US1694398A - Switchboard mounting of circuit-breaker units - Google Patents

Description

W. M. SCOTT SWITCHBOARD MOUNTING OF CIRCUIT BREAKER UNITS 2 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Aug. 1923 59 infififijfin...........................,. 3

INVENTOR fix ATTORNEY Bea H, 1928.

W. M. SCOTT SWITCHBOARD MOUNTING OF CIRCUIT BREAKER UNITS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Aug. 1923 I N VEN TOR Z Z A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 11, 19280 WILLIAM M. SCOTT, 0F TREDDYFRIN TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCHBOARD MOUNTING OF CIRCUIT-BREAKER UNITS.

Original application filed August 2, 1923, Serial No. 655,196.

Divided and this application filed August 16,

1924. Serial No. 732,394.

My invention relates to electrical circuit breaker structure for controlling or protecting electric circuits carrying current for power, lighting or other purposes.

In accordance with my invention, a housed or enclosed automatic circuit breaker unit is secured upon a switchboard carrying other electrical devices, as switches, circuit breakers, measuring instruments, etc.; and more particularly in accordance with my invention, the base carrying the circuit breaker mechanism of the unit is secured to the switchboard, and the housing or enclosing structure of the unit is detachably mounted upon. the base by structure which also secures the base to the switchboard, and the housing is preferably provided with means for holding and locking it in position.

My invention resides in features of structure, arrangement and combination hereinafter described and claimed.

This application is a division of -'my prior application Serial No. (555,196, filed August 2, 1923, Patent N 0. 1,597,832, issued August 81, 1926.

For an illustration of one of the various forms my invention may take, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, of apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig.2 is a front elevational view of structure shown in Fig. 1, with parts of the housing broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of structure for mounting the housed circuit breaker unit upon a switchboard.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a base,

preferably of insulating material, such as slate, marble and the like, upon which are secured to circuit breaker arms A and B, Fig. 2, arranged in a double arm system. Inasmuch as the breakersA and B may be and preferably are similar, a description of one will suflice for both.

While my invention is applicable to relations other than indicated, it is here shown as applied to the two circuit breaker arms, A and B, forming a so-called double arm circuit'breaker, the two arms or poles of which are independently operable to normal or circuit closing position, both connected in series in the same circuit, preferably in opposite sides of the circuit, with automatic tripping mechanism ensuring the tripping of an arm first closed if there obtains an overload or other abnormal electrical condition upon attempt to close the other arm, in gen eral as described in my prior Letters Patent No. 1,389,996.

Each arm comprises the main terminals 2 and 3, adapted to be engaged and electrically bridged by the laminated bridging member 4 carried by the arm 5 pivoted at 6 to the bracket or housing 7 carried by the base 1. livoted to the arm 5 at 8 is the toggle member or link 9 pivoted at 10 to the second toggle link 11 pivoted at 12 to the bracket 7. The member 9 carries the operating pin or roller 13. Carried also by the member 9 is the looking pin or roller 14 engaged by the hook latch 15 pivoted to the bracket 7 at (S, and having the tail 16 disposed in the path of travel of the latch actuator or bar 17 pivoted concentrically with the latch 15 and extending in front of both arms A and B of the circuit breaker mechanism, and having in each breaker arm the tail 18 disposed in the path of travel of the member 19, secured to the armature 20, pivoted at 21 in operative relation to the poles 22, 22 of an electro-magnet having the overload or other winding 23, whose one end connects with the lower main terminal 3 and whose other end connects with the stud 24, which extends through the base 1 and the switchboard S. A similar stud 25 extends through the base 1 and switchboard S and connects with the upper main terminal block 2, whereby a supply circuit conductor connected to the stud 25 conducts current therethrough and through the terminal 2, bridging member 4, lower terminal 3, winding 23 to stud 24, with which may be connected a consumption circuit conductor.

,Enclosing the switch or circuit breaker mechanism is the housing H, preferably of sheet metal, having the front wall WV, upon whose inner side is secured the bracket member 26 having at 27 and 28 bearings in which rotates a tubular or hollow shaft 29, to which is secured within the casing, in detached relation to the operating members or rollers 13, 13, the resetting member 30, rotatable in opposite directions for resetting or reclosing the switches or circuit breakers in succession. The shaft 29 extends to the exterior of the housing wall W, where there is secured thereto the actuator member or block 31, carrying the operators handle 32, of the resetting or reclosing structure or mechanism.

Pivoted to the inner end 26 of the bracket 26 is a tripping lever or member 34 whose end is adapted to engage and actuate the bar 17 for actuating both latches 15 to switches or circuit breakers. The shaft 29 at its left end is counterbored to receive the helical spring 35, which at one end engages the tripping lever 34 and at its other end engages the head 36 of the plunger 37, which extends into the bore of theshaft 29, longitudinally of which bore is movable the rod 39 carrying at its outer end, on a portion of reduced diameter, the button 40, whereby upon pushing the button 40 toward the left, Fig. 1, the rod39 is moved toward the left, causing movement of the plunger 37- toward the left, thereby actuating the tripping lever 34 through the spring 35', in opposition to spring 41, connected atits one end to the tripping lever 34 and at its other end to the bracket '26.

Secured to the actuator block 31 is the U-shaped member 42 having the transversely extending top member 44, the latter spaced from the top of the block 31 to provide a channel in which is movable the sliding locking member or plate 45 adapted to extend through a locking aperture in the wall W. The operating or actuating member 47 actuates the locking plate 45, whereby. the member 45 slides with respect to the member 42 and block 31 under the control of the member 47. Disposed in a socket 49 in the block 31 is a sprin 50, embracing a member on the member 4 and thrusting against the member 47 to hold the locking member 45 in its outward position.

The member 47 has an aperture for loosely embracing the outer end of the tripping rod 29, where it is of reduced diameter, the rod 29 at full diameter forming a shoulder against which the member 47 may thrust when the member 47 is moved in counterclockwise direction to actuate the tripping lever 34 and therethrough the latches 15 to trip both switches or breaker arms.

s indicated, the spring 50 biases the locking member 45 to position in which the block 31 or actuator member is free to be rotated, thereby rotating the member 30 for resetting either or both switches or circuit breakers. If it is desired, however, to lock the resetting member 30 in inoperative or neutral position and to which it is returned by the spring 30, the locking member 45 must be moved to the locking position, where its lug or end portion 46 enters the aperture in the wall W, by pressing inwardly upon the member 47, which, however, as it is moved inwardly, moves the tripping rod 39 toward the left, tripping such breaker or breakers as may be in the circuit closing position. To retain the actuating member 31 in the locked trip both marble, along with other switchboard devices or instruments, such as switching or circuit breaker mechamsm voltmeters amme- 7 7 ters, etc.

For this purpose the base 1 is secured to the switchboard S and the housing detachably'secured either to the base or the switchboard.

At the upper end of the base 1 are one or more members 53 lying between and spacing the base -'1 and switchboard S, or, ifdesired, disposed in a depression of either the base 1 or switchboard S. The member 53 may be secured either to the switchboard S or. the base 1. In the example illustrated, the screw or bolt 54 extends through the base 1 from its front, and is threaded into the member 53 and extends through the switchboard in% H.

y'screws or bolts 54 at the lower end of .the base. 1, extending through it and the switchboard S, the base and switchboard are secured to each other. Here again the screw 54 may be threaded into the member 59 disposed between the base and switchboard, and

having secured thereto the lugs or ears 60, I

in which is pivoted the bail or hasp 61 engaging in the notch 62 of the toggle link 63, pivoted at 64 in the lug. or car 65 carried by the housing H. This fastenin is in elfect an overtraveling toggle lock or the housing. The-link 63 is rovided with an aperture 66 adapted to register with a similar a erture in a lug 67 carried by thehousing The hasp of the padlock may be inserted through the registering apertures 66, thereby to effectively lock'the housing to the base 1, switchboard S, or both, the housing H carrying on its interior a lug or bracket 68 engaging the base 1. The upper member 54, threaded into the member 53 holds the latter to the base 1 whereby the member 53 is comprised in the circuit breaker unit with the base 1 and housing H which latter is detachably held by the member 53. The member 54 also extends through the panel or switchboard S for holding the circuit breaker unitin operative relation to the member S. The member 54 is accordingly common to the circuit breaker unit and to the attachment of the unit to the switchboard S. Similarly the lower member 54, threaded into the member 59, similarly comprised in the circuit breaker unit, is common to the unit and to the attachment of the unit to the switchboard S.

In the example illustrated the members 53 and 59 serve as components of the circuit breaker unit for securing and mounting the housing H and also for spacing the base 1 of the unit from the switchboard By structure of the character described, a circuit breaker unit, including a housingwith means carried by the housing in detached relation to the circuit breaker mechanism for resetting it, is operatively related with a switchboard or a panel thereof, to provide protection or control of a circuit at a central point, as at a switchboard, in a grouping with other switchboard instruments, including other circuit breaker units of the character described, in lieu of installing the circuit breaker unit adjacent the motor or other translating device to be protected or controlled. \Vhere the circuit breaker unit is installed near the motor or other translating device to be protected or controlled, it is generally provided with a rear housing as in the aforesaid Letters Patent, into which the circuit conductors extend for attaching to the circuit breaker studs, as 24 and'25. By the present structure such rear housing may be dispensed with, and the circuit connections may be upon the-rear of the switchboard S. Where enclosed circuit breaker units have been grouped adjacent each other, but not upon a switchboard, there has been utilized a conduit box within which the service connections havevbeen made, with conductors extending from the common conduit box to the individual units. By the construction herein disclosed such additional conduit box is not only not utilized upon the front of the swtichboard, but is dispensed with, and the circuit connections made upon the rear of the switchboard, or, if the conduit box is utilized, it is positioned to the rear of the switchboard.

My construction, therefore, is a simplification, particularly when the circuit breaker matic circuitbreakermechanism, secured upon the front of said base, and a housing enclosing said circuit breaker mechanism, means securing said unit to said switchboard comprising means securing said base upon the front .of said switchboard, structure for holding said housing in operative relation to said circuit breaker mechanism and to said base, said base-securing means serving to secure said structure to said base, and connecting studs extending from said circuit breaker mechanism to the rear of said switchboard.

2. The combination with a switchboard, of a c1rcu1t breaker un1t comprislng a base, automatic c1rcu1t breaker mechanlsm sesecured upon the front of said base, and a a housing enclosing said circuit breaker mechanism,means securing saidunit to said switchboard comprising means securing said base upon the front of said switchboard, a member disposed between said base and switchboard and secured by said base-securing means, said housing detachably engaging said member, and connecting studs extending from said circuit breaker mechanism to the rear of said switchboard.

3. The. combination with a switchboard, of a circuit breaker unit comprising a base, automatic circuit breaker mechanism secured upw on the front of said base, and a housing en-. closing said circuit breaker mechanism, means securing said unit to said switchboard comprising means securing said base upon the front of said switchboard, a member. disposed between said base and switchboard and secured by said base-securin means, means detachably securing and 100 ingvsaid housing to said member, and connecting studs extending from said circuit breaker mechanism to the rear of said switchboard.

WILLIAM M. SCOTT.'

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