EP0412953B1 - Automatic cut-out switch - Google Patents

Abstract

In an automatic cut-out, the switch link (5), the latch (6) and the latch abutment (7) are combined to form an assembly which can be pivoted about a bearing journal (4) provided in the housing (1). The latch (6) is stressed by a spring (8) and can be pivoted with respect to the latch abutment (7) which, for its part, is supported such that it can pivot on the switch link (5). This assembly is coupled by a thrust guide (25), which engages in a mouth (9) between the latch (6) and the latch abutment (7), to an operating head (20). As a result of pivoting the latch (6) under the influence of the plunger (54) of the magnetic trip device (51) or of the tension lever (67) under the influence of the bimetallic strip (41), the mouth (9) is opened such that the end (26), which is held in it, of the thrust guide (25) is released. In consequence, the switch link (5) can be pivoted by the tension spring (16) into the off position. The bimetallic strip (41) is mounted on a support (42) which is fixed in the housing (1) via conical journals (45) which engage in holes (44) in the support (42). In the off position, the switch link (5) rests on the support (42) for the bimetallic strip (41). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a circuit breaker with a trigger mechanism which can be triggered by a magnetic release (51) and a bimetallic release (41) for a switching bridge (5) in the housing (1) of the circuit breaker, which extends around a preferably slot-shaped opening (86) in the switching bridge ( 5) engaging bearing pin (4) is pivotally mounted, and which is under the action of a tension spring (16), with a pawl (6) pivotable about the bearing pin (4) of the switching bridge (5) and with an actuating button (20) which the switching bridge (5) can be moved into its on position, which is in contact with the contact (48) on a contact carrier (49) fixed to the housing, and back again into its off position, the actuating button (20) being connected to the switching bridge (5) by a push rod (25), in particular a bow-shaped thrust link, is coupled, the end (26) of the thrust link (25) facing the pawl (6) in a mouth (9), the opening of which is from the bearing pin (4) the switching bridge (5) away, and which is limited on the side facing the actuating button (20) by the pawl (6), with a projection (27) in the area of the opening of the mouth (9) Pawl (6) is arranged so that the width of the opening of the mouth (9) can be enlarged and reduced by pivoting the pawl (6), the pawl (6) being associated with a spring (8) which the pawl (6 ) in the sense of a reduction in the width of the opening of the mouth (9) and the pawl (6) pivots when triggered by the magnetic release (51) or the bimetallic release (41) in the sense of increasing the width of the opening of the mouth (9) becomes.

Such a circuit breaker is known from DE-A 35 20 905. In the known circuit breaker, the mouth for the one end of the push rod is on the side facing the actuating button from the pawl and on the other side bounded by the movable switching bridge. The switching bridge and the pawl can be pivoted in the housing of the known circuit breaker around a common bearing pin, a spring being provided which loads the pawl in the sense of reducing the width of the opening of the mouth between the movable switching bridge and the pawl.

In the line circuit breaker known from DE-A 35 20 905, the movable switching bridge is loaded by a tension spring supported in the housing in the sense of pivoting into the off position. It is disadvantageous in this embodiment that the thrust link must overcome the entire force exerted by the tension spring in order to pivot the switching bridge into the on position and to hold it in this on position.

In the line circuit breaker known from DE-A 35 20 905, the pawl is pivoted in the event of a trip either by the plunger of the magnetic release or by the bimetallic release in the sense of increasing the width of the opening of the mouth, so that the end of the thrust link initially received in the mouth slides out of the mouth and the movable switching bridge is pivoted into the off position by the tension spring.

In order to reinsert the end of the push rod into the mouth, in the circuit breaker known from DE-A 35 20 905 either a baffle is provided on the housing or a push-back stop surface is provided at the end of the movable switching bridge adjacent to the mouth, through which the free End of the push rod is to be pushed back into the mouth when the actuating button is pivoted into its position corresponding to the off position.

From DE-A 2 731 847 is a circuit breaker with a pair of contacts and with an actuating mechanism known for a movable switching bridge. In this known circuit breaker, a locking lever is provided which is pivotable relative to the movable switching bridge, the movable switching bridge having a locking surface and the pivoting locking lever having a curved locking end, which together form a mouth for the bent end of a push link which is connected to its other end an actuating button which can be pivoted in the housing of the circuit breaker is coupled. In the event of tripping, the locking lever is pivoted relative to the switching bridge, so that the mouth opens for the end of the push rod and the movable switching bridge is pivoted away from the fixed contact with the aid of a spring. A disadvantage of this known embodiment of a circuit breaker is that, as in the circuit breaker known from DE-A 3 520 905, the contact pressure is a direct function of the length of the push rod, so that no compensation of the necessary contact pressure after repeated actuation of the Circuit breaker occurring contact erosion is possible.

The circuit breaker known from DE-A 2 933 767 has a switching bridge which is pivotally supported in the housing at one end with lateral play and which is pressed by a compression spring into the off position, ie away from the fixed contact. In order to swivel the switching bridge into its on position and to hold it in this position, a two-armed clamping lever is pivotally mounted in the housing of the known circuit breaker, one end of which rests on the movable switching bridge and the other end together with a latching lever which is in the Housing is pivoted about the same axis as the clamping lever, forms an openable mouth for a push rod. The push rod is connected at its other end to an operating button. The other end of the latch lever opposite the mouth is the magnetic release and the bimetal release assigned. In the event of tripping, the latching lever is pivoted in such a way that the mouth formed between the tensioning lever and the latching lever is opened, so that the end of the push rod received in the mouth is released and the compression spring pivots the switching bridge thus released into its off position. The latching lever is under the action of a spring, which loads it in the sense of reducing the width of the opening of the mouth, which is reduced by a bend provided on the end of the latching lever that delimits the mouth on one side. A disadvantage of this circuit breaker is that separate bearings for the switching bridge on the one hand and on the other hand for the latching lever and the tensioning lever are provided, which complicates not only the construction but also the assembly of the circuit breaker.

The circuit breaker known from DE-A 2 943 696 has a switching bridge pivotally mounted in the housing with lateral play on a bearing pin and a switching pawl pivotably mounted about the same bearing pin. The switching bridge and the pawl together form a mouth for one end of a push link, which is coupled at its other end to an actuating button. In the on position, the switching bridge is pressed against the fixed contact by the push rod against the action of a leg spring which is assigned to the switching bridge. The pawl has an extension which is assigned to the plunger of the magnetic release. By pivoting the pawl in relation to the switching bridge, the mouth is opened, the thrust link slides out of the mouth, and the switching bridge is pivoted into its off position by the spring assigned to it. An additional clutch lever is provided for the bimetallic release, which is pivoted by the bimetallic strip in the event of release. Here, a cam provided on the clutch lever engages an extension of the pawl and pivots the latter under opening of the mouth. The pawl is assigned a tension spring supported in the housing, which pulls it into its mouth-closing position. In order to reinsert the end of the push rod into the mouth between the switching bridge and the pawl after a release, the actuation button is under the action of a tension spring which pivots the actuation button into its pivot position corresponding to the off position, so that the end of the push lever is pulled into the mouth is, the switching bridge and the pawl temporarily pivot apart against the action of the spring associated with the pawl. A coupling pin can be used in the cam of the coupling lever, through which the switching mechanism can be coupled with the switching mechanism of an adjacent circuit breaker. A disadvantage of this embodiment of a circuit breaker is not only the large number of bearings and springs - a spring must also be assigned to the clutch lever - but also that the bimetallic release only acts indirectly on the pawl, namely via the clutch lever.

A mouth that can be opened under the action of a magnetic release and a bimetallic release for a push rod between two parts pivotably mounted in the housing of the switch is implemented in the circuit breaker in CH-C 586 461. In this circuit breaker, the swivel part assigned to the plunger of the magnetic release and coupled to the bimetallic release via a pull lever which is displaceably guided in a guide in the housing is under the action of a spring which loads it in relation to the other swivel part in the sense of reducing the size of the mouth. As a result, the angled end of the push rod is held in its mouth when the switching bridge is moved into its on position and held in this. In order to pull the end of the thrust link assigned to the mouth back into the mouth after triggering, the thrust link is one Tension spring assigned. One of the two swivel parts of this known circuit breaker interacts with a compression spring which is inserted over a guide bracket connected to the switching bridge. When this pivoting part is pivoted, the spring is compressed so that the movable switching bridge tilts into the on position.

In a known circuit breaker, the movable switching bridge is pivotally mounted on a carrier, which in turn is pivotally mounted in the housing. Between the carrier and a hook-shaped sheet metal part, which is movably held by a pawl pivotably mounted on the carrier, a mouth is provided for a push link coupled to the actuating button. The movable switching bridge can thus be moved into its on position by pivoting the actuating button. The construction of this known circuit breaker is complicated insofar as the pawl, to which the magnetic release and a pull lever of the bimetallic release is assigned, does not limit the receptacle for the push rod directly, but via a hook-shaped sheet metal part that is movably connected to it.

In a known circuit breaker, the bimetallic strip is attached to a carrier inserted into the housing and connected to the associated terminal. At the point at which the bimetallic strip is fastened, the support is assigned an adjusting screw which is screwed into a nut inserted in the housing. Since the carrier for the bimetallic strip is held by the contact terminal assigned to it, there is a risk that the adjustment of the bimetallic release will be changed unintentionally when the circuit breaker is manipulated when the line circuit breaker is installed.

The invention is based on the object, while maintaining a known basic principle, namely the coupling of the actuating button with the movable switching bridge via a thrust link received at one end in a mouth, both to simplify and improve the triggering process and to simplify the assembly of the circuit breaker .

This object is achieved with a circuit breaker of the type mentioned according to the invention in that the mouth for receiving the end of the thrust link facing the pawl on its side facing away from the actuating button is limited by a pawl support which is pivotably mounted on the switching bridge and that the pawl support in Housing is pivotally mounted around the bearing pin of the switching bridge.

Due to the construction of the circuit breaker proposed according to the invention, the switching bridge is mounted with play on the bearing pin fixed to the housing. Therefore, the switching bridge is first moved to the on position by a pivoting movement around the bearing pin. As soon as the contacts touch each other, the switching bridge pivots around the fixed point formed by the contact fixed to the housing. With continued movement of the thrust link, the pawl support is pivoted relative to the movable switching bridge around the bearing connecting these components. This results in a favorable sequence of movements when switching on and when triggered. Furthermore, the actuating mechanism is less stressed overall. In addition, due to the construction according to the invention, there is the advantage that the contact pressure of the contact of the movable switching bridge against the contact on the housing-fixed contact carrier, unlike in the construction according to DE-A 35 20 905, is no longer determined exclusively by the length of the push rod , because in the construction of the push rod according to the invention not directly, but via the jack support on the Switching bridge attacks and the switching bridge is supported with play.

In one embodiment of the invention it can be provided that a sleeve, which is preferably designed as a tubular rivet, is received in the bearing bores of the pawl support and pawl, which extends through the bearing slot of the switching bridge, and that the housing-fixed bearing pin of the switching bridge engages in the sleeve.

This embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention has the advantage that the jack support, the pawl and the switching bridge can be combined to form an assembly - this can be done by a machine - before they are inserted into the circuit breaker and that the insertion of this assembly into the circuit breaker is also from a machine can be executed. This allows the circuit breaker according to the invention to be produced at least partially with automatic manufacturing machines, because unlike components already installed in the circuit breaker, which are then only accessible from one side - the other side is covered by a housing half of the circuit breaker - by all Pages are accessible, so that there is a "machine-friendly" construction, which particularly facilitates the assembly of the circuit breaker with the help of manufacturing machines. At the same time, the sleeve, which e.g. a tubular rivet is, instead of the bearing bolt fixed to the housing, the limitation of the pivoting range of the pawl support relative to the switching bridge, since this penetrates the slot of the switching bridge.

The movements of the switching bridge relative to the pawl support when pivoting from the off position to the on position are particularly favorable if, according to a proposal of the invention, it is provided that the Bearing slot in the switching bridge following the arc of a circle, the center of which lies in the pivot axis of the pawl support on the switching bridge, is curved.

In one embodiment of the invention it is provided that the pawl in its area opposite the plunger of the magnetic release has an extension pointing towards the switching bridge. This embodiment has the advantage that the movement of the plunger of the magnetic release not only opens the mouth and thus triggers the trip, but also supports the movement of the contact of the movable switching bridge away from the contact of the contact carrier fixed to the housing, since the projection under the action of the plunger Magnetic release acts in the sense of an opening movement on the switching bridge, because after the release current continues to flow until the arc is extinguished.

The insertion of the end of the push rod after triggering the circuit breaker in the mouth is particularly easy and safe if it is provided according to the invention that a stop surface is provided on the actuating button, which rests on the opposite side of the mouth on the push rod when the end of the Push rod is received in the mouth and the switching bridge is in the off position, and that the actuating button is loaded by its spring in the direction that corresponds to the movement of the end of the push rod in the mouth.

In this embodiment, the thrust link is pressed into the mouth by the stop surface provided on the actuating button while the actuating button is moved back into its rotational position corresponding to the off position, the pawl being initially opposite the action of the spring loading it in the sense of increasing the width the opening of the mouth and then like under the action of the spring which swivels into the position in which the end of the thrust link is held in its mouth. Additional guide surfaces, such as in DE-A 35 20 905 or separate springs loading the push rod, are therefore unnecessary, and an automatic coupling of the push rod with the assembly consisting of a pawl, pawl support and movable switching bridge is nevertheless achieved.

In a practical embodiment of the invention it can be provided that the pawl support is U-shaped, that the web forms a stop assigned to the pawl and that the bearing openings are provided in the legs for the storage of the pawl support on the switching bridge. As a result, the bearing forces are distributed symmetrically on both sides of the movable switching bridge.

An embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention acts in the same sense, in which it is provided that the pawl, which has an essentially U-shaped cross section, has guide lugs which rest on the outer sides of the legs of the pawl support.

These two forms of performance have the further advantage that a tilt-free guidance of the switching bridge in the jack support or the jack on the jack support is ensured.

An also technically advantageous embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention is characterized in that the spring associated with the pawl rests with one leg on an abutment of the pawl and with its other leg against an upstanding tongue of the pawl support, and that the spring with its at least one helical turn having middle part sits on a pin concentric to the bearing opening of the pawl.

According to a further embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention it is provided that the bimetallic strip of the bimetallic release is fastened to a support fixed in the housing without play and that the switching bridge is in its off position on the support of the bimetallic strip. The fact that the movable switching bridge rests in the off position on the stop formed by the support of the bimetallic strip, the commutation of the arc from the switching bridge onto the guide plate leading into the arc quenching chamber is facilitated, since after the commutation the voltage drop across the poorly conductive bimetal strip disappears . In addition, this embodiment allows a more precise adjustment of the bimetal strip of the bimetal trigger.

The backlash-free fit of the carrier for the bimetal strip in the circuit breaker according to the invention is achieved particularly easily if the carrier of the bimetal strip has a tab in which at least two openings are provided, and that at least two truncated-cone-shaped pins protrude into the openings of the carrier .

In a preferred embodiment of the line circuit breaker according to the invention it is provided that an adjusting screw is assigned to the end of the carrier for the bimetal strip connected to the bimetal strip, which screw is screwed into a nut inserted into the housing. This embodiment, in conjunction with the backlash-free seat of the support for the bimetal strip in the housing, allows a more precise adjustment of the bimetal trigger and additionally gives the advantage that once adjustment has been made by manipulation of the clamp adjacent to the bimetal trigger when installing the circuit breaker according to the invention in the switch box can be changed unintentionally.

Furthermore, this embodiment has the advantage that the In the case of a circuit breaker according to DE-A 35 20 905, an adjustment screw provided at the free end of the bimetal strip, the operation of which causes difficulties, is unnecessary.

The transmission of the movement of the bimetallic strip to the pawl for triggering is particularly simple if, according to a proposal of the invention, it is provided that the bimetallic strip is coupled to the pawl via a preferably bow-shaped pull lever.

It can also be provided that the pull lever assigned to the bimetallic strip is slidably guided in a slot-shaped guide provided in the housing. In this way, the guidance necessary for the pull lever is achieved in a particularly simple manner, since the guidance is provided in the housing or more precisely in one half of the housing and is designed in the form of a slot.

A particularly favorable spatial arrangement results if, according to a further proposal of the invention, it is provided that the free end of the tension lever which is assigned to the pawl and which projects upward from the guide is assigned to an extension arm provided on the pawl.

Due to the proposed arrangement of the bimetallic strip, the conductor cable that connects it to the switching bridge, the switching bridge and the housing-fixed contact carrier with the supply of the solenoid, an approximately S-shaped current path results in the circuit breaker when it is in the on position. Due to the magnetic fields formed in the S-shaped current path when current flows, each arc of the S-loop tends to stretch. Since the arc, which is formed by the bimetallic strip, the conductor cable and the movable switching bridge, contains the magnetically highly conductive carrier for the bimetallic strip protrudes, the magnetic field formed in this area is partially shielded, so that the tendency of this arch to stretch is less. This makes it easier for the second arc of the S-shaped current path to enlarge, which in turn triggers the opening movement of the switching bridge. In addition, this facilitates the commutation of the arc from the area of the contacts into the arc quenching chamber.

The construction of the circuit breaker according to the invention can also be developed in the direction which allows the circuit breaker to be coupled to further circuit breakers for all-pole disconnection if the conditions required for tripping occur in only one conductor. For this purpose, it is provided according to a proposal of the invention that on the pawl on one side an approach with a hole for receiving a coupling pin and on the opposite side an approach with a slot-shaped recess, the slot-shaped recess in one approach of the pawl an arc runs a circle concentric to the bearing pin of the pawl, is formed for a coupling pin of an adjacent circuit breaker. In this way, for example, three circuit breakers can be coupled together, so that when a switch is triggered by the bimetal release or the magnetic release, the other two switches are also triggered by pivoting their pawls. The slot-like design of one of the two recesses ensures that the pawl in the switch that triggers first can pivot without moving the pawl in the next switch, which is particularly important in the initial stage of the triggering movement. The aforementioned embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention also has the effect that when arc-shaped slots are formed instead of rectangular openings, the cross section for the passage openings provided in the housing of coupling pins is smaller, so that increased gas tightness is achieved. This gas tightness is essential insofar as the transfer of ionized gas, which is formed during all switching operations, is reduced considerably from one switching path to the other.

The miniature circuit breaker according to the invention can also be equipped with a contact position indicator thanks to its jack support. For this purpose, it can be provided according to a proposal of the invention that the pawl support has an eye into which the actuating pin of a contact position indicator engages, which is pivotally mounted in the housing, and whose display surfaces are assigned to an opening in the housing.

A jump switch can also be implemented on the circuit breaker according to the invention. For this purpose, it is provided according to the invention that the part of the actuating button which is coupled to the push rod is coupled to the part of the actuating lever which has the actuating lever by means of a spring accumulator, that the part of the actuating button which is coupled to the push rod has a projection which on a nose according to a predetermined pivoting angle of the actuating button a pawl mounted pivotably in the housing and standing under the action of a spring comes up so that the thrust link stops when the actuating lever is pivoted further, and that a cam is provided on the part of the actuating button with the actuating lever which essentially completely Position flipped actuating lever pivoted against the action of the spring loading them to move the nose out of engagement with the projection, so that the thrust link jumps the spring bridge into the on position with relaxation of the spring accumulator emotional.

Because of this design, regardless of speed, with which the actuating lever is pivoted, the last stretch of the closing movement is bridged, so that the dangerous welding of the contacts during slow closing is avoided because of the initially low contact pressure.

• Fig. 1 einen Leitungsschutzschalter mit geöffnetem Gehäuse,
• Fig. 2 bis 4 die bewegliche Schaltbrücke in verschiedenen Ansichten,
• Fig. 5 bis 8 teilweise im Schnitt und in verschiedenen Ansichten die Klinke,
• Fig. 9, 10 und 11 die Klinkenauflage des Leitungsschutzschalters in verschiedenen Ansichten,
• Fig. 12 eine Ausführungsform des Leitungsschutzschalters mit Sprungeinschaltung und
• Fig. 13 in Schrägansicht die Baugruppe als Schaltbrücke, Klinke und Klinkenauflage.

Advantages of the circuit breaker according to the invention result from the following description of two exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings. Show it:

• 1 shows a circuit breaker with the housing open,
• 2 to 4, the movable switching bridge in different views,
• 5 to 8, partially in section and in different views, the jack,
• 9, 10 and 11, the jack support of the circuit breaker in different views,
• Fig. 12 shows an embodiment of the circuit breaker with snap-on and
• Fig. 13 in an oblique view of the assembly as a switching bridge, pawl and pawl support.

A circuit breaker shown in Fig. 1 is housed in a housing 1, of which only the lower shell is visible in Fig. 1, since the upper shell is removed.

In the lower shell of the housing 1, the usual terminals 2 and 3 are used for connecting the conductor to be protected to the circuit breaker.

An assembly (see FIG. 13) consisting of a movable switching bridge 5, pawl 6 and pawl support 7 is pivotally mounted in the circuit breaker about a bearing pin 4. The pawl support 7 is pivoted by a leg spring 8 with respect to the pawl 6 such that the width of the opening of a mouth 9, which is formed between the pawl 6 and the pawl support 7, is reduced. For this purpose, the spring 8 is placed with a plurality of turns over a pin 10, and rests with its one leg 11 on an abutment 12 of the pawl 6 and with its other leg 13 on a bent tongue 14 of the pawl support 7.

The pawl support 7 is pivotally connected to the movable switching bridge 5 by a bearing formed by a tubular rivet 15.

The movable switching bridge 5 is loaded by a tension spring 16 which acts on a bent hook 17 of the switching bridge 5.

In the housing 1 there is also an actuating button 20 with an actuating lever 21 which is pivotably mounted about a pin 22 fixed to the housing, and by a spring 23 (only the ends of which are visible in FIG. 1) in the sense of a clockwise pivoting, i.e. is loaded in the sense of a pivoting into the off position shown in FIG. 1.

A hole 24 is provided in the actuation button 20, into which the one bent leg of a U-shaped thrust link 25, which is designed, for example, as a wire bracket, engages. The bent leg 26 provided at the other end of the push rod 25 is accommodated in the mouth 9 between the pawl 6 and the pawl support 7 in the position of the circuit breaker shown in FIG. 1 and is in this by the projection 27 which reduces the width of the opening of the mouth 9 on an approach 28 the jack 6 held. It can be seen that the width of the opening of the mouth 9 is increased by pivoting the pawl 6 counterclockwise relative to the pawl support 7, so that the leg 26 can slide out of the mouth 9.

A stop surface 29 is provided on the actuating button 20, on which the web of the push rod 25 rests when it is arranged with its leg 26 in the receptacle 9 and the switching bridge 5 is in the off position shown in FIG. 1.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the pawl support 7 is equipped with an eye 30 which has an arcuate recess. A control pin 31 of a contact position indicator 32 engages in the recess and can be pivoted about an axis 33 fixed to the housing such that, depending on the position of the movable switching bridge 5, one of the two correspondingly colored sections of the contact position indicator 32 is visible from the outside through a window 34 in the housing 1 is.

The movable switching bridge 5 is connected to the bimetallic strip 41 via a flexible conductor cable 40. The bimetallic strip 41 is connected to a carrier 42 at its other end. The carrier 42 has a tab 43 in which two openings 44 are provided. In the openings 44, upwardly tapering, conical pins 45, which extend from the bottom of the lower shell of the housing 1, engage, so that the carrier 42 is fixed via its tab 43 without play in the housing 1. The secure, play-free fit of the carrier 42 for the bimetallic strip 41 is achieved without special measures only by simply pressing the tab 43 onto the conical pin 45.

From Fig. 1 it can still be seen that the clamp 2 via a tongue 46 with the tab 43 of the carrier 42 for the Bimetallic strip 41 is electrically connected.

The contact 47 of the movable switching bridge 5 is assigned a contact 48 on a contact carrier 49 which is stationary in the housing. The contact carrier 49 is electrically conductively connected via a coil 50 of the magnetic release 51 to the second terminal 3 of the circuit breaker.

The magnetic release 51 has a conventional structure with a yoke sleeve 52, armature 53, plunger 54 and plunger spring 55.

With the support 42 for the bimetallic strip 41, a sheet metal strip serving as a stop 60 for the movable switching bridge 5 in its off position is connected, which leads to an arc extinguishing chamber 61 in which deionized sheets 63 are accommodated. The beginning of the arc quenching chamber 61 is covered on both sides opposite the side housing walls by ceramic plates (not shown).

In order to pivot the pawl 6 in relation to the pawl support 7 in the event of a release, the latter has an extension 65 facing the plunger 54 of the magnetic release 51. An extension 66 extends from the extension 65 and points towards the movable switching bridge 5.

The bimetallic strip 41 is coupled to the pawl 6 by a U-shaped pull lever 67 which is guided in a guide groove 68 in the bottom of the lower shell of the housing 1. One leg 69 of the pull lever 67 is assigned to the bimetallic strip 41, whereas the other leg 70 of the pull lever 67 is assigned to the arm 65 of the pawl 6.

1, the end of the carrier 42 for the bimetallic strip 41 to which the bimetallic strip 41 is attached is assigned an adjusting screw 75 which is screwed into a nut 76 which is inserted in the housing 1. By turning the adjusting screw 75, the orientation of the bimetallic strip 41 with respect to the pull lever 67 can be changed and the bimetallic release can be adjusted.

Lugs 80 and 81 are formed on the pawl 6, which has a substantially U-shaped cross section. The extension 81 has a hole 83 into which a coupling pin can be inserted, which engages through a circular opening in the wall of the housing 1 in the circular recess 82 in the extension 80 of the pawl 6 of an adjacent circuit breaker. In this way, line circuit breakers arranged next to one another can be coupled to one another, the coupled pawl 6 being pivoted only after a predetermined pivoting of the pawl 6, in the extension 81 of which the coupling pin is inserted, because of the slot-shaped recess 82 in the projection 80.

As particularly shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the pawl 6 has an essentially U-shaped cross section, with guide projections 89 being provided on the webs, which are guided with their inner surfaces on the pawl support 7.

The pawl support 7 is, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, essentially U-shaped (FIG. 11) and consists of two legs 101 and 102 which are connected to one another by a web 103. An opening 104 is provided in each of the legs 101, 102, which serves to receive the tubular rivet 15, via which the pawl support 7 is pivotably mounted on the switching bridge 5. The pivotability of the pawl 6 relative to the pawl support 7 is limited by the web 103.

In Fig. 9 is again the eye 30 for the actuation of the contact position indicator 32 and the tongue 14 on the the leg 13 of the spring 8 is supported to see.

The movable switching bridge 5 is made, for example, of a highly conductive copper alloy and carries the contact 47 at one end. The hook 17 for the spring 16, which is made in one piece with the switching bridge 5, can also be seen in FIGS. The switching bridge 5 has an opening 85 for receiving the tubular rivet 15, which pivotally connects the pawl support 7 to the switching bridge 5.

From FIG. 2 it can also be seen that the opening 86 in the switching bridge 5 receiving the bearing pin 4 or the sleeve or the tubular rivet described below is designed as a slot which follows an arc whose center lies at the center of the opening 85.

The switching bridge 5 also has a flag 87 for connecting the conductor cable 40.

In the modified embodiment of the actuating button 20 shown in FIG. 12, a so-called snap-on switching is realized, in which the contacts 47 and 48 approach each other at the end of the switching-on process at a speed which is independent of how quickly the actuating lever 21 is pivoted. In this embodiment, the actuating button 20 consists of a part connected to the actuating lever 21 and a further part 90, on which the thrust link 25 engages, the two parts of the actuating button 20 being connected to one another via a spring accumulator (not shown).

From Fig. 12 it can be seen that the part 90 of the actuating button 20, on which the thrust link 25 engages, has a projection 91. Furthermore, a pawl 93 is provided, which is pivotally mounted about an axis 92 fixed to the housing, under the action of a compression spring 94 stands and which carries a nose 95 at its free end. A control cam 96 is provided on the part of the actuation button 20 connected to the actuation lever 21.

If, in this embodiment, the actuating lever 21 is pivoted counterclockwise, then the projection 91 runs on the nose 95 of the pawl 93 after a predetermined pivoting path of the actuating lever 21, so that, despite further pivoting of the actuating lever 21, the thrust link 25 is not moved further and the contacts 47 and 48 are no longer approximated. Only when the cam 96 runs up on the pawl 93 is it pivoted downward against the action of the spring 94, which engages the arm 97 of the pawl 93, so that the nose 95 releases the projection 91 and the thrust link 25 while releasing the spring accumulator is suddenly moved forward between the two parts of the actuating button 20, the contacts 47 and 48 being moved against one another at high speed and pressed against one another with the necessary contact pressure.

Starting from the off position of the circuit breaker according to the invention shown in FIG. 1, the actuating lever 21 of the actuating button 20 is pivoted counterclockwise to switch on, so that the assembly of the pawl 6, pawl support 7 and movable switching bridge 5 - the three components mentioned are by one Tubular rivet which passes through the bearing openings of the above-mentioned components and which is then inserted over the bearing pin 4 fixed to the housing, combined to form a structural unit - is pivoted by the push rod 25 so that the contact 47 of the switching bridge 5 approaches the contact 48. The tension spring 16 is tensioned. As soon as the contacts 47 and 48 abut one another, the pawl 6 and the pawl rest 7 are pivoted further under the action of the thrust link 25 around the bearing pin 4, whereas the switching bridge 5 is now pivoted about the point of contact of the contacts 47, 48, wherein it rotates about the bearing 15 with respect to the jack support 7. This pivoting of the switching bridge 5 is possible because its opening 86 which receives the tubular rivet is designed in the manner of a slot. This pivoting movement of the switching bridge 5 has the consequence that the tension spring 16 is further tensioned and applies the necessary contact pressure between the contacts 47 and 48.

In the on position, not shown, the bore 24 in the actuating button 20 is located above the connecting line between the bearing pin 22 for the actuating button 20 and the receptacle 9 ("over-dead center position"), so that the assembly of the pawl 6, pawl support 7 and switching bridge 5 and the actuating button 20 remain in the positions corresponding to the on position despite the action of the springs 23 and 16.

During this pivoting of the assembly of pawl 6, pawl support 7 and switching bridge 5, the contact position indicator 32 is also rotated into its position indicating the on position.

In the event of triggering, the pawl 6 is pivoted, for example, by the plunger 54 of the magnetic trigger 51, so that the leg 26 of the push rod 25 slides out of the mouth 9, the opening width of which has now been enlarged, and the movable switching bridge 5 from the tension spring 16 into its in FIG 1 shown off position is pulled. The movement of the switching bridge 5 is supported by the continued pressure of the plunger 54 on the arm 65, which is transmitted to the switching bridge 5 via the extension 66.

Analogous causes a release by the bimetallic release, since the pawl 6 from the bimetallic strip 41 via the pull lever 67, the leg 70 on the boom 65 of the Pawl 6 attacks, is pivoted with an increase in the width of the opening of the mouth 9 relative to the pawl support 7.

The leg 26 of the push rod 25 is automatically reinserted into the mouth 9 when the actuating button 20 is moved back into the position shown in FIG. 1 under the action of the spring 23, since the push rod 25 rests against the stop surface 29 of the actuating button 20 and therefore by the rotating actuating button 20 with its end 26 is forced into the mouth 9. Since the width of the opening of the mouth 9 is smaller than the diameter of the leg at the end 26 of the thrust link 25, the pawl 6 springs back against the action of the spring 8 when the end 26 enters the mouth 9 and then back into the position shown in FIG 1 shown locking position, so that the opening of the mouth 9 is so small that the leg 26 of the push rod 25 cannot come out of the mouth 9 the next time it is switched on.

Claims (18)

1. Cut-out switch having a release mechanism which can be released by a solenoid release (51) and by a bimetallic release (41), for a switching bridge (5) in the housing (1) of the cut-out switch, the switching bridge (5) being mounted to be pivotal about a bearing pin (4) which engages in a preferably slot-shaped opening (86) in the switching bridge (5) and being acted upon by a tension spring (16), having a ratchet (6) which is pivotal about the bearing pin (4) of the switching bridge (5) and having an actuating knob (20) which can be used to move the switching bridge (5) into its on position bearing against the contact (48) on a contact carrier (49) fixed to the housing and back into its off position again, the actuating knob (20) being coupled to the switching bridge (5) by a slide rod (25), in particular a bow-shaped slide rod, the end (26) of the slide rod (25) facing the ratchet (6) being received in a jaw (9) whereof the opening points away from the bearing pin (4) of the switching bridge (5) and which is delimited on the side facing the actuating knob (20) by the ratchet (6), there being arranged in the region of the opening of the jaw (9) a projection (27) of the ratchet (6) so that the width of the opening of the jaw (9) can be enlarged and reduced by pivoting of the ratchet (6), there being associated with the ratchet (6) a spring (8) which urges the ratchet (6) towards reducing the width of the opening of the jaw (9) and the ratchet (6) being pivoted towards enlarging the width of the opening of the jaw (9) in the event of release by the solenoid release (51) or the bimetallic release (41), characterized in that, to receive the end (26) of the slide rod (25) facing the ratchet (6) the jaw (9) is delimited on its side remote from the actuating knob (20) by a ratchet support surface (7) which is mounted to be pivotal to a limited extent on the switching bridge (5), and in that the ratchet support surface (7) is mounted in the housing (1) to be pivotal about the bearing pin (4) of the switching bridge (5).
2. Cut-out switch according to Claim 1, characterized in that a sleeve which is preferably constructed as a tubular rivet is received in the bearing bores of the ratchet support surface (7) and the ratchet (6) and passes through the bearing slot (86) of the switching bridge (5), and in that the bearing pin (4), which is fixed to the housing, of the switching bridge (5) engages in the sleeve.
3. Cut-out switch according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bearing slot (86) in the switching bridge (5) is curved to follow the arc of a circle whereof the centre point lies at the pivot axis (15) of the ratchet support surface (7) on the switching bridge (5).
4. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the ratchet (6) has an extension piece (66) which points towards the switching bridge (5) in the region of the ratchet opposite the pushrod (54) of the solenoid release (51).
5. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that there is provided on the actuating knob (20) a stop face (29) which bears against the slide rod (25) on the side opposite the jaw (9) when the end (26) of the slide rod (25) is received in the jaw (9) and the switching bridge (5) is in the off position, and in that the actuating knob (20) is urged by its spring (23) in the direction corresponding to the movement of the end (26) of the slide rod (25) into the jaw (9).
6. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the ratchet support surface (7) is constructed to be U-shaped, in that the web (103) forms a stop associated with the ratchet (6), and in that the bearing openings (104) for bearing the ratchet support surface (7) on the switching bridge (5) are provided in the limbs (101, 102).
7. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the ratchet (6), having a substantially U-shaped cross-section, has guide attachments (89) which bear against the outer sides of the limbs (101, 102) of the ratchet support surface (7).
8. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the spring (8) associated with the ratchet (6) bears by means of a limb (11) against an abutment (12) of the ratchet (6) and by means of its other limb (13) against an upright tongue (14) of the ratchet support surface (7), and in that the spring (8) is seated by means of its central part, which has at least one helical winding, on a peg (10) which is concentric with the bearing opening of the ratchet (6).
9. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the bimetallic strip (41) of the bimetallic release is secured to a carrier (42) which is fixed in the housing (1) without play, and in that the switching bridge (5) bears against the carrier (42) of the bimetallic strip (41) in the off position of the switching bridge.
10. Cut-out switch according to Claim 9, characterized in that the carrier (42) of the bimetallic strip (41) has a fishplate (43) in which at least two openings (44) are provided, and in that at least two frustoconical pins (45) which project into the housing interior engage in the openings (44) of the carrier (42).
11. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that there is associated with the end of the carrier (42) for the bimetallic strip (41) which is connected to the bimetallic strip (41) a set screw (75) which is screwed into a nut (76) inserted in the housing (1).
12. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the bimetallic strip (41) is coupled to the ratchet (6) by way of a preferably bow-shaped draw lever (67).
13. Cut-out switch according to Claim 12, characterized in that the draw lever (67) associated with the bimetallic strip (41) is guided to be displaceable in a slot-shaped guide (68) which is provided in the housing (1).
14. Cut-out switch according to Claim 13, characterized in that the free end (70) of the draw lever (67) which is associated with the ratchet (6) and projects upwardly out of the guide (68) is associated with an arm (65) provided on the ratchet (6).
15. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that there is integrally formed on the ratchet (6), for a coupling pin of an adjacent cut-out switch, on one side an attachment (81) having a hole (83) for a coupling pin and on the opposing side an attachment (80) having a slot-shaped cutout (82), the slot-shaped cutout (82) in the one attachment (80) of the ratchet (6) running such that it follows an arc of a circle concentric with respect to the bearing pin (4) of the ratchet (6).
16. Cut-out switch according to Claim 15, characterized in that there are provided in the housing (1) opposite the two attachments (80, 81) of the ratchet (6) arcuate slots for coupling pins to pass through.
17. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the ratchet support surface (7) has an eye (30) in which the actuating peg (31) of a contact position indicator (32) engages, this contact position indicator (32) being mounted to be pivotal in the housing (1) and its display surface being associated with an opening (34) in the housing (1).
18. Cut-out switch according to one of Claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the part (90) of the actuating knob (20) coupled to the slide rod (25) is coupled to the part thereof having the actuating lever (21) by way of a spring energy store, in that the part (90) of the actuating knob (20) coupled to the slide rod (25) has a projection (91) which, after a predetermined angle of pivoting of the actuating knob (20), runs up against a lug (95) of a pawl (93) which is mounted to be pivotal in the housing (1) and is under the action of a spring, so that the slide rod (25) is stationary as the actuating lever (21) is pivoted further, and in that there is provided on the part of the actuating knob (20) having the actuating lever (21) a cam (96) which pivots the pawl (93) in opposition to the action of the spring (94) urging it when the actuating lever (21) has turned around substantially completely into the on position, in order to move the lug (95) out of engagement with the projection (91) so that the slide rod (25) moves the switching bridge (5) abruptly into the on position, releasing the spring energy store.

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