US1910136A - Electric circuit breaker - Google Patents

Description

Ma '23, 1933. w, UEBERMUTH ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Feb. 17

Invenbov: Werner Ueb ewmut h. flflwa/arwezap His Att omnqg.

Patented May 23, 1933 osrrca WERNER UEBERMUTH, OF BERLIN-OBERSGHONE'WEIDE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER App1ication filed February 17, 1932, Serial No. 593,621, and in Germany February 24, 1931.

My invention relates to electric circuit breakers, more particularly to high tension switches of the fluid-break type employing a pressure-confining chamber or explosion 5 pct within which arcing is extinguished.

The use of a conducting liquid, water for example, as an arc extinguishing m dium in high tension circuit breakers has been proposed. The type of circuit breaker in this case generally involves a container for the conducting liquid at the bottom of which a stationary contact is positioned, and a movable rod contact which is withdrawn upwardly from the liquid into an air space during the circuit interrupting operation. Since the switch contacts in the open circuit position are therefore further separated by an air space the circuit breaker structure when vertically arranged may be of consid- 0 erable overall height.

The object of my invention is the provision of an improved high tension circuit breaker of the aforesaid type which shall be simple, compact and rugged in construction.

My invention will be more fully set forth in the following description referring to the accompanying drawing, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a high tension circuit breaker embodying my invention and Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, of structure shown in Fig. 1.

The fluid-break circuit interrupter shown by way of example comprises a so-called explosion pot 1 in the lower part of which is positioned a stationary socket contact structure 2 arranged to be engaged by the movable contact rod 3 in vertical alinement therewith. The explosion pot 1, comprising a pressure resisting metal casing open at its upper portion to receive the rod contact 3, is partly filled with an arc extinguishing liquid 4, as water, so that the rod con- I tact 3 may move out of the arc extinguishing liquid after interruption of arcing.

F or the purpose of rigidly mounting the explosion pot there are provided lateral supporting pillars 5 and 6 positioned at opposite sides of the explosion pot and extend ing parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof. The pillars are mounted on suitable structure, the base member 7, which in. y be made portable, if desired, as by the rollers t). 6 comprise respectively the base insulators 9 and 10 on which are mounted the intermediate metallic supporting members 11 and 12. These members are provided with integral lateral suppo ing brackets 15 and 1%, respectively, suitably joined, as by a flanged connection, to corresponding brackets 15 and 16 joined to the metallic explosion pot 1. The upper portions of the pil- The supporting pillars 5 and.

lars comprise the insulators 17 and 18 which support an arc shaped housing structure 19 in which the movable rod contact 3 is guided for vertical reciprocal movement.

The operating mechanisms for the rod contact 3 may comprise the usual straightline linkage 20 connected to the lever 21 and rod 22. The pillar 5 is in the present instance hollow so as axially to receive the rod 22. The linkage 20 is pivoted to the structure 19, as at 23, and is pivotally con nected to the lever 21 and to the rod 3 at the points 24: and respectively so that rotation of the lever 21 produces substantially straight line vertical movement of the rod The actuating means may comprise a main shaft 26 mounted in the base member 7 connected, as by bellcrank 27, to the operating rod. 22 and to a strong opening spring generally indicated at 28. The open ing spring may be charged during closing of the switch so as to be released in a well kpown manner causing high speed opening ()1. the switch.

he switch terminals in the present instance comprise the terminal lug 29, which is electrically connected by way of the me tallic brackets and explosion pot to the sta tionary contact 2, and the conductor stud 30 which is suitably connected to the movable rod 3, as by a flexible lead (not shown). l; of course be understood that a polyphase arrangement may comprise the above described single phase units mounted on a single base structure.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2, the 5 explosion pot 1 is provided with an insulating lining 31 and an insulating baflie 32 provided with a centrally disposed aperture in alinement with the rod contact 3. As is well known, the arc formed upon initial separation of the contacts generates pres sure within the surrounding liquid causing expulsion of liquid upwardly through the aperture in the baifle and interrupting the are.

For the purpose of compensating loss of liquid due to evaporation, etc., there is provided a reserve reservoir 33 containing additional liquid connected to the explosion pot by a pipe 34, the outlet of which is positioned slightly below the normal level of the liquid within the explosion pot. The reserve reservoir may conveniently be disposed within the intermediate sup orting member 12 as illustrated in Fig. 1. owering of the liquid level within the explosion pot so as to uncover the outlet of the pipe 34 admits air to the reservoir 33 so that liquid flows therefrom into the explosion pot until the normal level is restored. If desired, a liquid level gauge 35 may be connected to the pipe 34 so that the liquid level within the explosion pot may be known at all times.

Since the operation of this type of switch often involves vibration of the structure due to the sudden generation of high pressures, the above described arrangement is particularly advantageous as the supporting pillars including the insulators extending approximately parallel to the axis of the explosion pot are not subjected to bending stresses. Ceramic insulating materials may therefore be used without danger. For this reason switches of the above type may be readily employed for outdoor installations.

It should be understood that my invention is not limited to specific details of construction and arrangement thereof herein illustrated, and that changes and modifications may occur to one skilled in the art without 60 departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and deslre to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. A circuit interrupter of the fluid-break type comprising supporting pillars, an ex 55 plosion pot containing an arc extinguishing liquid mounted between and laterally supported by said pillars, an operating linkage supported by said pillars, a contact rod operatively connected to said linkage guided for vertical movement so as to descend into said explosion pot, and base structure including an actuating shaft and an opening spring operatively connected to said linkage by a rod extending vertically through 05 one of said pillars.

2. A circuit interrupter of the fluid-break type comprising a movable base member provided with rollers, a pair of insulating pillars mounted on said base member, an explosion pot disposed between and supported by said pillars, a housing mounted on the upper portions of said pillars, a con-- tact rod guided within said housing and vertically movable to coact with said explosion pot, operating mechanism for said contact rod comprising an opening spring mounted on said base member, an actuating rod 0})- eratively connected to said spring and vertically movable within and axially of one of said pillars, and a linkage interconnecting said actuating rod and contact rod mounted within said housing.

3. A circuit interrupter of the fluid-break type comprising a base member, a pair of insulating pillars mounted on said member, each pillar comprising an upper insulator, a lower insulator and an intermediate metallic supporting member, one of said metallic supporting members forming a switch terminal, a metallic explosion potcontaining an arc extinguishing liquid connected to and supported between said intermediate members, a contact rod vertically movable between said pillars so as to coact with said explosion pot, operating mechanism for said contact rod including a rod movable within and axially of one of said pillars, and a liquid reservoir for said explosion pot mounted on the other pillar and disposed within the intermediate member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand,

WERNER UEBERMUTH.

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