Isolated phase bus duct joint assembly

摘要

An isolated phase bus duct joint assembly couples together first and second phase bus duct sections where each section has an interior bus conductor surrounded by an outer housing. The joint assembly couples end portions of the interior bus conductor and has first and second conductor coupling portions each extending from the end portion of one of the interior bus conductors. Each coupling portion has a reduced outside dimension relative to the interior bus conductors. The joint assembly has a plurality of movable electrical contact fingers mounted by spring loaded adjustment fasteners around the outside surface of the first conductor coupling portion. Each of the fingers extends beyond the first conductor coupling portion for engagement with the outside surface of the second conductor coupling portion. The spring loaded adjustment fastener has a threaded stem passing through the finger and the first inner conductor coupling portion. The stem has an adjustable head engaging an outer surface of the finger and a compression spring mounted over the stem to engage the inside surface of the first inner conductor coupling portion. The heads and stems are adjusted relative the compression spring to urge the fingers into locking engagement with the first and second coupling portions. This advantageously results in no substantial increase in electrical clearance required between the inner bus conductors and the outer housing. Further, the heads may be backed off to provide for de-coupling or separation of the joint.