Electrical bus bar assembly and method of manufacture

A method for manufacturing an electrical bus bar assembly performed with the aid of a multi-part mold having at least one separation between its parts extending along its length, said mold having an interior compartment with a main wall divided by said separation, said method being further performed with the aid of engagement means adapted to be secured to said main wall, said method comprising the steps of:

• stacking conductors in spaced alignment by inserting insulating spacers therebetween;
• securing said engagement means to said main wall and operating said engagement means to engage said conductors so that they are retained in a fixed relationship with respect to said main wall;
• and
• pouring a hardenable encapsulant over said retained conductors so that said encapsulant fills the spaces between said conductors and also encapsulates them.

A bus bar assembly manufactured by the method comprising the steps of:

• stacking conductors in spaced alignment by inserting insulating spacers therebetween;
• securing engagement means to a main wall of a mold and operating said engagement means to engage said conductors so that they are retained in a fixed relationship with respect to said main wall;
• and
• pouring a hardenable encapsulant over said retained conductors so that said encapsulant fills the spaces between said conductors and also encapsulates them.

Apparatus for manufacturing a bus bar assembly including a plurality of elongated conductors stacked in spaced alignment, comprising:

• a multi-part mold having at least one separation between its parts extending along its length, said mold having an interior compartment extending along its length including a main wall divided by said separation;
• means positioned and dimensioned to extend through at least one conductor detachably secured to said main wall for retaining said conductors in a fixed relationship with respect to said main wall;
• and
• said main wall having a plurality of spaced, internally threaded bores divided by said separation, said retaining means comprising a plurality of fasteners with an externally threaded body dimensioned to be received in said threaded bores, said fasteners being adapted to pass freely through bores in said conductors and to be screwed into threaded bores.

Apparatus for manufacturing a bus bar assembly including a plurality of elongated conductors stacked in spaced alignment, comprising:

• a multi-part mold having at least one separation between its parts extending along its length, said mold having an interior compartment extending along its length including a main wall divided by said separation,
• means positioned and dimensioned to extend through at least one conductor and detachably secured to said main wall for retaining said conductors in a fixed relationship with respect to said main wall;
• and
• said main wall having a plurality of spaced bores divided by said separation, said retaining means comprising a plurality of fasteners with a body dimensioned to be received in said bores, said fasteners being adapted to pass freely through holes in said conductors and to be retained in said bores against removal therefrom.