US2944132A - Circuit breaker mechanism - Google Patents

Description

y 5, 1960 c. E. FRANKE 2,944,132

CIRCUIT BREAKER MECHANISM Filed June 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

624005 E. Fem/ME BY n ArrawA eys CIRCUIT BREAKER MECHANESM Claude E. Franks, Qaznhridge, Minn, assignor to Braharn Industries, Inc., Braham, Minn, a corporation Minnesota Filed June 1, H59, Ser. No. 817,243

8 Claims. (Cl. Mil 172) This invention relates to an improvement in an electric switch operating mechanism. Particular reference is had to pole top metering housed in a switch cabinet. Especially in home use, such as in rural areas, pole top metering service is less expensive to install than is a conventional service entrance for the same capacity, as for example for 200 amp. service. On conventional pole top metering service there at present appears to be no convenient and positive remote means for disconnecting the service or for service interruption.

It is an object of the applicants invention to provide a remote means of disconnecting or interrupting service for a pole type metering device housed completely in a switch cabinet.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a positive means for absolutely assuring that a switch housed in a cabinet is moved to opened or closed position and that it is positively locked in such position.

It is still another object of the applicants invention to very sharply snap open or close the switch mechanism and to provide positive control in each of said positions and further to prevent any rebounding of contacting surfaces when the switch is sharply snapped to one position or the other.

It is another object of this invention to provide an electric switch operating mechanism comprising a toggle member being pivotally anchored to a stationary member and having a pivoted connection to a movable contact, and an elongated member having a spring actuating member in connection therewith for sharply snapping said toggle member to opened or closed position and to positively lock the same respectively in said positions and to move said contacting member from a point remote therefrom.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a very simply constructed positive acting switch operating mechanism which will have very little likelihood of becoming damaged or worn from operation so as to give only partial action. Applicants construction assures a fully operative and positive acting mechanism at all times.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation with portions thereof being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section taken .on line 2--2 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a view in central vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows; and

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section taken" on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, as indicated by the arrows.

With reference to the drawings, like reference characters refer to identical parts throughout the several views.

A switch housing is shown formed to be substantially parallelepiped having a rear wall 11, a bottom wall 12, a top wall 13, a hinged cover 14 forming the front 2,944,132 Iiatented July 5, 1960 wall, and side walls 15 and 16. In operating position the rear wall is commonly disposed in a vertical plane. Secured to said rear wall, as by spot welding, is a plate member 19 forming a raised base having thereabout a downwardly inclined edge portion 20 terminating in a flange 21 in a plane parallel to the plane of said plate member w.

h'ionnted said plate 5.9 by nutted bolts 24 is aswitch mounting block 25 having thereon transversely spaced switches 27 and 29. Said switch 27 is here shown com? prising a pair of right-angled flat electrodes having oppositely extending portions 27a and adjacent upstanding portions 27b with said electrodes being secured to said block 25 by bolts 32. Slidably mounted on said upstanding portions 27b is a movable contact 33 of a commonly used type adapted to receive said upstanding portions therein and to provide communication between said electrodes when it is in a lowered position and adapted to in sulate or prevent communication between said electrodes when it is in a raised position.

Switch 29 is identical to said switch 27 comprising a pair of electrodes having oppositely extending portions 29a and adjacent upstanding portions 2% with said electrodes being secured to said block 25 by bolts 32. Slidably mounted on said upstanding portions 2%. is a movable contact 34 identical to said contact 33.

Respectively mounted adjacent the ends of said portions 27a and held secured by said bolts 24 are terminals 35 adapted to have conduits 36 secured thereto by nuts 35a. Also respectively mounted adjacent the ends of said portions 29a secured by bolts 24 are terminals 38 adapted to have conduits 37 secured thereto by nut-s 38a. Shown leading from said housing It are conduits 22 and 23.

Mounted on said plate 19 adjacent the upper end of said block 25 is a stationary member 40 here shown as being substantially U-shaped in form having a fiat base 41 secured to said plate 25, as by spot welding, and having parallel upstanding sides 42 and 43 shown having inclined portions at their upper rear and front edges. Said sides ll and 43 are shown having right-angled step portions 42a and 43:: respectively to overlie the adjacent end of said block 25, and said base 41 will be cut out to accommodate the same.

Secured between said sides 42. and 43 in a position at right angles to the sides and base of said member 40 is a plate member 45 forming a web and having an aperture 46 extending substantially centrally therethrough in a direction at right angles to the plane thereof. A passage 47 is provided in said plate member '45 extending outwardly from said aperture 46 and having a pressure re-.

sponsive detent 48 therein, here shown to be in the form of a ball, at the inner end thereof adapted to communicate with said aperture, with said ball being under pressure from a coiled spring 49 disposed in said passage and having a set screw 50 at the outer end thereof to contain the outer end of said coiled spring and to vary the tension of said spring.

For the operation of said movable contacts 33 and 34 from a remote point there is provided a switch operating member 53 which in the embodiment of the invention here disclosed comprises an elongated tubular member 54 having a sufiicient wall thickness at one end portion designated as its upper end to have formed therein longitudinally spaced annular grooves 55 and 56. Said tube 4 is of a diameter to be slidably disposed through said aperture 45 in said plate 45 with the grooved end of said tube extending outwardly thereof or above the same when in operating position. Said ball 48 will bear against the surface of said tube and when said grooves are respectively centrally positioned in said aperture or when they are moved to pass through said aperture; said ball will engage said grooves under a considerable degree of pres- V V 3 sure. Said tube 54 will be of sufiicient length to extend outwardly of said housing at the lower end thereof.

The lower end of said tube 53 is turned inwardly slightly to form a small shoulder 57 which provides a reduced diameter at the outer end of said tube. Disposed within said lower end portion of said tube 53 is a tubular spacer 59 having its inner or upper end turned inwardly slightly to form a shoulder 60 and which forms a somewhat restricted opening. Spaced inwardly of said tube 53 some distance from said spacer 59 is a retaining pin 62 disposed transversely through said tube 53 and having its ends flush with the outer surface of said tube. Disposed in said tube 53 centrally of said retainer 62 and said spacer 59 is a free floating retainer pin 64, and disposed at either side thereof are coiled springs 66 and 68 respectively bearing at their remote ends against retainer 62 and said spacer 59.

Adapted to be slidably disposed in said tube 54 is a rod 70 comprising an inner end portion 71 of reduced diameter adapted to slide through said springs 66 and 68 and being of a length as shown in Fig. 3 to extend from said spacer 59 to just beyond said retainer 64, said retainer being disposed transversely through the end portion of said rod. An enlarged portion 72 of said rod 70 extends outwardly and downwardly for any desired distance to the point from which it is desired to operate the switching mechanism. A shoulder is formed between portions 72 and 7.1 'which is engaged by the shoulder 60 of said spacer 59. Said rod 70 has a terminal end portion 73 of somewhat enlarged diameter having a bar handle 75 secured to the outer end thereof.

Said housing 10 is indicated in Fig. 2 as being mounted on a vertical surface 80 which may represent a broken away portion of a pole. Secured to said surface 80 adjacent the free end portion of said rod 70 by screws 83 is a guide 82 here shown to be in the form of a rightangled apertured bracket. Spaced above said handle 75 is an aperture 86 extending through said rod portion 73 adapted to have a pin 87 be disposed therethrough and having thereon in vertically spaced relation the indicia 88 indicating on and ofi positions.

A U-shaped bracket 90 having its sides disposed hori- Zontally in relation to block 25 is secured to the upper end portion of said movable contact 3-3 by bolts 91 passing through a depending flange 90a of said bracket.

A bracket 92 identical to said bracket 90 is secured to the upper end portion of said movable contact 34, being secured thereto by bolts 91 passing through a depending flange 92a thereof.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 said movable cont- acts 33 and 34 are positioned to be in planes spaced outwardly of either side of said stationary member 40.

Toggle members 100 and 101 are respectively pivoted to said sides 42 and 43 inwardly thereof adjacent the upper end portions thereof at one set of pivot points 100a and 101a by a pin 102, as indicated in Fig. 4, with said pin being secured by cotter keys 103. Said toggle members in the embodiment of the invention here disclosed are shown to be in the form of triangular plate members.

Said toggle members at a second set of pivot points 100b and 101b shown to be somewhat elongated slotted in form are pivoted to said tubular member 54 by a pin 104 which is retained by the inner surfaces of said sides 42 and 43. Said pin 104 is positioned in said tube 54 inwardly or below said groove 56.

Through a third set of pivot points 1600 and 1010 an elongated rod 106 is disposed and is positioned to be received within said brackets 90 and 92.

Said pivot points 100:: and 101a are shown to be located in said toggle members somewhat centrally of the other two sets of pivot points as operationally positioned and as indicated in Fig. 3, with all of said pivot points being respectively located at the terminal points of said toggle membersj In operating position the housing '10 will be mounted on a pole and operation of the switch therein will be had by upward and downward movement of the rod 7 0 having its lower end or handle portion disposed through a guide 82 which will be within convenient reach of an operator. The handle 75 will be pulled downwardly to open a circuit and will be pushed upwardly to close a circuit. In its downward of off position a pin 37 will be disposed through the aperture 86 below the flange of the bracket 82 so that said handle is locked in position to prevent the circuit from being accidently closed. When the rod 70 is in its upper or on position, pin 87 will be disposed through the aperture 86 above the flange of the bracket 82 to lock said rod 70 in said position.

The upward and downward movement of said rod 70 moves the toggle plates and 101 to actuate the movable contacts 33 and 34 into upper or lower positions to respectively open or close the switching mechanism. In this type of equipment it is desirable to have a positive switching action without any rebounding efiect and to have some means for maintaining positive control of the switching mechanism so that there can be no partial movement of the movable contacts, but that they will only be in one of two positions. They will only be in a fully opened or fully closed position. Applicant provides a novel structure for effecting this end.

The ball 48 under pressure of spring 47 as adjusted by the screw 50 is adapted to have a pressure engage ment with the surface of the tubular member 54 and to lockingly engage the grooves 55 and 56. It takes considerable pressure to move the rod so that ball 48 is out of engagement with either groove 55 or 56.

The upward movement on the handle 75 causes the retaining pin 64 at the end of the rod portion 71 to compress the spring 66 until suflicient pressure is present to break the engagement of the ball 48 as with the groove 55. Under this pressure at the instant of release the rod 70 will snap forwardly and as the groove 56 comes into alignment with the ball 48, said ball 48 will engage this groove instantly in a locking position.

To disengage the groove 56 from the ball 48, the handle 75 is pulled downwardly with the pin 64 hearing against the spring 68 until a point of suflicient pressure is reached to snap the groove 56 out of engagement with the ball 48, and said rod will snap downwardly to the point of engagement between the groove 55 and the ball 48. A pin 105 is disposed through the outer end of said tube 54 as a precautionary stop member.

The described action of the rod 70 and the tubular member 54 serves to move the toggle plates 100 and 101, m is obviously indicated in Fig. 3, to move the contacts 33 and 34 upwardly and downwardly to respectively open and close the circuits involved. The pressure of said spring .47 is easily adjusted by the said screw 50 to whatever degree is desired by the operator. Separate springs are used for the respective upward and downward movements of the rod 70 and the tubular member 54 whereby equal pressure is assured as to movement in either direction.

Applicant has provided a very eflective switch operating mechanism having few moving parts, being of durable construction and having positive action.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above .set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims. e

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical switch operating mechanism in con nection with a movable contact member having in combination, a stationary supportingmember, a 'toggleplate member pivoted at one. terminal point to 'said stationary member and pivoted'at a second terminal point to said contact member, said toggle plate having an elongated slot at a third point, a pull rod, said toggle plate being pivoted to said rod at said third point adjacent one end portion of said rod, a pair of longitudinally spaced angular grooves about said rod forwardly of said last mentioned pivot point, an apertured plate member secured to said stationary member in a plane at right angles to the plane of the axis of said rod, said rod being adapted to slide through said aperture, said grooves being positioned to be at either side of said apertured plate, a pressure responsive detent recessed in said plate member and adapted to positively engage said grooves when said grooves are respectively moved into alignment therewith in being moved into and out of said aperture whereby said rod and said contact member are positively locked into position when either of said grooves are engaged by said ball.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, a second rod slidably disposed within said first rod for some distance from the end thereof remote from said pivot point, resilient means in connection with said first rod to resist the sliding of said second rod relative to said first rod up to a certain degree of pressure whereby at said degree of pressure said grooves will respectively snap out of locked engagement with said detent.

3. An electrical switch operating mechanism in connection with a movable contact member having in combination, a stationary supporting member, a vertically disposed apeitured plate member extending to one side of said stationary member at right angles thereto, a rod having one end disposed through said apertured plate, spaced angular grooves about said rod at either side of said plate, a pressure responsive detent in said plate hearing on said rod and adapted to engage said grooves, a toggle plate having a terminal point thereof pivoted to said contact, a second terminal point on said plate pivoted to said rod at a point spaced somewhat from the innermost of said grooves and an intermediate terminal point on said plate pivoted to said stationary plate whereby longitudinal movement of said rod moves said toggle plate to move said contact to open or close a circuit with said grooves being respectively engaged by said detent to positively lock said rod in position when said contact is in open or closed position.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3, said rod comprising a tubular member, resilient means disposed in said tubular member, a rod partially disposed in said tubular member having an inner end portion thereof secured to said resilient means whereby said grooves of said first rod are moved into and out of engagement with said detent in said plate when a certain degree of pressure is exerted on said resilient means by said second rod.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4, said resilient means comprising a pair of coiled springs in endwise relation, a floating retaining pin disposed between said springs, said second rod having its inner end portion secured to said pin whereby movement of said rod exerts pressure upon said springs respectively independently of one another.

6. An electrical switch operating mechanism in connection with a movable contact member having in combination, a stationary supporting member, a toggle member pivoted to said stationary member and having a terminal point thereon pivotally connected to said movable contact member, a pull rod, means in connection with said stationary member for slidably supporting said pull rod, a detent in connection with said means for lockingly engaging said pull rod at a pair of points longitudinally spaced thereon, said toggle member having a terminal point remote from said first mentioned terminal point connected to said pull rod whereby longitudinal move ment of said pull rod moves said movable contact member, a switch, said contact member mounted on said switch adapted to open and close the same by movement responsive to the action of said toggle member, said pull rod having a portion thereof comprising a tubular member, a pair of coiled springs in endwise relation retained in said tubular member, a floating retaining member disposed between the adjacent ends of said springs, a second rod adapted to be partially disposed within said tubular member having its inner end portion secured to said retaining member whereby movement of said second rod by means of said respective springs: exerts pressure on said pull rod to move said pull rod from one engaging point to another in connection with said detent to open and close said switch.

7. An electrical switch operating mechanism in connection with a movable contact member having in combination, a stationary supporting member having spaced upstanding sides, a pair of spaced toggle plates disposed between said sides and pivoted thereto and being pivoted to said movable contact member at points spaced from points where pivoted to said supporting member, a pull rod slidable through said supporting member and supported thereby, said toggle plates being respectively pivoted to said pull rod at points remote from points where pivoted to said supporting member and from points where pivoted to said contact member, a detent. carried by said supporting member to lockingly engage said rod, said rod having a pair of longitudinally spaced grooves therein for receiving said detent whereby longitudinal movement of said pull rod pivots said toggle plates and moves said contact member.

8. An electrical switch operating mechanism in connection with a movable contact member having in combination, a stationary supporting member, a toggle member pivoted to said supporting member and connected to said movable contact member, a pull rod slidably supported at one end by said stationary member, said pull rod comprising a tubular member, a pair of coiled springs disposed in said tubular member in endwise relation remote from said end of said pull rod having engagement with said detent, means for retaining the remote ends of said springs, a floating retaining pin disposed between the adjacent ends of said springs, a second rod being partially disposed in said tubular member and having its inner end connected to said retaining pin whereby said first rod is moved into and out of engagement with said detent by pressure exerted against said spring by said second rod for movement of said movable contact member, said toggle member being connected to said pull rod whereby pivotal movement of said toggle member moves said contact member, a detent in connection with said supporting member engaging said rod, said rod being engaged by said detent at a pair or longitudinally spaced points thereon whereby longitudinal movement of said rod pivots said toggle member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,680,732 De Tar Aug. 14, 1928

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