US3177326A - Pressurized chamber arrangement for oil circuit breakers - Google Patents

Pressurized chamber arrangement for oil circuit breakers Download PDF

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Publication number
US3177326A
US3177326A US213186A US21318662A US3177326A US 3177326 A US3177326 A US 3177326A US 213186 A US213186 A US 213186A US 21318662 A US21318662 A US 21318662A US 3177326 A US3177326 A US 3177326A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
chamber
pressure
valve
breaker
space
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
US213186A
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English (en)
Inventor
Roxburgh Albert
Leigh Albert
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.)
Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
Original Assignee
Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
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
Application filed by Associated Electrical Industries Ltd filed Critical Associated Electrical Industries Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3177326A publication Critical patent/US3177326A/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
    • H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
    • H01H33/02—Details
    • H01H33/28—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism
    • H01H33/30—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using fluid actuator
    • H01H33/32—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using fluid actuator pneumatic
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
    • H01H33/02—Details
    • H01H33/28—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism
    • H01H33/30—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using fluid actuator
    • H01H33/34—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using fluid actuator hydraulic
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
    • H01H33/60—Switches wherein the means for extinguishing or preventing the arc do not include separate means for obtaining or increasing flow of arc-extinguishing fluid
    • H01H33/68—Liquid-break switches, e.g. oil-break
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
    • H01H33/70—Switches with separate means for directing, obtaining, or increasing flow of arc-extinguishing fluid
    • H01H33/72—Switches with separate means for directing, obtaining, or increasing flow of arc-extinguishing fluid having stationary parts for directing the flow of arc-extinguishing fluid, e.g. arc-extinguishing chamber
    • H01H33/75—Liquid-break switches, e.g. oil-break
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H33/00—High-tension or heavy-current switches with arc-extinguishing or arc-preventing means
    • H01H33/008—Pedestal mounted switch gear combinations

Definitions

  • This invention relates to circuit breakers, of the small oil-volume kind, and aims at providing an improved con struction which enhances the arc extinguishing effect of the breaker by ensuring a predetermined static high 011 pressure before the contacts separate, which is most important if the current to be interrupted is comparatively low.
  • a means is provided, however, to prevent excessive oil pressure when the arcing current is high, as may be the case when a short-circuit has to be interrupted.
  • this invention resides in a circuit breaker having a contact immersed in a quantity of insulating liquid which is contained in a chamber, a first mechanism for opening said contact, and a second mechanism for applying pressure to said quantity of liquid while it is quiescent and not liable to convert the pressure energy into kinetic energy, the two mechanisms being interlinked to operate simultaneously.
  • a pneumatic piston forms part of the second mechanism.
  • the interlinking means may be electrical or mechanical.
  • the piston movement is controlled by a trip-coil, connected to be energised simultaneously with a trip-coil which causes opening of the breaker contact, or by a manual member adapted to control both the piston movement and the contact opening movement.
  • FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically and by way of example a preferred embodiment of the invention
  • FIG. 2 shows a modification
  • FIG. 3 shows a means by which the mechanism which applies pressure to the oil is operated by the breaker mechanism in the first part of its opening stroke.
  • An arcing chamber 19 of the breaker is shown in section, with a movable contact rod 18 and co-operating contact fingers 19 therein.
  • the chamber 1%) is of insulating material and is supported by a metal plate 35 on a hollow insulator 34 and a post insulator 36.
  • the arcing space communicates through holes 38 in the wall of chamber with the space 9 between the walls of the chamber it and insulator 34.
  • the annular space communicates through holes 39 in the plate with an auxiliary space I it) at the base of a container Ztia of insulating material, which is mounted on the plate 35, opposite the chamber It).
  • a valve 11 is arranged in a wall 47 separating the space 49 from a main space 23 which forms a venting chamber.
  • Valve 11 closes when the pressure in the space exceeds the pressure in the space 23.
  • another valve 12 is arranged in the wall 47 to open when the pressure in space 4% exceeds a predetermined value.
  • the main space 23 communicates with a ring space 20 in the container Mia.
  • the ring space may be filled with a moisture absorbent material, such as silica gel, and communicates in turn through a hole 21 with a separating space 411.
  • the space 41 opens to the outer atmosphere through an aperture 42.
  • a chamber 8 encloses a linkage mechanism for operating the contact 18, and is supported on a hollow post insulator 7.
  • the parts '7, 8, 9, it? are filled with oil.
  • valve 11 closes to contain that pressure.
  • a relief valve 12 opens to discharge an oil and vapour mixture, due to the arcing, into the space 23.
  • This mixture causes the oil level, which is normally at 36, to rise into the annular space 20.
  • At the level of hole 21 mixture flows into the space 41, from where any gas escapes to atmosphere through the aperture 42, while the liquid portion of the mixture returns through the hole 22 to the space 23 as soon as the oil level falls again.
  • the breaker may have more than one set of contacts.
  • An insulator 34 identical with insulator 34 and accommodating an identical contact arrangement is shown.
  • the two contact gaps are connected in series and the movable contacts of the two arrangements are actuated by a common linkage 17 situated in the housing 8 of metal which is supported on the hollow insulator '7, and itself supports the insulators 34, 34'.
  • Linkage i7 is connected to an actuating rod 15 of insulating material in the insulator 7.
  • a spring 16 biases the rod upwards for contact opening.
  • the contact 1%, rod 15 and linkage 17 are shown in full lines for contact closure. However, the position of the movable contact rod 18 and of the linkage is also shown in interrupted lines for contact opening.
  • the hollow insulator 7 and housing 3 are filled with oil which communicates through openings 33 in a mounting plate 3'7 with the space 9 in insulator 34.
  • the hollow insulator 7 rests on a closure member 43a, casing 43, provided to enclose mechanisms for operating the circuit breaker contacts and also for increasing the oil pressure in accordance with the invention.
  • the closure 43a seals the casing 43 from the oil in the insulator 7 and housing 8.
  • rod 15 For contact closure the lower end of rod 15 is connected through a lever 54 to a piston 45 which is reciprocable in a chamber 27.
  • the chamber 27 is connected through a valve means 6% to a pressure air reservoir 4-.
  • Said means comprises valve discs 25 and 26 mounted on a common rod which is biased by a spring 29.
  • the rod moves against thespring bias when the upper end of a lever 24, which has an intermediary point pivoted to the rod, bears against a latch 28, while the lower end of the lever is forced in the right hand direction by a solenoid 46 when the solenoid is energized from a source via terminals C1, C2.
  • valve rod moves thus valve 25 closes and valve 26 opens. Pressure air flows from reservoir 4 to piston cylinder 27 to move piston 45 upwards.
  • lever 44 rotates counter-clockwise and rod 15 moves downwards to close the circuit breaker.
  • opening the breaker is caused by electrically exciting a tripping coil 31 through a tripping circuit connected to terminals Ti and T2, but mechanical means for closing or opening the breaker can be provided, if desired, by coupling the lever 24 and the lever 13 to handles which are external to the casing a
  • the arrangement is such that tripping operation can take place even though the closing solenoid 46 remains a?) energized, and an external handle attached to lever 24 is in the breaker closed position, since with the latch 28 removed, the lever 24 has no fixed pivot so that operation of solenoid 46 can not actuate valve disc 26.
  • the arrangement for increasing the pressure of the oil in the arcing chamber comprises a piston 6 arranged to reciprocate in a chamber which communicates with the hollow insulator 7.
  • the valve means 61 comprises two valve discs 2, 3 mounted on a common operating rod which is linked to the upper end of a lever it.
  • the lever 1 is pivoted at its lower end. Its operation is controlled by a coil 30 which is connected through a switch 32 to the terminals T1, T2 to be energized simultaneously with the solenoid 31.
  • Terminals T1, T2 can be readily connected to an energizing or supervising circuit, such as derived for instance by transformer means from current flow in a network in order to ensure automatic pressure increase and breaker contact separation in dependence upon the current flow.
  • Such energizing or supervising means are well-known and understood so that they can be omitted from the drawing for the sake of greater clarity.
  • valve disc 2 closes while valve disc 3 opens, and pressure air can flow from 4 into the pneumatic cylinder 5 to move the pneumatic piston through the linkage 49.
  • the electrical circuit control can be arranged to provide for the oil-pressurization either when the breaker is opened by a manual control switch, or by a protective relay, or both.
  • the pressure increase by means of the invention can be maintained for any desired length of time while the breaking duty may vary from 100% short-circuit breaking to low-current breaking duty. Should undesirable pressure increase occur the valve 12 opens to prevent excess pressure. 5
  • switch 32 will be closed or a linkage will be provided for initiating operation of piston 6 from a manually controlled member.
  • the permanent communication through holes 38 of FIG. 1 between the chamber 10 and space 9 in the insulator 34 can be avoided, and an annular space 9a can be separated as by a partition rib of insulator 34 and seal 71.
  • the pressure relief valves 12a now interconnect the chamber 10 and space 9a.
  • the volume 9a surrounding the chamber 10 is not subjected to pressurization by piston 6, as chamber 10 communicates with space 9 through the entrance hole for rod 18.
  • lever 1 which operates the valve disc 3 in the valve 61, bears against a latch 73 whilst the left-hand end of lever 1 is forced downwards by a member 74 when the breaker opens.
  • the latch 73 is released by the operation of valve 60 and lever '75 so that when lever 1 is depressed by member 74 it rotates anticlockwise about a pivot on the operating rod of valve 61 and does not operate this valve.
  • trip coil 31 when energized, operates lever 13 which causes breaker opening by the displacement of latch 14.
  • the opening of the breaker causes pressure gas from container 4 to be directed through valve 61 for operating piston 6 which in turn causes pressure increase in the chamber 10.
  • a circuit breaker having a housing including an arcing chamber having separable contacts therein surrounded by a fluid insulant, means for increasing its static pressure without conversion into kinetic energy before said contacts separate, said means being positioned in said housing remotely from said arcing chamber, an overflow chamber, a valve connecting said overflow chamber with said arcing chamber, said valve closing in response to a first fluid pressure in said arcing chamber, and a safety valve in said arcing chamber opening in response to a second fluid pressure, said second fluid pressure being higher than said first fluid pressure.

Landscapes

  • Driving Mechanisms And Operating Circuits Of Arc-Extinguishing High-Tension Switches (AREA)
  • Circuit Breakers (AREA)
  • Breakers (AREA)
  • Types And Forms Of Lifts (AREA)
US213186A 1961-08-04 1962-07-30 Pressurized chamber arrangement for oil circuit breakers Expired - Lifetime US3177326A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB28395/61A GB1018001A (en) 1961-08-04 1961-08-04 Improvements relating to oil circuit breakers
GB32819/62A GB1027399A (en) 1961-08-04 1962-08-27 Improvements in and relating to circuit breakers

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3177326A true US3177326A (en) 1965-04-06

Family

ID=26259349

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US213186A Expired - Lifetime US3177326A (en) 1961-08-04 1962-07-30 Pressurized chamber arrangement for oil circuit breakers

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US3177326A (de)
CH (2) CH403933A (de)
DE (2) DE1515392A1 (de)
FR (2) FR1330551A (de)
GB (2) GB1018001A (de)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3300609A (en) * 1963-05-15 1967-01-24 Ass Elect Ind Switchgear for high voltage power circuits with removable vacuum switch units

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH413049A (de) * 1964-09-09 1966-05-15 Oerlikon Maschf Flüssigkeitsarmer Leistungsschalter
CH654444A5 (fr) * 1981-10-12 1986-02-14 Alsthom Atlantique Disjoncteur a gaz sous pression comprenant pour chaque phase deux chambres de coupure disposees en v.

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2409723A (en) * 1943-12-23 1946-10-22 Realty Ind Corp Oil circuit breaker
US2724756A (en) * 1951-07-11 1955-11-22 Siemens Ag Low liquid-content power-circuit breakers
US2789186A (en) * 1955-05-31 1957-04-16 Gen Electric Electric circuit breaker
US2909633A (en) * 1957-02-11 1959-10-20 Donald M Umphrey High tension oil switch
US2943173A (en) * 1957-03-01 1960-06-28 Bertrand P E Level Circuit-breaker, and especially a combined circuit-breaker isolating-switch device
US3002073A (en) * 1958-04-16 1961-09-26 Gen Electric Electric circuit interruption device and method

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2409723A (en) * 1943-12-23 1946-10-22 Realty Ind Corp Oil circuit breaker
US2724756A (en) * 1951-07-11 1955-11-22 Siemens Ag Low liquid-content power-circuit breakers
US2789186A (en) * 1955-05-31 1957-04-16 Gen Electric Electric circuit breaker
US2909633A (en) * 1957-02-11 1959-10-20 Donald M Umphrey High tension oil switch
US2943173A (en) * 1957-03-01 1960-06-28 Bertrand P E Level Circuit-breaker, and especially a combined circuit-breaker isolating-switch device
US3002073A (en) * 1958-04-16 1961-09-26 Gen Electric Electric circuit interruption device and method

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3300609A (en) * 1963-05-15 1967-01-24 Ass Elect Ind Switchgear for high voltage power circuits with removable vacuum switch units

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1515434A1 (de) 1970-06-18
FR1368414A (fr) 1964-07-31
GB1027399A (en) 1966-04-27
DE1515392A1 (de) 1969-11-20
FR1330551A (fr) 1963-06-21
CH432622A (de) 1967-03-31
GB1018001A (en) 1966-01-26
CH403933A (de) 1965-12-15

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