US1432433A - Latching device - Google Patents

Description

C. AALBORG.

LATCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. I918.

Patented Oct 2 SHEETSSHEE] IINVENTOR Chr/Sf/ZM flax/bog WITNESSES ATTdRNEY c. AALBORG. LATCHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21 191B.

Patented Oct. 117, m2.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IA3QA3U WITNESSES:

INVENTOR (hr/377m ATTORNEY if atented l 12922,

CHRISTIAN AALBOBG, 0F WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 10 WESTENG- HOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COEPQRATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

LATCI-IING DEVECE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN AALBORG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of W ilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Latching Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to latching devices and particularly to magnetically-operated latching devices for circuit interrupters.

One object of my invention is to provide a device of the above-indicated character that shall be simple and durable in construction and employ an operating magnet of minimum size.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a movable latching member that shall be so constructed as to eliminate the shearing of the engaging portions of the same and that shall be so supported by frictionless means as to reduce the time of operation thereof substantially to a minimum.

A further object of my invention is to provide a latching device for a movable member, that it is desired to hold in a predetermined position, in which the forces acting between the same and the movable member are securely and, at the same time, so delicately balanced in the latching position as to require substantially a minimum of effort to operate the latching device.

In the operation of circuit interrupters, speed is necessary to obtain satisfactory results and the protection which they are adapted to supply. In the prior art, circuit interrupters have been constructed with latching members between which and the member being held there has usually existed relatively great forces and, consequently, considerable friction and shearing stress. These have required relatively great actuating forces and magnets of suflicient size to supply the same. Further, the shearing of the interlocked members frequently so damaged the devices as to render them inoperative, resulting in expensive repairs, loss of time and other inconveniences. The employment of movable parts of relatively slow acceleration caused by inertia and friction, has affected the speed of operation of circuit interrupters and latches.

In practicing my invention, I provide engaging members disposed bet-ween the movable member of a circuit breaker and the 1918. Serial No. 241,266.

latching device therefor and attached to each of the same,'respectively, that are so related, through co-operating faces, and so rotatable about a substantially common axis to effect an extremely delicate and, at the same time, secur ly balanced latching means that may be released by a relatively slight effort and between which damaging shearmg stresses are eliminated.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a front elevational view of a circuit interrupter embodying my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, a top and side fragmentary view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the latching device shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 4: and 5 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, of a modified form of latching device and Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views of a further modification of the same.

A circuit interrupter 1, that may be connected in series relation with conductors 2 of an electric circuit, comprises, in general, a supporting member or frame 3, stationary main contact members 4, stationary auxiliary arclng contact members 5, and a slidable rod 6 having a main bridging contact member 7 and an auxiliary bridging contact member 8 mounted at the upper end thereof.

The rod 6 is guided by a bearing member 9 and is provided with an insulating member 10 to separate its upper portion 11 from its lower portion 12. A. spring 13 is disposed between the bearing member 9 and an enlarged lower-end portion 1 1 of the rod 6 for the purpose of exerting a downward force on the rod. The enlarged lower end portion 1 1 of the rod 6 constitutes a bear mg member for a transversely disposed rotatlve pm 15 having a cylindrical portion 16 within the portion 14L and a substantiall semi-cylindrical projecting portion 17. stationary projecting portion 18 on the frame 3 constitutes a bearing member for a rotative pin 19 similar to the pin 15. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the axes of the pins 15 and 19 are parallel in horizontal planes and slightly spaced apart. The pins 15 and 19 may be similarly protected against frictional resistance to the rotative movement of the same by co-operation with balls 20 11] the bearing portions 1a and 18.

The plane faces of the semi-cylindrical portions of the pins 15 and 19 engage in a horizontal plane in the latching position and, by reason of the slightly spaced relation of the axes of the pins, the pressure exerted by the rod 6 causes the same to tend to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1). This rotation may be prevented by an arm 21 on the pin 19 that engages a latch 22 on an armature 23 of an electromagnet 24. The armature 23 may be pivoted to a core member 25 of the magnet 24 and biased to its engaged position with respect to the arm 21 by a spring 26.

By reason of the slight turning movement exerted by the pin 15 around the axis of the pin 19, the force exerted and, consequently, the friction between the arm 21 and the latch 22 are relatively slight and, therefore, the latter require very little actuating force to disengage the same. This permits the use of a relatively small magnet, resulting in the saving of materials and effecting a relatively great increase in the speed with which such a device may operate. When the arm 21 is released, it turns quickly in the counterclockwise direction, which action places the engaging faces of the pins 15 and 19 in a position that is in alignment with the direction of movement of the rod 6 as a result of which the same may drop beyond the pin 19 to open the interrupter.

In Figs. 4 and 5, the structure is substantially the same, with the difference that the axes of the pins 15 and 19 are in alignment. In the closed position, there is nothing to disturb the relation between thepins, regardless of the pressure between them, since they are engaged by flat faces at right angles to the direction of the motion of the rod 6. The arm 21, in this form of device, will be started in the counter-clockwise direction when the latch 22 disengages the same by a spring 27, after which the force exerted by the rod 6 will'be suflicient to complete the movement.

In Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the device is adapted for latching an arm 28that may be pivoted to a pin 29. In this form of device the cooperating faces of the pins 15 and 19 may lie in a surface all points of which are loci of a circle described about the pin 29. Fig. 6 shows the closed or latched position of such a device and Fig. 7 shows a position of the same after disengagement of the pins 15 and 19. The stationary bearing portion 18 of the pin 19 may be provided with arcuate projections 30 or other means for guiding the pin 15 into and out of its latched position.

While I have shown and described particular forms of my invention, changes may be effected therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A latching device comprising a movable member, a rotatable member disposed thereon and having its axis of rotation on, and at right angles to, the path of travel of said member, a stationary member and a second rotatable member disposed in said stationary member and having its axis of rotation in the path of travel of said first rotatable member.

2. A latching device comprising two relatively movable members having a common path of travel and each being rotatable about an axis intercepting said path and means for preventing said members from passing each other under certain predetermined con ditions and for permitting the same to pass under certain other predetermined conditions. 1

3. A latching device comprising two relatively movable rotatable members adapted to intercept on a commonfpath of travel, means whereby the same may be normally locked in intercepted position and means whereby said members may rotate about a common axis to permit the same to pass each other. V

1. A latching device comprising a movable member, a rotative member mounted thereon, a stationary supporting member, anda sec- 0nd rotative member mounted on said supporting member, said rotative members having co-operating engaging portions of such configuration as to prevent the movement of said movable member under predetermined conditions. 1

5. A latching device comprising two relatively movable members adapted to intercept on a common path of travel, said members being independently rotatable in addition to the relative movement of the same and means whereby the same may be normally locked'in intercepted position, when in a predetermined rotated position to prevent said movement.

6. A latching device comprising a movable member, a rotative member mounted thereon and having an operating face, a stationary member, a second rotative member mounted on said stationary member and having an operating face, the axes of said rotative members being parallel and the operating faces thereof being adapted for engagement with each other, means for preventing disengagement of said faces to prevent the movement of said movable member and means for releasing said preventing means to permit the movement of said movable member.

7. A latching device comprising relatively-movable co-operating latching members, a latching member associated with one of said relatively-movable members and movable with respect thereto, said co-operatmg latching members having cooperating faces of predetermined configuration, and means for maintaining the said faces substantially in parallelism at all times.

1 ,aeaaee 8. A latching device comprising relatively-movable co-operating latching members, and a latching member associated with one of said relatively-movable members and movable with respect thereto, said co-operating latching members having co-operating faces of predetermined configuration, and means for guiding one of the said co-operating latching members into a position wherein the said faces come opposite each other during movement of the said co-operating latching member to closed position.

9. A latching device comprising relatively-movable members, a latching member rotatably mounted on each of said relativelymovable members having a portion for engagement with the other and means for so moving the latching members during the unlatching operation as to prevent shearing of the engaged portions.

10. A latching device comprising relatively movable members having co-operating engaging faces conforming substantially to the path of movement of said members, said faces being adapted to lie in a position intercepting said path in the latched position of the same and to have their relative positions in said path so changed as to permit the unlatching of the members and means for maintaining the said faces in substantially parallelism at all times.

11. A latching device comprising a movable member to be latched, a turnable member thereon, a main turnable latch for holding said movable member through said turnable member having a relatively-slight turning moment with respect to the latter and an auxiliary latch for engaging said main latch at a relatively great distance from the position of engagement of the latter with said turnable member.

12. A latching device comprising two relatively movable members adapted to intercept each other to hold one thereof in intercepted position and means for turning the said members to present an unobstructed path for movement of one of them to its open position, before the commencement of its movement along said path.

13. A latching device comprising two relatively movable members adapted to intercept each other to hold one thereof in intercepted position and means whereby said members are so moved as to present an unobstructed path for movement of one of them to its open position, before the commencement of its movement along said path.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of May, 1918.

CHRISTIAN AALBORG.

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