US1293691A - Circuit-breaker and switch. - Google Patents

Description

G. A. BURNHAM. cmcun BREAKER AND swlcH.

APPLICATION FILED AUQZB, i915. 1,293,691 Patented Feb. 11', 1919.

, 'z SHEETS-sum1.

mns m. mnnurm:w wunmsmn. n. c

nl manu G. A. BURNHAIVI.

CIRCUIT BHEAKER AND SWITCH.

APPLICATIQN FILED AUG.23. 1915.

Patented Feb. 11, 19H).

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2` 1u: warms ravens ce. mow-uma.. wumcron. o. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

GEORGE A. BURNHAM, 0F SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB T0 SEARS B. CONDIT, JR., OF BROOKLINE', MASSACHUSETTS.

GICUIT-BREAKER AND SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1919.

Application filed August 23, 1915. l Serial No. 46.788.

To all whom it may concern.' y

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. BURNHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saugus, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Circuit-Breakers and Switches, of which the following is a specification.

In electrically operated circuit-breakers and switches it is a common expedient to provide a switch for controlling the circuit of the electro-magnet of y the operatingmeans, to open said circuit immediately upon the closing of the circuit-breaker, and independently of the operating-switch for said operating circuit. Much difficulty, however, is encountered in constructing, arranging and adjusting the parts so that the controlling-switch for the operating-circuit will be operated to open said circuit at the moment the circuit-breaking member arrives at its closed position and becomes latched or otherwise heldin circuit-closing position.

This invention lhas for its object the provision of means associated with the circuitbreaking member and its operating-means, which admits of a continuation of the movement of certain components of said operat- 1 ing-means after the circuit-breaking member has arrived at its closed position, and the provision of means arranged to operate the controlling-switch during the continuation of such movement. For instance, as an illustration of one embodiment of my invention, a spring may be associated with one of the components of the operating-means for the circuit-breaker, which will be moved bodily therewith, when closing the circuitbreaking member, and after said circuitbreaking member arrives at its closed position, it will upon compression or further compression, permit further movement of said component or other components connected therewith; and the actuating-means for the controlling-switch is arranged for operation by and during such further movement of the component or components of the operating-means for the circuit-breaking element.

Figure l, is a front elevation of a `circuitbreaker or switch embodying this invention.

Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the same.

A circuit-breaker is'here shown for illustrating my invention, which is or may be of any usual or suitable construction, for instance 10 represents the circuit-breaking arm carrying the movable contact-members 11, l2, and 13, arranged for engagement, respectively, with stationary contact- members 14, 15, and 16.v Said arm is pivoted at 17. There is a latch 18 provided for holding it in closed position, which latch engages a pin 19, on vone of the toggle- levers 20, and 21 represents the other toggle-lever which is pivoted at 22. The member 25, having a hand-piece, not shown, is carried by a member 25 pivoted at 22, which is adapted to engage the pivot 26, of the toggle, and act to nearly straighten said toggle to move the. circuit-breaking member into closed position, and the toggle into engagement with the latch.

Said member 25 may carrya blade 27, which is arranged to frictionally engage the blade 28, to limit downward motion of the' member 25. The circuit-breaking arm 10, has an extension 30 at its lower end, which, when said arm is in closed position rests on a yielding stop 31. 35 represents a trippingcoil, which may have a retarding element associated with its core-piece. 40 represents the electro-magnet of the operating-means for closing the circuit-breaking member 10. 41, 42, are the members of the controllingswitch for the circuit of said closing electromagnet, which is adapted to be opened immediately after the circuit-breaking member has arrived at its closed position; and to be closed when the circuit-breaking member is moved into open position. In the circuit of said closing electro-magnet 40, a remote control switch 100 may be arranged for closing the circuit and causing energization of said magnet when it is desired to close the circuit-breaking member.

The core-piece or armature 45 of the closing electro-magnet or solenoid 40, is connected by a link 46, with a lever 47, pivoted at 48, the end of said lever being loosely connected with the lower end of a vertical bar orlink 49, which is arranged for sliding connection with the member 25, its upper end-portion projecting through a hole in a cross-bar 50 on said member. Said bar or link 49 has arranged on it a collar 51, and its upper end-portion is encircled by a spring 52, the lower end of which bears upon said collar, and the upper end of which engages the cross-bar 50. A cotter-pin 53 is eXtended transversely through the upper end-portion of the rod or bar, above the cross-bar. This construction admits of the bar or link 49 moving the cross-bar and member 25, to which it is connected, for the purpose of closing the circuit-breaking member 10, and the sliding connection and spring admit of the bar or link 49 moving independently of said member 25, after the circuit-breaking member 10 has arrived at its closed position.

The interposition or association of the spring 52, with the link and lever operatingmeans for the circuit-breaking member here shown, or equivalent operating-means, serves as a means whereby certain components of the link and lever mechanism are permitted further movement after it has moved the circuit-breaking member into its closed position.

The actuating-means for the controllingswitch is arranged for operation during such further movement of certain components of the link and lever mechanism for the circuit-breaking element, and preferably by one of the components thereof.

As here shown, the controlling switch has its movable member 41, carrying a contact 66, pivoted at 60 to a member 67 held by a support 68, which also holds the stationary contact-member 42 of the switch. Associated with member 67 is an ear 69 which serves to limit the opening movement of the movable switch-member 41 under the action of spring 61. Spring 61 is so connected to switch member 41 and member 67 with respect to the pivotal point 60 of the movable switch-member 41, that said switch-member 41 is held in either open or closed position by said spring. Carried by an arm 70 of switch-member 41 and pivoted thereto at 71 is a downwardly depending rod 62, extending through an apertured ear pivotally or otherwise mounted on lever 47, and provided with two adjustable stops 63 and 64.

Movement of said lever causes said ear to engage one or the other limiting-stop and thus move the switch-member 41 into and out of engagement' with the switch-member 42. The limiting-stop 63 is arranged for engagement with the ear at or about the time the member 25 has been moved far enough to move the circuit-breaking member into its closed position, so that further movement, which is independent of the circuitbreaking member, will cause said ear to raise the limiting-stop and move the switch-mem-l ber 41 of the controlling-switch into its open position.

The return or closingmovement of the switch-member 41, is accomplished by a downward movement of the lever 47 striking the other limitingstop 64, which happens when the circuit-breaking member 10 is opened, and its operating-means moved into an abnormal position.

I claimr- 1. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of a circuit-breaking member, operating-means therefor including link and lever mechanism, one of the components of said mechanism being slidably and yieldingly connected with another component to admit of continued movement thereof after the circuit-breaking member has arrived and stopped in closed position, and a switch associated with said mechanism and adapted for operation during such continued movement.

2. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of a circuit-breaking` member, operating means therefor including link and lever mechanism, one of the components of said mechanism being arranged for continued movement relative to another coinponent after the circuit-breaking member has arrived in closed position7 and a switch associated with said first component and adapted for operation by it during such continued movement.

3. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of a circuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlever mechanism connecting said member with the armature of said magnet, one of the components of said mechanism being slidably and yieldingly connected with another component to admit of continued movement thereof after the circuit-breaking member has arrived and stopped in closed position, and a switch for the circuit of said closing-magnet associated with said mechanism and adapted for movement into open position by said mechanism during such continued movement.

4. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch. the combination of a circuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlever mechanism connecting said member with the armature of`said magnet, one of the components of said mechanism being slidably connected with another component to admit of continued movement thereof after the circuit-breaking member has arrived and stopped in closed position, and a switch for the circuit of said closing-magnet associated with said mechanism and adapted for movement by said mechanism, respectively, into open and closed positions.

5. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch having a movable circuit-breaking member, a closing coil therefor, link and lever mechanism connected between said member and the armature of said coil, a component part of which is arranged for continued motion after said circuit-breaking member has been moved into and stopped in closed position,

and a switch for the circuit of said closing coil arranged t0 be operated by said component part in its continued motion.

6. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of a circuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlever mechanism connecting said member with the armature of said magnet, one of the components of said mechanism being slidably and yieldingly connected with another component to admit of continued movement thereof after the circuit-breaking member has arrived and stopped in closed position, and a switch for the circuit of said closingmagnet associated with said mechanism and adapted for movement into open position by said mechanism during such continued movement, and into closed position at the end of its movement in the other direction.

7. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of a circuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlever mechanism connecting said member with the armature of said magnet, one of the components of said mechanism being slidably and yieldingly connected with another component to admit of continued movement thereof after the circuit-breaking member has arrived and stopped in closed position, and a switch for the circuit of said closing-magnet associated with said mechanism and adapted for movement into open position by said mechanism during such continued movement, and a tripping-coil controlling the said link-and-lever mechanism whereby the circuit-breaking member is movable into open circuit position.

8. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch having a movable circuit-breaking member, a closing coil therefor, link and lever mechanism connected between said member and the armature of said closing coil, a switch for the circuit of said closing coil, means whereby said switch is opened by said mechanism after said member has been moved into and stopped in circuit closing position, and a tripping coil to control the operation of said mechanism tol close said switch.

9. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of a circuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlever mechanism, one of the components of which is connected with a circuit-breaking member, and another component is connected with the armature of the magnet, a yielding connection in said mechanism whereby one of the components is slidably connected with another component to admit of a continued movement of said slidablyconnected component after the circuitbreaking member has arrived in closed position, a switch for the circuit of the closingmagnet, and actuating-means therefor associated with one of the components of said mechanism whereby the switch is open and closed respectively upon operation of said mechanism.

10. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch having a movable circuit-breaking member, a closing-coil therefor, operating mechanism for said member comprising a lever to which the armature of said closing coil is connected, a link extended between said lever and said circuit-breaking member, a yielding connection between said link and member'whereby said mechanism is permitted continued movement after said circuitbreaking member has arrived and stopped in closed position, a switch for the circuit of said closing-coil arranged to be opened by said mechanism during its continued movement and a tripping coil to cause said mechanism to operate to close said switch.

Il. In an electric circuit-breaker, or switch having a movable circuit-breaking member, a closing coil therefor, operating mechanism for said member comprising a lever to avhich the armature of the closing coil is connected, a link extended between said lever and said circuit-breaking member, a slidable and yielding connection between said link and said member permitting a continued movement of said mechanism after said member has arrived and stopped in closed position, a switch for the circuit of said closing coil connected with said mechanism for operation in one direction by said mechanism during such continued movement, and a tripping coil to control the operation of said switch, through said mechanism, in the opposite direction.

l2. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of a circuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, a link-andlever mechanism connecting said member with the armature of said magnet, one of the components of said mechanism being slidably and yieldingly connected with another component toadmit of continued movement thereof after the circuit-breaking member has arrived in closed position, a switch for the circuit of the closing-magnet, a rod connected with the movable switchmember having limiting stops arranged thereon adapted to be engaged by one of the components of the link-and-lever mechanism for moving said member to open and close the switch.

13. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch, the combination of a circuit-breaking member, a closing-magnet therefor, operating-means connecting said member with the armature of said magnet, one of the components of said operating-means being slidably and yieldingly connected with another component to admit of continued movement after the circuit-breaking-member has arrived and stopped in closed position, and a switch for the circuit of the closing-magnet having its movable member connected with a Component of said operatingemeans having a continued movement aforesaid, and adapted to be moved thereby into open and closed positions.

14. In an electric circuit-breaker or switch having a circuit-breaking member, a closing coil, link, and lever mechanism connected between said circuit-breaking member and the armature of said closing coil, and a sliding and yielding connection between component parts of said mechanism whereby a component part of said mechanism is arranged for continued movement after said mechanism has operated to move said circuit-breaking member into closed position and said circuit-breaking member has stopped in closed position, a switch associated with the component part of said mechanism permitted continued movement arranged to be operated by said said component part of the mechanism during such Continued movement and a second coil associated with said mechanism to also cause the operation of said second switch.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE-A. BURNHAM.

itnesses z B. J. Norris, H. B. DAVIS.

Copies o1.' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

Images