EP0089882B1 - Active-position removable latching device for a contactor - Google Patents

Description

• - une pièce d'accouplement qui est liée aux mouvements de l'organe mobile et se déplace entre une position inactive lorsque cet organe est au repos et une première position active lorsque cet organe est au travail ;
• - un premier levier de verrouillage qui est apte à osciller autour d'un pivot entre une position dégagée lorsque la pièce d'accouplement est dans sa position inactive et une position engagée qui lui est fournie par un ressort lorsque la pièce d'accouplement est dans sa position active ;
• - une surface d'appui sur laquelle vient s'appuyer une roulette placée à l'extrémité libre du dit premier lorsque celui-ci est en position engagée et de façon telle que le dit levier est placé en compression longitudinale ; et
• - un électro-aimant de déverrouillage dont un poussoir mobile coopère, lors de son excitation, avec le dit levier de verrouillage pour interrompre l'appui et lui donner sa position dégagée. Un dispositif du genre mentionné est décrit dans le document FR-A-2,353,945.

The invention relates to a removable device for locking in the working position a movable contactor member which is put in the rest position by a return spring and which closes the power contacts of the contactor, in the working position, this device comprising in a housing:

• - A coupling part which is linked to the movements of the movable member and moves between an inactive position when this member is at rest and a first active position when this member is at work;
• a first locking lever which is able to oscillate around a pivot between a released position when the coupling part is in its inactive position and an engaged position which is provided to it by a spring when the coupling part is in its active position;
• - A bearing surface on which rests a wheel placed at the free end of said first when the latter is in the engaged position and in such a way that said lever is placed in longitudinal compression; and
• - An unlocking electromagnet of which a movable pusher cooperates, during its excitation, with said locking lever to interrupt the support and give it its released position. A device of the kind mentioned is described in document FR-A-2,353,945.

These locking devices are used when it is desired to maintain, for example, a contactor in its working state without providing permanent excitation to the electromagnet which performs the closing of the contacts. They therefore make it possible to actuate said contactors using current pulses and therefore to save energy during the intervals separating two pulses.

Furthermore, these locking devices are very useful when it is desired to keep the memory of the state in which the switching apparatuses of an installation were at the time when an accidental interruption of the supply of their electromagnets appears. and, as such, they allow a new start of the installation under conditions identical to those it presented at the time of the failure; the implementation of these devices is particularly advantageous when it is necessary to ensure, after a breakdown, the immediate commissioning of the safety circuits that such an installation may include.

Any removable locking device which is mounted on a contactor must be able to maintain the switching elements of the latter in a working position for which the contact crushing is carried out in a suitable manner, i.e. that the pressure exerted between fixed and mobile contacts must be between close and well determined values. This condition, which is already difficult to comply with when these devices are mounted on contactors of the same type, due to the dispersion of the manufacturing dimensions, becomes practically impossible to observe if the same locking device must be able to adapt to devices of different types.

Such a difficulty appears in particular if the contactor devices have different armature strokes, as is the case in those whose coils are supplied with direct current and in those whose coils are supplied with alternating current.

It has therefore been proposed in the prior art the use of adjustment means which make it possible to give the rollers of a locking lever a suitable position relative to the surfaces with which they must cooperate. This solution has the drawback of requiring either an additional adjustment station on the assembly line, or the supply of two different types of locking device according to their subsequent destination.

The invention therefore proposes to provide a locking device corresponding to the general constitution mentioned above, which may be associated with switching devices having either relatively wide manufacturing tolerances or substantially working strokes different and on which it will not be necessary to carry out a systematic adaptation or adjustment during manufacture.

According to the invention, said locking device is characterized in that a second locking lever and a second bearing surface are placed in the same housing, so as to effect a second locking of the coupling part when the latter ci reaches a second active position close to the first, the same unlocking electromagnet being used to replace said first and second levers in the released position.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the detailed description below.

• La figure 1 représente, en élévation, une demi-coupe du dispositif de l'invention par un plan SS' de la figure 4 ;
• La figure 2 montre, en élévation, une pièce d'accouplement détachée de l'appareil ;
• La figure 3 montre une vue de côté en coupe partielle par le plan RR' de la figure 1 sans l'électro-aimant ;
• La figure 4 montre une vue de côté en coupe par le plan RR' de la figure 1 ;
• La figure 5 montre un détail de la figure 3 ;
• La figure 6 représente une vue analogue à celle de la figure 3, dans laquelle la pièce d'accouplement est légèrement modifiée ;
• La figure 7 illustre une vue de droite de l'électro-aimant représenté à la figure 4 ;
• La figure 8 représente, schématiquement, comment se fait l'association d'un appareil de l'invention avec un contacteur; et

Les figures 9 et 10 représentent deux variantes de réalisation du dispositif selon l'invention.In the accompanying drawings:

• Figure 1 shows, in elevation, a half-section of the device of the invention by a plane SS 'of Figure 4;
• Figure 2 shows, in elevation, a coupling part detached from the device;
• Figure 3 shows a side view in partial section through the plane RR 'of Figure 1 without the electromagnet;
• Figure 4 shows a side view in section through the plane RR 'of Figure 1;
• Figure 5 shows a detail of Figure 3;
• FIG. 6 represents a view similar to that of FIG. 3, in which the coupling part is slightly modified;
• Figure 7 illustrates a right view of the electromagnet shown in Figure 4;
• FIG. 8 schematically shows how an apparatus of the invention is associated with a contactor; and

Figures 9 and 10 show two alternative embodiments of the device according to the invention.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, visible in Figure 1, the locking device 1 comprises a housing 2 formed by assembling two half-housings 3 and 4 along a joint plane passing through XX '. Each half-housing has, on its internal surface, a guide means such as a groove 5, respectively 6, parallel to the plane of the figure, these two grooves being parallel and, externally, a hook 7, respectively 8, which forms , when the housing is assembled, a fixing claw for making the housing integral with a switching device, such as a contactor 9. Each half-housing further comprises a bore portion 10, respectively 11, these two portions coming in alignment when the half-housings are assembled.

A coupling piece 12 (see also Figure 2) which takes the form of a U having two opposite parallel branches 13, 14 and a common crosspiece 15, is arranged in the housing so as to slide in the plane of the figure 1 thanks to the guide provided to it when the branches are placed in the grooves 5, respectively 6.

The crosspiece 15 has an association member 16, for example having the shape of a T, which passes through a lower opening 17 of the housing to become integral with a movable member 18 of the contactor 9, causing the movement of the contacts of the latter , or carrying these contacts, and being integral with the armature of this contactor (see also Figure 8).

On one side of this cross member, opposite the association member, are arranged two bearing surfaces 19 and 20 (as can be seen better in Figure 2). These two surfaces, which are slightly inclined at an angle 8 relative to a plane perpendicular to that of Figure 2 (see also there Figure 5), are placed at two levels n _l , respectively n ₂ different, these levels being defined with respect to the direction F or G of the rectilinear movement of the coupling part.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the ends of a cylindrical rod 21 have been placed in the bores 10 and 11 to constitute a pivot shaft common to two levers 23, respectively 24, the pivots of which are 23a and 24a .

These levers each carry, at their respective free ends 25, 26, a caster 27, respectively 28. These levers are, moreover, subjected to elastic forces supplied by springs such as 23 ', respectively 24', which tend to their communicate rotational movements in the same direction a towards the coupling part to bring, as explained above, each roller in contact with a particular bearing surface (see FIG. 3 and 1).

When the movable member 18 of the contactor 9 is moved down the figure by its electromagnet, in the direction F, the coupling part which is associated with it performs an identical movement. When the contactor is at rest, the coupling piece 12 is in the inactive position 1 and the two levers are each in a disengaged position “D contained in the plane DD '(see also Figure 3). If the stroke achieved reaches a first value C ₁ , for which the part 12 reaches a first active position A _i , one of the rollers, that is to say the roller 28, which is opposite the surface of support 20, comes to rest on it to subsequently maintain it in the position A ₁ that it has just reached, the lever 24 then being in the engaged position. This surface 20 is that which is furthest from the pivot shaft 21.

If, for the reasons explained above, the stroke achieved reaches a second value C ₂ , greater than the first, the second lever 23 also takes a position engaged in the plane PP 'and the second roller 27 comes in turn s' press on the bearing surface 19, opposite, to keep it in the second active position A _{2 which} it has just reached in turn.

The staging of the bearing surfaces will be chosen as a function of the additional stroke separating C2 from Ci and in such a way that, for any stroke greater than or equal to C ₁ , the first roller 28 engages above the first surface 20 and that, for any stroke greater than or equal to C ₂ , the second caster 27 engages above the second surface 19, the first caster not being, in the latter case, used to lock the first surface.

Thus, for example, for any stroke between 4.8 and 5.5 mm, only the first caster will be engaged, while for any stroke greater than 5.5 mm (and for example between 5.5 mm and 6 mm), the first caster will first be engaged but will not lock, it will then be operated by the second caster whose locking will replace the action of the first beyond a 5.5 mm stroke. Furthermore, the angle B and the position of the pivot axis of the levers 21 will be chosen so that each lever and therefore each roller can pass from one side to the other of the plane PP 'passing substantially through this axis perpendicularly to the corresponding stop surface.

The orientation that a lever 23, 24 must take in a plane PP ′ to effectively block the coupling piece 12 can be obtained, either by cooperation of a roller such as 28 (see FIG. 4) with a surface of support, such as 29, carried by this part 12 is also by cooperation of a surface 30, carried by the lever 24 in the vicinity of the pivot 21, with a support surface 31 of the housing.

An electromagnet 32 intended to effect the remote locking of the levers comprises a carcass 33, on which is disposed a coil 34 connected to terminals such as 35 and inside which is a bore 36 possibly serving to guide a plunger core 37 movable along an axis YY 'perpendicular to the plane of movement of the coupling part. A U-shaped yoke, not shown, is provided to close the flow of the electromagnet. This carcass and this coil pass at the level of the coupling piece between the two levers, which saves space; the carcass has, in addition, an end 38 which is supported on a wall 39 of the housing so that its position, relative to the levers, is well defined in the direction YY '.

The carcass has cheeks, such as 40, which also cooperate with the half-housings so that its position is well defined in directions perpendicular to YY ′.

The plunger core 37 carries, outside the coil, a pusher 41 having two fingers 42, 43, parallel to YY 'which are placed opposite the two respective levers 23, 24 and an extension 44 which passes through a groove 45 of the housing 2 and / or the carcass; this extension has a manual actuation button 46 which makes it possible to carry out an operation of the plunger independently of the reel.

A weak return spring 47 gives this plunger core and this plunger a well-defined rest position by pressing the latter on a wall 48 of the housing, opposite to the wall 39; possibly one can dispense with using such a spring if the position of the housing allows gravity to exercise a similar role.

The abutment surfaces 19, 20 of the coupling part have been oriented in FIG. 5, at a certain angle p to facilitate the engagement of the rollers and to make the energy required for unlocking very low; such a measurement is not essential for the apparatus to function since surfaces 19 ′, 20 ′ (see FIG. 6), could also be placed perpendicular to their direction of movement F, G provided that the line A passing substantially by the pivot 21 and by the contact point 49 of the caster 27, 28, make, with this surface 19 '20', an angle (2) slightly greater than 90 °; in the latter case, the unlocking electromagnet 32 must supply energy greater than that which is necessary in the preceding case.

FIG. 7 shows how grooves 50, 51, placed in lateral cheeks 52, 53 of the coil casing 33, make it possible to guide ribs 54, 55 of the pusher 41 when the plunger core 37 is not guided in the bore 36. The two levers 23, 24 will preferably be identical.

In order to supply the coil 34 of the unlocking electromagnet 32 with a short-term current pulse, the internal circuit 56 comprises, in series (see FIG. 8), a switch 57 whose movable contact 58 is placed on the coupling part 12 (in particular in a window 60 of branch 14) so that the switch is closed when the contactor 9 moves, in direction F, this part 12 and open otherwise; a second terminal 35 terminates the internal supply circuit 56.

The operation of the device 1 begins when the contactor 9 is energized and when the coupling part is driven by the part 18 and against the action of a return spring 59 in the direction F by performing a stroke Ci and C ₂ .

As soon as the bearing surfaces 20 or 19 appear opposite the rollers 28 or respectively 27, after corresponding strokes, the locking lever 24 or, respectively, 23 holds the locking piece 24 or, respectively, 23 holds the piece coupling in an active position A such that pressure on the contactor contacts is ensured; if the electromagnet of the contactor is then de-energized, its armature retains practically the same position.

To open the contactor contacts, a current pulse is sent to the terminals 35, 35 'of the device 1 and excites the unlocking electromagnet 32 due to the closed state of the switch. 57.

The plunger movement causes percussion of the levers 23, 24 by the pusher 41, clockwise in FIG. 4 and, the bearing surfaces 19, 20 escaping from the rollers 27, 28, the return spring 59 of the armature or part 18 of the contactor 9 moves the coupling part 12 in direction G to give it an inactive position I in which the switch 57 is open.

The preferred embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7 can be applied to a mechanical arrangement, visible in FIG. 9, which does not have the same advantages.

In this second embodiment 1 ", levers 23", 24 ", are pivoted at 21" on a coupling piece 12 ", while the bearing surfaces 19", 20 "are carried by the upper region d 'a 2 "enclosure.

Although the operation here is analogous to that of the first embodiment, the fact of placing the bearing surfaces and the free ends of the levers in the upper region of the 2 "housing, on the one hand, locally reduces the volume which must be left at the connection terminals and on the other hand, makes it more difficult to mount the return springs of these levers.

In a third embodiment of the invention, visible in FIG. 10, two levers 23 "', 24"', which are pivoted on the same axis 21 "'in a housing 2"', have lengths m _j and _M2 different, while the bearing surfaces 19 "', 20"', which are placed on a coupling piece 12 "', are in the same plane VV'; here again, the operation is the same as in the two previous cases, namely that the two levers engage, one after the other, against the bearing surfaces to effect locking when the coupling piece performs strokes of different amplitudes.

It is clear that identical results could be obtained by combining the different measures described above; this is how that one could use, either at the same time levers of different lengths and distinct bearing surfaces, or again bearing surfaces placed in the same plane and levers of the same lengths whose pivot axes would be offset by so as to present their respective roulette at two distinct levels. Solutions in which the levers have the same lengths are however preferable due to the fact that only one type of lever can be used for the production of the device.

Finally, in a fourth embodiment, which is not shown but whose constitution becomes obvious to those skilled in the art, it is also possible to use a first lever carried by the coupling part and able to cooperate with a bearing surface placed in the housing, and a second lever pivoted in the housing and able to cooperate with a bearing surface placed on the coupling part.

Claims (10)

1. A mobile device for locking in the « ON position of a mobile contactor (9) component (18) which is turned to the « OFF » position by a return spring (59) and which closes the power contacts of the contactor (9) in the « ON » position, the said device comprising in a box (2) :

- a coupling piece (12) which is associated with the movements of the mobile component (18) and moves between an inactive position (1) when the component (18) is off and a first active position (A₁) when said component (18) is on :

- a first locking lever (24) which is able to oscillate around a pivot (21) between a released position, when the coupling piece (12) is in its inactive position and an engaged position which is imparted to it by a spring (24') when the coupling piece (12) is in its active position ; - a thrust surface (20) on which bears a roller (28) placed at the free end (26) of the said first lever (24) when the lever is engaged so that said first lever (24) is under longitudinal compression ; and

- an unlocking electromagnet (32) of which the mobile push rod (41) engages, when excited, with said first locking lever (24) to stop the thrust and give it its released position, characterized by the fact that a second locking lever (23) and a second thrust surface (19) are placed in the same box (2) to provide a second locking of the coupling piece (12) when it reaches a second active position (A₂) near to the first (A₁) the same unlocking electromagnet (32) being used to replace said first and second levers (23, 24) in the released position (D).

2. A locking device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said second locking lever (23) is placed parallel to the first locking lever (24) and has, at its free end, a second roller (27) which is able to cooperate with a second thrust surface (19) placed substantially parallel to the first thrust surface (20) when the coupling piece (12) takes up a second active position (A₂) which is further from the inactive position (1) than is the first active position (A₁).

3. A locking device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the two levers 23,

24) pivot around pivots that are solid with the box while the thrust surfaces (19, 20) are arranged on the coupling piece (12).

4. A locking device according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the two levers pivot on the coupling piece while the thrust surfaces are carried by the box.

5. A locking device according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized by the fact that the two levers (23, 24) are of the same length and pivot around the same pivot (21), said thrust surfaces (19, 20) being arranged at two different levels (n_l, n2).

6. A locking device according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized by the fact that the two levers are of different active lengths (m_l, m2) and the two thrust surfaces are placed in the same plane VV'.

7. A locking device according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by the fact that the two levers (23, 24) are placed on either side of the coil (34) of the unlocking electromagnet (32).

8. A locking device according to one of claims 2, 3, 5, 6 or 7, characterized by the fact that the coupling piece (12) is in the shape of a U the parallel branches (13, 14) of which serve to guide it and a cross-piece (15) of which carries the thrust surfaces (19, 20).

9. A locking device according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that one branch (14) of the coupling piece carries a mobile contact (58) forming part of a switch (57) placed in series with the coil (34) of the unlocking electromagnet (32).

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