US3663864A — Portable gound fault interrupter apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 258 words

In an electrical apparatus for interrupting the coupling of electrical power between a source of power and a utility device upon the occurrence of a fault in a ground circuit, an improved portable housing arrangement for the apparatus comprising: a thin-walled cover body formed of electrically insulative material, said cover body having an upper surface and an integral wall segment extending away from and discontinuously about the periphery of the surface; said body including means for receiving a demountable receptacle plate in an aligned position; a generally flat, thin-walled, demountable electrical receptacle mounting plate positioned in alignment with said cover body and forming with said wall segment a continuous four-sided wall for the apparatus, one side formed by said receptacle plate and a side opposite said receptacle plate including an aperture for receiving a power supply cable; a generally flat, thin-walled electrically insulative base means formed of at least two generally flat members for supporting said body on a surface and for forming with said body an enclosure for components of a circuit arrangement for the apparatus; and a plurality of flat circuit boards formed of electrically insulative material supported within said housing in a direction parallel to said receptacle plate by members integrally molded in said cover body and forming with said cover body, said receptacle plate and said base means a plurality of compartments, one of said flat support plate members forming a closure for one of said plurality of compartments formed by one of said circuit boards and said wall segment including said apertured side.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 258 words

In an electrical apparatus for interrupting the coupling of electrical power between a source of power and a utility device upon the occurrence of a fault in a ground circuit, an improved portable housing arrangement for the apparatus comprising: a thin-walled cover body formed of electrically insulative material, said cover body having an upper surface and an integral wall segment extending away from and discontinuously about the periphery of the surface; said body including means for receiving a demountable receptacle plate in an aligned position; a generally flat, thin-walled, demountable electrical receptacle mounting plate positioned in alignment with said cover body and forming with said wall segment a continuous four-sided wall for the apparatus, one side formed by said receptacle plate and a side opposite said receptacle plate including an aperture for receiving a power supply cable; a generally flat, thin-walled electrically insulative base means formed of at least two generally flat members for supporting said body on a surface and for forming with said body an enclosure for components of a circuit arrangement for the apparatus; and a plurality of flat circuit boards formed of electrically insulative material supported within said housing in a direction parallel to said receptacle plate by members integrally molded in said cover body and forming with said cover body, said receptacle plate and said base means a plurality of compartments, one of said flat support plate members forming a closure for one of said plurality of compartments formed by one of said circuit boards and said wall segment including said apertured side.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 25 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said one of said circuit boards includes a plurality of feed-through terminals for receiving conductors of a power cable.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 56 words

The apparatus of claim 1 including an electrical power supply input cable clamp comprising first and second semicircular segments having a plurality of semicircular ribs adapted to grip an electrical power supply input cable transversely at a plurality of axially spaced points and said first segment is integrally molded in said cover body or base means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 16 words

ThE apparatus of claim 3 wherein said integrally molded segment is molded in said cover body.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receptacle plate includes a plurality of receptacle apertures, a plurality of receptacles mounted thereto at associated apertures by electrically conductive means, and a thin-walled insulative body positioned at an outer exposed surface of the plate and bonded thereto near each of said receptacle apertures.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receptacle plate is positioned in a plane inclined with respect to said base means and includes a plurality of receptacles mounted thereon, all of said receptacles being aligned in a single direction on said plate.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 53 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said receptacle plate includes tapered flanges at opposite extremities thereof and a tongue segment at one edge thereof, said cover body includes integrally molded tapered grooves for receiving said flanges and said base means includes a groove for receiving said tongue segment for securing said receptacle plate.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 57 words

The apparatus of claim 1 including a two-piece transport handle, said handle comprising a first member integrally molded to said cover body, said molded handle member having a pair of segments extending generally normally away from said wall and a transverse segment extending between said normal segments, and an elongated gripping member positioned on said transverse segment.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 36 words

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said transverse handle segment has a cross section which is generally arrow-shaped and said gripping member includes a groove having a cross section formed for receiving said arrow-shaped transverse segment.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 81 words

The apparatus of claim 6 including a flat, linear, elongated ground bar of generally rectangular cross section which is formed of an electrically conductive material, said bar including a plurality of slots formed in the cross section along its length for receiving a grounding screw of a receptacle to thereby provide a common grounding bar for a plurality of receptacles, said ground bar including a flanged segment at an extremity thereof, thereby forming a male terminal for engaging a female connector.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 242 words

In an electrical apparatus for interrupting the coupling of electrical power between a source of power and a utility device upon the occurrence of a fault in a ground circuit, an improved portable housing arrangement for the apparatus comprising; a thin-walled cover body formed of electrically insulative material, said cover body having an upper surface and an integral wall segment extending away from and discontinuously about the periphery of the surface; said body including means for receiving a demountable receptacle plate in an aligned position; a generally flat, thin-walled, demountable electrical receptacle mounting plate positioned in alignment with said cover body and forming with said wall segment a continuous wall for the apparatus; a generally flat, thin-walled electrically insulative base means for supporting said body on a surface and for forming with said body an enclosure for components of a circuit arrangement for the apparatus; said cover body including a plurality of linear, elongated, integrally molded bosses extending from the upper surface in a direction generally perpendicular to said upper surface and for a distance substantially equal to a width of said wall, said bosses including recesses formed therein for receiving a mounting member, and said base means includes apertures formed therein through which a mounting member extends for securing said base means to said cover body; and circuit mounting means supported within said housing and forming with said cover body, said receptacle plate and said base means a plurality of compartments.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 242 words

In an electrical apparatus for interrupting the coupling of electrical power between a source of power and a utility device upon the occurrence of a fault in a ground circuit, an improved portable housing arrangement for the apparatus comprising; a thin-walled cover body formed of electrically insulative material, said cover body having an upper surface and an integral wall segment extending away from and discontinuously about the periphery of the surface; said body including means for receiving a demountable receptacle plate in an aligned position; a generally flat, thin-walled, demountable electrical receptacle mounting plate positioned in alignment with said cover body and forming with said wall segment a continuous wall for the apparatus; a generally flat, thin-walled electrically insulative base means for supporting said body on a surface and for forming with said body an enclosure for components of a circuit arrangement for the apparatus; said cover body including a plurality of linear, elongated, integrally molded bosses extending from the upper surface in a direction generally perpendicular to said upper surface and for a distance substantially equal to a width of said wall, said bosses including recesses formed therein for receiving a mounting member, and said base means includes apertures formed therein through which a mounting member extends for securing said base means to said cover body; and circuit mounting means supported within said housing and forming with said cover body, said receptacle plate and said base means a plurality of compartments.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 61 words

The apparatus of claim 11 including an apertured cap of electrically conductive material positioned on an extremity of said boss for introducing a mounting member to the recess of said boss, and an integrallY molded skirt formed in said insulative support base means, co-aligned with said boss, and extending a distance away from said support base means for shielding said cap.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-05-16	1975-11-15	1976-05-16	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-05-16	1979-11-15	1980-05-16	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-05-16	1983-11-15	1984-05-16	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Portable gound fault interrupter apparatus

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