US1052595A - Circuit-breaker. - Google Patents

Description

R. C. LANPHIBR.

ClRCUIT BRBAKER.

APPLIOATION FILED 111111.22, 1911.

1,052,595. Patented Feb. 1L 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Feb. V11, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1I. lg

R. G. LANPHIER.

CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAIMQz, 1911..

iUNITED STATES PATENT -orrron' ROBERT C. LANPI-IIER, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO SANG-AMO ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 11, 1913.

i Application mea March 22, 1911. serial No. e1e,2o4.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. IniNPHrER,l

a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Breakers, of which the following is a' specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to circuit breakers for electric circuits of either the shunt trip coil type, the overload type, or combinations of both, and it has for its object to improve the construction and operation of devices of this sort. The means by which I have accomplished this object are illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter specifically described.

That which I believe to new is set forth in the claims. I

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a central v'erti'cal section through a circuit breaker of a. shunt trip coil type, with the parts in position for the passage ofl a current. Fig. 2 is asimilar view with the parts in position to prevent the passage of a current. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a top or plan view, partly in section. Fig. 5l is Aa diagrammatic view, showing the connections of the type of circuit breaker shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Fig. 6 is adiagrainmatic view, showing the connections of an overload type of circuit breaker.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings, in which corresponding parts are indicated by like reference characters-10 indicates a shell of non-magnetic metal, and 11 a shell of. steel or iron, about which shells is wound a coil 12, the whole being incased in a shell 13 of steel or iron.

14-15 indica-te steel or iron heads suitably joining the ends of the shell 13 with theouter ends of the shells 1011, respectively. I

16 indicates an iron or steel sleeve screwthreaded into the lower end of the shell 10, provided on its lower end with a graduated scale 17.

18 indicates a pointer secured to the head 14 and suitably positioned relative to the scale 17. l

19 indicates a set-screw threaded into a lug 20 and bearing at its inner end upon the sleeve 16 whereby it is capable of clamping the sleeve 16 in any adjusted position, as will be'readily understood.

21 indicates a Contact connected with one end of the coil 12, and 22 indicates a binding screw connected lwith the other end of said coil.

23 indicates an iron or steel sleeve slidably mounted inside of the shells 10--11 above the sleeve 16.

24 indicates brackets mounted diametrically opposite each other in the shell 10 and ext-ending through slots 25 in the sleeve 23.

26 indicates a. cam ring on the inner surface of the sleeve 23.

27 indicates pins extending from the inner surface of the sleeve 23 at its lower end.

28 indicates levers pivoted on the inner ends of the brackets 24, each lever bearing at its upper end a roller 29 and at its lower end a roller 30.

It will be seen that the coil'12 is entirely iron'clad except for the air-gap between the slidable sleeve 23 and the adjustable sleeve 16. It will therefore be understood that when a current is passed through the coil 12 there will be a strong attraction between the sleeves 16 and 23,. the force of that attraction depending upon the size of the airgap, this being regulated by adjusting thesleeve 16 up or down so that the pointer will stand at one or another point alongr the scale 1.7. This scale is graduated to indicate the strength of current necessary through the coil 12 to pull down the sleeve 23 for different positions of the sleeve 16.

31 indicates a rod slidably mounted in the lower end of the sleeve 16.

32 indicates a coiled spring bearing at its lower end on the sleeve 16 and at its upper end on a washer 33 carried b the rod 31, the spring thus tending yieldingly to support said rod 31 in its uppermost position with the washer 33 in contact with the pins 50 site sides of the plu 41, adapted away from the rod .31, and therefore tend-` 10 rollers 30. ride up the cam 26 against the force of the spring 35,releasingthe rollers 29 from the shoulder 34and permitting the spring 32 to force upwardthe rod 31. This movement quickly brings the washer 33 into contact with the pins 27, stopping the downward movement of the sleeve 23 and forcing said sleeve to its uppermost position again with the rollers in contact with the lower surface of the cam 26 as in Fig. 1, but with the rollers 29 in contact with the rod 31 below theshoulder 34 instead of above it as they were'before' the sleeve 23 was forced downward. g

Comingnowtothe circuit making and breaking devices proper,l (see Figs. 1 and2) 36-37 indicate two oppositely -located plates provided with binding posts 38-39, respectively. i -Said plates 36-37 are bored 30 out concentrically, as shown in said. figures,` providing between .theml a flaring' open'- 1ng40.

41 indicates a conical-shaped lug mounted on the rod 31 in position to close the gap u between 'the plates 36-37 when the r'od 31 is in its loweredposition. The plug 41 is formed of metal, preferably of a plurality of thin sheets of metal provided with radial slots 42 extending in from the periphery of o the plug. By reason of this construction, the plug is capable of being pressed firmly v,into posit-ion in the opening to make a` *good electrical connection between the plug' and the plates. 36-37, the thin sheets of 5 metal .being adapted to give at one point while still 'making a good. contact at another A point.

43-44 indicate contact brushes formed of high-resistance metal, extending from op onormalily to extend. downw'ar to make contactvwith small plates 4546` before `the plug 41 reaches its seat in the opening 40, and adapted when the rod 31 is forced upward to continue an electrical connection between the plates 36-37 after the plug 41 has left its seat. The plates 45-46 are to be formed of high-resistance material.

47 indicates an arm extending from the @o rod 31, provided on its outer end with a con tact 48 adapted to engage the contact 21 when the rod 31 is lowered.

49 indicates a wire connecting the contact 48 with the plug 41.

In Fig. 5, the circuit breaker as just de,4

.ing

scribedv is shown connected. up in a circuit connecting :a enerator 50 and a storage battery 51 by y ead wires 52-53. The coil 12 is shownfconnected up across the main circuit by a wire 54 in parallel with the stor. age battery 51, said secondary or shunt cir# cuit 54 includin priate pattern. be ermanently-connected up in the circuit witli the storage battery and the circult breaker for the purpose of measuring the currentboth on charge and discharge of the battery, the indicating hand 56 being adapta meter 55 of any approy hismeter'is preferably to ed to advance more rapidly in proportion to the current passing through the meter o n discharge than it does on charge to compensate for the energy lost by the battery. The construction of the meter to meet this requirement is not shown, since it is we'llknown in the art, nor are the wires for carter s own in connection therewith, the circuit-54' being only for the pur ose of breakthe circuit as hereina ter described when the storage battery is fully charged or when it reaches substantially a discharged condition, at either of which times the circuit 54 is. adapted to be completed by the hand 56, as will be readily: understood..

With the generator 50. charging the storage battery 51 as shown in Fig. 5, with the circuit 54 through the. meter 55 lincomplete but with the contacts 48 and 21 in engagement, the hand 56 will continue to advance until the battery is fully charged. At that moment, the circuit 54 will be closed and a current will pass through the coil 12, causing the sleeve 23 to be immediately attracted and pulled downward by the sleeve 16. As L before described, this serves to release the rod 31, which` is forced upward by the `spring 32, thus breaking the circuit through the-coil 12, as well as disconnecting the storagebattery from the generator. attractionbetween the sleeves 23 and 16 is Since' the thus taken away at the beginning of the upward movement of the rod 31 and before the washer 33 comes into contact with the pins 27, the spring 32 is, able to force the rod 31 to its uppermost position, carrying with it the sleeve 23, the movement ending with the parts in the positions shown in Fig.

2Q The brushes 43-44 of high resistancel metal servel to take up the break of the current when the plug 41 leaves its seat.

When the battery is connected up to discharge, therod 31 may be pushed downward. the rollers 29 riding up the shoulder 34. This of course turns the levers 28 but does not turn them suiciently to permit. the cam ring 26 to pass the rollers 30, so that when the rod 31 has reached its lowermost position with the plug 41 again closing the gap between the plat-es 36-37 the parts will have resumed the positions shown in Fig. 1,

85 ryin the current to be measured bythe menuisance-v 'wah the Tners 29v above the `standar ai land with the rollers 30 below the cam ring 26. When thereafter the indicatinghand 56 again completes t e circuit 54, either when the battery; is substantially completely discharged or at any other predetermined point inthe discharge of the batterythe circuit breaker acts exactly as has been described in connectiony with the charging of the battery, coming to rest with the parts in the positions shown in Fig.'2.

In Fig. 6 is shown a slight modificationfied form, the arm 4:7 and .contact l,21.arev

omitted, the plate 37 being connected directly with one end of thecoil 12, the other end ofwhich is connected with the feed wire 52. In the modified construction as shown in Fig. 6, the sleeve 16 is of course first adjusted to regulate the air-gap between the sleeves 16 and 23. This adjustment of the sleeve 16 regulates the strength of the attraction between thev sleeves 16 and 23 for any given current flowing through the coil 12. The sleeve 16 is adjusted down or up according as it is desired that a large or a small current shall be necessary for overcoming the force of the spring 35, the adjustment necessary being indicated by the scale 17. When the sleeve 16 is properly set,it is clamped in position by means of the set-screwl 19. Whenever thereafter the current reaches or exceeds the predetermined `maximum strength desired and becomes suiicient to overcome the spring 35 by means.4 of the attraction between the sleeves 16 and 23, the-sleeve 23 is pulled down, releasing the rod 31 as before described, and leaving the parts again in the positions shownv in Fig. 2. By thismeans any excessive overload of current is prevented from iowing through the work long enough to cause damage and the possible short-circuiting of delicate machinery is prevented. When after the cessation of the overload current the rod 81 is again pushed down to its lowered position, the circuit is again completed ready for the starting of the machinery beyond the circuit breaker.

If the rod 31 is pulled down before the overload current has ceased and the circuit is then completed beyond the circuit breaker, the result will be, of course, the immediate breaking of the circuit again by the action of the sleeve 23 as just described.

While I have shown the plug 41 as being electrically unconnected with each of the plates 36-37, I do not wish to restrict myself to that construction, except as hereinafter specifically claimed, since any con'- `of restoring said cam to struction may be employed by reason of which the rising of the plug causes a break in the circuit. I

What I claim as m invention and desire to secure by Letters atent is,--

1. In a circuit-breaker, the combination of acoil, a core slidably mounted in said coil and adapted to be moved thereinby the passage of an'electric current through said coil, a switch, a spring tending -to open said switch, and a latch mounted adjacent to said slidable core adapted to. hold said switch against opening, .said core being provided with a cam adapted to engage and release vsaid latch upon a full movement of lsaid .2. lIn a Acircuit-breaker, the combination of a coil, va core slidably mounted in said coiland vadapted `to beinoved therein by the passage'o `an electric current through said ceil,1a switch, a spring tending to open said switch, and a latchmounted adjacent to said slidable core adapted to hold said. switch against opening, 'said-core being provided With .acam adapted to engage and release said latch lupon a full movement of said core whereby said spring is permitted to open said switch, 'the opening of the switch by said spring also having the eect o `rative en gement withsaid latch.M

3. In a vcircuit-breaker, the combination of a coil, a soft-iron sleeve slidably mounted in said coil and adapted to be moved therein by the .passage Vof an electric current through said coil, a switch, a spring tending to open said switch, and a latch adapted to hold said switch against opening,` said sleeve being provided with a cam on its inner surface adapted to engage and release said latch upon 'a full movement of said slidable sleeve.`

4. In a circuit breaker, the combination of a coil, a spring-seated rod extending into said coil, a block secured on said rod by thelf'o ymovement of lwhich an electric circuit is broken, ashoulder on said rod, a lever engaging said shoulder and preventing `the rising of said rod and block, and a core slidably mounted in said coil and adapted to be moved therein by the passage of an electric current through said coil, said core being provided with a cam which opertively engages said lever whereby upon the movement of said core said lever is disengaged from said shoulder.

5. In a circuit breaker, the combination of a coil, a spring-seated rod extending into said coil, a block secured on said rod by the movement of which an electric circuit is broken, a shoulder on said rod, a lever engaging said shoulder and preventing the rising of said rod and block, a core slidably mounted in said coil and adapted to be moved therein by the passage of an electric current 6. In a circuit breaker, the .combination of a coil, a spring-seated rod extending into said. coil, a bloc secured on said rod by the movement of which an electric circuit is broken, a shoulder on said rod, a lever engaging said shoulder and preventing the rising of said rod and block, a core slidably mounted in said coil and adapted to be moved therein by the passage of an electric current through said coil, said 'core being provided with a cam which operatively engages said lever whereby upon the movement of said/core said lever is disengaged from said shoulder permitting said rod and block to rise, means actuated by said spring as said rod rises to return said core into operative engagement withl said lever, and a spring adapted to hold said lever yieldingly in operative osition, whereby upon the pushing down o said rod said lever is adapted to again engage said shoulder and hold said rod a ainst rising.

7 n a circuit breaker, the combination of a coil, a rod extending into said coil, a block "secured on said rod by the upward movement of which an electric circuit is broken, a shoulder on said rod, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on opposite sides of saidrod in said` coil, and adapted to engage said shoulder to prevent the upward movement of said rod and block, a magnetic sleeve slidably mounted in said coil and adapted to be moved downward by the passage of an electric current through said coil, a cam ring on the inside of said sleeve operatively engaging saidl levers whereby upon the downward movement of said core said levers are disengaged from said shoulder, a spring adapted to raise said rod when released by in said coil-with its upper end in contact with said first-named sleeve and with its lower end in contact with said second-named sleeve, a core' in the lower end of said second-named sleeve, a spring-seated block by the movement of which an electric circuit is broken, and a lever pivotally mounted in said coil adapted t-o hold said spring-seated block against movement, said thirdv sleeve being provided with a cam adapted to engage said lever to release it from said spring-seated block u on the movement of said sleeve toward said core.

9. In a circuitebreaker, the combination of a coil, a sleeve of ma etic material fixed in the upper end thereo a non-magnetic sleeve xed in the lower portion thereof, a third sleeve of magnetic material adapted to slide in said coil with its upper end in contact with said first-named sleeve and with its lower end in contact with said second-named sleeve, a core in the lower end of said second-named sleeve, a rod extending into said coil bv the upward movement of which an electric circuit is broken, a lever pivotally mounted in said coil, when said rod is in its lowermost position said lever extending at its upper end above and engaging a shoulder.

on said rod and extending at its lower end below and engaging a cam on the inside of said third sleeve, and a spring adapted to force said rod upward when said lever is released from said rod by the swinging of the lever due to the downward movement of said third sleeve.

10. In a circuit-breaker, the combination of a coil, a sleeve of magnetic material fixed in the upper end thereof, a non-magnetic sleeve fixed in the lower portion thereof, a third sleeve of magnetic material adapted to slide in said coil with its upper end in contact with said first-named sleeve and with its lower end in contact with said secondnamed sleeve, a core in the lower end of said second-named sleeve, a rod extending into said coil by the upward movement of which an electric circuit is broken, a lever pivotally mounted in said coil, when said rod is in its lowermost position said lever extending at its upper end above and engaging a shoulder on said rod and extending at its lower end below and engaging a cam on the insidel of said third sleeve, a springadapted to force said rod upward when said lever is released from said rod by the swinging of the'lever due to the downward movement of said third sleeve, and means carried by said rod adapted to engage said third sleeve as said rod is moved upward by said spring and to raise said sleeve again into normal position with its cam above the lower end of said lever.

ROBERT o. LANPHiEiz.

Witnesses:

C. E. PioxARD, GRACE Hoornn.

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