Abstract: A terminal block assembly is provided, comprising a plurality of terminal blocks mounted on a common horizontal support member, including a supply terminal block connected with a voltage source, and a plurality of distribution terminal blocks connected with a plurality of loads, respectively, characterized in that the length and height dimensions of the terminal blocks are the same, but the width of the supply terminal block is greater than that of the distribution terminal blocks, and that the supply conductor contact arrangements of the supply terminal block are designed for connection with a supply conductor having a relatively large cross-sectional area, while the distribution conductor contact arrangements of the distribution terminal blocks are designed for connection with distribution conductors having a relatively small cross-sectional area. A conductive comb member extends transversely across the assembly to interconnect the electrical circuitry contained within the terminal block housings.

Abstract: A connector marker for identifying an electrical conductor includes a marker body formed of a synthetic plastic material and a pair of generally planar half sections normally arranged in an initial open condition in horizontal coplanar side-by-side relation. At least one of the half sections has an upper surface carrying labeling indicia. At least one integral film hinge device connects the adjacent side edges of the half sections, thereby to afford pivotal displacement of the half sections about a given pivot axis from the open condition toward a closed condition enclosing the electrical conductor to be marked. At least one non-skid element extends from the hinge device for non-skid engagement with the outer peripheral surface of the conductor as the half sections are pivotally displaced from the open condition to the closed condition, thereby to prevent longitudinal slipping of the marker body relative to the conductor.

Abstract: A contact-free electrical connector arrangement is provided for transferring inductive energy from a primary connector component to a secondary connector component, comprising a pair of connector components each including a housing containing a chamber, a ferrite core arranged in the chamber, and a coil arranged in the chamber for cooperation with the core. An input cable supplies electrical energy to the coil contained in the housing of a primary one of said components, and an output cable removes inductively-transferred energy from the coil contained in the housing of a secondary one of said components. According to an operating method of the invention, a parameter is measured at the primary coil for interrupting the energy supply when the secondary component is not present.

Abstract: A lighting arrangement for illuminating a passage, such as a wind tower or tunnel, includes at least one lighting unit having a generally rectangular base with bottom, side and end walls cooperating to define an open-topped chamber, a pair of light energy sources arranged partially in the housing chamber for directing light beams toward opposite ends of the housing, respectively, and a cover member formed of light-transmitting material, which cover member is connected with the base to extend over the light energy sources and to close the housing chamber. The cover member includes a concave dome portion containing a cavity within which the light sources are mounted. Opposite areas of the cover dome portion define collimating devices for concentrating the light beams in opposite directions longitudinally of the passage that is to be illuminated. A plurality of lighting units are longitudinally-arranged in the passage, and are electrically connected in series.

Abstract: A compact spring-biased connector includes a housing having a chamber containing a conductive bus bar, a clamping spring normally having an expanded clamping condition for biasing a conductor bare end toward electrical engagement with the bus bar, and a release lever pivotally connected with the housing for displacement from a normally closed clamping position toward an open position, such that a lateral projection on the clamping lever operates the clamping spring toward a compressed open condition, thereby permitting removal of the conductor bare end from the housing chamber. The clamping spring is a compression V-shaped leaf spring having a stationary support leg and a movable clamping leg, with the lateral operating projection extending within the chamber to engage the spring clamping leg adjacent its juncture with the support leg.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for detecting in a receiver a transmitter local time, comprising determining a reference time for the transmitter local time; receiving from the transmitter a transmission time duration signal that elapsed on the transmitter since the reference time for the transmitter local time; and determining the transmitter local time based on the reference time for the transmitter local time and the received transmitter time duration. A time stamp signal based on the transmitter local time signal is generated at the receiver and is superimposed on the sensor data stream transmitted to the receiver. Consequently, the advantage is provided that a data stream can be transmitted without the incorporation of any time stamp.

Abstract: A connector assembly for transmitting electrical energy through a wall opening, including a horizontal generally-rectangular first connector housing arranged on one side of the wall with a collar portion of the first housing extending through the wall opening. The collar portion contains a plurality of horizontal parallel coplanar first through bores in which are mounted a plurality of electrically conductive spring contacts, respectively. A second connector housing arranged on the other side of the wall opening contains a recess receiving the collar portion, and a plurality of second bores extending collinearly opposite the first bores, respectively. An electrically conductive comb member includes a plurality of integral pin portions that extend from a common spine portion through the second bores and into the first bores for electrical engagement with the spring contacts, respectively, thereby to connect conductors arranged on opposite sides of the wall.

Abstract: A crimping tool is provided for crimping the tubular portion of a turned electrical contact concentrically about the bare end of an electrical conductor, including a tool body having a main first portion, and an integral coplanar second portion extending from the main body portion to define a first lever. A crimping die arrangement includes an annular stamp holder mounted opposite an opening contained in the tool body main first portion, and an annular thrust collar is mounted concentrically about the stamp holder for angular displacement between released and crimping positions, thereby to displace a plurality of stamp members radially of the stamp holder between released an crimping positions The thrust collar is angularly displaced between the released and crimping positions by a toggle link arrangement that connects a second lever both with the tool body main portion and with the thrust collar.

Abstract: A scissors-type crimping tool for crimping a female contact onto an electrical conductor, comprising a planar base member having body and first lever portions; an annular crimping die member connected for rotation between die-open and die-crimping positions relative to the base member body portion; a toggle link arrangement connecting a second lever for pivotal movement relative to the base member body portion; and a cascade spring arrangement operable by the toggle arrangement from a non-stressed condition to a stressed caged condition during initial movement of the second lever in the closed direction, and to a stressed condition during further movement of the second lever, thereby to afford processing of different cross-sections of ferrules and conductors in the crimping die, and to apply the force of the stressed cascade spring arrangement to the crimping die member during the final stage of the crimping operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a power supply device for converting an input voltage (UE) into an output voltage (UA), comprising at least one switching stage (4) controlled by a pulse-width modulation circuit (9) in a clocked manner, wherein a control circuit (8) is provided, which influences the pulse-width modulation circuit (9) so as to change the level of the output voltage (UA), wherein a current limiting circuit is provided which, after a threshold has been exceeded, limits an output current (IA) of the power supply device first to an elevated maximum current (I?max) for a period of time and thereafter to a regular maximum current (Imax). According to the invention, the control circuit (8) is configured such that the period of time for which the output current (IA) is limited to the elevated maximum current (I?max) is dependent on the level of the output current (IA). The invention further relates to a method for limiting the output current (IA) of a power supply device.

Abstract: An adapter arrangement for electrically connecting an upwardly directed first contact on a horizontal printed circuit board assembly with a generally upwardly directed second contact on an electronics module mounted on the PCB assembly, including a rigid adapter housing adapted for mounting on one end of the module, which housing contains a generally vertical conductor having a lower end connected by a downwardly directed lower terminal with the PCB assembly first contact, and an upper end connected by a generally downwardly-directed upper terminal with the electronics module second contact, characterized in that the lower adapter terminal is vertical, and the upper adapter terminal is downwardly inclined by an acute angle relative to the vertical. In a second embodiment, the adapter is sectional and includes upper and lower sections. In a third embodiment, an auxiliary adapter section is connected between the upper adapter section and the electronics module.

Abstract: An electrical module arrangement for supplying electrical power to a printed circuit board mounted within the housing of an electrical module, including a plug-in electrical connector mounted in an opening contained in an end wall of the module housing. The connector is of the conductive leaf spring S-shaped type, including two reversely-bent portions defining oppositely directed recesses for receiving a bus bar voltage source and a planar contact of the printed circuit board, respectively. In a modification, the leaf spring is W-shaped including three bends, thereby permitting connection of the PCB contact with two separate parallel spaced bus bar arrangements. A plurality of the modules are supported in side-by-side relation either by mounting the module housings on a common mounting rail, or by connecting the plug-in connectors to a common bus bar mounted on a fixed support.

Abstract: Printing apparatus is provided for printing information on a vertical stack of horizontal vertically-spaced planar objects arranged in a housing, including a separating arrangement for removing the lowermost object from the stack, and a printing device for printing information on the removed object. The stack is supported by a plurality of support arrangements each including a support member mounted for reciprocatory horizontal displacement by an electromagnetic drive device between positions that are adjacent and remote from the stack, respectively. Each support member is guided during this displacement by a guide arrangement including at least one guide lever having a first end pivotally connected with the housing, and a second end connected with a guide follower roller that is in engagement with a guide cam surface carried by the support member. The generation of noise is avoided as a consequence of the accurate guidance of the components.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing an image of an input/output arrangement for an industrial automation system, comprising storing in a field bus coupler at least one image data file containing image data, transmitting the image data from the image data file to a service computer connected with the field bus coupler, and generating and displaying in the service computer an image that is a function of the image data transmitted from the field bus coupler. Additional image data may be stored in a module for transmittal to the service computer via a sub-bus and the field bus coupler, thereby to generate and display in the service computer a resultant image that is a function of both the image data and the additional image data.

Abstract: A connector module for connecting the bare end of an insulated electrical conductor with an electrical device, including a hollow generally-rectangular terminal cage body formed from a bent conductive first metal sheet to form at least one vertical generally rectangular side wall and a pair of end walls, one of the cage walls having a horizontal lower surface defining a first cage sealing surface, and a vertical interior wall surface defining a second cage sealing surface; a horizontal bus bar formed from a conductive second metal sheet and having a relatively broad horizontal top surface defining a horizontal first bus bar sealing surface, and a relatively narrow side surface defining a vertical second bus bar sealing surface; and a securing seam for securing one of the bus bar first and second sealing surfaces with the corresponding one of the cage first and second sealing surfaces.

Abstract: A resilient conductive contact spring is bent to define at least three tulip-shaped receptacles for receiving conductive devices that are to be electrically connected together by the contact spring. The contact spring can be included in a socket arrangement for connecting an electrical component mounted within a housing with a bus bar power supply system arranged outside the housing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a field bus coupler in a normal operating mode to connect at least one input/output module with the control computer of an industrial automation system, including receiving from the control computer via a field bus a control output value that is transmitted via a sub-bus to the at least one input/output module, and receiving from the at least one input/output module via a sub-bus a control input value that is transmitted via the field bus to the control computer. During a diagnostic mode, the apparatus is operable to assign to the at least one input/output module via the sub-bus at least one desired diagnostic output value, and to assign to the control computer via the field bus at least one desired input value.

Abstract: The method and apparatus for detecting in a receiver a transmitter local time, comprising determining a reference time for the transmitter local time; receiving from the transmitter a transmission time duration signal that elapsed on the transmitter since the reference time for the transmitter local time; and determining the transmitter local time based on the reference time for the transmitter local time and the received transmitter time duration. A time stamp signal based on the transmitter local time signal is generated at the receiver and is superimposed on the sensor data stream transmitted to the receiver. Consequently, the advantage is provided that a data stream can be transmitted without the incorporation of any time stamp.