AU2005203099A1

AU2005203099A1 - Locking device of a device for fixing two electrical apparatuses and apparatus comprising same

Info

Publication number: AU2005203099A1
Application number: AU2005203099A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Didier Bon; Philippe Canton; Thierry Desbois; Patrick Guillon; Thierry Jacqui
Original assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Current assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SAS
Priority date: 2004-07-16
Filing date: 2005-07-15
Publication date: 2006-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 2025-07-15
Also published as: BRPI0503014B1; CN1722336A; EA006989B1; CN1722336B; EP1617448A2; FR2873234A1; ES2374990T3; ATE536624T1; AU2005203099B2; FR2873234B1; EP1617448A3; AR049990A1; EA200500988A1; BRPI0503014A; EP1617448B1

Description

P001ool Section 29 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: Locking device of a device for fixing two electrical apparatuses and apparatus comprising same The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: LOCKING DEVICE OF A DEVICE FOR FIXING TWO ELECTRICAL _APPARATUSES AND APPARATUS COMPRISING SAME.

Background of the invention The invention relates to a locking device of the device for fixing two electrical apparatuses Cc designed to be fitted on the same mounting support, said apparatuses being housed in a case of substantially parallelepipedic shape and each comprising a rear panel for fixing to the support, two connection panels, a front panel comprising control means of the N, 10 apparatuses and two side panels whereby the apparatuses are adjoined to one another, one of the apparatuses, called the first apparatus, comprising a part forming a wing, said part comprising a first part extending from the connection panel of said first apparatus facing this connection panel and a second part able to be moved to face the connection panel of the other of the apparatuses, called the second apparatus, situated on the same side as the previous apparatus.

State of the prior art Several solutions are known to perform locking of fixing of a differential unit on its associated circuit breaker. One of the solutions consists in using a screw that is selfbreaking at the end of tightening making separation of the differential unit from the circuit breaker definitively impossible. With this solution, assembly of the differential unit to the circuit breaker requires definitive fitting of the fixing means. In the case of disassembly of product, the latter is damaged and re-use thereof is a source of danger.

A solution is also known consisting in using a screw cover for the load-side terminals of the irreversible fitting circuit breaker definitively preventing disassembly of the electrical connections associating the differential unit to the circuit breaker. In this solution, locking is achieved indirectly by definitively blocking other functions of the assembly, for example access to the circuit breaker terminal screws, which leads to a risk of forgetting to tighten the differential unit conductors and prevents preventive re-tightening on commissioning or when maintenance of the installation is performed.

The solution is also known consisting in performing conventional sealing with a wire to be cut to enable the differential unit to be disassembled from the associated circuit breaker. In this case, a component not integrated in the assembled device, the sealing wire, is used.

The solution described in the Patent FR 2,779,269 is also known consisting in using a button mechanism blocking a slide rack fitted in the case of one of the apparatuses. This mechanism comprises a button actuating a rod, said rod operating in conjunction with the

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slide rack. This solution implements several parts, resulting in a complex system.

SObject of the invention (N The present invention provides a solution to these drawbacks and proposes a locking device of a fixing device which makes the association undisassemblable but leaves a visible trace in case of intentional disassembly, is used without any tools, is independent from the other functions of the device, is integrated in the assembled device, while comprising a minimum number of parts and being able to be activated after complete testing of the association or of the installation.

For this purpose it is an object of the present invention to provide a locking device of the previously mentioned kind, this device being characterized in that the fixing device comprises a rider movable inside said wing and the case of the second apparatus between an inactive position and a fixing position of the two apparatuses, a latch movable between an inactive position and a locking position of said fixing device in the fixing position and securing means called irreversible to secure said latch irreversibly in the above-mentioned locking position.

According to a particular feature, the device comprises reversible securing means to secure said rider reversibly in the above-mentioned fixing position.

According to a particular embodiment, the rider is mounted movable in translation between the two above-mentioned positions.

According to a particular feature, the rider comprises a rod and a gripping part, said rod being able to pass successively though an opening called the first opening provided in the second part of said wing and an opening called the second opening provided in the case of the second apparatus.

According to another feature, the above-mentioned reversible securing means comprise a

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spigot formed on the rod of the rider and designed to operate in conjunction with a recess NI followed by a ramp provided in the wall confining the above-mentioned first opening so as Sto secure said rider reversibly in the fixing position.

N According to another feature, the rider presents a substantially T-shaped cross-section and the gripping part is formed by a flattened part able to be brought into contact with the external face of the above-mentioned wing in the fixing position.

According to another feature, the latch comprises a plate designed to slide along the external face of the case of the wing between a first position in which the fixing device is not locked and a second position in which the plate operates in conjunction with the gripping part of the rider so as to lock said fixing device in the fixing position.

According to another feature, the irreversible securing means of the latch in the locking position comprise a blade fitted inside an opening called the third opening provided in the case of the wing, said blade being connected by one of its ends to said plate and operating via its opposite end in conjunction with a ramp formed in the wall confining said third opening so as to irreversibly secure said latch in the above-mentioned locking position.

According to another feature, the above-mentioned blade is folded substantially into a V shape.

According to another feature, the latch comprises two branches extending from the plate perpendicularly to the plane of the plate and comprising at their ends elements for clipping onto a part of the case of the wing so as to enable reversible clipping of the latch in the inactive position, clipping being made irreversible in the active position.

According to another embodiment, the rod of the rider comprises two notches forming three slots designed to operate in conjunction with a flexible tab fixedly secured to the wall defining a third opening provided in said wing to secure the rider respectively for the three slots, in an open position, a reversible fixing position, and an irreversible locking position, said tab and the third slot constituting the irreversible locking means.

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N According to another feature, starting from the end of the rod situated on the side where the Vt) Sapparatuses are located, the first slot corresponds to the open position, the second to the N1 10 fixing position, and the third to the irreversible locking position.

According to another embodiment, the rod of the rider comprises a bolt extending substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the rod and designed to operate in conjunction with a ramp fixed onto a wall belonging to a third opening provided in said wing so that after translation of the rider and bolt through the first opening provided in the wing, the rider can be driven in rotation between a first position corresponding to a non-fixed state of the apparatuses and a second position in which, after it has passed over the ramp, the bolt is situated on the other side of the ramp, a position in which it performs irreversible locking of the latch.

According to another feature, the rod of the rider comprises a boss designed to operate in conjunction with a part of the wall belonging to the above-mentioned first opening so as to respectively form a hang-up point in the non-fixed position and a hang-up point in the reversible fixing position of the rider.

Advantageously, the apparatuses are electrical protection apparatuses.

Advantageously, the first apparatus is a differential unit and the second apparatus is a circuit breaker.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an apparatus comprising a device comprising the above-mentioned features either alone or in combination.

Brief description of the drawings _But other advantages and features of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description which refers to the accompanying drawings given for example purposes only, and in which: -Figures 1 to 8 illustrate a first embodiment of the invention.

N -Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating two apparatuses fixed to one another by means

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of a locking device of a fixing device according to the invention, IN 10 -Figure 2 is an identical view to the previous view, but comprising a tear-away view showing the locking device of the fixing device according to the invention, -Figures 3, 4 and 4a are partial cross-sectional views of the previous figures, the fixing and locking devices being in an inactive position, -Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along IV-IV of figure 3, -Figure 4a is a cross-sectional view along IVa-IVa of figure 3, -Figures 5 and 6 are identical views to the previous views, only the fixing device being in the active position, the locking device being in an inactive position, -Figures 7, 8 and 8a are identical views to the previous views, the fixing device and the locking device being in an active position, the locking device being in a locked position, -Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view along VIII-VIII of figure 7 and figure 8a is a crosssectional view along VIIIa-VIIIa of figure 7, -Figures 9 to 11 are partial cross-sectional views illustrating another embodiment of a locking device of a fixing device according to the invention, -Figures 12 to 22 illustrate another embodiment of the invention, -Figure 12 is a perspective view representing the fixing device in a fixed non-locked position, -Figure 13 is a partial view illustrating the fixing device in a fixed non-locked position, -Figure 14 is a partial view illustrating the fixing device in the irreversible locked position, -Figure 15 is a front view of the two apparatuses fixed to one another and comprising a tear-away view showing the fixing device in the fixed and locked position, -Figure 16 is a perspective view illustrating the two apparatuses fixed by the fixing device according to the invention in an irreversible locked position, -Figures 17 and 18 are partial cross-sectional views, respectively along AA and CC of figure 19, illustrating the device according to the invention in the non-fixed position, -Figure 19 is a partial view illustrating the device according to the invention in the same position seen from the rear, -Figure 20 is a partial cross-sectional view along AA of figure 22 illustrating the same Sdevice in the fixed and locked position, S-Figure 21 is a partial cross-sectional view along CC of figure 22 illustrating the locking C device in a fixed and locked position, -Figure 22 is a partial view illustrating the device in the same position, seen from the rear.

C Detailed description of preferred embodiments In figures 1 and 2, a circuit breaker D can be seen coupled to a differential unit B, the two apparatuses being designed to be fitted on a mounting rail (not shown). The two apparatuses are housed in cases of parallelepipedic shape. These cases comprise a rear panel 1 for fixing to the rail, a bottom connection panel 3,4 and a top connection panel 5,6 comprising the connection terminals 18 of the apparatuses, four side panels 7,8,9,10, by means of two 8,9 whereof the two apparatuses are designed to be adjoined in the fitted position on the rail, and a front panel 11,12 comprising the operating handles 13,14. The differential unit B comprises an operating handle 14 of a trip lock mechanically connected to the lock of the circuit breaker D which can also be actuated by means of a handle 13. In figures 1 and 2, it can be seen that the case of the unit B comprises a wing 15 formed by a narrow part 16 extending on the connection panel 4 of the differential unit B and by a less narrow part 17 extending on the connection panel 3 of the circuit breaker D. These parts forming a wing are designed to house the conductors of the differential unit B, which conductors are designed to be electrically connected to the connection terminals 18 of the circuit breaker D.

These two apparatuses B,D are fixed to one another by means of a fixing device 19 according to the invention. Referring to figures 1 to 8, it can be seen that this device 19 comprises a rider 20 presenting a substantially T-shaped cross-section and comprising a rod 21 and a gripping part 22 extending substantially perpendicularly to said rod. This rod 21 is designed to be inserted into two openings 23,24 provided respectively in the broader part 17 forming the wing of the differential unit B and in the case of the circuit breaker D so as to prevent relative movement between the two apparatuses B,D in co-operation with a S fixing clip 25 performing joining of the connection panels 5,6.

Referring to figures 3 to 8a, it can also be seen that this rod 21 comprises a spigot designed to operate in conjunction with a recess 56 and a boss 57 provided in the opening 23 of the wing 15 so as to form a hang-up point for the rider 20 in its translation inside the Cc openings 23,24. The spigot 55, recess 56 and boss 57 form a reversible securing means of N the fixing device 19 in its fixing position. The rider 20 comprises in addition a clip 59 operating in conjunction with a recess of the case 15 in order to achieve a means for N 1.0 securing the rider in the open position.

This device 19 is locked in its fixing position by means of a locking device 26 or latch.

This device 26 comprises a plate 27 mounted sliding along the external face 32 of the broad part 17 of the wing 15 and a part 28 extending from one of the ends of said plate 27 in the direction of the rider 20 and in a slightly offset plane with respect to the plane of the above-mentioned plate 27. This part 28 is designed to operate in conjunction with a recess 29 provided in the gripping part 22 of the rider This locking device 26 also comprises a securing means for irreversibly securing the locking device 26 (fig. 1 and fig.2). This means comprises a blade 30 folded substantially into a V-shape fixedly secured to said plate 27, said blade 30 being designed to be inserted in a third opening 31 provided in said wing 15 whereas the plate 27 extends bearing on the case of the wing 15. The assembly is thus mounted slidingly with respect to said wing the blade 30 sliding inside the opening 31 and the plate 27 sliding along the external face 32 of said wing 15. Inside the above-mentioned second opening 31 there is located a ramp 33 formed by the case and in conjunction wherewith the end 34 of the above-mentioned blade is designed to operate in the manner that will be explained in the following.

Operation of the fixing and locking device according to the invention will be described in the following with reference to figures 1 to 8.

In figures 3, 4 and 4a, the two apparatuses B,D have been moved together in order to perform mechanical coupling thereof. The fixing device 19 and locking device 26 are in an open state.

In figures 5 and 6, the rider 20 has been totally inserted in the openings 23,24 of the wing and of the case of the circuit breaker D. At the end of translation (fig 8a), the spigot has passed over to the other side of the boss 57. This boss 57 forming a hang-up point then holds the rider 20 inside the openings 23,24, the gripping part 22 of the rider 20 bearing against the external face 32 of the wing 15. In this position, it can be seen that the end of the rod 21 of the rider 20 is situated above the bottom position 35 of the case of the circuit breaker D and therefore keeps the two apparatuses B,D assembled.

In this position, the locking device 26 is in the position inactive. The end 34 of the blade Cc is pressing against the part forming the ramp 33 of the wing 15. It can be seen in figure 6 N, that the plate 27 of the locking device also comprises two branches 36,37 respectively extending from two ends of the plate 27, said branches 36,37 comprising at their ends C1 10 clipping elements 38,39 designed to operate respectively in conjunction with two walls 40,41 situated inside the opening 31 provided in the wing 15 so as to hold said device inside the opening 31.

In figures 7, 8 and 8a, the locking device 26 has been moved to an active position in which the part 28 of the plate 27 engages in the recess 29 provided for this purpose of the gripping part 22 of the rider 20 and the end 34 of the blade 30 is retained by a wall 58 formed at the end of the ramp 33. Furthermore, the branches 36,37 are respectively jammed between the walls 40,62 and 41,63 of the case, making unclipping impossible in this position. In this position, it is no longer possible for an operator to remove the latch without damaging the latter and therefore leaving a visible trace of the attempt. The latch is therefore in an irreversible locking position.

It can be seen that the latch according to the invention is a single part that is clipped by a simple manual pressure to the circuit breaker case. It is moved until it blocks the head of the fixing rider. This latch is blocked in irreversible manner by an anti-return system.

In figures 9,10,11, another embodiment of the invention can be seen in which the fixing device 19 is formed by a rider 20 presenting a T-shaped cross-section and comprising along its rod 21, two notches 41,42 forming three slots 43,44,45 designed to operate in conjunction with a flexible tab 46 fixedly secured to the case of the wing 15. It can be seen in these figures that two of these slots 43,44 are shaped in such a way that the rider 20 can easily move from one slot 43 to the other 44. The third 45 of these slots 43,44,45 on the other hand presents a wall 65 extending perpendicularly to the axis of the rod 21 of the rider 20 so that when the tab 46 is in this slot 45, the rider 20, can no longer move inside the openings 23,24. In this embodiment, the locking device 26 is formed by the tab 46 operating in conjunction with the third slot 45 situated near to the cross-bar of the T forming the rider Operation of these fixing and locking devices according to this embodiment will be described hereafter with reference to figures 9,10,11.

In figure 9, the fixing device 19 and locking device 26 are inactive, the two apparatuses B,D having simply been moved together to perform mechanical coupling thereof. The tab Cc 46 is in the first slot 43, i.e. the slot 43 located the nearest to the circuit breaker D.

To perform fixing of the apparatuses, the operator depresses the rider 20. During this movement, the tab 46 moves from the first slot 43 to the second slot 44, a position in which Ni 10 the fixing device 19 is active (fig. 10). In this position, the rider 20 is kept in this position in reversible manner by the tab 46 engaged in the second slot 44. In figure 11, the rider 20 is completely engaged in the openings 23,24 and the tab 46 has moved to the third slot thus performing locking of the rider 20. In this position, and due to the shape of the slot the rider 20 can no longer be removed from the openings 23,24 without damaging the tab 46 and therefore without leaving traces.

According to the embodiment of figures 12 to 22, the rider 20 is formed from two cylindrical parts 47,48, one 47 whereof, of larger diameter, constituting a gripping part, whereas the other 48, of smaller diameter, is inserted in the openings 23,24 of the cases of the wing 15 of the differential unit B and of the circuit breaker D. Close to the free end 49 of the rod 48 of smaller diameter, the rider 20 comprises a bolt 50 extending perpendicularly to the axis of this rod 48. This bolt 50 is designed to operate in conjunction with a ramp 51 fixed to a rear face 52 of the case of the wing It can also be seen in figures 17 and 20 that the rod 48 also comprises a spigot 55 designed to operate in conjunction with two bosses 53,54 of the opening 23 so as to constitute two hang-up points respectively in the open position of the fixing device 19 (fig. 17) and in the fixing position It can in fact be seen in figures 17 and 20 that the spigot on the rod constitutes a hang-up point in the non-fixed and non-locked position and in the fixed and locked position.

Operation of the fixing device and of the locking device will be described hereafter with reference to figures 12 to 22.

First of all, the rider 20 equipped with its bolt 50 is inserted in two openings 23,24 provided in the case of the wing and of the circuit breaker, the dimensions and shape of the openings having been defined in such a way as to enable this insertion to be performed N(figs.12,13,17,18,19).

Then, once the rider has been engaged in the fixed position, the operator moves the rider in rotation a quarter-turn around its axis. During this rotation, the bolt 50 engages on a ramp 51 formed in the wall of the opening provided in the wing 15 and passes to the other side of this ramp 51, a position in which the fixing device is locked. Unlocking of the device becomes impossible or requires damaging of the bolt 50, thus leaving a visible trace of this attempt (figures 14,15,16,20,21,22). The latter function is standardising and has the purpose of preventing deactivation of the differential module.

N 10 It should be noted that, for all these operations, locking can be immediate or can be performed on site after testing of the installation. In the case of deliberate disassembly, the part of the lock that performs locking is broken and constitutes the required trace of disassembly.

This system limits the risks of error in the choice of the electrical characteristics of the differential units and of the circuit breakers, as it enables lock-out of the association to be performed at any time, including after connection of the products to the power system, or even testing of the installation.

The latch should be of a certain colour and visible from the front face when it is not engaged in the locking position, which will make it possible to check at a simple glance that all the products equipped with this system installed in a panel have been locked.

Fitting of the rider and lock is achieved by movements enabling the operations to be performed without any tools, and in areas where access is easy, enabling the locking operation to be performed once the product has been installed in the panel.

The locking operation is performed by a single translation (or translation followed by rotation) movement. The design of the support part is such that the system comprising the rider and the lock can advantageously be replaced by a single part performing both the fixing function and the locking function at the same time, for variants of earth leakage circuit breakers pre-assembled in plant.

This system according to the invention makes the assembly reversible so long as the customer desires (which makes testing of the installation possible), this assembly after moving from its inactive position to its active position is in an irreversible position thus definitively blocking the fixing rider in the active position.

11 (Ni The invention is naturally not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given for example purposes only.

The invention thus applies to any electrical distribution, protection, and control apparatus F of modular type.

On the contrary, the invention extends to encompass all the technical equivalents of the means described as well as combinations thereof if the latter are achieved according to its (N 10 spirit.

Claims

1. Locking device of the fixing device of two electrical apparatuses designed to be fitted on the same mounting support, said apparatuses being housed in a case of substantially parallelepipedic shape and each comprising a rear panel for fixing to the O support, two connection panels, a front panel comprising control means of the C€3 apparatuses and two side panels whereby the apparatuses are adjoined to one another, Sone of the apparatuses, called the first apparatus, comprising a part forming a wing, 10 said part comprising a first part extending from the connection panel of said first apparatus facing this connection panel and a second part able to be moved to face the connection panel of the other of the apparatuses, called the second apparatus, situated on the same side as the previous apparatus, characterized in that the fixing device (19) comprises a rider (20) movable inside said wing and the case of the second apparatus D between an inactive position and a fixing position of the two apparatuses D,B, a latch (26) movable between an inactive position and a locking position of said fixing device (19) in the fixing position and securing means called irreversible (27,30,33,45,46,50,51) to secure said latch (26) irreversibly in the above-mentioned locking position.

2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises reversible securing means (43,44,46,53,54,55,56,57) to secure said rider (20) reversibly in the above- mentioned fixing position.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the rider (20) is mounted movable in translation between the two above-mentioned positions.

4. Fixing device according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rider comprises a rod (21) and a gripping part said rod (21) being able to pass successively though an opening (23) called the first opening provided in the second part (17) of said wing (15) and an opening (24) called the second opening provided in the case of the second apparatus D. Device according to any one of the claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the above- mentioned reversible securing means (55,56,57) comprise a spigot (55) formed on the rod (21) of the rider (20) and designed to operate in conjunction with a recess (56) followed by a boss (57) provided in the wall confining the above-mentioned first opening (23) so as to secure said rider (20) reversibly in the fixing position. S 6. Device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the rider (20) presents a substantially T-shaped cross-section and the gripping part (22) is formed by a I 10 flattened part able to be brought into contact with the external face (32) of the above- mentioned wing (15) in the fixing position.

7. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the latch (26) comprises a plate (27,28) designed to slide along the external face (32) of the case of the wing (15) between a first position in which the fixing device (19) is not locked and a second position in which the plate (27,28) operates in conjunction with the gripping part (22) of the rider (20) so as to lock said fixing device (19) in the fixing position.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the irreversible securing means of the latch (26) in the locking position comprise a blade (30) fitted inside an opening (31) called the third opening provided in the case of the wing said blade being connected by one of its ends to said plate (27) and operating via its opposite end in conjunction with a ramp (33) formed in the wall confining said third opening (31) so as to irreversibly secure said latch (26) in the above-mentioned locking position.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the above-mentioned blade (30) is folded substantially into a V shape. Device according to any one of the claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the latch (26) comprises two branches (36,37) extending from the plate (27) perpendicularly to the plane of the plate (27) and comprising at their ends elements (38,39) for clipping N onto a part of the case of the wing (15) so as to enable reversible clipping of the latch S(26) in its inactive position and irreversible clipping in its active position.

11. Device according to any one of the claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the rod (21) of the rider (20) comprises two notches (41,42) forming three slots (43,44,45) designed Cc to operate in conjunction with a flexible tab (46) fixedly secured to the wall defining N, a third opening (31) provided in said wing (15) to secure the rider (20) respectively Vt') for the three slots (43,44,45), in an open position, a reversible fixing position, and an C 10 irreversible locking position, said tab (46) and the third slot (45) constituting the irreversible locking means.

12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that starting from the end of the rod (21) situated on the side where the apparatuses B,D are located, the first slot (43) corresponds to the open position, the second (44) to the fixing position, and the third to the irreversible locking position.

13. Device according to any one of the claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the rod (21) of the rider (20) comprises a bolt (50) extending substantially perpendicularly to the axis of the rod (21) and designed to operate in conjunction with a ramp (51) fixed onto a wall belonging to a third opening (31) provided in said wing (15) so that after translation of the rider (20) and bolt (50) through the first opening (23) provided in the wing (15) and the case of the circuit breaker D, the rider (20) can be driven in rotation between a first position corresponding to a non-fixed state of the apparatuses B,D and a second position in which, after it has passed over the ramp the bolt is situated on the other side of the ramp a position in which it performs irreversible locking of the latch (26).

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the rod (21) of the rider comprises a spigot (55) designed to operate in conjunction with two bosses (53,54) of the wall belonging to the first opening (23) so as to respectively form a hang-up point I in the non-fixed position and a hang-up point in the reversible fixing position of the rider Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the apparatuses are electrical protection apparatuses.

16. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the first apparatus is a differential unit B and the second apparatus is a circuit breaker D.

17. Electrical apparatus comprising a locking device according to any one of the foregoing claims. DATED this 15th day of July 2005. SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES SAS WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VIC 3122