CABINETS

Abstract: A demountable cabinet (10) formed from a wall assembly (11) in the form of an open ended housing, a closure door (13) for closing one open end thereof and a back closure assembly (12) for closing the other open end thereof. The wall assembly is provided with a drain (14) extending about each open end which is overlapped by the respective closure door or back closure assembly.

Description: --"CABINETS" This invention relates to improvements in and relating to cabinets, such as switchboard cabinets and to a method of assembling switchboards. For illustrative.purposes only particular reference will be made in the following description to cabinets for electrical control equipment. Such cabinets will be referrred to hereinafter as switchboard cabinets. However cabinets according to the present invention may be used to house a variety of equipment such as fire fighting equipment or monitoring equipment or they may be used for general storage. Switchboard cabinets are required to provide varying degrees of protection to equipment housed therein. A basic switchboard cabinet typically includes an open faced metal housing having a hinged lockable closure door on which switches and monitoring equipment are mounted and connected via flexible wiring to equipment mounted in the cabinet. The switches and monitoring equipment are externally accessible and the door may be unlocked to permit access to be gained to the equipment in the cabinet. In order to provide a prescribed degree of weather proofing the metal housing is formed as a unitary all welded structure providing an outwardly extending weather proofing flange about its open face which is overlapped by a peripheral flange of the door. This weatherproofing flange may be overfolded from the cabinet wall to form a trough to convey water to its opposite ends to prevent water spilling into the cabinet. Such cabinets are relatively expensive to manufacture due to the large amount of welding and finishing required in their construction. Additionally, such basic cabinets do not prevent tampering with the switches and monitoring equipment mounted on the door. Accordingly, switchboard cabinets having a plain outer closure door and an inner hinged control panel or door are utilized where tamper proof installations are required. Generally both the outer closure door and the inner hinged control panel are separately lockable whereby the outer closure door may be unlocked to permit access by an operator for example, to the switching gear and monitoring equipment mounted on the locked inne -control panel wh-ile.the latter may be unlocked to enable skilled personnel, such as electricians, to gain access to the equipment mounted there behind. Such cabinets are of course more expensive because of the extra material required and due to the need to mount hinges on one wall of the cabinet and locking means on the opposite wall. This may require a further manufacturing operation requiring accurate jigging for manufacture or individual fitting of components. Additionally, such cabinets generally provide an equipment mounting panel supported on the back wall of the cabinet such that equipment can be mounted thereon in the cabinet. After the equipment is mounted further wiring is carried out within the cabinet. Such fitting and/or wiring within the cabinet is awkward and is very time consuming. A further disadvantage associated with such all-welded cabinets is that during installation, holes have to be drilled through the walls of the cabinet for mounting purposes. This is generally carried out on site and this operation frequently leads to damage of equipment within the cabinet. It may also cause weather proofing difficulties. This invention aims to alleviate the disadvantages associated with the above-mentioned types of switchboard cabinets and to provide a cabinet assembly and a method of assembling switch boards and the like, which will be reliable and efficient in use. Other objects and advantages of this Invention will hereinafter become apparent. With the foregoing and other objects in view, this Invention in one aspect resides broadly in a cabinet assembly including a wall assembly formed as an open ended housing; a selectively releasable closure assembly engageable with said wall assembly to close one open end thereof and a second closure assembly engageable with the wall assembly to close the other open end thereof. Preferably the wall assembly is in the form of a rectangular housing but of course it could be of triangular or «•.!.- curved shape, or otherwise as desired. It is also preferred that the releasable closure assembly is hingedly connected to the wall assembly and provided with locking means whereby it may be selectively opened or closed. The wall assembly preferably includes weatherproofing flanges about each open 10 end and adapted to co-operate with complementary flanges on the respective closure panels so as to form a weatherproof connection between the wall assembly and the closure panels. These weatherproofing flanges may be an extension of the walls or they may be spaced inwardly of the walls. It is also 15 preferred that the basic structure of both closure panels be substantially identical such that each may be formed from a common basic component. In a preferred form the cabinet is adapted as a switchboard cabinet and the second closure panel has mounting 20 means thereon for supporting an intermediate panel adapted to be located within the housing. In a preferred form of switchboard cabinet the second closure panel is provided with mounting means for securing a mounting panel to its inner face. Preferably the mounting panel is detachable and is 25 provided with support brackets for the intermediate panel which may be hingedly connected thereto. The mounting brackets may be welded or mechanically fastened or glued to the detachable panel. In a further aspect, this invention provides a 30 method of assembling a cabinet mounted switchboard assembly including:- providing an equipment mounting assembly which is releasable from a mounting cabinet; mounting and wiring the equipment and associated controls on said equipment mounting assembly when the latter is remote from said mounting cabinet 35 and thereafter replacing the mounting assembly in said mounting cabinet. Preferably the cabinet is of the type described above whereby the wired equipment mounting assembly can be attached to a closure assembly prior to the latter being .engaged with the housing." Of course this method ^ could also be used with conventional cabinets provided with mounting means for securing a wired equipment mounting assembly. Preferably the equipment mounting assembly is formed with a control mounting panel supported hingedly on an equipment mounting panel and in spaced relationship therewith. It is also preferred that the control mounting panel is selectively movable between an access position at which access may be gained to its normally inaccessible rear face and a locked position at which said control mounting panel shields said equipment mounting panel. In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:- FIG 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet illustrated in the open attitude; FIG 2 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 2-2 of FIG 1 ; FIG 3 is an exploded view of the cabinet; FIG 4 illustrates a method of holding cabinet components together^ and FIG 5 is a perspective view of a preferred form of mounting lug for use with the cabinet. • Referring to the drawings it will be seen that the cabinet assembly 10 includes a perimeter wall assembly in the form of a rectangular open ended housing 11 closed by a back wall assembly 12 and a front closure door 13 which is connected hingedly to the V-shaped flange 14 extending about the front opening 15. An equipment panel 16 is detachably secured to the inner face of the back wall assembly 12 and a lockable hinged control panel 17 is provided to limit access to the equipment panel and for the mounting of switches and monitoring equipment and the like. In this embodiment the major components are formed from sheet metal and these include the rectangular open ended housing * TV comprising the four wall panels 18 , - each having th V-shaped flanges 14 extending along the free side edges thereof. Referring to FIG 2 it will be seen that these V-shaped flanges 14 form gutters or troughs along the opposin edges of each wall panel 18. Both the door 13 and the back wall assembly 12 are substantially identical in construction and each includes a main closure part 12a and 13a, and inwardly turned perimeter flanges 12b and 13b respectively, which in use overlie the V-shaped flanges 14 to form a weatherproof joint therewith. For this purpose a resilient seal 19 is fitted to the door 13 and back wall assembly 12 to engage sealably with the outer extremities 20 of the respective flanges 14. Additionally the equipment panel 16 is substantially identical to the control panel 17 and both are in the form of a metal pan. The equipment panel 16 is apertured at each corner to receive a respective stud 21 welded or otherwise secured to the back wall assembly 12. Apertured latching members 22 are engageable about respective studs 21 so as to extend beyond the equipment panel 16 to engage with the inclined back face 23 of the V-shaped flange 14. This provides a clamping arrangement whereby tightening of the retaining nuts 24 on the studs 21 forces the respective latching members 22 into engagement with the back faces 23 of the flanges 14 to clamp the equipment panel 16 to the back wall assembly 12. At the same time this clamping arrangement fixes the back wall assembly 12 to the housing 11. As can be seen in FIG 4, each latching member 22 is tapered at its outer end to engage within a corner of the housing for secure non-rotatable retention therein. It will also be seen from the drawings that a pair of mounting brackets 25 which extend outwardly from the equipment panel 16 are adapted to be fixed to opposite side portions of the equipment panel 16. One bracket 25 supports a - -pair of hinge members 26 for * attaching the control- panel 1=7 thereto, while the other bracket 25 provides a catch for the lock assembly 28 on the control panel 17. The mounting brackets 25 splay outwardly from the equipment panel 16 so as to engage firmly against the inside faces 29 of the wall panels 18. Preferably the housing 11 is folded from a one-piece sheet metal strip pre-formed with the necessary Inturned V-shaped flanges along its opposite elongate sides. Tiiis strip is folded about transverse corner lines extending between the res.pective flanges such that its opposite ends may be welded or mechanically fastened together to form the desired housing 11. In addition the flanges may be welded together at the fold lines to form a continuous channel around the housing 11. Any suitable form of flange may be used such as an overfσlded right angle flange if desired, in lieu of the V-shaped flange illustrated. Of course the housing could be made from individual sides fastened together by any suitable means as desired. It is preferred that the door 13 and the back wall assembly 12 are substantially identical in basic construction as well as the opposed brackets 25, and the control panel 17 and the equipment mounting panel 16, in order that the production complexity and material handling costs may be reduced. When assembling a switchboard the equipment to be stored in the cabinet 10 may be secured to the equipment panel 16, and the switches and the like may be secured to the control panel 17, when these panels 16 and 17 are disposed in any convenient location, such as upon a workbench and remote from one another if desired. The switches and controls on the control panel 17 and the " equipment mounted on the equipment panel may be wired-up to form a complete sub-assembly which may be inserted as a unit into the cabinet ' 10. This assembly is pre-formed before the equipment panel 16 and the control panel 17 are confined within the housing 11. Thus during assembly or for later- service after the assembly has been removed from the cabinet, easy access may be gained to the terminals and the like. For ease of assembly this wired sub-assembly may be placed as a unit on the back wall assembly 12 with the studs 21 passing through the apertures 21a. Thereafter the housing 11 with door 13 attached, may be placed on the back wall assembly 12 about the wired sub-assembly and secured thereto by placing the latching members 22 and associated retaining nuts 24 on the four studs 21. Thus assembly and wiring of the electrical components can be carried out with all parts being readily accessible such that the assembly may proceed quickly and efficiently. This method of forming a switchboard could also be used advantageously in a standard type cabinet by providing a sub-assembly comprising the equipment panel 16 and the control panel 17 as a unit which may be detachably secured to the standard type housing. Furthermore the equipment mounting panel may be formed integrally with the back panel and access thereto may be provided by removing the wall assembly therefrom. In order to secure the cabinet 10 to a wall there are provided four clip-on mounting lugs 30 as illustrated in FIG 5. Each lug 30 has a hooked retaining portion 31 which engages about the flange 12b of the back wall assembly 12 and an integral mounting portion 32 which is folded back upon itself to extend behind the back panel 12. The mounting portion 32 is apertured at 33 for a bolted connection or the like. Preferably the flanges 12b are notched at each corner at 34 to positively locate the mounting lugs 30 in position. These notches 34 are disposed outwardly of the seals 19 and thus they will not adversely affect the weather proofing seal between the back wall assembly 12 and the housing 11. Of course the cabinets of this invention can be of any suitable form. Where a fire proof cabinet is not required the parts could be moulded of plastics material and the cabinet could be used for stowage of any desired article. The provision of the intermediate door and/o ' the equipment mounting panel is of use mainly in a switchboard assembly and it may be discarded if the cabinet is to be used for general storage. For example, the cabinet of this invention may be utilized to form a simple indoor housing for first aid equipment or for an outdoor housing for gauging equipment, such as for stream gauging equipment. While the above has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, it will of course be understood that all modifications and variations to the described embodiments as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is defined in the appended claims.

Claims: THE CLAIMS ACCORDING TO THIS INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:- 1. A cabinet assembly including a wall assembly formed as an open ended housing; a selectively releasable closure assembly engageable with said wall assembly to close one open end thereof and a second closure assembly engageable with the wall assembly to close the other open end thereof. 2. A cabinet assembly according to Claim 1, wherein said wall assembly is in the form of a rectangular housing and said selectively releasable closure assembly is in the form of a door hingedly connected to said wall assembly. 3. A cabinet according to Claim 1 and Claim 2, wherein there are provided weather proofing flanges about each open end of said wall assembly and said selectively releasable closure assembly and second closure assembly are provided with complementary flanges adapted to overlie said weatherproofing flanges. 4. A cabinet according to Claim 3, wherein said selectively releasable closure assembly and said second closure assembly are substantially identical. 5. A cabinet according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein said weatherproofing flanges form drains about the respective open ends of said wall assembly. 6. A cabinet according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said second closure assembly is provided with mounting means for supporting an intermediate panel assembly within said wall assembly. 7. A cabinet according to Claim 6, wherein said intermediate panel assembly includes an equipment mounting panel and a closure assembly for securing equipment mounted thereon. 8. A cabinet assembly according to any one of the preceding * claims, wherein said second closure assembly is provided with retaining means for connection of mounting brackets thereto. 9. A method of assembling a cabinet mounted switchboard assembly including:- providing an equipment mounting assembly which is releasable from a mounting cabinet; mounting and wiring the equipment and associated controls on said equipment mounting assembly when the latter is remote from said mounting cabinet and thereafter replacing the mounting assembly in said mounting cabinet. 10. A method according to Claim 9, wherein said mounting cabinet is a cabinet as defined in Claim 1 , the method further including the step of mounting the equipment mounting assembly on said second closure assembly and then securing the second closure assembly to said wall assembly. 11. A cabinet assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Inventors: HOWARTH ANTHONY WILLIAM, MURDOCH WILLIAM JAMES, HOWARTH, ANTHONY, WILLIAM, MURDOCH, WILLIAM, JAMES
Applicants: AJP ENG PTY LTD
Application year: 1985
Main classification: H02B1
IPC codes: H02B1