US2613299A

US2613299A - High-voltage circuit breaker

Info

Publication number: US2613299A
Application number: US721648A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph D Wood; Arthur S Caswell; Goessel Elmer
Original assignee: ITE Circuit Breaker Co
Current assignee: ITE Circuit Breaker Co
Priority date: 1947-01-11
Filing date: 1947-01-11
Publication date: 1952-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 1969-10-07
Also published as: US2646481A; US2625628A

Description

Oct. 7, 1952 J. D. WOOD ET AL 2,613,299

HIGH-VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Jan. 11, 1947 I321 P I 208 58 "257 Patented Oct. 7, 1952 UNITED [STATE HIGH-VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER Joseph D. Wood, Upper Darby, and Arthur S. Caswell and Elmer Goessel, Philadelphia, Pa., assignors to I. T. E. Circuit Breaker Company,

Philadelphia, vania -Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl- Application January 11, 1947, Serial No. 721,648

Our present invention relates to high voltage highcapacity circuit breakers, and more particularly to circuit breakers having an interrupting rating of 50,000 kva. and better in any voltage range between 2300 and 5000 volts'and at current ratings of 600'and 1200 amperes;

Essentially our invention is directed to the production' of high voltagehigh capacity air break switchgear in such a manner as to provide the increased interrupting capacity required by means of the simplest elements which aremanuiactured and assembled by mass production methods in the most economical way. g

Accordingly an object of our invention is the construction of a high capacity high voltage circuit breaker, capable of interrupting arcs of 50,000 kva. capacity or even better, and economical in design and construction, capable of unit sub-assembly manufacturing operation; and so reduced in cost that its price may compare favorably and at times even be lower than-that of many lower capacity lower voltage circuit breakers on the market today.

The'foregoing and many other objects of our invention will become apparent from the following description 01 the drawings in which: I

Figure 1 is a side view in perspective, partly 4 Qlaims. (o1. 200-447) tion' herein shown.

which require no specific description; Also, the control switch contacts indicated generally at 10 of Figures 1 and 2 and the grounding contacts 'ihlzof Figures 1 and 2 may be standard units.

.The essential elements as above pointed out with respect to these units is the unit assembly arrangement which is possible with theconstruc- 'The rear end of the operating mechanism as 'sembly 46 is supported on the cross bar- 14' which is held by the bolts l5, across the top of'the lower panel 12. Cross bar M also provides means for supporting additional assemblies. The specific novel assemblies or sub-assemblies shown in Figures 1 and 2 and forming an essential part of the novel circuit breaker here shown are the operating mechanisinshown in Figure 1'.

The various assemblies above mentioned will be described in order, going from the bottom toward the top of the circuit breaker without specific emphasis on any one of the assemblies over the other.

It must be. emphasized, however, that an im-- portant feature of the circuit breaker'is' in the novel are chute construction in conjunction with the novel'blow out construction.

broken away showing our novel circuit breaker assembled and mounted on a truck.

Figure 2 is aside, back view, in perspective,

showing our novel circuit breaker mounted ona truck with the interphase barrier in position.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, our novel circuit breaker is shown preferably mounted on a movable truck. The movable truck comprises a back main supporting structure which includes the vertical support members l0 and H connected together and interbraced at the lower end by the Masonite panel ['2 and. at the central and'upper portion'by' the horizontal c'rossbars [3; l4 and I5 which are connected asshown, in any appropriate manner, as for instance by bolts and nuts to the vertical members It and H. The lower ends of the vertical members 'l0 and II are provided with bearings l1 and W for the shaft l9 which carries the rear wheels and 2| of the truck. The vertical members I!) and H together with the cross bracing elements above described and the wheel 20 and 2! constitute a single unitary member of assembly.

Certain of the assemblies are standard and require no specific discussion here. Thusgthe control panel assembly 41 and the tripunit as: semb1y'48 may be substantially s'tandardunits The operating mechanism'utilizes as closely as possible the simple principle of the lever operated switch with only enough addition theretoto provide automatic response to over-current con-1 ditions in order to trip the circuit breaker and also to provide a solenoid closing means. The simplification of this operating mechanism makes possible the production of;the inexpensive circuit breaker herein described; I

Thus, while the arc chute assembly and the blow-out assembly make possible the high capacity operation and high speed operation which are essential to the operation of the circuit breaker as a whole, the simplicity of the other assemblies makes possible the economical and efficient construction. l

The individual unit assemblies facilitate storage of parts preparatory to final assembly and thus make it possible to fill orders quickly;

Thus the first sub-assembly which consists of the back panel and the back wheels 20 and 2| is essentially a simple fiat member which may readily behstored and does not take up any substantial amount of space. r

Heretofore, the difficulty encountered in premanufacture of sub-assemblies in anticipation of future orders resided in the fact that the gear usually was as big as the circuit breaker itself, so that the manufacture and especially the storage of the main frame presented the same problem as the storing of an entire circuit breaker. No real economy was effected by pre-manufactureof the main frame since. the entire circuit breaker. could be: stored just as readily.

By means of our novel device, the back panel and the rear wheels of the truck which constitute a single fiat structure may-readily be stored awaiting specific ordersfor. assembly. of specific circuit breakers. I

The truck structure is completed bylmeans of a lower or bottom platform -2 3,-.-which carries-a front wheel 24 in the front swivel 25. The bottom platform 23 is secured. at .the rear .end .to the lower end of the verticalmembers' 'lfl and H above the bearings I1 and I8 fortherear wheel. The bottom platform 23 in connection with the back panel form-the verticalsupporting members vi 0. and l l .andftheir interbracing structure and taken together withthe rear wheels 20 and..'2l:..and the front. swivel wheel 24 comprises the. .truck. or. mounting, for. .the. .circuit breaker. ThusQth'e. bottom platform 23-. andlthe front swivel wheel 24 constitutes asingle sub-assembly which may readily be stored without requiring. any addi tional space. and whichmay readilybe. attached by two. screws to thefiower. .endflof. the vertical memberslfland I.l.

.This type-of unitarysub-assembly construction which. may readilylbe. interconnected .with other elements. inorder to make .a complete :truck, .facilitates. modification and, of yariationof-s'ubassemblies order .to 1 meet the specific orders.

Thus in the event various control.v elements must be multiplied to a substantial extent in the final circuit breaker. thus requiring perhaps; a custom built lower platform 23, this. lower .pl'atform23 may be built toithe uniquespecific'ations of the customer andimayfthen be combined with the standard back panel construction,.wliich...is kept in stock. However, the-entire .truckconstruction including thelfirst ,and .second sub.-as-. semblies above described. are. built in fi1l1ahticipation of all requirementsto which .theipar'tic'ular circuit breaker. may be. put, so. that particular custommade back or bottom portions .of a truck willwbe required only, in. exceptional cases. The upper: terminal assembly 30,. and the .lower termi: m1. assembly 3|. for .eachcoflth lthree .pol'esiis formedfrom, a. single barfof copper of rectangulars cross -l.section (appropriately I insulated by phenolic insulation. "The terminal assembly '

elements

30, 3! are carried bythe vertical supports it] .and l 1,. as. well as Ithe central vertical support 32 .which is. carried. between "the lower Masonite platefl2,..andltheuppereross bar [4,: as shown in Figure 2.

vEach of the vertical members I; II and 32 is recessedat 33; 33 t receive the terminal'members and accurately position the same. iTEa'ch of. the terminal .membersris provided with afis'ide plate oriflange. '35.. hereinafter .more specifically'described in connectionivvi-th Figure 2.

..Each.o'f.the=verticalreinforcements 10, H :and 32 is a rectangular steel member, so that while the recesses '33, 33...are cut. out in'the vertical reinforcement' they'.are incised onlyin" the: .por-' tion of the rectangular .steelmember 'whiohis normal totheback panel';56."Th l gs of "each ofthe .re'ctang'ular members (l0; Ii and 32. carry the bolts36, 36 which engage the flange"members 35 {orthe terminal element. f Thus it will be seen that two bolts or screws 36 are all that are necessary to secure each of the terminal elements in place, these bolts being locked in secured position by the nut 31 as shown in Figure 2.

Each of the upper and lower terminal assembly members'30 and 3 i -alsoicarry the spring biased :disconnect. contactelements p38,? 38 also hereinafter more specifically described in connection with Figures 1 and 2, but shown also in Patent Number 2,029,028. The intermediate cross bar-"l3;which is secured to the vertical members Ill, ll-..and 32. by..the bolts 40, also carries at its outer-endTtheWh'eeIs' '42 on an appropriate shaft extension thereof, .the said wheels 42 cooperating withfljappropriatettracks in the compartment to guide the truck-into and out of the compartment prop rly- The rackingand'indicator assembly shown gen- :erallyat 43 of Figures 1 and 2 also carries the

front wheels

44, 44 to ride on the guide tracks of thecompartment .in. which; the. .circuit..breaker, is housed. V Y

The movable contactassemblyshown [generally at 59 of. Figure 1,.is connectediat its lower endlto the. lower rterminal -..assembly 3 l I in. the manner hereinafter, described; and is provided with a. link 5 I which is connected tov the H contact operating arms152 projecting upfrom. the operating mechanism. assembly 46. .The. movable .contactflbridge 3o assembly which of course haslas.manyapoiessas there are .upper andrloweri. terminal assemblies. threev in theparticular instance, shown, is provided with oontactelements. ,(TheQblow .outicoil assemb1yo53 which includes .thecoil 54 and the laminatedblow out-iron.legs;.55, is. mounted .on

the upper insulating back. panel 56 .alsotacross the bars J 5. and .,l 4 andrthenpperhportionror vertical supporting members l'lland Il,..and. is. sup-.

ported thereby. f

It. is spacedfromthebars 10,1 |,.32,. Il,1l'5,;by the upper insulating back panel. which .panel issecu-red across the barsflll, vl Landr32as shown in Figure 2. Appropriateopeningsiajfl a reipro vided in =.the- .panel 56 .topermit uthenterm'inal 45 members 30 and-3lto projectgtherethrou g-huin a mannershown in Figure 'l. a

The are -chute.ass embly 51. islsupportedbyithe blow, out; assembly 53.. andrpar'ticularlyj bywthe laminated legs -55 of .theblowout ironwhichiride between .the bracing bars'J5'8, .58 oneachmsiderof the arc .chute as shown in Figure 1.

Since many variations and 1mod'ificationsofnour invention should now be obvious to those skilled inthe art, we prefer to-be=bound not bythespecific. disclosure herein contained, fbut onlyn by. the

appended ,claims.

rWe claim: I a 1 A unit assemblyfor. a movabletruckcmountingfor a-circuit breakerincludingcmetallic structur-al elements comprising a back ..main:su-pporting structure, said supporting structure beingran open structure comprising rvert-ical supporting bars. and a plurality ofhorizontal bars.conneoting said verticalibars for' bracing said -yerticali bars,

the;lower-ends of-saidrvertical bars-,rproviding bearings and. ashaft carrying wheels mounted'in said bearings and a circuit .breaker; mechanism mounted thereon; including circuit. breaker elements comprising back connectiomstuds,-; a; mov

able contact. arm,-operating mechanism. fonsaid movable. contact armuandmarc .chutes,,.and-isaid circuit breaker elements being. separated :frdm said metallic structuralelementsrto. a maximum extentv by virtue... ofsaid verticaland, horizontal 7o barconstruction; wherebyarcing to gr'eundwhen said circuit breaker elements are actuated is minimized. p

2. A unit assembly for a movable truck mounting for a circuit breaker including metallic structural elements comprising a back main supporting structure, said supporting structure being an open structure comprising vertical supporting bars and a plurality of horizontal bars interconnecting said vertical bars for bracing said vertical bars, the lower ends of said vertical bars providing bearings and a shaft carrying wheels mounted in said bearings, an insulation panel mounted across the lower ends of said vertical bars and a circuit breaker mechanism mounted thereon, including circuit breaker elements comprising back connection studs, a movable contact arm, operating mechanism for said movable contact arm and arc chutes, and said circuit breaker elements being separated from said metallic structural elements to a maximum extent by virtue of said vertical and horizontal bar construction, whereby arcing to ground when said circuit breaker elements are actuated is minimized.

3. A unit assembly for a movable truck mounting for a circuit breaker including metallic structural elements comprising a back main supporting structure, said supporting structure being an open structure comprising vertical supporting bars and a plurality of horizontal bars interconnecting said vertical bars for bracing said vertical bars, the lower ends of said vertical bars providing bearings and a shaft carrying wheels mounted in said bearings, an insulation panel mounted across the lower ends of said vertical bars, a horizontal platform secured at its rear end to said vertical bars and carrying a swivel front wheel, and a circuit breaker mechanism mounted thereon, including circuit breaker elements comprising back connection studs, a movable contact arm, operating mechanism for said movable contact arm and are chutes, and said circuit breaker elements being separated from said metallic structural elements to a maximum extent by virtue of said vertical and horizontal bar construction, whereby arcing to ground when said circuit breaker elements are actuated is minimized.

4. A sub-assembly for circuit breakers including metallic structural elements comprising a plurality of vertical bars, horizontal cross-bracing means for said bars, terminal bars, said vertical bars having openings for supporting and positioning said terminal bars, circuit breaker elements including a blow-out assembly connected to and supported by said vertical bars and bracing means, and an insulating panel for positioning said blow-out assembly in spaced relation with said bars and bracing means, said assembly in-- cluding laminated legs of magnetizable material and an arc chute secured to said laminated legs, said circuit breaker elements being separated from said metallic structural elements to a maximum extent by virtue of said vertical and horizontal bar construction, whereby arcing to ground when said circuit breaker elements are actuated is minimized.

JOSEPH D. WOOD. ARTHUR S. CASWELL. ELMER GOESSEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS