Abstract: Containment means for a luminaire that captures hot particles created by the unlikely event of a pressurized lamp rupture is disclosed. In one embodiment, the containment means comprises a mesh interposed between the lamp and a refractor of the luminaire typically formed of an acrylic material. The mesh captures hot particles having a sufficient heat capacity and temperature to create excess heat damage to the refractor.

Abstract: An electric incandescent lamp having an improved coiled refractory metal filament construction is disclosed which enables the lamp to provide a more precise light source. Various lamp and coiled filament configurations are disclosed to include employment of a reflective film for improved efficiency of lamp operation while a halogen substance can also be included in the inert gas filling for this purpose. A method to manufacture the disclosed lamp improvement is also provided.

Abstract: A centralized lighting system particularly suited for aerodynamically styled vehicles is disclosed. The centralized lighting system employes a pressurized lamp preferably of a metal halide having quartz light guides merged into portions of its outer surface. The portions of the metal halide lamp that are not merged with the light guides may be coated with a diffusive reflective coating that substantially prevents light from being transmitted through the coating so that all of the light generated by the metal halide lamp is directed into and transmittd by the light guides. The transmitted light of the light guide is distributed throughout vehicle to supply the forward, rearward, and interior illumination needs of the vehicle.

Abstract: A locating and alignment pin provided on the bottom of an electric busway switch provides immediate location of the switch connector clips with respect to the busway connector tabs while, at the same time, aligning the switch interlock with the corresponding interlock slot formed within the busway housing while adding to the mechanical support between the electric busway switch and the busway housing. The locating and alignment pin is received within a corresponding locating aperture formed in the top surface of the busway housing next to the busway plug outlet box.

Abstract: An electric power bus removable joint includes three spacer-connectors that automatically align the intervening splice plates and insulative plates used to electrically connect between adjoining busway sections. The spacer-connectors automatically attach between the opposing joint face plates without requiring any additional fastening means.

Abstract: A modular marina power pedestal and light pedestal enclosure is fabricated from a pair of opposing flanged plastic sidepieces that are sized to accept both lamp enclosures as well as electrical power centers. A wide variety of customer options that include power receptacles, telephone connectors, metering facilities and water hook-up are available with slight modification. Existing lamp enclosures and power centers are received within the enclosure without modification.

Abstract: A current limiting circuit breaker having a pair of separable contacts closely spaced for electrodynamic repulsion upon the occurrence of a short circuit overload condition utilizes an arc chute to cool and extinguish the arc that occurs when the contacts become separated. The arc chute contains a plurality of metal arc plates supported by side plates which also assist in cooling and extinguishing the arc. The side plates are formed from a suspension of wollastonite fibers within a melamine resin matrix. The wollastonite provides good mechanical strength and temperature-resistance properties while the melamine provides a continuous source of arc-quenching gaseous molecular compounds.

Abstract: Thin film interference filters consisting of alternating layers of tantala and silica suitable for high temperature use on electric lamps have been made by heat treating at 550.degree.-675.degree. C. before using the filters at high temperature. Tungsten halogen lamps made with such heat treated filters have been thermally cycled for thousands of cycles at 900.degree. C. with no film loss and with satisfactory optical performance.

Abstract: A "line-of-light" vehicle lighting system employs a moveable mask to control the beam pattern formed by an plurality of fiber optic light bundles coupled to a single high intensity light source. The lighting system comprises a single high intensity light source coupled to forward illumination devices by means of optical light conducting devices. The forward illumination devices include an arrangement of connectors, a mask member and lens elements. The connectors lodge fiber optic light bundles branched off from the optical light conducting devices and emit light through respective apertures. The mask has a plurality of openings for selectively exposing portions of the apertures which, in combination with the lens elements, form the beam pattern. The mask is moveable between two positions to register first and second openings in the mask with associated apertures to form the high and low beam patterns of the forward lighting system.

Abstract: An electrical power conversion circuit having a readily varied conversion ratio and accommodating bidirectional energy flows is disclosed. The converter employs a series connected and a shunt connected semiconductor switch which may be either unidirectional or bidirectional (depending upon whether AC/DC or DC only operation is sought) and an inductor. The switches are insulated gate voltage controlled devices with charge storing capacity present at the gate. The switches are operated from a variable duty cycle rectangular pulse which is differentiated at the leading and trailing edges to form two pairs of oppositely sensed short duration pulses. The two pairs of short duration pulses are then coupled by a transformer having two matched but oppositely sensed secondaries to the gate circuits of the two semiconductor switches.

Abstract: An industrial-rated molded case circuit breaker employs a pair of movable contact arms to interrupt circuit current through each phase of a multi-phase electrical power distribution circuit. A contact arm guide outboard the movable contact upon overcurrent conditions. A pair of protrusions formed on the abutting surfaces of the contact arms prevents the arms from distortion under the electrodynamic attraction generated during intense overcurrent conditions. A flexible arc gas exhaust-seal is arranged between the movable contacts and the line strap connectors to seal the circuit breaker enclosure while controllably exhausting the arc gases that occur upon such intense overcurrent conditions.

Abstract: An electronic circuit interrupter digital display and keypad device includes a display to view circuit breaker settings combined with a keypad to select settings and values to be displayed. The display and keypad device connects to an electronic trip unit within the circuit interrupter by means of a tamper-free seal to prevent the circuit interrupter set points from being changed without authorization. Alternatively, a password-operated control switch provides a similar function.

Abstract: A multi-component electric switch-circuit breaker module permits electric switches and circuit breakers to be field-installed within existing panelboard-switchboard enclosures. The module contains a pair of compartments that are accessed by separate doors. Electric switches or circuit breakers can be arranged within both compartments or an electric switch can be installed within one compartment with an electric circuit breaker installed within the other. The module is removably attached to the panelboard-switchboard interior by means of a bail handle arrangement. The module is removed from the assembly by unscrewing the bail handle and manually accessing the module. Spring-loaded connector clips allow for repeated connection with and disconnection from the systems power bus with minimum contact resistance.

Abstract: This luminaire comprises a generally dome-shaped main reflector having a bottom opening and a top opening and a lamp within the main reflector defining a light source located between the top and bottom openings. This main reflector, when mounted in a location above a warehouse aisle, is adapted to illuminate stacked material along both edges of the aisle with light passing through the bottom opening. Positioned above the top opening are auxiliary reflectors for receiving light from the source passing through the top opening and for reflecting such light to the edges of the aisle onto regions of the stacked material that are poorly illuminated by light passing through the bottom opening.

Abstract: A spud made of refractory metal wire in the shape of a ring with a loop on each side radially aligns and provides electricity to a filament in a double ended tungsten halogen lamp. The spud has a leg extending from the end of each loop, one of which is attached to the filament and the other forming part of an inlead assembly. This spud is particularly useful with relatively small size double ended tungsten-halogen lamps having an infrared reflecting coating on the surface of the vitreous filament chamber.