US3290627A - Circuit breaker - Google Patents

Circuit breaker Download PDF

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Publication number
US3290627A
US3290627A US450983A US45098365A US3290627A US 3290627 A US3290627 A US 3290627A US 450983 A US450983 A US 450983A US 45098365 A US45098365 A US 45098365A US 3290627 A US3290627 A US 3290627A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
contacts
pin
toggle
case
movable arm
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
US450983A
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English (en)
Inventor
Ralph B Davis
Mune Charles
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.)
Heinemann Electric Co
Original Assignee
Heinemann Electric Co
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 Heinemann Electric Co filed Critical Heinemann Electric Co
Priority to US450983A priority Critical patent/US3290627A/en
Priority to GB17822/66A priority patent/GB1131874A/en
Priority to DE1538559A priority patent/DE1538559C3/de
Priority to DE19661788156 priority patent/DE1788156A1/de
Priority to FR59093A priority patent/FR1477313A/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3290627A publication Critical patent/US3290627A/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
    • H01H71/00—Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00
    • H01H71/10—Operating or release mechanisms
    • H01H71/1009—Interconnected mechanisms
    • H01H71/1027—Interconnected mechanisms comprising a bidirectional connecting member actuated by the opening movement of one pole to trip a neighbour pole
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H71/00—Details of the protective switches or relays covered by groups H01H73/00 - H01H83/00
    • H01H71/10—Operating or release mechanisms
    • H01H71/50—Manual reset mechanisms which may be also used for manual release
    • H01H71/503—Means for increasing the opening stroke of the contacts

Definitions

  • This invention relates to electrical circuit breaker units, and more particularly to a compact linkage mechanism for increasing the separation distance between the contacts, when the contacts open, by permitting the movable contact arm of the mechanism to telescope with a portion of the remainder of the mechanism.
  • Circuit breaker linkage mechanisms are known in which an automatically resettable linkage mechanism, including a movable contact arm, are used to open and close the contacts either manually, through a handle, or electromagnetically upon overload conditions, through an electromagentic tripping device, as shown, for example, in Wilckens Patent No. 2,360,922 and in Sprague Patent No. 3,098,912.
  • an object of this invention to provide a movable arm telescoping with a portion of the remainder of the linkage mechanism so as to achieve the desired contact separation and a compact arrangement.
  • the movable contact arm is made of bent sheet metal and defines a space between the end portion thereof which carries the movable contact and the opposite end portion which is pivotally connected to the remainder of the linkage mechanism, into which a part of the mechanism may telescope, that is, through which a part of the mechanism may move through and back toward its automatically reset position subsequent to electromagnetic stripping of .the mechanism and prior to achieving the reset position, to avoid interference between the rest of the linkage mechanism and the movable contact arm during electromagnetic tripping of the circuit breaker unit.
  • the linkage mechanism is carried by two fiat plates and is pivotally connected thereto by pins.
  • pins By extending the pins beyond the frame plates and providing bosses projecting toward the frame plates on the inside of the case, a convenient arrangement is provided for properly locating the linkage mechanism and the electromagnetic tripping device within the case.
  • a multipole arrangement results in which all of the poles are tripped open substantially simultaneously upon the electromagnetic tripping of any one pole, as generally disclosed in the aforementioned Sprague Patent No. 3,098,912.
  • a drive pin is added to the movable contact arm and the common trip cam is biased into engagement with the drive pin.
  • the frame plates are also provided 3,290,627 Patented Dec. 6, 1966 with stop portions which are also engaged by the drive pins to limit the opening movement of the linkage mechanism under the bias of an opening spring which also engages the drive pin.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a circuit breaker unit incorporating the present invention, showing the handle in the open position of the contacts;
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevation, with one of the two case halves of the circuit breaker unit removed, but showing the handle and the contacts in the closed position;
  • FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the open position of the contacts and showing the armature before it returns to the position shown in FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the open position of the contacts after electromagnetic tripping, but before automatic resetting of the mechanism and before the armature returns to the position shown in FIG. 2, the handle being held in the contacts, closed position;
  • FIG. 5 is a partial, sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 in FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 in FIG. 3, but omitting the toggle links;
  • FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 7-7 in FIG. 3;
  • FIG. 8 is a partial view similar to FIG. 4, but at a larger scale, showing the mechanism after tripping and the handle during its return to the contacts, open position,
  • FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the movable contact arm at a smaller scale than FIG. 8;
  • FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing one pole of a multipole unit including a common trip cam;
  • FIG. 11 is a partial, sectional view taken generally along the line 11-11 in FIG. 10 and showing a two pole unit;
  • FIG. 12 is a partial, sectional view taken generally along the line 12-12 in FIG. 10, but showing only a portion of one pole of the two pole unit;
  • FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the common trip cam illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12.
  • this invention embodied in a circuit breaker unit 10 comprising an insulator case 12 divided into two halves 141 and 16 (longitudinally through the width of the circuit breaker unit), as illustrated in FIG. 1, and secured together by suitable rivets 15.
  • the circuit breaker unit 10 is provided with external terminals 20 and 22 for connecting the unit to a circuit.
  • the terminal 22 is connected to a conductor 23 which carries the stationary contact 26.
  • the stationary contact 26 is engaged by a movable contact 28 carried by a movable arm 38.
  • the movable arm 30 comprises a part of a linkage means or mechanism which includes a toggle 34 comprising lower and upper links 35 and 36-.
  • the lower link 35 is pivotally connected to the movable arm 30 by a pin 31 at one end and to the upper link 35 at the other end by another pin 32 to form the knee 37 of the toggle.
  • the upper link 36 is pivotally connected at the other end to the handle link 38 by a pin 39, the handle link 33 oscillating about a pin 41 supported by extending through openings in two spaced extensions 42 of two parallel and fiat, side plates 43 which together with an L-shaped plate 44 jointly form a frame 45, the plate 44 having lugs 49 peened to the plate 44.
  • the handle link 38 is integral with a handle 50 extending outside of the case 12 through a suitable opening, and the handle 58 and handle link 38 are biased to the off position of the contacts by a coiled spring 52 (FIG. 3) wound about the pin 41.
  • the spring 52 has one end portion 51 restrained by one of the two frame extensions 42 and the other end portion 53 biased against the pin 39.
  • the upper link 36 is provided with a tooth portion 54 for engaging a half moon 55 formed on one leg 58 of a U-shaped latch 56 carried by the lower link 35 for locking the toggle 34 in the overcenter position during automatic resetting, the latch 56 being biased, in the clockwise direction, toward engagement with the tooth portion 54, by a spring 57 which engages the other leg 64 of the latch 56.
  • the latch 56 is tripped by a pivotal armature 59 having an attracted end 69 and an unlatching end 70 when the end 70 engages the latch leg 64.
  • the side plates 43 carry a pin 68 which extends through bent up armature ears 62 and about which the armature pivots, the armature being biased clockwise (FIG. 8), against a limiting stop finger 77, by one end portion of a coil spring 61 the other end portion being restrained by serrated teeth 79.
  • the tube 74 projects through the horizontal leg 75 of the L-shaped frame plate 44 and houses a movable core (not illustrated) of magne-tizable material biased toward the lower end of the tube 74 to provide a time delay below certain overload currents before the mechanism is tripped.
  • the tube 74 is soldered to the frame leg 75 and the coil 73 has one end connected to the movable arm 30 by a length of flexible conductor 76 and the other end connected by a conductor 78 to the terminal 20.
  • the flexible conductor 76 is welded at its two ends to one end of the coil and the midportion of the conductor 76 is welded to the movable arm 38 so as to provide two parallel paths from the coil to the movable arm.
  • the side frame plates 43 have lower extensions 88 with two pairs of aligned holes.
  • the movable arm 30 pivots about a pin 82 which extends through one of the pairs of holes in the extensions 80 and an elongated slot 84 in the arm 30, the opening spring 85 being coiled about the pin 83 which extends through the other pair of aligned holes in the extensions 88, the straight but yoke-like portion 86 of the spring 85 hearing linearly against a circular drive pin 90 between the plates 96 of the movable arm 30.
  • the pin 39 has end portions extending beyond the handle link 38 which abut against the side plate extensions 42 to limit overcenter movement of the links 36 and 38, FIG. 2.
  • An insulator plate 92 received in suitable grooves in the case halves 14 and 16, separates the main interior portion 93 from the right hand or arcing chamber portion 94.
  • the insulator plate 92 is provided wit-h suitable openings to receive the movable arm 30.
  • an arc grid assembly 105 comprising a suitable number of magnetizable grids 95 supported by insulator plates 91 for facilitating extinction of any are that may form between the contacts 26 and 28 as they separate.
  • the movable arm 30 has a generally channel or U-shape in cross section.
  • the movable arm 30 comprises two side plates 96 bridged by integral upper and lower plates 97 and 98 to define a space 99 therebetween.
  • the movable contact 28, mentioned previously, is suitably secured to the upper plate 97.
  • the pins 41, 82 and 83 have end portions which extend beyond the frame side plates 43.
  • the case halves 14 and 16, referring to FIG. 6, are provided with opposed upper bosses projecting from and integral with the inner case walls.
  • the bosses 120 have a flat face 121 and each has a hole into which the end portions of the pin 41 are received.
  • bosses 126 projecting from the inner case walls.
  • the bosses 126 have [flat faces 127, coplanar with the flat faces 121 of the upper bosses 128, and each boss 126 has two holes into which the end portions of the pins 82 and 83 are received.
  • the flat side frame plate 43 abuts the flat faces 121 and 127 to space the frame 45 and the linkage mechanism from the inner walls of the case halves and to properly position the frame 45, and the linkage mechanism which it carries, within the case.
  • FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13 the linkage mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9 is illustrated in a multipole circuit breaker unit 140.
  • a multipole circuit breaker unit 140 Essentially two units or poles 141 and 142, each constructed according to FIGS. 1 to 9, are placed in side-by-side relation, as illustrated in FIG. 11.
  • To each pole 141 and 142 is added a common trip cam and 151 and the cams 150 and 151 are interconnected by an insulator rod 154.
  • the sideby-side Walls 156 and 157 of the two poles are provided with suitable arcuate openings through which extends the rod 154.
  • the common trip cams 150 and 151 are substantially alike and referring, for simplicity, to only the cam 150, as illustrated in FIG. 13, the cam 150 comprises a long cam arm 158 having its lower cam end portion 159 biased in engagement with the drive pin 90 by a spring 160.
  • the cam 150 pivots about the armature pin 60, the arm 158 having a hole 161 through which the pin 60 extends.
  • the opposite end portion of the pin 60 extends through an open ended slot 162 in the short arm 164, the
  • the arm 158 is slightly spaced from the adjoining frame plate 43 and between the two is disposed the spring 160 which is coiled about the pin 60 and has one end portion 170 restrained by the end portion 172 of the adjoining frame plate and the other end portion 173 hooked about the arm 158 above the pin 60 so as to bias the cam in a clockwise direction, whereby the lower cam end 159 will be biased into engagement with the drive pin 90.
  • the tube 166 overlies the attracted end portion 69 of the armature 59, the armature end portion and the tube 166 being in engagement in the open and closed positions of the contacts and in manual movement therebetween.
  • the cam 150 may be easily assembled to the linkage mechanism after it has been secured to the frame plates 43.
  • the pin 60 is moved axially, away from the spring, backwards as viewed in FIG. 10, and the cam is placed over the armature end 69, with the arms 158 and 164 straddling the frame plates 43, and lowered toward the pin 60.
  • the cam lower end portion 159 just clears the near end face of the pin 60 and the slot 162 is moved over the far end of the pin 61).
  • the pin 60 is then pushed forward at which time a part thereof enters the hole 161.
  • a case a collapsible linkage means housed within said case, a stationary contact supported within said case; said linkage means comprising a handle extending outside of said case, a movable contact engageable with said stationary contact, a movable arm for moving said movable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, a toggle pivotally connected at one end portion to said movable arm and at the other end portion to said handle, said toggle being formed by two links pivotally connected to each other to form the toggle knee portion, and spring means for automatically resetting said linkage means after electromagnetic tripping and collapsing of the linkage means so that the contacts can be reclosed by movement of said handle from the contacts open position to the contacts closed position; and an electromagnetic tripping device including an armature for initiating movement of said linkage means to the open position of said contacts, said movable arm defining a space between said movable contact and its pivotal connection to said toggle, the toggle knee portion being in telescopic relation with said space so that
  • said case is an insulator case
  • said movable arm comprises a side plate and a lateral plate carrying said movable contact.
  • said movable arm comprises two side plates connected by two bridging plates, said bridging plates being spaced from each other along the length of said movable arm to define with said side plates said space, one of said bridging plates carrying said movable contact.
  • an automatically resettable mechanism including a movable arm carrying one of the contacts and pivotal to a position for opening said contacts, an opening spring biasing said contacts to' the open position, an electromagnetic tripping device including an armature for initiating movement of said mechanism to the open position of the contacts upon an overload, said mechanism including an automatically resettable latch, spring means for automatically relatching each mechanism after electromagnetic opening of the contacts, and a cam member associated with each mechanism, all of the cam members being interconnected for simultaneous movement upon the movement of any one to move said mechanisms in the contacts opening direction, each of the cam members having a portion in force transmitting relation with the movable arm to rotate the cam members as soon as the contacts of the first switch unit start to separate, each of said cam members having another portion impingeable upon portions of each of the armatures of the unit other than the overloaded switch unit, a frame to which said mechanism is secured, the improvement comprising a pin carried by said movable arm, said cam
  • an insulator case a mechanism housed within said case, a frame carrying said mechanism, a stationary contact supported within said case, said mechanism including a movable contact engageable with said stationary contact, said mechanism being collapsible to a position for opening said contacts, an electromagnetic tripping device including an armature for initiating movement of said mechanism to the open position of the contacts, said frame comprising two side plates, first and second pins spaced from each other and extending through holes in said plates, said first pin also extending through holes in said movable contact to provide a pivotal connection between said movable arm and said frame, a spring coiled about said second pin and biasing said movable arm to the open contacts position, a third pin carried by said movable arm, said spring having a substantially straight portion biased into engagement with said third pin.
  • an insulator case a mechanism housed within said case, a frame carrying said mechanism, a stationary contact supported within said case, said mechanism including a movable contact engageable with said stationary contact, said mechanism being collapsible to a position for opening said contacts, an electromagnetic tripping device including an armature for initiating movement of said mechanism to the open position of the contacts, said frame comprising two side plates, first and second pins spaced from each other and extending through holes in said plates, said first pin also extending through holes in said movable contacts to provide a pivotal connection between said movable arm and said frame, a spring coiled about said second pin and biasing said movable arm to the open contacts position, a third pin carried by said movable arm, said spring having a substantially straight portion biased into engagement with said third pin, said first and second pins having end portions extending beyond said plates, said case having upstanding bosses, said pin end portions being received in said bosses.
  • an insulator case a mechanism housed within said case, a frame carrying said mechanism, a stationary contact supported within said case, said mechanism including a movable contact engageable with said stationary contact, said mechanism being collapsible to a position for opening said contacts, said mechanism including a handle and handle link, an electromagnetic tripping device including an armature for initiating movement of said mechanism to the open position of the contacts, said frame comprising two side plates, first and second pins spaced from each other and extending through holes in said plates, said first pin also extending through holes in said movable contact, a spring coiled about said second pin and biasing said movable arm to the open contacts position, a third pin carried by said movable arm, said spring having a substantially straight portion biased into engagement with said third pin, said first and second pins having end portions extending beyond said plates, a fourth pin extending through said plates to pivotally connect said handle and handle link to said plates, said fourth pin having end portions extending beyond said plates, said case having upper bosses on

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US450983A 1965-04-26 1965-04-26 Circuit breaker Expired - Lifetime US3290627A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US450983A US3290627A (en) 1965-04-26 1965-04-26 Circuit breaker
GB17822/66A GB1131874A (en) 1965-04-26 1966-04-22 Improved telescopic linkage mechanism in a circuit breaker unit
DE1538559A DE1538559C3 (de) 1965-04-26 1966-04-23 Elektrischer Stromunterbrecher
DE19661788156 DE1788156A1 (de) 1965-04-26 1966-04-23 Elektrische stromunterbrecher
FR59093A FR1477313A (fr) 1965-04-26 1966-04-26 Disjoncteur

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US450983A US3290627A (en) 1965-04-26 1965-04-26 Circuit breaker

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US3290627A true US3290627A (en) 1966-12-06

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US450983A Expired - Lifetime US3290627A (en) 1965-04-26 1965-04-26 Circuit breaker

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US (1) US3290627A (de)
DE (2) DE1538559C3 (de)
FR (1) FR1477313A (de)
GB (1) GB1131874A (de)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3329913A (en) * 1966-01-28 1967-07-04 Heinemann Electric Co Circuit breaker mechanism
US3773992A (en) * 1971-08-02 1973-11-20 Heinemann Electric Co Circuit breaker case
US3842376A (en) * 1971-08-02 1974-10-15 Heinemann Electric Co Fastener and circuit breaker case
US4584545A (en) * 1984-07-10 1986-04-22 Heinemann Electric Company Single section circuit breaker having a metering shunt
US4791393A (en) * 1983-12-19 1988-12-13 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Molded case circuit breaker with movable upper electrical contact positioned by torsion springs
US5117208A (en) * 1990-05-21 1992-05-26 North American Philips Corporation Multipole circuit breaker
US20080116046A1 (en) * 2006-11-16 2008-05-22 Zindler Mark O Electrical switching apparatus, and case and terminal shield therefor
US20080157904A1 (en) * 2006-12-29 2008-07-03 General Electric Company Activation for switching apparatus
US20160163472A1 (en) * 2014-12-03 2016-06-09 Eaton Corporation Electrical switching apparatus and contact assembly therefor

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5066935A (en) * 1983-04-20 1991-11-19 North American Philips Corporation Circuit breaker
GB2140209B (en) * 1983-04-20 1988-03-30 Airpax Corp Circuit breaker

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3098910A (en) * 1960-07-01 1963-07-23 Heinemann Electric Co Interconnected circuit breakers
US3098912A (en) * 1961-08-28 1963-07-23 Heinemann Electric Co Movable arm actuated interconnected circuit breakers
US3171921A (en) * 1960-10-03 1965-03-02 Square D Co Circuit breaker operating mechanism

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3098910A (en) * 1960-07-01 1963-07-23 Heinemann Electric Co Interconnected circuit breakers
US3171921A (en) * 1960-10-03 1965-03-02 Square D Co Circuit breaker operating mechanism
US3098912A (en) * 1961-08-28 1963-07-23 Heinemann Electric Co Movable arm actuated interconnected circuit breakers

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3329913A (en) * 1966-01-28 1967-07-04 Heinemann Electric Co Circuit breaker mechanism
US3773992A (en) * 1971-08-02 1973-11-20 Heinemann Electric Co Circuit breaker case
US3842376A (en) * 1971-08-02 1974-10-15 Heinemann Electric Co Fastener and circuit breaker case
US4791393A (en) * 1983-12-19 1988-12-13 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Molded case circuit breaker with movable upper electrical contact positioned by torsion springs
US4584545A (en) * 1984-07-10 1986-04-22 Heinemann Electric Company Single section circuit breaker having a metering shunt
US5117208A (en) * 1990-05-21 1992-05-26 North American Philips Corporation Multipole circuit breaker
US20080116046A1 (en) * 2006-11-16 2008-05-22 Zindler Mark O Electrical switching apparatus, and case and terminal shield therefor
US7545247B2 (en) * 2006-11-16 2009-06-09 Eaton Corporation Electrical switching apparatus, and case and terminal shield therefor
US20080157904A1 (en) * 2006-12-29 2008-07-03 General Electric Company Activation for switching apparatus
US7864004B2 (en) * 2006-12-29 2011-01-04 General Electric Company Activation for switching apparatus
US20160163472A1 (en) * 2014-12-03 2016-06-09 Eaton Corporation Electrical switching apparatus and contact assembly therefor
US9620301B2 (en) * 2014-12-03 2017-04-11 Eaton Corporation Electrical switching apparatus and contact assembly therefor
US9852857B2 (en) 2014-12-03 2017-12-26 Eaton Corporation Electrical switching apparatus and contact assembly therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1538559C3 (de) 1974-05-16
GB1131874A (en) 1968-10-30
DE1538559A1 (de) 1970-10-08
DE1788156A1 (de) 1974-07-04
FR1477313A (fr) 1967-04-14
DE1538559B2 (de) 1973-10-25

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