Transition for electrical apparatus

In an electrical transition a nonconductive base has at least one side rail and at least one interior rail spaced apart from a side rail and a wire connector fitted therebetween. The side rail and interior rail prevent the connector from moving across the base. A bus bar is placed on the base and has a tab extending into the opening of the connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to an improved electrical transition upon 
which circuit breakers and other components can be readily mounted. 
2. Background Information 
A transition is required in an electrical apparatus to provide a current 
path from one point to another. This is accomplished with an arrangement 
of components such as electrical wire connectors, bus bars, insulated 
cable, supports, and insulators. The assembly of such components is 
normally accomplished with mechanical fasteners such as screws, washers 
and nuts. Mechanical fasteners are costly to procure, store and assemble. 
Moreover, should any connection be improperly made, that error can reduce 
the efficiency of the transition. To assure that mechanical fasteners are 
properly tightened, the art has used costly power drivers to install such 
fasteners. 
There is need for a transition which can be readily assembled without 
mechanical fasteners. The assembly should be of consistently high quality. 
Preferably, the components should snap together and be self-locating. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
I provide an improved transition for electrical apparatus comprising a base 
made of non-conductive material onto which a bus bar base can be snap fit. 
Tabs are provided on the base which fit through holes in the bus base and 
retain the bus in place. The bus bar preferably has at least one upright 
segment attached to the bus base and a contact extending from the upright 
at an oblique angle to the upright segment. A circuit breaker or other 
component can be fitted within the contact and there secured by a set 
screw. I also prefer to provide a well at either end of the base into 
which a wire terminal can be placed. A tab extending from the bus bar fits 
within each terminal to hold the terminal within the well and prevent 
transverse movement of the bus bar. 
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as a 
description of the present preferred embodiment proceeds.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, I provide an improved transition having a base 
1 made of non-conductive material. On either side of the base I provide 
upstanding side rails 2 and 3. I also provide interior rails 4 and 5 which 
are parallel to the side rails. I prefer to provide gussets 10 to support 
side rails 2 and 3. The base, side rails, interior rails and gussets are 
preferably integrally molded as a single unit. A generally cubicle wire 
connector 6 or 7 is fit between rails 2 and 4 and rails 3 and 5. These 
wire connectors have an opening 8 into which a cable may fit. Set screw 9 
can be tightened to secure a cable within opening 8. Tabs 11 extend 
inwardly from side rails 2 and 3 and outwardly from interior rails 4 and 
5. These tabs 11 are positioned so that terminal connectors 6 and 7 are 
held on base 1 and prevented from rotation. Bus bars 21 and 22 are placed 
on the base 1. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a hole 23 is provided in the bus 
base 24 of each bus bar. When the bus bar is placed on the base 1 as shown 
in FIG. 4, a tab 12 extends through hole 23 in bus bar 21 or 22 to secure 
the bus bar against the base 1. Tab 12 has a vertical portion 13 and a 
horizontal portion 14. To attach a bus bar to the base one fits tab 
portion 14 through the hole 23 in the bus bar and then slides the bus bar 
forward. Then, horizontal tab portion 14 will overlay the bus base 24 and 
prevent the bus base 24 from being lifted away from the base. Bus base 24 
has a tab portion 25 or 26. This tab portion extends through opening 8 in 
connector 6 or 7. Because these tabs are within the opening 8, the 
connectors cannot be lifted away from the base 1. As previously mentioned, 
the side rails 2 and 3, interior rails 4 and 5 and the tabs 11 extending 
therefrom prevent connectors 6 and 7 from moving across the base 1. Thus, 
when screws 9 are tightened the bus bars 21 and 22 cannot be slid across 
the base. Hence, the horizontal portion 14 of tab 12 will continue to 
overlay the bus bar base thereby preventing the bus bars 21 and 22 and 
connectors 6 and 7 from being lifted from the base 1. 
Unlike the prior art, no heel is required to maintain the circuit breaker 
in place. As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8, the bus bars contain 
a contact 29 and 30 each having, an upright segment 28 or 27 extending 
from the bus bar 24. The contacts 29 and 30 are preferably shaped to 
provide an oblique angle relative to the upright portions 27, 28. As can 
be seen in FIG. 1, each contact 29, 30 fits into an opening in circuit 
breaker 32 and is secured in place by a set screw 33. I prefer to provide 
a central vertical rail 16 which extends upwardly from base 1, to align 
the circuit breakers 32. Large cables, such as 200 amp cables, cannot be 
connected directly to the circuit breaker through set screws 33. However, 
such large cables can easily be attached to connectors 6 and 7. Thus, an 
electrical connection can be established from a large cable (not shown) 
attached to a connector 6 or 7 through the bus bar 21 or 22 to the circuit 
breaker 32. Accordingly, current flows through any transition can be as 
high as 200 amps. 
Another advantage of the present transition is that several single pole 
circuit breakers can be attached to the bus bar. Because these circuit 
breakers are positioned side by side, one handle 34 can be provided to 
operate two or more circuit breakers. In the present preferred embodiment 
one handle 34, shown in FIG. 1, operates four circuit breakers 32. 
The type of circuit breakers shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 also have at least one 
slot (not shown) to receive a stab connector. Accordingly, I provide a 
stab-type connector 40 shown in FIG. 10. The connector 40 has two upright 
stabs 42 which engage slots in the circuit breakers 32. The connector 40 
preferably has a hole 44 into which one can place a fastener for securing 
the connector 40 to a bus bar, terminal bar, neutral bar or other 
connector. 
Although I have shown circuit breakers 32 attached to the bus bars 21 and 
22, my transition could also be used with other electrical components. For 
example, one could clamp a wire connector to the bus bar. 
The embodiment shown in the drawings utilizes two bus bars 21 and 22. If 
desired, these bus bars could be combined in a single unit. Additionally, 
one could provide additional uprights and clamp portions in a bus bar to 
receive additional circuit breakers or other components. 
Although I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the 
invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not 
limited thereto, but may be variously embodied within the scope of the 
following claims.