EP0731979B1 - Safety switch - Google Patents

Abstract

A safety switch has an LS (line protection) and an FI (fault current protection) section. The switch lock of the LS section has a catch support lockable by a catch which, for tripping (in the event of an overcurrent), works with a bimetal release and a magnetic release. The switch lock of the FI section has a catch (31) and a catch support (32) associated with a permanent-magnet release with a release push-rod (51). The switch bridge of the LS section and that (36) of the FI section can pivot about a common axis (60) in the safety switch housing. The switch bridge of the LS section is coupled to the switch bridge (36) of the FI section for combined movement by a pin (7) which is inserted into a switch bridge support (35) for the switch bridge (36) of the FI section. In the catch support of the switch lock of the LS section there is a pin (69) associated with the catch (31) of the FI section in such a way that it abuts on the pin (69) when pivoted in the event of a fault current. Thus the catch support of the LS section pivots to release the switch lock of the LS section.

Description

The invention relates to a circuit breaker with an LS part and an FI part, the switch lock of the LS part having a pawl support which can be locked with a pawl and is pivotally mounted, the pawl support being assigned a bimetallic release and a magnetic release for triggering, wherein the switch lock of the FI part has a pivotable pawl and a pawl rest, the pawl rest is assigned a permanent magnet release, with a switching bridge for the LS part and with a switching bridge for the FI part, and wherein the switching bridges in the housing of the circuit breaker a common axis are pivotally mounted.

Circuit breakers that contain an FI part (residual current protection part) and an LS part (line protection part), which thus ensure not only overload protection but also personal protection, are known in various embodiments. Various proposals have also been made to make the tripping process of the two parts of the circuit breaker dependent on one another. In previously known embodiments, the LS part and the FI part are assigned independent protective elements (bimetallic release and magnetic release for the LS part, summation current transformer and permanent magnet release for the FI part). In order to transfer the triggering from the FI part into the LS part and vice versa, transmission elements have been proposed earlier which reach through the partition between the two parts of the circuit breaker.

It is also known to mechanically connect a plurality of circuit breakers to one another in the monitoring of multiphase lines by means of actuation buttons protruding from the housing of the switches, the triggering mechanisms also being connected to one another. If at least one of the circuit breakers trips due to the response of its magnetic release or its bimetallic release, then the other circuit breakers are also opened. Just the outer conductors need to be monitored, it is not necessary to assign a complete circuit breaker with mechanics, magnetic release and bimetal release to the center conductor. It has therefore already been proposed to mechanically couple the contact apparatus of a switch assigned to the center conductor to the contact apparatus of the circuit breaker of at least one outer conductor.

A circuit breaker with all-pole disconnection is known from DE-B-1 563 919. In this known circuit breaker, a transmission element designed as a slide is provided, which is guided in grooves in the side walls of adjacent shell halves. A disadvantage of this known circuit breaker is that the actuating parts of the circuit breaker must be designed with extensions that operate the slide.

A line circuit breaker in which the coupling of the contact apparatus of the line circuit breaker with that of the switch for the center conductor is possible without changing the structure of the line circuit breaker is known from AT-B-378 283. In this circuit breaker with switch for a center conductor, which is also known from EP-A1-149 441, the movable switching bridge of the circuit breaker is coupled to the movable contact of the switch for the center conductor via a slide guided on the side wall of the housing of the circuit breaker. The slide has at least one projection which engages the movable contact of the switch for the center conductor and a projection which is designed as a pin and which is at the same time the bearing pin for the joint between the switching bridge and its actuating member.

From AT-B-384 120 a fault current and circuit breaker with a switch for a center conductor is known, in which the movable switching bridge of the circuit breaker arranged in one housing part with the movable contact arm of the switch accommodated in another housing part via one on one Partition wall guided slide is coupled. In this known circuit breaker is the permanent magnet release of the residual current protection assigned to a pivotally mounted lever in the housing, one end of the lever being in contact with the release pin of the permanent magnet release and the other end of the lever being locked in the ON position of the switch with a spring-loaded actuator which assigns an approach to the pawl support of the circuit breaker. Furthermore, an extension is provided on the slide, which pivots the actuator against the force of the spring associated therewith when the contact arm of the switch for the center conductor is pivoted into its closed position into the correct position for latching with the lever assigned to the permanent magnet release.

A circuit breaker is known from EP-A-0 291 374, which describes the closest prior art, and which consists of a plurality of switch poles arranged in a row. The release levers of the lined up switch poles are connected by a first cross pin to a first bi-directional release connection to a modular release rod, so that a multi-pole release is made possible by transferring the release stroke from the first switch pole to the second switch pole. Each trigger lever of the switching poles has a recess which is extended by an extension. A triggering movement of the power switching block and the auxiliary triggering block is transmitted using the modulated trigger rod.

From EP-A-271 669 a mechanism for a FI switch combined with a circuit breaker is known. In this known switch (cf. the last paragraph in column 3 of EP-A-271 669) the FI switching bridge is not rigidly coupled to the LS switching bridge for joint actuation. With the switch of EP-A-271 669, no contact apparatus is provided in the FI part (cf. column 3, lines 20 to 23 of EP-A-271 669). In addition, the switch of EP-A-271 669 has two separate activation levers. In the FI part of the switch of EP-A-271 669, a switch-off bracket is provided which is to be operatively connected to the release lever of the circuit breaker in order to use the "movement" of the release device in the event of a fault current to switch the switch part of the LS part in the sense of a Actuate. Details of how this should be done are not specified in EP-A-271 669.

The invention has for its object to provide a circuit breaker of the type mentioned, in which both the overcurrent release and the residual current release takes place reliably.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a circuit breaker of the type mentioned in that the switching bridge of the LS part is rigidly coupled to the switching bridge of the FI part for common movement and that the pawl of the FI part in the course of its pivoting movement in the case a fault current trip on the jack support of the LS part and this pivoted in the sense of triggering the switch lock of the LS part.

Due to the inventive design of the circuit breaker in the event of an overcurrent release, the switching bridge of the FI part is also pivoted and released from the associated fixed contact with the housing without triggering the switch lock of the FI part of the circuit breaker.

On the other hand, in the event of a fault current trip, the switching lock of the LS part is triggered by pivoting the pawl support of the switching lock of the LS part by coupling the pawl of the FI part to the pawl support of the LS part, whereupon the switching bridge of the LS part again switches the switching bridge takes the FI part of the circuit breaker according to the invention, so opens. In the circuit breaker according to the invention it is so the case that the pawl support of the switch lock of the LS part can be pivoted under the action of the pawl of the FI part. In this case, the pawl support of the LS part is pivoted by pivoting the pawl of the FI part in the event of a residual current trip so that the switch lock of the LS part is triggered. This training according to the invention has the advantage that only small forces act on the switch lock, which is housed in the FI part of the circuit breaker according to the invention, since the switch lock does not have to absorb the force required to close the movable switching bridge of the FI part. Another advantage results from the fact that in both tripping cases (overcurrent tripping on the one hand and residual current tripping on the other hand) reliable tripping takes place, including the switch lock of the LS part.

In a simple embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention it is provided that the switching bridge of the LS part is coupled to the switching bridge of the FI part by a pin.

A reliably working embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention is characterized in that a bolt is used in the pawl support of the switch lock of the LS part, which is assigned to the pawl of the FI part is, and that the pawl of the FI part runs when pivoting on the bolt, and the pawl support of the LS part pivoted in the sense of triggering the switch lock of the LS part.

In this embodiment, the pawl rest of the switch lock of the LS part is pivoted practically without delay and the construction is particularly simple.

In a practical embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention it can be provided that the pin is inserted in a switching bridge support for the switching bridge of the FI part and in a carrier tab of the switching bridge of the LS part and that the switching bridge carrier and the carrier tab are pivotally mounted about the axis.

The relocking of the switch lock of the FI part is particularly simple and reliable if it is provided that the pawl of the switch lock of the FI part is under the action of a storage spring which loads the pawl about a switch lock-proof axis on the latching point with the latch support.

A spatially advantageous arrangement results if, according to a proposal of the invention, it is provided that the pawl support has a preferably finger-shaped attachment which is assigned to the release plunger of the permanent magnet release.

The relocking of the switch lock of the FI part of the protection switch according to the invention takes place reliably and gently if it is provided that in the switch lock of the FI part a pivotable about a switch lock axis, designed as a two-armed lever ratchet reset is provided, of which an arm with an approach of the switching bridge support and its other arm cooperates with an approach on the pawl for resetting the pawl after a residual current trip. In this embodiment, the pawl is lifted by the pawl restorer from the latching point and the pawl rest, so that these, under the action of the spring assigned to them, into the position ready for the latching can swing back.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that an approach is provided on the switching bridge support for the switching bridge of the FI part, which holds a reset for the permanent magnet release in the ON position of the switching lock of the FI part at a distance from the trigger plunger of the permanent magnet release . This embodiment can also be characterized in that the reset is an angle lever pivotable about a switch lock axis, that the shoulder engages on the switch bridge between the two arms of the angle lever, and that a spring is provided which the reset in the sense of pivoting on the plunger of the permanent magnet release too loaded.

The pawl rest is pivoted into the latching position easily and safely if it is provided that the latch rest is under the action of a spring which loads the latch rest in the sense of pivoting into its latching position.

A preferred embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention is characterized in that a trigger indicator with two pointers is pivotally mounted in the switch lock about an axis which is fixed to the switch lock, that the trigger indicator is under the action of a spring, that the pointers can be locked with a pointer catch which is connected to the pawl a pointer bracket is coupled, and that the pointer catch releases the pointers when the pawl pivots in the event of a fault current trip under the action of its associated spring. In this embodiment, based on the position of the pointers of the trip indicator, it can be recognized whether the combined circuit breaker / FI switch has tripped due to an overcurrent or a fault current case. In the latter case, the trigger indicator pointers are actuated. In a practical embodiment of the trigger indicator, it can be provided according to the invention that the pointer latch can be pivoted about an axis which is fixed to the switching mechanism and is under the action of a spring which loads it in the sense of latching with the pointers.

In the embodiment of the circuit breaker according to the invention with a trigger indicator, it can also be provided that an extension is provided on the switching bridge support, which pivots the pointer when the switching bridge is pivoted into its position corresponding to the ON position until it is locked in place with the pointer catch.

A simplified construction results if it is provided that the spring loading the latch support engages with one leg on the latch support and engages with the other leg on the pointers, and loads them in the sense of a pivoting in their position indicating a residual current release. This spring, which is assigned to both the pawl support and the pointers of the release indicator, acts as a combination spring and fulfills two tasks.

The circuit breaker according to the invention can also be equipped with a test device for the FI part, which is equipped with a test button, test contacts and a test contact spring, of which one leg is assigned to the test button, as is often prescribed. According to the invention, it can be provided in such a circuit breaker equipped with a test device that the other leg of the test contact spring is pressed onto the test contact of the test device by the switch bridge carrier in its position corresponding to the ON position. In this embodiment, it is useful if the shoulder of the test spring is assigned a shoulder on the switching bridge support and that the leg, when the switching bridge is in the OFF position, bears against a stop fixed to the housing at a distance from the test contact assigned to it.

This preferred embodiment of the test device of the circuit breaker according to the invention ensures that the test device can only be operated effectively when the switching bridge is pivoted into its ON position, since one leg of the test contact spring does not rest on the contact assigned to it when the switching bridge is in its OFF position. Position corresponding position.

A particularly favorable kinematics when switching on results if it is provided that the switching bridge is mounted on an elongated hole on the pivot axis fixed to the housing and that the switching bridge support, which is also pivotally mounted about the axis, is pivotally supported on the switching bridge about an axis. It is useful if the axis is arranged between the pivot axis and the end of the switching bridge assigned to the housing-fixed contact.

Also for the switching bridge of the LS part, there is a favorable movement sequence and a secure contact with the housing-fixed contact, if it is provided that the switching bridge of the LS part is pivotally mounted via an elongated hole on the axis, and that the support bracket, which is also around the axis is pivotally supported, is supported on the switching bridge so as to be pivotable about an axis. An embodiment has proven itself here, in which it is provided that the axis, about which the carrier lug is pivotably supported on the switching bridge, is provided between the elongated hole of the switching bridge and its end assigned to the contact fixed to the housing.

• Fig. 1 den Leitungsschutzteil (LS-Teil) des Schalters bei abgenommener Oberschale,
• Fig. 2 das Schaltschloß des LS-Teils in der EIN-Stellung,
• Fig. 3 das Schaltschloß des LS-Teiles in der AUS-Stellung,
• Fig. 4 das Schaltschloß des LS-Teiles mit einer Kontaktstellungsanzeige,
• Fig. 5 das Schaltschloß des LS-Teiles mit Kontaktstellungsanzeige in der AUS-Stellung,
• Fig. 6 den Fehlerstromschutzteil (FI-Teil) des Schalters bei abgenommener Zusatzschale, wobei Isolierplatte, Isolierfolie und Permanentmagnetauslöser nur gestrichelt dargestellt sind,
• Fig. 7 das Schaltschloß des FI-Teiles bei abgenommener Schloßdeckplatte,
• Fig. 8 das Schaltschloß mit dem zugeordneten Kontaktträger in der AUS-Stellung,
• Fig. 9 das Schaltschloß des FI-Teils mit Kontaktträger in der EIN-Stellung,
• Fig. 10 das Schaltschloß aus Fig. 9 im Moment der Fehlerstromauslösung,
• Fig. 11 eine Ausführungsform des Schaltschlosses des FI-Teiles ohne Kontaktstellungsanzeige und
• Fig. 12 die Baugruppe der Schaltbrücke des FI-Teiles.

Further details and features as well as advantages result from the following description of exemplary embodiments of switches according to the invention shown in the attached drawings. It shows:

• 1 the line protection part (LS part) of the switch with the top shell removed,
• 2 the switch lock of the LS part in the ON position,
• 3 the switch lock of the LS part in the OFF position,
• 4 the switching lock of the LS part with a contact position indicator,
• 5 shows the switch lock of the LS part with contact position indicator in the OFF position,
• Fig. 6 the residual current protection part (FI part) of the switch Removed additional shell, the insulating plate, insulating film and permanent magnet release are only shown in dashed lines,
• 7 the switching lock of the FI part with the lock cover plate removed,
• 8 the switch lock with the associated contact carrier in the OFF position,
• 9 the switch lock of the FI part with contact carrier in the ON position,
• 10 the switching lock from FIG. 9 at the moment of the residual current trip,
• Fig. 11 shows an embodiment of the switch lock of the FI part without a contact position indicator and
• Fig. 12 shows the assembly of the switching bridge of the FI part.

All components of the combined FI / LS switch are housed in a housing consisting of an intermediate shell 44 and two outer shells (not shown in the drawings).

The LS part shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 has an actuating button 1 which is pivotally mounted in the housing and which is coupled via a bracket 2 to a pawl 3 of the switching mechanism of the LS part.

Furthermore, the LS part contains a bimetallic release 27 and a magnetic release 17, the bimetallic release 27 acting on a pawl support 6 via a drawbar 13 guided displaceably in the intermediate shell 44 and the magnetic release 17 via its armature 17 '. Furthermore, an arc quenching chamber 18 with deion plates is accommodated in the LS part, and there are terminals accessible from the outside for connecting lines. The current is carried out in such a way that the terminal angle of the right-hand terminal in FIG. 1 is electrically conductively connected to the bimetallic release 27. The bimetal trigger 27 is in turn electrically conductively connected to the movable switching bridge 5 via a conductor cable and to the magnetic release 17 when the contacts are closed. A further round cable 25 leads from the magnetic release into the FI part, is guided in it with at least one turn via the converter 43 and finally electrically conductively connected to the terminal angle of the other (left in FIG. 1) terminal of the LS part of the switch according to the invention .

The actuating button 1, which is pivotably mounted in the part of the housing receiving the LS part, is loaded by a spring 1 'into the pivoting position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, which corresponds to the OFF position.

The actuating button 1 is coupled via the bracket 2 with a pawl 3 of the switch lock of the LS part. The pawl 3 is pivotally mounted on a support bracket 4, the mounting being carried out via a pin 7. The pawl 3 is U-shaped, the openings for receiving the pin 7 being provided in both legs of the pawl 3. On the web of the pawl 3 there is a projection 9 which, as will be described later, can engage behind a shoulder 10 on the pawl support 6 in order to latch the pawl 3 with the pawl support 6.

The pawl support 6 is pivotally mounted on the support bracket 4, both the support bracket 4 and the pawl support 6 being placed over a pivot axis 11 fixed to the housing and pivotable about the latter. The carrier tab 4 is in turn connected to the switching bridge 5, for example via a tubular rivet 12, so that it can pivot. The axis (tubular rivet 12), about which the carrier plate 4 can be pivoted relative to the switching bridge 5, is located between the housing-fixed pivot axis 11 for the jack support 6, the switching bridge 5 and the carrier plate 4 and the free end of the switching bridge 5, which is in the ON position -Position on the housing-fixed contact of the LS part.

The carrier tab 4 is U-shaped and is pivotally mounted in the region of its legs via the tubular rivet 12 on the switching bridge 5. In openings in the legs of the Carrier tab 4 also engages the pin 7, so that the pin 3 on the carrier tab 4 pivotally mounted pin 7 and the tubular rivet 12 are each inserted in two bearing openings of the carrier tab 4, so that there is a symmetrical load.

A torsion spring 16 is inserted over a projection 14 surrounding the bearing opening for the axis 11 in the pawl support 6. One end 16 'of the torsion spring 16 is hooked into a hook 4' on the carrier bracket 4 and the other end 16 '' of the torsion spring 16 into a hook 6 'on the pawl support 6. The torsion spring 16 loads the pawl support 6 so that the pawl 3 adjacent end having the shoulder 10 is moved towards the pawl 3.

In the switching bridge 5, a bearing opening designed as an elongated hole 20 (FIGS. 4 and 5) is provided, through which the pivot axis 11 fixed to the housing engages, via which the mounting bracket 4 and the pawl support 6 are also inserted with their bearing openings.

The end 22 of the pawl support 6 opposite the pawl 3 (in FIG. 2 below) is assigned the armature 17 'of the magnetic release 17 and, via the drawbar 13, which engages an angle 21 of the pawl support 6, the bimetallic release 27.

If the pawl support 6 is pivoted counter to the action of the torsion spring 16, that is to say counterclockwise in FIG. 2, under the action of the armature 17 'of the magnetic release 17 or of the tension bracket 13 displaced by the bimetallic release 27, the projection 9 of the pawl 3 comes from the shoulder 10 free on the pawl support 6 and the pawl 3 pivots (in Fig. 2) clockwise, so that the arrangement of pawl 3 and bracket 2 kinks. At the same time, a tension spring 15 suspended in a hole 19 in the switching bridge 5 pulls the switching bridge 5 away from the contact fixed to the housing while pivoting about the axis 11 fixed to the housing. So the switch finally comes to the OFF position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

When pivoting the switching bridge 5 into that shown in Fig. 3 OFF position, the pawl 3 is locked again on the pawl support 6, since on the one hand the pawl support 6 is pivoted back from the torsion spring 16 to the pawl 3 and on the other hand the pawl 3 from the bracket 2 under the action of the actuating button 1, which of the in it The built-in torsion spring 1 'is loaded clockwise until the projection 9 of the pawl 3 engages behind the shoulder 10 on the pawl support 6. By again pivoting the operating button 1 counterclockwise into the ON position shown in Fig. 2, the switching bridge 5 is pivoted and the switch is turned on again.

Characterized in that the carrier tab 4 is pivotable relative to the switching bridge 5, the carrier tab 4 and the pawl support 6 can be pivoted about a common axis (formed by the pivot axis 11 fixed to the housing). At the end of the closing process, when the end of the switching bridge 5 assigned to the housing-fixed contact abuts against it, the switching bridge 5 can pivot further about the point of contact between its end and the housing-fixed contact, since the pivot axis 11 fixed in the housing is received in the slot 20 of the switching bridge 5 is, and the switching bridge 5 can therefore move relative to the pivot axis 11. In the ON position, the pivot axis 11 is no longer in contact with the end of the elongated hole 20 adjacent to the pawl support 6 in the switching bridge 5, but is at a distance from this end. The mutual assignment of the relevant parts for triggering, namely the pawl 3 and the pawl support 6 is not changed, since these two parts are not mounted directly on the switching bridge 5, but on the support bracket 4, which are in the above-mentioned movement of the Switch bridge 5 does not move at the end of the closing process relative to the latch 3 and the latch support 6. The position of the end 22 and the bend 21 of the pawl support 6, which are assigned to the anchor of the impact anchor trigger or the pulling bracket 13 of the bimetal trigger, then no longer changes.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, a contact position indicator 8 is additionally provided. This contact position indicator 8 is in the housing about an axis 23 pivotally mounted and has a curved part 24 which is associated with an opening in the housing wall and is visible from the outside through this opening. The contact position indicator 8 also has a lever arm 8 ', in which a curved, slot-shaped recess 28 is provided. The pin 7, which pivots the pawl 3 on the support bracket 4, engages in the recess 28 in the lever arm 8 'of the contact position indicator 8, so that it is taken along when opening and closing the switching bridge 5 and the positions of the switching bridge 5, ie the Displays the ON position and the OFF position.

The pin 7, which connects the pawl 3 to the carrier tab 4, protrudes through a slot in the intermediate shell 44 out of the housing part in which the LS part is received and into an adjacent housing part in which the FI part of the circuit breaker is housed in.

The FI part of the switch according to the invention shown in FIGS. 6 to 11 in two embodiments (once with and once without a trip indicator) consists of a switching bridge assembly (FIG. 12) with a switching bridge 36 which is pivotally mounted in the housing via a switching bridge support 35 is, and a converter assembly, consisting of a converter 43, a circuit 42 with a yoke assembly, two terminal angles 67 and 68 of the terminals of the FI part, a contact carrier fixed in the housing in the intermediate shell 44 with contact 47 and round cables 26 and 38. The round cable 26, which connects the clamp angle 67 of the one clamp to the contact carrier 41, is passed through the (total current) converter 43 in at least one turn, as is the round cable 25 carried over from the LS part likewise the windings which lead to the circuit 42 and the winding which leads to the permanent magnet release which is only shown in broken lines in FIG. 6 64 heard, led.

A test device is provided in the FI part of the switch according to the invention. The test device has a test button 80, by pressing which one end 83 of a test spring 82 can be moved in contact with the test contact 81. Of the another contact 85 connected to the test line 23 is assigned to the other end 84 of the test spring 82, which is pivoted in a manner still to be described when the switching bridge 36 of the FI part is pivoted by the switching bridge carrier 35 in contact with the test contact 85.

By pressing the test button, the test spring 82 switches the test resistor 86 between the outer conductor and the neutral conductor.

About the pin 7, which engages in the carrier plate 4 of the LS switch lock and is pressed into the switching bridge support 35 of the FI part, the switching movement of the LS part, which is via the operating button 1, bracket 2, jack 3 and carrier plate 4 on the Switching bridge 5 is exercised, transferred to the switching bridge support 35 and thus to the N switching bridge 36 carried by it. The N-switching bridge 36 is connected to the stop 39 and the terminal bracket 68 via the round cable 38. The test contact 85 is also connected to the terminal bracket 68 via the test resistor 86.

The FI switch lock accommodated in the FI part at the top left in FIG. 6, which interacts with the LS switch lock in a manner yet to be described, consists of two plates, namely a lock mounting plate 29 and one in FIGS. 7 to 11 Lock cover plate 30, not shown.

The N-switching bridge 36 is fastened to the switching bridge carrier 35 so as to be pivotable about an axis formed by a bolt 66, the N-switching bridge 36 and thus the switching bridge carrier 35 being moved by a switching spring 37 into the open position shown in FIG. 6 (OFF position, Fig. 8) are pulled.

The switching bridge support 35 is pivotally mounted about an axis fixed to the housing (bolt 60, which can be formed in one piece with the bolt forming the pivot axis 11 of the switching bridge 5 of the LS part and fixed in the intermediate shell 44) and is located below when viewed in accordance with FIG. 6 the lock mounting plate 29, ie between this plate 29 and the intermediate wall of the intermediate shell 44, which separates the LS part from the FI part. The bolt 60 engages Elongated hole in switch bridge 36.

The following components are accommodated between the plates 29 and 30 of the switch lock of the FI part: a pawl 31 which can be pivoted about the axis 60 fixed to the housing, about which the switching bridge support 35 can also be pivoted, a pawl support 32 which acts under the action of a leg 56 'of a pawl support spring 56 ("combination spring") which, via its other leg 56 ", drives the pointers 33 and 34 of a release indicator which are pivotably mounted about an axis in the switching mechanism. The pawl support 32 is thereby moved by the leg 56 assigned to it 'the spring 56 and the pointers 33 and 34 from the leg 56 "in the counterclockwise direction.

The pawl support 32 has an approximately finger-shaped end 32 ', which is assigned to the plunger 51 of the permanent magnet release 64.

Furthermore, a reset 49 is provided for the plunger 51 of the permanent magnet release 64 in the switch lock of the FI part and, under the action of a spring 50, is provided. The reset device 49 (shown in FIG. 7 in its position assumed before installation of the RCD switch assembly) has a sleeve 62 inserted over an axis 61 and two arms 70, 71, between which an extension 72 of the switching bridge support 35 engages, so that the Reset 49 is lifted from the plunger 51 in the ON position shown in FIG. 9. The reset device 49 is pivoted under the action of the return spring 50 into the position shown in FIG. 8, so that the permanent magnet release 64 is reset by the arm 71 assigned to its plunger 51.

Between the plates 29 and 30 of the switch lock of the FI part, a pawl rest 48 with two arms 76, 77 is pivotally mounted about an axis 74. The arm 76 interacts with a shoulder 75 on the switching bridge support 35. The other arm 77 is assigned to an extension 78 of the pawl 31.

Provided on the pawl 31 is an extension 31 'pointing towards the intermediate shell 44 and associated with a bolt 69 which is inserted into the pawl support 6 of the switch lock of the LS part, and protrudes through an arcuate slot in the intermediate shell 44.

In order to actuate the pointers 33 and 34 of the release indicator together with the pawl 31, a pointer bracket 54 is provided which is coupled to a pivotable pointer catch 55. The pointer catch 55 interacts with the pointers 33 and 34. In the OFF position, the pointer 34, which is engaged in the pointer catch 55 coupled to the pawl 31 via the pointer bracket 54, stands in front of a viewing window in the housing. One leg 56 "of the pawl support spring 56 acts on the pointer combinations 33 and 34. When switching on, the switching bridge support 35 moves the pointers 33, 34 into position, if the pointer 33 was visible, via an extension 90 provided on it which the pointer 34 is visible, this pointer position being secured by the pointer catch 55 and the pointer combination 33, 34 being held in contact with the shoulder on the pointer catch 55 by the pawl support spring 56.

In the OFF position shown in FIG. 8 (see also FIG. 6), the pawl 31 is pivoted by the switching bridge support 35, coupled via the pawl reset device 48, via the latching point. The counteracting force (FS in FIGS. 8 to 10) of the storage spring 46 (FIG. 6) is overcome and the latter is thus preloaded. The arm 71 of the reset device 49 for the permanent magnet release 64 is driven by the return spring 50 towards the plunger 51 of the permanent magnet release 64 and moves it into its starting position. The release indicator shows the pointer 34, which is engaged with the pointer catch 55 coupled to the pawl 31 via the pointer bracket 54. The pawl support spring 56 acts on the pawl support 32 and the pointer combination 33 and 34. In this position, the switching bridges 36 (FI part) and 6 (LS part) are held in the OFF position by the contact springs 37 and 15, respectively.

When switching on (swiveling the switching bridges 36 and 6 from the OFF position to the ON position according to FIG. 9 or 2 or 4), the switching movement of the LS part on the pin 7 on transfer the switch bridge carrier 35. The pawl restorer 48 releases the pawl 31 so that the pawl 31 is pivoted under the action of the storage spring 46 into the position in which it is latched to the pawl support 32. The switching bridge support 35 pivots the reset device 49 by the action of its shoulder 72 on one arm 70 of the reset device 49, so that its other arm 71 is lifted off the plunger 51 of the permanent magnet release 64. If the pointer 33 was visible, the pointer combination 33 and 34 of the release indicator is pivoted back from the extension 90 of the switching bridge support 35 into the latched position, in which the pointer 34 is visible through the window in the housing.

As described above, the actuating button 1 engages in the ON position after the dead center position (knee joint button bracket) has been exceeded. The two switching bridges 6 and 36 are pressed via the contact springs 15 and 37 (the force of the spring 37 is symbolized in Fig. 8 to 10 with "FK") with the necessary contact pressure on the contacts fixed to the housing (this is the storage of the switching bridges 6 and 36 about their elongated holes as described above).

Fig. 11 shows an embodiment of the FI part without a trip indicator. In this embodiment, the combined pawl support spring 56, which loads the pawl support 32 and the pointer combination 33, 34, is replaced by a simple pawl support spring 57. This support spring 57 is inserted with at least one turn over a pin 61 'on the lock plate 29 and supported on a further pin 61 ".

Two examples of tripping operations of the switch according to the invention are described below:

Overcurrent trip:

The bimetallic release 27 or the magnetic release 17 of the LS part act on the pawl support 6 of the switch lock of the LS part and pivot it so that the pawl 3 is released and the contact spring 15 the movable switching bridge 5 of the LS part and via the pin 7 also supports the switching bridge carrier 35 and thus the N switching bridge 36 from the contact spring 37, pivoted into the OFF position. The switching bridge support 35 pivots so that the permanent magnet reset 49 can pivot counter-clockwise under the action of its return spring 50 and is thereby brought into the position corresponding to the OFF position (see FIG. 8).

The pawl 31 and the storage spring 46 are also brought into the OFF position in the last third of the switch-off movement via the switching bridge support 35 and the pawl reset device 48. In the event of an overcurrent release, the pawl 31 remains latched to the pawl support 32 and the pointer catch 55 holds the pointer combination 33/34 so that they are not pivoted by the spring 56. It can be seen from the position of the pointers 33/34 and 24 that it was an overcurrent trip (or a manual switch off - by pressing the operating button (1)).

Residual current trip:

In the event of a fault current, the pawl support 32 is pivoted under the action of the plunger 51 of the permanent magnet release 64 which moves to the left in FIG. 10 and which acts on the finger-shaped arm 32 'of the pawl support 32. As a result, the pawl 31 is released (see FIG. 10) and swivels under the action of the storage spring 46 and, driven by the storage spring 46, transmits the release to the bolt 69 (ie the pawl support 6) pressed into the pawl support 6 of the LS part is pivoted) and thus onto the switch lock of the LS part. This now triggers and the pin 7 also moves the N-switching bridge 36 to the OFF position.

The pointer catch 55 is also pivoted over the pointer bracket 54 and releases the pointers 33, 34, whereupon the ratchet spring 56 can pivot the pointers 33, 34, so that the pointer 33 becomes visible and indicates that it was a fault current trip . The remaining movements during the switch-off process correspond to the above-described processes for overcurrent tripping.

The when the arc in the FI part of the switch is switched off The ionized gases formed are directed by the extension 100 of the stop 39, which acts as an arc arrester, into a channel 101 at the lower edge of the intermediate shell 44 and emerge from this channel 101 largely cooled through the openings 102 of the channel 101 on the right in FIG. 6.

In summary, the invention can be represented as follows, for example:

A circuit breaker has an LS part and an FI part. The switch lock of the LS part has a pawl support that can be locked with a pawl and that interacts with a bimetallic release and a magnetic release for tripping (overcurrent). The switch lock of the FI part has a pawl 31 and a pawl support 32, which is associated with a permanent magnet release with release plunger 51. The switching bridge of the LS part and the switching bridge 36 of the FI part are pivotally mounted about a common axis 60 in the housing of the circuit breaker. The switching bridge of the LS part is coupled to the switching bridge 36 of the FI part by a pin 7, which is inserted into a switching bridge support 35 for the switching bridge 36 of the FI part, for common movement. In the pawl support of the switch lock of the LS part, a bolt 69 is inserted, which is assigned to the pawl 31 of the FI part so that it runs on the bolt 69 when it pivots in the event of a fault current. As a result, the latch support of the LS part is pivoted in the sense of triggering the switch lock of the LS part.

Claims (20)

1. An automatic circuit-breaker with an LS part and an FI part, wherein the latch of the LS part comprises a catch seat (6) which can engage with a catch (3) and is pivotally mounted, wherein a bimetallic trip (27) and a magnetic trip (17) are associated with the catch seat (6) for the tripping, wherein the latch of the FI part comprises a pivotable catch (31) and a catch seat (32) with a permanent magnet trip (64) associated with the catch seat (32), with a contact bridge (5) for the LS part and a contact bridge (36) for the FI part and wherein the contact bridges (5 and 36) are pivotally mounted about a common axis (60, 11) in the housing of the automatic circuit-breaker, characterized in that the contact bridge (5) of the LS part is rigidly coupled to the contact bridge (36) of the FI part for movement in common and in that the catch (31) of the FI part runs against the catch seat (6) of the LS part and turns this in the sense of tripping the latch of the LS part in the course of its pivotal movement in the case of fault current tripping.
2. A circuit-breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact bridge (5) of the LS part is coupled to the contact bridge (36) of the FI part by a rod (7).
3. A circuit-breaker according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a pin (69) is fitted in the catch seat (6) of the latch of the LS part and is associated with the catch (31) of the FI part, and in that the catch (31) of the FI part runs against the pin (69) when turning and turns the catch seat (6) of the LS part in the sense of tripping the latch of the LS part.
4. A circuit-breaker according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the rod (7) is fitted in a contact bridge carrier (35) for the contact bridge (36) of the FI part and in a support bar (4) of the contact bridge (5) of the LS part and in that the contact bridge carrier (35) and support bar (4) are pivotally mounted about the axis (11, 60).
5. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the catch (31) of the latch of the FI part is biased by a storage spring (46) which biases the catch (31) about an axis (60) fixed relative to the latch into the interlocking position with the catch seat (32).
6. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the catch seat (32) has a preferably finger-shaped extension (32') which is associated with the trip plunger (51) of the permanent magnet trip (64).
7. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a catch re-setter (48) in the form of a two-armed lever turning about an axis (74) fixed relative to the latch is provided in the latch of the FI part, with one arm (76) cooperating with a projection (75) of the contact bridge carrier (35) and the other arm (77) cooperating with a projection (78) on the catch (31) for resetting the catch (31) after fault current tripping.
8. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a projection (72) is provided on the contact bridge carrier (35) for the contact bridge (36) of the FI part and holds a re-setter (49) for the permanent magnetic trip (64) spaced from the trip plunger (51) of the permanent magnetic trip (64) in the ON position of the latch of the FI part.
9. A circuit-breaker according to claim 8, characterized in that the re-setter (49) is a cranked lever turning about an axis (61) fixed relative to the latch, in that the projection (72) on the contact bridge carrier (35) engages between the two arms of the cranked lever (70) and in that a spring is provided to bias the re-setter (49) in the sense of turning on to the plunger (51) of the permanent magnetic trip (64).
10. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the catch seat (32) is biased by a spring (56) which biases the catch seat (32) in the sense of turning into its interlocking position.
11. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that a trip indicator with two indicators (33, 34) is pivotally mounted in the latch about an axis fixed relative to the latch, in that the trip indicator is biased by a spring (56), in that the indicators (33, 34) can engage with an indicator detent (55) which is coupled to the catch (31) through an indicator link (54) and in that the indicator detent (55) releases the indicators (33, 34) when the catch turns under the bias of the associated storage spring (46) in the case of fault current tripping.
12. A circuit-breaker according to claim 11, characterized in that the indicator detent (55) turns about an axis fixed relative to the latch and is biased by a spring which biases it in the sense of engaging with the indicators (33, 34).
13. A circuit-breaker according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that a projection (90) is provided on the contact bridge carrier (35) and turns the indicators (33, 34) when the contact bridge (36) turns into its position corresponding to the ON position, until the indicators have engaged with the indicator detent (55).
14. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the spring (56) biasing the catch seat (32) has one arm (56') engaging on the catch seat and its other arm (56") engaging on the indicators (33, 34) and biases these in the sense ofturning into their position indicating a fault current tripping.
15. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 14, with a test device for the FI part having a test button (80), test contacts (81, 85) and a test contact spring (82) of which one arm (83) is associated with the test button (80), characterized in that the other arm (84) of the test contact spring (82) is pressed by the contact bridge carrier (35) located in its position corresponding to the ON position on to the associated test contact (85) of the test device.
16. A circuit-breaker according to claim 15, characterized in that a projection (91) on the contact bridge carrier (35) is associated with the arm (84) of the test spring (82) and in that the arm (84) bears on a stop fixed to the housing, spaced from the test contact (85) associated therewith in the OFF position of the contact bridge (36).
17. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the contact bridge (36) is mounted via a slot on the pivotal axis (60, 11) fixed relative to the housing and in that the contact bridge carrier (35), which is also pivotally mounted about the axis (60, 11) is pivotally supported on the contact bridge about an axis (66).
18. A circuit-breaker according to claim 17, characterized in that the axis (66) is arranged between the pivotal axis (60, 11) and the end of the contact bridge (36) associated with the contact fixed relative to the housing.
19. A circuit-breaker according to any of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the contact bridge (5) ofthe LS part is pivotally mounted by a slot (20) on the axis (60, 11) and in that the support bar (4), which is also pivotally mounted about the axis (11, 60), is supported pivotally about an axis (12) on the contact bridge (5).
20. A circuit-breaker according to claim 19, characterized in that the axis (12) about which the support bar (4) is pivotally supported on the contact bridge (5) is provided between the slot (20) of the contact bridge (5) and its end associated with the contact fixed relative to the housing.

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