Patent GB-1421437-A (GB)
Title: Connecting device for electrical current distributor rails
IPC: H01R25/14
Filed: 1973-03-19
Abstract: 1421437 Electric couplings STAFF KG 19 March 1973 [1 April 1972 21 Feb 1973] 13178/73 Heading H2E  A connecting device for U-shaped electrical current distributor rails includes; a distributor box arranged between adjacent ends of current distributor rails, and having a plurality of connecting contacts and at least one earthing contact, the connecting contacts forming electrical crossover contacts, a bridging body for each rail end to be connected, the bridging body detachably engaging with a plug connection in the distributor box and being detachably locatable in receiving space of the current distributor rail, and having a plurality of contact bridges connectible to the current conductors of the current distributor rails and the connecting contacts of the distributor box, and an earth contact bridge connectable to an earth conductor of the current distributor rail and the earthing contact of the distributor box prior to the connection of the current conducting contacts, during connecting up of the rails. Distributor box 10 is fitted flush with the open side of U-shaped distributor rails 12, a maximum of four being connectible to a four sided box 10. Bridging bodies 11 detachably engage the ends of the conductors 15 within the rails and connect them to the four connecting contacts 17 or 18 which are fitted as pairs on central insulating block 22 in two pairs. Each member 17 or 18 of a pair has stepped contact portions 23 or 24 stepped towards the other member of the pair so that a pair of coplanar contacts 23 or 24 is presented to each pair of knife contacts 41 on each bridging body 11. Connection is made to the conductors 15 (see Fig.16) along a contact strip 43 to contact member 42 which strip andmember are mounted on pivoted insulating member 37, which is spring biassed outwardly by spring 39, acting against the other member 37 of the pair. Before insertion of the distributor box each required bridging body 11 is slid into the end of the appropriate rail 12 so that each of two securing bars 47 enters its receiving slot in the distributor rail wall (Fig. 16), and each contact member electrically contacts a conductor rail 15. The earth rail 16 is contacted by eccentric contact 21 which is pivotable on bolt 36 to accommodate connection to either a right hand or left hand mounting on the web of the channel shaped distrubutor rail of earth rail 16, the contact being positioned in engagement with a recess (45, Fig. 5 not shown) on the bridging body cover. When all the bridging bodies are inserted completely into their respective rail space 12a, distributor box 10 is inserted into its cavity, and the bridging bodies are then moved towards the engaging apertures 13 in box 10, contact being first made by earth contact strip 44 against earth connecting member 19, also fitted coaxially on central block 22 of box 10. The connecting contacts-17 and 18 are shaped to produce different orientations when the connecting device of the invention is used in a system of current rails arranged in the form of a grid (Figs. 11, 12, not shown). Connecting contact 17 results in an arrangement wherein parallel current rails in the grid carry the same phases always on the same side, whereas use of diagonally shaped connecting contact 18 (Fig. 12) results in alternation of the phase carrying conductors in collinear rails at opposite sides of a distributor box (see Fig. 13, not shown). In another embodiment (Figs. 14-19, not shown) the rail earth conductor 16 is arranged on a channel wall of rail 12, and is contacted by side contacts 21 with stepped portion 21a affixed by bolt 56 to the side wall of the bridging body 11, and connected into the distributor box 10 through aperture 13, by bent out portions (21b) engaging tabs (33) of earth connecting member (19). Similarly contact is made to the edge of connecting contact 17 by vertical sliding contacts (20) which have stepped abutting portions (41). In a further embodiment, superimposed contact members connecting contacts 17, 19 are connected individually and directly by welding or soldering to mains feed conductors 62, each connecting contact 17 or spacing member 31, having holes 63 for the passage of insulated conductors 62 therethrough for connection to other superimposed connecting contacts. A box-shaped cover 66 for distributor box 10 allows passage of cables 62 and fits onto the lower housing member 64 by resilient prongs engaging holes 65a in square corner posts 65.