Insulating barrier system for switchgear

A barrier system utilized with electrical apparatus that includes an enclosure, the barrier system comprising:

• one or more barriers, each of said one or more barriers being a generally planar member and being fabricated from insulating material;
• manually operable means for releasably securing said one or more barriers when said one or more barriers are in respective predetermined operating positions within said enclosure, said manually operable means comprising first means retained by each of said one or more barriers and second means cooperating with said first means and being retained by said enclosure;
• and
• means for guiding and supporting said one or more barriers as each of said one or more barriers is inserted into or removed from said enclosure, said guiding and supporting means comprising means for engaging a predetermined edge portion of each of said one or more barriers when said predetermined edge portion is within a predetermined range of orientation with respect to said engaging means, said predetermined range of orientation being substantially larger than a range of movement permitted to each of said one or more barriers when each of said one or more barriers is in said respective predetermined operating position, said guiding and supporting means comprising a generally planar member that is arranged so as to be generally perpendicular to the direction of insertion and removal of said one or more barriers, said generally planar member defining a tapered opening for each of said one or more barriers.

A removable barrier arrangement utilized with an enclosure for electrical apparatus, the barrier arrangement comprising:

• a plurality of barriers, each of said barriers being generally planar and being fabricated from insulating material;
• a manually operable fastener retained by each of said plurality of barriers;
• cooperating means carried by said enclosure for cooperating with said manually operable fasteners to retain each of said plurality of barriers in a respective predetermined position when said respective manually operable fastener is aligned with said respective cooperating means and said manually operable fastener is operated in a predetermined manner;
• and
• means carried by said enclosure for guiding and supporting each of said plurality of barriers during insertion of each of said plurality of barriers, said guiding and supporting means defining for each of said plurality of barriers a tapered opening in a plane generally perpendicular to the direction of insertion and removal of each of said plurality of barriers.

A removable barrier arrangement utilized with an enclosure for electrical apparatus, the barrier arrangement comprising:

• a barrier being generally planar and being fabricated from insulating material;
• manually operable means for releasably securing said barrier when said barrier is in a predetermined operating position within said enclosure, said manually operable means comprising first means retained by said barrier and second means cooperating with said first means and being retained by said enclosure;
• and
• means carried by said enclosure for guiding and supporting a significant portion of said barrier during insertion of said barrier, said guiding and supporting means defining a tapered opening in a plane generally perpendicular to said barrier when said barrier is in said predetermined position.

A barrier system utilized with electrical apparatus that includes an enclosure, the barrier system comprising:

• one or more barriers, each of said one or more barriers being a generally planar member and being fabricated from insulating material;
• manually operable means for releasably securing said one or more barriers when said one or more barriers are in respective predetermined operating positions within said enclosure, said manually operable means comprising first means retained by each of said one or more barriers and second means cooperating with said first means and being retained by said enclosure;
• and
• means for guiding and supporting said one or more barriers as each of said one or more barriers is inserted into or removed from said enclosure, said guiding and supporting means comprising means for engaging a predetermined edge portion of each of said one or more barriers when said predetermined edge portion is within a predetermined range of orientation with respect to said engaging means, said predetermined range of orientation being substantially larger than a range of movement permitted to each of said one or more barriers when each of said one or more barriers is in said respective predetermined operating position, said guiding and supporting means including a member, said member having a cross section generally perpendicular to the plane of said one or more barriers that defines a tapered opening, said cross section that defines said tapered opening also being generally perpendicular to the direction of insertion and removal of said one or more barriers.

A removable barrier arrangement utilized with an enclosure for electrical apparatus, the barrier arrangment comprising:

• first and second discrete barriers, each said barrier being generally planar and being fabricated from insulating material;
• manually operable means associated with each said barrier, each said manually operable means for releasably securing its associated barrier when said associated barrier is in a predetermined operating position within said enclosure, and comprising first means retained by said associated barrier for securing said barrier and second means retained by said enclosure for cooperating with said first means, each said manually operable means being operable independent of the other said manually operable means for selective removal of its associated barrier;
• and
• means carried by said enclosure for guiding and supporting each said barrier during insertion of said barrier, said guiding and supporting means defining a tapered opening in a plane generally perpendicular to said barrier when said barrier is in said predetermined position, the plane of said tapered opening also being generally perpendicular to the direction of insertion of said barrier.

A barrier system utilized with electrical apparatus that includes an enclosure, the barrier system comprising:

• at least two discrete barriers, each said barrier being a generally planar member and being fabricated from insulating material;
• manually operable means associated with each said barrier for releasably securing said associated barrier when said associated barrier is in a predetermined operating position within said enclosure, said manually operable means comprising first means retained by its associated barrier for securing said barrier and second means retained by said enclosure for cooperating with said first means, each said manually operable means being operative independent of the other said manually operable means for selective removal of its associated barrier;
• and
• means for guiding and supporting said at least two barriers as each of said barriers is inserted into or removed from said enclosure, said guiding and supporting means comprising means for engaging a predetermined edge portion of each of said barriers when said predetermined edge portion is within a predetermined range of orientation with respect to said engaging means, said predetermined range of orientation being substantially larger than a range of movement permitted to each of said barriers when each of said barriers is in said respective predetermined operating position, said guiding and supporting means including a member, said member having a cross section generally perpendicular to the plane of each of said barriers that defines a tapered opening, said cross section also being generally perpendicular to the direction of insertion and removal of each of said barriers.

A removable barrier arrangement utilized with an enclosure for electrical apparatus, the barrier arrangement comprising:

• a barrier being generally planar and being fabricated from insulating material;
• manually operable means for releasably securing said barrier when said barrier is in a predetermined operating position within said enclosure, said manually operable means comprising first means retained by said barrier and second means cooperating with said first means and being retained by said enclosure;
• and
• means carried by said enclosure for guiding and supporting said barrier during insertion of said barrier, said guiding and supporting means defining a tapered opening so as to support a significant portion of the weight of said barrier during insertion.