GB432266A - Improvements in or relating to electric circuit interrupters - Google Patents

Abstract

432,266. Air - break switches. WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING CO., East Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.-(Assignees of Crabbs, H. J. ; 1282, Franklin Avenue, Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.) April 30, 1935, No. 12856. Convention date, May 26, 1934. [Class 38 (v)] Contacts.-In an outdoor disconnecting switch for medium and high voltage transmission systems, comprising a pair of spaced insulator columns 3, 5 and blade means for bridging conducting means mounted on each of said columns, the blade means and conducting means co-operate to interconnect the insulator columns rigidly, so as to prevent relative movement therebetween, during at least a portion of the circuit closing operation. In the construction shown, the blade means comprise a pair of copper rods 11, 13 linked together at one end by a pair of links 15 and at the other end by a single link 17. The rod 11 is carried by a member 75 pivoted at 77 to the insulator 5 ; and at its other end carries a toothed contact member 93 which, during the closing movement, engages a toothed contact 37 on a U-shaped contact jaw 35 secured to the insulator 3. The contact portion 37 of the other side of the jaw is rounded, to permit a wiping engagement with the contact member 95 carried by the rod 13, the insulators 3, 5 being rigidly interconnected by the toothed members during this wiping movement. The switch is operated by rotating a third insulator 19, which is connected by a crank 49 and link 71, through universal joints 97, 99, to the pivot 91 connecting the link 17 and rod 13. A flat leaf spring 103 is provided between the carrier 75 for the rod 11 and the link 17, and biasses the blade assemblage to the position in which the contact members 93, 95 can move into or out of the contact jaw 35. In the closed position of the switch, the contact members are spread apart by the links 15 and are effectively locked in the contact jaw, and the operating mechanism is slightly overset ; further movement of the rotatable insulator in the closing direction being prevented by stops. To open the switch, the insulator 19 is rotated in the opposite direction, the first effect of the rotation being to cause a longitudinal movement of the rod 13 relatively to the rod 11, with the result that the contact members 93, 95 are moved towards each other by the links 15 and disengaged from the contact jaw 35.