CA2168610A1 - Circuit breaker bell alarm reset mechanism - Google Patents
Circuit breaker bell alarm reset mechanismInfo
- Publication number
- CA2168610A1 CA2168610A1 CA 2168610 CA2168610A CA2168610A1 CA 2168610 A1 CA2168610 A1 CA 2168610A1 CA 2168610 CA2168610 CA 2168610 CA 2168610 A CA2168610 A CA 2168610A CA 2168610 A1 CA2168610 A1 CA 2168610A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- circuit breaker
- bell alarm
- reset lever
- cam
- plunger
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Landscapes
- Breakers (AREA)
- Driving Mechanisms And Operating Circuits Of Arc-Extinguishing High-Tension Switches (AREA)
Abstract
A circuit breaker bell alarm reset mechanism interfaces between the circuit breaker operating shaft and the bell alarm plunger to directly contact the plunger in response to rotational logic provided by the operating shaft. Rotation of the operating shaft to reset the circuit breaker operating mechanism simultaneously motivates the reset mechanism to reset the bell alarm plunger.
Description
~168610 _ 1 41PR-7246 CIRCUIT BREAKER BELL ALARM RESET MECHANISM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
s U.S. Patent 4,001,742 entitled "Circuit Breaker Having Improved Operating Mechanism" describes a circuit breaker capable of interrupting several thousand amperes of circuit current at several hundred volts potential. As described therein, the circuit breaker operating mechanisms control the powerful operating springs that open and close the circuit breaker contacts. Once the operating mechanism has responded to separate the contacts, the operating springs must be recharged to supply sufficient motive force to the movable contact arms that carry the contacts.
S U.S. Patent Application serial number 08/248,910 filed May 25,1994 entitled "Bell Alarm and Lock-out for High Ampere-Rated Circuit Breakers" describes a spring-loaded plunger that contacts the circuit breaker operating mechanism at one end and extends a signal flag at an 20 opposite end to provide local indication as to the status of the circuit breaker contacts. A switch arrangement provides remote indication over a pair of electrical conductors.
One problem with such bell alarm indicating devices is the difficulty in resetting the bell alarm plunger once the 25 circuit breaker contacts have been reset.
One purpose of the present invention is to resolve the resetting of the bell alarm plunger in an efficient and economic manner.
216861~
~,. 2 41PR-7246 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A circuit breaker bell alarm reset mechanism interfaces between the circuit breaker operating shaft and the bell alarm plunger by means of a bell alarm driver link that is 5 pivotally attached to a cam formed on the operating shaft.
The bell alarm driver link interacts with one end of a reset lever to rotate the bell alarm driver link in correspondence with the driver shaft rotation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a high ampere-rated circuit breaker that includes a bell alarm unit and 15 bell alarm reset mechanism according to the invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged front plan view of the bell alarm top perspective view of the bell alarm unit of Figure 1 with the cover removed to depict the internal components;
Figure 3 is an enlarged plan side view of a part of the circuit breaker on Figure 1 depicting the movable contact arm assembly and the bell alarm reset mechanism;
Figures 4A-4D are enlarged side plan views of the arrangement of the bell alarm reset mechanism of Figure 3 intermediate the circuit breaker operating shaft and the bell alarm unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The high ampere-rated circuit breaker 10 shown in Figure 1 is capable of transferring several thousand amperes 5 quiescent circuit current at several hundred volts potential. The circuit breaker consists of an electrically insulated base 11 to which an intermediate cover 12 of similar insulative material is attached prior to attaching the top cover 13 also consisting of an electrically-insulative material. Electrical connection with the interior current-carrying components is made by load terminal straps 14 extending from one side of the base and line terminal straps (not shown) extending from the opposite side thereof. The interior components are controlled by an electronic trip unit 15 contained within the top cover 13.
The trip unit is similar to that described within U.S.
Patent 4,581,181 and interacts further with a bell alarm unit accessory 22 within an accessory recess 22A to provide local indication, by means of the signal flag 22B, of the 20 conditions of the circuit breaker contacts 36,37(Figure 3) arranged within the circuit breaker case 11 as well as remote indication by means of electrical conductors 27(Figure 2) that connect with a remote indicating lamp.
The operating handle 16 allows manual operation of the 25 circuit breaker operating mechanism to open and close the circuit breaker contacts. The contacts can also be automatically opened and closed by means of buttons 17,18 accessible on the top cover 13. The trip unit settings can be observed by means of the display 19 and the associate key 30 pad 20.
As described within the aforementioned U.S. Patent Application serial number 08/248,910, the bell alarm unit 22 ~168~10 is shown in Figure 2 to consist of a plunger 28 that extends downward within the circuit breaker cover and energizes the microswitch 26 to send a remote indication signal over conductors 27 to an alarm or indicating lamp remote from the 5 circuit breaker enclosure. The plunger connects with a slide assembly 24 to motivate the signal flag 22B against the bias of the return spring 25 to provide local indication, for example, that the circuit breaker contacts have responded to interrupt the associated circuit current.
In accordance with the invention, the circuit breaker 10 depicted in Figure 3, includes a bell alarm reset driver 41 contained within the circuit breaker cover 13 that interacts with the circuit breaker contact carrier 34 within the circuit breaker case 11 by means of the contact arm 15 driver link 33 and the cam 32 connected with the circuit breaker operating mechanism drive shaft 30. As described within the aforementioned U.S. Patent 4,001,742, the fixed contacts 37 are attached to the bottom 39 of the circuit breaker case 11 by means of the support strap 38 and the 20 movable contact 36 is attached to the movable contact arm 35 which responds to the rotation of the contact carrier 34 and the contact arm driver link 33. The operating mechanism drive shaft 30 extends through a slot 31 in the operating mechanism side frame 29 to which the bell alarm driver 41 is 25 attached. Operative connection between the bell alarm unit 22 and the cam 32 is made by means of the bell alarm driver link 40 and the bell alarm reset lever 46.
The interaction between the reset lever 46, the bell alarm plunger 28 on the bell alarm unit 22, and the bell 30 alarm driver link 40 on the cam 32 is best seen by now referring to Figures 4A-4D. With the circuit breaker contacts of Figure 3 in the OFF condition, the plunger 28, in Figure 4A, iS extended downward into contact with the flat spring 47 on end of the reset lever 46 and the roller 44 on the bell alarm driver link 40 iS away from the tab 45 on the opposite end of the driver link and is positioned 5 against the driver pin 42 on the cam 32. The bell alarm driver link 40 iS attached to the cam 32 by means of the pivot 43 for free rotation about the pivot in response to rotation of the cam 32 as the cam rotates to open and close the circuit breaker contacts. The reset lever 46 iS attached to the support yoke 48 by means of the pivot 49 which allows the rotation of the reset lever against the bias of the reset lever return spring 50. When the cam 32 iS rotated in the clockwise indicated direction, the drive pin 42 rotates the cam 32 against the tab 45 on the end of the reset lever 15 46 rotating the reset lever clockwise and striking the flat spring 47 on the opposite end of the reset lever against the plunger driving the plunger upwards within the bell alarm unit 22 where it is retained by means of permanent magnet (not shown). The return spring 50 on the support yoke 48 20 becomes extended as the cam continues to rotate clockwise from the RESET position in Figure 4A to the ON position depicted in Figure 3 where the cam 32 further rotates the roller 44 onto the downwardly-ramped top 45A of the tab 45 driving the reset lever 46 away from the end 28A of the 25 plunger 28 and further extending the return spring 50, as indicated. The rotation of the cam 32 in the indicated counter-clockwise direction shown in Figure 4D, drives the stop pin 50 on the cam 32 against the bell alarm driver link 40 and traps the roller 40 against the ramped top 45A to 30 hold the flat spring 47 on the end of the reset lever away from the end 28A of the plunger 28 against the return bias of the fully-charged return spring 50. Rotation of the cam ~16861~
~- 6 41 PR-7246 32 in the clockwise direction returns the flat spring into abutment with the end 28A of the plunger 28 under the bias of the return spring as shown earlier in Figure 4A.
A simple arrangement has herein been described for 5 resetting the bell alarm accessory unit in direct response to the rotation of the circuit breaker operating mechanism drive shaft. The direct response eliminates any possibility of incorrect indication of the ON and OFF conditions of the circuit breaker contacts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
s U.S. Patent 4,001,742 entitled "Circuit Breaker Having Improved Operating Mechanism" describes a circuit breaker capable of interrupting several thousand amperes of circuit current at several hundred volts potential. As described therein, the circuit breaker operating mechanisms control the powerful operating springs that open and close the circuit breaker contacts. Once the operating mechanism has responded to separate the contacts, the operating springs must be recharged to supply sufficient motive force to the movable contact arms that carry the contacts.
S U.S. Patent Application serial number 08/248,910 filed May 25,1994 entitled "Bell Alarm and Lock-out for High Ampere-Rated Circuit Breakers" describes a spring-loaded plunger that contacts the circuit breaker operating mechanism at one end and extends a signal flag at an 20 opposite end to provide local indication as to the status of the circuit breaker contacts. A switch arrangement provides remote indication over a pair of electrical conductors.
One problem with such bell alarm indicating devices is the difficulty in resetting the bell alarm plunger once the 25 circuit breaker contacts have been reset.
One purpose of the present invention is to resolve the resetting of the bell alarm plunger in an efficient and economic manner.
216861~
~,. 2 41PR-7246 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A circuit breaker bell alarm reset mechanism interfaces between the circuit breaker operating shaft and the bell alarm plunger by means of a bell alarm driver link that is 5 pivotally attached to a cam formed on the operating shaft.
The bell alarm driver link interacts with one end of a reset lever to rotate the bell alarm driver link in correspondence with the driver shaft rotation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a high ampere-rated circuit breaker that includes a bell alarm unit and 15 bell alarm reset mechanism according to the invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged front plan view of the bell alarm top perspective view of the bell alarm unit of Figure 1 with the cover removed to depict the internal components;
Figure 3 is an enlarged plan side view of a part of the circuit breaker on Figure 1 depicting the movable contact arm assembly and the bell alarm reset mechanism;
Figures 4A-4D are enlarged side plan views of the arrangement of the bell alarm reset mechanism of Figure 3 intermediate the circuit breaker operating shaft and the bell alarm unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The high ampere-rated circuit breaker 10 shown in Figure 1 is capable of transferring several thousand amperes 5 quiescent circuit current at several hundred volts potential. The circuit breaker consists of an electrically insulated base 11 to which an intermediate cover 12 of similar insulative material is attached prior to attaching the top cover 13 also consisting of an electrically-insulative material. Electrical connection with the interior current-carrying components is made by load terminal straps 14 extending from one side of the base and line terminal straps (not shown) extending from the opposite side thereof. The interior components are controlled by an electronic trip unit 15 contained within the top cover 13.
The trip unit is similar to that described within U.S.
Patent 4,581,181 and interacts further with a bell alarm unit accessory 22 within an accessory recess 22A to provide local indication, by means of the signal flag 22B, of the 20 conditions of the circuit breaker contacts 36,37(Figure 3) arranged within the circuit breaker case 11 as well as remote indication by means of electrical conductors 27(Figure 2) that connect with a remote indicating lamp.
The operating handle 16 allows manual operation of the 25 circuit breaker operating mechanism to open and close the circuit breaker contacts. The contacts can also be automatically opened and closed by means of buttons 17,18 accessible on the top cover 13. The trip unit settings can be observed by means of the display 19 and the associate key 30 pad 20.
As described within the aforementioned U.S. Patent Application serial number 08/248,910, the bell alarm unit 22 ~168~10 is shown in Figure 2 to consist of a plunger 28 that extends downward within the circuit breaker cover and energizes the microswitch 26 to send a remote indication signal over conductors 27 to an alarm or indicating lamp remote from the 5 circuit breaker enclosure. The plunger connects with a slide assembly 24 to motivate the signal flag 22B against the bias of the return spring 25 to provide local indication, for example, that the circuit breaker contacts have responded to interrupt the associated circuit current.
In accordance with the invention, the circuit breaker 10 depicted in Figure 3, includes a bell alarm reset driver 41 contained within the circuit breaker cover 13 that interacts with the circuit breaker contact carrier 34 within the circuit breaker case 11 by means of the contact arm 15 driver link 33 and the cam 32 connected with the circuit breaker operating mechanism drive shaft 30. As described within the aforementioned U.S. Patent 4,001,742, the fixed contacts 37 are attached to the bottom 39 of the circuit breaker case 11 by means of the support strap 38 and the 20 movable contact 36 is attached to the movable contact arm 35 which responds to the rotation of the contact carrier 34 and the contact arm driver link 33. The operating mechanism drive shaft 30 extends through a slot 31 in the operating mechanism side frame 29 to which the bell alarm driver 41 is 25 attached. Operative connection between the bell alarm unit 22 and the cam 32 is made by means of the bell alarm driver link 40 and the bell alarm reset lever 46.
The interaction between the reset lever 46, the bell alarm plunger 28 on the bell alarm unit 22, and the bell 30 alarm driver link 40 on the cam 32 is best seen by now referring to Figures 4A-4D. With the circuit breaker contacts of Figure 3 in the OFF condition, the plunger 28, in Figure 4A, iS extended downward into contact with the flat spring 47 on end of the reset lever 46 and the roller 44 on the bell alarm driver link 40 iS away from the tab 45 on the opposite end of the driver link and is positioned 5 against the driver pin 42 on the cam 32. The bell alarm driver link 40 iS attached to the cam 32 by means of the pivot 43 for free rotation about the pivot in response to rotation of the cam 32 as the cam rotates to open and close the circuit breaker contacts. The reset lever 46 iS attached to the support yoke 48 by means of the pivot 49 which allows the rotation of the reset lever against the bias of the reset lever return spring 50. When the cam 32 iS rotated in the clockwise indicated direction, the drive pin 42 rotates the cam 32 against the tab 45 on the end of the reset lever 15 46 rotating the reset lever clockwise and striking the flat spring 47 on the opposite end of the reset lever against the plunger driving the plunger upwards within the bell alarm unit 22 where it is retained by means of permanent magnet (not shown). The return spring 50 on the support yoke 48 20 becomes extended as the cam continues to rotate clockwise from the RESET position in Figure 4A to the ON position depicted in Figure 3 where the cam 32 further rotates the roller 44 onto the downwardly-ramped top 45A of the tab 45 driving the reset lever 46 away from the end 28A of the 25 plunger 28 and further extending the return spring 50, as indicated. The rotation of the cam 32 in the indicated counter-clockwise direction shown in Figure 4D, drives the stop pin 50 on the cam 32 against the bell alarm driver link 40 and traps the roller 40 against the ramped top 45A to 30 hold the flat spring 47 on the end of the reset lever away from the end 28A of the plunger 28 against the return bias of the fully-charged return spring 50. Rotation of the cam ~16861~
~- 6 41 PR-7246 32 in the clockwise direction returns the flat spring into abutment with the end 28A of the plunger 28 under the bias of the return spring as shown earlier in Figure 4A.
A simple arrangement has herein been described for 5 resetting the bell alarm accessory unit in direct response to the rotation of the circuit breaker operating mechanism drive shaft. The direct response eliminates any possibility of incorrect indication of the ON and OFF conditions of the circuit breaker contacts.
Claims (9)
1. A circuit breaker for high ampere-rated circuit interruption comprising:
an insulative base;
an insulative cover above said base, said cover enclosing a drive shaft extending from an operating mechanism sideframe controlling the ON and OFF conditions of a pair of circuit breaker contacts;
a bell alarm unit including a bottom plunger extending within the circuit breaker case and a top indicating flag arranged for extending above the circuit breaker case; and a bell alarm driver assembly interfacing between the bell alarm unit and the drive shaft for contacting said bottom plunger and extending said indicating flag above said case for indication of said OFF states of said circuit breaker contacts.
an insulative base;
an insulative cover above said base, said cover enclosing a drive shaft extending from an operating mechanism sideframe controlling the ON and OFF conditions of a pair of circuit breaker contacts;
a bell alarm unit including a bottom plunger extending within the circuit breaker case and a top indicating flag arranged for extending above the circuit breaker case; and a bell alarm driver assembly interfacing between the bell alarm unit and the drive shaft for contacting said bottom plunger and extending said indicating flag above said case for indication of said OFF states of said circuit breaker contacts.
2. The circuit breaker of claim 1 including a bell alarm driver link pivotally-attached to a cam on said drive shaft at one end and terminating at a roller at an opposite end, said roller being arranged for contacting a reset lever within said driver assembly.
3. The circuit breaker of claim 2 including a drive pin on said cam, said drive pin arranged for driving said bell alarm driver link into contact with a tab on an end of said reset lever.
4. The circuit breaker of claim 3 wherein said reset lever includes a flat spring on an opposite end thereof, said flat spring arranged for contacting an end of said plunger.
5. The circuit breaker of claim 3 wherein said tab defines a ramp-shaped top part whereby said roller exerts a force against said reset lever thereby causing said reset lever to rotate away from said end of said plunger.
6. The circuit breaker of claim 1 including a support to which said reset lever is pivotally attached, and a return spring connecting between said reset lever and said support, said return spring providing bias to said reset lever when said reset lever is rotated upon contact with said roller.
7. The circuit breaker of claim 6 including a stop pin on said cam, said stop pin being contacted by said driver link when said cam is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction.
8. The circuit breaker of claim 1 wherein one of said contacts is attached to a contact carrier,
9. The circuit breaker of claim 8 wherein said contact carrier is attached to said cam by a contact arm driver link whereby said bell alarm driver link and said contact arm driver link rotate in unison.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US39001295A | 1995-02-17 | 1995-02-17 | |
| US08/390,012 | 1995-02-17 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2168610A1 true CA2168610A1 (en) | 1996-08-18 |
Family
ID=23540680
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2168610 Abandoned CA2168610A1 (en) | 1995-02-17 | 1996-02-01 | Circuit breaker bell alarm reset mechanism |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPH08335433A (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1052334C (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2168610A1 (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1281719B1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RU223147U1 (en) * | 2023-08-30 | 2024-02-02 | Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Чувашский государственный университет имени Н.Н. Ульянова" | Small-sized electrical switching device |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP4867644B2 (en) * | 2006-12-26 | 2012-02-01 | 富士電機機器制御株式会社 | External circuit handle device for circuit breaker |
| US7936239B2 (en) * | 2008-04-15 | 2011-05-03 | General Electric Company | Breaker interlock system and method |
| DE112012006309T5 (en) | 2012-05-02 | 2015-01-08 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Apparatus and method for activating circuit breaker accessories |
| CN109461274B (en) * | 2018-10-30 | 2020-11-24 | 安徽财经大学 | Enterprise internal economic management control device |
| CN111584322B (en) * | 2019-05-21 | 2022-07-26 | 杭州德睿达电气有限公司 | Direct-current high-breaking magnetic blow-out quick circuit breaker |
Family Cites Families (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4001742A (en) * | 1975-10-30 | 1977-01-04 | General Electric Company | Circuit breaker having improved operating mechanism |
-
1996
- 1996-02-01 IT IT96MI000173A patent/IT1281719B1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1996-02-01 CA CA 2168610 patent/CA2168610A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1996-02-13 JP JP2453496A patent/JPH08335433A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1996-02-16 CN CN96103421A patent/CN1052334C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RU223147U1 (en) * | 2023-08-30 | 2024-02-02 | Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Чувашский государственный университет имени Н.Н. Ульянова" | Small-sized electrical switching device |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| ITMI960173A1 (en) | 1997-08-01 |
| CN1052334C (en) | 2000-05-10 |
| ITMI960173A0 (en) | 1996-02-01 |
| IT1281719B1 (en) | 1998-02-27 |
| CN1137684A (en) | 1996-12-11 |
| JPH08335433A (en) | 1996-12-17 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |