Metal housing for electrical control devices

Oct. 19, 1943. η. a. sedgwick 2,332,017

METAL HOUSING FOR ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVICES

Filed Deo. 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Oct. 19, 1943. η. a. sedgwick 2,332,017

METAL HOUSING FOR ELECTRICAL CONTROL DEVICES

Filed Deo. 26, 1941

Sheets-Sheet 2

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Patented Oct. 19, 1943

2,332,017

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,332,017

METAL HOUSING FOfi CONTROL DEVICES'

Harry A. Sedgwick, Shorewood, Wis.,..^ss^nor io Cutler-Hammer, inc., Milwaukee, -Wis.» a corporation Of Delaware

Application December 26, 1941,- Serial No. 424,501

Claims. (CI. 221)-31)'

This invention relates to^-improvements in metal housings for electricalcontrol devices.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a novel form of hinged' connection between the base portion and the cover portion of a metal s housing of the aforementioned character.

Another object is to· provide a novel and simple hinge connection between the cover and base portions of a metal housing enabling removal of the cover portion from- the base portion upon 1'0’ a predetermined degree of opening of the former.

Another and more specific object is to provide a one-piece sheet metal hinge member which is rigidly and permanently attached to one of . the housing portions and adapted for cooperation 15 with the walls of an opening formed in the other housing portion.

Another object is to provide a hinge connection for the base and cover portions of a housing which is adapted for vertical mounting upon 20 a wall or other suitable support.

Another object is to provide novel means for insuring proper placement of the hinge member or members with, respect, to the cover portion. of a housing, whereby rigid attachment of 25 said members to said cover portion, as by spot welding, is facilitated.

Another- object is to provide a novel arrangement of parts whereby the hinge connections between the base' and cover portions are sub- Sb stantially entirely concealed' in the closed position of the cover portion.

Another object is to provide a novel form of latching' device for use with a housing whose base and cover portions are so hinged, whereby the 35 degree of telescoping or closing movement of the cover portion* with respect to the base portion is Predetermined.

Another' object is^- to provide^- a novel' arrangement of' casing portions and hinges whereby at 40 least ninety degrees of opening movement of the cover portion is required to provide tor sepaire-tion thereof from the base portion.

Another¹ object is to'provide* novel and simple means' whereby a· cover portion- having hinges^-· of 45 the aforementioned-· character¹ may be rendered nonremovable f rOffi the base portion· of- the'hbiising, if desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter’appear. 50

The accompanying-' drawings illustrate certain embodiments of the invention-which will now be described· it being understood that the cin’oodiffibfits¹· illustrated: are^-1 susceptible of-modification iii-rbSpfect' of: certain': structural· details thereof 55 without departing ftoril ift® scope^- of the appended claims.

Ift the drawings, .

Figure I¹ is a view,bit a reduced scale, partly hi si'de'etevaitidri. to show the latching ifieans/and partly broken? away to provide' an interior View Of the hinges¹ affording a- separable' cohnectionbetween*- the’base· and covet portions of tlie h'Ou's*ing. .

Fig.&lt; Z is' a fragmentary sectional view,· normal size’; on the? line 2--=^2 of Fig. 1;· showing the' means for latching the^- cover in closed position- and for limiting the· degree: of telescoping- or , closing movement· of the. latter. ?..

Fig, 3 is- a view,, partly in' section and· partly in- elevation;· showing- ce.rtainclements'inthe relativepositions· thereof-illustrated-in Fig-.- 2.

Fig;· 4 is a?frasmentary’ perspective.view showingone of t-he-members, affording a hinged connection between- the base and cover portions of the housing—the cover portion-being shown in its closedposition.

Fig.. 5 is· a fragmentary sectional view,- on the line 5—5 of Fig.- 1—with the cover portion of the housing-toClosedpqsition. , . ., .

. Fig-., 6 is- a- fragmentary sectional view quite similar to Fig^ .5—but- with the cover portionin its fully opened position—in which position it may be unhinged from· the base portion.

Fig. ’ 7' is a,, fragmentary jecti0nal view' similar to Figs. 5 and O', but illustrating, a sliglitly modified- form of hinge,· which isrigidly' atta'clied to the” outer surface of the’cover p'oition—whereby a closer fit between the cover and- base portions of the housing-may be pfovided.

Fig'. 8 is a fragrnentar'y' perspective view similar' to'Fig 4—but*'illustrating’. a slightly mo'dffieh . fotm of h'mge—a, portion’of which is. 'readilydefbfiriabie at will to 'fefidef 'the cOVef portion nonrein ovableftom'the base portioni

Fig'. Sf' is ,a“ frhgffieiit'ary'.eievatiOnal’ view', norηίέίί Size; iliusfrating^- the’’ depressions-toftnetf at pieaeterifiiiife'd point's on one surf ace of that port tiom of the' liirige'^-1 opposite to' the? stiffaife’ titorebf which is attached to the coveto-'s'afd depre'Ssibris being forihe'd' as-ah-incideiif- to'piodubtidh of the extruded bdss'es on- the dppoSiie· surface’ bf the hinge.

Figi HF is^; a¹ stotidhfil¹ vi’eW, on¹ the line-I8— ί0 of Figi· 9j illustratifig- the ^:mS®nef - iri whiblf the hinge b'bbs'es¹ a'to fitted·- toto¹ febesseS'formed iri the adja’Cehf ^Γόϊ tW: cover¹ pdriion;· to’fip.

sul'e* proper^-pdsiti0'riing?of theritage prior to rigid sedureffient of the* hinge¹ to trie? cover¹ prirtibh; as by spot’Welding

2,332,017

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the hinges, showing the extrusions or bosses formed thereon, and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the recesses formed in the inner surface of the cover portion to accommodate the hinge bosses—the contour of the hinge being shown in dotted lines.

Referring first to that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6 and 9 to 12, the numeral 15 designates the base portion of a housing for an electrical control device—said base portion being formed in any suitable manner from a onepiece sheet metal blank to provide bottom side and end walls and an open front. A cover member 16 is also formed in any suitable manner from a one-piece sheet metal blank to provide top, side and end walls and an open back—the length of the side and end walls of the cover being such that the same is adapted to telescopically fit over or surround the side and end walls of base portion 15.

Although in the particular form of housing illustrated the cover portion 16 is shown as having a depth substantially equal to that of the base portion, it is to be understood that the hinges herein disclosed, by a slight reduction in the width of the portions thereof secured to one side wall or flange portion of the cover, may be used in conjunction with a metal housing wherein the top wall of the cover is adapted to seat against the front edge of the base portion.

The base portion 15 of the housing is provided in one side wall ί 5^a thereof with two or more relatively narrow substantially rectangular openings 17 and 18 which are longitudinally alined with each other and spaced predetermined distances from the respective end walls 15^b and 15° of base portion 15 and a predetermined distance from the front edge of said side wall.

The cover portion 16 has rigidly secured to the inner surface of side wall or flange I6^a thereof, as by spot welding, the fiat portions 19^a, 19^a of a pair of like punched and stamped sheet metal hinge members 19, 19—said members 19 being spaced from each other a center distance corresponding to the center distance between said openings 17 and 18.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, although the height or vertical length of members 19 is only slightly less than the length of the respective openings 17 and 18, the arrangement is such that the body portions of members 19 are moved downwardly to effect Offsetting thereof with respect to the horizontal walls of said openings 17 and 18 in the hinged or assembled relationship of the cover and base portions of the housing— the hinge members 19 being provided with downwardly opening substantially rectangular notches 19¹ (see Fig. 4) to provide for such offsetting. Said notches are adapted to provide downwardly facing horizontal edges I9^b, 19^b which seat or bear against the lower end walls of the respective openings 17 and 18.

The hinge members 19 as produced have their intermediate portions 19° (Fig. 4) bent or curved as shown, whereby the horizontal bearing edges 19^b thereof are in the form of a curve or arc to facilitate movement thereof through the openings 17 and 18 in opening or closing the cover portion 16 with respect to housing portion 15. The vertical walls 19^d of the aforementioned notches 19¹ are adapted to abut or engage the inner surface of side wall I5^a upon opening of cover portion 16 to limit the degree of opening movement of the latter—as best illustrated in Fig. 6.

As best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, members 19 5 have flat inner end portions 19'—defined in part by the vertical walls 19^d of the respective notches 19^£—said flat end portions being angled toward the inner surface of the end wall 15^a to abut or engage the latter when cover portion 16 is in its 10 closed position—the primary purpose of such engagement being to insure against rattling or noise produced by relative movement of the casing parts when in closed position.

With particular reference to Fig. 6, it is appar15 ent that when cover portion 16 is fully opened the same may be readily removed from base portion 15 by merely lifting said cover vertically upward until the hinge members 19 are bodily alined with the respective openings 17 and 18 20 (that is, when the upper edges of members 19 abut the upper end walls of the respective openings) , whereupon the hinge members 19 may be withdrawn from said openings by lateral bodily movement of the cover portion 16 away from base 25 portion 15.

Hinging connection of cover portion 16 to base portion 15 is effected with the parts in the last mentioned positions thereof—it being understood that when hinge members 19 are inserted in30 wardly through openings 17 and 18 to provide clearance between the edges 19^d, 13^d of the notches with respect to the inner surface of said wall I5^a of the base portion the cover portion may be lowered to provide for engagement of edge 35 portions 19^b, 19^b of the notches with the respective lower end walls of said openings 17 and 18.

As will be apparent from Fig. 6, it is necessary that cover portion 16 be arranged at an angle displaced at least slightly more than ninety de40 grees from the closed position thereof to effect either hinging or unhinging thereof with respect to base portion 15—the lower end wall 16' of cover portion 16 being required to clear both the side wall I5^a and the lower end wail 15' of base ⁴⁵ portion 15 in each instance. This arrangement is advantageous in that it insures against any possibility of unhinging of cover portion 16 from base portion 15 except when the former is swung gO to substantially its extreme open position illustrated in Fig. 6; whereas the construction and arrangement of the hinges are such as to insure against “binding” or frictional engagement of the end walls of cover portion 16 with respect to base _5g portion 15 during opening or closing movement of the former.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 9 to 12, it will be noted that each hinge member 19 has formed at predetermined points on its flat por₆₀ tion 19^a a pair of depressions 19^K and 19¹¹, as an incident to extrusion from the opposite surface of portion 19^a of a pair of substantially cylindrical bosses or projections 19¹ and I9^j (Figs. 10 and 11). The side wall 16^a of cover portion 16 65 is provided at predetermined points on its inner surface with two like sets of depressions or recesses—one set of which is shown at 16^d and 16' in Figs. 10 and 12. Said recesses I6^d and 16' may be formed in any suitable manner, such as by 70 milling or drilling the same, or by means of suitable pressure dies. In practice the recess I6^dof each set is preferably of substantially circular form in transverse cross section to freely receive, but with a rather close fit, the extrusion 75 or boss I9¹; whereas the recess 16' of each set

2,332,017 is preferably of elongated substantially elliptical contour, as shown, By this arrangement the manual insertion of bosses 19¹ and 19^j into the respective recesses 1.6^d and 16^e is facilitated— it being understood that upon reception of boss 1.9¹ by recess I6^d the boss I9^j will be received by recess J6^e at some point intermediate the length of the latter—whereby member 19 will be restrained against lateral movement in any direction with respect to side wall I6^a pending rigid attachment of the former to the latter, as by spot welding.

Also in practice the height of bosses IS¹ and J9¹ is slightly greater than the depth of the respective recesses 16^d and I.G^e—such additional or excess height of said bosses being eliminated as an incident to spot welding of member 19 to side wall IG^a at said .points, whereby the flat portion 1S^a is brought into engagement with the inner surface pf said side wall 16^a, as shown in Fig. 10.

The aforementioned means for limiting the degree of closing or telescoping movement of cover portion IS with respect to base portion ί 5 of the housing preferably comprises an angle bar or bracket 20, one portion 20^a of which is rigidly secured flatwise to the outer surface of side wall IS^d in a predetermined relationship to the contour thereof, as by spot welding, or in any other suitable manner. The portion 20^b of bracket 20 extends outwardly at substantially a right angle to portion thereof, whereby said portion 2C^b is adapted to act as an abutment for the lower edge 16® of side wall 1.6¹ of the cover to limit the degree of closing movement of the latter, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

A punched and stamped sheet metal latch member 2.1 is pivotally supported at a predetermined point .upon the side wall 16¹ of the cover as by means of a headed pin 22—the upset shank end of which is shown at 22^a in Figs. 2 and 3; member 21 being offset inwardly, as shown at 2J^a in Figs. 1 and 2 to accommodate the head of pin 22 and to provide for parallel spacing of the main body of member 21 a predetermined distance from the side wall I6^f. Member 21 is 45 provided with an extension 2 l^b located in the plane of the main body thereof (Fig. 2); said extension having a forward curved cam edge 21? (Fig. 1) which cooperates with the edge 20° of bracket portion 20^b to effect counterclockwise rotation of member 21 as an incident to closing of .cover 1'6. Extension 2l^b is further provided with a rearwardly angled cam edge 21^d (Fig. 1) which cooperates with the aforementioned edge 20? of bracket portion 20? to resiliently and releasably hold cover 16 in closed position, under the bias of a spring 23, which tends to rotate member 21 in a clockwise direction, as hereinafter described.

Spring 23 is preferably of substantially Ushape, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3—the same having an offset end portion 23^a which is inserted inwardly through an opening 16^b (Fig. 3) in side wall 16*. The body portion of spring 23 is bowed or bent to extend around the pin 22— the other end of said spring having an end portion .23? which is bent to outwardly opening substantially semi-circular form to provide for pressure engagement with the shank of a pin 24, between the head 24^a of the latter and member 21; the reduced shank end of pin 24 penetrating a corresponding countersunk opening in said member 21 and being upset against the walls of the countersink, and in a substantially flush relationship to the outer surface of member 21,. as 75 best illustrated in dotted lines at 24^b in Fig. 2. The spring 23 thus acts to bias member 21 to rotate in a clockwise direction,—whereas in the open position of cover portion 16 such rotation 5 is limited by engagement of the head 24³ of pin with the edge 16¹ of a lug or tongue 163 which is partially sheared and offset outwardly from said side wall 16* (see Figs. 2 and 3). When cover portion 16 is in closed position the straight 10 edge portion 21® CFig. 1) engages the aforementioned edge 20° Df bracket 20 to prevent clockwise movement of member 21 to the limit aforedescribed.

Member 21 is provided at its outer end with 15 an outwardly extending flange 21¹ to facilitate manual release of the latch against the bias of spring 23—one or more fingers being placed behind said flange to provide for pulling or rotating member 21 in a counterclockwise direction. 20 Member 21 is provided at its inner edge with an integral outwardly extending lug 21s, which is positioned in slightly spaced parallel relation to the portion 20? of bracket 20 when cover 16 is closed (Figs, 1 and 2). Lug 21* and portion 20? 25 are provided with alined perforations, shown in dotted lines at 21^h and 20^d in said figures, to provide for insertion of the hasp or staple of a padlock through said openings, whereby the cover may be locked in closed position.

In Fig. 1 I have shown a pivoted handle 26 which provides for front operation of a motor starter or other switching or control device to be enclosed within the housing 15, 16. Inasmuch as this operating mechanism forms no part of 35 the present invention further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The upper and lower corners of the flat free end portions 19? of -the hinge members are preferably rounded or curved as shown at 19? and 40 19¹ (Figs. 1 and 4) to facilitate or initially guide the insertion thereof through the aforementioned openings 17 and 18.

As will be apparent from consideration of Fig. 1; although I have herein disclosed the preferential use of a movable cover portion 16 carrying the hinge members 19 for cooperation with the openings 17 and 13 in the base portion 15—it is obvious that by a slight modification the portion 16 might be utilized as the -fixed or base portion 50 of the housing, with the portion 15 serving as the cover portion telescoping thereinto—the hinges 19 and openings 17 and ! 8 remaining in the respective positions illustrated. In such a modification the handle 25 would be transferred 55 to the portion 15 serving as a cover, whereas the latch member 21 and bracket 28 might be permitted to remain in the relative positions thereof illustrated.

In the device of Fig. 7, which may be assumed .60 to be a sectional view similar to Fig. 5, the base portion 15 of the housing may be identical in size and shape with the corresponding portion aforedescribed, and the same is preferably likewise provided with a pair .of openings, one of which is 65 shown at 18. The cover portion 26 is substantially like the cover portion 16 aforedescribed— except that the . end walls (one of which is shown at 26°) and the top wall 2G^d are made slightly shorter than the corresponding walls of portion 70 IS, and preferably with a lesser degree of overlap of the cover portion 26 with respect to base portion 15. This shortening is made possible by the fact that the side wall 2S^a is adapted to fit quite closely against the side wall 15^a (Fig. 7), due to the fact, that it is unnecessary to accommo4 2,33:

date the flat portions 27^a of the punched and stamped sheet metal hinge members (one of which is shown at 27) therebetween. As shown in Fig. 7 the hinge members 27 are structurally and functionally quite similar to the members i 9 ‘ aforedescribed. However, since the flat portions 27“ of said hinge members 27 are attached: by spot welding to the exterior surface of side wall 2G^a of cover portion 2S, said members are provided with intermediate curved portions 27° and 1 flat free end portions 27^e, corresponding to the portions i 9° and 19^e of members 19—whereas the flat end portions 27^a are connected with curved portions 27^c by substantially straight portions, designated by the numeral 27^x in Fig. 7, and ar- i ranged at a proper angle to the respective flat portions 27^a. The members 27 are notched or cut away beneath the intermediate portions 27^cand 27^x, as shown in dotted lines at 27? and 27^zin Fig. 7, for the purpose aforedescribed. ₂

In the modification shown in Fig. 8, all parts may be like those shown in Figs. 1 to 6 and 9 to 12—with the exception that each hinge member 19 is additionally provided, preferably at the upper edge thereof as shown, with an upwardly ₂opening notch 19“—whereby an integral lug or tongue ί 9^α is provided. After hinged assembly of the base and cover portions 15 and 16 of the housing the lugs I Sⁿ may be bent laterally, as by means of pair of pliers, to the position thereof ₃shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8—said lugs 19ⁿthen acting to positively prevent unhinging of cover portion 16 from base portion 15 of the housing.