US3368050A - High pressure contact switch having an operating lever and two arcuate ballraces foreach contactor - Google Patents

Description

Feb.. 6, 1968 E. T. PLATZ 3,368,050

HIGH PRESSURE CONTACQn SWITCH HAVING AN OPERATING LEVER AND Two AECUATE BALLRACES ECR EACH CCNTACTOR Flled March 4 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. E M/ 7". @472' Feb. 6, 1968l E. T. PLATZ 3,368,050

HIGH PRESSURE CONTACT SWITCH HAVING AN OPERATING LEVER AND TWO ARCUA'TE BALLRACES FOR EACH CONTACTOR Filed March 4, 1966 5 SheetS-'Shee 2 E. T. PLATZ Feb. 6, 1968 C HGH PRESSURE CONTACT SWITCH HAVING AN OPERATING LEVER 4 AND TWO ARCUATE BALLRACES FOR EACH CONTACTOR Filed March 4, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet E Feb. 6, 1968 E. T. PLATZ 3,368,050

HIGH PRESSURE CONTACT SWITCH HAVING AN OPERATING LEVER AND TWO ARCUATE BALLRACES FOR EACH CONTACTOR Filed March 4, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ...FJ-c3; .5. ...fra- 5a 24 v I ZZ 22E-51.75. f2-E27.

E. T. PLATZ Feb. 6, 1968y HIGH PRESSURE CONTACT SWITCH HAVING AN OPERATING LEVER AND TWO ARCUATE BALLRACES FOR EACH CONTACTOR Filed March 4, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 z EL? 4.

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aUnited States Patent Gtitice annessa Patented Fel). 6, 1968 3,368,050 HIGH PRESSURE CONTACI` SWITCH HAVING AN OPERATING LEVER AND TWO ARCUATE BALL- RACES FOR EACH CONTAC'IOR Elwood 'I. Platz, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich., assigner to I-T-E Circuit Breaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ot Pennsylvania Filed' Mar. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 532,007 7 Claims. (Cl. 20d- 162) This invention relates to switching devices, and more specically relates to a high pressure contact switch.

Switches which include means for reception of series fuses are well known to the art which are rated at 200 amperes, 600 volts. Such switches commonly should be capable of closing on and withstanding an available short circuit current of at least 50,000 amperes when used with normal fuses or with a current limiting fuse.

It is also necessary for such switches that they have a low temperature rise so that the device can carry its rated load in an eicient manner.

In accordance with the present invention, a novel switching mechanism is provided for a high pressure contact switch which includes a U-shaped pivoted contacter assembly for each pole with a very high pressure spring in the order of 320 lbs. located inside the U of each contactor which exerts an outside pressure to obtain a contact pressure in the range of 180` to 190 lbs.

An operating lever is then provided for each contactor for rotating arcuate ballraces which includes camming surfaces to obtain an extremely high mechanical advantae over the 320 lb. spring, thereby to permit easy operation of the contacter.

An overcenter spring is then connected between a handle actuator and a tie-bar which controls an operating lever for each phase which is in turn connected to the contactor through the ballrace arrangement for each phase, thereby to obtain quick make and break operation.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a novel high pressure contact switch which has high short current-withstanding capability and has the capability of quick make and quick break.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel high pressure contact switch which has visible contact blades.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel high pressure contact switch which has a low temperature rise under rated current conditions.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel high pressure contact switch which as a positive break arrangement.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel high pressure contact switch which can be easily operated between the make and break position regardless of thehigh contact pressures obtained.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel high pressure contact switch which is low in cost.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel high pressure contact switch which may be front or side operated.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a side plan view of the novel high pressure switch manufactured in accordance with the invention, and is a side plan View of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the novel high contact pressure switch of the invention with the device in the ON position, with the top portion of the base cut away to obtain a better view of the internal features.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of FIGURE 2 as seen across the line 3 3 in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 with the device in the OFF position.

FIGURE 5 is a partial plan view of one of the contactor assemblies of FIGURES 1 through 5 with the contacter assembly in a mid-portion of its movement from the OFF position to the ON position.

FIGURE 6 is a front plan view of a. second embodiment of the invention whichuses a side operated handle as contrasted to the front operated handle of FIGURES l through 5.

FIGURE 7 is a side cross-sectional view of FIGURE 6 taken across the line '7--7 in FIGURE 6l.

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of FIGURE 6` taken across the line -d in FIGURE 6 to show the side operated handle.

FIGURES 9 and 9a are front and side views, respectively, of the contact operating level of FIGURES 1 through 5.

FIGURE 10l is a front plan view of the A ballrace of FIGURES l through 5.

FIGURE 11 is a view in FIGURE 10 taken across the lines 1I-I1 in FIGURE l0.

FIGURE l2 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 10 taken across the lines 1212 in FIGURE l0.

FIGURE 13 is a front view of the B ballrace of FIGURES l through 5.

FIGURES 14 and l5 are views taken. across the lines 14 and l5, respectively, in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 16 is a front plant view of the D ballrace of FIGURES l through 5.

FIGURES 17 and 18 are a side plan view and a crosssectional view taken across the line 18 in FIGURE 6, respectively.

FIGURE 19 is a front plan view of the C ballrace of FIGURES l through 5.

FIGURES 20 and 21 are views taken across the line 2G and 2l, respectively, in FIGURE 19.

FIGURE 22 is a iront plan view of the Uashaped movable contact of FIGURES 1 through 5.

FIGURE 23 is a side view of the left-hand contact blade of FIGURE 22.

FIGURE 24 is a side view of the right-hand contact blade of FIGURE 22.

FIGURE 25 is a portion cross-sectional view taken across the lines 25 in FIGURE 23.

FIGURE 26 is a cross-sectional view taken across the line 26 in FIGURE 23.

FIGURE 27 is a front view of the spring actuator of FIGURES l through 5.

FIGURE 28 is a bottom View of FIGURE 27.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, a contactor subassembly for each pole is pivoted to the base 2 on the pivot pin 5 which is a press t in the top portion 3 of the base. Base 2. is carried on mounting plate 1. Each contacter subassembly has a high pressure spring 6 which biases the leg '7 of the U-shaped movable contact 4 (FIGURES 22 through 26) .against the line contact 8 and the leg 9 of movable contact 4 against the load contact It).

As most clearly seen in FIGURE 3, wire grips 5a are mounted on the line contacts 3 and the fuse clips 5b are mounted on the load contacts 10. The fuse clips for the other end of the fuses associated with the switch can either be mounted on the top surface 3 of the base 2 or on a terminal block located above the base 2.

Each contacter sub-assembly has a conventional carriage bolt lita extending through clearance holes in the legs 7 and 9 of the movable Contact. A square portion under the head of the carriage bolt is a neat t in square hole i2 of the operating lever 13 (FIGURE 9) so that the carriage bolt is prevented from turning relative to the operating -lever 13 for adjustment purposes to be eX- plained later.

As clearly shown in FIGURE 1, the carriage bolt a also extends through the spring 6 and through clearance holes in the ballraces A, B, C and D. Ballraces A, B, C and D are shown in figure groups (10, ll, l2), (13, 14, 15), (19, 20, 21), and (16, 17, 18), respectively. Three ballbearings 14 are positioned between each pair of ballraces as shown. The nut 15 on the carriage bolt 10a is adjusted and locked so that the ballraces are slightly loose in the ON position of FIGURE 1. It is thus apparent that the spring 6 can exert its full force to expand the legs '7 and 9 of the movable contact 4, respectively, against the sta- ' tionary contacts 8 and 10. The carriage bolt will, however, prevent the legs 7 and 9 from expanding excessively in the open position which will be explained or become more apparent later. The movable contact 4 has reduced sections 16 (FIGURE 22) which permits the legs '7 and 9 to spread easily despite the relatively thick copper of which the contact is made but will not appreciably reduce the electrical conductivity. It was necessary to employ Copper of this thickness to prevent the legs from bending from the 320 lb. pressure which the spring 6 exerts.

The ballraces D (FIGURES 16, 17 and 18) has a continuous circular groove 17 while ballrace C (FIGURES l19, 2O and 2l) has three arcuate embossed pockets 18 Which keep the ball-bearings 14 properly spaced. The outside 19 of these ernbossments 18 register in the pockets '20 (FIGURE 23) in the leg 9 of the movable contact 2 as 'the means of location thereto. The ballraces A (FIGURES 310, 1l and 12) and B (FIGURES 13, 14 and 15) have arcuate embossed pockets 21 similar to pockets 1S in balltrace C except that the pockets 21 are also sloped as shown in FIGURES 16 and 14, to act as cam surfaces. The outside 22 of these pockets 21 in ballraces A register in the pockets Z3 (FIGURE 24) in the leg 7 of the movable contact 4. Similarly, the outside 24 of the pockets in ballrace B register in pockets 25 in the operating level 13 (FIGURE 9). The slope of the pockets in ballraces A and B is such that the legs 7 and 9 on the contact 4 are compressed or moved together when the operating lever 13,

as viewed in FIGURE 2, is rotated counterclockwise as in turning the switch to the OFF position by means to be explained later.

An operating lever pin 26 (FIGURES 1 and 2) is riveted into the hole Z7 in the lower end of each operating lever 13. The Shanks 28 ot these pins extend into the holes 29 in both ilanges 30 of the tie-bar 31 of insulating materia-l. The tie-bar 31 is thus movably supported by the operating levers 13 and pivotally connects them so that they can be operated in unison into their ON and OFF positions by means to be presently explained.

The actuator 32 (FIGURES 27 and 28) has a downward circular extrusion 33 acting as a bearing in the hole 34 in the mounting plate 1. The handle 35 which is of square metal has a bent portion 36 which extends into a square hole 37 in the circular extrusion 33 of the actuator 32. The handle and the actuator thus rotate in unison. The .actuator bracket 55 is a support for the upper part of the handle. The actuator 32 has a hole 38 in its oiset extension 39 for attaching one end of the main spring 46. The other end of the main spring is connected in the circular groove `41 in the actuator pin 42 which is carried by the tie-bar 31 in aligned holes through both of its anges 30. The spring thus constitutes an overcenter spring connection between the tie-bar 31 and the actuator 32.

The actuator 32 also has a flange 44 with a post 45 for engagement with the positive break lever `46 in a manner to be described later. The positive break lever 46 is pivoted on the fixed post 47 and has one extension 4S which engages the actuator pin 42 and another extension 49 which is engaged by the post 45 of the actuator 32.

The mode of operation with reference to the ON position of FIGURE 2, is as follows:

Since the line of action of the main spring 4i) is to the left of the line X through the hole 38 in the actuator 32 and the center of its bearing 33 in the mounting plate, it is apparent that the actuator will be biased in a counterclockwise direction and the tie-bar 31 will be urged and retained to the left holding the operating levers in the full ON position as shown. When the actuator 32 is rotated in a clockwise direction by the handle 33 toward the OFF position, the spring 40 will cause the tie-bar 31 to move quickly to the right into the OFF position of FIGURE 4. It will be apparent that this movement will also cause the operating levers 13 to quickly rotate in a counterclockwise direction. When the operating levers 13 rotate in this manner, the ballrace E rotates in a like manner and the slope in the arcuate pockets 21 will cause the jaws 7 and 9 of the movable Contact 4 to be drawn toward each other until the contact pressure to the stationary contacts 8 and 1t) is relieved. Continued counterclock- Wise movement of the actuator levers 32 will bring the ilanges 50 formed from these levers into engagement with the lower left-hand edge S1 on the movable contact 4 causing these contacts to pivot on the pivot pins 5 and rotate in a counterolockwise direction into the full OFF position of FIGURE 4.

During the movement described in the previous paragraph from the ON to the OFF position, the post 45 on the actuator 32 will have engaged the extension 49 on the positive break lever 46 causing this lever to rotate clockwise and its extension 48 to engage the actuator pin 42 to move the tie-bar 31 to the left. This action will positively cause the contacts 4 to move to the OFF position even though the main spring 40 became inoperative.

In the OFF position of FIGURE 4, since the line of action of the main spring 40 is to the right of the line Y through the hole 38 in the actuator 32 and the center of its bearing 33 in the mounting plate, it is apparent that the actuator -will be biased in a clockwise ydirection and that the tie-bar 31 will be urged and retained to the right holding the operating lever in the full OFF position as shown.

When the actuator 32 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by the handle toward the ON position, the main spring 46 will cause the tie-bar 31 to move quickly to the left into the ON position of FIGURE 2. It will be apparent that this movement will also cause the operating levers 13 to quickly rotate in a clockwise direction. With reference to FIGURE 4, it should be understood that the pressure of the contact springs 6 will tend to expand the legs 7 and 9 of the movable contact 4. If this was allowed to occur in the rst portion of the movement, the contacts 4 would not close completely or rotate fully in between the stationary contacts S and 10; In other words, 'the Idesirable sequence of operation is for the movable contact with its legs 9 and 7 contracted to rotate fully in between the stationary contacts with only initial or reduced pressure and then subsequent rotation of the actuator lever 13 to cause the full contact pressure to be applied. This desirable mode of operation is accomplished by means of the projections 52 on the operating levers 13 and the curved surface S3 of the base 2 which are radial with respect to the pivot pins 5, as shown in FIGURE 4. It is obvious that this arrangement will prevent the operating levers 13 from rotating relative to the movable contacts 4 or will cause these elements to rotate in unison until the movable contact is fully closed between the stationary contacts 8 and 10 as shown in FIGURE 5. Actually, the movable contact 4 is stopped in this position by the 6 flare on the tip of the stationary contact 10 and the corresponding Hare on the tip of the leg 9 of the movable contact. This is shown in the righthand portion of FIGURE 3. Subsequent or nal clockwise rotation of the operating levers will cause the full contact pressure to be applied. This is caused by the clockwise rotation of ballrace B relative to -ballrace A which is stationary in this portion of the movement. It will be understood that through all of these movements the ballraces C and D with the ball-bearings 14 between provide frictionless rotation of the operating levers 13 and make possible the ease with which the operating levers 13 are able to compress and relax the heavy springs 6.

The mechanism barrier (not shown) may be provided to electrically isolate the actuator 32 and the main spring from the operating levers 13 and other associated elements.

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 show the general arrangement of the side operated embodiment of the invention. Here the contactor sub-assemblies are laid over 90 from FIGURES 1 and 2. The operating levers 13 instead of being operated by the tie-bar 31 are operated by the bail 60 which has the tube insulator 61 and which is attached directly to the handle 62. It is apparent that a conventional quick make and break mechanism can be interposed between this bail and the handle.

Although this invention has been described with respect to its preferred embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modiiications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and it is preferred, therefore, that the scope of the invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive privilege or property is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a switch operating mechanism for a pair of parallel switch blades rotatable about a common axis and flexible away from and toward one another to es tablish high contact pressure lwith cooperating contact means; a first and second ballrace adjacent one another; said first ballrace positioned adjacent one side of one of said switch blades and connected thereto, a biasing spring connected between said switch blades and exert ing a biasing force to normally deflect said switch blades with respect to one another, a pivot pin connected to the other of said pair of switch blades at one end thereof and pivotally mounting said switch blades; said second ballrace connected to the other end of said pivot pin; said rst and second ballraces having opposing faces; each of said opposing faces including outwardly depressed pocket sections extending along a common radius and equally angularl'y spaced from one another; said ball means captured between respective opposite pockets of said first and second ballraces; each of said pockets of at least one of said ballraces having a progressively increasing depth at progressively increasing angular positions along said pockets thereby to serve as cam means to remove said pivot pin and deflect said pair of switch blades with respect to one another responsive to rotation of said pivot pin with respect to said pair of switch blades.

2. The structure substantially as set forth in claim 1 wherein said pair of switch blades comprise the parallel sides of a U-shaped conductor.

3. The structure substantially as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a third and fourth ballraces connected between said other of said switch blades and said pivot pin, and ball means captured between said third and fourth ballraces.

4. The structure substantially as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a rotatable colntact operating lever connected to said pivot pin; said contact operating lever including extending means rotatable into engagement with at least one of said pair of switch blades after a predetermined rotation of said pivot pin and a predetermined deflection of said pair of switch blades with respect to one another.

S. The structure substantially as set forth in claim 4 which further includes an overcenter operating mechanism connected to said contact operating lever.

6. The structure substantially as set forth in claim 2 wherein said biasing spring is disposed within said U- shaped conductor; said pivot pin extending through the center of said biasing spring.

7. In a switch operating mechanism for a pair of parallel switch blades rotatable about a common axis; a first and second ballrace adjacent one another; said rst ballrace positioned adjacent one side of one of said switch blades and connected thereto, a biasing spring connected between said switch blades and exerting a biasing force to normally deflect said switch blades with respect to one another, a pivot pin connected to the other of said pair of switch blades at one end thereof and pivotally mounting said switch blades; said second ballrace connected to the other end of said pivot pin; said rst and second ballraces having opposing faces; each of said opposing faces including outwardly' depressed pocket sections extending along a common radius and equally angularly spaced from one another; said ball means captured between respective opposite pockets of said rst and second ballraces.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,302,914 12/1942 Crabbs 20C-162 2,359,159' 9/1944 Samzelius 200--162 2,828,636 4/1958 Hall 200153.l1 XR ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

H. BURKS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 7. IN A SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A PAIR OF PARALLEL SWITCH BLADES ROTATABLE ABOUT A COMMON AXIS; A FIRST AND SECOND BALLRACE ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER; SAID FIRST BALLRACE POSITIONED ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF ONE OF SAID SWITCH BLADES AND CONNECTED THERETO, A BIASING SPRING CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SWITCH BLADES AND EXERTING A BIASING FORCE TO NORMALLY DEFLECT SAID SWITCH BLADES WITH RESPECT TO ONE ANOTHER, A PIVOT PIN CONNECTED TO THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF SWITCH BLADES AT ONE END THEREOF AND PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID SWITCH BLADES; SAID SECOND BALLRACE CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID PIVOT PIN; SAID FIRST AND SECOND BALLRACES HAVING OPPOSING FACES; EACH OF SAID OPPOSING FACES INCLUDING OUTWARDLY DEPRESSED POCKET SECTIONS EXTENDING ALONG A COMMON RADIUS AND EQUALLY ANGULARLY SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER; SAID BALL MEANS CAPTURED BETWEEN RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE POCKETS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND BALLRACES.

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