U.S. patent number 3,603,918 [Application Number 04/829,981] was granted by the patent office on 1971-09-07 for electric power distribution system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Oskar Woertz, Inh., H. & O.. Invention is credited to Hans Woertz.
United States Patent |
3,603,918 |
Woertz |
September 7, 1971 |
ELECTRIC POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
Abstract
Electric power distribution system having at least one
current-carrying bar with a continuous elongated slot and
corresponding contact parts on current collectors to cooperate with
the current-carrying bar.
Inventors: |
Woertz; Hans (Basel,
CH) |
Assignee: |
Oskar Woertz, Inh., H. & O.
(Basel, CH)
|
Family
ID: |
4431439 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/829,981 |
Filed: |
June 3, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 6, 1969 [CH] |
|
|
18225/68 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/115; 439/94;
439/117 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R
25/142 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01R
25/00 (20060101); H01R 25/14 (20060101); H01r
013/60 () |
Field of
Search: |
;339/14,21,22,266,192
;24/73 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Purser; Ernest R.
Assistant Examiner: Hafer; Robert A.
Claims
I claim:
1. An electric power distribution system comprising at least one
current-carrying track which has a hollow sectional portion
provided with a continuous elongated slot at the front side of the
track and in the interior of which extend at least two electrical
conductors insulated from one another, said conductors being
adapted to be brought into contact with corresponding contact parts
of current collectors which may be detachably fitted at any point
along said current-carrying track, at least one connecting device
comprising a housing consisting of electrically insulated material
and which can be inserted from one end of said current-carrying
track into said hollow sectional portion thereof, said housing
containing contact elements adapted to be brought into contact with
said electrical conductors of said current-carrying track through
corresponding orifices in said housing, said contact elements each
being provided with connector means disposed within said housing
for an input or output conductor wire, said connecting device
having at least one locking screw which can be turned when said
housing is pushed into said hollow sectional portion of said track
thereby to prevent unintentional sliding of said housing in said
hollow sectional portion, at least one of said contact elements in
said housing being adapted to extend through its associated
orifice, a spring tending to urge said contact element into the
interior of the housing and out of contact with its associated
electrical conductors, and said locking screw being operatively
connected to but insulated from said movable contact element in
such manner that the latter, due to said locking screw being turned
when securing the housing in the hollow sectional portion of the
track, is automatically caused to move out of its associated
orifice in said housing thereby overcoming the action of the spring
to establish contact with its associated electrical conductor of
said current-carrying track.
2. An electric power distribution system according to claim 1, in
which a first clamping member is provided in the form of a plate
capable of being positioned transversely over the elongated slot in
the hollow sectional portion of said track, said first clamping
member having at least one guide rib for engagement in the
elongated slot in the hollow sectional portion, said locking screw
passing through an orifice in said clamping member and through the
elongated slot in the hollow sectional portion when said housing is
inserted into the hollow sectional portion, thereby allowing said
first clamping member to be moved towards said housing by turning
said locking screw in order to clamp a part of the hollow section
portion into which the housing is inserted between said housing and
said first clamping member.
3. An electric power distribution system according to claim 1, in
which an insulating member is provided in the form of a web and
carries at its end portions at least two of said contact elements
which are movable together with said insulating member and are
adapted to be brought into contact respectively with said
electrical conductors of said current-carrying track extending on
both sides of the elongated slot in the hollow sectional portion,
and in which said locking screw engages the middle portion of said
insulating member, and said spring being supported on said
insulating member, and a wall of said housing.
4. An electric power distribution system according to claim 3, in
which a guide sleeve is provided having a screw-threaded bore and
is secured perpendicularly at said middle of said web-shaped
insulating member, said guide sleeve being slidable in an orifice
in said housing and being surrounded by said spring which is in the
form of a helical compression spring.
5. An electrical power distribution system according to claim 3, in
which said contact elements are in the form of bladelike metal tabs
which are secured to said insulating member and each having at its
end portions screw-threaded bores for selectively receiving a
clamping screw for forming a portion of said connector means for an
input or output conductor wire.
6. An electric power distribution system according to claim 1, in
which one of said contact elements is provided for a protective
ground connection secured to the middle portion of a leaf spring,
said leaf spring being secured by its end portions in said housing
and having at each said end portions a screw-threaded bore for
selectively receiving a clamping screw for forming another portion
of said connector means for an input or output conductor wire.
7. An electrical power distribution system according to claim 1, in
which corresponding contact elements of at least two of said
connecting devices are electrically interconnected by at least one
cable.
8. An electric power distribution system according to claim 2, in
which corresponding contact elements of at least two of said
connecting devices are electrically interconnected by at least one
cable, said at least two connecting devices having a common second
clamping member which permits at least two of said current-carrying
tracks to be mechanically interconnected.
9. An electric power distribution system according to claim 2, in
which corresponding contact elements of at least two of said
connecting devices are electrically interconnected by at least one
cable, said at least two connecting devices having a second common
clamping member which permits at least two of said current-carrying
tracks to be mechanically interconnected, said second clamping
member being rectilinear.
10. An electrical power distribution system according to claim 2,
in which corresponding contact elements of at least two of said
connecting devices are electrically interconnected by at least one
cable, said at least two connecting devices having a common second
clamping member which permits at least two of said current-carrying
tracks to be mechanically interconnected, said second clamping
member being of angular form.
11. An electric power distribution system according to claim 2, in
which corresponding contact elements of at least two of said
connecting devices are electrically interconnected by at least one
cable, said at least two connecting devices having a common second
clamping member which permits at least two of said current-carrying
tracks to be mechanically interconnected, said second clamping
member being T-shaped.
12. An electric power distribution system according to claim 2, in
which corresponding contact elements of at least two of said
connecting devices are electrically interconnected by at least one
cable, said at least two connecting devices having a common third
clamping member which permits at least three of said
current-carrying tracks to be mechanically interconnected, said
third clamping member being of cruciform shape.
13. An electric power distribution system according to claim 8, in
which a portion of said second common clamping member contains a
portion of said connector means, said second clamping member being
disposed between mutually facing ends of at least two
current-carrying tracks to be interconnected, said connector
portion being electrically connected with said contact elements in
at least one of said connecting devices.
14. An electric power distribution system according to claim 1, in
which said housing is adapted to be inserted at the same time into
at least two of said current-carrying tracks to be interconnected
and incorporates at least two sets of said contact elements,
corresponding ones of which being electrically interconnected to
one another and being capable of being brought into contact with
said conductors of said current-carrying tracks.
Description
The present invention relates to an electric power distribution
system comprising at least one current-carrying bar, which has a
hollow sectional portion, which is provided with a continuous
elongated slot at the front side and in the interior of which
extend at least two mutually insulated electrical conductors, which
are adapted to be brought into contact with corresponding contact
parts on current collectors which may be detachably fitted on any
point along the current-carrying bar, and comprising at least one
connecting device for electrically connecting the leads of the
current-carrying bar or for coupling the leads with those of
another current-carrying bar of this kind.
In similar known wiring systems, the connecting device incorporates
terminals in which the leads of the current-carrying bar are
clamped, and for this purpose it is necessary for the leads to
project beyond the hollow sectional portion at the end of the
current-carrying bar concerned. Consequently it is not possible to
cut the current-carrying bar to the required length when in the
assembled condition. The leads and the hollow sectional portion
have to be cut separately to different lengths. The same thing
applies in the case of the great variety of designs of known
connecting devices, including those wherein the terminals are
connected to plug pins and coupling sockets respectively for
plugging together a plurality of current-carrying bars. When
several current-carrying bars are plugged together to form a fairly
long length by means of plug pins and coupling sockets and are
fitted in the building, it is also difficult and often impossible
to remove a single one of these current-carrying bars from the run
should this be necessary, without likewise having a take out the
other current-carrying bars of the run.
The object of the invention is to overcome the above-mentioned
disadvantages and difficulties and to enable the connecting or
coupling of the current-carrying bars to be carried out properly
and conveniently, even if the leads of the current-carrying bars
are of the same length as the hollow sectional portion of the
bar.
The electric wiring system in accordance with the invention is
mainly characterized in that the connecting device comprises a
housing which consists of electrically insulating material and
which can be pushed from one end of the current-carrying bar into
the hollow sectional portion thereof to make a good fit therewith
and contains contact elements which can be brought into contact
with the leads of the current-carrying bar through appropriate
orifices in the housing and connect with connecting parts likewise
disposed in the housing.
In a preferred arrangement, the connecting device comprises at
least one locking screw which can be turned even when the housing
is pushed into the hollow sectional portion and prevents
unintentional slicing of the housing in the hollow sectional
portion. Expediently, at least one of the contact elements is
adapted to be moved in the housing along a line extending through
the associated orifice, a spring urging the contact element back
into the interior of the housing to an extent that this element is
withdrawn from any contact from the exterior of the housing. In
this arrangement the locking screw, with an insulating member
between it and the movable contact element, if effectively
connected to said element in such a manner that the latter, when
the locking screw is turned when securing the housing in the hollow
sectional portion, can be automatically caused to move out of the
associated orifice in the housing, thereby overcoming the action of
the spring, this for the purpose of establishing contact with the
associated lead of the current-carrying bar. In this manner a high
degree of safety is ensured against accidents involving electric
current, such as could occur particularly when a current-carrying
bar is unskillfully removed with the connecting device still under
voltage .
Further advantages, details and features of the wiring system of
the invention will be seen from the claims, from the following
description of examples of construction and from the associated
drawings, in which the subject matter of the invention is
illustrated purely by way of example.
FIG. 1 illustrates, in cross section on the line I--I of FIG. 3, a
current-carrying bar having two insulated leads and a protective
earth lead;
FIG. 2 shows the same current-carrying bar in cross section, and a
current collector inserted in the current-carrying bar, in
elevation;
FIG. 3 shows a portion of the current-carrying bar in elevation
from the front side, i.e. from below in FIG. 1 or 2, with an
inserted connecting device and the current collector in section on
the line III--III of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 illustrates a longitudinal section through one end portion
of the current-carrying bar with the connecting device inserted,
the latter being shown mainly in elevation and partly in
section;
FIG. 5 shows the connecting device only in side elevation;
FIG. 6 illustrates, on a larger scale, the current-carrying bar and
the inserted connecting device in cross section on the line VI--VI
of FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 shows the connecting device, separated from the
current-carrying bar, in longitudinal section on the line VII--Vii
of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a similar longitudinal section of the line VIII--VIII of
FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 shows a part of the connecting device in the detached,
opened condition;
FIG. 10 illustrates two current-carrying bars which abut each other
over a straight line and are interconnected with the help of two
connecting devices;
FIG. 11 shows a similar arrangement for connecting and coupling two
current-carrying bars at right-angles;
FIG. 12 illustrates a T-connection of three current-carrying
bars;
FIG. 13 illustrates a similar cruciform connection of four
current-carrying bars;
FIG. 14 shows a straight line connection of two current-carrying
bars with a terminal fitted therebetween for connecting an input or
output cable.
The current-carrying bar or track 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2
comprises a hollow sectional portion 11 of metal, which has a
continuous elongated slot 12 at its front side, facing downwards in
FIG. 1. In the interior of the hollow sectional portion 11 are two
current-carrying electric leads 13 and 14 and a protective earth
lead 15, all of which are in the form of flat bars and extend in
the longitudinal direction of the current-carrying bar. The two
current-carrying leads 13 and 14 are sunk into channel-shaped
insulating members 16, which are disposed on both sides of the
elongated slot 12 directly behind the inwardly extending
longitudinal edges 17 of the hollow sectional portion, the
arrangement being such that it is impossible for the leads 13 and
14 to be touched by human hand through the slot 12. The protective
earth lead 15 is contained in a complementary groove in the spine
13 of the hollow sectional portion opposite the elongated slot 12.
Within the hollow sectional portion 11 there is also a longitudinal
rib 19 which produces intentional asymmetry in the current-carrying
bar, the significance of which will be explained below. The
outwardly facing side of the spine 18 is provided with two
longitudinal ribs 20 having flanges 21, which can be used for
securing and supporting the current-carrying bar.
The current-carrying bar or track described is intended to accept
inserted current collectors which can be fitted at any point along
the bar. An example of the construction of such current collector
30 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The current collector 30 comprises a hammer-shaped insulating
element 31 on which are disposed two current-carrying contact parts
32 and 33 and a protective earth contact element 34. At least the
protective earth contact element 34 is resiliently mounted on the
insulating element 31. The insulating element 31 is provided with a
hollow stem 35, at the free end portion of which is mounted a grip
36 in the form of a rotatable know, as shown in FIG. 2. The stem 35
passes through a washer 37. A helical compression spring 38
surrounds the stem 35 and is supported by its ends on the grip 36
and the washer 38. A three-core electric cable 39 is inserted in
the bore of the stem 35, the electrically conducting cores of this
cable being connected to the contact members 32, 33, and 34
respectively. The cable 39 is used for example for suspending and
supplying an electric light, not illustrated, or supplying some
other electricity-consuming unit. The hammer-shaped insulating
element 31 is so shaped that it can be inserted from the front side
of the current-carrying bar 10 into the elongated slot 12 of the
hollow sectional portion 11 and, when it is inside said portion 11,
then turned through 45.degree., the protective earth contact
element 34 is disposed coaxially with the stem 35 in such a manner
that when the current collector is inserted in the current-carrying
bar the element 34 is brought into contact with the protecting
earth lead 15 in the bar. The two other contact members 32 and 33
are disposed on the insulating element 31 in such a way that when
the element 31 is turned, they are positioned opposite the two
current-carrying leads 13 and 14 and come into contact therewith
under the action of the helical compression spring 38, when the
grip 36 is released.
The hammer-shaped insulating element 31 of the current collector 30
has, at one of its free ends, a recess 40 into which the
longitudinal rib 19 on the hollow sectional portion 11 can move
when the current collector is in its working position. A
corresponding recess is not provided on the other opposite free end
of the insulating element 31. This prevents the current collector
from possibly being inserted the wrong way around. In other words,
each of the contact members 32 and 33 can be brought into contact
only with a certain one of the current-carrying leads 13 and
14.
A special connecting device is provided for connecting the
current-carrying bar or track 10 to a main supply, and this device
will now be described by reference to FIGS. 3 to 9.
The connecting device comprises a housing 50 which consists of
electrically insulated material and, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6,
can be inserted from one end of the current-carrying bar 10 to fit
in the interior of the hollow sectional portion 11. The housing 50
is composed of two dished parts 50a and 50b, which are held
together with the help of screws 51 and nuts 52 (FIGS. 3 and 8).
One of the sidewalls of the housing 50 contains a longitudinal
groove 53 into which the rib 19 on the hollow sectional portion 11
can enter. The opposite sidewall of the housing 50 does not contain
a corresponding recess, so that the housing is prevented from being
inserted the wrong way round in the hollow sectional portion 11.
Three bladelike contact elements 54, 55, and 56 are present in the
housing 50, and these can be brought into the contact with the
leads 13, 14 and 15 respectively of the current-carrying bar 10
through associated orifices 57 and 58 (FIGS. 7 and 8).
The two contact elements 54 and 55 which are intended to cooperate
with the current-carrying leads 13 and 14 of the bar 10, take the
form of metal tabs 59, bent up at right angles, which are secured
by means of rivets 60 (FIG. 9) on a common flat web 61 of
insulating material. The web 61 is movable within the housing 50,
so that the contact elements 54 and 55 are movable jointly with the
web 61. A guide sleeve 62, having an axial, internally threaded
bore 63, is secured perpendicularly at the center of the web 61.
The guide sleeve 62 can slide in a central orifice in a hublike
boss 64 (FIG. 7) on the part 50b of the housing and is surrounded
by a helical compression spring 65, which is interposed between the
web 61 and that wall of the housing 50 which carries the boss 64.
The spring 65 urges the web 61, with the contact elements 54 and 55
secured thereto, into a position in which the contact elements 54
and 55 are moved into the housing 50 to an extent such that they no
longer project from the associated recesses 57 and are thus
withdrawn from any contact from the outside, this being clearly
shown in FIG. 8.
Special steps are taken in order to cause the contact elements 54
and 55 to move out of the housing 50 and to bring them into contact
with the current-carrying leads 13 and 14 of the bar 10. For this
purpose, a screw 66 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 6) is screwed into the threaded
portion of the bore 63 of the guide sleeve 62, which screw extends
through a clamping member 67 in the form of a plate. When the
housing 50 is pushed into the hollow sectional portion 11 in the
working position, the screw 66 projects through the elongated slot
12 and, from the outside, causes the clamping member 67 to bear
against the edges 17 on both sides of the elongated slot 12, this
being shown the most clearly in FIG. 6. When the screw 66 is
turned, the web 61 is moved towards the clamping member 67,
overcoming the force of the spring 65, so that the contact elements
54 and 55 are caused to move out of the housing 50 and finally to
move into contact with the leads 13 and 14 of the current-carrying
bar. When the screw 66 is fully tightened, the current-carrying bar
is clamped between the contact element 54 and 55 on the one hand
and the clamping member 67 on the other, so that the connecting
device and therefore the housing 50 are secured against inadvertent
sliding on the current-carrying bar. The screw 66 therefore also
acts as a locking screw for securing the housing in the hollow
sectional portion 11. Formed on the clamping member 67 is a guide
rib 68, which must penetrate the elongated slot 12 in the hollow
sectional portion 11 in order to lock the clamping member 67
against rotation when the screw 66 is being tightened. It has also
to be mentioned that the housing 50 has two projecting longitudinal
ribs 69 on that of its outer faces presented to the leads 13 and
14, which ribs engage in the grooves of the insulating members 16
of the current-carrying bar and contain the orifices 57 in the
through direction of which the contact elements 54 and 55 are
movable.
The third contact element 56 of the connecting device is rivetted
to the middle portion of a leaf-spring 70 the ends of which are
secured by means of rivets 71 to portion 50a of the housing (FIG.
7). Between the contact element 56 and each of the rivetted ends of
the leaf-spring 70, the latter has a stirrup-shaped bend 72,
imparting an increased spring-travel to the middle portion of the
leaf-spring 70 therebetween and the contact element 56 secured
thereto. The contact element 56 is thus to a certain extend
resiliently held on the line extending through the associated
orifice 56. As compared with the contact elements 54 and 55
however, the third contact element 56 cannot move so far that it
could fully enter the housing 50.
The two end portions of the metal part 59 carrying the contact
elements 54 and 55 each have a screw-threaded bore 73 (FIGS. 8 and
9). A clamping screw 74 with an associated pressure plate 75 is
screwed into one of those screw-threaded bores 73 in each metal
part 59. A clamping means is thus formed for connecting an electric
conductor wire. In a similar manner, the leaf spring 70 has a
screw-threaded bore 76 (FIGS. 7 and 9) in the vicinity of its two
end-portions, and a clamping screw 77, with which is associated a
pressure plate 78, is likewise screwed into one of these
screw-threaded bores 76. A further clamping means for connecting a
conductor wire is thereby formed.
At its opposite end-faces the housing 50 has particularly thin wall
portions 80, as shown on the left in FIGS. 7 and 9; if required
these portions can be knocked out. On the right in these figures
the appropriate wall portion has been knocked out to form an
opening 81 through which one end of a three-core cable 82 (FIGS. 3
and 4) is introduced. The three cores of this cable are connected
to the contact elements 54 and 55 and/or 56, by means of the
clamping screws 74 and 77. The other end of the cable 82 is
connected to two phase leads and a protective earth lead, or to one
phase lead, the neutral lead and a protective earth lead of a
normal current supply system so as to provide the current-carrying
bar 10 with electric energy.
As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cable 82 is brought in through a
rubber sleeve 83, which is fitted in orifices in two angle members
84 and 85. One limb of one angle member 84 closes the end of the
current-carrying bar 10 and the outside of its other limb bears
against the longitudinal edges 17 of the hollow sectional portion
11. The other angle member 85 is similarly disposed, but its second
limb extends into the interior of the hollow sectional portion 11.
A screw 86 is introduced through a hole in the second limb of the
angle member 84 and is screwed into a screw-threaded bore in the
corresponding limb of the other angle member 85. By tightening the
screw 86, the two second-named limbs of the angle members 84 and 85
are drawn towards each other and thereby clamped on to the hollow
sectional portion 11. The angle member 85 is also mechanically
connected to the housing 50 of the connecting device by the screw
51 on that side extending through matching bores in the
second-named limb of the angle member 85, as shown in FIG. 8. A
clip 87, clamped on the cable 82, bears against the sleeve 83. In
this way, the part of the cable 82 extends from the clip 87 to the
clamping screws 74 and 77 are relieved of mechanical tensile
stresses which could otherwise occur when the cable 82 is being
handled.
The connecting device described offers a number of advantages. Some
of these are: the electric conductors 13, 14 and 15 of the
current-carrying bar 10 must not and should not project beyond the
ends of the hollow sectional portion 11. It is therefore possible
to cut off, in a simple manner, the required length of
current-carrying bar from an assembled run, the hollow sectional
portion 11, the insulating members 16, and the leads 13, 14 and 15
being cut through in one operation. Only when the locking screw 66
is tightened do the current-carrying contact elements 54 and 55 of
the connecting device move out of the insulated housing 50 and into
contact with the leads 13 and 14 of the current-carrying bar 10. In
this way touching of the contact elements 54 and 55 by the hand is
precluded, and no accidents can virtually occur, even when that end
of the connecting cable 82 remote from the connecting device is
already connected to the current-supply system before the
connecting device is fitted on the current-carrying bar.
Unintentional touching of the contact elements 54 and 55 by persons
is also precluded in the case where the connecting device, under
voltage, is separated from the current-carrying bar. When the
housing 50 is withdrawn from the hollow sectional portion 11, the
spring 65 immediately moves said contact elements 54 and 55 back
into the interior of the housing as soon as the screw is loosened
or the clamping member 67 slides away from the hollow sectional
portion 11. Increased safety against accidents of an electrical
nature is also ensured by the fact that when the housing 50 is
pushed into the hollow sectional portion 11, electrical contact
between the protective earth contact element 56 and the protective
earth lead 15 and the hollow sectional portion is always first
established before one of the other leads 13 and 14 receives the
voltage. Conversely, when removing the connecting device from the
current-carrying bar the leads 13 and 14 are first separated from
the connecting cable 82, and only after that is the protective
earth lead 15 disconnected when the housing 50 is withdrawn from
the hollow sectional portion. Since the housing 50 is precluded
from being inserted in the current-carrying bar the wrong way round
because of the rib 19 on the hollow sectional member 11 and the
complementary recess 53 in the housing 50, the poles of the leads
13 and 14 cannot be unintentionally reversed.
Two connecting devices of the kind described can also be used for
coupling two current-carrying bars of a like kind. For this
purpose, it is only necessary for the right-hand end of the cable
82, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, to be connected to the second
connecting device in a manner similar to that in which the
left-hand end of the cable is connected to the first connecting
device.
An example of an arrangement of this kind is shown in FIG. 10. Two
similar current-carrying bars 10' and 10" abut against each other
along a straight line. A housing 50' and 50" respectively is
inserted in each of the facing end portions of the current-carrying
bars. The contact elements of these housings 50' and 50", not
visible in FIG. 10, are interconnected by a short cable 182.
Instead of each connecting device having its own flat clamping
member 67, a common longer clamping member 167 is provided, and
this extends over the end portions of both current-carrying bars
10' and 10" and the two locking screws 66' and 66" pass through
this clamping member. The common clamping member 167 enables a more
exact alignment along the same axis to be achieved and ensures good
mechanical connection of the two current-carrying bars 10' and
10".
The variant illustrated in FIG. 11 only differs to any extent from
the example shown in FIG. 10 in that instead of a straight clamping
member 167 an angled common clamping member 267 is present, thus
enabling the two current-carrying bars 10' and 10" to come together
at right angle. At the corner of the angled clamping member 267 are
two sidewalls 90, which fit flush against the corresponding
sidewalls of the hollow sectional portions 11 of the two
current-carrying bars 10' and 10".
FIG. 12 shows a further similar possible arrangement incorporating
a T-shaped clamping member 367 which enables two coaxially aligned
current-carrying bars 10' and 10" and a third bar 10'", extending
at right-angles thereto, to be mechanically interconnected. The
electrical connection is achieved with the help of three housings
50', 50" and 50'", which are inserted in the current-carrying bars,
and with the help of two cables 182 and 282, the clamping means of
one housing 50'"being connected to the ends of the two cables 182
and 282. At the top of the T-shaped clamping members 367 there is a
wall 91 which closes the gap between the coaxially disposed
current-carrying bars 10' and 10".
FIG. 13, illustrates how, with the help of a cruciform clamping
member 467, four current-carrying bars, meeting at right angles,
can be interconnected. In the mutually facing end-portions of all
of these current-carrying bars are inserted housings have contact
elements and connectors, and these connectors are interconnected by
three short cables 182, 282 and 382.
Finally, in FIG. 14 there is illustrated a variation of the
arrangement seen in FIG. 10. The difference as compared with the
arrangement already described resides in the fact that a still
longer common clamping member 567 is provided which interconnects
two coaxially arranged current-carrying bars 10' and 10". Between
the mutually facing ends of the current-carrying bars is a gap 92
in which is located a multipole connector 94. Two short lengths of
cable 182' and 182" run from the connector 94 to the housings 50'
and 50" respectively in the current-carrying bars. A third cable
582, which can be used for current input or current output purposes
is likewise connected to the connector 94. The middle portion of
the clamping member 267, lying between the ends of the two
current-carrying bars 10' and 10", is provided with lateral wall
portions 95 and 96 which are flush with the sidewalls of the
current-carrying bars. The cable 582 passes through a sleeve 97
which is inserted in a complementary orifice in one of the wall
portions 96.
In another variation, not illustrated, of the example shown in FIG.
10, the two housings 50' and 50" can abut each other directly and
can be solidly interconnected, if required, with the help of
fishplates, or by means of screws, bonding means etc. Instead of
the cable 183 of FIG. 10, three individual leads can be present
which electrically interconnect the mutually corresponding contact
elements in the housings 50' and 500".
Instead of providing two solidly interconnected housings 50' and
50", use can equally well be made of a single correspondingly
larger housing, which can be inserted at the same time in the two
current-carrying bars to be interconnected and which contain two
sets of contact elements, of which the elements corresponding to
each other are conductively interconnected. In a further
modification of the last-mentioned arrangement, the enlarged
housing can be of angular, T-shaped or cruciform configuration, in
order to be inserted in two, three or four current-carrying bars
arranged at right angles to each other, the electrical connection
of the corresponding leads of these current-carrying bars being
established with the help of appropriate seats of contact elements
in the housing.
It is clear that, apart from the above-mentioned arrangements,
numerous other variations are possible. The current-carrying bars
of the wiring system described can be advantageously fitted to the
ceilings of rooms, in shop windows etc., where frequent changing of
the arrangement and number of lights and other current-consuming
units is to be expected. Here, the hollow sectional portions 11 of
the current-carrying bars can also be used as supports for covering
elements. It is however also possible and, maybe, advantageous, to
fit the current-carrying bars on walls or items of furniture.
* * * * *