U.S. patent number 3,723,824 [Application Number 05/207,428] was granted by the patent office on 1973-03-27 for telescoping outdoor switchboard and aisle sections.
This patent grant is currently assigned to I-T-E Imperial Corporation. Invention is credited to John Cuorato, Charles V. Stull.
United States Patent |
3,723,824 |
Cuorato , et al. |
March 27, 1973 |
TELESCOPING OUTDOOR SWITCHBOARD AND AISLE SECTIONS
Abstract
The aisle section of outdoor walk-in type switchgear is
telescoped over the front of the switchboard during shipment and is
telescoped outwardly and is assembled with an aisle floor when
delivered to its site of installation. Lifting and shipping members
are provided as integral parts of the telescoping assembly.
Inventors: |
Cuorato; John (Springfield,
PA), Stull; Charles V. (Ambler, PA) |
Assignee: |
I-T-E Imperial Corporation
(Philadelphia, PA)
|
Family
ID: |
22770506 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/207,428 |
Filed: |
December 13, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/605; 361/832;
52/67 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02B
13/02 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H02B
13/02 (20060101); H02b 001/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;312/205
;317/11CB,99,103,112,120 ;52/64,66,67 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schaefer; Robert K.
Assistant Examiner: Tolin; Gerald P.
Claims
1. An outdoor switchgear assemblage adapted for economical shipment
comprising, in combination:
a switchboard comprising a generally rectangular metal housing
having a front, rear, top and first and second side sections; said
front section having a door therein for defining at least one
cubicle adapted for the reception of circuit protective apparatus;
and
an aisle enclosure comprising a generally rectangular metal housing
having a rear, top and first and second side sections; said first
side section having a door therein; and
means connecting said aisle enclosure to said switchboard, whereby
said top of said aisle enclosure is connected to said top of said
switchboard to form therewith a generally continuous roof, and
whereby said first and second side sections of said aisle enclosure
are connected to said first and second side sections respectively
of said switchboard, to form therewith generally continuous side
sections, and whereby said rear section of said aisle enclosure is
spaced from said front section of said switchboard to form
therewith a weatherproof aisle in front of said front section of
said switchboard, with said door in said side section of said aisle
enclosure communicating with said weatherproof aisle; and
said aisle enclosure being collapsible in telescoping relation over
said switchboard for shipping said switchgear assemblage, wherein
said top section of said aisle enclosure is disposed above said top
section of said switchboard; said side sections of said aisle
enclosure are spaced apart by a distance greater than the spacing
between said side sections of said switchboard, and said first and
second side sections of said aisle enclosure are over and alongside
of said first and second side sections of said switchboard, whereby
said aisle is substantially collapsed.
2. The switchgear assemblage of claim 1 wherein said switchboard
includes a plurality of identical frame sections fastened together
to define a plurality of individual cubicles, and wherein said
aisle enclosure includes a similar plurality of identical frame
sections connected together.
3. The switchgear assemblage of claim 1 which includes metal floor
members for said switchboard and for said aisle enclosure; said
aisle enclosure floor member is separable from and of a size not to
fit in said aisle enclosure when it is collapsed but of a size to
fit in said aisle enclosure when said assemblage is assembled
open.
4. The switchgear assemblage of claim 1 which includes lifting
apparatus connectors connected to the rear of said switchboard to
enable lifting of said switchboard with said aisle enclosure
telescoped thereover, and which further includes lifting apparatus
connectors connected to said top section of said aisle enclosure to
enable the lifting thereof off of said switchboard and to an
extended position to receive said connection means.
5. The switchgear assemblage of claim 4 which includes metal floor
members for said switchboard and for said aisle enclosure; said
aisle enclosure floor member is separable from and is of a size not
to fit in said aisle enclosure when it is collapsed but of a size
to fit in said aisle enclosure when said assemblage is assembled
open.
6. The switchgear assemblage of claim 1 which further includes a
second switchboard spaced from said first switchboard; the front
surface of said second switchboard defining said rear surface of
said aisle enclosure.
7. The switchgear assemblage of claim 1 which further includes a
plurality of elongated steel beam supports disposed beneath said
switchboard and said switchgear for supporting said switchgear at
its assembly site.
8. The switchgear assemblage of claim 1 which further includes
weather seal means disposed between the adjacent portions of said
aisle enclosure and said switchboard when connected by said
connection means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to outdoor walk-in type switchgear, and more
specifically relates to a novel construction for such switchgear in
which the aisle section is movable to a telescoping position over
the front of the switchboard in order to reduce volume and increase
strength of the assembly during shipping.
Outdoor walk-in switchgear is well known, and is typically shown
for example in the U.S. Pat. to Wortman et al. No. 2,952,799. Such
switchgear generally consists of a switchboard section and an aisle
section. The aisle section forms a waterproof enclosure located in
front of a single-row switchboard or between the fronts of a
double-row switchboard. Conventionally, the aisle may be
constructed of unitary switchboard-frame width sections which are
fastened together with end panels at both ends of the aisle
containing doors providing access to the aisles.
Conventionally, the aisle section of outdoor switchgear is
disassembled from the switchboard frame when the unit is shipped.
The complete device is then reassembled in the field, at the
installation site. The field erection costs are relatively high due
to the necessary labor involved in the reassembly and because of
loss and damage of the many loose parts which are involved.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, the switchgear is so
constructed that the aisle section and switchboard section may be
telescoped over one another during shipment, thereby to reduce
volume and shipping costs while simplifying erection in the field.
Thus, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a
factory-assembled aisle section designed to nest over or telescope
over the switchboard assembly during shipment. The roof and sides
of the aisle section and switchboard section are designed to permit
lifting and shipping as a unit by the provision of suitable
hardware for receiving lifting hooks and the like. When a floor is
required for the aisle section, the floor is shipped separately and
assembled while the switchgear is being installed.
Among the numerous advantages provided by the invention are:
The bulk of the assembly has been factory assembled rather than
field assembled, and shipping damages and losses are minimized.
Field assembly time is reduced to a minimum, and the user is
assured that the aisle and switchboard components will arrive at
the site together.
There is good control of the weatherproofing between the aisle and
the switchboard, since weatherproofing occurs in factory-assembled
seal housings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top elevation view of a switchboard having a
telescoping aisle frame member telescoping thereover for shipping
purposes.
FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 which shows the
telescoped aisle pulled out and placed in position to form an aisle
in front of the switchboard. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view
through the elevation of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3 to
illustrate the aisle which is formed in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a view of the rear of the switchboard of FIGS. 1 and
2.
FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the switchgear of the invention
in a position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the elevation of FIG. 6 to show
the telescoping components in their with-drawn position.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view similar to the view of FIG. 7 and
shows the telescoping aisle section in its collapsed position as in
FIGS. 1 and 3, and in position for shipping.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the telescoped arrangement of the
FIGS. 1, 3 and 8 shown in lifted position while being moved to a
foundation.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 9 after being
seated on its foundation with the lifting cables connected to the
aisle enclosure preparatory to moving the aisle enclosure to its
withdrawn position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a switchboard
20 which is of a conventional type and is shown herein as
containing five identical frame units 21 to 25. Each of the frame
units 21 to 25 are of the conventional type for receiving circuit
protection equipment, such as a circuit breaker which can be racked
in and out of the enclosure. Bus and cable compartments, along with
metering equipment compartments, may also be provided. Each of the
individual enclosures 21 to 25 may further contain openable doors,
such as doors 26 to 30 (FIGS. 3 and 4).
All of the cubicles share a common rear wall 31 which is defined by
the continuation of each of the individual rear walls of the
individual frame assemblies. A floor 32 (FIGS. 7 and 8) is formed
by a continuation of the individual floors of each of the
individual framed units 21 to 25. In a similar manner, the
switchboard 20 has a roof 33 (FIGS. 5, 7 and 9), again formed by
the individual roof elements of the individual frame units. Note in
FIGS. 7 and 8 the roof 33 may slope downwardly to permit drainage
of rain and snow.
The individual frames 21 to 25 are then suitably connected to one
another in any desired manner, and are conventionally supported as
by support I-beams shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 as the I-beams 40, 41 and
42. The I-beams 40 and 41 have lifting brackets 50-51 and 52-53
respectively extending therefrom, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and
9.
In order to form a weatherproof aisle for the switchboard 20, an
aisle enclosure 60 is provided where the aisle enclosure 60 may be
formed of individual frame sections identical in width to the width
of frame sections 21 to 25 of the switchboard 20. By way of
example, individual frame sections 61 to 65 may be bolted together
in any desired manner to form the body of the aisle enclosure 60.
Two end sections 66 and 67 are then bolted to the ends of the aisle
enclosure with these end sections carrying doors 68 and 69
respectively, which allow entrance to the center aisle 70 formed by
the aisle enclosure 60. As in the case of the switchboard
construction, the individual frame member elements 61 to 69, as
shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, define a side wall 80, a top wall 81, and
the side walls 68 and 69, previously mentioned.
It should be noted that the frame units forming the telescoping
aisle enclosure 60 do not contain floor elements. Thus, if a floor
is required in the aisle, the floor 82 is formed separately and
consists of separate floor panels shown in FIG. 7.
The combination of the switchboard enclosure and aisle section
shown, for example, in FIG. 7, is of a type well known to the art,
with the assembly previously having been made in the field from
individually shipped components. In accordance with the present
invention, however, the aisle enclosure is adapted to telescope to
a collapsed position as shown in FIGS 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10 during
shipping, so that a relatively low-volume package is handled.
Moreover, the package shipped has increased strength, and is less
likely to undergo distortion from a rectangular shape to a
trapezoidal shape during shipping, since the switchboard section
and aisle section tend to reinforce one another.
To allow telescoping, the aisle section 60 is made without a
permanent floor, with the floor being installed at the installation
site. In addition, the width of the aisle enclosure 60 is made
sufficiently larger than the width of the switchboard 20 that the
side sections 66 and 67 can telescope over the sides of the
switchboard 20. The top of aisle enclosure 60 is then further
provided with lifting brackets 90 to 93 (FIGS. 1 to 8 and 10) to
enable movement of the aisle 60 as will be described in connection
with FIG. 10.
In the telescoped position, the enclosure 60 is supported on the
switchboard 20 with the assistance of shipping support blocks, such
as blocks 100 and 101 between the top of enclosure 60 and the roof
33 in FIG. 8, along with a further shipping member 102 disposed
below the bottom of the wall 80 of shipping enclosure 60. Any
suitable clamp arrangement (not shown) could also be provided to
hold the aisle enclosure 60 in position during the shipping of the
switchgear.
When the assembly reaches the installation site, a suitable
foundation will have been prepared, which could include, for
example, poured foundation piers such as the piers 110, 111 and 112
of FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, which are arranged to receive I-beams 40, 41
and 42. Further I-beams 43 and 44 support the bottom floor 82 and
the main aisle enclosure 60.
In order to lift the telescoped or collapsed assembly of FIG. 9
from the carrying vehicle, a pair of pressure timbers 120 and 121
are placed on either side of aisle enclosure 60, and lifting cables
are guided over the pressure timbers 120 and 121 by the spreader
timber frame 122 and the spreader timbers 123 and 124. Lifting
cables are then connected to the lifting brackets 50 to 53, and the
entire assemblage may be lifted on to the piers 111 and 112 of FIG.
7. Thereafter, and as shown in FIG. 10, the lifting cables are
connected to brackets 90 to 93, and the entire aisle enclosure 60
is moved from the position of FIG. 8 to the position of FIG. 7,
with the aisle 60 deposited on the floor 82 and piers 110 and 111.
At the same time, a weatherproof sealing gasket 130 (FIG. 7) is
connected between the peripheries of aisle enclosure 60 and
switchboard 20 to form a good weather seal.
Although this invention has been described with respect to
preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations
and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art
and, therefore, the scope of this invention is to be limited not by
the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or
property is claimed are defined as follows:
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