US3609215A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric power busway with thermal expansion absorbing joints
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1969-05-07
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Granted: 1971-09-28
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Expires: 1989-05-07
Abstract
Abstract An electric power busway including joints having means allowing relative longitudinal movement of the bus bar sections and having generally planar bus bar contact surfaces, the contact surfaces being scored or grooved to provide lubricant reservoir spaces. Lubricant trapped in the reservoir spaces permits longitudinal movement of the bus bars with respect to each other occurring because of thermal expansion, without excessive wear of the contact surfaces and without harmful increase of electrical resistance and consequent excessive heating of the joint. The construction makes possible a busway system having a large number of busway sections, without use of special thermal expansionabsorbing sections as required by busway systems with prior arttype joints.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter Giger Jr
- 👤 Robert A Fulop
- 👤 Robert L Mccrevey
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 17:41
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02G; H02G5/00; H02G5/007; H02G5/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
228 words
An electric power distribution system of the busway type comprising: a. a plurality of longitudinally aligned prefabricated elongated busway sections, each of said sections comprising a ductlike metalic housing and a plurality of electric power bus bars supported in parallel insulated relation in said housing; b. connecting means connecting said bus bars of each of said adjacent busway sections; said connecting means comprising thermal expansion absorbing means interconnecting said bus bars of at least two of said busway sections and permitting relative longitudinal sliding movement of said bus bars of said two busway sections; and d. said bus bars having first end portions with at least one side contact surface; e. said first end portions of bus bars in each busway section being disposed in juxtaposed relation to second end portions of bus bars in an adjacent busway section; f. a splice plate overlapping said first and second bus bar end portions and having a side contact surface in contact with at least said one side contact surface of said first end portions, and g. lubricant retaining reservoirs in at least one of said surfaces, said lubricant reservoirs comprising a large number of small indentations formed therein serving to receive minute particles of conductor material produced by said sliding movement of said bus bars of said two busway sections and to store small amounts of said lubricating material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
228 words
An electric power distribution system of the busway type comprising: a. a plurality of longitudinally aligned prefabricated elongated busway sections, each of said sections comprising a ductlike metalic housing and a plurality of electric power bus bars supported in parallel insulated relation in said housing; b. connecting means connecting said bus bars of each of said adjacent busway sections; said connecting means comprising thermal expansion absorbing means interconnecting said bus bars of at least two of said busway sections and permitting relative longitudinal sliding movement of said bus bars of said two busway sections; and d. said bus bars having first end portions with at least one side contact surface; e. said first end portions of bus bars in each busway section being disposed in juxtaposed relation to second end portions of bus bars in an adjacent busway section; f. a splice plate overlapping said first and second bus bar end portions and having a side contact surface in contact with at least said one side contact surface of said first end portions, and g. lubricant retaining reservoirs in at least one of said surfaces, said lubricant reservoirs comprising a large number of small indentations formed therein serving to receive minute particles of conductor material produced by said sliding movement of said bus bars of said two busway sections and to store small amounts of said lubricating material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
53 words
An electric power distribution system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said system comprises a pair of splice plates having portions overlapping said end portions of each bus bar, and clamping means intermediate said end portions clamping said pair of splice plates toward each other and against said bus bar end portions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
An electric power distribution system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said splice plates have at least said side contact surfaces thereof composed of copper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An electric power distribution system as set forth in claim 3 wherein system also includes a lubricating material between said contact surfaces comprising a material selected from the class comprising molybdenum disulfide and powdered graphite.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An electric power distribution system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said system also includes a lUbricating material between said contact surfaces comprising a material selected from the class comprising molybdenum disulfide and powdered graphite.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
126 words
An electric power distribution assembly comprising: a. at least one pair of electric power bus bars, said bus bars being disposed relative to each other with end portions thereof in overlapping relation; b. at least one of said overlapping end portions having a generally planar contact surface having indented portions; c. means continuously biasing said overlapping end portions into effective electrical contact with each other; d. means rigidly supporting said bus bars in said assembly while permitting relative longitudinal movement of said overlapping end portions; e. said indented portions comprising a plurality of parallel channel portions, said channel portions comprising a first set of spaced parallel channel portions and a second set of spaced parallel channel portions disposed at right angles to said first channel portions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
126 words
An electric power distribution assembly comprising: a. at least one pair of electric power bus bars, said bus bars being disposed relative to each other with end portions thereof in overlapping relation; b. at least one of said overlapping end portions having a generally planar contact surface having indented portions; c. means continuously biasing said overlapping end portions into effective electrical contact with each other; d. means rigidly supporting said bus bars in said assembly while permitting relative longitudinal movement of said overlapping end portions; e. said indented portions comprising a plurality of parallel channel portions, said channel portions comprising a first set of spaced parallel channel portions and a second set of spaced parallel channel portions disposed at right angles to said first channel portions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 6, said assembly further including a molybdenum disulfide lubricant between said end portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 6, said assembly also including a graphite lubricant between said end portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said channel portions are approximately 0.010 inches wide and 0.005 inches deep.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said parallel spaced-apart channel portions are spaced approximately 0.0625 inches apart.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
177 words
An electric power distribution assembly comprising: a. at least one pair of electric power bus bars, said bus bars being disposed relative to each other in substantial alignment with end portions thereof in closely spaced relation; b. a generally planar splice plate having contact portions overlapping said closely spaced end portions of said bus bars; c. said end portion of at least one of said bus bars having a contact surface portion thereof engaged by said splice plate, said contact surface portion having a plurality of indentations thereon; d. means continuously biasing said overlapping end portions of said splice plate and said bus bars into effective electrical contact; c. means rigidly supporting said bus bars in said assembly while permitting relative longitudinal movement between said splice plate and at least said one of said bus bars; f. said indentations comprising a plurality of parallel channel portions; g. said channel portions comprising the first set of parallel channel portions and a second set of parallel channel portions disposed at right angles to said first set of channel portions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
177 words
An electric power distribution assembly comprising: a. at least one pair of electric power bus bars, said bus bars being disposed relative to each other in substantial alignment with end portions thereof in closely spaced relation; b. a generally planar splice plate having contact portions overlapping said closely spaced end portions of said bus bars; c. said end portion of at least one of said bus bars having a contact surface portion thereof engaged by said splice plate, said contact surface portion having a plurality of indentations thereon; d. means continuously biasing said overlapping end portions of said splice plate and said bus bars into effective electrical contact; c. means rigidly supporting said bus bars in said assembly while permitting relative longitudinal movement between said splice plate and at least said one of said bus bars; f. said indentations comprising a plurality of parallel channel portions; g. said channel portions comprising the first set of parallel channel portions and a second set of parallel channel portions disposed at right angles to said first set of channel portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 11 said assembly further including molybdenum disulfide lubricant between said contact surface of said one bus bar and said splice plate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 11 said assembly further comprising a graphite lubricant between said contact surface portion of said one bus bar and said splice plate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An electrical power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said channel portions are approximately 0.010 inches wide and 0.005 inches deep.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
23 words
An electrical power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said parallel spaced-apart channel portions are spaced approximately 0.0625 inches apart.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
118 words
An electrical power distribution assembly comprising: a. at least one pair of electrical power bus bars, said bus bars being disposed relative to each other with portions thereof in overlapping relation; b. said overlapping portions of said bus bars comprising interengaging generally planar contact surfaces; c. means continuously biasing said contact surfaces of said bus bars into effective electrical contAct with each other; d. means supporting said bus bars in said assembly, said supporting means permitting relative longitudinal movement of said contact surfaces; e. at least one of said generally planar contact surfaces having a large number of relatively small lubricant reservoirs therein, and f. a lubricating material between said interengaging contact surfaces and in said lubricant reservoirs.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
118 words
An electrical power distribution assembly comprising: a. at least one pair of electrical power bus bars, said bus bars being disposed relative to each other with portions thereof in overlapping relation; b. said overlapping portions of said bus bars comprising interengaging generally planar contact surfaces; c. means continuously biasing said contact surfaces of said bus bars into effective electrical contAct with each other; d. means supporting said bus bars in said assembly, said supporting means permitting relative longitudinal movement of said contact surfaces; e. at least one of said generally planar contact surfaces having a large number of relatively small lubricant reservoirs therein, and f. a lubricating material between said interengaging contact surfaces and in said lubricant reservoirs.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said lubricating material comprises a solid lubricating material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
28 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said lubricating material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of molybdenum disulfide and graphite.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein the other of said contact surfaces wherein the other of said contact surfaces comprises a smooth flat surface.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said bus bars are of aluminum and wherein said one contact surface has a coating of nickel thereon.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein the metal of both of said contacting surfaces comprises copper.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said bus bars comprise aluminum, said one contact surface having a coating of nickel thereon and the other of said contact surface having a coating of copper thereon.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said lubricant reservoirs comprise a set of parallel closely spaced narrow, shallow channels or grooves.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
40 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said lubricant reservoirs comprise a first set of parallel channels and a second set of parallel channels crossing said first said of parallel channels at an angle thereto.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
An electric power distribution assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said lubricant reservoirs comprise a large number of closely spaced, substantially evenly distributed discrete indentations.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-27 | 1975-03-29 | 1975-09-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-27 | 1979-03-29 | 1979-09-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-27 | 1983-03-29 | 1983-09-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |