GB2130638A - Lid mounting - Google Patents

Abstract

A lid (1) is mounted on a wall (3) by means of a journal (6) passing through a hole (5) in the lid which is elongated such that the lid can be freely rotated from (i) a lower position in which it hangs from the journal to ii) a raised position in which it rests on the journal and engages the wall or a surface adjacent thereto so that it cannot fall, and from which position it can only be lowered by first lifting the lid so that the journal moves along the hole. The lid may cover an aperture (2) in an electrical accessory box. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Lid mounting This invention relates to a method of mounting a lid on a wall which may be but is not necessarily a wall of an enclosure intended to contain electrical circuit components such as circuit-breakers.

Electrical components in enclosures commonly have to be readily accessible from outside the enclosure and an aperture may be provided in a wall of the enclosureforthis purpose. a lid being mounted on the wall to close the aperture. The wall is commonly vertical when the enclosure is installed and the lid may be hinged to the wall above the aperture so that it closes the aperture when hanging from the hinge but allows access to the aperture when tilted to an upper position above the hinge. It is generally necessary to provide meansfor retaining the lid in its upper position to prevent itfalling on to the fingers of an operator seeking access to the enclosure interior. A catch may be provided on the wall for this purpose but this complicates construction ofthe enclosure and givesthewall a cluttered appearance.

According to one aspect ofthe invention there is provided a method of mounting a lid on a wall in which the lid is rotatable about a journal adjacentthe wall between a lower position in which it hangs from the journal and an upper position in which it extends abovethejournal and rests thereon and the lid engages the wall or a surface adjacentthe wall, the journal passing through a hole in the lid and the hole being elongated in one direction so that the journal may slide in the hole in that direction relative to the lid, the hole and the position ofthe journal relative to the wall being such that when the lid is in its lower position it can rotate freely about the journal but when it is in its upper position engagement of the lid with the wall or surface adjacent thereto prevents rotation of the lid unless the lid is raised so that the journal moves from one end ofthe hole towards the other end.

The wall may comprisethefront of an enclosure for containing electrical equipment such as circuit-breakers, the lid being mounted on the outside of the enclosure and closing an aperture allowing access to the equipment.

The journal may be supported by a pair of brackets extending outwardly from the wall and these brackets may be position at opposite sides of an aperture which is to be closed by the lid in its lower position. When in its upper position, resting on the journal, the surface engaged by the lid and preventing rotation maybe formed by a downwardly extending slot in each bracket between thejournal and the wall.

Each bracket may comprise a sheet which fits into a respective side ofthe aperture and has upper and lower slots engaging the upper and lower edges ofthe wall surrounding the aperture to hold in bracket in position. A part ofthe bracket on the side of the wall remote from the journal (inside the enclosure) may be deformed out ofthe plane of the sheet to form a loop to receive a self-tapping screw abutting the wall to clamp the bracket against the wall and secure the bracket in position. This arrangement allows the bracket to be secured to the wall without any need to provide a hole in the wall.

The parts ofthe brackets extending into the enclosure may tend to obstruct access to the electrical equipment inside the enclosure. This obstruction may be avoided by bending the parts ofthe brackets inside the enclosure adjacent the aperture away from the aperture by a sufficient angle, such as 25 , to avoid the obstruction.

An enclosure having a lid mounted thereon according to one embodiment ofthe invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows in section a lid mounted on a hinge bracket on the wall of an enclosurefor electrical equipment, the lid being in a closed position.

Figure 2 shows a section similarto Figure 1 with the lid in an open position, Figure 3 shows the upper surface ofthe lid of Figure 1, Figure 4 shows the bracket of Figure 1, Figure 5 is a section perpendicular to Figure 4.

Referring to Figure 1, a rectangular lid 1 made of steel is intended to close a rectangular aperture 2 in the steel wall 3 of an enclosure containing electrical equipment such as circuit-breakers (not shown in the drawings) to which access is required through the aperture 2. The lid is hinged to the enclosure by means of a pair of brackets 4which extend outwardly of the enclosure and provide holes 5 through which journal 6 passes. Journal 6 also passes through holes 7 in the side walls 8 of the lid so that the lid can rotate thereabout between raised and lowered positions.

Holes 7 are elongated as shown, along an axis forming an angle typically of 60" with the upper wall 9 of the lid so thatjournal 6 can slide along this axis relative to the lid between extreme end positions.

When the lid is in its closed position, as shown in Figure 1, itclosesthe aperture 2 and hangs from the journal so that the journal occupies the extreme position in holes 7 shown in Figure 1. From this position the lid can rotate freely towards its open position shown in Figure 2.

As shown in Figure 3 the upper surface ofthe lid 9 has slots 10 corresponding to brackets4sothatthe lid may be rotated through 1800 while remaining journalled on the brackets. The lid maythus be rotated into an upper open position in which the main body of the lid extends substantially vertically above the journal 6.

The lid will then slide downwardly under gravity so thatthejournal 6 occupies the other extremity of the holes 7. Each bracket has a slot 11 which receives the edge part 12 of the main body ofthe lid in this position.

The position of holes 7 is such that when the lid is in the position shown in Figure 2 it cannot fall to the position shown in Figure 1 because of engagement between part 12 ofthe lid and surface 13 ofthe slot in the bracket. However when the lid is raised by a short distance, journal 6sliding in holes 7,the lid can rotate with part 12 clear of surface 13 and the lid can fall to the position of Figure 1.

Using this arrangement the lid is in a stable state in the position of Figure 2 and cannot fall accidentially; howeverthe lid is easily closed by a simple manual lifting operation.

The lower end of each bracket is provided with an opening 20 which may be partially closed by lips 21.

The interior of the lid has an inwardly extending pip 22 which fits within the opening 20 when the lid is closed and the rib may be shaped so that it is engaged by lips 21 and the lid held positively in its closed position unless a distinct manual force is applied to the lid to open it. Lips 21 and pip 22 can thus retain the lid in its closed position.

A possible shape of the bracket itself is shown in Figures 4 and 5. The bracket is formed of sheet steel and is designed to fit within the rectangular aperture 2.

The bracket is formed with upper and lower slots 14 and 15 into which fitthe upper and lower edges of the aperture in wall 3. When the enclosure is assembled one such bracket is positioned at both sides ofthe aperture. The bracket is generally planar apart from portion 23 which is deformed as shown to form a loop to receive a self-tapping screw to secure the bracketto the enclosure. On insertion in the loop the screw can abut the inside of the wall ofthe enclosure and clamp the bracket in position, so that no fixing holes need be provided in the wall of the enclosure. As the enclosure wall is normally coated with paint this screw will also establish earth continuity.

The part of the bracket extending inside the enclosure besidethe aperture maytend to obstruct access to the circuit-breakers of other equipment mounted in the enclosure when the lid is open. This risk may be substantially avoided by bending the interior parts of the brackets adjacentthe aperture outwardly, for example;hrnugh an angle of about 25', so thattheyare splayed out from the aperture.

The enclosure described above is simple and cheap to manufacture and has a neat, uncluttered appearance.

In an alternative embodiment the surface 13 of the bracket may be in the plane ofthe wall 3, or the surface 13 may be formed by the surface of the wall itself. The lid may then be opened and closed in the same way but this arrangement has the disadvantage that when the lid is opened and closed it comes into contact with the wall 3 and continued opening and closing produces visible scratch marks on the wall. Such marks are not produced using a bracket having a shoulder standing out from the wall as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Inthedrawingstheenclosure has been described with the aperture below the journal about which the lid is hinged, the elongated slot serving to retain the lid in its open position above the aperture. The assembly described above may also be used in an inverted position, with the lid hinged below the aperture. In this orientation journal passing through the slot supports the lid from below when the lid is closed over the aperture and the lid is suspended from the journal when open.

Claims (12)

1. A method of mounting a lid on a wall in which the lid is rotatableaboutajournal adjacentthewall between a lower position in which it hangs from the journal and an upper position in which it extends above the journal and rests thereon and the lid engages the wall ora surface adjacent the wall, the journal passing through a hole in the lid and the hole being elongated in one direction sothatthejournal may slide in the hole in that direction relative to the lid, the hole and the position ofthe journal relative to the wall being such that when the lid is in its lower position it can rotate freely aboutthejournal but when it is in its upper position engagement of the lid with the wall or surface adjacent thereto prevents rotation of the lid unless the lid is raised so thatthejournal moves from one end ofthe holetowardsthe other end.

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the journal is supported by a pair if brackets extending outwardly from the wall.

3. A method according to claim 2, in which the brackets are provided with respective slots extending downwardly between the journal and the wall and the lid engages an innersurface oftheslotwhen in its upper position.

4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, in which the lid in its lower position covers an aperture in the wall and the brackets are positioned at opposite sides of the aperture.

5. A method according to claim 4, in which each bracket comprises a generally planar sheet and is provided with upper and lower slots and the upper and lower edges of the wall surrounding the aperture fit into the respective upper and lower slots to hold the bracket in position.

6. A method according to claimS, in which a part of the bracket on the side ofthe wall remote from the journal is deformed out ofthe plane of the sheetto form a loop engaging a screw clamping the bracketto the wall.

7. A method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, in which part of each bracket adjacent the aperture and on the side ofthewall remote from the journal is bent outwardly of the aperture.

8. A method according to any one of claims 2 to 7, in which the brackets and lid are provided with interengaging respective means for retaining the lid in its lower position.

9. A method of mounting a lid on a wall, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. An enclosure for electrical circuit components, having a lid mountedthereon buy a method according to any preceding claim.

11. An enclosure according to claim 10, having means for mounting circuit-breakerswithin the enclosure and an aperture closed by the lid, the circuitbreakers being accessible from outside the enclosure when the lid is opened.

12. An enclosure for electrical circuit components, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.