Nov. 27, 1951
F. s. GREEN
2,576,396
PANEL BOARD
Filed June 27, 1949
gig
F2.IG.
INVENTOR;
FLOYD
BY6’L144176
,
S.
GREEN
ATTORNEYS.
2,576,396
Patented Nov. 27, 1951
UNITEDIVSTATES PATENT OFFICE‘
2,576,395
BANEL BOARD
Floyd S, Green, St. Louis, Mo., asysignor to Frank
"Adam Electric ‘comp any, St. Louis,‘ M0,, a‘ cor}
poration of Missouri
applicants that 2,7,, 1949, Serial NQ- 101,581
3 Claims. (01. 175-369)
1,
2v
. This ihvehtihh rdetesseherehv tq the menu?
range of connecting positions to accommodate
the mounting'means‘ of the usual panel devices.
fatthre of pahelhhards and the use and earth?
larly to a mounting means of assenibli?g'various
devices in a panelboard.
“
'
N
>
u
Preferably the universal ?tting. is arranged'to
embrace and grip a free edge of the‘mouniting
back, in any‘ position lengthwise hi that edge‘; and
with considerable latitude of position transverse:
ly. Adjustment ‘in the third dimension is "at
tamed by providing the, ?tting with a; pltr'alitr'of
sets of jaws, so that the appropriate one may be
selected for embracing the free edge of the
mounting b21919 depending upon the height at
"
in the manufacture of‘ panelboards, eqntrol
panels, switchboards, and the like, it is ‘common
practice to provide a mounting- back of channel
section having out-turned margins at the free
edges of the ?anges. The depression between
the ?anges of- the channel provides space for ac
commodating bus bars, cables, and other con
ductors, leading. to and from the various devices
which, assembled, constitute the panelboard, and
provides room for making connections between
such devices and the conductors. The several de-
vices constituting the panelboard may include
switches, circuit breakers, fuse boxes and instru
ments, or any other protective, control or indi
the. hate! device to he, mounted thei'eqh- it its
preferred form,'the invention contemplates'that
the universal ?tting be formed of a strip of sheet
15, metal bent into Lii-shape, so'astoL provide two'
nearly parallel legs: interconnected‘by ' a flat
bridge. Each leg of the: ?tting is providedwith
cating apparatus, all herein collectively called
panel devices.’
20
one or more slots“, and the slots in the respective
legs are aligned with‘each'other in a'direction
substantially parallel with the ?at) bridge be
tween the legs; ‘The panel devices are connected
An ordinary panelboard may include a great
variety of panel devices, and difterent sizes and
with the ?at bridge, or mounting portion, of the
capacities of each variety, depending upon the
circumstances of use for which: the panelboard is
One embodiment of a panelboard and universal
intended, 'The various panel devices in a given 25. ?tting, as contemplated by the present inven
panelboard nearly always differ radically in di
tion, is shown in the accompanying drawing in
mensions, shape, and disposition of the mounting
?tting.
‘
Which:
means thereon, so that,‘ assembly of the same
with the mounting back has heretofore involved
stated, is to reduce‘the tedium of assembling
40
In common with the practice in the art, the
panelboard shown in the drawings comprises a
mounting back I upon which is assembled a neu
tral plate 2, enclosed switches 3 and 4, fuse boxes
5 and 6, and any other desirable panel devices,
45 together with bus bars 1.
'
The mounting back I is a piece of sheet metal
bent into channel section, having ?anges H and
tailoring of the mounting back.
i
This invention contemplates, in general, a
mounting back Without necessitating the drilling
or holes therein, and which, provide a suf?hieht
'
Figure 3 isUa development view of the ?tting
shown in Figure 2, and represents the con?guraé
tion of a ?at sheet metal stamping, from which
the ?tting of Figure 2 is formed.
panelhoerds and minimize. the above mentioned
panelboard or the like wherein the various panel
devices are connected with the mounting back
through universal ?ttings, which are quickly at:
tachable at any selected position along the
_
vices upon the mounting back in the panelboard
shown in Figure '1; and"
'
The Qhiect of the present invention, generally
’
devices upon the mounting backf
Figure 2 is a perspective View of the universal
?tting utilized in mounting the several panel de
frequently its. size, being dictated. by the Precise
locatiqn in which. eachnarticular panel device
must be mounted, so that in all cases the holes,
provided. in the mounting hack for accqmmhdat
and costly process,
'
completed panelboard assembly, showing partic
ularly the manner of mounting the several panel
panel devices to. he asshmbltd therehh- Such
tailotihg has required the drilling, and frequently
the. tapping’. 9f numerals, holes. in the. margin of
the mounting, hack, the position of each hole and
ins screws or halts must be arranged so, as'to
"
'
Figure l is a perspective view of a partially
a great amount of tailoring the mounting back
to ?t the mounting requirements of the numerous
?t“ the corresponding mounting means on each
individual panel device, For these reasons, as-_
sembly of panelboards has heretofore been a slow
"
50
out-turned margins 12, providing free edges.
While in the embodiment shown in the drawings
the ?anges I? are turned outwardlinit will be
understood by those skilled in'the art that under
some circumstances it may be _desirable to turn
the margins l2 inwardly. In accordance with
the present inventionfthe‘turned vmargins [2 ex
55
tend forthev full length of the mounting back I,
2,576,396
and provide throughout that length free edges
for the reception of ?ttings It at any position
along said margin, and in such number as may
be required for mounting the several panel de
vices, as well as the decorative and protective
front (not shown) of the panelboard.
'
The ?ttings I3 may be formed of a sheet metal
stamping having, in the ?at, a con?guration such
4
panel devices 2, 3 and 4. The permissible .dif
ference in extent of penetration of the margin I2
into the respective slots therefore provides for
ready adjustment in the transverse direction of
the positions of the holes II or I8, in order to fit
the corresponding mounting means of the several
panel devices, irrespective of the non-uniformity
of size of the panel devices.
In assembling the panelboard, the bus bars ‘I
as shown in Figure 3. By appropriate dies, the
stamping may be slotted as shown at H5, I5 and 10 are connected to the several panel devices in
the usual manner, and ?nally, the panel devices
I6, and provided with one or more holes I‘! and
are secured on the mounting back through the
I8 in the same operation at which the stamping
several universal ?ttings I3. The position of any
is cut from a larger sheet. If desired, the holes
I 1 and I8 may be tapped to provide screw threads.
Where more than one hole is provided, it is fre
?tting I3 may be adjusted to ?t exactly with the
15 mounting means of the panel device to be there
quently desirable to provide them of di?erent
sizes, as shown. After the stamping is cut out,
it may be bent along lines. l9 and 26 into the
U-shape shown in Figure 2, so as to provide legs
2| interconnected by a central ?at bridge 22,
by received, such adjustment requiring no more
tedium than a slight tap with a hammer to drive
the ?tting further on to margin I2, or to back it
o? slightly. Adjustment of the proper eleva
which latter embraces the region perforated by
above margin I2, is accomplished by selectingthe
tion of the mounting portion 22 of the ?tting I3,
appropriate set of slots I4, I5, or I6, into which
holes I‘! and I8.
the margin I2 is to be received.
‘The slots I4, I5 and I 6, respectively, in each
If, as hereinbefore indicated, the‘ legs 2! of
of legs 2|, are aligned with their counterpart in
the ?tting I3 are nearly parallel but slightly di
the other leg, so that the planes of the several
verging or converging, adding gripping force is
slots are substantially parallel with the ?at
bridge portion 22 of the ?tting. The legs 2| are
achievable, as in the process of application the
preferably non-parallel, though nearly so, for a
legs 2| will be moved toward parallel relation,
purpose which will appear hereinafter.
and the resilience of the ?tting (tending to move
Each of the slots I4, I5 and I6 extends for a 80 back toward the original non-parallel relation of
substantial depth into the leg 2!, in a direction
the legs ZI) applies a gripping force over and
generally parallel to the lines of fold I9 and 29,
above that provided by the relative proportioning
but the bight 23 of the several slots is sufficiently
of the width of the slots.
remote from the nearest edge of the ?tting to
In the assembly of panelboards in accordance
leave an uninterrupted web of metal of adequate 85 with the present invention, and utilizing ?ttings
strength for the‘ purpose. Each of the slots is
of the character exempli?ed by ?tting I3, it is
constricted as shown at 24 between the bight 23
unnecessary to drill holes in the margin of the
and the mouth of the slot, so that near the mouth
mounting back except in extraordinary cases.
thereof the width of the slots is less than near
The gripping force, provided by the engagement
the bight. By so con?gurating the several slots, 40 of the opposite sides of the several slots with the
and making the width of the slots at the con
margin I2, is of sufficient tenacity that, when the
stricted portion 24 a thousandth of an inch or
several panel devices are secured to the ?ttings
so less than the thickness of the material from
I 3 on the mounting back, and connected with
which the mounting back I is made, a drive ?t
their bus bars, a strong and rugged assemblyv
45
may be obtained when the margin I2 of the
is provided, despite the absence of direct screw
mounting back is inserted in any one of the sev
eral pairs of slots I4, l5 and I6. Since the nar
rower portion of the slot is at 24, near the mouth
thereof, the gripping area between the jaws
(i. e., the metal on each side of the slots) and
margin l2 does not increase as the degree of
or bolt connections between the several panel
devices and the mounting back.
From the foregoing description, those skilled
in the art should readily understand that the
invention accomplishes its object, and provides
a universal ?tting whereby great economies may
penetration of the margin I2 into the slots in
be e?ectuated in the assembly of panelboards
creases beyond the constricted portion 24. Con
and the like, wherein standard panel devices,
sequently. whether the ?tting is driven up on
varying greatly in dimensions, shape, and loca
the margin I2 only to the extent of the depth of 55 tion of their mounting means, are embodied.
the constricted portion 24, or all the way to the
While one embodiment of the universal ?tting
bight 23, the gripping forces between the jaws
has been disclosed in detail, and the application
of the ?tting and the margin I2 remain sub
stantially constant.
In Figure l of the drawing, a number of dif
ferent relative positions of the universal ?ttings
I3,’ with respect to the mounting back I, are
shown. The ?ttings I3, which support the fuse
box 6, receive the margin I2 of the mounting back
in' the slots I4 thereof, and it will be observed
that the margin I2 has penetrated the slots I 4
only about half-way, so that the wider portion
of the same in a typical panelboard assembly
60 has been described, it is apparent that the in
vention is not limited to the details of construc
tion disclosed, but that numerous variations and
adaptations will present themselves to those
skilled in the art, without departing from the
spirit of the invention, and such are con-H
templated.
'
Having thus described the invention, what is
claimed and desired to be secured by Letters
Patent is:
of the slot I 4 is unoccupied. The opposite ex
treme is illustrated by the ?tting I 3, which car
l. A panelboard having a mounting back hav
ries a bracket 25 (for attachment of the panel 70
ing a free edge, a U-shaped ?tting formed of
board front, not shown). In the latter instance,
relatively thin stiff material, each leg of the U
the margins I2 of the mounting back penetrate
having a plurality of slots aligned with corre
slots I'B tov the full depth thereof. Intermediate
sponding slots in the other leg, said slots having
positions of penetration are shown in the rela
a, with SIlQh as to provide a drive ?t over said
tion of the parts where the ?ttings I3. EUPPOUZ
5
2,576,896
6
free edge, and a panel device secured to the
bridge of said ?tting.
2. A panelboard comprising a mounting back
having a free edge, a ?tting formed of relatively
thin sti? material bent to de?ne a leg and a ?at,
said leg having a slot extending from one edge
of said leg and providing an open mouth thereat,
said slot being near its mouth of a width such
as to provide a drive ?t with said free edge of
said mounting back, and being wider near its
bight, and a panel device secured to said ?at.
3. A panelboard comprising a mounting back
having a free edge, a ?tting formed of relatively
thin stiff material bent to de?ne a leg and a ?at,
said leg having a plurality of parallel slots each
terminating in an open mouth at one edge of
said leg, the distance between said slots being
greater than the thickness of said material, and
a panel device secured to said ?at.
FLOYD S. GREEN.
go
REFERENCES CITED
The following references are of record in the
?le of this patent:
UNITED STATES PATENTS
Number
Name
Date
853,344
1,345,340
1,843,014
2,171,441
2,219,887
2,261,857 -
Dennis ___________ __ May 14,
Alphin ____________ __ July 6,
Corino ___________ __ Jan. 26,
Barry ___________ __ Aug. 29,
Bowly ____________ __ Oct. 29,
Novak ____________ __ Nov. 4, 1941
FOREIGN PATENTS
Number
567,023
1907
1920
1932
1939
1940
Country
'
Date
Germany ________ __ Dec. 12, 1932