US 4,790,766 AGranted

Electrical power track system

OwnerDonald J. Booty, Sr., Donald J. Booty, Jr.inventors

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Abstract

An electrical power track system includes an elongated tubular track carrying elongated electrical conductors internally thereof and having a relatively narrow longitudinally extending slot formed in the track to enable access to the conductors but inhibiting insertion of fingers and the like into the track. A gripper device is adapted for mounting on the track and has a thin fin-like extension adapted for insertion into the track slot. The gripper device carries descrete electrically conductive L-shaped contacts spaced along the fin-like extension for movement between retracted positions within the extension to enable insertion into the track slot, and extended positions engaging the track conductors when the gripper device is mounted on the track. An actuator carried by the gripper device enables selective movement of the contacts between their retracted and extended positions, and a locking member releasably secures the gripper device on the track.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An electrical power track system comprising, in combination, an elongated tubular track adapted to be supported on a support surface and defining an exposed mounting surface, said mounting surface having a relatively narrow longitudinally extending slot formed therein,

a plurality of elongated generally longitudinally extending electrical conductors carried internally of said track in offset relation from and accessible through said slot,
a gripper device having a base portion defining a track engaging surface adapted for engagement with said track mounting surface, said gripper device having a relatively narrow generally rectangular fin-like extension projecting outwardly from said track engaging surface and adapted for insertion into said slot in said track, said gripper device carrying at least two discrete electrically conductive generally L-shaped contact members spaced longitudinally along said extension and adapted for rotational movement about an axis substantially normal to said track engaging surface, each of said L-shaped contact members having a contact arm movable in response to rotation of the corresponding contact member between a retracted position within said extension to enable insertion of said extension into said slot, and an extended position engaging a selected one of said electrical conductors when said extension is inserted into said slot,
and an actuator member carried by said gripper device for movement longitudinally thereof, said actuator member being interconnected to said contact members so as to effect rotational movement of said contact arms between their said retracted and extended positions upon selective movement of said actuator member, said actuator member being manually graspable and manipulable from the exterior of said gripper device.

A track lighting system comprising, in combination, an elongated track adapted to be supported on a support surface and having an exposed mounting surface, a relatively narrow longitudinal slot formed in said mounting surface, at least two elongated electrical conductors carried internally of said track in laterally offset relation from and accessible through said slot, a gripper device having a base portion defining a relatively planar track engaging surface and having a relatively thin fin-like generally rectangular extension projecting from said track engaging surface and adapted to be inserted into said slot in said track, said gripper device supporting at least two separate and distinct electrical contact members each of which includes a conductive plate supported within said base portion for rotation about an axis of rotation normal to the plane of said track engaging surface, and an L-shaped conductive contact having a first arm portion secured in normal relation to a corresponding plate for rotation about said rotational axis, each first contact arm extending into said fin-like extension and having a second arm portion fixed normal thereto for movement between a first retracted position disposed within said fin-like extension and a second position extending from said extension so as to engage said electrical conductors within said track when said gripper base is mounted on said track, and an actuating member carried by and extending longitudinally of said base portion of said gripper device, said actuating member being interconnected to said conductor plates and longitudinally movable to enable selective movement of said second contact arm portions between their said first and second positions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.