Abstract:
A lockout member is slidable between two positions where one position allows an electrical switch or a circuit breaker to be activated and a second position prevents activation of the switch or circuit breaker. The lockout member includes a downward extending portion which, depending upon the position of the lockout, provides for the ability to activate or deactivate the switch or circuit breaker.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates in general to the field of electrical power delivery apparatus and in particular to the field of lockout apparatus for delivery of electrical power to a use location.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Delivery of electrical power to an end use location typically involves the transmission of electricity from a generating station to a power distribution station, through high voltage transmission lines to a transformer and then to an end use location which generally comprises a bus bar of an electrical box. A plurality of individual circuits is then connected, through circuit breakers, to the electrical box bus bar. Generally, the electrical amperage delivered to the electrical box bus bar is equal to the sum total of the amperage or load to be serviced by the electrical box. The sum total of the amperage rating of the circuit breakers interposed between the bus bar and the individual circuits serviced by the electrical box may however, be more than the rated amperage of the lines to the electrical box. Accordingly, it is imperative that the system does not allow electrical energy to be drawn by the individual circuits that exceeds the load rating of the lines to the electrical box. This is usually accomplished by interposing a fuse between the electrical lines to the box and the bus bar of the electrical box with the fuse being rated at the load to be serviced by the electrical lines. Ideally then, if the service load is to be 100 amps, the lines to the electrical box are rated at 100 amps and the main fuse is also rated at 100 amps.  
           [0005]    In the prior art, there exist arrangements where it is desired to increase the load rating of the sum of the individual circuits to a rating higher than the rating of the electrical lines to the box and the rating of the main fuse. For example, the sum of the individual circuits may be 120 amps while the electrical input or feeder lines to the electrical box and the main fuse are each rated for 100 amps. Obviously it is not permissible to draw the full 120 amps in this example. In the prior art therefore, provision is made to limit the service load to 100 amps. This usually takes the form of an expensive double throw switch arranged such that only one of two individual circuits can be powered at any one time. For example, if two of the above circuits each draw 20 amps, the double throw switch is wired to allow one of, but not both of, the 20 amp circuits to be powered at any one time. In this manner the total service load is limited to 100 amps. Without the double throw switch, there would be the possibility that both of the 20 amp electrical circuits would be powered at the same time which, of course, would overload the 100 amp electrical feed lines. The only way to eliminate the use of a double throw switch in such an example, would be to use a separate 10 amp circuit breaker for each of the two 20 amp circuits; but then, there would not be sufficient electrical power supplied to either of the two 20 amp circuits. In the prior art therefore, the only solution to providing power to two separate electrical circuits where the sum total of the amperage of the two circuits would cause the service load to exceed the power rating of the electrical box is to use an expensive double throw switch.  
           [0006]    In lieu of the use of a double throw switch, the only other resolution of such a problem is to rewire the lines to the electrical box to increase the delivery load to 120 amps. This resolution however, does not solve the problem but rather incurs the expense of upgrading the entire electrical supply and delivery arrangement.  
           [0007]    What is needed then is apparatus that eliminates the use and need of a double throw switch in an electrical arrangement where the sum total of the service load exceeds the total rating of the electrical power delivery apparatus.  
           [0008]    In the prior art, expensive double throw switches are also used where an electrical box is connected in parallel to an electrical utility power source and to a backup power source. Both of which comprise power input apparatus to a single electrical box. In this example, the double pole double throw switch is used ahead of the circuit breakers such that in one position, the breakers are supplied by the electrical power company power and in the other position of the switch, the backup generator supplies the power to the circuit breakers. As in the previous prior art example, it would be advantageous to eliminate the need to use an expensive double throw switch.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention accomplishes the above-stated objectives as well as others, as may be determined by a fair reading and interpretation of the entire specification herein in which:  
           [0010]    One embodiment of the present invention comprises circuit breaker lock-out apparatus adapted for use with a plurality of circuit beakers which prevent the use of a combination of circuit breakers from exceeding the power capacity of the input wiring. A slideable plate is attached to the housing of the power distribution box and over the circuit beakers contained therein. The slidable plate includes a combination of openings, edges, and extending members arranged such that the total amperage capacity of the circuit breakers capable of being used at a given time does not exceed the capacity of the input electrical wiring.  
           [0011]    In another embodiment of the present invention, the lockout apparatus is adapted for use with circuit breakers where two or more alternative power sources are input connected to distribution circuitry.  
           [0012]    The above-stated objects as well as other objects which, although not specifically stated, but are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, are accomplished by the present invention and will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Detailed Description of the Invention, Drawings, and the claims appended herewith. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    Various other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following discussion taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the delivery of electrical power from a utility pole to an electrical distribution box to which the present invention may be applied;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 illustrates a frontal plan view of a portion of the electrical distribution box of FIG. 1 having a plurality of circuit breakers therein and to which one embodiment of the inventive lockout apparatus can be applied;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 illustrates a portion of an electrical box having one arrangement of a plurality of circuit breakers to which one embodiment of the present has been applied;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the embodiment of FIG. 3;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of the embodiment of FIG. 3;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the embodiment of FIG. 4;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 illustrates a power backup arrangement to which the advantages of the present invention can be applied; and,  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 illustrates the application of the present invention to the circuit breakers of FIG. 8. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the invention.  
         [0024]    Reference is now made to the drawings, wherein like characteristics and features of the present invention shown in the various figures are designated by the same reference numerals.  
         [0025]    Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which schematically illustrates a typical prior art arrangement of the delivery of electrical power from a utility power source to an electrical box. Typically, high voltage electricity is transmitted through power lines  11  attached to a utility pole  12  which is located relatively close to a point of delivery where the electrical power is to be used. A transformer  13  serves to reduce the high voltage transmitted through power lines  11  to, for example, 220 volts. The 220 volt electrical power is then transmitted through low power lines  14  to an electrical box  15  which may be attached to a side of a building  16  or perhaps to a free standing object. Intermediate voltage reduction apparatus from the high power lines to the transformer  13  may be used, but the same is not important to the present invention and, therefore, is not illustrated.  
         [0026]    The electrical power delivered to the electrical distribution box  15  is divided into a plurality of individual circuits  17 ,  18 ,  19 , and  20 . The number of individual circuits can number more or less than the four illustrated, as is well known in the art. By way of example, the electrical box  15  may be attached to a residence, a commercial building, a dockside power pedestal, and other like objects  16 . The individual circuits  17 - 20  are ultimately routed through, for example, a building, to one or more electrical outlets, to which a power consuming electrical device, such as a refrigerator, machinery, etc. can be connected.  
         [0027]    In order to ensure that each of the individual circuits  17 - 20  are not overloaded, a circuit breaker is connected between each individual circuit  17 - 12  and a bus bar within the electrical box to which the low power electrical lines  14  are connected, as is well known in the art. If an individual circuit  17 ,  18 ,  19 , or  20  is overloaded by attempting to draw more electricity than the rating of the circuit breaker, the circuit breaker automatically trips and breaks the connector form the bus bar to the respective individual circuit.  
         [0028]    A typical circuit breaker arrangement as seen when the electrical box  15  is opened is illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2. the circuit breakers  21 ,  22 ,  23 , and  24  are shown as being arranged side by side (alternatively, the circuit breakers can be arranged one above the other in an electrical box where the circuit breakers are arranged vertically) and may be separated by a thin metal strip  25 . The thin metal strips  25 , form part of a plate  26  which extends across the opening of the electrical box  15  and covers the electrical connections within the electrical box  15 . It is to be noted that the side by side arrangement and the metal strips  25  are not material to the invention. Thus, the only electrical apparatus that is seen when electrical box  15  is opened are the front portions of the circuit breakers  21 - 23 . The front portions of the circuit breakers  21 - 23  each include a lever  27  which can be moved from the illustrated connected position to an unconnected position  28 . Should one or more of the circuit breakers  21 - 23  trip, it will automatically move the respective lever  27  to the unconnected position  28  which is readily observable by a person investigating the circuit failure.  
         [0029]    In the prior art, in order to positively prevent overloading the power feed lines  14 , the maximum amperage provided by the circuit breakers  17 - 20  is not to exceed the power rating of the feed power lines  14 . For example, if the rated power of feed line  14  is 200 amps, the sum total of the power supplied by the circuit breakers  21 - 24  must be 200 amps or less, such as 15 amps, 50 amps, 75 amps, and 50 amps for breakers  21 - 24 , respectively. Of course, other combinations are acceptable. As explained above, ideally, the power rating of the circuit breakers are consistent with the service load and if not, double throw switches must be used.  
         [0030]    The present invention  10 , however, allows the use of a plurality of circuit breakers  17 - 20  which exceed the power rating of feed line  14  without the use of double throw switches. One embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, only those circuit breakers  30 ,  31 , and  32  are shown. By way of example, circuit breaker  30  can be rated for 150 amps, while each of circuit breakers  31  and  32  can be rated for 50 amps for a total of 250 amps. The feed line  14  can be rated, as per the previous example, for 200 amps. Such an apparent overloading arrangement is permissible in accordance with a circuit beaker lockout  10  as provided herein.  
         [0031]    The circuit breaker lockout  10  is slidingly attached to the cover of an electrical box  15 , or to any other appropriate structure associated with the circuit breakers  30 - 32 . Lockout  10  can be viewed as having a cutout  33  in the planar member comprising the lockout  10 ; or, can be viewed as having two spaced apart depending portions  34  and  35  from a common planar portion  36 . In either event, the lower edge  37  of portion  34  extends to slightly above the top of lever  38  of circuit breaker  30  while the lower edge  39  of depending portion  35  extends to a position slightly above the top of levers  40  and  41  of breakers  31  and  32 , respectively. The width of portions  34  and  35  and the width of cutout  33  are configured such that when edge  38  is over lever  38  of circuit breaker  30 , edge  39  is positioned between breakers  31  and  32 . This arrangement prevents lever  38  of breaker  30  from being moved to a circuit connecting position, but allows levers  4  and  41  of beakers  31  and  32 , respectively, to be moved to circuit connecting positions. Thus, lockout  10 , in the position shown, only allows 100 amps (50 from breaker  31  and 50 from breaker  32 ) to flow through feed line  14 . Since the rating of feed line  14  is 200 amps, the feed line  14  is not overloaded.  
         [0032]    When lockout  10  is moved to the right as shown in phantom in FIG. 3, the lower edge  37  clears lever  38  but is partially positioned over lever  40  while edge  39  is positioned over lever  41 . In this position, lockout  10  only allows activation of circuit breaker  30 , levers  40  and  41  are prevented from being moved. In this position, therefore, lockout  10  only permits 150 amps to flow through feed line  14 . The ability of lockout  10  to move from one position to the other is controlled, in FIG. 3, by the length of cutout  42  and the position of attaching fasteners  43  and  44 . This sliding configuration in conjunction with the configuration of depending portions  34  and  35  and cutout portion  33 , provides for the above-described alternative activation of circuit breakers  30 ,  31 , and  32 . As an alternative to using a sliding motion to reposition the lockout  10 . the lockout  10  can be fastened to the electrical box by appropriate fasteners that allow for removal and repositioning of the lockout  10  to another position relative to the circuit breakers  31 - 32 .  
         [0033]    As an alternative to having the length of slot  36  control the sidewise movement of lockout  10 , the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 can be utilized. In this embodiment, an extension  34 A to portion  34  extends to a location between the top and bottom of lever  38 . The side edges  45  and  46  of extension  34 A therefore control the right and left limits of the movement of lockout  10 A such that either circuit breaker  30  or circuit breakers  31  and  32  can be activated at any one time. In this manner, the embodiment of FIG. 4 performs the same function as the embodiment of FIG. 3.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 shows a different embodiment of the lockout  10  of FIG. 3. In this embodiment of the lockout  10 B, the depending portions  34 B and  35 B are angled slightly outward or away from the plane of the upper planar portion  47  of lockout  10 B and therefore away from plane of the electrical box cover plate  26 . Such angling is provided in order to provide space behind the depending portions  34 B and  35 B in order to physically clear the circuit breakers  30 ,  31 , and  32  (which in practice extend slightly outward from cover plate  26 ) when the lockout  10 B is moved between its left and right positions. Additionally, a pair of slots  42 B are used in place of the single slot  36  of the embodiment of FIG. 3.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment  10 C to the lockout embodiment of  10 A of FIG. 4. In this embodiment, a stepped portion  47  is provided between the upper planar portion  36  and the depending portions  34  and  35 . The stepped portion  47  locates the depending portions  34  and  35  away from the plane of the cover plate  26  and thereby provides the space needed to clear circuit breakers  30 ,  31 , and  32  which, in practice, extend slightly outward form the plane of the cover plate  26 .  
         [0036]    It is to be noted that the various features of the locking plates  10 ,  10 A,  10 B, and  10 C described above, can be combined in a number of different ways in achieving the resulting lockout of one or more circuit breakers relative to one or more other circuit breakers so as to not overload the feed wire  14  when the total rating of the plurality of circuit beakers exceed the total rating of feed wires  14 . For example, the lockout  10 D of FIG. 7 provides an arrangement where only one of the circuit breakers  30 ,  31 , or  32  can be activated at any one time. In the embodiment of FIG. 7, a mid position of the lockout  10  allows only circuit breaker  31  to be activated. When lockout  10 D is positioned to the right, only circuit breaker  30  can be activated. When lockout  10 D is positioned to the left, only circuit breaker  32  can be activated.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8 illustrated an electrical arrangement whereby one or more individual circuits  17 ,  18 ,  19 , and  20  are powered by either utility power lines  14  or by backup power lines  51  connected to a backup generator  52 . In this example, it is desired to activate either circuit breaker  53  or circuit breaker  54 , but not both. The inventive lockout can also be used for this purpose, as shown in FIG. 9.  
         [0038]    In FIG. 9, the two circuit breakers  53  and  54 , which can have the same power rating, are arranged side by side in an electrical box  15 . The lockout  10 E can be slidingly moved to the left or to the right. When positioned to the right, the depending portion  57  blocks the activation of circuit breaker  54  and only circuit breaker  53  can be activated and thus, the individual circuits  17 - 20  are supplied power form the utility pole  12 . When lockout  10 E is moved to the left of that shown in FIG. 9, circuit breaker  53  is locked out by depending portion  57  and only circuit breaker  54  can be activated. In the latter instance, power to the individual circuits  17 - 20  is supplied by the backup generator  52 . At any intermediate position of lockout  10 E, neither circuit breaker  53  or  54  can be activated. The physical arrangement of lockout  10 E is consistent with the previous embodiments such that either the slot  36  or a further depending portion  57 E of lockout  10 E can be used to limit the movement of lockout  10 E. Should it be desired to fixedly prevent the lockout  10 E from inadvertent movement, a removable pin  55  in conjunction with a plurality of appropriately located holes  56  in the lockout  10 E and the electrical box  15  can be provided as shown in FIG. 9. Other such devices to prevent inadvertent movement are readily envisioned by one skilled in the art and are therefore intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0039]    Similarly, any known means to effectuate the sliding or moving motion of the lockout  10  and any known means to allow a depending portion to clear the circuit breakers are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. Even further, the inventive lockout is not intended to be used only with circuit breakers. The inventive lockout can for example, be used with a plurality of electrical or mechanical switches or devices where it is desired to lockout one or more of such devices while allowing activation of one or more of other of such devices.  
         [0040]    While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in certain terms or certain embodiments or modifications which it has assumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be nor should it be deemed to be limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.  
       I claim as my invention: