
that the planar end 47 of the slotted busway stab 36
extends from the edge of the ad~ustable power take-off
joint. This facilitates the inter-connection of the
aforementioned busway powex take-off plug with the
adjustable power taXe-off joint with fawer parts and
simpler operation than with the earlier-discussed prior
art design.
The adjustable power take-off joint 28 is depicted in
Figure 3B with the slotted busway ~tabs 36 moved to a
maximum distance D2 between the planar edge 47 of the
busway stabs and that the edge 28A of the adjustable
power take-off joint such that second elongated bolt 43
and second Belville washer 45 are close to the end of the
elongated slots 37.
It is noted that any intermediate distance between
the maximum and minimum extensions of the slo~ted busway
stabs 36 be realized by positioning the elongated slots
37 relative to the elongated bolts 43 without having to
re-adjust the first elongated bolt 33 and first Belville
washer 34 that electrically join the first and second
busbars 11, 13 within associated first and second ~upport
housings 12, 14.
Having thus described our invention, what we claim as
new and desire to sacure by LPtters Patent i~:

Representative Drawing