GB2287834A - Contact carrier for circuit breaker - Google Patents

Contact carrier for circuit breaker Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2287834A
GB2287834A GB9505592A GB9505592A GB2287834A GB 2287834 A GB2287834 A GB 2287834A GB 9505592 A GB9505592 A GB 9505592A GB 9505592 A GB9505592 A GB 9505592A GB 2287834 A GB2287834 A GB 2287834A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
circuit breaker
contact arm
carrier assembly
breaker contact
arm carrier
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB9505592A
Other versions
GB2287834B (en
GB9505592D0 (en
Inventor
William Howard Calder
Hermann F Tremmel
Dennis Carl Suffelato
David Arnold
Roger Neil Castongvay
Richard Peter Marciniec
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
General Electric Co
Original Assignee
General Electric Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by General Electric Co filed Critical General Electric Co
Publication of GB9505592D0 publication Critical patent/GB9505592D0/en
Publication of GB2287834A publication Critical patent/GB2287834A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2287834B publication Critical patent/GB2287834B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/22—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with rigid pivoted member carrying the moving contact
    • H01H1/221—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with rigid pivoted member carrying the moving contact and a contact pressure spring acting between the pivoted member and a supporting member
    • H01H1/226—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting with rigid pivoted member carrying the moving contact and a contact pressure spring acting between the pivoted member and a supporting member having a plurality of parallel contact bars
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/30—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
    • H01H2009/305—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts including means for screening for arc gases as protection of mechanism against hot arc gases or for keeping arc gases in the arc chamber

Landscapes

  • Breakers (AREA)

Abstract

A circuit breaker contact arm carrier comprises a metal U-shaped bottom part 1 supporting contact arms 10 and a plastics top part 2 for electrically isolating the contact arms 10 from the operating mechanism of the circuit breaker. The two parts 1, 2 of the carrier are connected together by screws. <IMAGE>

Description

ISOLATION HOUSING FOR CIRCUIT BREAKER Certain prior art power circuit breakers are constructed in such a manner that the mechanism parts are electrically connected to the contact fingers. This is an undesirable condition from the standpoint of field maintenance or field instalment of accessories, which for safety reasons require the breaker to be disconnected from the power source before proceeding. One approach to solving this problem is to introduce a "cage", made from plastic insulation material, between the contact fingers and interconnecting mechanism links. This case not only electrically isolates the mechanism from the contact fingers, but is also the primary support means for the contact fingers. In order for this plastic support means to have long-term functionality, the operational characteristics of the assembly must be such that the plastic does not experience excessive thermal aging. One way to accomplish this is to increase the physical size of the plastic support means in order to lower the stress-tostrength ratio. This. technique works well for smaller circuit breakers with lower watt dissipation. However, for larger circuit breakers with higher watt dissipation, the desired physical size of the plastic support means becomes prohibitive.
The present invention provides a circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly comprising a U-shaped bottom part attached to a plurality of circuit breaker contact arms, said bottom part including top attaching means formed on a top surface thereof; and a top part positioned on said bottom part, said top part including bottom attaching means formed on a bottom surface; whereby when said top part is arranged ons aid bottom part, said top and bottom attaching means become aligned for receiving an attachment screw.
The present invention provides a more desirable condition on larger circuit breakers by separating the function of support means from the function of electrical isolation, by producing a more compact design.
The bottom part of the assembly may comprise metal and said top part a suitable plastics material. Conveniently the top attaching means comprise openings formed within the bottom part of the assembly.
The bottom attaching means preferably comprises ridges upstanding around a plurality of openings formed in said top part.
There may be provided a pair of poles in the top part to provide additional support to the top part.
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are perspective and exploded perspective views, respectively, of an embodiment of the present invention.
A subassembly comprising a steel contact finger carrier 1 and a plastic isolation housing 2 of each pole of a multipole circuit breaker is securedly fastened to each other and pivotally attached to the circuit breaker case.
The steel contact finger carrier 1 provides the primary means of support for the circuit breaker contact fingers 10, while the plastic isolation housing 2 electrically disconnects the contact fingers 10 from the mechanism.
Through functional optimization, a compact design is achieved.
Fig. 1 shows the subassembly with the steel contact finger carrier 1 and the plastic isolation housing 2 securedly fastened together by means of screws that seat in pockets 3 and integral engaging hook 4. The opening 5 accepts a mechanism link, not shown, which is pivotally fastened to the housing by means of a pivot pin, not shown, through cylindrical holes 6. Ribs 7 provide additional through air and over surface clearance between screws in pockets 3 and link in opening 5. Ridges 8 provide a containment means for sealing compound if additional electrical isolation to the screw heads is desired.
Cylindrical surface 9 of the housing 2 works in cooperation with a parallel surface in the circuit breaker cover (not shown) to seal the mechanism links from the onset of gaseous debris produced during a short circuit interruption.
Fig.2 demonstrates that the steel contact finger carrier 1 provides the primary means of support for the contact fingers 10, independent of the plastic isolation housing 2.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS:
1. A circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly comprising: a U-shaped bottom part attached to a plurality of circuit breaker contact arms, said bottom part including top attaching means formed on a top surface thereof; and a top part positioned on said bottom part, said top part including bottom attaching means formed on a bottom surface; whereby when said top part is arranged on said bottom part, said top and bottom attaching means become aligned for receiving an attachment screw.
2. The circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly of claim 1 wherein said bottom part comprises metal and said top part comprises plastic.
3. The circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly of claim 1 or 2 wherein said top attaching means comprise openings formed within said bottom part.
4. The circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly of any preceding claim wherein said bottom attaching means comprise ridges upstanding around a plurality of openings formed ins aid top part.
5. The circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly of any preceding claim including a pair of ribs formed in said top part providing additional support to said top part.
6. A circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
7. A circuit breaker including a circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly as claimed in any preceding claim.
GB9505592A 1994-03-23 1995-03-20 Circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly Expired - Fee Related GB2287834B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9405727A GB9405727D0 (en) 1994-03-23 1994-03-23 Multi-functional isolation housing

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9505592D0 GB9505592D0 (en) 1995-05-03
GB2287834A true GB2287834A (en) 1995-09-27
GB2287834B GB2287834B (en) 1998-02-11

Family

ID=10752353

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9405727A Pending GB9405727D0 (en) 1994-03-23 1994-03-23 Multi-functional isolation housing
GB9505592A Expired - Fee Related GB2287834B (en) 1994-03-23 1995-03-20 Circuit breaker contact arm carrier assembly

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9405727A Pending GB9405727D0 (en) 1994-03-23 1994-03-23 Multi-functional isolation housing

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (2) GB9405727D0 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5773778A (en) * 1996-04-24 1998-06-30 General Electric Company Modular isolation block for circuit breaker contact arms
EP1215695A2 (en) * 2000-12-13 2002-06-19 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Movable contact support for mounting contactlevers for low voltage circuit breakers
EP1244122A1 (en) * 2001-03-20 2002-09-25 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Contact carrier for a low voltage circuit breaker
EP1912240B1 (en) * 2006-10-13 2013-02-20 ABB S.p.A. Low-voltage device with rotating element with high electrodynamic strength
EP2228815A3 (en) * 2005-01-13 2013-02-27 Eaton Corporation Circuit breaker with blow-open contact arm provided with arc gas shield

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5296660A (en) * 1992-02-07 1994-03-22 Merlin Gerin Auxiliary shunt multiple contact breaking device

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5296660A (en) * 1992-02-07 1994-03-22 Merlin Gerin Auxiliary shunt multiple contact breaking device

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5773778A (en) * 1996-04-24 1998-06-30 General Electric Company Modular isolation block for circuit breaker contact arms
EP1215695A2 (en) * 2000-12-13 2002-06-19 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Movable contact support for mounting contactlevers for low voltage circuit breakers
EP1215695A3 (en) * 2000-12-13 2002-09-25 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Movable contact support for mounting contactlevers for low voltage circuit breakers
EP1244122A1 (en) * 2001-03-20 2002-09-25 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Contact carrier for a low voltage circuit breaker
EP2228815A3 (en) * 2005-01-13 2013-02-27 Eaton Corporation Circuit breaker with blow-open contact arm provided with arc gas shield
EP1912240B1 (en) * 2006-10-13 2013-02-20 ABB S.p.A. Low-voltage device with rotating element with high electrodynamic strength

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2287834B (en) 1998-02-11
GB9505592D0 (en) 1995-05-03
GB9405727D0 (en) 1994-05-11

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20100320