General Electric Company

James H Cook

Gilbert Anthony Soares

Richard E Bernier

Peter Donald Muse

An access panel located in a motor control center for inspecting and accessing various bus connections, for example, a particular phase vertical to horizontal bus connection or a horizontal bus bar splice connection. The surface of the panel includes one or more apertures positioned to align with one or more bus bar connections. Covers are pivotally mounted along the surface of the panel adjacent to the apertures in order to access and isolate the bus connections within the motor control center. The cover is mounted to the surface of the panel such that it can be moveable between open and closed positions.

Bus connection access panel

A door latch for latching a door of an electrical equipment enclosure includes a latch body and a latch rod rotatable between locked and unlocked conditions. The latch rod includes a stem with a first end rotatably coupled to the latch body, an extension rod with a first end coupled to a second end of the stem, and a hook coupled to a second end of the extension rod. The extension rod is dimensioned to contact a portion of the electrical equipment enclosure when the latch rod is in the locked condition. The hook is separated from the portion of the electrical equipment enclosure by a clearance distance &ldquo;x&rdquo; during a quiescent condition within the electrical enclosure. The hook contacts the portion of the electrical equipment enclosure during a pressurized condition within the electrical equipment enclosure. The clearance distance &ldquo;x&rdquo; is selected to provide a clearance distance &ldquo;y&rdquo; between the door and the enclosure to allow pressurized gas to escape the enclosure during the pressurized condition.

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Wilmington, NC, United States of America

James H Cook