EP0028958A1 - Circuit-breaking switch, its release mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A circuit breaker of the type comprising, in a housing (10), a first contact (20A) which is fixed, a second contact (20B) which is mounted movably between a closed position and a tripped position and which is urged towards said tripped position by an opening spring (29), a closing and tripping actuating member (37) which is mounted movably between a closing position and a tripping position and which is urged towards said tripping position by a return spring (42), a locking mechanism (43) which is disposed between the opening and tripping actuating member (37) and the housing (10) and which is capable of releasably holding said closing and tripping actuating member (37) in the closing position, a latching mechanism which is disposed between the closing and tripping actuating member (37) and the movable contact (20B) and which comprises two latching members (32, 74) capable of releasably engaging with each other to hold the movable contact (20B) in the closed position, and at least one tripping member which is capable of causing disengagement from each other of said latching members (32, 74) whereby the movable contact (20B) is freed to move from its closed position to its tripped position, characterized in that one (32) of the latching members of the latching mechanism is an integral part of the opening spring (29) of the movable contact (20B).

Description

The present invention relates generally to the circuit breakers, whether it is a simple monopolar circuit breaker, or whether it is one of the poles of a multipolar circuit breaker.

In general, such a circuit breaker comprises, in a housing, a first contact, which is fixed, a second contact, which is movably mounted between a latching position and a tripping position, and which is biased towards the latter by an opening spring, an engagement and trigger handle, which is movably mounted between an engagement position and a trigger position, and which is biased towards this trigger position by a return spring , a locking mechanism, which is established between the engagement and trigger handle and the housing, and which is capable of disengageably holding said engagement and trigger handle in the engagement position, a hooking mechanism , which is established between the latching and tripping lever and the movable contact, and which comprises two latching members capable of engaging disengageably one with the other for maintaining the movable contact in the latching position, and at least one triggering member, magnetic and / or thermal.

In the event of a fault, the triggering device in question causes the breakage of the latching mechanism, that is to say the release, relative to each other, of the latching members that this mechanism, and this results in the release of the movable contact, which, under the stress of its spring opening, then passes from its engagement position to its trigger position.

Usually, to date, the fastening members at which the breaking of the fastening mechanism is made up of specific parts, having by themselves no direct action on the movable contact.

This is the case, for example, in the French patent application filed on March 22, 1978 under No. 78 08263, in which one of the attachment members is constituted by a ball, which moreover belongs to the mechanism of locking, while the other is constituted by a pawl on which carries the opening spring.

Although this arrangement has given and is still satisfactory, it involves the intervention of a particular part, in this case the pawl, between the latching mechanism and the movable contact.

However, one of the problems to be solved in the production of a circuit breaker is the obtaining, under a determined volume, of high performance, and in particular of a high breaking capacity, and, for obtaining high performance, requires, among other things, that the opening of the moving contact can be done very quickly, lé ^- time between the occurrence of a default and the full opening of the moving contact to be in practice in addition to the order of a thousandth of a second.

to best reduce this opening time, it is usually proposed to combine the simple opening action described above, which involves the intervention of the latching mechanism and the opening spring, a complementary action of tearing, which involves the intervention of an additional acceleration mechanism, and which develops its effects after those of the opening action or simultaneously with these, using in all cases the very energy of the defect .

In practice, such an acceleration mechanism is usually formed by an electromagnetic circuit traversed by the current to be controlled, the same one which moreover constitutes an electromagnetic triggering member.

Although this provision has given and still gives it Also satisfactory, it has drawbacks, and in particular that of increasing the number of parts to be used, and, jointly, the overall mass to be moved.

In addition, it requires, for the realization of the electromagnetic circuit, the implementation of a coil, with the welds that this implies, even when such a coil would not otherwise be strictly necessary for the constitution of the triggering member. magnetic.

The present invention generally relates to a provision allowing, at equal or even higher performance, to overcome if desired the implementation of an acceleration mechanism, and also having other advantages.

More specifically, it relates to a circuit breaker of the kind mentioned above and characterized in that one of the attachment members of its attachment mechanism is an integral part of the opening spring of the movable contact.

According to a preferred embodiment, this opening spring is a torsion spring, one of the end branches of which is engaged with a fixed stop fixed to the housing, and which constitutes a fastening member by the other of its end branches.

Anyway, according to the invention, one of the attachment members is constituted by a part, namely the opening spring, capable by itself of acting directly on the movable contact, without other intermediary .

This results in a double advantage.

First of all, by eliminating the dead time due to any intermediary, ratchet or other, necessary to compensate for the inevitable manufacturing and / or mounting tolerances thereof, the opening time of the movable contact is advantageously reduced ; as soon as the latching mechanism has broken and the end branch forming the latching member of the opening spring of the movable contact is thus released, this opening spring immediately causes the starting of the movable contact, without a any catch-up.

The mass of this end branch forming a hooking member, and therefore its moment of inertia, are so reduced that they practically do not intervene in the movement of the movable contact and that they therefore introduce no delay. at the start of it.

Photographic examination by ultra-fast camera of the triggering process also shows that the bending of which is the object in the engagement position, this end branch forming a hooking member for the opening spring, in particular to ensure the corresponding contact pressure, is recovered, this end branch then returning to its initial rectilinear configuration of rest, only after the movable contact has passed into the tripping position, and in any case only after the arc which started when the moving contact was triggered and the fixed contact left the moving contact.

It should be emphasized that this first advantage of short response time is preserved despite the inevitable wear of the movable contact, the end branch forming a hooking member for the opening spring. Automatically ensuring that this wear is caught up, at the price a minimal loss for the corresponding contact pressure.

But the elimination of any intermediate member between the latching mechanism and the movable contact has another advantage, which is, the conditions being equal, a reduction in the number of parts used.

Besides the economy, not negligible; manufacturing and mounting which results, the performance of the circuit breaker is further improved, for the following two reasons.

First of all, the overall mass of the parts to be moved when triggered is reduced, the speed of movement of this mass, at equal energy, is increased, and therefore, reduces the opening time accordingly of the mobile contact.

In addition, the conditions being equal, space is advantageously freed up, which is set aside. profit to increase the importance given to the arc extinguishing chamber usually arranged at the contact points for absorption of the arc arising between them on tripping, and, as is known, the breaking capacity depends, in particular, on the dimensions of this room.

Thus, according to the invention, the elimination of dead times on triggering, the reduction of the masses to be set in motion during such a triggering, and the increase in the dimensions of the arc extinguishing chamber, resulting from the arrangement described above, as well as others which will be explained in detail later, such as the implementation of a relatively small mobile contact, the removal, for the service of this mobile contact, of any braid capable of hamper the movement, and the implementation, for the constitution of the opening spring, of a torsion spring, the median torsion part of which extends transversely, with minimal bulk, is advantageously concentrated around the pivoting axis of the movable contact, combine to obtain high performance, and, in particular, a high breaking capacity.

• la figure 1 est une vue en élévation-coupe, avec arrachements locaux, d'un disjoncteur suivant l'invention, dont une partie du boîtier a été supposée retirée ;
• la figure 2 reprend, à échelle supérieure, le détail de ce disjoncteur repéré par un encart II sur la figure 1, pour la position d'enclenchement de l'ensemble ;
• les figures 3, 4, 5, 6 et 7 en sont des vues partielles en coupe, suivant respectivement les lignes, rectilignes ou brisées III-III, IV-IV, V-V, VI-VI et VII-VII de la figure 2 :
• la figure 8 en est, à échelle supérieure, une autre vue partielle en coupe suivant la ligne VIII-VIII de la figure 2;
• la figure 9 reprend, à échelle supérieure, le détail de la figure 2 repéré par un encart IX sur celle-ci, et illustre le verrouillage de la manette d'enclencenient et de déclenchement que comporte le disjoncteur suivant l'invention ;
• la figure 10 est une vue analogue à celle de la figure 9 et illustre un déverrouillage ;
• les figures 11 et 12 reprennent chacune pour partie la figure 1 et se rapportent chacune respectivement à diverses phases possibles de fonctionnement du disjoncteur suivant l'invention ;
• la figure 13 est une vue schématique reprenant également pour partie la figure 1 et se rapportant à l'adaptation du disjoncteur suivant l'invention à la constitution d'un pôle de disjoncteur multipolaire ;
• la figure 14 est une vue transversale en coupe schématique, suivant la ligne XIV-XIV de la figure 13, illustrant un tel disjoncteur multipolaire.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is an elevational sectional view, with parts cut away, of a circuit breaker according to the invention, from which a part of the housing has been assumed to be removed;
• Figure 2 shows, on a larger scale, the detail of this circuit breaker identified by an insert II in Figure 1, for the latching position of the assembly;
• FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are partial sectional views thereof, respectively following the straight or broken lines III-III, IV-IV, VV, VI-VI and VII-VII of FIG. 2:
• Figure 8 is, on a larger scale, another partial view in section along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 2;
• Figure 9 shows, on a larger scale, the detail of Figure 2 identified by an insert IX thereon, and illustrates the locking of the trigger and trigger lever ment that includes the circuit breaker according to the invention;
• Figure 10 is a view similar to that of Figure 9 and illustrates an unlocking;
• Figures 11 and 12 each partially repeat Figure 1 and each relate respectively to various possible phases of operation of the circuit breaker according to the invention;
• Figure 13 is a schematic view also partly showing Figure 1 and relating to the adaptation of the circuit breaker according to the invention to the constitution of a multipole circuit breaker pole;
• Figure 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view, along the line XIV-XIV of Figure 13, illustrating such a multipole circuit breaker.

These figures illustrate the application of the invention to the production of a modular type circuit breaker, in the form of a plate having in elevation an omega configuration.

Such a circuit breaker generally comprises a case 10.

In the embodiment shown, this box is formed of two shells 11, 11 ′ of unequal importance which are suitably faced with one another, and which are suitably connected to each other by screws or rivets in place thanks to.passages 12.

In Figures 1, 2, 11 and 12; only is visible to the shell 11, the shell 11 'being assumed to be removed.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the shoemaker 10 forms, at its lower part, a fixing sole 13 adapted, in cooperation with an elastic claw 14, to allow attachment thereof to a rail of the type known as a hat 15, as shown schematically in broken lines in Figure 1.

These arrangements being well known in themselves, and not forming part of the present invention, they will not be described in more detail here.

The housing 10 laterally contains two connection terminals 16A, 16B, which are accessible from the outside.

In a manner known per se, each of these connection terminals consists of a bracket 17A, 17B, engaged in sliding on a metal strip 18A, 18B, and a screw 19A, 19 _B , engaged in screwing on said bracket.

Internally, the housing 10 contains a first contact 20A, which is fixed, and which, in the embodiment shown, is formed by an extension of the metal strip 1 ₈ A of the connection terminal 16A, this extension locally carrying this effect a contact pad 21, and, in relation to the latter, a second contact 20B, which is mounted movably between an engagement position, FIGS. 1 and 2, for which it is in abutment against the fixed contact 20A, and a tripping position, FIGS. 11 and 12, for which it is remote from the fixed contact 20A.

As will be noted, the movable contact 20 _B is of relatively small dimensions.

In practice, in the illustrated embodiment, the movable contact 20B is rotatably mounted on a support pin 23, which extends transversely in the housing 10, and which, according to one aspect of the invention, is conductive, for electrical connection between this movable contact 20B and the corresponding connection terminal 16B.

At one of its ends, this support pin 23 is engaged in a retaining flange 24, and, at the other of its ends, it is in continuity with a bent bracket 25, the assembly being formed from a section of round wire suitably bent.

On the end of the bracket 25 is fixed, for example by welding, to one end of a bimetallic strip 2 ₆ which extends longitudinally in the housing 10, one of the connection terminals 16A, 16B to the other, and which, at its other end, is fixed, for example by welding, to a wing 27, folded square for this purpose, of the metal strip 18B of the connection terminal 16B.

Thus, the electrical connection between this connection terminal and the movable contact 20B is made successively through the metal strip 1 _8B , the bimetallic strip 2 ₆ , and the section of round wire constituting the bracket 25 and the support axis 23, without any braid capable of hampering the movement of this movable contact 20B.

In addition, as will be noted, the bimetal-2 ₆ , which forms a thermal trigger member, is fixed at each of its ends, in the manner of a recessed beam.

The movable contact 20B is biased towards its tripping position by an opening spring 29.

This is a torsion spring, one end branch 30 of which is engaged with a fixed stop 31 formed by a tab of the flange 24, and the other end branch 32 of which is slightly bent, and whose the role will appear below, is free.

The central torsional part 33 of the opening spring 29 extends generally around the support axis 23 of the movable contact 20B, and the mass of this spring 29 is thus essentially concentrated in the vicinity of this support axis.

--In practice, in the embodiment shown, the middle torsion 33 of the opening spring 29 is split-into two portions.s, namely a first portion 34, which is the largest, and which s 'extends from a first side of the movable contact 20B, in continuity with the fixed end branch 30 of this opening spring 29, and a second portion 34', which is the least important, and which extends from the 'other side of the movable contact 20B, in. continuity with the free end branch 32 of said opening spring 29.

These two portions 34, 34 ′ are connected in continuity with each other by a cross member 35 which is engaged transversely in a notch 36 of the movable contact 20 _B , and which, bearing on one and the other the sides of this notch 36 is capable of acting on the movable contact 20B for one and the other of the directions of rotation thereof.

In practice, the second portion 34 'of the central torsion part 33 of the opening spring 29, that which is in continuity with the free end branch 32 of this spring, is reduced to a fraction of a turn, half of turns for example, as shown.

The housing 10 also contains an interlocking and tripping lever 37 which is mounted therein movable between a latching position, FIGS. 1 and 2, and a tripping position, FIG. 11.

In the embodiment shown, this interlocking and triggering lever 37 forms a slide with linear displacement, which is mounted movable longitudinally in the housing 10, from one of the connection terminals 16A, 16B to the other.

This slide, which is hollow, and generally forms a box open laterally and at each of its ends, is engaged on the bimetallic strip 26, at a distance from the latter.

It has a sole 38 and a cover 39, which extend parallel to one another, and which are connected to each other by a lateral flange 40.

On the surface, the cover 39 carries a gripping projection 41, which is accessible from the outside of the housing 10, through a passage 44 provided for this purpose therein.

The engagement and trigger lever 37 thus formed is biased towards its trigger position by a return spring 42; it is, in the embodiment shown, a torsion spring, the branches of which are symmetrical to each other, are each respectively in engagement, one with the metal strip 18 _B of the connection terminal 16B, by virtue of a drilling thereof, the other with the engagement and tripping lever 37, also by virtue of a drilling thereof, FIG. 7, and of which installation can thus be easily ensured, either manually or automatically.

With this interlocking and tripping lever 37 is associated a locking mechanism 43, which is established between it and the housing 10, and which is capable of holding it disengageably in the engaged position.

In the embodiment shown, this locking mechanism 43 comprises a free rolling member 45, which consists of a single roller extending transversely in the housing 10, and which is capable of cooperating in locking with a notch 47 with oblique sides formed transversely to the surface of an intermediate floor 46 of this housing 10, integral, in the embodiment shown, with the shell 11 'thereof.

This roller 45 is disposed between two shoulders 48, 49 of the engagement and trigger lever 37, formed by means of a slot affecting the sole 38 of the latter.

In addition to the thermal trigger member that constitutes the bimetallic strip 26, the housing 10 contains another trigger member, which is an electromagnetic trigger member, and which, in the usual manner, is formed by a cylinder head 50 and a pallet 51 pivotally mounted with respect to this cylinder head.

According to one aspect of the invention, the cylinder head 50 and the pallet 51 are housed inside the engagement and trigger lever 37 and are carried by the latter, so that this engagement and trigger lever 37, this cylinder head 50, and this pallet 51 belong jointly to the same mobile assembly.

The cylinder head 50 forms longitudinally a gutter, by which it is engaged on the bimetallic strip 26, at a distance from the latter, on the side of this bil _# me opposite to the flange 40 of the interlocking and tripping lever 37.

Thus, a single conductor passage through the yoke 50 is provided, and the conductor providing this passage is very simply formed by the bimetallic strip 26 also forming the thermal trigger member.

The pallet 51 is arranged on the other side of the bimetallic strip 26 vis-à-vis the cylinder head 50, and therefore extends between this bimetallic strip 26 and the flange 40 of the engagement and tripping lever 37.

According to the invention, interlocking means are provided between the cylinder head 50 and the pallet 51.

To this end, in the exemplary embodiment, the cylinder head 50 and the armature 51 each have, facing each other, a pair of lugs 53, 54, and the interlocking means in question comprise, for each pair of legs 53, 54, a pin 55 which is carried projecting by one of them and which is engaged in a bowl or a hole 56 on the other.

In the embodiment shown, the pins 55 thus provided are projecting from the pallet 51 and are formed by simple local stamping thereof; vice versa, these pins 55 can be formed on the cylinder head 50.

The interlocking means thus formed have a double function: on the one hand they provide a pivoting mounting of the pallet 51 with respect to the cylinder head 50, perpendicular to the axis of the central torsion part 33 of the spring opening 29, and on the other hand they couple this cylinder head 50 and this pallet 51 longitudinally to one another.

Longitudinally, the bolt 50 and the pallet 51 are free from any connection with the engagement and trigger lever 37, their tabs 53, 54 being engaged, with, longitudinally, a large clearance, either in a buttonhole or in a notch of the sole 38 of this interlocking and tripping lever 37, and their possible connection with the interlocking and tripping lever 37 being effected by means of the roller 45, as will be detailed later.

Transversally, the cylinder head 50 is fixed with respect to the engagement and disengagement lever 37.

However, for adjusting the air gap between the pallet 51 and the cylinder head 50, the latter is preferably, as shown, adjustable in position.

In practice, as shown, the cylinder head 50 is subjected to a retaining spring 58 which applies it against an adjustable stop 39, and the latter is formed by a screw which is engaged in screwing in a threaded bore 60 of the flange 40 of the interlocking and tripping lever 37 and which crosses with clearance a notch 61 provided for this purpose in the pallet 51, Figures 2, 3 and 7.

The retaining spring 58 of the cylinder head 50 is constituted by a pin spring which, by its median zone, bears on a boss 62 of the engagement and tripping lever 37, and which, by one of its wings , relates to the cylinder head 50.

By the other of its wings, this same spring 58 bears on the pallet 51, FIG. 7, and constitutes for the latter a biasing spring urging this pallet 51 in the direction of a determined position, specified below.

Thus, the biasing spring of this pallet 51 is in one piece with the cylinder head retaining spring 50.

for possible intervention of the bimetallic strip 26, the pallet 51 carries transversely, beyond the latching and tripping lever, a screw 63, the barrel 64 of which is engaged in screwing in an insulating sleeve ₆ 5 itself force-fitted in a passage 66 of the pallet 51, and the head 68 of which is disposed beyond the bimetallic strip 26 vis-à-vis the pallet 51 and is interposed on the deformation path of this bimetallic strip 26 when the latter is the 'subject to heating.

The sleeve-65 avoids any short-circuit and also serves as a brake for the screw 63, whose screwing or unscrewing allows the adjustment of the thermal tripping threshold.

for cooperation. with the roller 45, the cylinder head 50 comprises an oblique ramp 70. formed by means of a notch 71 of this cylinder head, this ramp 70 being disposed on the side of this notch 71 furthest from the movable contact 20B.

Similarly, the pallet 51 has a notch 72 in which it spans game with the roller 4 _{of 5,} but none of the flanks or sides of this recess is intended to cooperate with the latter.

The housing 10 also contains a latching mechanism, which is established between the latching and tripping lever 37 and the movable contact 20B, and which comprises two latching members capable of engaging disengageably, one with the other to maintain this movable contact 20 _B in the latching position.

According to the invention, one of these attachment members forms an integral part of the opening spring 29 of the movable contact 20B.

In practice, this is the free end branch 32 of this opening spring 29.

The other hooking member is constituted by a lug ₇ 4 which is carried transversely projecting from the pallet 51, at the end of a lug 69 already carrying the screw 63.

This lug is in practice formed by a small needle of hard and smooth steel forcibly engaged in a passage 75 of the tab 69 in question.

Anyway, the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29 is, at its free end, engaged in a guide groove 76.

In the embodiment shown, this guide groove is formed in the engagement and trigger handle 37, on the underside of the cover 39 thereof.

Transversally, the position of this end-free branch 32 forming an attachment member is well determined, and it is through this that the determined position of the pallet 51 is defined in the direction of which this pallet 51 is permanently biased by spring 58.

- _I n association with its lug 74, the pallet 51 has, at the end of its leg--76, an inclined ramp reset 78, Figures 2, 7 and 8, whose function will appear later. Finally, the housing 10 comprises, in line with the fixed and mobile contacts 20A, 20B, an arc extinguishing chamber 79; usually, it is equipped with a plurality of deionization plates 80, one of the end plates forming an arc horn 81A and is in connection with the metal strip 1 ₈ A of the connection terminal 16A, while that the other of said end plates forms an arc horn 81B and is in continuity with the flange 24 in which is engaged the support axis 23 of the movable contact 20B.

As will be noted in the drawings, the dimensions of this arc extinguishing chamber 79 are particularly large, this essentially occupying the internal volume of the housing 10.

For the latching position of the assembly, the end branch forming an attachment member 32 of the opening spring 29 of the movable contact 20B is engaged with the lug ₇₄ of the pallet 51, the roller 45 of g _e verrouilla- mechanism is engaged in the notch 47 of the housing 10, the cylinder head ₅₀ covers the roll 45 by the inclined ramp 70 of the notch 71, and, together, the engagement and release lever 37 also carries on this roller 45 by its shoulder 48, FIGS. 1 to 9.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the roller 45 is then subjected to a double stress, one due to the cylinder head 50, the other due to the engagement and trigger lever 37.

Indeed, by the lug 74, the opening spring 29 acts on the pallet 51, according to the arrow F of FIG. 2, and, by the pins 55, this acts, in the same direction, on the cylinder head 50.

This cylinder head 50 being in contact with the roller 45 by its inclined ramp 70, this results, at this level, in the application to the roller 45 of a force F1 of horizontal component _F 'l and of vertical component F "1, FIG. 9 .

Jointly, due to its return spring 42, the. engagement and release lever 37 is subjected to stress in the direction of arrow F in FIG. 2.

This interlocking and tripping lever 37 being in contact with the roller 45 by its shoulder 48, this results, at this level, in applying to the roller 45 a horizontal force F2, FIG. 9.

Assumed to be brought back to the center of a cross section of the roller 45, the forces F1 and F2 combine their effects in a common result R ₁ .

The choice of the force of the opening spring 29 and of the return spring 42, on the one hand, and of the slope of the inclined ramp 70 on the other hand, is such that, for the engagement position concerned, the resulting R enters the locking notch 47.

In other words, in FIG. 9, this resultant R ₁ is located below the edge A of this locking notch 47 against which the roller 45 rests.

It is therefore held in the lock notch lage 47, and it temporarily locks in the latching position on the one hand the cylinder head 50, and by it the pallet 51, the opening spring 29 and the movable contact 20B, and on the other hand the lever switching on and off 37.

for this locking position of the assembly; the opening spring 29 assumes, in addition to the attachment and the locking described above, a double function: on the one hand, urging by its cross-member 35 the movable contact 20B according to arrow F4 in FIG. 2, it maintains this movable contact 20B against the fixed contact 20A, with all the necessary contact pressure, and on the other hand, it jointly maintains the movable contact 20 _B in contact with its support pin 23, for good electrical contact between these two members .

It will now be assumed that, by an action on the switching on and off lever 37 according to arrow _F in FIG. 2, the circuit breaker is commanded to trip.

This action results in the application to the interlocking and tripping lever 37 of a horizontal force F3, which, by the shoulder 48 of the interlocking and tripping lever 37, is reflected on the roller 45 and adds its effects to the forces F'1 and F2 above, figure 10.

This results in a straightening of the corresponding resultant R2 with respect to the horizontal.

As soon as the force F3 is sufficient, this resultant _R 2 escapes the locking notch 47.

In other words, it then passes over the edge A against which the roller 45 is in contact, as shown in FIG. 10.

The roller 45 is therefore no longer held in the locking notch 47: by displacement along the inclined ramp 70 of the cylinder head 50, it escapes this locking notch 47 and releases the movable assembly formed jointly by the engagement and release lever 37, the cylinder head 50 and the pallet 51, and therefore the opening spring 29.

This opening spring 29, on the one hand, by action of its cross member 35 on the movable contact 20B, in a direction of rotation opposite to that indicated by the arrow F4, causes the movable contact 20B to pass from its previous engagement position to its tripping position, FIG. 11, and, further part, by its free end branch 32, to which the return spring 42 adds its effects, it also causes the moving equipment formed by the engagement and trigger lever 37, the cylinder head, to go into the release position 50 and the pallet 51.

The return to the latching position is done by moving the latching and tripping lever 37 in the opposite direction, according to arrow F5 in FIG. 11.

During this movement, the engagement and trigger lever 37 indeed drives the roller 45, which in turn drives the cylinder head 50, and therefore the pallet 51, the latter being engaged with the cylinder head 50 by its pins 55.

During the movement which thus results for it, the pallet 51, by the lug 74 which it carries, itself drives the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29.

This results in the application to the movable contact 20B, via the cross-member 35 of the opening spring 29, of a stress in rotation along the arrow F4 in FIG. 2, in the direction of the fixed contact 20A.

The movement of the engagement and release lever 37 is continued until the roller 45 arriving at the right of the locking notch 47, FIG. 2, enters this locking notch 47, and remains blocked there, as as described above with reference to Figure 9, thereby again ensuring the disengageable locking of the assembly in the engaged position.

In practice, the movable contact 20B has come into contact with the fixed contact 20A before the roller 45 enters the locking notch 47.

The last portion of movement of the latching lever and trigger March ₇ therefore causes a bending of the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29, combined with a torsion of the portion 34 'of the central torsion part 34 of this spring which is in continuity with this free end branch 32.

From this bending and from this torsion results the penetration force desirable for engagement between the movable contact 20B and the fixed contact 20A.

Thus, from this point of view, the opening spring 29 still assumes a double function, of penetration and contact pressure.

In service, when the current passing through the circuit breaker from one of its connection terminals 16A, 16 _B to the other exceeds a preset value, or magnetic tripping current, the cylinder head 50 attracts the pallet 51.

The latter, which is engaged with the cylinder head 50 by its pins 55, therefore pivots about a pivot axis which extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of the central torsion part 34 of the opening spring 29 .

During this pivoting, the lug 74, carried by the pallet 51, and don.c driven by it, comes to escape the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29, the latter being unable to be driven by this lug 74 since it is engaged with the transversely fixed guide groove 76.

As soon as its free end branch 32 is released, the opening spring 29, through its cross-member 35, and under the effects of the portion 34 of its median torsional part 33, applies a bias to the movable contact 20 _B opposite direction to that of arrow F4 in Figure 2, which leads this movable contact 20B to immediately leave the fixed contact 20A.

Thus, according to a major characteristic of the invention, from the break of the coupling between the two coupling members which constitute, on the one hand the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29, and on the other apart from the lug 74 carried by the pallet 51, this opening spring 29 causes without delay or delay the starting of the movable contact 20B in the direction of its tripping position, FIG. 12.

The return spring 42 associated with the interlocking and triggering lever 37, which is then the only one acting on it, causes the unlocking of the mobile assembly in the constitution of which it participates, the roller 45 not being more subject to the sole force F2 resulting from this return spring and this compelling it to escape the locking notch 47.

Under the bias of the return spring 42, this movable assembly therefore returns to the latching position, FIG. 11.

During this return, the inclined ramp 78 of the pallet 51 comes into contact against the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29, previously returned, for its part, to its engaged position, which momentarily constrains the pallet 51 to pivot in the direction of the cylinder head 50, against the spring 58, for crossing by the lug 74 of this free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29.

After such a crossing, which allows resetting of the circuit breaker, the spring 58 brings the pallet 51 back to its determined rest position, for which it bears against the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29.

The circuit breaker can therefore be reset, using the engagement and tripping lever 37, according to the process described above.

Thus, during a magnetic release, the opening spring 29, which previously ensured the attachment, has the function of developing the opening force necessary for the passage of the movable contact 20B from its latching position to its position of trigger.

As it is easy to understand, the adjustment of the threshold, or magnetic trigger current, in which this magnetic trigger intervenes, is done by action on the screw 59 which determines the position of the yoke 50 of the magnetic trigger member corresponding.

Indeed, by adjusting this position, the air gap between this cylinder head 50 and the pallet 51 is adjusted, the rest position of the latter being also determined by the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29 and by the spring 58, as described above.

According to the invention, the adjustment of the circuit breaker rating is therefore done by simply varying the air gap of its magnetic trip member, which allows with the same parts, very simply to produce a full range of circuit breakers of different ratings, in a range which can easily extend, for example from 10 to 40 amps.

Note that this setting is reversible.

When the current passing through the circuit breaker from one of its connection terminals 16A, 16 _B to the other, moreover exceeds another preset value, the deflection, between its fixed ends, of the bimetallic strip 26, which is crossed by this current and heated accordingly, is sufficient for this bimetal February ₆ comes to act on the head 68 of the screw 64 carried by the pallet 51.

Then causing this pallet 51, the bimetallic strip 26 causes the breaking of the attachment previously assured between the lug ₇ 4 of this pallet 51 and the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29, and therefore, according to the process described above, the transition to the tripping position of the assembly.

The setting of the threshold value, or thermal trip current. corresponding, is carried out by acting on the screw 64, to allow the variation of desirable distances between the head 68 of this screw and the bimetallic strip 26.

It should be noted that, as for setting the magnetic trip current, this setting of the thermal trip current is reversible.

In the above, the circuit breaker concerned has been assumed to be monopolar.

However, several circuit breakers can be associated with each other, for the constitution of poles of a multipole assembly.

for example, in figure 14, two poles are thus provided, it being understood that this number can be greater and for example ple equal to three or four.

Each of the poles of the multipole circuit breaker thus formed is similar to that described above.

But, on the one hand, each of these poles further comprises, longitudinally, a zipper 99, and, on the other hand, transversely, it is associated with them,. As a whole, a common slide 100.

In Figure 14, and for better clarity thereof, only have been shown, for the most part, this slide 100 and the pull tab 99 of each of the poles concerned, as well as, schematically, the parts with which they cooperate. namely, for each of said poles, the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29, with regard to the pull bar 99, and the pallet 51, with regard to the slide 100.

It is the same in Figure 13, in which, however, are schematically indicated the engagement and trigger lever 37, the locking roller 45, the fixed contact 20A and the movable contact 20B. _-

For each pole concerned, the pull tab 99 has two shoulders 101, 102 by which it frames the free end branch 32, forming a member for hooking the opening spring 29, and, at its other end, it carries a lug 103.

The slider 100, which extends transversely from poles to poles by crossing the housings 10 thereof by means of windows 105 provided for this purpose therein, has, for each of these poles, on two opposite edges, two inclined ramps, one, 106, for action of the lug 103 of the corresponding pull tab 99, the other, 107, for action on the pallet 51 of this pole.

As is easy to understand, in the event of thermal or magnetic tripping of any of the poles concerned, the free end branch 32 of the opening spring 29 thereof comes, after an idle stroke necessary to prevent the opening of its movable contact from being slowed down, wear on the shoulder 102 of the zipper-99 of this pole, and therefore causes it to move along arrow F7 in FIG. 13.

by its lug 103, this zipper 99 in turn comes to bear on the corresponding inclined ramp 106 of the slide 100, which causes the displacement thereof according to arrow 8 in FIG. 14.

by these ramps 107, the slide 100 then acts on the pallets 51 of the set of poles and therefore causes the tripping of those which are still in the latching position.

When reclosing, which is done as previously by action on the interlocking and tripping levers 3 ₇ , these being coupled in the usual manner by a cross member 110, each opening spring 29 causes, by its free end branch 32, which comes to bear on the shoulder 101 of the corresponding pull tab 99, the return to its initial position, and the pallets 51 also cause, by action on the inclined ramps 107 of the slide 100, the return to the initial position of this one.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown, but encompasses any variant.

In particular, although, advantageously, in the embodiment described, the bimetallic strip constitutes the conductor passing through the electromagnetic tripping member, another conductor may be substituted for it, in particular when several passages of such a conductor are necessary.

In addition, instead of this bimetallic strip constituting directly by itself the conductor of the thermal trip member subjected to heating, it may be substituted for it a calibrated conductor indirectly heating such a bimetallic strip.

In all cases, the opening spring advantageously ensures by itself, as will have been noted, a multiplicity of functions, and, in particular, by its elastic branch of bending, the elastic return of the member d 'hooking that constitutes this branch, and the opening of the movable contact.

Claims (19)

1. Circuit breaker, of the type comprising, in a housing (10), a first contact (20A), which is fixed, a second contact (20 _B ), which is mounted movably between a latching position and a tripping position, and which is biased in the direction of this triggering position by an opening spring (29), an engagement and trigger lever (37), which is mounted to move between an engagement position and a trigger position, and which is biased towards this triggering position by a return spring (42), a locking mechanism (43), which is established between the engagement and trigger lever (37) and the housing (10), and which is capable of disengageably holding in the engagement position said engagement and release handle (37), a latching mechanism, which is established between the engagement and release handle (37) and the movable contact (20B), and which comprises two hooking members (32,74) capable of engaging disengageably with each other to maintain the movable contact (20B) in the latching position, and at least one triggering member, which is capable of causing the release l relative to one another of said hooking members (32,74) and, thereby, the release of the movable contact (20 _B ), for passage of the latter from its latching position to its tripping position , characterized in that one (32) of the hooking members of the hooking mechanism forms an integral part of the opening spring (29) of the movable contact (20B). 2. A circuit breaker according to claim 1, in which the opening spring (29) is a torsion spring one of which (30) of the end branches is engaged with a fixed stop (31) integral with the housing (10), characterized in that this torsion spring (29) constitutes a fastening member by the other (32) of its end branches. 3. Circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that the end branch forming hooking member (32) of the torsion spring (29) is engaged in a guide groove (76). 4. Circuit breaker according to claim 3, characterized in that said guide groove (76) is formed in the interlocking and tripping lever (37). 5. Circuit breaker according to claim 2, characterized in that the central torsion part (33) of the torsion spring (29) is divided into two portions, namely a first portion (34), which extends from a first side of the movable contact (20B) ₁ in continuity with the fixed end branch (30) of said torsion spring (29), and a second portion (34 '), which extends on the other side of the movable contact ( 20B) in continuity with the branch forming an attachment member (32) of the torsion spring, said first and second portions (34, 34 ′) being connected in continuity with one another by a cross member (35) engaged transversely in a notch (36) of the movable contact (20B). 6. Circuit breaker according to claim 5, characterized in that said second portion (34 ') of the central torsion part (33) of the torsion spring (29) is reduced to a fraction of a turn. 7. A circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which an electromagnetic tripping member is provided, which comprises a yoke 50 traversed by at least one conductor passage and a pallet (51) pivotally mounted opposite. of said yoke (50), characterized in that the engagement and trigger lever (37), the yoke (50) of the electromagnetic trigger member, and the pallet (51) associated with it belong together the same mobile equipment. 8. A circuit breaker according to claim 7, wherein the pallet (51) of the electromagnetic tripping member carries the other (74) of the latching members of the latching mechanism, characterized in that the pivot axis of said pallet (51) extends perpendicular to the axis of the central torsion part (33) of the torsion spring forming the opening spring (29) of the movable contact (20A), and said pallet (51) carries transversely projecting a lug (74) by which it can engage with the end branch (32) forming an attachment member of said torsion spring (29). 9. Circuit breaker according to claim 8, characterized in that, in association with said lug (74), said pallet (51) has an inclined reset ramp (78). 10. Circuit breaker according to claim 8, characterized in that, for the pivoting mounting of the pallet (51) of the electromagnetic tripping member, interlocking means are provided between it and the cylinder head (50) to which it is associated, said fitting means comprising by ple at least one pin (55) projecting from the pallet (51) and engaged in a bowl (56) of the cylinder head (50), or vice versa. 11. Circuit breaker according to any one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that, for adjusting the air gap of the electromagnetic trip member, the yoke (50) of the latter is adjustable in position. 12. Circuit breaker according to claim 11, characterized in that said cylinder head (50) is subjected to a retaining spring (58) which applies it against an adjustable stop (59). 13. A circuit breaker according to claim 12, in which the pallet (51) is subjected to a polarization spring (58) which biases it in the direction of a determined position, characterized in that said polarization spring (58) is integral with the retaining spring (58) of the cylinder head (50). 14. Circuit breaker according to any one of claims 7 to 13, in which the engagement and tripping lever (37) forms a slide, characterized in that said slide (37) is hollow and thus generally forms a box, sheltered from which are arranged the yoke (50) and the pallet (51) of the electromagnetic trip member. 15. A circuit breaker according to any one of claims 7 to 14, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a rolling member (45), roller for example, which is disposed between two shoulders (48,49) of the interlocking lever and trigger (37), and which is adapted to cooperate in locking with a notch (47) of the housing (10) characterized in that the yoke (50) of the magnetic trigger member cooperates by an oblique ramp (70) with said rolling member (45). 16. Circuit breaker according to any one of claims 7 to 15, in which a thermal trip member, formed of a bimetallic strip (26), is provided, characterized in that the conductor passing through the cylinder head (50) of the electromagnetic trip member is constituted by the bimetallic strip (26) forming the thermal trip member. 17. Circuit breaker according to claim 16, characterized in that said bimetallic strip (26) is fixed to each of its ends. 18. Circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that, for a multipolar trip, it further comprises, on the one hand, longitudinally a pull tab (99), which, at one of its ends , has two shoulders (101, 102) by which it frames the branch forming an attachment member (32) of the torsion spring (29) and which at its other end carries a lug (103), and on the other hand, transversely, a slide (100), which extends from circuit breaker to circuit breaker, passing through the housings (10) thereof and which, for each of them comprises two inclined ramps (106,107), one for action of the lug (103) of the corresponding pull tab (99), the other for action on the pallet (51) of the corresponding electromagnetic trip member. 19. A circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 18, in which the movable contact (20B) is rotatably mounted on a support pin (23), characterized in that said support pin (23) is conductive, for connection electric between said movable contact (20B) and the corresponding connection terminal (163).

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