FR2496335A1 - Neutral-sectioning circuit breaker - has disengageable locking device acting on magnetic cut-out and engagement and release lever - Google Patents

Abstract

The neutral fixed contacts and moving contact are disconnected by the action of the engagement and release lever and disengageable locking device. Under the control of the core of the magnetic trigger mechanism, the locking device can move between an unlocked position leaving the moving contact free and a locked position in which the contact is temporarily held closed. In the unlocked position the engagement and release lever is left free. Pref. the locking device comprises a ratchet pivoting about an axis with two tips in contact with the magnetic core and with a shoulder on the engagement and release lever respectively.

Description

 The present invention. generally concerns circuit breakers.

 As well as. as is known, a circuit breaker generally comprises a fixed contact, a movable contact urged by elastic means for opening in the direction of a tripped position for which it is away from said fixed contact, and a control mechanism. intended to ensure1 on the one hand1 the passage and the maintenance in the latched position of said movable contact1 under the control of a latching and releasing lever mounted between a position. engaged and a triggered position, and on the other hand1 the release of this movable contact1 in response to the movable element of. trigger.chemen.t, which can for example be a magnetic trigger or a thermal trigger.

 Such a circuit breaker is inserted by these fixed and movable contacts on the conductor to be monitored, and, in an installation. polyphase, it is in. practice of a. phase conductor.

 When such a phase conductor is for example the seat of a. short-circuit, the movable contact1 which is therefore a phase contact1 is commanded to open on intervention of the magnetic trip member; the same is true in the case of an overload, the triggering member then acting being the thermal triggering member.

During such opening of the mobile phase contact1 which occurs don.c en. load, it does not fail to develop, between this mobile phase conductor and the fixed phase conductor from which it moves away, an arc, which, to spare these contacts1 is advantageously absorbed by a deionization chamber provided for this purpose in the vicinity of these,
I1 now turns out to be desirable, at least for certain applications, to be able to ensure 1 in multi-phase installations, not only a phase cut 1 as succinctly described above, but also a sectioning neutral.

 The circuit breakers meeting this requirement therefore comprise, in addition to a fixed phase contact and a mobile phase contact, with the corresponding control means, as recalled above, at least one fixed neutral contact and one.

 mobile neutral contact controlled in. closing and opening by means of an interlocking and tripping lever mounted to move between a position. engaged and a position triggered.

 In a first embodiment of this tyte offers to date, two separate modules are in fact associated ,. one for the phase contacts, and the other for the neutral contacts1 and these separate modules are each controlled by an individual engagement and tripping lever, that of the phase module being provided with a lateral extension by which it can cameander that of the neutral module in engagement but not in triggering, and the latter can only be controlled in triggering with 1 '. tool.

 In addition to the fact that such an embodiment is particularly bulky, it does not make it possible to ensure an automatic neutral sectioning during a phase cut, such sectioning having to be controlled manually.

 In another embodiment known to date, the phase contacts and the neutral contacts are arranged in the same module, and they are controlled by the same engagement and trigger lever.

 However, the arrangements there are such that the neutral disconnection occurs simultaneously with a phase cut, while therefore the corresponding conductors are in.

charge.

 However, if, by a deionization chamber, as mentioned above, the phase conductors can be protected from the effects of the arc which then develop between them, it is hardly the same for the neutral conductors. , due to the small volume available in the un.ique con.cer ne module.

 The present invention generally relates to a provision for overcoming this difficulty.

 More specifically, it relates to one. circuit breaker, of the type comprising a fixed phase contact, a mobile phase contact biased by elastic means for opening in the direction. a tripping position for which it is moved away from said fixed phase contact, a control mechanism intended to ensure, on the one hand, the passage and the maintenance in position. en.clenchée of said mobile phase contact, under the control of a.e interlocking and triggering lever mounted movable between an engaged position and a triggered position, and, on the other hand, the release of this contact mobile phase, in response to the mobile element of a trip member, at least one fixed neutral contact, and one. contact of n.eutre mobile piloted in closing and opening by a lever of en.clen.chement and release movable mounted between un.e position engaged and a tripped position, this circuit breaker being characterized in that, with the handle of engagement and release controlling the movable contact of n.eutre, there is associated a disengageable locking member, which, under the control of the movable member of the trigger member, is movable between a position. unlocking, for which it leaves li said said man.ette latching and triggering, and un.e locking position, for which it temporarily maintains it in the engaged position.

 Thus, according to the invention, as long as, during a phase cut, the corresponding triggering member is excited, and there is. is in practice thus as long as the arc then arising between the phase contacts is not dissipated, the interlocking and tripping lever controlling the movable neutral contact is locked in the engaged position, and therefore maintains it- even in the engaged position, said movable neutral contact.

 It is only after dissipation. of the arc having arisen between the phase contacts, and therefore only after complete opening of these contacts, that the engagement and disengagement lever controlling the movable neutral contact is released, and that it command then en.position triggered it.

In other words, according to the invention, there is mechanically established, between the phase contacts and the neutral contacts, a determined systematic opening sequence, which
fact that the neutral contacts cannot be operated by
opening only after phase contacts.

 As a result, the neutral sectioning is not done under load, and the neutral contacts are thus spared, none. destructive arc not able to develop between them.

 In practice, the same module can advantageously contain the phase contacts and the n.eutre contacts, and therefore, the same engagement and tripping lever be common to them.

 This advantageously reconciles the requirements of a minimum space requirement and effective protection of the contacts of n.eutre.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention come from the following description, for example, in. reference to the attached schematic drawings in which
Figure I is, along the line II of Figure 2, an elevational view in section of a circuit breaker according to the invention, shown in the engaged position
Figure 2 is a un.e cross-sectional view along the broken line II-II of Figure 1 ;;
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views partly taking that of Figure 1 and each relate respectively to various operating phases of the circuit breaker according to the invention between its engaged position and its tripped position
The circuit breaker according to the invention will not be described here in all its details, only being more particularly given here the description. of those of its elements, shown in accented lines in the figures, which are necessary for the compreh.éhenion of the inventiofl.

 I1 is in practice a circuit breaker whose mechanism is generally essentially of the type described in particular in the French patent filed on December 2, 1971 under No. 71 4321 \ and published under No. 2.226 .745.

 Such a circuit breaker generally comprises a.

bootmaker 10 formed, in the embodiment shown, of two shells 11,11 'suitably facing one another and suitably connected to each other by screws or rivets.

 This case 10 is equipped laterally, accessible from the outside, on the one hand with two connection terminals. phase 12A, 12B, shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, and on the other hand, two connection terminals. neutral 13A, 13B, shown broken lines in this figure 1.

 Internally, it contains, in particular, a fixed phase contact 14, a mobile phase contact 15, a control mechanism 16, detailed below, a. magnetic trigger organ 17, and one. thermal release device 18.

 It also contains at least one. fixed contact of n.eu, and in. makes two fixed neutral contacts 19A, 19B, and one movable neutral contact 20.

 The fixed phase contact 14 forms one of the external plates of a free. deionization 22, the other plates of which have not been shown in the figures.

 The mobile phase contact 15 has, in its median zone, a slot 23, and, to the right of the latter, it carries, by two lateral wings 24, 24 ′, a pin 25 mounted movably in grooves 26, 26 'of the shells 11.11' of the housing 10.

 It is mounted movably between an engaged position, for which, in FIG. 1, it is in contact with the fixed phase contact 14, and one. position. triggered, for which, Figure 5, it is distant from it.

 Elastic opening means force it continuously in the direction. from this position. triggered.

 In the embodiment shown, it is a spring 27 which bears on the housing 10.

 The magnetic triggering member 17 comprises a coil 27 and a core 28 mounted movable in the axis thereof, while the thermal triggering member 18 is formed by a blade carried by an adjustable plate 29. en.position under the control of a screw 30 accessible from the outside.

 By a braid 32, the phase connection terminal 12A is connected to one of the ends of this bimetallic strip, while the other end of the latter is connected by a braid 33 to the mobile phase contact 15.

 By a copper plate, which will not be detailed here, the fixed phase contact 14 is connected to one of the ends of the coil 27 of the magnetic trip member 17, while the other end of this coil 27 is similarly connected to the phase connection terminal 12B.

 The control mechanism 16 is intended to ensure, on the one hand, the passage and the maintenance in the latched position of the mobile phase contact 15, under the control of a latch and release lever 35, and , on the other hand, the release of this labile phase contact 15, year. response either to the movable core 28 of the magnetic trip member 17, or, via this movable core 28, to the bimetallic strip 18 constituting 1 thermal trip member 18, this bimetallic strip having for this purpose its end arranged opposite said movable core 28, for action thereon.

 In the embodiment shown, the engagement and trigger lever 35, which, in general, is movably mounted between an engaged position, FIG. 1, and a triggered position, FIG. 5, and which, for its control , projecting finger 40 accessible from the outside, is, by pins 42,42 'which it presents laterally, pivotally mounted in the shells ll, llS duboStier 10.

 By a torsion spring which will not be detailed here, it is permanently biased towards its position.

triggered.

 In its median zone, it is largely hollowed out by a slot 43, and it is integral with two flanges 44 44 ′ jointly forming a buttonhole 45.

 At one of its ends, this buttonhole 45 has a development forming a locking notch 46.

 In addition to the engagement and trigger lever 35 thus formed, the control mechanism 16 also comprises, on the one hand a latching and locking lug 48, and on the other hand a trigger lever 49.

 The latching and locking lug 48 is engaged transversely in the buttonhole 45 of the engagement and release lever 35, and, at its ends, it is slidably mounted in grooves 50, 50 'of the shells 11.11 'from the shoemaker 10.

 The trigger lever 49 is generally bent.

 In the region of its elbow, it is pivotally mounted on the axis 25 carried by the mobile phase contact 15, passing through it through its slot 23.

 On either side of this bend zone, the trigger lever 49 has two arms 52,53.

 The arm 52 is engaged with the movable core 28 of the magnetic trip member 17, its end, which for this purpose has a circular outline, being engaged in a slot 54 of this movable core 28.

 The arm 53 presents, for cooperation. with the hooking and locking lug 48, a notch. hooking 55 furthermore, in the embodiment shown, it comprises an extension 56 which, for its guidance, is engaged in the slot 43 of the engagement and release lever 35.

 In the embodiment shown, the fixed neutral contacts 19A, 19B, which are each respectively connected by a suitable copperware to the connection terminals. neutral 13A, 13B corresponding, are vis-à-vis, and the contact of mobile n.eutre 20 associated with them has, overall, the shape of a jumper.

 This movable neutral contact 20 passes right through a movable spacer 58 which is made of insulating material and which is made of it. cage form in the embodiment shown, and it is subjected to elastic means, a simple spring 59 in this embodiment, which bear on this mobile spacer 58.

 In the embodiment shown, the same locking and triggering lever is common to the mobile phase contact 15 and to the moving neutral contact 20, so that the locking and triggering lever controlling this the latter is constituted by the engagement and disengagement lever 35 described above.

 According to the invention, this interlocking and tripping lever 35 is associated with a disengageable locking member 60 which, under the control of the movable core 28 of the magnetic tripping organ 17, is movable between a position. unlocking, Figure 1, pour.quelle it leaves free said. engagement and release lever 35, and a locking position, FIG. 3, for which it temporarily maintains the latter in the engaged position.

In practice, in the embodiment shown,
this disengageable locking organ.e 60 forms a pawl pivotally mounted in the bolier 10, by an axis 61, and comprises two spouts 63, 64, one. for action of the movable core 28 of the magnetic trip organ 17, the other for action on the engagement and trip lever 35.

 The spout 64 extends don.c opposite the movable core 28 of the magnetic trip member 17, and this movable core 28 includes an extension 65 allowing it to act on this spout 63.

 At the same time, for the action of the spout 64, the engagement and trigger lever 35 has a shoulder 66, arranged in favor of a notch 67.

 By a connecting rod 70, the spacer 58 portan.t the movable neutral contact 20 is subjected to the switching on and off lever 35.

 In. practical, in the r-alsation foundation shown, this connecting rod 70 is articulated on the one hand to the spacer 58, at one of its ends, by a lug 71 pivotally mounted in a bore 72 thereof, and , on the other hand, to the latching and triggering lever 35, by a lug 73 also pivotally mounted dan.s a bore 74 thereof.

 For the engaged position shown in Figure 1, the hooking notch 55 of the trigger lever 49 is en.prise with the latching and locking lug 48, and the latter is in. taken with the locking notch 46 of the engagement and tripping lever 35, so that, the control mechanism 16 being thus locked, the mobile phase contact 15 is held in abutment against the phase contact fixed with which it is associated.

 At the same time, the mobile spacer 58 carrying the mobile neutral contact 20 is in the low position, so that the spring 59 associated with this mobile neutral contact 20 applies this against the fixed neutral contacts 19A, 19B with which it is associated. .

 The continuity of the phase and neutral conductors concerned is thus ensured.

If, for example, the phase conductor is subject to a short circuit, the magnetic trip member 17 comes into action, so that its movable core 28 is controlled by
movement, according to arrow F1 in FIG.

 This results in a double effect, FIG. 3: on the one hand, the trigger lever 49 is escaping from the latching and locking lug 48, which unlocks the entire control mechanism 16, and, on the other hand, the pawl 60 is engaged, by its beak 64, with the shoulder 66 of the engagement and trigger lever 35, which temporarily maintains the latter in the engaged position.

 The control mechanism 16 being unlocked, the mobile phase contact 15 moves into position. triggered, under solicitation. the opening spring 27 associated with it, FIG. 4, and it drives the trigger lever 49 with it.

 When moving into the tripped position of the mobile phase contact 15, a. significant electric arc arises between it and the fixed phase contact 14 from which it moves away.

 But, jointly, until this arc is extinguished, the magnetic tripping member 17 remains excited, its coil 27 being traversed by a strong current due to this arc, which keeps it in position. locking the movable core 28 of this magnetic tripping organ 17, and, by this, of the disengageable locking member 60, and which therefore maintains in position. engaged the engagement and release lever 35.

 The movable neutral contact 20 is therefore located throughout the duration of the arc in. question, kept in the closed position.

 After extin.ction. of said arc, the movable core 28 of the magnetic triggering organ 17 is no longer subject to any kind of solicitation. so that the engagement and disengagement lever 35 is released.

 Under the stress of its return spring, it switches to the triggered position, along arrow F2 in FIG. 5.

 By the connecting rod 70 it drives the movable spacer 58, so that the movable neutral contact 20 moves away from the fixed neutral contacts 19A, 19B and passes into the open position, FIG. 5, for which the continuity of the conductor neutral is in turn interrupted.

 But, as will have been noted, the interruption of this continuity occurs after the interruption of phase conductor continuity, so that said conductors are no longer in. charge.

 At the same time, for the triggered position of the engagement and trigger lever 35, the trigger lever 49 is again engaged with the latching and locking lug 48, by its latching notch 55, so that the control mechanism 16 is reset.

 It is therefore sufficient, in order to bring the assembly into the engaged position, to bring back into position. engaged the lever for switching on and off 3 5, by tilting it in the opposite direction to that indicated by the arrow F2 in FIG. 5.

 When the phase conductor is subjected to an overload, it is the thermal trigger member 18 which comes into action: the bimetallic strip which constitutes it comes to act on the movable core 28 of the magnetic trigger member 17, and a triggering process similar to that described above develops.

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

 In. particular, instead of being pivotally mounted, the interlocking and triggering lever 35 could be slidably mounted.

 In this case, the disengageable locking member associated with it can be very simply formed directly by an extension of the movable core 28 of the magnetic trigger member 17.

 Jointly, instead of being articulated to such an interlocking and tripping lever, the connecting rod 70 to which the spacer 58 subjecting the movable neutral contact 20 is subjected can cooperate with a cam integral with this interlocking lever and trigger 35.

 In addition, instead of being made up of an axially movable core, the movable element of the magnetic trip member may as well be, for example, a pallet mounted pivotally or movable parallel to itself, provided that this element, in the deployed position, when the magnetic trip member is excited or able to act on the disengageable locking member according to the invention, either directly or indirectly.

Claims (6)

 1. Circuit breaker, of the kind comprising a. fixed phase contact, a mobile phase contact biased by elastic opening means. direction. from a triggered position for which it is moved away from said fixed phase contact, a control mechanism intended to ensure, on the one hand, the passage and the maintenance in. position. interlocked with said movable contact, under the control of an interlocking and tripping lever mounted movably between an engaged position and a position. triggered, and, on the other hand, the release of this movable phase contact, in response to the movable member of a trigger member, at least one. fixed neutral contact, and a movable neutral contact controlled by. closing and opening by an interlocking and tripping lever mounted movably between an engaged position and a triggered position, characterized in. which, with the lever of en.clen.chement and release controlling the moving neutral contact, there is associated one. disengageable locking member which, under the control of the movable element of the triggering member, is movable between an unlocking position, for which it leaves said engagement and trigger lever free, and a position locking mechanism, for which it temporarily maintains the latter in the engaged position.  2. Circuit breaker according to claim 1, characterized in that the disengageable locking member is pivotally mounted and has two spouts, one. for action. of the movable element of the triggering member, the other for action on the latching and tripping lever controlling the movable neutral contact.  3. Circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1,2, characterized in that, for action of the disengageable locking member, the engagement and tripping lever controlling the contact of n.eutre mobile comprises un.épau- binding.  4. Circuit breaker according to any one of reven.dications 1 to 3, in which the movable neutral contact is subjected to elastic means.s bearing on a movable spacer, characterized in. that said movable spacer is coupled to a connecting rod subjected to the interlocking and tripping lever controlling said movable neutral contact  5. Circuit breaker according to claim 4, dan.s which the man.ette of engagement and tripping driving the contact of mobile n.eutre is pivotally mounted, characterized in that the connecting rod is articulated on the one hand to said lever for latching and tripping, S at one of its ends, and on the other hand to the spacer, at the other of its ends.  6. Circuit breaker according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the same switching on and off lever is common to the mobile phase contact and to the mobile neutral contact.