Circuit breaker with insulated horizontal bus bars

Claim 1

A control center for distributing electric power from a power supply source to power consuming devices, comprising a cabinet having a plurality of vertical compartments on the front side of the cabinet, a plurality of vertical, horizontally-spaced bus bars in said cabinet, a plurality of horizontal, vertically-spaced bus bars in said cabinet and electrically connected to corresponding vertical bus bars, an electrically-insulative barrier encasing the horizontal bus bars with the surfaces of each bus bar being in surface-to-surface contact with the barrier, the barrier being substantially coextensive with the bus bars and consisting of a dielectric material having good heat transfer properties, the barrier comprising a sheet-like member on each side of the spaced bus bars which members have interfitting portions including a flange-receiving groove in one member and a flange in the other member and the interfitting portions extending between each pair of adjacent horizontal bus bars, the sheet-like members on opposite sides of the bus bars being substantially coextensive, the barrier having removable surface portions to provide access to effect connection of the horizontal bus bars with the vertical bus bars, the removable surface portions being aligned with the vertical bus bars, and mounting means for supporting the horizontal bus bars and comprising at least one aperture in each horizontal bus bar and a projection in at least one of the barrier members extending into the aperture of each bus bar.