US1786796A - Circuit breaker - Google Patents

Circuit breaker Download PDF

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Publication number
US1786796A
US1786796A US212288A US21228827A US1786796A US 1786796 A US1786796 A US 1786796A US 212288 A US212288 A US 212288A US 21228827 A US21228827 A US 21228827A US 1786796 A US1786796 A US 1786796A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
toggle
carrier
circuit breaker
movable
contacts
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US212288A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Hoorn Fred G Von
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Original Assignee
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Westinghouse Electric Corp filed Critical Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority to US212288A priority Critical patent/US1786796A/en
Priority to US212289A priority patent/US1786797A/en
Priority to GB23114/28A priority patent/GB295397A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US1786796A publication Critical patent/US1786796A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H73/00—Protective overload circuit-breaking switches in which excess current opens the contacts by automatic release of mechanical energy stored by previous operation of a hand reset mechanism
    • H01H73/22—Protective overload circuit-breaking switches in which excess current opens the contacts by automatic release of mechanical energy stored by previous operation of a hand reset mechanism having electrothermal release and no other automatic release
    • H01H73/24—Protective overload circuit-breaking switches in which excess current opens the contacts by automatic release of mechanical energy stored by previous operation of a hand reset mechanism having electrothermal release and no other automatic release reset by lever

Definitions

  • My invention relates to circuit breakers and particularly to automatic circuit breakers for use in controlling house and apartment lighting circuits.
  • it has been customary to provide an enclosed entrance switch and a fuse for controlling the main circuit of the house lighting circuit, or in the case where a distributing )anel is used, a main switch and a plurality 0 branch line switches and fuses were provided.
  • An object of my invention is to provide I i a circuit breaker that will take the place of the usual entrance switch and fuse or main panel switch and the branch line fuses.
  • a main circuit breaker will be provided in a housing and the branch circuits are controlled by circuit breakers of smaller capacity than the main circuit breaker thereby eliminating the fuses from the circuit, the circuit breaker, in each case, being of such character that it will interrupt the circuit under overload and short circuit conditions and which enables restoration of the circuitby a simple move-' ment of the o crating handle.
  • Another ob ect of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker that opens the circuit automatically under overload and short circuit conditions and which has a trip-free operating handle.
  • Another object of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker wherein the movable contact is held in engagement with the stationary contact by a toggle, thereby causing the contact to be maintained in closed position under a relatively great pressure.
  • a further object of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker having the above-noted characteristics wherein the toggle is supported upon a movable carrier that is re- ⁇ tained' in set or operative position by a cur rent responsive element that releases the carrier to cause separation of the contacts in response to overload and short circuit conditions.
  • a further object of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker wherein the movable contact is actuated by. a toggle that moves the contact to o en-position when the toggle is collapsed an wherein the toggle is supto cause separation of the contacts prior to I the collapse of the toggle thereby obtaining instantaneous and rapid separation of the contacts without moving through a point where the contact pressure is materially reduced prior to actual separation of the contacts, as is the case with the usual toggle or over-center spring actuated contact member.
  • a -further object of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker wherein the contacts are separated at relatively high velocity and wherein the contacts are separated a greater distance under overload or short circuit conditions than is necessary for normal opening and closing of the circuit.
  • a further object of my invention is to provide a circuit breaker wherein arc quenching.
  • Figure 1 is a vertical section through a circuit breaker embodying features of my invention showing certain details in side elevation and the parts in closed position.
  • Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view similar to that of Fig. 1 showing the circuit breaker con tact in open position
  • Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view similar to that of Fig. 1 showing the parts in the full open position which they occupy as a result of an overload or short circuit condition, and
  • Fig. 4 is a. transverse section through the circuit breaker apparatus taken on the broken line IVIV of Fig. 1.
  • the apparatus includes an insulating base 5 that is provided with an insulating cover 6 for enclosing the circuit breaker apparatus that is mounted upon the base 5.
  • the circuit breaker comprises a stationary contact 7 that is secured to the terminal 8 mounted on the insulating base.
  • a movable switch arm 9 of resilient main the accompanying drawing terial, such as laminations of phosphor bro ze, is attached to a bracket 11 that is pivote to" a clip 12 by means of a pivot shaft 13, the clip 12 bein secured to the insulating base by bolts 14.
  • the switch arm 9 is actuated by means of a toggle 24 comprising links 25 and 26 that are pivoted to one another by a knee pivot 27 the link 25 being pivoted to the switch arm bracket 11 by a pivot shaft 28 and the link 26 being pivoted by a shaft 29 to a carrier 31 that is pivoted for rotation about a shaft 32 mounted on a frame 33 that is attached to the insulating base 5.
  • the carrier 31 is of U-shape and the side plates 33a thereof are connected by integral cross bars 34.
  • the side plates 33a are spaced apart and permit of the operation of the toggle links 25 and 26 between them.
  • the link 26 is also of U-shape and the side plates thereof are connected by an integral cross bar 35.
  • the carrier 31 is releasably maintained in the set position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by means of a latch 36 that is riveted to the bimetal and insulated therefrom by insulating washers 37.
  • the latch 36 engages a shoulder 38 on the free end of the carrier and retains it in closed position so long as normal current is flowing through the contacts of the circuit breaker.
  • the bimetal element 16 is heated thereby and deflected downwardly and causes the latch 36 to move out of engagement with the shoulder 38 on the carrier 31, thus releasing it for movement to an inoperative position shown in Fig. 3.
  • the outer end of the lever 41 is provided with an insulating operating handle 43 that projects through a slot 44 in the cover 6 and which is provided with arcuate extensions 45 for closing the opening 44 in all positions of the operating handle.
  • the switch When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, wherein the contacts are in closed position, the switch may be manually operated to open position by turning the operating handle 43 clockwise or downward.
  • the tension of the spring will be exerted on the lower side of the toggle which causes the knee pivot 27 to to move downward past the center line connecting the shafts 28 and 29, whereupon the toggle will collapse and move the switch contact 22 to the open position shown in Fig. 2 with a snap action.
  • the spring 39 will also move the, operating handle to the off position shown in Fig. 3.
  • the switch may be closed by simply moving the operating handle to the position shown in Fig. 1, wherein the toggle will be moved to made position, this movement also taking place with a snap action after the end of the spring attached to the lever 41 is moved above the center line connecting the knee pivot 27 and the pivot shaft 29 or slightly above the position shown in Fig. 2.
  • gle is released by a bodily switch arm of this character also has the disadvantage that the contacts rebound at the time the circuit is closed.
  • the contacts operated by a toggle are, therefore, capable of carrying relatively large currents and are satisfactory for use as a main circuit breaker for house lighting circuits.
  • the shoulder 38 of the carrier is inclined at 48 which causes displacement of the bimetal element 16 and permits the shoulder 38 to latch behind the latch 36, as indicated in Fig.
  • I have provided metal arc quenching barriers 49 that are spaced apart and insulated from one another and which are provided with notches 51 through which the outer end of the contact 22 passes in moving to open position.
  • the barriers have deionizing characteristics which tend to quench the arc and also facilitate quenching by reason of the cooling action thereof.
  • the bimetal element is so constructed that the thin portions of the legs thereof, fuse under severe short circuit conditions in the event that the contacts fail to separate due to the freezing or other causes.
  • An insulating barrier 50 is disposed between the legs of the bimetal to prevent arcing across from one to the other and to lengthen the path of the are so that it will be readily extinguished.
  • the cover 6 is retained in closed position by means of a screw 52 that is threaded into a bracket 53 secured to the frame 33.
  • the barriers 49 are supported on spaced plates 54, one of which is provided with an extension 55 that extends through a slot 56 in the cover.
  • Theextension 55 is provided with an o enmg 57 for receiving a seal or lock hasp or preventing unauthorized access to the mechanism within the cover.
  • a circuit breaker comprising a contact member, a movable contact member comprising. a multiple link toggle, an overcenter spring for moving the toggle to collapsed and made positions and means for moving the said spring.
  • a circuit breaker comprising a carrier movable to set and inoperative positions, andnormally biased to inoperative position, a contact member, a movable contact memher, an operating member therefor comprising a multiple link toggle for maintaining the movable contact in engagement with the said contact member when in the made position and for moving the movable contact to open position when collapsed, the said toggle being sup orted upon the carrier and movable to madb and collapsed positions when the carrier is in the set position and movable bodily to separate the contacts when the carrier is moved to inoperative position, means for yieldingly moving the toggle to 'made and collapsed positions, and current responsive means for releasably retaining the carrier in set position.
  • a circuit breaker comprising a carrier movable to set and inoperative positions, and normally biased to inoperative position, a contact member, a movable contact member, an operating member therefor comprising a multiple link toggle for maintaining the movable contact in engagement with the said contact member when in the made position and for moving the movable contact to open position when collapsed, the said toggle being supported upon the carrier and movable to made and collapsed ositions when the carrier is in the set position, and movable 5- -bodily to separate the contacts when the carrier is moved to inoperative position, means for yieldingly moving the toggle to made and collapsed positions, current responsive means for releasably retainin the carrier in set position, manually opera le means for actuating the toggle moving means and for returning the carrier to set position.
  • a circuit breaker comprising a contact member, a movable carrier, a current responsive element for releasably retainin the carrier in operative position, a movab e contact for engaging the said contact member comprising a multiple link togglemounted on the carrier and movable to open and closed positions, and an overcenter spring for moving the toggle.
  • a circuit breaker comprising a contact member, a movable carrier, a current responsive element for releasably retaining the carrier inoperative position, a movable contact for engaging the said contact member comprising a multiple link toggle mounted on the carrier and movable to openand to closed positions, and an overcenter sprin for moving the toggle and for moving t e carrier and the toggle when the carrier is released.

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  • Breakers (AREA)
US212288A 1927-08-11 1927-08-11 Circuit breaker Expired - Lifetime US1786796A (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US212288A US1786796A (en) 1927-08-11 1927-08-11 Circuit breaker
US212289A US1786797A (en) 1927-08-11 1927-08-11 Circuit breaker
GB23114/28A GB295397A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1927-08-11 1928-08-10

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US212288A US1786796A (en) 1927-08-11 1927-08-11 Circuit breaker

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US1786796A true US1786796A (en) 1930-12-30

Family

ID=22790382

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US212288A Expired - Lifetime US1786796A (en) 1927-08-11 1927-08-11 Circuit breaker

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US1786796A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB295397A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3808386A (en) * 1972-07-27 1974-04-30 Ite Imperial Corp Means for loading operating spring of a circuit breaker
US4081642A (en) * 1974-07-03 1978-03-28 Westinghouse Electric Corporation Switch construction and operating mechanism therefor
EP0066486A1 (fr) * 1981-05-18 1982-12-08 Merlin Gerin Mécanisme de manoeuvre d'un disjoncteur électrique multipolaire à basse tension

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3808386A (en) * 1972-07-27 1974-04-30 Ite Imperial Corp Means for loading operating spring of a circuit breaker
US4081642A (en) * 1974-07-03 1978-03-28 Westinghouse Electric Corporation Switch construction and operating mechanism therefor
EP0066486A1 (fr) * 1981-05-18 1982-12-08 Merlin Gerin Mécanisme de manoeuvre d'un disjoncteur électrique multipolaire à basse tension

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB295397A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1929-11-11

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