Gould Inc.

Siemens-allis, Inc.

John M Rhodes

Roger D Luke

An electric distribution panel is constructed with an insulating base formed by extrusion. Also extruded with the base are two rows of circuit breaker mounting ledges, hook formations for each of the mounting ledges to mechanically secure circuit breakers at the load ends thereof, and channel defining formations to slidably receive neutral bars disposed outboard of each of the mounting ledges. A tie bar extends transverse to the neutral bars and provides an electrical connection therebetween. Wiring guide elements are slidably received by appropriate formations of the base and in particular the base is provided with elongated apertures to receive annular embossments of one of the wiring guides elements so as to permit expansion of the base without buckling thereof even though the mounting surface for the distribution device does not expand at the same rate as the base.

Method of forming electric distribution panel

A main lug is secured to a neutral bar so as to be mounted at a selected position along the length of the latter. An insulating element constituting a wireway barrier is selectively positionable on the bar along with the lug, and is held in operative position by the latter.

Neutral bar, lug and barrier assembly

The front trim of a panelboard consists of a front plate having an interior opening surrounded by a rearwardly extending lip, and a face plate having a forwardly extending lip disposed in telescoping relationship with respect to the lip of the front plate. Adjusting means are provided to move the face plate forward and rearward while the front plate and the panelboard interior remain stationary. The face plate is provided with twist-outs which are pressed forward so that during removal thereof they cannot be punched to the rear into engagement with live conductors of the panelboard interior.

Front trim for panelboard

Plug-in stabs formed integrally with a bus bar for mechanically and electrically connecting with circuit breakers, or the like, are shaped so as to have mutually perpendicular contact plug-in elements on a single stab unit enabling the single stab unit to receive circuit breaker contacts that are oriented in mutually perpendicular directions. The single stab unit includes a forwardly extending stab in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bus bar and a pair of forwardly extending elongated rectangular stab sections disposed in spaced parallel planes that are perpendicular to the plane of the bus bar and parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof. Each stab section constitutes first and second stabs positioned on opposite sides of the central stab.

Integral bus bar contact stab structure

A panelboard is constructed with a line terminal array in a row midway between mechanical parallel elongated support means for the circuit breaker load ends. Disposed outboard of and extending parallel to each support means is an elongated neutral bar having a plurality of load wire grips thereon. Main lugs for energizing the line terminal array are disposed at one end thereof, and at the other end thereof a connecting bar extends between the neutral bars for an electrical interconnection therebetween.

Growing community of inventors

Atlanta, GA, United States of America

John M Rhodes