US2692313A - Plural phase recloser - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 19, 1954 J WALLACE ETAL 2,692,313

PLURAL PHASE RECLOSER Filed July 9, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l 90 Insulation Fig.|. I e 90 WITNESSES: mvENToRs James M.Wolloce V ondEorlEBeuch.

Patented Oct. 19, 1954 TED S TATE S ATE OFFICE PLURAL PHASE REOLOSER James -M. Wallace, East McKeesport, and Earl F.

Beach, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, I East Pittsburgh,

Claims.

This invention relatesgenerally to multi-pole electric circuit breakers, and more particularly to ::such breakers which are of the automatic reclosing' type.

One :object 'of this invention is to providea novel .multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker wherein each pole may operate independently of the otherpoles to automatically open and reclose'the circuit, but which in response to a predetermined numberof closely successive operationsof one or more poles, is operable toautomatically. lock open alkpoles of the breaker.

Another-object OflthiS'lIlVEIltiOIl'iS to provide in a breaker of 'thetype described,meansfor ind-icatingwhichpoleof the ttbreaker has caused lockoutof thebreakerywhen thelatter condition has :been caused :by independent automatic circuit opening and closing operations of less than all=of the poles ofithe breaker.

A more specific objectpf this invention is to provide a novelwarrangement-of the poles of a multipole automaticreclosin'g circuit breaker and operatingmechanism therefor.

' These andx'other objects .of-this invention will become more apparent upon. consideration of the following detailed description of .-a preferredembodiment thereof when taken in connection with the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional viewtaken through a multipoleautomatic reclosing circuit breaker embodying this invention, and illustrating one of the poleunits in section taken substantially on the line II .of .Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal. partial sectional view of the multipole breaker shown in Fig. 1, taken substantially on the line 11-11 of Fig. 3,,particularly illustrating the cover for-the breaker container and mechanism contained therein;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken longitudinally through the.breakerscover and looking down into the breaker tank;

Fig.4 is atransverse sectionv taken through the cover .for'the breaker tank substantially onthe line IV--I-V of. Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5. is a partial sectional view illustrating the contact pressure mechanism for .each set .of breaker contacts.

The embodiment of the invention herein .disclosedis illustrated in a three-pole automatic typeof reclosing circuitbreaker adapted to be mountedin a metal tank 2, which is generally rectangular .in formand has an open top. The tankTZ is preferably lined over the bottom,"side and .end wall substantially to the top thereof (Cl. Milk-89.4)

'2 withsheet material 4. preferably of insulating material .such as fiber or the like.

Acover casting 6 for tank 2 has an integral channel formation 5 about the periphery thereof for receiving the upper edge of tank 2, preferably with .a gasket 7 interposed therebetween for sealing purposes. Cover casting 6 also has integral notched lugs 9 to receive bolts for securing the cover to tank 2.

Each of the three pole units 8 (only two of which are shown), which are supported within the. tank from cover 6 are identical in form, and consequently only one will be described in detail. Moreover these pole structures are substantially identical with that described in the copending application of J. M. Wallace and A. W. Edwards, :Serial No. 8,044, on Circuit Interrupters, filed February 13, 1948, and assigned to the same assignee as this invention.

Each pole unit is adapted to be supported in tankZ fromcover casting 6 by means of a plurality of integral supporting lugs l2 (Fig. 1) insideithe cover anddepending from the top wall thereof and adapted to engage spacer sleeves it of insulating material which are suitably secured tot-supporting lugs 12 and to a supporting casting 20. A supporting plate 22 may be supported from casting 26, so that a solenoid-coil Zimay be mounted between casting 20 andsupporting plate 22, with the central opening in the coilaligned with openings provided in casting "2t and plate 22. Supporting casting-2ll and supporting plate 22, together with the bolts (not shown) securing them together, are of a magnetic material, such. as iron or the like, to complete a magnetic circuit of low reluctance outside of solenoid coil 24, and which terminates at opposite ends of the central opening through the coil in which the working air gap of the coil is located.

Spaced stationarycontacts 26 of the breaker are sup-ported within an insulating tube 28 at the lower end thereof, and on opposite sides of the tube, respectively. Tube 28 which may be of any desired insulating material, such as fiber or the like, is supported at its upper end from plate 22 by supporting brackets 30 which are Welded or otherwise secured to plate 27;, and have screws for securing tube Zll'thereto, with the upper end of tube ill-being closely adjacent to, but spaced from plate 22. Stationary contacts 26 are each mounted on its own supporting bracket 32, with each bracket having a U-shaped portion for receiving the lower edge of the tube23 and being secured thereto as by a bolt 3t. Tube 28 has opposed vent openings 35 in opposite sides, located directly above stationary contacts 28, respectively, for a purpose to be described.

A bridging contact 56 is secured on the lower end of contact actuating rod dd, and when the latter is moved upwardly from the position shown in Fig, 1, the circuit will be interrupted within arc extinguishing tube 23 in the manner particularly described in the above-mentioned copending application of Wallace and Edwards.

Th upper end of contact actuating rod 44 has connecting links 46 of insulating material such as fiber, pivoted thereon as by a pivot pin 43, with the upper ends of these connecting links mounted on a common pivot pin 50 for a pair of toggle levers 52 and 54. Toggle levers 52 and 54 are both formed of sheet material, with lever 54 being bent to substantially channel form with outwardly extending flanges 56 adapted to be received at the free ends thereof in recesses 58 provided in the spaced downwardl depending fingers of an angled supporting bracket (it which, in turn, is secured as by screws 64 to a lug 62 integral with the cover casting. A coil tension spring 58 (Fig. has one end hooked into an opening provided in toggle lever 52, and has the opposite end thereof hooked over an integral spring support 65 on the cover casting. Toggle lever 52 has an integral hook portion 55 passing through an opening in lever 54 to limit separation of the levers.

It will be observed that in the closed circuit position of the breaker illustrated on the drawings, the line of action of toggle spring 58 is below the pivot supporting recesses 58 for toggle lever 5d, and accordingly, the toggle spring acts to bias bridging contact 3 5 into engagement with stationary contacts 23 of the breaker, under a predetermined pressure. However, as soon as contact operating rod it moves upwardly to separate the bridging contact from the fixed contacts f the breaker, toggle lever 54 will pivot about recesses 58 and the line of action of toggle spring 63 will thus be caused to approach that pivot point so that in response to a very small contact separation the line of action of toggle spring 68 will pass through pivot recesses 55 which is the oncenter position of the resilient toggle arrangement comprising toggle levers 52 and 54 and toggle spring 68. As a practical matter, the opening movement of the contacts necessary to move toggle levers 52 and 54 to the on-center position mentioned above may be made very small, in one actual device being on the order of one-quarter of an inch. When toggle levers 52 and 54 reach their on-center position referred to above, further relative movement of the two toggle levers in the same direction is prevented because the upper edge of toggle lever 52 engages the base of the central channel formation of toggle lever 54. Moreover, since the point at which toggle spring 58 is hooked into lever 52 then substantially coincides with recesses 58 in which toggle lever 54 pivots during contact opening movement, it will be apparent that the remainder and major part of contact opening movement will occur substantially uninfluenced by toggle spring 58.

Substantially the reverse of the above operation occurs when contact operating rod 44 moves downwardly to close the circuit from the full open contact position, because during the first and major part of contact closing movement, levers 52 and 54 will be in engagement so that such movement will be uninfluenced by toggle spring 89. However, as soon as pivot 50 passes below a line drawn from the remote end of toggle spring 68 through pivot recesses 58 for link 54, toggle spring 68 will then be effective to move the toggle levers toward the position shown in Fig. 1, and the force exerted by toggle spring 68 thus tending to close the contacts will continue to increase as toggle levers 52 and 54 move further away from their on-center positions.

Solenoid coil 24 previously mentioned, is adapted to be energized under certain conditions for automatically opening the circuit breaker contacts. The central opening through coil 24 preferably is provided with a cylindrical sleeve 14 in which a solenoid core 15 is adapted to be slidably mounted in a piston-like manner. A flat washer 18, which may be of insulating material, is secured to contact rod 44 immediately above bridging contact 35, as by a split securing ring mounted in a groove formed on rod 44, and core 16 has an enlarged piston flange 8| at the lower end thereof having a flat annular end surface adapted to seat on washer T8 at the closed position or the parts illustrated on the drawing. It will be observed that solenoid coil 24 is spaced from supporting plate 22 by the apertured flange 84 of a sleeve 19 which is received in the lower end of dashpot cylinder sleeve 74. Depending from flange 84 of sleeve 19 is cylindrical skirt 85 which extends through the opening in supporting plate 22 about core l5 and into tube 23. The purposes and operation of these structures will be hereinafter described.

A contact actuating sleeve 82 is telescoped over contact actuating rod 44 and its lower end is received in core 16 preferably being threadably mounted therein. A coil compression spring 86 is provided within actuating sleeve 82 on contact actuating rod 44 and it is adapted to react between core 16 and a collar secured to actuating rod 44 by a pin 88 extending transversely through actuating rod 44.

The circuit through the pole unit of the circuit breaker thus far described may now be traced from the points where it enters tank 2 through one of a pair of bushings provided for each pole unit and adapted to be mounted on the pair of integral bushing supports 90 on top of cover 6. One conductor 98 may extend directly from one bushing of the pole unit to one fixed contact 26 of the unit. When the contacts are in engagement, the circuit then proceeds through bridging contact 36 to the other fixed contact 26, and then by way of a conductor ion to one terminal of solenoid coil 24. The other terminal of solenoid coil 24 is adapted to be connected by a conductor I02 to the other bushing structure of this pole unit. It will be apparent that solenoid coil 2 is connected in series in the circuit through the contacts of its pole unit so as to be energized at all times an amount dependent upon the value of current flowing in the circuit of such pole unit.

As in the previously mentioned copending application of Wallace and Edwards, a lightning arrester device 23 may be connected between conductors I00 and I02 and across coil 24 for the purpose of protecting the latter against overvoltages such as those caused by lightning surges and to prevent false operation of the pole unit on such overvoltages.

For any given rating of circuit breaker, solenoid coil 24' is designed to become sufiiciently energized when the load current in the circuit exceeds its rating as to attract core 16 and move it upwardly within sleeve 14. Assuming the upper end of sleeve 14 to be closed so fluid cannot escape, core 16 will move upwardly, retarded by 5 thenecessityior displacing the liquid sleeve 14 above the "core through the relatively small clearance betweenthe coreand sleeves 14 and 82. Accordingly, opening movement of the core will be slowed up by the aforesaid dashpot action an amount-determined by'the current Value of the overload, and, therefore, an inverse time-cur- -rent characteristic on "opening is obtained. As core-l6 commences its upward travel, bridging contact-being held engaged by toggle spring 68 does not move,- so that spring 86 is compressed until 'the'upward force ofthe spring 86 is sunlcientto overcome the force exerted by =toggle spring 68; at which'time contact actuating rod-44 will start to move upwardly. As soon as'actuating rod 44 moves upwardly, the force exerted bytoggle spring 68 begins to decrease-and in avery short'distance has 'su-bsta-ntially no value at all, so that'the-remaining major part of the circuit opening movement of bridging contact 36 occurs extremely rapidly'due to expansion of spring 86. Collar-89 is provided on rod to obtain a positivecontact separation in the event there is any sticking or welding of the bridging contact to stationary contactsZS, by engagement therewith of a-shouldered sleeve 3| mounted inthe upper-end of :actuating sleeve 82. In either case, it is apparent that- toggle levers 52 and 54 will be moved to their on-center position in the manner previously described, and bridging contact 36 will be moved by-spring $6 to its full'open circuit position.

When the breaker contacts have attained their full open circuit position, the parts associated therewith are 'biasedto return bygravity. This closing bias is relatively light and will be opposed by thedashpot action of core 16. Accordingly, lthereturn movement will be relatively slow until pivotrpoint 5&3 moves below the line of action vof toggle spring (itiwhen toggle levers 52 and 54 "are inv engagement, whereupon bridging contact -36-Will be rapidly moved to effect a snap-action closing of .thebreaker contacts by toggle spring 68. It will be observed that duringcircuit closing movement of 'dashpot core t6, the dashpot action iis'duefito thenecessity of supplying liquid to the upper end of the dashpot through the relatively smallclearance between-core-ifi and sleeves 14 and 'In-orderlthat gases generated in tube'28 during circuit interruption do not find their way up in flange 84 of sleeve 19 are provided so that the intake at the lower end of dashpot sleeve 14 is located above supporting plate 22 and consequently at a point where any gases present with- .in tube=28 cannot enter the dashpot space.

Inorder to providelfor lockout of the breaker,

:a counting member I 4 is provided as in the above-mentioned copending application of Wallace and Edwards, With this counting member Nhavinga piston member at the lower end received in the cylinder l6, and with the counting mem- ..ber adapted to be advanced on each circuit opening'operation of its pole unit by means of an actuating lever [8 having a pawl member 38 thereon which is engageable with counting member 14 when the outer end of lever 18, which rests ..on.a washer-29 .supportedon a shoulder of sleeve .-3|,1is raised. .It is :believedapparent that when the circuit is. opened andactuating sleeve 82 is rotatably supporting lockout bar 12.

raised, *that the F outer end of actuating lever I 8 will be raised-to cause engagement of1pawl-38 with counting member M to raise the latter -:a predetermined amount, all as-more particularly described in the above-mentioned 'copending'application. -As also pointed out in such application, counting member [4 will slowly-reset downwardly following a circuit closing operation when it isreleased from pawl 38,-andultimately turn to its original position-inthe event-the pole'unit remains closed. However, if Ltheoverload still remainson the circuit when the pole unit-recloses, its counting member [4 will be advanced a further amount since the unit will immediately reopen the circuit. Counting member I4 thus 'counts only closely successive opening operations of its pole unit, and ultimately resets toits original position in the :event no overload is present on the circuit on any particular reclosing of its pole unit.

One purpose of counting member 7 i4 =may be as-describedin the above-mentioned copending applicationof Wallace and Edwards to control the outlet from dashpot sleeve "lithrough passage 4D to exit opening e2, dependentwupon the amountcounting member I4 is advanced-from its normal lowermost position. Thus onearrangement may be'as disclosed inthe aforesaid copending application, where passage d0, 12 is not normally blocked by countingmember l4 so that at least the thefirst circuit opening opreaction occurs quite-rapidly, inasmuch as fluid displaced by solenoid core 16 during'its ascent is freely "discharged from opening :42. 'However, on subsequent circu-it opening operations in any series of closely successive opening operations mounting member 14 will rise to a point where a portion thereof blocks passage of #fiuid through openings "40, 42 sothat latercloselysuccessive circuit openingsofthe breaker will be delayed due to the dashpot action of the core 16 in sleeves l4 and 82.

Anotherifunction ofcounting member M is'to cause the contactsof all pole units of the breaker .to be locked at open circuit position whenever throughan apertured lug :H at its other end,

whichlug isprovidedintegral with oneend of .a lockoutbar 72.. The'lockout bar 72 is adapted to be supported from inverted 'U-shaped sup- :ports 92 which are secured to lugs 62 on the top wall of the cover casting, and in turn each pivotally supports a U-shaped bracket 94 having legs unequal in length. Each bracket 94 has its legs pivoted to the legs of its support 92 as at 86, with the short leg of bracket '94 located within support 92 adjacent one leg thereof, and with the long leg ofbracket 9t located outside support '92 and carryinglat its outer end a pin Hi4 There is a support 92, and bracket 94 supporting lookout bar 12 at each pole unit.

toggle lever I08 being mounted on rotatable operating shaft 1 l2 mounted'in the cover casting.

It will be observed that toggle levers I06 and I08 normally occupy a position where their knee pivot H is slightly below a line connecting pivot I04 and the axis of operating shaft H2, and it is prevented from going any further below this position by a manual operating handle H8 also secured on operating shaft H2 (Fig. 3). Handle I I8 is not located within the hollow cover structure 6, but operating shaft H2 extends from a point within the hollow cover structure where it is connected to toggle lever I08, through a separate compartment I I4 in the cover structure, and into the space beneath an integral hood structure H8. It is the engagement of handle H8 with the top wall of hood structure H6 which prevents clockwise rotation of actuating shaft H2 beyond the position shown in Fig. 2. Handle H8 may have a particular formation (not shown) at its outer end to facilitate engagement and operation thereof by a hook stick or similar manually operable tool, and since handle I I8 at the position of the parts illustrated on the drawings is entirely located within and concealed by hood structure I IS, the latter has a side opening I20 provided so that access may be had to the handle for the purpose of manipulating the same.

It is now apparent that if handle H8 is pulled downwardly to cause rotation of actuation shaft H2 in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Fig. 2, knee pivot H0 of toggle levers I06 and I08 will be moved upwardly overcenter and thus permit lockout spring 66 to move lockout bar to its extreme position at the left. Of course when lockout bar I2 moves to the left as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, it will cause rotation of lockout brackets 94 in a counterclockwise direction, and since the bight portions of these brackets lie underneath toggle levers 52 and 54 which are connected to contact actuating rod 44, such portions of brackets 94 will engage their respective toggle levers 52 and 54 during such counterclockwise movement of the brackets to raise actuating rods 44 to an upper position wherein bridging contact 36 of the corresponding pole unit is held at an open circuit position separated from fixed contacts 26. Moreover, after the contacts have been opened by moving handle H8 downwardly as described above, they may be closed by moving handle I I8 upwardly in a reverse direction. This will i move knee pivot I I0 back downwardly overcenter to the position shown in Fig. 2, and restore lockout bar I2 and lockout brackets 94 to the positions they normally occupy shown in Fig. 2, where they do not interfere with automatic movement of any parts of the respective pole units which move during circuit opening and closing operations of the respective pole units.

Returning now to the mechanism which is adapted to automatically cause the contacts of all pole units of the circuit breaker to be maintained at open circuit position in response to a predetermined number of closely successive circuit opening operations by any given pole unit, there is provided a shaft I22 which extends longitudinally across the top of all of the pole units, being rotatably supported in journal tabs I24 angularly bent out integrally from U-shaped supports 92. As shown a positioning collar I26 is secured on shaft I22 to limit longitudinal movement of the shaft to the right as viewed in Fig. 2, due to engagement of collar I26 with the adjacent journal tab I24, and a plurality of cranks I28 are also secured on shaft I22, with one of these being located adjacent the journal tab I24 at the extreme left on Fig. 2, to limit longitudinal movement of shaft I22 in the other direction. Each of cranks I28 are located above the counting member I4 of one of the pole units, so that when any of the county members I4 are advanced a sufficient amount they will engage the corresponding crank I28 and cause rotation of shaft I22 in a clockwise manner as viewed in Fig. 1. Such clockwise rotation of shaft I22 causes the crank I28 at the left-hand end of the shaft as viewed in Fig. 2 to raise pin I30 mounted intermediate the ends of an actuating lever I32 which is pivoted as at I34 (Fig. 3) on an angled supporting bracket I36 supported from a lug I38 integral with the top wall of cover casting 6. Inasmuch as the free end of actuating lever I32 lies beneath toggle lever I06 closely adjacent knee pivot H0, it is apparent then that rotation of shaft I22 by engagement of a crank I28 by its counting member I4, will raise knee pivot H0 of lockout levers I06 and I08 upwardly overcenter to thus release lockout spring 66 and permit it to move lockout bar I2 to its extreme position of movement to the left, wherein the movable contacts 36 of all of the pole units will be held at an open circuit position. It is thus apparent that when the counting member I4 of any of the pole units is advanced an amount sufficient to engage its corresponding crank I28 due to a predetermined number of closely successive circuit opening operations, that the contacts of all pole units of the breaker will be moved to and held at their open circuit position, until they are manually restored by raising handle H8. Moreover, such automatic lockout operation causes handle H8 to be projected downwardly from hood structure H0 to thus provide a readily visible indication of the circuit breaker. As stated above, such lockout condition of the breaker will automatically take place even if but a single pole of the breaker automatically operates through the predetermined number of closely successive operations necessary to advance its counting member I4 into engagement with its corresponding crank I28, and even though the contacts of all the other pole units have remained closed and never have opened.

Another feature of this invention is the provision of means for indicating which of the poles has caused the circuit breaker to automatically attain lockout condition, and such means includes an indicating lever I40 for each pole of the breaker, with such levers being pivotally mounted at I42 on a pivot support I43 secured across an opening in one side of cover structure 0. Each indicating lever I40 extends through the adjacent opening in cover 6 and is provided at its outer end with a substantially circular target formation I44. At its inner end, indicating member I40 has a transverse pin I40 which lies beneath crank I28 for that particular pole structure, and lies immediately above counting member I4 for its pole structure. Indicating lever I40 is normally maintained at the position illustrated in Fig. 4 by a coil tension spring I48 having one end hooked over pin I46 and the other end anchored to the cover 6. It will be observed that the outer end of indicating lever I40 is thus normally positioned entirely within and concealed by an integral hood structure IE0 at the corresponding side of cover casting 6, so as to be normally concealed from view.

It will now be apparent that upon the counting member 14 of any of the pole units being advanced an amount sufiicient to actuate its corresponding. crank.128 that. it will atthe same time. engage. pinlfiof its indicating lever. 1.40 and. simultaneously cause. rotation of such. lever ina clockwise. direction as. viewed in. Fig. 4 to thus. project. the target 144-. of the lever to a positionwhere it extends beneath its hood 15'0 and-thus provides a readily visible indication of which of the pole units has operatedto automatically cause a lockout condition of the circuit breaker.

Cover compartment 114 may contain auxiliary equipment such as a control switch 152 having an operating plunger 154 positioned to be operatedby the angularly directed end 158 of a coil spring 156 mounted on handle shaft 112 and having the opposite end of the spring suitably anchored'to the. shaft. Switch 152 will be actuated when the circuitabreaker is locked open and may control an electric circuit containing a signalling device, or the like;

It is thus apparent from the foregoing that thisinvention is embodied in a multipole type of automatic reclosing circuit breaker wherein the contacts of each. pole structure are capable of automatically opening and closing the circuit through that pole independently of operation of any of the other poles. Moreover, each of the pole structures of this circuit breaker are provided with counting means for counting the number of closely successive circuit opening operations of its pole structure and arranged so that after a predetermined number of such operations have been counted that a lockout means whichis common to all poles will be activated to open the contacts of all'poles of the breaker in automatic fashion. The lockout means for the circuit breaker also includes a manually operable handle "structure which is projected to a readily visible position in response to a lockout operation, and which handle structure may be manually operated to open and close the contacts of allof the pole unitsof the circuit breaker. In addition to efiectinglockout of'the contacts of all poles of the-breaker in response to a predetermined number of closelysuccessive circuit opening operation byany one pole, there is also provided means for indicating which ofthe poles has caused such lockout of all the contacts of the breaker.

Having described a preferred embodiment of this invention in accordance with the Patent Statutes, it should be understood that this invention is not limited to this particular structure, as it will be apparent that it may be employed with varioustypes of pole units other than the r particular type hereindescribed.

We claim as our invention:

1'. A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, a plurality of sets of. separable contacts, there being one set of'said contacts for each pole, each set of said contacts having individual means responsive to excess currentflow through its set of contacts for causingseparation of its set of contacts, means individual to each set of contacts for automatically reclosing said contacts after a circuit opening operation, normally inactive lockout means common to allpoles of'the breaker for holding said contacts open when activated, counting means individual 'to each pole which is responsive only to a' predetermined number of closely successive operation of its pole contacts for activating'said lockout means, and movable indicatingmeans also individual to each pole and biased to nonindicatingposition, said indicating means positionedto be operated by its countingmeans to 10 bemovedto an indicatingv position at the same time saidlockout means is activated to thus indicate which pole of the breaker has caused lockout thereof.

2. A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, a plurality of sets of separable contacts, there being one set of said contacts for each pole, each set of said contacts having individual means operable in response to excess current flow through its set of contacts to cause separation of its set of contacts, means individual to each set of contacts operable to automatically reclose said contacts after a circuit opening operation, normally inactive lockout means common to all poles of the breaker operable to hold said contacts open when activated, counting means individual to each pole andincluding a part which is advanced a predetermined amount by said breaker during each cycle of operation thereof comprising a circuit opening and closing operation, said lockout means having a part positioned to be actuated by said counting part when the latter is advanced a greater amount to activate said lockout means, movable indicating means also individual to each pole and biased to non-indicating position, said indicating means having a part positioned to be actuated by its counting part when said lockout means is actuated thereby to be moved to an indicating position and thus indicate which pole of the breaker has caused lockout thereof;

3; A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, a plurality of pole units supported inspaced substantially aligned relation, each of said units comprising separable contacts, electro-responsive means operable to separate said contacts, means automatically closing said contacts after a circuit opening operation, and means for counting closely successive circuit opening operations of said contacts; common lockout means for said units comprising normally inactive means including a single movable lockout member and common actuating spring normally biasing said member to activate it, said member having elements extending into cooperative relation with said units, respectively, so as to hold the contacts of said units separated when said normally inactive means is rendered active, a single-releasable means for maintainin said lockout means inactive, a control shaft havin radial cranks extending into operative relation with the counting means of all of said units and the'releasable means of 'said normally inactive means so as tobe operable by any of said counting means to release the releasable means and render said normally inactive means active and cause said lockout means to maintain the contacts of allof said units in open'circuit position.

4. A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, a plurality of substantially identical pole'units supported in spacedsubstantially aligned relation, each of said units comprising separable contacts, electro-responsive means operable to separate said contacts, means automatically closing said contacts after a circuit openingoperation, and means counting closely successive circuit opening operations of said contacts; common lockout means for said units comprising normally inactive means including a common lockout member, a single biasing means normally biasing the lockout member to render it active, and releasable means located at one end of the unit, said lockout-means having elements extending, into cooperative relation with said units; respectively, so'as-to hold the'contacts of said units separated when said normally inactive means is rendered active by releasing said releasable means, a common control shaft extending into operative relation with the counting means of all of said units and the releasable means of said normally inactive means so as to be actuated by any of said counting means to render said normally inactive means active to cause said lockout means to maintain the contacts of all of said units in open circuit position, and manually operable means directly comiected to the releasable means of said lockout means to render said lockout means effective or ineffective to maintain the contacts of all of said units separated.

5. A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, a plurality of pole units supported in spaced substantially aligned relation, each of said units comprising separable contacts, electro-responsive means operable to separate said contacts, means automatically closing said contacts after a circuit opening operation, and means advanced in response to closely successive circuit opening operations of said contacts; common lockout means for said units comprising normally inactive means including a common actuating spring, a single releasable means, and a member having elements extending into cooperative relation with said units, respectively, so as to hold the contacts of said units separated when said normally inactive means is rendered active, said member bein normally biased by the spring in a direction to render it active, a control shaft extending into operative relation With the counting means of all of said units and the single releasable means of said normally inactive means so as to be actuated by any of said counting means to render said normally inactive means active to cause said lockout means to maintain the contacts of all of said units in open circuit position, manually operable means directly connected with the single releasable means of said lockout means for rendering said lockout means effective or ineifective to maintain the contacts of all of said units separated and being movable with said lockout means in response to automatic activation thereof by the counting means of one of said units to indicate lockout condition of the breaker, and a control switch operatively associated with said manually operable means so as to be actuated thereby.

6. A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, an oblong tank, a plurality of pole units supported in spaced substantially aligned relation longitudinally in said tank, a single operating handle movably mounted at the exterior of said tank, means connecting said operating handle with each of said pole units to provide simultaneous manual operation of all of said units to open and close the circuit, means individual to each unit to efiect operation thereof to open its circuit, additional means selectively operable to operate the other units in response to predetermined operation of one unit only, a plurality of indicatin members movably mounted at the exterior of said tank, and means connecting said indicating members with the additional means of said pole units, respectively, for selectively operating the indicating members only in response to operation of the additional means to respectively indicate only said predetermined operating condition of the individual pole units.

'7. A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, an oblong tank, a plurality of pole units supported in spaced substantially aligned relation longitudinally in said tank, a single operating handle movably mounted at the exterior of said tank, means connecting said operating handle with each of said pole units to provide simultaneous manual operation of all of said units to open and close the circuit, means for automatically operating said units individually in response to a circuit condition, means including counting means for effecting operation of the other units in response to predetermined operation of one unit, hood means on said tank positioned to receive said handle when the latter is at its position correspondin to the closed circuit condition of said pole units and said handle occupying a position outside said hood means when at its position corresponding to the open circuit condition of said units, a plurality of indicating members movably mounted at the exterior of said tank, means connecting said indicating members with the counting means of said pole units, respectively, for selectively operating said indicating members in response to operation of the counting means only to respectively indicate said predetermined operating condition of th individual pole units, hood means on said tank positioned to receive said indicating members at their non-indicating positions, and said indicating members occupying a position outside their hood means whenat an indicating position.

8. A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, an oblong tank, a plurality of pole units supported in spaced substantially aligned relation longitudinally in said tank, a single operating handle movably mounted at the exterior of said tank and at one end thereof, means connecting said operating handle with each of said pole units to provide simultaneous manual operation of all of said units to open and close the circuit, counting means individual to each unit for effecting operation of all of said units only after a predetermined number of operations of one unit, a plurality of indicating members movably mounted at the exterior of said tank in spaced relation along one side thereof, and means connecting said indicating members with the counting means of said pole units, respectively, for selectively operating said indicatin means to respectively indicate only the predetermined operating condition of the particular individual pole unit.

9. A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, an oblong tank having a removable cover, a plurality of pole units supported in spaced substantially aligned relation in said tank from said cover, a single operating handle movably mounted at the exterior of said tank on said cover, means connecting said operating handle with each of said pole units to provide simultaneous manual operation of all of said units to open and close the circuit, means including counting means individual to each pole unit for effecting operation of all of said units in response to a predetermined plurality of operations of one unit, a plurality of indicating members movably mounted and projecting to the exterior of said tank on said cover, and means operatively connecting said indicating members with the counting means of said pole units, respectively, to respectively indicate only the condition of the individual pole unit operating the predetermined plurality of times.

10. A multipole automatic reclosing circuit breaker comprising, a plurality of sets of separable contacts, there being one set of said contacts 13 for each pole, each set of said contacts having individual means responsive to excess current fiow through its set of contacts for causing separation of its set of contacts, means individual to each set of contacts for automatically reclosing said contacts after a circuit opening operation, normally inactive lockout means including a single actuating spring and a lockout bar disposed to be actuated thereby, said means being common to all poles of the breaker for holding said contacts open when activated, a single pair of toggle links disposed to normally render said lockout means inactive, a single release means common to all poles of the breaker for actuating said toggle links to release the lookout means, and means individual to each pole which is responsive to a predetermined number of closely successive operation of its pole contacts for actuating said release means for activating said lockout means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,480,306 Scott Jan. 8, 19 4 1,746,724 Wexberg Feb. 11, 1930 2,043,306 Sandin i June 9, 1936 2,145,140 Starr Jan. 24, 1939 2,333,604 Wallace Nov. 2, 1943 2,341,538 Grant, Jr. Feb. 15, 1944 2,476,076 Walle et al. July 12, 1949 2,477,067 Kyle, Jr., et a1. July 26, 1949 2,530,298 Harper Nov. 14, 1950 2,567,411 Van Ryan Sept. 11, 1951

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