US2544727A

US2544727A - Circuit breaker

Info

Publication number: US2544727A
Application number: US708365A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rufolo Anthony
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-04-20
Filing date: 1946-11-07
Publication date: 1951-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 1968-03-13

Description

March 13, 1951 A. RUFOLO 27,544,727

CIRCUIT BREAKER original Filed April 20, 1945 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. ANTHONY RUFDLU ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIT BREAKER Anthony Rufoio, New York, N. Y.

Original application April 20, 1945, Serial N0.

589,447, now Patent No. 2,532,336, dated Septomber 11, 1950. Divided and this application November 7, 1946, Serial No. 708,365

4 Claims.

1 k'This invention concern-s a circuit breaker and particularly yconcerns'a circuit breaker of the type that is electromagnetically actuated.

UThis is a division of my copending application Serial No. 589,447, iiled April 20, 1945, now Patent No. 2,532,336, September l1, 1950J entitled Dielectric Test Apparatus and Method.

An object of the invention is to provide an electric circuit breaker.

"Another object is to provide an electric circuit breaker that is electromagnetically operated.v

A further Objectis to provide a circuit breaker having a fixed contact, a movable contact, resilient means for urging the movable contact away from the xed Contact, a latch for holding the movable contact against the fixed Contact in opposition to the resilient means and electromagnetic means for upsetting the latch upon flow of current through the circuit breaker. Further objects and advantages oi this invention, as well as its construction, arrangement and amended April 30, 1928; 370 Of G. '757) A bracket 46a is secured to panel 36 by means of screws 41. Secured to bracket 46a by means of operation are apparentirom the following dei' scription and claims in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a preferred form of the circuit breaker, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the circuit breaker illustrated in Fig. 1.

The circuit breaker 34 is mounted upon a Bakelite base plate 35 having a vertically disposed Bakelite panel 36 secured thereto by meansof y screws 31. Mounted upon base `plate 35 in spaced relation from panel 36 is a Bakelite column 38 secured in place bya screw39 and forming a support for circuit breaker-34.

4A contact 33 is positioned at the top of column 38`and can be adjusted relative to column 38 by '55? screwing therein. A locknut 40 is provided for locking contactv33 in place. Contact 33 is connected through a.conductor"33a to an electrical source (not shown). A switch arm 4| is provided with a movable portion 42 arranged for movement relative to contact 33 whereby it can be electrically engaged with contact 33 as shown in solid lilies (Fig. 1) or .can be sprung away from contact 33 as shownin dotted lines. The lower portion of switch arm 4 I -is formed into convolutions screws 48 is an electromagnet 49 having a horseshoe core 54. On the upper leg of core 54 is mounted a winding 50. An electrical conductor 5| connects winding 50 in series with bolt 44 and switchl arm 4|, the other end of winding 50 being connected through conductor 52 to an electrical source (not shown). An armature 51 having an oliset 59 is rotatably mounted at 58 on the lower leg of horseshoe core 54. Armature 51 extends adjacent pole piece 6| of core 54. Armature 51 is adapted upon energizing of winding 56 and magnetizing of core 54 to be attracted to pole piece 6| in the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 and upon deenergizing of winding 5U and demagnetizing of core 54 armature 51 can be withdrawn away from pole piece 6| into the solid line position shown in. Fig. l. Horseshoe core 54 and armature 51 rotatably mounted thereon form a substantially closed magnetic circuit, thereby increasing the magnetic eflciency of electromagnet 49. An adjustment screw 62 having a stop surface 63 is threaded in column 38 and serves to adjust the limit of throw of armature 51 away from pole piece 6|. VA locknut 6|) secures screw 62 in adjusted position.

Secured to column 38 by screws 64 is a bracket 65. Rotatably mounted in bracket 65 is a bellcrank latch 66 having an arm 61 provided with 'a terminal oset 68 adapted to hook into loop 46 of switch arm 4| to retain the latter in the solid line position shown in Fig. 1. Bell-crank latch 66 is provided with another arm 69 having a terminal olset 1| adapted to hook about armature 51 in sliding engagement therewith. If desired, armature 51 can be adjusted to leave a small space between itself and offset 1| so that latch 66 can be moved by a striking action of armature 51 upon offset 1 I. Circuit breaker 34 can be set in closed-circuit position (solid line position in Fig. 1) when current is not flowing through the device by actuating switch arm 4| into electrical engagement with contact 33 against the action of spring convolutions 43 and hooking oiiset 68 of latch 66 into engagement with loop 46 of switch arm 4| whereby arm 69 of latch 66 withdraws armature 51 away Yfrom pole piece 6|. If desired, varmature 51 can be designed to rest on Lits .ownweight againststop surface 63.

Flow of currentthrough the circuit breaker trips the device into the dotted line positions shown in Fig. 1 since current owing through relay windings 50 magnetizes core 54 and causes pole piece 6| to attract armature 51 with the result that latch 66 is tripped and rotated slightly clockwise so that offset 68 of latch 66 disengages loop 46 of switch arm 4I to allowA the latter to spring away from contact 33 and break the circuit.

Circuit breaker 34 is set in closed-circuit position by moving switch arm 42 into electrical engagement with contact 33 and rotating latch 65 counterclockwise until offset portion 68 hooks into loop 46 of switch arm 4l whereby armature l is withdrawn away from polepieceil.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment ofv anyv royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. A latch-trip switch comprising a support, a fixed electric contact on said support, a movable electric contact wire adapted to move into closed position in engagement with said fixed contact and into open position out of engagement with said fixed contact, integral wire means at one end of said contact wire yieldingly urging said movable contact wire into open position, a loop in said movable contact wire intermediate its ends, a rst lever mounted for rotation about a nxed axis on said support into open and closed position, latch means. on said rst lever selectively engagea-ble with the loop of said movable contact wire to. retain said first lever and movable contact wire in closed position, a second lever mounted for rotation about a xed axis on said support into openY and closed position, and means on said second lever engageable with said rst lever to actuate said first lever from closed to open position when said second lever is actuated frornclosed to openl position.

2. A latch-trip switch Vcomprising a support, a xed electric contact on saidsupport, a movable electric Contact wire adapted to move into closed position in engagement with said fixed contact and into open position out of' engagement with said xed contact, a spring formed of convolutions and mounted on said support for urging said movable contact wire into open position, said movable contact wire and spring being formed integrally of electrically conductive spring Wire, a loop in said movable contact wire intermediate its ends, a-bellcrank mounted for rotation about a fixed axis on said support into open and closed position, latch means on one arm of said bell crank selectively engageable with the loop of said movable'contact wire to retain said bell crank and movable contact wire in closed position, a vlever mounted for rotation about a fixed axis on said support into open and closed position, and means on said lever engageable with the other arm of said bell crank to a'ctuate said bell crank from closed to open position when said lever is actuated from closed to open position.

3. A circuit breaker comprising a support, a fixed electric contact on said support, a movable electric contact wire adapted to move into closed position in an engagement with said lixed contact` and intovopen position out ofv engagement with said fixed contact, a spring formed of convolutions and mounted on said support for urging said movable contact into open position, said movable contact and spring being formed integrally of electrically conductive spring wire, a loop in said movable contact wire intermediate its ends,- a. bell crank mounted for rotation about a fixed axis on said support into open and closed position, latch means on one arm of said bell crank selectively engageable with the loop of said movable con-tact wire to retain said bell crank and movable contact wire in closed position, a. lever mounted for rotation about a fixed axis on saidsupport into open and closed position, means on said lever engageable with the other arm ofsaid-bell crank to actuate said bell crank from closed to open position when said lever is actuated from closed to open position, and electromagnetic means for actuating said lever from closed to open position upon flow of current therethrough, said movable contact wire, spring and .electromagnetic means being connected electrically in series.

4. A latch-trip switch comprising a support, a fixed electric contact on said support, a movable electric contact/wire adapted to. move into closed position `inengagement with said fixed contactand into. open position out of engagementwith. saidxedicontact, integral wire means atoneend ofv said contact wire yeldingly urging said movable contactl wire into` open position, aloopin'said movable contact wire inter mediate its ends, a lever mountedv for rotation about a fixed'axis on said support into open and closed position, and latch means on said lever selectively engageable with the loop of said movable contact wire to retain said lever and movablecontact wireA in closed position, said lever being rotatable intov open position to disengage saidlatch means from the loop of said movable contact wire to permit said movable contact wire to move into openposition.

ANTHONY RUFOLO.

REFERENCES, CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent.:

UNITED STATES PAIENTS