US 5,497,287 AGranted

Electrical port safety guard mechanism

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorsEdgar Yee, Richard G. DeTuccio, Kevin F. Nolan, Lloyd E. Wentler

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An electrical port safety guard mechanism in the form of a shutter assembly is positioned between the vertical power bus conductors in an electric motor control center and the electric components contained therein. The shutter assembly allows access to the busbar conductors when the electrical components are inserted within the motor control center and prevents electrical access to the busbar conductors when the electrical components are removed therefrom.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A motor control center comprising:

an enclosure 11;
a compartment 12 containing an electrical component 31 within said enclosure;
operating means 13 extending from a front of said enclosure providing external control of said electrical component;
indicating means 14 extending from said front of said enclosure providing indication as to an operating state of said electrical component;
a chamber 21 containing said compartment and allowing electrical access to electrical busbars extending within a rear of said enclosure;
an insulating barrier 25 covering said busbars except for electrical access openings 26;
a shutter assembly 37 within said chamber and arranged for providing electrical access to said busbars when said compartment is within said chamber and preventing electrical access to said busbars when said compartment is outside of said enclosure, said shutter assembly including a slidably-mounted shutter 41 arranged for moving in front of said electrical access openings when said compartment is outside of said enclosure, said shutter assembly includes a slide unit 38 fastened to a bottom shelf 23 within said chamber, said shelf including an up-standing plate 39 integrally-formed therewith, said shutter being supported on said plate said shutter comprises a plurality of blocking plates 46-48 integrally-formed thereon, said plates being arranged in front of said electrical access openings when said compartment is outside said chamber to thereby prevent electrical access to said busbars;
a lever 42 pivotally-supported on said slide unit and including a top part 42A inclined toward said compartment when said compartment is outside of said chamber;
and
a hinge 58 attached to said lever at one end and to said shutter at an opposite end, whereby said hinge moves said shutter in unison with said lever, said shutter comprises a plurality of blocking plates 46-48 integrally-formed thereon, said plates being arranged in front of said electrical access openings when said compartment is outside said chamber to thereby prevent electrical access to said busbars, said shutter is formed from a continuos plastic plate, said plate being offset to define an off-set folded region 49, said off-set region capturing and supporting said upstanding plate.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A motor control center comprising:

an enclosure 11;
a compartment 12 containing an electrical component 31 within said enclosure;
operating means 13 extending from a front of said enclosure providing external control of said electrical component;
indicating means 14 extending from said front of said enclosure providing indication as to an operating state of said electrical component;
a chamber 21 containing said compartment and allowing electrical access to electrical busbars extending within a rear of said enclosure;
an insulating barrier 25 covering said busbars except for electrical access openings 26;
a shutter assembly 37 within said chamber and arranged for providing electrical access to said busbars when said compartment is within said chamber and preventing electrical access to said busbars when said compartment is outside of said enclosure, said shutter assembly including a slidably-mounted shutter 41 arranged for moving in front of said electrical access openings when said compartment is outside of said enclosure, said shutter assembly includes a slide unit 38 fastened to a bottom shelf 23 within said chamber, said shelf including an up-standing plate 39 integrally-formed therewith, said shutter being supported on said plate said shutter comprises a plurality of blocking plates 46-48 integrally-formed thereon, said plates being arranged in front of said electrical access openings when said compartment is outside said chamber to thereby prevent electrical access to said busbars;
a lever 42 pivotally-supported on said slide unit and including a top part 42A inclined toward said compartment when said compartment is outside of said chamber;
and
a hinge 58 attached to said lever at one end and to said shutter at an opposite end, whereby said hinge moves said shutter in unison with said lever, said shutter comprises a plurality of blocking plates 46-48 integrally-formed thereon, said plates being arranged in front of said electrical access openings when said compartment is outside said chamber to thereby prevent electrical access to said busbars, said shutter is formed from a continuos plastic plate, said plate being offset to define an off-set folded region 49, said off-set region capturing and supporting said upstanding plate.

7 more elements