Combined arc shield/wire tray for switchgear and switchgear assemblies incorporating same

Abstract

A switchgear assembly in which a number of cells housing electrical switching apparatus such as circuit breakers are vertically stacked in a forward compartment has combined arc shield/wire trays between cells for terminating secondary wiring for easy access through front doors on the switchgear assembly and for protecting the secondary wiring from circuit breaker arc gases. The arc gases are deflected by an upwardly and rearwardly inclined panel forming the back wall of the wire tray. A vertical wall forward of the inclined panel mounts a lower horizontal row of terminal blocks forward of an upper row. A wireway has a vertical section in a forward corner of the cabinet beside the vertically stacked cells which communicates with the wire trays, and a horizontal section extending rearward under the top wall of the cabinet. An inclined gutter provides a transition between the top of the vertical section and the forward end of the horizontal section. External wiring enters the wireway either through a bottom access opening aligned with the vertical section or a top access opening in the horizontal section. A depending lip on the rear of the arc shield diverts the arc gases laterally into a vertical chamber behind the vertical section of the wireway for expansion and cooling.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.