US3558907A

US3558907A - Impulse coil system for transmitting shock wave through stationary rod

Info

Publication number: US3558907A
Application number: US792975*A
Authority: US
Inventors: Otto Jensen
Original assignee: ITE Imperial Corp
Current assignee: ABB Inc USA
Priority date: 1969-01-22
Filing date: 1969-01-22
Publication date: 1971-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-26

Abstract

A mechanical shock signal is applied to a stationary shocktransmitting rod from an impulse coil system in which a fixed short circuited disc is connected to the bottom of the rod and has current induced therein from an adjacent stationary primary winding which is energized by a capacitor discharge. A plurality of such systems have primary windings connected in a series so that simultaneous shock forces are transmitted through the spaced rods as for the simultaneous operation of blast valves of the poles of a high voltage circuit breaker.

Description

United States Patent lnventor Otto Jensen Malvern, Pa.

Appl. No. 792,975

Filed Jan. 22, 1969 Patented Jan. 26, 1971 Assignee l-T-E Imperial Corporation Philadelphia, Pa. a corporation of Delaware IMPULSE COIL SYSTEM FOR TRANSMITTING SHOCK WAVE THROUGH STATIONARY ROD 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 307/108, 317/143, 173/117 Int. Cl .7 1-103k 3/00 Field ofSearch 317/143,

151; 307/108; 318/1 14, 135; 173/1 17(lnquired); 81 1/52.3; 200/310 Primary Examiner-Robert S. Macon Assistant ExaminerH. .l. Hohauser Attorney-Ostrolenk, Faber, ierb & Soffen ABSTRACT: A mechanical shock signal is applied to a stationary shock-transmitting rod from an impulse coil system in which a fixed short circuited disc is connected to the bottom of the rod and has current induced therein from an adjacent stationary primary winding which is energized by a capacitor discharge. A plurality of such systems have primary windings connected in a series so that simultaneous shock forces are transmitted through the spaced rods as for the simultaneous operation of blast valves of the poles of a high voltage circuit breaker. I 1

1 IMPULSE COIL SYSTEM on TRANSMITTING SHOCK WAVE THROUGH STATIONARY non This invention relates to shock force transmission systems, and more particularly relates to a static force-transmitting system in whicha hammer blow is applied to one end of a force-transmitting rod by the fixed short circuited winding of an impulse coil system.

Many application are well knownin which a shock force is transmitted through a rod in order to. transmit an operating force from one end of a rod to a movable mass seated on the opposite end of a rod. Systems of this type are used in high voltage air blast circuit breakers in'which the interrupter is mounted at the top of an insulation pillar and contains a movable blast valve which must be opened at a highly accurately controlled time. A plurality of such units are commonly provided to form multipole assemblies where it is necessary that the blast valves of each pole be operated as close to simultaneously as possible. In such arrangements, an operating means for applying a hammer blow to the bottom end of a rod is needed to provide a shock wave in the rod which is carried to the valve in order to open the blast valve. A typical means for applying this hammer blow is a solenoid plunger for each 'of the rods with the windings for each of the solenoids connected in series. The energization of the windings drives their respective plungers into contact with the lower ends of the rods so that shock waves are transmitted by the rods and the shock wave energy is applied to the blast valves at the tops of the rods. The solenoid mechanisms of this type arrangement have slight inherent differences which are almost impossible to control during manufacture and duri'ng'operation. Therefore, it is almost impossible to obtain the simultaneous transmission of shock waves along the rods of'the system. Moreover, such solenoid-operating mechanisms are bulky and expensive, and the use of movable components affects the reliability of the system.

Attempts have been made to use the movable winding of an impulse coil arrangement to apply the hammer blow to the end of one or more rods to induce a shock wave in the rods. Again,howeve'r, because the movable winding had to travel over'a relatively long distance before striking the bottom of the rod, it has been diffIcult to obtain simultaneous action for each of the rods and the need for winding movement affects the reliability of the system as in the case of solenoid arrangement.

In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that the short-circuited winding of an impulse coil system can be connected directly to the end of a shock-transmitting rod, whereby the energization of the primary winding will cause the short-circuited winding to induce a shock wave in the rod without requiring movement of the winding into the end of the rodq-With this novel arrangement, it will be apparent that the reliability of the system is improved, sincethere is no need for substantial motion of the short-circuited winding. Moreover, where a plurality of rods are used with a plurality of such im pulse coil systems, the shock waves in the rods are applied virtually simultaneously to the ends of the rods. That is, since there is no need for movement of the short-circuited winding, the shock forces for each of a plurality of rods start virtually simultaneously and reach the movable mass at the top of the rods virtually simultaneously.

Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a static shock force system for shock-transmitting rods.

- Another object of this invention is to improve the reliability of a shock force-transmitting system.

*A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel shock force system for a plurality of shock-transmitting rods in which shock forces are applied to the rods virtually simultaneously.

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

- FIG. I is a partial cross-sectional view of a shock forcetransmitting system for a single shock force rod when using the impulse coil arrangement of the present invention.

rality of rods which may be each connected to the blast valve of a respective high voltage circuit interrupter.

Referring first to FIG. I, there is shown therein a shock' force-transmitting rod 10 which is shown as a hollow, rigid rod which could have an inside diameter of three-eights inch, an outside diameter of fifteen-sixteenths inch, and any desired length, depending upon the particular application. Rod 10 may be made of Melamine glass or any other suitable relatively rigid material which could efficiently conduct shock waves. A mass 11 is seated at top of rod 10 and is movable away from the top of rod 10 in the direction of arrow 12. The ma'ss'll may be any desired mass which is to be mechanically moved by a shock force conducted by the rod 10. For example, mass 11 may be a blast valve having a mass of about l25 grams,

. which is to be moved about l4 mm in l millisecond. Note that rod 10 is stationarily mounted to any suitable mounting support, schematically illustrated by the hatched lines 13.

An impulse coil system 14 is then provided at the bottom of rod 10 and consists'of a conductive disc 15 which serves as a short-circuited winding coupled to a multiturn primary winding 16. The disc 15 may be directly secured to the bottom of rod 10, although satisfactory results have been obtained when a spacing of about mils exists between disc 15 and rod 10. Short-circuited winding 15, winding l6 and rod 10 are each concentric with axis 17 of rod I0 and winding I6 is stationarily mounted as schematically illustrated by the hatched lines 18.

A discharge circuit 19 is then connected in series with primary winding 16 and consists of a transformer 20 connected to a suitable AC source, with the transformer secondary Wind'- ing connected through rectifier 21 to charge energy storage capacitor 22. A diode 23 may be connected as shown in copending application Ser. No. 754,334, filed Aug. 21, 1968,

now US. Pat. No. 3,530,304, in the name of Felix H. Bachofen, entitled Driving Circuit For Impulse Coils With Capacitor-shorting Switch, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention (C-l457(ER) where the diode 23 prevents reversal of voltage across capacitor 22 and increases the force of repulsion between winding 15 and 16 when discharge switch 24 is closed.

In one typical arrangement, capacitor 22 was a 200 microfarad capacitor which is charged to 1,000 volts. Winding 16 was a spiral-wound coil having 25 turns. The short-circuited winding 15 consisted of a disc of copper having a 'diameterof 1% inches and a thickness of one-fourth inches.

The disc 15 was fixed directly to the bottom of tube 10 in some cases and in other cases was spaced from the bottom of tube 10 by an air gap of about 40 mils.

In operation, when switch 24 is closed, capacitor ,22 discharges through windings 16.The high current discharge in winding 16 induces a circulating current in disc 15 which gives rise to a high electromagnetic force of repulsion between windings l5 and 16. Winding 15 is substantially fixed, whereby this force of repulsion is applied to rod 10 as an impulse force which travels through rod 10 as a shock wave with the speed of sound in rod 10. When the shock waveenergy reaches mass 11, it moves upwardly in the direction of arrow 12 by virtue of the transfer of energy from rod 10 to mass 1 1.

Referring next to FIG. 2, the invention is illustrated in connection with three solid shock-transmitting

rods

30, 31 and 32 which each have

movable masses

33, 34 and 35, respectively, at their tops. Movable masses 33 to 35 could, for example, be blast valves of separately housed high voltage interrupters positioned at the top of a pedestal insulator. In such an application, it is essential that the blast valves be operated simultaneously or as close to simultaneously as possible. Accordingly, each of rods 30 to 32 have a short-circuited winding member such as members 36, 37 and 38 mounted adjacent their respective bottoms. Primary windings 39, 40 and 41 are then located below short-circuited windings 36, 37 and 38, in the manner previously described in connection with FIG. 1. Windings 39, 40 and 41 are then connected in series with charging circuit 19, which is similar to the charging circuit 19 of FIG. 1.

In operation, capacitor 22 will, when switch 24 is closed. discharge through series connected windings 39, 40 and 41, thereby imparting a simultaneous force to the short-circuited windings 36, 37 and 38 so that a shock wave is started in each of

rods

30, 31 and 32 at virtually the same time. Therefore, as suming that

rods

30, 31 and 32'have the same shock wave transmission characteristics, the shock wave will reach

blast valves

33, 34 and 35 at the same time so that the valves will be operated simultaneously.

Although this invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments, it should be understood that many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those short-circuited winding mounted against substantial movement in an axial direction and positioned immediately adjacent said other end of said elongated rod; and circuit means I for applying a current through said primary winding whereby an impulse force is applied to said other end of said elongated ,rod due to the force of repulsion between said short-circuited winding and said primary winding, which force creates a shock wave in said rod which is applied to said movable mass.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said short-circuited winding comprises a metallic disc.

3. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said circuit means includes a capacitor and means for charging said capacitor.

4. An operating system for substantially simultaneously applying a force to a plurality of movable masses; said system comprising a plurality of elongated rods of rigid material, one end of each of said rods positioned adjacent a respective one of said plurality of movable masses, and respcctive impulse coil means positioned adjacent the other end of each of said rods; each of said impulse coil means comprising a short-circuited winding and a primary winding electromagnetic'ally coupled thereto; each of said short-circuited windings mounted against substantial movement in an'axialdirection and positioned immediately adjacent said other end of its said respective elongated rod; and discharge circuit means connected to each of said primary windings for applying a pulse current through said primary windings, whereby an impulse force is applied to said other ends of each of said elongated rods and shock waves are conducted through'said elongated rods to said movable masses.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said primary windings are connected in series with one another and with said discharge circuit means.

6 A force-transmitting device for transmitting a force from a first region to a second region comprising in combination: an elongated rod of rigid material having first and second ends disposed adjacent said first and second regions, respectively, a conductive disc positioned adjacent said one end of said elongated rod and in contact with said one end of said elongated rod, and an electrical circuit means adjacent said conductive disc operative for inducing a high current in said disc and a repulsive impulse force between said conductive disc and electrical circuit means, and means for stationarily mounting said elongated rod and said conductive disc.

Claims

1. An impulse force-operating device comprising an elongated rod of rigid material, a movable mass positioned adjacent one end of said rod and an impulse force means positioned adjacent the other end of said elongated rod; said impulse force means comprising a short-circuited winding and a primary winding electromagnetically coupled thereto; said short-circuited winding mounted against substantial movement in an axial direction and positioned immediately adjacent said other end of said elongated rod; and circuit means for applying a current through said primary winding whereby an impulse force is applied to said other end of said elongated rod due to the force of repulsion between said shortcircuited winding and said primary winding, which force creates a shock wave in said rod which is applied to said movable mass.

4. An operating system for substantially simultaneously applying a force to a plurality of movable masses; said system comprising a plurality of elongated rods of rigid material, one end of each of said rods positioned adjacent a respective one of said plurality of movable masses, and respective impulse coil means positioned adjaCent the other end of each of said rods; each of said impulse coil means comprising a short-circuited winding and a primary winding electromagnetically coupled thereto; each of said short-circuited windings mounted against substantial movement in an axial direction and positioned immediately adjacent said other end of its said respective elongated rod; and discharge circuit means connected to each of said primary windings for applying a pulse current through said primary windings, whereby an impulse force is applied to said other ends of each of said elongated rods and shock waves are conducted through said elongated rods to said movable masses.

6. A force-transmitting device for transmitting a force from a first region to a second region comprising, in combination: an elongated rod of rigid material having first and second ends disposed adjacent said first and second regions, respectively, a conductive disc positioned adjacent said one end of said elongated rod and in contact with said one end of said elongated rod, and an electrical circuit means adjacent said conductive disc operative for inducing a high current in said disc and a repulsive impulse force between said conductive disc and electrical circuit means, and means for stationarily mounting said elongated rod and said conductive disc.