Multi-purpose prefabricated electrical installation

Claim 1

An electrical supply device comprising an elongated duct adapted for fixing to a support surface, said duct including a sheath of channel-shaped cross section having a flat back, a pair of opposed side walls and a front opening, at least one insulating member housed in said sheath along one side wall thereof, said insulating member being provided with longitudinally extending slots, and at least one detachable adaptor which is adapted to be inserted through the opening where required along the duct for providing mechanically supported power supply connections for a piece of electrical equipment, two power conveying conductors and a plurality of auxiliary conductors fitted in said slots, said adaptor housing two further power conveying conductors and a plurality of further auxiliary conductors and having contact means for connecting said further power-conveying and further auxiliary conductors to the respective power-conveying and auxiliary conductors fitted in the slots; electrically controllable switching means for controlling the connection of the two further power-conveying conductors housed in the adaptor to said equipment, said switching means having a control terminal; further switching means for selectively controlling the connection between the respective further auxiliary conductors and the control terminal of said switching means and means for selectively applying a control current to selected ones of the further auxiliary conductors, said contact means including at least one pivotable contactor having an axis which is perpendicular to the flat back of the sheath and is adapted for being fitted into the opening in the sheath, the said contactor having contact members adapted to be inserted simultaneously into the respective slots for making electrical connection with both the power-conveying and the auxiliary conductors when the contactor is pivoted.