Cross connection link for establishing the same phase between electrical terminal blocks

A cross connection link which can establish several electrical connections between an elongated strip-shaped conductor and one or more bus bars in the recess of a terminal block has a series of neighboring L-shaped or U-shaped metallic distancing elements each of which has a leg connected with an edge portion of the strip-shaped conductor by a weakened joint so that it can be readily broken off the strip-shaped conductor, and a web which is integral with the other end portion of the leg and has an aperture for the shank of a screw serving to connect the web with a bus bar. The heads of the screws are adjacent to those sides of the webs which face the strip-shaped conductor, and such heads are confined against movement away from the regions of the respective webs so that they are always ready for engagement by the working end of a tool which is used to move the shanks of selected screws or all screws into mesh with tapped holes in the bus bar or bars. The confining means can constitute portions of the distancing elements or discrete cages consisting of electrically insulating material and connected to each other by an elongated enclosure which surrounds at least the major portion of the strip-shaped conductor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to cross connection links for establishing 
the same phase between modular terminal blocks, e.g., between one or more 
bus bars in the recess of a terminal block and one or more strip-shaped 
conductors carrying rows of neighboring distancing elements for connection 
to the bus bars by screws or analogous threaded fasteners. 
It is already known to provide a cross connection link with several 
integral distancing elements which can be broken away from the conductor 
at predetermined locations so as to reduce the total number of connections 
between such cross connection link and one or more bus bars to a number 
which is less than the maximum number of distancing elements on the 
elongated conductor. Such links exhibit a number of important advantages 
in comparison with links wherein each of the distancing elements is a 
discrete part which must be connected to each of two spaced-apart 
conductors. Thus, a link wherein one of the conductors is integral with 
distancing elements can be inserted into the recess of a terminal block, 
and the installation can be completed by the simple expedient of 
connecting the shanks of selected screws with the adjacent bus bar(s). 
This simplifies the task of the workmen and results in considerable 
reduction of the time which is required to complete the assembly. The bus 
bar or bars are formed with tapped holes for reception of the shanks 
forming part of selected screws. Those distancing elements which are not 
needed (i.e., the distancing elements which need not be connected with the 
source of electrical energy by way of a bus bar) are simply broken off the 
respective conductor at the predetermined locations and are removed 
together with the corresponding screws or analogous fasteners. 
German Offenlegungsschrift No. 23 57 052 discloses a cross connection link 
whose conductor is integral with the distancing elements and which 
completely or nearly completely fills the recess of the terminal block 
wherein the device is installed. Each distancing element comprises two 
shackles and constitutes a sleeve which has two openings an is deformable 
to such an extent that portions thereof yieldably engage the corresponding 
screw which must be introduced through an opening of the conductor. Such 
distancing elements are quite complex and must be produced in specially 
designed and hence expensive stamping and bending machines. Furthermore, 
each screw must have a relatively long shank, and the designer of the 
distancing elements must ensure that rotation of a screw in a direction to 
move its shank into mesh with a bus bar entails a predictable deformation 
of the distancing element in a predetermined direction. This, too, 
contributes to the initial cost of the cross connection link and to 
complexity of the installation in a terminal block or the like. Any other 
than predetermined deformation of the distancing elements would entail a 
reduction or elimination of their holding and/or guiding capabilities. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the invention is to provide a very simple, compact and 
versatile cross connection link which can establish several connections 
between spaced apart electrical conductors, such as between an elongated 
strip-shaped first conductor and one or more bus bars which are installed 
in the recess of a modular terminal block. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a link of the above outlined 
character which is provided with a row of aligned distancing elements 
capable of establishing electrical connections between the two conductors 
and also capable of being separated from the first conductor in a simple, 
time-saving and predictable manner with a minimum of effort and without 
resorting to special tools. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide a link which is 
constructed and assembled in such a way that the component parts which are 
likely to be lost or misplaced are prevented from leaving the general area 
of their use. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a link of the above 
outlined character which can be installed in terminal blocks irrespective 
of the orientation of such blocks and which can be installed with a 
minimum of effort even if the recess of a terminal blocks faces downwardly 
so that a workman must manipulate the tools at a level above his or her 
head. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide novel and improved 
distancing elements for use in a link of the above outlined character. 
A further object of the invention is to provide a link which constitutes an 
improvement over the link disclosed in German Offenlengungsschrift No. 23 
57 052. 
An additional object of the invention is to provide the link with novel and 
improved means for insulating the first conductor from the surrounding or 
neighboring parts and to construct and assemble the insulating means in 
such a way that it can perform one or more additional useful and 
advantageous functions. 
The invention resides in the provision of a link for establishing the same 
electrical phase between several modular terminal blocks. The improved 
link comprises an elongated first conductor, a battery of aligned 
neighboring distancing elements each of which has a leg integral with an 
elongated edge portion of the preferably strip-shaped first conductor and 
a web which is inclined with reference to the leg and has an aperture for 
the connection portion of a threaded fastener (such as the shank of a 
relatively short screw), the connecting portion being extendable through 
the respective aperture and into mesh with the registering tapped hole of 
a second conductor (such as an elongated bus bar in the deepmost portionof 
an elongated recess provided in a terminal block), and means for confining 
or retaining each fastener in the region of the respective distancing 
element. As mentioned above, the first conductor can constitute a 
relatively narrow and thin metallic strip an elongated edge portion of 
which defines weakened joints with the legs of the distancing elements so 
that such legs can be broken off the strip in a predictable manner. The 
heads of the threaded fasteners are disposed at the first or inner sides 
of the respective webs, namely, at those sides of the webs which face the 
first conductor. The second or outer sides of the webs can abut directly 
against the respective bus bar(s). 
Each distancing element can constitute a substantially U-shaped clip 
further having a second leg which is integral with the respective web. The 
webs are disposed between the legs of the U-shaped distancing elements, 
and the confining means can constitute integral parts of the legs or an 
integral part of at least one leg of each U-shaped distancing element. 
Otherwise stated, the second leg of each U-shaped distancing element can 
form part of or may constitute the confining means. For example, the legs 
of U-shaped distancing elements can have mutually inclined sections 
adjacent to the respective webs and constituting the respective confining 
means. Such sections can taper toward each other in a direction away from 
the respective web. 
Alternatively, the distancing elements can constitute substantially 
L-shaped clips and the confining means then comprises preferably 
interconnected discrete cages, one for each distancing element and each 
disposed between the respective leg and the associated web. The cages are 
preferably hollow insulating bodies of substantially square or rectangular 
cross-sectional outline defining compartments having open sides facing the 
respective webs and walls remote from the open sides of the compartments 
and provided with openings for insertion of tools which are used to rotate 
the threaded fasteners in order to drive their connecting portions into or 
to disengage such portions from the corresponding bus bars. The means for 
interconnecting the cages can comprise an insulating enclosure or envelope 
for the first conductor, and each cage can be integrally connected with 
the enclosure by a weakened joint which allows for predictable and 
convenient separation of the corresponding cage from the enclosure if the 
distancing element which is adjacent to a given cage is to be broken off 
the first conductor. 
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention 
are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved cross 
connection link itself, however, both as to its construction and the mode 
of installing the same, together with additional features and advantages 
thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed 
description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the 
accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The cross connection link which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises an 
elongated narrow manually manipulatable first conductor in the form of a 
metallic strip 1 which extends transversely of a row of several identical 
or similar distancing elements 4 and is surrounded by an enclosure or 
envelope 2 consisting of electrically insulating material. One 
longitudinal edge portion 1a of the strip 1 is integral with several 
distancing elements 4 which are connectable with a second conductor in the 
form of a bus bar BB (see FIG. 5) by discrete threaded fasteners in the 
form of screws 5. Each distancing element 4 is a substantially U-shaped 
clip having a first leg 4C which is integral with the edge portion 1a of 
the strip 1, a web 4A whose length at least equals but preferably at least 
slightly exceeds the diameter of the head 5a of the respective screw 5, 
and a second leg 4B. The joint 3 between the edge portion 1a of the strip 
1 and the leg 4C of each clip 4 is weakened so as to invariably ensure 
that a selected clip 4 will be separated from the strip 1 at the 
respective joint 3 when the operator so desires. Upon completion of 
preliminary installation, the edge portion 1a of the strip 1 is normally 
located at the lowermost point of the strip so that the clips 4 extend 
downwardly from (i.e., they are located at a level below) the strip 1. In 
other words, the legs 4B and 4C are then substantially vertical and the 
web 4A is substantially horizontal. The dimensions of the clips 4 are 
selected in such a way that, when the link of FIGS. 1 and 2 is installed 
in the recess or groove of a modular terminal block TB (the outline of 
such recess is indicated in FIG. 1 by phantom lines and the recess is 
denoted by the reference character R), the webs 4A of the clips 4 extend 
into immediate proximity of the respective bus bar or bus bars BB. The 
screws 5 serve to separably secure the corresponding clips 4 to the 
associated bus bars. It will be noted that the head 5a of each screw 5 is 
located within the confines of the corresponding clip 4 (namely, at the 
inner side of the respective web 4A) and that the legs 4B, 4C of each clip 
4 have pairs of mutually inclined sections including the sections 4BB, 4CC 
which are immediately adjacent to and constitute with the web 4A a cage 
which confines or retains the screw 5 therewithin so that the screw cannot 
be lost or misplaced even if its shank 5b is completely separated from the 
tapped portion of the adjacent bus bar. The shanks 5b of the screws 5 are 
or can be relatively short, and they need not come into any contact with 
the plastic material of the terminal block TB whose recess R is shown in 
FIG. 1. In other words, the shank 5b of each screw 5 can mesh directly 
with the corresponding bus bar BB while the head 5a of such screw bears 
against the inner side of the respective web 4A. Moreover, the screws 5 do 
not subject the clips 4 to any twisting and/or other deforming stresses, 
especially if the length of the webs 4A (as measured in a direction from 
the section 4BB toward the section 4CC) is selected in such a way that the 
head 5a of each screw 5 bears against a flat central portion of the 
corresponding web when the shank 5b of such screw extends into a tapped 
bore of the associated bus bar BB. In other words, the width of the flat 
portion of the web 4A in the region of the aperture for the shank 5b at 
least equals or at least slightly exceeds the diameter of the head 5a. 
The dimensions of the clips 4 are selected in such a way that, when the 
clips are received in the corresponding portion of the recess R in the 
terminal block TB, the strip 1 is spaced apart from and thus cannot 
contact the customary partitions of the terminal block. This can be ssen 
in FIG. 8. The partitions extend into the spaces between the neighboring 
clips 4 but cannot reach the edge portion 1a of the strip 1. 
The pairs of sections of the legs 4B and 4C are joined to each other at 6, 
and the distance between such junctions is less than the diameter of the 
head 5a of a screw 5. This ensures that the screws 5 cannot become lost 
even if their shanks 5b are completely detached from the respective webs 
4. The distance between the common plane of the junctions 6 and the plane 
of the web 4A is preferably such that the space which is defined by the 
web 4A and sections 4BB, 4CC suffices to nearly fully accommodate the 
corresponding screw 5 while the shank 5b of the screw is completely 
detached from the bus bar. 
In the embodiment which is shown in FIG. 3, the legs 4B' and 4C' of the 
slightly modified U-shaped distancing element or clip 4' need not be 
provided with mutually inclined sections and junctions 6 between such 
sections. Instead, the substantially flat or straight legs 4B' and 4C' 
have inwardly extending portions or lugs 6' which are stamped from the 
material of the respective legs and cooperate with the substantially flat 
web 4A' to define a confining compartment for the screw 5. The manner in 
which the strip 1 (which is surrounded by the insulating enclosure or 
envelope 2) is integrally connected to the upper end portion of the 
illustrated leg 4C' is the same as described in connection with FIGS. 1 
and 2. The distance between the lower edge faces of the lugs 6' and the 
plane of the web 4A' suffices to ensure that the shank 5b of the screw 5 
can be completely separated from the respective bus bar (not shown in FIG. 
3). 
The dimensions of the substantially U-shaped clips 4 and 4' are preferably 
selected in such a way that they must undergo at least some (preferably a 
relatively small amount of) deformation in order to be fitted into the 
recess R of the terminal block TB. This ensures that the preferably 
elastic clips 4 and 4' tend to expand and thereby bear against the 
surfaces surrounding the respective recess R with attendant retention of 
the cross connection link in the terminal block TB even before some or all 
of the screws 5 are rotated in a direction to move their shanks 5b into 
mesh with the corresponding bus bar or bus bars. This, in turn, 
facilitates the manipulation of screws 5 during rotation of heads 5a to 
move their shanks 5b into or from mesh with the bus bar or bus bars. Such 
mode of dimensioning the clips 4 and 4' is especially desirable when the 
terminal block TB is installed overhead so that the open side of its 
recess R faces downwardly and the workman must rotate the screws 5 in a 
sense to move their shanks 5b upwardly into tapped holes of a bus bar 
which is located at a level above the webs 4A or 4A'. 
The cross connection link of FIGS. 5 and 6 comprises an elongated metallic 
strip 1 which is surrounded by an insulating enclosure or envelope 2 and 
is integrally but separably connected with several substantially U-shaped 
distancing elements or clips 4" (only one shown). The legs 4B" and 4C" of 
the illustrated clip 4" are designed with a view to ensure highly accurate 
guidance of the head 5a of the screw 5 during axial movement of the screw 
in order to move its shank 5b into mesh with the tapped hole of or to 
disengage the shank 5b from the bus bar BB. Moreover, the legs 4B" and 4C" 
are designed to ensure reliable retention of the clip 4" in the recess R 
of the terminal block TB, i.e., retention which is more reliable than a 
mere frictional engagement between the outer sides of the legs 4B", 4C" 
and the surfaces bounding the corresponding portions of the recess R. Such 
reliable retention of the clips 4" is especially desirable and 
advantageous when the open side of the recess R faces downwardly, i.e., 
when the workman must move the cross connection link upwardly and must 
rotate the screws 5 in a direction to move the shanks 5b into mesh with a 
bus bar BB at a level above the webs 4A". 
As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, the median portions of the inner sides of 
the legs 4B" and 4C" have aligned straight grooves 7 which are bounded by 
convex surfaces having radii of curvature corresponding to or 
approximately the radius of the head 5a. Those ends of the grooves 7 which 
are remote from the web 4A" are bounded by internal shoulder or stops 8 of 
the respective legs 4B" and 4C" so as to prevent the screw 5 from leaving 
the confines of the clip 4". The grooves 7 can be formed by deforming the 
median portions of the respective legs 4B" and 4C" so that such portions 
bulge outwardly, as at 6". The central portions of the bulges 6" are 
provided with preferably round protuberances 9 which can snap into 
complementary notches N in the adjacent portions of the surface bounding 
the recess R in the terminal block TB. The notches N and the corresponding 
protuberances 9 constitute a simple but reliable detent structure which 
holds the clip 4" in the corresponding portion of the recess R regardless 
of the orientation of the terminal block TB, i.e., irrespective of whether 
the terminal block is vertical, horizontal, otherwise inclined, located 
overhead or in such orientation that the open side of the recess R faces 
upwardly. It will be noted that the legs 4B" and 4C" define paths (note 
the grooves 8) which confine the head 5a of the illustrated screw 5 to 
reciprocatory movement in directions toward and away from the web 4A", 
namely, between the inner side of the web 4A" and the shoulders 8. The 
distance between the shoulders 8 and the inner side of the web 4A" is 
selected in such a way that the shank 5b of the screw 5 can be completely 
detached from the bus bar BB but the screw 5 remains confined in the space 
between the legs 4B", 4C" and the web 4A". 
The cross connection link of FIGS. 7 and 8 comprises substantially L-shaped 
distancing elements or clips 104 each having a single leg 4a and a web 4b 
extending substantially transversely of the leg 4a. The upper end portion 
of the leg 4a (as viewed in FIG. 8) is integrally but separably connected 
with the edge portion 1a of the metallic strip 1 by a weakened joint 3 
where the entire distancing element 104 can be readily broken away from 
the strip 1. The central portion of the substantially flat web 4b has an 
aperture 4bb for the shank 5b of the respective screw 5 whose head 5a is 
confined in a cage 11 forming an integral part of the insulating enclosure 
or envelope 2' for the strip 1. The shanks 5b of the illustrated screws 5 
are relatively short and the dimensions of the spaces or compartments 13 
which are defined by the respective cages 11 are such that the screws 5 
cannot become lost even if their shanks 5b are completely detached from 
the bus bar or bus bars (not shown). When the screws 5 are driven home, 
their heads 5a bear directly against the inner sides of the respective 
webs 4b and their shanks 5b mesh directly with the corresponding bus 
bar(s), i.e., the screws are not in contact with the plastic material of 
the terminal block TB whose recess R receives the improved device. The 
inner side of the web 4b of each distancing element 104 is flat, at least 
in that region which is contacted by the underside of the head 5a when the 
respective screw 5 meshes with the bus bar at the outer side of the web 
4b. 
The dimensions of the distancing elements 104 are selected in such a way 
that, when the cross connection link of FIGS. 7 and 8 is inserted into the 
recess R, the customry partitions P (one shown in FIG. 8) of the terminal 
block TB cannot contact the metallic strip 1. To this end, the edge 
portion 1a of the strip 1 is formed with equidistant first open slots 10 
whose width exceeds the thickness of a partition P. The adjacent portions 
of the partitions P extend, preferably snugly, into narrower second open 
slots 15 which register with the nearest first slots 10 and are provided 
in the enclosure 2'. 
The cages 11 consist of an insulating material, preferably of the material 
of the envelope 2'. A discrete cage 11 is provided for each distancing 
element 104, i.e., for each screw 5. The joints between the cages 11 and 
the envelope 2' are indicated at 12; these joints can be, and preferably 
are, weakened so as to ensure that the cages 11 can be broken off the 
enclosure 2' when the operator so desires. The enclosure completely 
surrounds the metallic strip 1 so that the latter is fully insulated from 
the terminal block TB. The provision of a weakened joint 12 between each 
cage 11 and the enclosure 2' ensures that the operator can separate one or 
more selected cages 11 in a predictable manner (namely, at the respective 
joint 12) prior to breaking off the corresponding distancing element 104 
at 3. 
Each of the illustrated cages 11 is a hollow insulating body having a 
substantially rectangular cross-sectional outline. The underside of each 
cage 11 (as viewed in FIG. 8, i.e., that side which faces the inner side 
of the respective web 4b) is open so that the compartment 13 can receive 
the head 5a of the respective screw 5. That wall of each cage 11 which is 
remote from and preferably parallel to the respective web 4b has a 
preferably circular opening 14 whose diameter is at least slightly smaller 
than that of a head 5a so as to prevent escape of the screw 5 from the 
compartment 13. The opening 14 allows for insertion of the working end of 
a screwdriver or another suitable tool which is used to rotate the screw 
5, either to drive the shank 5b into the tapped hole of the corresponding 
bus bar or to disengage the shank 5b from the bus bar. The diameter of 
each opening 14 is or can be selected in such a way that it equals or only 
slightly exceeds the diameter or width of the working end of the 
aforementioned tool which is used to rotate the screw 5 by entering the 
diametrically extending slot in the exposed side of the head 5a. Thus, the 
surface surrounding the opening 14 can be said to constitute a guide for 
the tool which rotates the head 5a of the screw 5 in the corresponding 
compartment 13. It has been found that such dimensioning of the opening 14 
simplifies the task of an operator who is in charge of connecting some or 
all of the screws 5 with one or more bus bars. 
As mentioned above, the width of the open slots 15 in the envelope 2' can 
be selected in such a way that each thereof can snugly receive the 
corresponding marginal portion of a partition P to thereby hold the 
partition out of contact with the strip 1 while at the same time enhancing 
the retaining action of the terminal block TB. This is especially 
advisable and advantageous when the terminal block TB is mounted overhead 
so that the operator must rotate the screws 5 from below in order to drive 
the shanks 5b into bus bars which are located at a level above the outer 
sides of the webs 4b. The provision of slots 15 in the enclosure 2' 
renders it possible to properly retain the device in the recess R even 
before any of the screws 5 are driven home and even if the distancing 
elements 104 are not designed to frictionally engage the adjacent portions 
of the surface bounding the recess R in the terminal block TB. 
The structure which is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is preferably assembled in 
the following way: In the first step, the shanks 5b of the screws 5 are 
inserted into the respective apertures 4bb, for example, by an automatic 
inserting system of any known design. In the next step, the enclosure 2' 
(with its cages 11) is slipped onto the strip 1 so that each cage 11 
confines the head 5a of a screw 5. In order to ensure reliable retention 
of the metallic component (including the strip 1 and its distancing 
elements 104 with screws 5) in the insulating component (including the 
enclosure 2' and its cages 11), the two components are preferably provided 
with cooperating male and female detent members such as spaced-apart holes 
or bores 16 in the strip 1 and protuberances or lobes 17 at the inner 
sides of the enclosure 2'. When the strip 1 is properly inserted into the 
enclosure 2', one or two protuberances 17 snap into each hole 16 to thus 
reliably but releasably hold the strip 1 in the insulating component. 
As can be readily seen in FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 8, the configuration and 
dimensioning of the improved cross connection link are such that the link 
occupies only a portion of the recess R in the corresponding terminal 
block TB. Thus, and referring for example to FIG. 1, the strip 1 and its 
insulating enclosure 2 are adjacent to the surface bounding the right-hand 
side of the recess R while the left-hand side of this recess remains 
unoccupied. This renders it possible to install in the recess two or more 
discrete cross connection links each of which is connectable to a discrete 
bus bar, i.e., to a discrete source of electrical energy whose 
characteristics (amperage and/or voltage) deviate from each other. As 
shown in FIG. 4, the recess of the terminal block TB contains two mirror 
symmetrical devices each of which has a strip 1 and two U-shaped 
distancing elements 4. The distancing elements 4 which are integral with 
one of the strips 1 alternate with distancing elements 4 which are 
integral with the other strip 1. The unnecessary distancing elements 4 are 
broken off the respective strips 1 at the corresponding joints or weakened 
portions 3. Each of the two strips 1 (their insulating enclosures 2 are 
not identified in FIG. 4) can be installed in one and the same recess of a 
selected terminal block TB. The potential which is applied to the 
left-hand strip 1 of FIG. 4 is or can be different from the potential 
which is applied to the right-hand strip 1. 
If a recess R is to accommodate several strips 1 with substantially 
L-shaped distancing elements 104 of the type shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the 
webs 4b of distancing elements 104 on one of the strips can overlie and 
contact the webs 4b of distancing elements 104 on the other strip 1 in one 
and the same recess. In other words, each web 4b can be electrically 
connected with several strips 1. Such arrangement can be useful when the 
full rated current is to be applied to the distancing elements. It is 
evident that two or more strips 1 with L-shaped distancing elements 104 
can be installed in a common recess R in a manner which is analogous to 
that shown in FIG. 4, i.e., so that the elements 104 which are integral 
with one of the strips alternate with the elements 104 which are integral 
with the other strip, and the unnecessary distancing elements 104 are 
broken away (preferably together with the corresponding cages 11). 
It is further within the purview of the invention to construct each 
substantially U-shaped distancing element 4, 4' or 4" in such a way that 
one of its legs (preferably the leg 4B, 4B' or 4B") can be separated from 
the corresponding end of the associated web 4A, 4A' or 4A". As indicated 
in FIG. 3, the U-shaped clip 4' can be weakened at W, e.g., in the same 
way as shown for the joints 3 or 12, so as to allow for convenient and 
predictable separation of the leg 4B, 4B' or 4B" from the remainder of the 
respective clip 4, 4' or 4", i.e., to convert an originally U-shaped 
distancing element or clip into a substantially L-shaped distancing 
element. Such separability of the legs 4B, 4B' and/or 4B" is desirable and 
advantageous under circumstances which were explained above in connection 
with the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, i.e., when a full rated current is 
to be applied to L-shaped distancing elements each of which is connected 
or connectable with several metallic strips 1. 
An important advantage of the improved cross connection link is that its 
components, especially the current-conducting component including the 
strip 1 and the U-shaped or L-shaped distancing elements which are 
integral with its edge portion 1a, can be mass-produced in simple stamping 
and bending machines. 
Another important advantage of the improved cross connection link is that 
it can employ threaded fasteners in the form of screws having short or 
very short connecting portions or shanks 5b which must extend only through 
the apertures of the respective webs and directly into the tapped holes of 
bus bars which are adjacent to the outer sides of the webs. This prevents 
the establishment of any contact between the fasteners 5 and the plastic 
material of the terminal block TB. Moreover, the screws 5 or analogous 
fasteners cannot apply any appreciable deforming stresses to the material 
of the terminal block since the heads 5a bear directly against the inner 
sides of the respective webs whose outer sides, in turn, are urged 
directly against the adjacent bus bars. 
A further important advantage of the improved cross connection link is that 
several strips 1 can be accommodated in one and the same recess R in a 
manner as described in connection with FIG. 4. This renders is possible to 
apply different voltages to selected distancing elements and strips 1 in 
one and the same recess. 
The L-shaped distancing elements are simpler than the U-shaped distancing 
elements. However, the U-shaped distancing elements exhibit the advantage 
that their portions or sections can constitute the confining means for the 
corresponding fasteners. The configurations of legs 4B, 4C or 4B', 4C' or 
4B", 4C" are sufficiently simple to allow for mass-production of the 
corresponding distancing elements 4, 4' or 4" in machines which are not 
much more complex than those which are used for the making of devices 
having L-shaped distancing elements 104. 
It is clear that the enclosure 2' of FIGS. 7 and 8 could constitute a 
separate or discrete component performing solely the function of the 
enclosure 2 shown in FIG. 1; the cross connection link which is shown in 
FIGS. 7 and 8 then comprises discrete means for interconnecting the 
neighboring cages 11 as well as suitable means for coupling such 
interconnecting means with the enclosure for the strip 1 or with the 
respective L-shaped distancing elements 104. The arrangement which is 
shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is preferred at this time because it contributes to 
simplicity and lower cost of the cross connection link. The exact 
composition of the insulating material of the enclosure 2, 2' and/or cages 
11 forms no part of the present invention. 
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of 
the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, 
readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, 
from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential 
characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to 
the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be 
comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended 
claims.