US3233069A - Circuit breakers and tank lifting assembly therefor - Google Patents

Description

K. H. DATE 3,233,069

CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND TANK LIFTING ASSEMBLY THEREFOR Feb. 1, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 12, 1965 K. H. DATE Feb. 1, 1966 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12, 1963 r V 5 Z M Z WDWfi 4 /m!|l.1\ 0% N. v z IJW, V J\ \W/ 5 5%1 m who 0 f 7 M. Q

United States Patent 3,233,069 CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND TANK LIFTING ASSEMBLY THEREFOR Kazuo Henry Date, South Milwaukee, Wis., assiguor to McGraw-Edison Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 12, 1963, Ser. No. 287,438 Claims. (Cl. 200-150) This invention relates to circuit breakers and more particularly to a tank litter and support assembly for a polyphase circuit breaker.

In three phase oil immersed circuit breakers each of the three interrupting assemblies are sometimes disposed in an individual oil-filled tank to minimize interphase flashover and to allow the servicing of the phases individually.

In prior art assemblies having three tanks, a tank lifter mechanism was provided to individually raise and lower the oil filled tank in each phase. Such assemblies lacked flexibility becauseonly a single phase could be serviced at any one time thereby lengthing the time required for certain maintenance procedures. On the other hand, threephase mechanisms employing a single tank often unnecessarily exposed each phase when such exposure was not required.

t It is a primary object of the invention to provide a tank lifter assembly for polyph'ase circuit breakers having an individual oilfilled tank for each phase wherein a tank lifting and supporting mechanism can simultaneously raise orlower any given number of tanks.

A more specific object ofthe invention is to provide 'a three-phase circuit breaker assembly including a supporting frame, a circuit breaker unit having a cover assembly fixedly mounted adjacent the upper end of the supporting frame and three tanks, wherein each of the tanks is associated with one of the phases and is releasably securable to the cover assembly, and a rack assembly is mounted on the supporting frame for movement into and out of supporting engagement with each of the tanks so that each of the tanks may be individually or collectivelysupported on the rack assembly upon release from the cover assembly for vertical movement in the supporting frame.

These and other objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more apparent from the detailed description thereof taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

. FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, of a circuit breaker assembly incorporating the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, View, partly in section, of means for securing the tank and head assembly of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3;

and

sembly 12. The mounting frame assembly 12 includes four vertical corner posts 13, a plurality of generally horizontal end members 14 joined to the adjacent corner .posts 13 at each end of the frame assembly 12 and three side members 15 extending horizontally along each side of the frame 12 for joining the corner post members 13 along each side. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the corner posts 13, the end members 14, and the 'ice side members 15 may be of suitable structural steel angle members and may be joined in any manner well known in the art, such as welding.

Each phase of the circuit breaker 10 has a pair of terminal bushings 17 extending through a cover or head assembly 18 which includes three sections 19 rigidly mounted in an aligned abutting sealed relation to each other and to each of the uppermost of the side members 15 by a plurality of bolts 20.

Each phase also includes a tank 22 which is filled with a suitable dielectric fluid 23 such as oil. The lower end of each bushing 17 extends below the surface of the oil 23 and has a phase conduct-or 25 extending from its lower end to connect with the circuit breakers contact structure (not shown) which are disposed in a suitable arc interrupting assembly 26 suspended from the head 18 by insulating stringer members 28. An insulating link 30 extends downwardly from the cover assembly 18 to en gage the contact assembly (not shown) at its lower end so that the contacts may be opened by an operating mechanism which is disposed in a cabinet 32 affixed to the support frame 12 and which has an operating member (not shown) extending from the housing 32 to the hood 18 for engagement with the upper ends of the links 30. Switch operating mechanisms suitable for use with the disclosed circuit breaker are well known in the art and, accordingly, will not be discussed in detail for the sake of brevity. For a detailed description of such an operating mechanism reference is made to co-pending application Serial No. 287,439, filed June 12, 1963.

Each of the tanks 22 is releasably securable to the cover 18 by four stud assemblies 34 which are equidistantly spaced around the upper periphery of each tank 22. The stud assemblies are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to include a generally U-shap'ed bracket 36 which is suitably afiixed at its ends to the tank 22 and which has a pair of opposed rectangularly shaped apertures 38 formed at each of its sides 39 for loosely receiving a generally square peg 40. The peg 40 has an internally threaded aperture 42 whose axis is generally parallel to the sides 39 of bracket 36 and which receives the lower threaded end of an elongate stud 43. After the stud 43 has been threaded into the aperture 42 the opposite sides of the block 40 are deformed at 45 to prevent the removal thereof. A cotter pin 46 extends through aligned openings 47 in the bracket sides 39 and adjacent the stud 43 to limit movement of the block 40 in the apertures 38.

Four integrally formed lugs 49 extend from each of the head sections 19 and adjacent each of the tanks 22 and each lug 49 has an elongate bore 50 for receiving the upper end of one of the studs 43. A nut 52, threadably received on each of the upper ends of the studs 43, afiixes each of the tanks 22 in position below its associated cover section 19.

Each of the cover sections 19 has an annular rim 54 provided with a circular continuous groove 55 for receiving an O-ring gasket 56 which is compressed by an outturned flange 57 at the upper end of each of the tanks 22 so that the interior of each of said tanks will be sealed when they are in their operative position.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a tank lifter assembly 60 is provided in supporting frame 12 for moving the tanks 22 relative to the cover assembly 18. In general, the tank lifter assembly includes a rectangular frame 62 which is constructed and arranged to supportingly engage the tanks 22 and a Windlass assembly 64 which is mounted on the supporting frame 12 and is operative to move the rack 62 vertically.

The rack 62 consists of a pair of side members 66 and a pair of end members 67 which are suitably joined to form a rigid rectangular assembly. Three spade type studs 70 extend upwardly from each of the side members 66, and each is engageable with one of a pair of hanger brackets 72 affixed to each of the opposite sides of the tanks 22. As seen more particularly in FIG. 5, each bracket 72 includes a pair of spaced-apart side pieces 73 athxed to the wall of its tank 22 and a cross piece 75 which interconnects the side pieces 73 and which is engageable by the lug 70. As seen in FIG. 1, the sides of the lugs 70 are each bevelled to facilitate engagement between the side plates 73 of the hanger bracket 72.

The Windlass 64 includes a gear box 78 affixed to one of the side members of the supporting frame 12 and having a pair of operating shafts 80 extending from each of its opposite sides and parallel to the side member 15. The operating shafts 80 are each journalled at their outside ends on the arms of a U-shaped bracket member 82 atlixed adjacent the ends of the side member 15. A drum 83 is affixed to each from the operating shafts 80 and each is disposed between the arms of one bracket member 82, and each has one end of a cable 85 wound therearound.

As seen more particularly in FIG. 2, each of the cables 85 extends from its drum 83 upwardly and around a pair of sheaves 86 and S7 rotatably mounted in spaced relation on the uppermost end members 14. Each of the cables 85 extends downwardly from the sheaves 87 and around a pulley 88 rotatably mounted on the end members 67 of the rack 62, and thence from the pulleys 88 upwardly where they are afiixed to the uppermost end members 14 adjacent the sheaves 87.

It'can be seen from the foregoing that when the windlass operating handle 90 is rotated in one direction each of the cables 85 will be reeled-in to move the rack 66 upwardly, and when the operating handle 90 is rotated in the opposite direction each of the cables 85 Will be reeled-out to lower the rack 66.

When it is desired to lower any of the tanks 22, the rack 66 is raised until each of the lugs 70 is in engagement with its associated hanger bracket 72. The nuts 52 which engage the four studs 43 on the tank to be lowered are then removed so that the tank is no longer supported by the lugs 49 on the head section 19. This transfers the entire weight of the tank 22 to the rack 62 and'completely disconnects said tank from its head section 19. The operating handle 90 is then operated in a direction which moves the rack 66 downwardly thereby lowering the tank 22 whose phase requires servicing.

It will be appreciated that if it is desired to lower the tanks 22 of more than onephase, then each can be similarly unfastened from its associated head section 19 and the tanks simultaneously lowered. It can therefore be seen that each of the tanks may be lowered individually, or more than one can be lowered simultaneously. After one or more of the tanks 22 have been lowered they can be raised simultaneously by rotating the operating handle 96 in the direction which raises the rack 66.

Referring again to FIG. 3, the lower end of' the bore 50 on the lug 49 is shown to be flared outwardly at 90 to facilitate alignment with the stud 43. Also, to facilitate alignment between the gasket 56 and the flange 57 on the upper end of the tank 22, each of the head sections 19 has an annular downwardly extending shoulder 92 and an outwardly flared surface 93 adjacent the rim 54.

When only a single embodiment of the instant invention has been shown and while the invention has been described with respect to one particular type of circuit breaker assembly, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereby, but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A three-phase circuit breaker assembly, including a circuit breaker unit and a supporting frame, said circuit breaker unit having a cover assembly fixedly mounted adjacent the upper end of said supporting frame, three tanks, each of said tanks being associated with one of said phases and each being individually releasably securable in a sealed relation against said cover assembly, and a unitary rack assembly supported by said frame and disposed for movement into and out of supporting engagement with each of said tanks, so that each of said tanks may be individually or collectively supported on said rack assembly upon release from said cover assembly for vertical movement relative to said cover assembly.

2. A three-phase circuit breaker assembly, including a circuit breaker unit and a supporting frame, said'circuit breaker unit including a cover assembly fixedly mounted adjacent the upper end of said supporting frame, three tanks, each of said tanks being associated with one of said phases and each being individually releasably securableto said cover assembly, and a unitary rack assembly mounted on said supporting frame for vertical movement and having tank engaging means movable into supporting engagement with each of-said tanks upon upward movement of said rack assembly and movable out of engagement therewith upon downward movement of said rack assembly when said tanks are secured to cover head assembly, so that each of said tanks may be individually or collectively supported on said rack assembly upon release from said cover assembly for vertical movement in said supporting frame.

3. A three-phase circuit breaker assembly, including a circuit breaker unit and a supporting frame,,said circuit breaker unit= including a cover assembly fixedly mounted adjacent the upperend of said supporting frame, three tanks, each of said tanks being associated with-one of said phases and each being cooperatively engageable with said cover assembly in'a sealed relation, a plurality of tank securing means associated with each of said tanks and said cover assembly for individually releasablylsecuring said tanks to said cover assembly, a unitary rack assembly mounted for vertical movement on said supporting frame and having engaging means adjacent each of said tanks, and support means on each of said tanks and disposed for supportingengagement by said engaging means upon vertically upward movement of said rack assembly so thateachof said tanks maybe individually or collectively supported on said rack assembly upon the release of itsassociated tanksecuring means, whereby said tan-ks may be.

individually or collectively moved into or out of sealing engagement with said cover assembly.

4. A three-phase circuit breaker assembly, including a circuit breaker unit and a supporting frame, said circuit breaker unit including a cover assembly fixedly mounted adjacent the upper end of said supporting frame,-three tanks, each of said tanks being associated with one of said phases and each being cooperatively engageable in a sealed relation with said cover assembly, a plurality of stud means extending from'one of said tanks and said cover assembly, a plurality ofreceiving means on the other of said tanks and said cover assembly for cooperatively engaging said stud means, means for releasably securing each of said stud means in said receiving means, a unitary rack assembly mounted for vertical movement on said supporting frame and having hanger engaging means adjacent each of said tanks, and hanger means on each of said tanks and disposed for supporting. engagement by said hanger engaging means upon vertically upward movement of said rack so that each of said tanks may be individually or collectively supported on said rack assembly upon the release of its stud means from their stud receiving means, whereby said tank may be individually or collectively moved into or out of sealing engagement with said cover assembly.

5. A three-phase circuit breaker assembly, including a circuit breaker unit and a supporting frame, said circuit breaker unit including a cover assembly fixedly mountedadjacent the upper end of said supporting frame, a pair of terminal bushings for each phase and extending through said cover assembly, switch means and current interrupting means for each phase supported below said cover assembly and connected to said terminal bushings, three tanks having a dielectric fluid disposed therein, each of said tanks being constructed and arranged to receive one of said switch and current interrupting means and to cooperatively engage said cover assembly in a sealed relation, a first plurality of securing means mounted on each of said tanks, a second plurality of securing means on said cover assembly for selectively relcasably engaging said first plurality of securing means, means for releasably securing each of associated ones of said first and second plurality of securing means, a unitary rack assembly mounted for vertical movement in said supporting frame and including a pair of substantially parallel side members having hanger engaging means extending upwardly therefrom and being disposed adjacent the opposite sides of each of said tanks, and hanger means afiixed to the opposite sides of each of said tanks and each having a vertical opening disposed for supporting engagement by one of said hanger engaging means upon vertically upward movement of said rack and being disengageable therefrom upon downward movement of said rack when said first plurality of securing means are released from said second plurality of securing means, so that each of said tanks may be individually or collectively supported on said rack assembly upon the release of the securing means associated therewith, whereby said tank may be individually or collectively moved into or out of sealing engagement with said cover assembly.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,357,603 9/1944 Pinkharn et al 200150 3,008,016 11/1961 Mercier 200- FOREIGN PATENTS 490,586 1/1930 Germany.

KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A THREE-PHASE CIRCUIT BREAKER ASSEMBLY, INCLUDING A CIRCUIT BREAKER UNIT AND A SUPPORTING FRAME, SAID CIRCUIT BREAKER UNIT HAVING A COVER ASSEMBLY FIXEDLY MOUNTED ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF SAID SUPPORTING FRAME, THREE TANKS, EACH OF SAID TANKS BEING ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF SAID PHASE AND EACH BEING INDIVIDUALLY RELEASABLY SECURABLE IN A SEALED RELATION AGAINST SAID COVER ASSEMBLY, AND A UNITARY RACK ASSEMBLY INTO AND OUT OF SUPPORTING ENGAGEDISPOSED FOR MOVEMENT INTO AND OUT OF SUPPORTING ENGAGE-

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