US2106580A

US2106580A - Circuit breaker

Info

Publication number: US2106580A
Application number: US58438A
Authority: US
Inventors: Alfred J Thomson
Original assignee: Bulldog Electric Products Co
Current assignee: Bulldog Electric Products Co
Priority date: 1933-03-06
Filing date: 1936-01-09
Publication date: 1938-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 1955-01-25

Description

Jan. 25, 193s.

A FJ. THOMSON cmcuzr BREAKER Original F11ed March a, 1.933

2 sums-shut 1 INVENTOR' Jan. 25, 1938.

A. J. THOMSON cmcuzr BREAKER Original Filed March 6, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 25, 1938 UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE cnwurr BREAKER .Original application March a, 1933, Serial No.

659,714. Divided and this application January 9, 1936, Serial No. 58,438 I 9 Claims. (01. 200-116) This application relates to circuit breakers and is a divisional of my prior application Serial No. 659,714, filed March 6, 1933.

The instant .application discloses a circuit 5 breaker having an actuating or operating mechanism to which is connected a contact and a handle. Normally the handle is positively connected to the operating mechanism to which is also positively connected the contact and movement of the handle positively causes movement of the mechanism and consequent movement of the contact for manual switching.

On overload operation, the positive connection between the handle and the mechanism is de-' stroyed automatically so that overload movement of the actuating mechanism and consequent movement of the contact may take place without the necessity for causing or being accompanied by corresponding movement of the han- 20 die; in the instant breaker, there is a latch which normally positively connects the handle and the mechanism but which isautomaticallydisengaged by overload release movement of the mechanism itself to disconnect the mechanism 25 from the handle.

While in the ordinary sense it may be considered that the handle is normally connected to the mechanism positively and is completely disconnected therefrom automatically on overload release movement of the parts, it may be considered that for normal operation the handle is connected to the mechanism in such a manner that substantially no lost motion between the handle and the mechanism exists, the operation 35 of the parts, however, being such that an overload release automatically causes a tremendous increase in the amount of lost motion between the handle and the mechanism so that the mechanism may move free of the handle, the 40 handle not following or accompanying the mechanism due to the great lost motion that is automatically caused to exist between the handle and the mechanism following overload release.

The invention is embodied in a trippable or 45 releasable latch between the operating handle of a circuit breaker and the quick acting mechanism of the same, to which mechanism is con-. nected a contact. The mechanism per se and the general arrangement of the parts is substan- 50 tlally that disclosed in my prior application Serial For an understanding of the herein illustrated breaker which includes the operating mechanism of my prior application and embodies my instant s invention, referenceshould be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figs. 1-3a are plan, end, elevation, and diagrammatic views of a breaker, shown in on position; 1 5

Figs. 4 and 5 are elevation and end views of a group of details of the mechanism thereof, in on position;

Figs. 6 and 'l are elevation views of the breaker, in ofi' and overload of! positions, respectively; 10

Fig. 8 is an elevation view, like Fig. 4, but with the parts shown in overload oil position.

In the drawings there is shown a breaker having the operating mechanism of my prior application and having a handle and a contact connected thereto. Normally connecting the handle and the mechanism is a latch; this latch is automatically released on overload release movement .of the mechanism itself to destroy the normal operative connection between the handleand the mechanism, whereupon the mechanism and its contact may move free of the handle on overload release. 1 I

As stated above, the breaker operating mechanism in general resembles that of my prior application Serial No. 659,714 and has many parts which are similar to the identically numbered parts of that breaker. For example, both breakers have a base ill, a warping element H, a front plate 2|, an operating link 24, a spring 21 thereon, between pin 28, and a link 29 connected at 3| to a pawl 32 pivoted at 33, the pawl having an end 35 for engagement by tongue 36 of the warping element. The left end 31 of link 24 is connected to the drum-like crank 38 by pin 39 riding 35 in slot 4| of the crank, the latter having a handle 42, and being supported on shaft 43 connecting the front plate 2| to the back plate 43a andhaving pin A riding in slot B in front plate 2|. The crank further has a lug 44 to engage a stop 45 on the pawl, and there is also provided a pawl stop ledge 41 on a pawl stop 48.

In addition to the foregoing parts, the breaker of this case is provided with certain novel de tails, now to be described. 45

On base Ill are contacts |l| adapted to be engaged by the bridging contact 2 on one end of contact arm 3, the contacts being connected to the load and to the warping element M, respectively.

The other end of arm I i3 is enlarged and is disposed within the drum-like bell crank 38 (Fig. 4) and is also journalled on cross shaft 43.. The arm may be latched to the bell crank, so as to move therewith by a plate H5 through which passes 35 pin 39 on the end of link 24, the pin riding in a slot II! of the contact arm aligned with slot 4i of the crank, the plate having an edge notch III in which may be disposed a latch H9, journalled by means of its lugs I29 riding in holes I2I of the drum-like crank, and held down in notch H8 by a tension spring I22 connecting the latch and a pin I23 on the contact arm H3.

The parts just described may be operated as a simple quick make and break switch as follows:

When handle 42 is moved to the right from on position, Figs. 3, 3a, and 4, left end 39 of link 24 is moved up and to the left compressing spring 21. While pin 39 is riding in slot I II of switch arm H3 and tensioning spring I22, switch arm H3 is being held by frictional engagement of the stationary contacts I H with movable contact II2.

After link 24 gets overcenter 43, spring 21 acts to complete the clockwise movement of left end 39 and handle 42. Switch arm H3, through the influence of spring 21 assisted by spring I22, effects a quick break of the movable contact H2 from the stationary contacts III.

Reverse movement of handle 42 from off position, Fig. 6, causes left end 39 of link 24 to move counterclockwise and to the left, tensioning spring 21 and also moving with it, contact arm H3. After link 24 moves overcenter 43, spring 27 reacts to cause quick make of'the movable contact I I2 to the stationary contacts I I I. The positive connection through the medium of the latch H9, the plate H5, and the pin 39 insures positive make and break.

To the foregoing are added parts for moving the contact arm on overload trip independently of, and without requiring movement of, the handie 42, and these will now be described. In the crank 38 there is disposed a slidable plate I28 guided by, and whose slot I21 receives, the cross shaft 43. This plate has an extension I29 at one end passing through a slot I29 of the drum crank 38 and its other end is positioned to engage the latch I I9.

The overload trip operation of these parts is as follows: When the element I4 warps to the right, it releases pawl 32; the latter is then snapped upwardly by spring 27. The link 24 also moves with pawl 32 about pin 39 as a. fulcrum. The extension I28 of plate I26 is engaged by the extension I30 of pawl 32 and is forced upward to release latch H9 from notch II 9, and allowing pin 39 to rotate clockwise under the combined influence of springs I22 and 21 and through the movement of switch arm H3, forcing movable contact H2 away from stationary contacts III to effect a quick break of the circuit. Arm II3 moves independently of crank 33, for a trip free action, by virtue of the fact that pin 39 can ride freely in slot 4i of the crank. Movement of crank 39 is limited by the riding of its pin A in the slot B of the front plate 2|. The characteristic that arm H3 can move independently of crank 38, so that arm H3 can move to break the circuit even though the crank 38 is held manually in on position, places the breaker in the trip free class.

Excess movement of pawl 32 is prevented, not,

32, until end 35 latches under projection 34; on

overload element I4. During this movement, pin 39 rides free in slot 4I. Movement of the handle 42 also rotates latch H9 in crank 38 until it aligns with slot I II in member I I 5, whereupon the spring I22 pulls latch H9 in the slot I I9, again latching member Hi, to crank member 39. Also, the resetting movement of pawl 32 frees end I29, allowing latch H9 to engage slot H9.

- Contact arm H3 does not move out of the oi! position, being held in that position through the medium of link 24 and pin 39 together with shoulder 53 of link 24 pressing against the lug 92 of link 29. The reset action therefore places all the parts in oil position.

It will be observed that normally the handle 42 is positively conected to the operating mechanism, with little or no lost motion between the parts through the latch I I9. On overload release movement of the parts, however, the handle is disconnected from the operating mechanism so that there is great lost motion between the handle and the mechanism and so that the mechanism may move free of the handle, and such disconnection is accomplished by raising of latch I I9 out of the notch H9 in member H5 of the operating mechanism; this is accomplished by the engagement of the latch controlling part I 29 by the pawl extension I39, which pawl extension moves up on overload release of the parts to strike latch-control member I28 and raise latch H9 out of the notch H9 in member H5.

I claim:

1. In a circuit controller, a contact, quick acting circuit opening and closing mechanism positively connected thereto and so constructed as to have a normal tendency to move the contact and thus open the circuit when permitted so to do, holding means for the mechanism and arranged to release it on overload and permit it to operate for circuit opening, a handle for operating the mechanism for circuit opening or closing even when the mechanism is held by the holding means, and rigid but releasable means normally positively connecting the handle and the mechanism and automatically released by overload release movement of the holding means for disconnecting the handle and the mechanism, whereby the mechanism may operate the contact for circuit opening free of the handle and even if the latter be held, the holding means for the mechanism being separate and independent of the rigid but releasable means for'connecting the mechanism and the handle and also being remote from such rigid and releasable means.

2. In a circuitcontroller, acontact, quick acting circuit opening and closing mechanism positively connected thereto and so constructed as to have a normal tendency to move the contact and thus open the circuit when permitted so to do, holding means for the mechanism andarranged to release it on overload and permit it to operate for circuit opening a handle for operating the mechanism for circuit opening or closing even when the mechanism is held by the holding means, and rigid but releasable means normally positively connecting the handle and the mechanism and automatically released by'the mechanism itself following a movement thereof responsive to overload release movement of the holding-means for disconnecting the handle and the mechanism, whereby the mechanism may operate the contact for circuit opening free of the handle and even if the latter be held, the holding means for the mechanism being separate and independent of the rigid but releasable means for connecting the mechanism and the handle and also being remote irom'such rigid and releasable means.

3. In a circuit controller, a contact, quick acting circuit opening and closing mechanism positively connected thereto and so constructed as to have a normal tendency to move the. contact and thus open the circuit when permitted so to do, holding means for the mechanism and arranged to release it on overload and permit it to operate for circuit opening, a landle for operating the mechanism for circuit opening or closing even when the mechanism is held by the holding means, the handle and the mechanism being normally positively-connected through rigid but releasable connecting means so that complete movement of the handle necessarily causes circuit opening movement of the mechanism, overload release of the holding means automatically releasing such releasable connection so that circuit opening movement of the mechanism responsive to overload release can take place free of the handle, the holding means for the mechanism being separate and independent of the rigid but releasable means for connecting the mechanism and the handle and also being remote from such rigid and releasable means.

4. In a circuit controller, a contact, quick acting circuit opening and closing mechanism positively connected thereto and so constructed as to have a normal tendency to move the contact and thus open the circuit when permitted so to do, holding means for the mechanism and arranged to release it on overload and permit it to operate for circuit opening, a'handle for oper ating the mechanism for circuit. openingor closing even when the mechanism is held by the holding means, the handle and the mechanism being normally positively connected through rigid but releasable connecting means so that complete movement of the handle necessarily causes circuit opening movement of the mechanism, overload release of the holding means automatically causing the mechanism itself to operate for releasing such releasable connection so that circuit opening movement of the mechanism responsive to overload release can take place free of to release it on overload and permit it to operate 4 for circuit opening, a handle for operating the mechanism for circuit opening or closing even when the mechanism is held by the holding means, the handle and the mechanism being normally positively connected through rigid but releasable connecting means so that complete movement of the handle necessarily causes circuit opening movement of the mechanism, overload release of the holding means automatically releasing such releasable connection so that circuit opening movement of the mechanism responsive to overload release can take place free of the handle, the handle and the mechanism being normally positively connected through rigid lost moti n means so that partial movement of" the handle does not open the circuit through the mechanism but complete movement of the handle does open the circuit through the mechanism,

, tion so that circuit opening through movement of the mechanism responsive to overload release can take place even though the handle be held.

6. In a circuitcontroller, a contact, quick acting circuit opening and closing mechanism posito have a normal tendency to move the contact and thus open the circuit when permitted so .to

do, holding means for the mechanism and arranged to release it on overload and P rmit it to.

handle and the mechanism being normally positively connected through rigid lost motion means so that partial movement of the handle does not open the circuit through the mechanism but complete movement of the handle does open the circuit through the mechanism, overload release of the holding means acting through the mechanism itself for automatically and considerably increasing such lost motion so that circuit opening to overload release can take place even though the handle be held.

'7. In a circuit breaker, a handle, an operating mechanism, an overload-release latch for said mechanism and arranged to hold said mechanism normally and to move in response to circuit conditions to free and release said mechanism, the latter being constructed to have an inherent tendency to move out of latch-held position, which movement is inhibited normally by, the holding thereof by the overload release latch, means operatively connecting said mechanism to said handle, such means comprising a releasable latch, separate and independent, of the overload release latch, and arranged to normally latch the mechanism to the handle and tobe released so as to release the handlefrom the mechanism. in response to a movement'o'f the mechanism, in

through movement of the mechanism responsive turn responsive to a release of the mechanism by overload release movement of the overload release latch, whereby the mechanism can move free of the handle after the mechanism has caused the handle latch to be released.

8. A construction of the character of claim 5 wherein the holding means for the mechanism is separate and independent of the rigid but releasable means for connecting the mechanism and the handle and alsois remote from such rigid and releasable means.

9. A construction of the character of claim 6 wherein the holding means for the mechanism is separate and independent of the rigid but re-,

leasable means for connecting the mechanism and the handle and also is remote from such rigid and releasable means.

. ALFRED J. THOMSON.

10 tively connected thereto and so constructed as It 7