EP0259273A2 - A moving contact assembly for a civil range electric equipment circuit breaker - Google Patents
A moving contact assembly for a civil range electric equipment circuit breaker Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0259273A2 EP0259273A2 EP87830215A EP87830215A EP0259273A2 EP 0259273 A2 EP0259273 A2 EP 0259273A2 EP 87830215 A EP87830215 A EP 87830215A EP 87830215 A EP87830215 A EP 87830215A EP 0259273 A2 EP0259273 A2 EP 0259273A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- moving contact
- contact
- holding body
- circuit breaker
- moving
- 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.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H1/00—Contacts
- H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
- H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
- H01H1/22—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with rigid pivoted member carrying the moving contact
- H01H1/221—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with rigid pivoted member carrying the moving contact and a contact pressure spring acting between the pivoted member and a supporting member
- H01H1/225—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with rigid pivoted member carrying the moving contact and a contact pressure spring acting between the pivoted member and a supporting member the supporting member being pivotable
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H1/00—Contacts
- H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
- H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
- H01H1/22—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with rigid pivoted member carrying the moving contact
- H01H1/221—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with rigid pivoted member carrying the moving contact and a contact pressure spring acting between the pivoted member and a supporting member
- H01H2001/223—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with rigid pivoted member carrying the moving contact and a contact pressure spring acting between the pivoted member and a supporting member using a torsion spring
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates to a moving contact assembly for a civil range electric equipment circuit breaker, being of a type which comprises a contact holding body and at least one moving contact, and means of attachment for spring mounting said moving contact on the contact holding body.
- It is the object of this invention to provide a moving contact assembly of straightforward lightweight construction suitable for automated manufacturing processes.
- This object is achieved by a moving contact assembly of the kind specified above being characterized in that said means of attachment comprise a pin jutting out of the contact holding body into engagement with a hole formed in the moving contact, a forked spring having prongs wound into a spiral around the pin on opposed sides of the moving contact, the base of the forked spring acting on the moving contact to constantly bias it toward the fixed contact and the prong ends being engaged against the contact holding body, and retainer means effective to retain the moving contact axially on the pin.
- Further features and the advantages of the contact holder assembly according to this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of illustration and not of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings, where:
- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a circuit breaker incorporating a moving contact assembly according to the invention;
- Figure 2 is a perspective detail view of the circuit breaker, as viewed in the direction of the arrow II;
- Figure 3 is an elevation detail view of the circuit breaker of Figure 1, as viewed in the direction of the arrow III;
- Figure 4 is an elevation view of the same detail as shown in Figure 3 but at a different stage of its operation; and
- Figure 5 is an enlarged scale plan view of the moving contact assembly of the circuit breaker shown in Figure 1.
- With reference to the drawing figures, the numeral 1 denotes generally a circuit breaker according to the invention, which is intended for mounting in a small frame, not shown, of enclosed boxes for civil range electric equipment. Of course, such circuit breakers as this would also lend themselves for jutting installations and exchanges.
- The circuit breaker 1 of this invention comprises a
core member 2 of substantially parallelepipedal shape, which is formed of a substantially rectangular central diaphragm 3 bounded along one side and the two sides adjoining said one side by aframing member 4. The circuit breaker 1 further comprises a pair of cheek pieces, namely afirst cheek piece 5 and asecond cheek piece 6, as well as fasteners 7 for securing thecheek pieces core member 2, thereby providing a box-type body 8 adapted for mounting on a frame from the MAGIC civil range and constituting a module, its cross dimensions being preferably of 23-25 mm. To this aim, thecheek pieces attachment 5a and 6a, respectively, which are formed of blocks of a preset size adapted to engage with mating means of attachment associated with the carrier frame from the MAGIC range. - The fasteners 7 for securing the
cheek pieces core member 2 comprise fourscrews 9 extending from thecheek piece 5 through thecore member 2 to thecheek piece 6 in threaded engagement therein. - The circuit breaker 1 also comprises a further pair of
cheek pieces 10 and 11, respectively interchangeable with thecheek pieces core member 2 by means of like fasteners 7. In this instance, the circuit breaker 1 will fit in a carrier frame from the LIVING civil range. To this aim, thecheek pieces 10 and 11 are provided withrespective means - The circuit breaker 1 also comprises a further pair of
cheek pieces 12 and 13, also respectively interchangeable with thecheek pieces core member 2 by means of like fasteners 7. In this instance, the circuit breaker 1 would fit in a carrier frame from the TEKNE range. To this aim, thecheek pieces 12 and 13 are provided with hook-updogs - The body 8 of the circuit breaker 1 accommodates a pole pair, namely a protected
pole 14 and aneutral pole 15. The protectedpole 14 is received between thecore member 2 and thecheek piece 5, and extends between aninput terminal 16 and anoutput terminal 17. Provided along thepole 14 are a fixedcontact 18, located on theinput terminal 16 side, and a movingcontact 19, located on theoutput terminal 17 side. Theneutral pole 15 is received between thecore member 2 and thecheek piece 6, and extends between aninput terminal 20 and anoutput terminal 21. Provided along thepole 15 are a fixedcontact 22, located on theinput terminal 20 side, and a movingcontact 23, located on theoutput terminal 21 side. - The circuit breaker 1 further comprises circuit breaking linkages, comprehensively designated 24, which are supported on the
core member 2. Thelinkages 24 include akey 25 and a movingcontact holder assembly 26. Between thekey 25 and the movingcontact holder assembly 26, there is provided a toggle mechanism, known per se, as indicated at 27. - The circuit breaking
linkages 24 also include a spring loadedlever 28 for hooking the movingcontact holder assembly 26 in the make position of the circuit breaker. Thelever 28 is pivoted on the diaphragm 3 astride it and has twolugs lug 29 being on thecheek piece 5 side and thelug 30 being on thecheek piece 6 side. - The moving
contact holder assembly 26 includes acontact holding body 31 being a unitary construction from a non-conductive material, such as a plastics material, which straddles the diaphragm 3 of thecore member 2. Spring mounted to thecontact holding body 31 are the two movingcontacts attachment 32, to be explained hereinafter. - The two moving
contacts respective arcing chambers core member 2 and thecheek pieces arcing chambers respective venting slits framing member 4 of thecore member 2, on opposed sides of the central diaphragm 3. Themoving contacts fixed contacts said chambers - In the diaphragm 3 of the
core member 2 there is formed athroughgoing socket 35 having an L-shaped cross-section. Thereference numeral 36 denotes a metal crosspiece, preferably made of copper-plated iron, which has an L-shaped cross-section matching the L-shaped cross-section of thethroughgoing socket 35. - The crosspiece penetrates, with a
middle portion 37 thereof, thethroughgoing socket 35, in a susbtantially force fit relationship, and has opposedend portions said chambers - The
socket 35, and hence thecrosspiece 36, is positioned relatively to the moving and fixed contacts such that the crosspiece is at a preset distance, preferably of 2-3 mm, from the path T, and such that the back of the "L" is facing the path T. - The
key 25 of the circuit breaker 1 according to the invention is adapted to receive as by snap action akey capping 40 appropriate for the MAGIC civil range. It should be noted that thecheek pieces respective seats 5b and 6b mating with thekey 25. Indicated at 41 is a yoke which extends all around thekey 25 and thecapping 40 and is provided with means of mechanical connection interacting between the attachment means 5a and 6a and the carrier frame from the MAGIC civil range. - The key 2( is adapted to receive as by snap action, and in an interchangeable manner with the
capping 40, akey capping 42 appropriate for the LIVING civil range, as well as akey capping 43 appropriate for the TEKNE civil range, again interchangeably with thecapping 40. - The
cheek pieces 10 and 11, and thecheek pieces 12 and 13, are also formed withrespective seats key 25. - The circuit breaker 1 of this invention further comprises, within the body 8, an
amperometer coil 44, formed of large cross-section wire, which is accommodated on thecore member 2, on the same side as thecheek piece 5 at the protectedpole 14. Theamperometer coil 44 has arespective pusher 45 adapted to engage with thelug 29 on thehooking lever 28 to release the movingcontact holder assembly 26 on the occurrence of shorting currents, thereby the circuit breaker is caused to break. - The circuit breaker 1 also includes a bimetal strip thermal relay 62 mounted close to the
amperometer coil 44 between thecore member 2 and thecheek piece 5. It is arranged to act on thelever 28 for releasing the movingcontact holder assembly 26. - In addition, the circuit breaker 1 according to the invention comprises, within the body 8, a
voltmeter coil 46 of thin wire which is mounted on thecore member 2, on the same side as thecheek piece 6, at theneutral pole 15. Thevoltmeter coil 46 has arespective pusher 47 adapted for engagement with thelug 30 on the hooking lever for releasing the movingcontact holder assembly 26 on the occurrence of an intentional remote control command or by differential operation, thereby the circuit breaker is caused to break. - Thus, the circuit breaker 1 can be either operated manually, by acting on the key capping, or automatically by operation of the amperometer and voltmeter coils and the thermal relay.
- The
means 32 of attachment for spring mounting the movingcontact 19 on thecontact holding body 31 will be next described. The attachment means 32 include apin 48 jutting out of thecontact holding body 31 toward thecheek piece 5. Thepin 48 engages in ahole 49 formed in amiddle portion 50 of the movingcontact 19. Themeans 32 of attachment also include a forkedspring 51 having a base 52 and twoprongs free ends 55 and 56. The forkedspring 51 has a base 52 straddling the movingcontact 19 at a forwardactive portion 57 thereof, has itsprongs middle portion 50 and being wound into a spiral with turns taken in opposite directions, and has thefree ends 55 and 56 of theprongs lug 58 formed on thecontact holding body 31. - The
spring 51, with its base 52, will constantly urge the movingcontact 19 to rotate around thepin 48 toward the fixedcontact 18. Arearward tail portion 59 of the movingcontact 19 engages with thelug 58 to stop rotation. - Retainer means 60 are provided to retain the moving
contact 19 axially on thepin 48. The retainer means 60 comprise anelevation 61 formed on thelug 58 of thecontact holding body 31, against which the free end 56 of theprong 54 of thespring 51 engages laterally. - The attachment means 32 for spring mounting the moving
contact 23 on thecontact holding body 31 are symmetrical of the ones described above for securing thecontact 19 relatively to the diaphragm 3, and accordingly, not described herein in detail. - The moving contact assembly of this invention affords the principal advantage of a simple and lightweight construction. It only includes, in fact, additionally to the moving contact holding body, just one spring for each moving contact, which ensures at one time constant spring biasing of the moving contact toward the fixed contact, positioning of the moving contact along the pin, and axial retention of the moving contact on the pin itself.
- A further advantage is that the moving contact assembly according to the invention can be readily assembled on automated manufacturing equipment.
- Lastly, it is to be expected that, by virtue of its simple construction, this assembly can improve the reliability of operation of the circuit breaker.
- Understandably, the moving contact assembly disclosed hereinabove may be variously altered and modified by a skilled person in the art, in order to meet specific contingent requirements, within the protection scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Claims (2)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
IT2274986U IT207989Z2 (en) | 1986-08-04 | 1986-08-04 | MOBILE CONTACTS GROUP, FOR A CIVIL SERIES ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT SWITCH. |
IT2274986U | 1986-08-04 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0259273A2 true EP0259273A2 (en) | 1988-03-09 |
EP0259273A3 EP0259273A3 (en) | 1988-08-24 |
Family
ID=11200002
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP87830215A Withdrawn EP0259273A3 (en) | 1986-08-04 | 1987-06-09 | A moving contact assembly for a civil range electric equipment circuit breaker |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0259273A3 (en) |
BR (1) | BR6701523U (en) |
IT (1) | IT207989Z2 (en) |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR1195363A (en) * | 1956-12-24 | 1959-11-17 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Advanced switch |
CH409092A (en) * | 1964-04-11 | 1966-03-15 | Bassani Spa | Automatic magnetothermic switch |
US4482877A (en) * | 1983-03-28 | 1984-11-13 | General Electric Company | Electric circuit breakers having fast short circuit response |
-
1986
- 1986-08-04 IT IT2274986U patent/IT207989Z2/en active
-
1987
- 1987-06-09 EP EP87830215A patent/EP0259273A3/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1987-08-03 BR BR6701523U patent/BR6701523U/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR1195363A (en) * | 1956-12-24 | 1959-11-17 | Westinghouse Electric Corp | Advanced switch |
CH409092A (en) * | 1964-04-11 | 1966-03-15 | Bassani Spa | Automatic magnetothermic switch |
US4482877A (en) * | 1983-03-28 | 1984-11-13 | General Electric Company | Electric circuit breakers having fast short circuit response |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
IT207989Z2 (en) | 1988-03-14 |
EP0259273A3 (en) | 1988-08-24 |
BR6701523U (en) | 1988-04-26 |
IT8622749V0 (en) | 1986-08-04 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
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AK | Designated contracting states |
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17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 19880922 |
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17Q | First examination report despatched |
Effective date: 19910628 |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN |
|
18W | Application withdrawn |
Withdrawal date: 19930604 |
|
RIN1 | Information on inventor provided before grant (corrected) |
Inventor name: FABRIZI, FABRIZIO Inventor name: CALDERARA, ENNIO |