US2020913A

US2020913A - Distribution apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2020913A
Application number: US667412A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter H Schramm
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1933-04-22
Filing date: 1933-04-22
Publication date: 1935-11-12
Anticipated expiration: 1952-11-12

Description

Nov. 12, 1935. w. H SCHRAMM DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1933 INVENTOR Walter H 50/7 rqmm ATTORN w. H. SCHRAMM- DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1935 INVENTQR Waiter H. Sabra/72m.

Nov. 12, 1935.

Patented Nov. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS Pennsylvania Application April 22, 1933, Serial No. 667,412

llclaims.

My invention relates, generally, to distribution apparatus and, more particularly, to distribution switchboards wherein automatic circuit breakers are mounted upon panel units for protecting the circuits of a power-distribution system.

An object of my invention, generally stated, is to provide a means for mounting automatic circuit breakers upon a switchboard which shall be simple and eflicient in operation and .which may be economically manufactured and installed.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide for readily removing an automatic circuit breaker from its operative position to permit inspection, cleaning of the contact members, repair or replacement of parts of the circuit breaker unit.

A further object of my invention is to prevent the circuit breaker from being removed from its operative position while the contact members of the circuit breaker are in the closed position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a mechanical means for drawing the circuit breaker into its operative position.

A still further object of my invention is to provide resilient contact members for connecting the terminals of the circuit breaker to electrical conductors mounted on the supporting frame of the switchboard panel.

Other objects of my invention will be either explained fully hereinafter or will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. In accordance with one embodiment of my invention; a circuit breaker unit is mounted on a panel which is hinged at the bottom and provided with a mechanical levering in or latching device at thetop for drawing the circuit breaker into the operative position and retaining For a fuller understanding of the nature and scope of my invention,-reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in front elevation, of a switchboard panel having an automatic circuit breaker mounted thereon according to one embodiment of my invention, I

Fig. 2 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of the panel and circuit breaker shown in Fig. 1,

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged views showing details of construction of the levering in device for drawing the circuit breaker into the operative position,

Fig. 5 is a-view, partially in side elevation, and partially in section, showing the hinged panel and the circuit breaker in the lowered or inoperative position.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus shown comprises a panel member I which is pivotally mounted on a supporting framework comprising two pairs of upright channels I I and II. The panel I0 is preferably made of sheet steel although other materials, such as slate, may 80 be utilized if desired.

As illustrated, the panel It may be pivotally mounted on the framework by means of two lugs l3, which are bolted to the upright members II, and a bar It which extends through the supporting members l3 and is secured to the flanges of the panel III or it may be mounted in any other suitable manner. As shown in Fig. 5, the panel l0 may be lowered to a horizontal position, one or more stops l5 being provided to limit the downward movement of the panel.

The panel I0 is so formed that an enclosed automatic circuit breaker unit It may be removably mounted on the rear of the panel, the breaker unit being supported by the bottom flange II on the panel or in any other suitable manner. Spacing bars l8 and I9 are provided at the top and the bottom of the breaker housing to insure the necessary clearance between the breaker housing and the panel for the proper functioning of an interlocking device that will be fully described hereinafter.

The automatic'circuit breaker I8 is preferably of the type fully described in the copending applications of H. J. Lingal, Serial Nos. 600,624 and 637,749, filed March 23, 1932 and October 14, 1932, respectively, and assigned to the Westinghouse Electric 8; Manufacturing Company, although any suitable circuit breaker may be readily utilized. The circuit breaker may be provided with a fixed or removable operating handle 2| which protrudes through an opening 22 in the panel Ill.

The circuit breaker unit may be placed in the panel l0 when'it is in the horizontal position, as u shown in Fig. 5, and the panel and the circuit breaker then raised to the operative position. Since the breaker unit is retained in the correct position by the supporting flange II or other means and the spacer members i8 and 13, it is not necessary to secure the breaker unit to the panel by means of bolts or screws. If it is desired to remove the breaker unit for inspection or replacement, the breaker must be opened to operate the interlock and the panel may then be lowered, to the horizontal position and the breaker unit lifted out of the panel. It is, therefore, not necessary for the person removing the breaker unit to go to the rear of the supporting framework where there would be danger of coming in contact with energized electrical conductors.

The circuit breaker illustrated is a three-pole breaker and is provided with three pairs of terminal members 23, mounted on the rear of the circuit breaker housing. Electrical conductors 24 are connected to contact blocks or members 25 which are secured to cross members 20 on the upright members l2. The contact blocks 25 are insulated from the cross members 20 by insulating sleeves, as shown.

In order that proper contact pressure may be obtained between the terminal members 23 on the circuit breaker unit and the contact blocks 23, resilient contact members 26 are interposed between the terminal membersand the contact blocks. As shown, each of the contact members 26 comprises a base or body member 21, which may be secured to the terminal member 23 by means of screws 28, or in any other suitable manner, and a plurality of leaf springs 29, one end of which are secured to the body member 21-. A flexible band 3|, of copper, or other material having a high conductivity, surrounds the leaf springs and the body member 2'! and is interposedbetween the body member and the terminal member 23. The flexible band 3| is secured in position by the screws 28 and a stud bolt 32 which also serves to secure the springs 29 to the body member.

When the panel I0 and the circuit breaker unit I6 are raised to the upright position, the contact members 26 engage the contact blocks 23. As shown in Fig. 2, the springs 29 are compressed, thereby pressing the bands 3| against the contact blocks and insuring that the proper contact area and pressure for conducting highvalues of electrical current is maintained.

In order that the panel I3 and the circuit breaker may be moved to the proper operative position, in which the springs 28 on the contact members 28 are compressed, a mechanical "levering in" or latching device 33 is provided at the top of the panel i 0 for drawing the panel and the circuit breaker into the operative position.

As shown in Fig. 3, the levering in" device 33 comprises .a screw 34 which is disposed to cooperate with a cross member 35 secured to the supporting framework ll. As shown in Fig. 4, the cross member 35 is provided with a threaded hole 36 for receiving the screw 34. 'Ihe screw 34 is mounted in a bearing plate 31, secured to the top flange of the panel l3, and is provided with a shoulder 38 for retaining the screw in the bearing plate. A spring key 3! is also provided for retaining the screw 34 in position when the panel II is lowered to the horizontal position.

A hole 4|, having a. keyway 42, is provided in the head of the screw 34 to receive a crank 43 for turning the screw. The crank 43- is provided with a key 44 which may be inserted in the keyway 42 in the screw 34. A handle 43 is secured to the end of the crank 43. An opening 43 is provided in the panel i0, opposite the head of the screw 34, to permit the crank 43 to be inserted in the screw. A key plate 41, having a slotted hole 43 for receiving the crank 43, is placed over the 5 opening 46 in the panel I0.

It will be seen that the panel and the circuit breaker unit may be readily drawn into the operative position and the pressure oi the springs 29 on the contact members 28 overcome by turn- 10 ing the screw 34 by means of the crank 43. After the panel has been drawn into the proper position, the crank 43 may be removed and the panel will be retained in the proper position by the screw 34, which functions as a lock to pre- 15 vent the panel from being removed.

In order to prevent the operation of the device 33 and thereby prevent the circuit breaker l6 from being removed from the operative position while the circuit breaker mechanism is in the 20 closed" position, a mechanical interlock is provided which is operated by the circuit breaker handle 21. The interlock comprises a sliding bar 5| which is disposed between the circuit breaker housing and the panel ll. An opening 52 is pro- 25 vided in the bar 3| through which the handle 2| of the circuit breaker extends. The bar 5i is, therefore, actuated up and down as the circuit breaker handle is operated. When the circuit breaker handle is in the closed position, the 30 upper end of the bar 5! is raised to a position in which it blocks the opening 46 in the panel i0 and prevents the crank 43 from being inserted into the screw 34 to turn the screw. When the circuit breaker handle is in the of! position, the 36 bar II is lowered to a position which permits the crank 43 to be inserted through the opening 48 to operate the screw 34.

In this manner the interlocking device makes it impossible for the circuit breaker unit to be 40 removed from the operative position while the contact members of the circuit breaker are closed, thereby preventing an are from being drawn between the

contact members

25 and 26, which might be injurious to both the contact 45 members and the operator. It is also impossible to close the panel to a position in which the upper row of contact members 23 engage the upper row of contact blocks 25, unless the breaker handle is in the o position, since the crank 30 43 cannot be inserted to turn the screw 34 to draw the breaker into the full upright position.

While I have illustrated and described the details of construction of a single breaker unit, it will be understood that any desired number of 66 circuit breakers may be mounted on panels which are disposed one above the other, or on side by side relation and each unit may be operated without interfering with the other units, thereby providing a switchboard which is simple and O0 compact in design, is of a neat appearance and which may be economically manufactured. Furthermore, it is safe in operation, since the circuit breaker units may be readily removed from in front of the switchboard without requiring the II operator to subject himself to the danger of working at the rear of the switchboard.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above-described construction, and diflerent embodiments of the invention may be made withto out departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitim sense. 13

I claim as my invention:

1. Current distributing apparatus comprising a supporting framework, a flanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, and a circuit breaker unit mounted upon the rear of the panel and supported by the flange on the panel, whereby the panel may be actuated to a position to permit access to the circuit breaker unit from in front of the panel.

2. Current distributing apparatus comprising a supporting framework, a flanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, and a circuit breaker unit removably mounted on the rear of said panel and supported by the flange on the panel, whereby the panel may be actuated to a position to permit the circuit breaker to be re moved from the panel from in front of the framework.

3. Current distributing apparatus comprising a supporting framework, a flanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuit breaker unit removably mounted on the panel and supported by the flange on the panel, said circuit breaker having a handle protruding through an opening in the panel and accessible from in front of the panel, and mechanical means for drawing the panel and the circuit breaker unit into operative position on the framework.

4. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supporting framework, a flanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuit breaker unit removably mounted on the rear of said panel and supported by the flange on the panel, and a screw for drawing the panel and the circuit breaker unit into operative position on the framework.

5. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supporting framework, a flanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuit breaker unit removably mounted on the rear of said panel and supported by the flange on the panel, a screw for drawing the panel and the circuit breaker unit into operative position on the framework, and means for operating said screw.

6. In a current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supporting framework, a flanged panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a v

of said panel and supported by the flange on the panel, a screw disposed to cooperate with said framework to draw the panel and the circuit breaker unit into operative position on the framework, and a removable crank for operating the 5 screw.

8. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supporting framework, a panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuit breaker unit removably mounted on the 10 panel, said circuit breaker having a handle protruding through an opening in the panel, mechanical means for drawing the panel and the circuit breaker unit into operative position on the framework, and interlocking means disposed 15 between the panel and the circuit breaker unit and cooperating with said circuit breaker handle to control the operation of said mechanical means.

9. In current distributing apparatus, in com- 20 bination, a supporting framework, a panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuit breaker unit removably mounted on the rear of said panel, said circuit breaker having a handle protruding through an opening in the panel, me- 25 chanical means for drawing the panel and the circuit breaker unit into operative position onthe framework, and interlocking means disposed between the panel and the circuit breaker unit and operable by the circuit breaker handle to so prevent the operation of said mechanical means.

10. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supporting framework, a panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuit breaker unit removably mounted on the rear of as said panel, said circuit breaker having a handle protruding through an opening in the panel, a screw disposed to cooperate with said framework to draw the panel and the circuit breaker unit into operative position on the framework, 40 a removablehandle for operating said screw, and a slidable bar disposed between the panel and the circuit breaker unit and operable by the circuit breaker handle to prevent the operation of said screw by the removable handle. 45

11. In current distributing apparatus, in combination, a supporting framework, a panel pivotally mounted upon the framework, a circuit breaker unit removably mounted on the rearof the panel, said circuit breaker having a handle protruding through an opening in the panel, means for latching the panel in the operative position on the framework and interlocking means disposed between the panel and the circuit breaker unit and cooperating with saidcircuit breaker handle to control the operation of said latching means.

WALTER H. SCHRAW.