General Electric Company

Richard E Bernier

Gilbert Anthony Soares

Joseph G Nagy

Edgar Yee

Ronald D Ciarcia

Charles William Piper

Gregory T DiVincenzo

Roger N Castonguay

John Joseph Struble, Jr

Dennis J Doughty

Kevin Farrelly Nolan

Keith W Klein

Michael C Von Kannewurff

Edward Bruce Bynum, Jr

Joseph M Palmieri

Peter Donald Muse

Ira B Goldman

Erich J Pannenborg

James Brown Hestetune

Valerie R Padilla

James H Cook

Carin B Benway

Franklin P Palaia

Subrahmanyam Thota

Samuel E Eskridge

Michael Nanney

Gregory T Di Vincenzo

A universal electrical connector is incorporated into the electric power distribution network of a motor control center, switchboard, or switchgear between vertical bus conductors and the power line inlet. The connector in the form of substantially a single metal casting is configured to connect the power line with the control center internal electrical distribution conductors without requiring additional connectors.

Vertical bus power connector

A defeatable interlock mechanism for an electrical equipment enclosure requiring a circuit breaker to be tripped before opening includes a support platform having an operator handle stem operably connected to the circuit breaker, an interlock slide plate slidably positioned along the support platform and having a keyhole-shaped slot for receiving a door interlock pin therein, and a lever operably connected to the interlock slide plate and configured to defeat the interlock mechanism when the door interlock pin is engaged with the slot. The lever is pivotally supported at a fulcrum point intermediate the ends of the lever and extends through an escutcheon to an exterior surface of the enclosure. Movement of the lever causes the interlock slide plate to disengage the door interlock pin and allow the unit door to open even while the circuit breaker is in the &ldquo;on&rdquo; position.

Alternate door interlock defeater

A draw out unit with improved drawout box and handle assembly is disclosed. The drawout box is designed to accommodate an improved terminal assembly of the present invention, which reduces the dimensions of the box, and further provides access to the interior of the box by providing an open side for allowing service of an electrtical device within the bucket thus permitting the motor control center to remain active during service. The drawout box of the present invention further includes an improved handle assembly with operable connection to a circuit breaker handle within the confines of the smaller drawout box.

Plug-in draw out unit

An L-shaped bracket for mounting DIN rail comprising a support member, a base member, and a brace positioned therebetween to give support to the L-shaped structure. The support member has a rail mounting pin protruding therefrom, which comprises a shank with an oblong head disposed on the end of the shank. A hole for receiving a fastener is disposed on the support member adjacent to the rail mounting pin. A bracket mounting pin protrudes from the base member and comprises a retaining pin and a retaining foot disposed on the end thereof. The retaining pin is dimensioned and configured to slidably engage a slot in a bracket mounting plate and be retained in the slot by the retaining foot. A post also protrudes from the base member and is dimensioned to be received in a post hole. A relief is cut laterally into the base member and extends into the brace to allow the support member and the base member to flex relative to each other.

Control and power terminal block quick insert/disconnect

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.

Door latch for electrical equipment enclosure

A securement assembly for providing securement of a member to a surface within an electrical distribution center. The assembly includes a first mounting member and a retaining member. The first mounting member is secured within an opening in the surface and the member is retained within the first mounting member by the retaining member which is positioned over the member and the first mounting member.

Bus bar connection assembly

A drawout unit is dimensioned to make more efficient use of the space within the drawout unit. Devices within the drawout unit are positioned in a generally vertical configuration. A bus brace serves as a line/load terminal assembly. The bus brace has receptacle ports enabling lugs to maintain electrical contact with vertically oriented bus bars on the line terminals and transfer current to horizontally oriented load terminals. Output cables extend horizontally from the load terminals and form a single right angle bend before passing out of the bottom of the drawout unit through an exit port.

Drawout unit and load/line terminal assembly

A two-part motor control center interlock arrangement has a handle support plate and interlock slide positioned on an interior of the control center door operating by insertion of a tapered pin on the door interior within a key-hole slot on the interlock slide. The elongated slot of the key-hole slot automatically compensates for any tolerance accumulation between a circuit breaker handle, an interlock operating handle and the control center access door.

Motor control center interlock assembly

A draw out unit (,) mounts switching devices (,) within a switchgear unit and electrically connects the switching devices (,) to electrical bus bars (,). A cutout portion (,) in draw out unit (,) receives an insulative housing (,) for a lug adapter assembly (,). Lug adapter assembly (,) includes a plurality of clip assemblies (,) positioned within receptacles (,) formed on insulative housing (,). Each clip assembly (,) slidably accepts one bus bar (,), thereby providing an electrical connection to bus bars (,). Lug adapter assembly (,) also includes lugs (,), which are electrically connected to clip assemblies (,) via a conductive bar (,). Lugs (,) accept wires (,), which extend from lugs (,) in switching device (,). Lugs (,) are arranged to minimize bending of wires (,). Clip assemblies (,) each include a plurality of staggered clips (,). Upon insertion of draw out unit (,) into the switchgear, each bus bar (,) is received by the contact arms (,) of first clip (,), before being received by contact arms (,) of the second clip (,).

Lug adapter assembly having reduced force clips

A circuit breaker is configured as an electric disconnect switch within a motor control center enclosure and is arranged on a functional support platform. An extended operating handle operator on the platform interacts with the circuit breaker ON/OFF handle to indicate the circuit breaker TRIPPED condition.

Motor control center circuit breaker assembly

A lock assembly is formed from a two-piece plastic unit that is held together and to the compartment door by a planar lanced metal spring. The latch projection is ramped relative to the latch retainer slot within the compartment door to cause the latch piece to become jammed within the retainer slot in the event the door is subjected to severe internally-generated gas pressures.

Circuit breaker panelboard lock assembly

A universal electrical connector is incorporated into the electric power distribution network of a motor control center to connect the main circuit breaker with the control center vertical bus conductors and the branch circuit breakers. The connector in the form of a single metal casting is configured to connect the main circuit breaker with the control center internal electrical distribution conductors without requiring additional connectors.

Motor control center universal electrical connector

A bell alarm unit is attached to the actuator-accessory unit of a molded case circuit breaker. The bell alarm unit consists of a microswitch, printed wire board connector and external wire conductors integrally encapsulated within a plastic composition to provide strain relief to the electrical connections between the printed wire board and the external wire conductors.

Molded case circuit breaker modular bell alarm unit

A molded case circuit interrupter of the type employing a thermal-magnetic trip unit to interrupt circuit current utilizes a flexible electrical braid conductor to connect between the thermal-magnetic trip unit and the movable contact arm. A helical spring arranged around the braid conductor at the welded connection with the movable contact arm provides long-term strain relief. A metal phosphate coating on the surface of the circuit breaker operating cradle and latch assembly eliminates polishing while insuring release of the cradle from the cradle-latch interface surfaces.

Molded case circuit breaker braid conductor with strain relief

Single pole circuit breakers are connected in a modular array to provide up to four poles by means of a handle tie bar assembly. The circuit breaker operating handles are grooved to receive a metal interlocking pin and a plastic tie bar to cause the circuit breakers to move in unison. A locking clip arranged between one of the operating handle slots and the tie bar assembly prevents the circuit breakers from being turned from their OFF-to-ON or ON-to-OFF conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Southington, CT, United States of America

Richard E Bernier