US2626331A - Arc quenching device for electric contactors - Google Patents

Arc quenching device for electric contactors Download PDF

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Publication number
US2626331A
US2626331A US124388A US12438849A US2626331A US 2626331 A US2626331 A US 2626331A US 124388 A US124388 A US 124388A US 12438849 A US12438849 A US 12438849A US 2626331 A US2626331 A US 2626331A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
grid
arc
path
lobes
contact
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US124388A
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English (en)
Inventor
Robert T Basnett
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Original Assignee
Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to NL156497D priority Critical patent/NL156497C/xx
Application filed by Westinghouse Electric Corp filed Critical Westinghouse Electric Corp
Priority to US124388A priority patent/US2626331A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2626331A publication Critical patent/US2626331A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/30—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
    • H01H9/34—Stationary parts for restricting or subdividing the arc, e.g. barrier plate
    • H01H9/342—Venting arrangements for arc chutes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H1/00—Contacts
    • H01H1/12—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage
    • H01H1/14—Contacts characterised by the manner in which co-operating contacts engage by abutting
    • H01H1/20—Bridging contacts
    • H01H1/2016—Bridging contacts in which the two contact pairs commutate at substantially different moments
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/30—Means for extinguishing or preventing arc between current-carrying parts
    • H01H9/34—Stationary parts for restricting or subdividing the arc, e.g. barrier plate
    • H01H9/36—Metal parts

Definitions

  • My invention relates to are extinguishing; devices .for alternating-current circuit breakers: and the; like contactors and, more particularly, to an arc deionizing structure of the grid stack type.
  • Structures of this typev have a stackof'conductive grid plates which are spaced from each other along the path. of. a movable contact.
  • each plate of. the stack had a V- shaped' notch in alignment with the V-notch of the other plates so that a groove is formed into which the arc is forced by the magnetic effect of the arc current.
  • V-type stacks are satisfactory where the moving contact is narrow relative to the width of the grid plates or where a blow-outmagnet can be applied to, force the arc into the grid stack.
  • V-type grid stacks were found to be far short of the desiredadvantages. More.
  • Figure l of'the drawing show-s a cross section of the arc extinguishing structure of a circuit breaker, the section being taken in a plane parallel to that of the contact movement;
  • Fig. 2 shows a top view of the insulating arc box of the same structure
  • Fig. 3 shows one, of the grid plates of the structure shown in Fig. 1 in relation to the movable contact;
  • Figs. 4. and 5' show arc plane and side views, respectively, of an endplate also appertaining to the structureof Fig. 11; and,
  • Fig. 6 shows a. modified grid plate, applicable instead of the one,v shown in Fig. 3.
  • circuit breaker partially illustrated in Fig. 1 has a movable contact arm I which carries a saddle 2.
  • a contact bridge 3 is seatedin saddle 2 and has two contacts 4 and 5.
  • a coiled compression spring 6' between arm I and bridge 3 biases the bridge away from the arm.
  • Contact 4 is engageable with a stationary contact I which isconnected witha terminal 8 and firmly mounted on the insulating base structure 9 of the circuit breaker.
  • Another stationary contact ID for cooperation with the movable contact 5 is provided with a terminal II and also firmly attached to the insulatingbase 9..
  • Fig. 1 shows the just-mentioned contact elements in the circuit closing position.
  • the circuit between terminals 8 and H is interrupted when the arm I moves clockwise into the dottedline position.
  • arcs will be drawn between contacts 4 and I and between contacts 5 and I8. It is the purpose of the arc extinguishing structure described hereinafter to quench the arc, occurring between contacts 5 and [0, a separate arc quenching means being provided for extinguishing the are between contacts 4 and 1.
  • An insulating box structure I2 encloses the interrupting and arcing space of the contacts and is firmly mounted on the insulating base 9 of the circuit breaker.
  • a stack of plates l-3, of magnetizable material, for instance of iron, is arranged in an opening of the insulating enclosure I2.
  • the plates I3 extend in parallel and spaced relation to one another.
  • Each of the grid plates is shaped in accordance with Fig. 3, with the exception of two end plates, denoted by I4 and I5, which serve to protect the adjacent surface of the insulating enclosure and are both designed as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.
  • Each plate I3 has a recess which may generally be described as being of drapery or curtain shape.
  • the two legs I6 and ll of the plate have their inner edge curved away from the path of the movable contact and extend from the center portion of the plate towards the path of contact motion and also beyond the periphery of this path, so as to oifer the possibility that arcs may strike between the lateral sides (vertical in Fig. 3) of the movable contact and the adjacent inner edge of the respective legs I6 and IT.
  • Located between the legs I6, I! and the center portion of the plate are two respective notches I8, I9 which recede from the path of contact movement.
  • Another similarly receding notch 20 divides the plate center portion into two lobes 2! and 22. The lobes project toward the path of the strad dled movable contact so that arcs may strike between the lobes and the peripheral or front side (horizontal in Fig. 3) of the movable contact.
  • the plates I3, I4 and it are seated in respective parallel grooves of the molded enclosure 52 and are held in position by an insulating cover plate 23 which is attached to the enclosure by screws 25, 26 nd has perforations 2': open to the outside to facilitate an equalization of pressure.
  • the illustrated circuit breaker is of a three-phase design with three contact assemblies and three grid stacks. For that reason, three cover plates 23 are shown in Fig. 2. It will be understood that the invention is similarly pplicable to singlepole or other breakers.
  • the arc drawn between the separating contacts 5 and I8 is forced by its magnetic field to blow against the grid stack and is divided into a number of series connected partial arcs, each extending in the interstices between two adjacent grid plates.
  • the initial location of the are between the movable contact and the adjacent plate 53 may occur at the peripheral end or front (horizontal in Fig. 3) of the contact as well as on the two lateral (vertical) sides of the contact.
  • the magnetic field effective in the arcing space drives the foot point of any such are away from its initial location and towards the apex of one of the adjacent notches IS, IS or 29. Due to this displacement of the partial arcs, the resistance of the total gas path is increased and each partial arc is effectively cooled.
  • the structure has the tendency to extinguish the partial arcs and to deionize the arc space to such an extent as to prevent a reignition when the current passes through one of the subsequent zero values.
  • the function of the deionizing grids is comparable with that of the known IV -type grid plates; but, as mentioned, the plural-lobe grids according to the invention have greatly increased arc quenching qualities and an extended period of utility especially when the space available for the arc quenching structure is very limited.
  • Grid plates according to the invention may be given a somewhat modified design of the drapeshaped recess, for instance, as shown in Fig. 6.
  • the grid plate 28, according to Fig. 6, corresponds essentially to plate I3 of Fig. 3 and may be used instead of plate I3. It differs only in having three lobes 29, 3B and 3
  • a different are quenching device is provided adjacent to contacts 4 and 'I.
  • This device consists essentially of a trough-shaped member 3% of magnetizable material, such as iron, which is fastened to the insulating body I2.
  • magnetizable material such as iron
  • the extinguishing means provided near the second pair of contacts may also consist of a plate arrangement as described previously in this specification, and it will also be obvious that a similar plate arrangement can be applied to single-break interrupters so that a. second extinguishing device is superfluous.
  • a current-interrupting device having a stationary contact and a movable contact engageable with each other, in combination, an arc quenching stack of mutually spaced and individually recessed grid plates of conductive material insulated from said contacts and straddling the path of said movable contact, each of said plates having two substantially parallel leg portions at opposite sides respectively of said path, at least two lobes projecting between the bases of said respective leg portions toward said path, said lobes defining respective intermediate notches receding from said path between said respective lobes and between each leg portion and the adjacent lobe.
  • a current-interrupting device having a stationary contact and a movable contact enageable with each other, in combination, an arc quenching stack of mutually spaced and individually recessed grid plates of conductive material insulated from said contacts and straddling the path of said movable contact, each of said plates having two substantially parallel leg portions with respective inner edges curving toward said path at opposite sides respectively of said path, at least two lobes with respective rounded edges projecting toward said path between the bases of said leg portions respectively, said lobes defining respective intermediate notches receding from said path between said leg portion bases and said lobes and between said respective lobes.
  • An arc quenching device for contactors comprising a stack of aligned and mutually spaced grid plates of conductive material, each of said plates being generally U-shaped and having two substantially parallel leg portions and an intermediate base portion, a plurality of lobes projecting from said base portion toward the open side of the U-shape, said lobes defining notches receding from said side between each leg portion and the adjacent lobe and also between respective lobes.
  • a conductive grid plate for are quenching grid stacks being generally U-shaped and having two substantially parallel leg portions and an intermediate base portion, a plurality of rounded lobes projecting from said base portion toward the open side of the U-shape, said lobes defining rounded notches receding from said side between each leg portion and the adjacent lobe and also between respective lobes.
  • a conductive grid plate for are quenching grid stacks being generally U-shaped and having two substantially parallel leg portions and an intermediate base portion, two lobes of rounded shape projecting from said base portion toward said path, said two lobes to ether with said leg portions defining three notches receding from said path, one notch between said two lobes and one notch between each lobe and the adjacent leg portion, said two lobes and three notches forming together a continuous undulated edge extending from one to the other leg portion ROBERT T. BASNETT.

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  • Arc-Extinguishing Devices That Are Switches (AREA)
US124388A 1949-10-29 1949-10-29 Arc quenching device for electric contactors Expired - Lifetime US2626331A (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL156497D NL156497C (en, 2012) 1949-10-29
US124388A US2626331A (en) 1949-10-29 1949-10-29 Arc quenching device for electric contactors

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US124388A US2626331A (en) 1949-10-29 1949-10-29 Arc quenching device for electric contactors

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2626331A true US2626331A (en) 1953-01-20

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US124388A Expired - Lifetime US2626331A (en) 1949-10-29 1949-10-29 Arc quenching device for electric contactors

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US (1) US2626331A (en, 2012)
NL (1) NL156497C (en, 2012)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2875302A (en) * 1954-02-08 1959-02-24 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit interrupter
US2904655A (en) * 1954-10-28 1959-09-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit breaker
US3209206A (en) * 1962-02-09 1965-09-28 Westinghouse Electric Corp Overtemperature protected apparatus
US3515829A (en) * 1965-05-21 1970-06-02 Gen Electric Current-limiting circuit breaker with novel arc initiating and extinguishing means
US4247746A (en) * 1977-10-04 1981-01-27 Dorman Smith Switchgear Limited Electric circuit breaker
US4539451A (en) * 1982-11-10 1985-09-03 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Switch
EP0124621A4 (en) * 1982-11-10 1987-02-03 Mitsubishi Electric Corp COUNTER.
US4757167A (en) * 1986-10-24 1988-07-12 Square D Company Trident arc horn for circuit breaker
DE3912726A1 (de) * 1989-02-08 1990-08-09 Siemens Ag Lichtbogenloeschkammer mit loeschblechen

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2013827A (en) * 1934-02-23 1935-09-10 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Circuit interrupter
US2134565A (en) * 1936-10-09 1938-10-25 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Circuit breaker
US2147419A (en) * 1935-06-19 1939-02-14 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Circuit interrupter
US2244061A (en) * 1940-07-31 1941-06-03 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Arc quencher
US2416164A (en) * 1943-11-06 1947-02-18 Westinghouse Electric Corp Arc extinguishing structure

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2013827A (en) * 1934-02-23 1935-09-10 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Circuit interrupter
US2147419A (en) * 1935-06-19 1939-02-14 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Circuit interrupter
US2134565A (en) * 1936-10-09 1938-10-25 Westinghouse Electric & Mfg Co Circuit breaker
US2244061A (en) * 1940-07-31 1941-06-03 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Arc quencher
US2416164A (en) * 1943-11-06 1947-02-18 Westinghouse Electric Corp Arc extinguishing structure

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2875302A (en) * 1954-02-08 1959-02-24 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit interrupter
US2904655A (en) * 1954-10-28 1959-09-15 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit breaker
US3209206A (en) * 1962-02-09 1965-09-28 Westinghouse Electric Corp Overtemperature protected apparatus
US3515829A (en) * 1965-05-21 1970-06-02 Gen Electric Current-limiting circuit breaker with novel arc initiating and extinguishing means
US4247746A (en) * 1977-10-04 1981-01-27 Dorman Smith Switchgear Limited Electric circuit breaker
US4539451A (en) * 1982-11-10 1985-09-03 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Switch
EP0124621A4 (en) * 1982-11-10 1987-02-03 Mitsubishi Electric Corp COUNTER.
US4757167A (en) * 1986-10-24 1988-07-12 Square D Company Trident arc horn for circuit breaker
DE3912726A1 (de) * 1989-02-08 1990-08-09 Siemens Ag Lichtbogenloeschkammer mit loeschblechen

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL156497C (en, 2012)

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