US3590189A - Pneumatic operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter with piston device having an opening piston and a closing piston - Google Patents

Pneumatic operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter with piston device having an opening piston and a closing piston Download PDF

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Publication number
US3590189A
US3590189A US762479A US3590189DA US3590189A US 3590189 A US3590189 A US 3590189A US 762479 A US762479 A US 762479A US 3590189D A US3590189D A US 3590189DA US 3590189 A US3590189 A US 3590189A
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United States
Prior art keywords
piston
opening
closing
combination
shock absorber
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Expired - Lifetime
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US762479A
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English (en)
Inventor
William H Fischer
Wayne S Aspey
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Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Publication date
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    • 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

Definitions

  • a circuit interrupter has a movable contact structure which is piston actuated.
  • the operating piston rod has an opening piston and a closing piston secured thereto, so that upon entrance of high-pressure gas on one side of the opening piston, the opening piston will move to the open position carrying with it the movable contact structure.
  • the closing piston secured to the piston rod, has high-pressure gas acting on one side thereof at all times.
  • a shock absorber structure may be used, and if used is also fixedly secured to the movable operating piston rod for the movable contact structure.
  • the closing pressure Upon exhausting the high-pressure gas from the one face of the opening piston, the closing pressure, constantly acting upon one side of the closing piston, will effect a closing operation of the contact structure.
  • shock absorbers of some kind have generally been employed.
  • an operating piston rod connected to the movable contact structure of a circuit interrupter, which operating piston rod has both an opening piston and a closing piston secured thereto.
  • the arrangement is such that high-pressure gas constantly acts on one face of the closing piston; and the opening piston, being of larger cross-sectional area, has, for opening periods, high-pressure gas acting on one side thereof, with an exhausting of such high-pressure gas during the closing operations.
  • shock absorber piston which acts to compress gas near the ends of the opening and closing operations, with throttling being provided to bring the rapidly moving contact parts to a cushioned stop.
  • one object of the present invention to provide a quick-opening and quick-closingpneumaticoperating mechanism for the moving-contact structure of a circuit interrupter.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a quick-opening and quick-closing operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter, which has provision for cushioning the movable parts near the ends of both the'opening and closing strokes.
  • Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved operating mechanism for the movable-contact structure of a circuit interrupter, which is readily accessible for maintenance operations, and, additionally, is readily accessible for regulating the various parts without dismantling the entire structure.
  • Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved operating mechanism for the movable contact of a circuit interrupter, which provides relatively constant opening and closing movements regardless of variations in the operating high-pressure gas.
  • FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of a three-phase circuit interrupter embodying the principles of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken through the interrupting assemblage of the circuit interrupter of FIG. 2 with the contacts in the closed position;
  • FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal partly sectional view taken through the movable contact structure of the circuit interrupter with the contacts shown in the open position;
  • FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the improved pneumatic operating mechanism of the present invention, the several parts being illustrated in the closed-circuit position;
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the pressure regulator.
  • the reference numeral 1 generally designates a threephase circuit interrupter.
  • the three-phase circuit interrupter I of FIG. 1 comprises a plurality of spaced phase-units mechanically interconnected to a single ground potential operator.
  • the circuit-interrupting structure 1 is of generally U- shape. Extending upwardly from a stationary supporting frame structure 4! is an arc-extinguishing assemblage, generally designated by the reference numeral 6 (FIG. 2), and comprising one or more pairs of movable-contact structures 7, which are separated and engaged, or closed in a high-pressure atmosphere 8.
  • a terminal-bushing structure 10 Extending upwardly from the other side of the circuitbreaker structure 1 is a terminal-bushing structure 10 (FIG. 1), which comprises a high-voltage conducting rod extending through a gaseous SF environment.
  • the gas is sulfur-hexaflouride (SF gas, which is used because of its high dielectric strength properties. It is also used in the arc extinguishing operation to interrupt the are under pressure.
  • the movable-contact structure 7 in each of the arc-extinguishing assemblages 6 is actuated by an operating piston rod 14, more clearly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings.
  • This operating rod 14 has an opening piston 15 and a closing piston 16 fixedly secured thereto.
  • the operating-rod piston structure 14 has a shock-absorbing piston 18 also secured thereto to cushion the movable contact parts of the circuit breaker near the ends of its high-speed opening and closing movements.
  • the opening piston 15 moves within an operating cylinder 20 of relatively large diameter
  • the closing piston 16 moves within an operating cylinder 21 of relatively small diameter.
  • the upper face 16a of the closing piston 16 has high-pressure gas acting thereon at all times. High-pressure gas is admitted, at times, to the lower face 15a of the opening piston 15, as viewed in FIG. 4, during the opening operation, and is exhausted therefrom during the closing operation, such control being obtained by the use of a three-way control valve, generally designated by the reference numeral 23, and mechanically controlled by an operating valve rod 15 (FIG. 2) extending generally vertically.
  • FIG. 3 shows the movable-contact structure 29in the fully open-circuit position, high-pressure gas existing in the region 31, and downstream valves 33 being closed to prevent a continuing exhausting flow-of gas through the separable movable contact structure 7.
  • the operating mechanism 27 of the present invention has been found to provide very good operational life, and hasmet the two-cycle duty requirements imposed thereon.
  • the main elements are the large opening piston 15, the relatively small closing piston 16, and the shock-absorbing piston 18. Additionally, the main valve 23 controls the opening and closing operations.
  • a flow regulator 35 and a hand jack 37 which will effect slow opening and closing contact operations for maintenance purposes.
  • An opening operation begins when the valve-control rod 25 is moved downwardly, for example, threequarters of an inch. This moves the three-way valve 23 from its closed to its open position, thereby permitting high-pressure SF, gas to flow into the large piston area a driving the opening piston 15 upwardly very' rapidly.
  • a closing operation begins when the valve-control rod is driven upwardly, for example, three-quarters of an inch. This causes the valve 25 to move to the breakenclosed position, and the high-pressure gas in the large piston area 15a below the opening piston 15, is dumped, or exhausted to the low pressure.
  • the top of the closing piston 16 has high-pressure gas acting on it at all times.
  • the circuit interrupter l closes with a force equal to the pressure times the closing-piston area 16a.
  • an SF, shock absorber 39 which is operated by trapping SF, gas, compressing it and building up a back pressure force, and forcing such gas through holes in the cylinder portion 41 of the shock absorber 39.
  • Bolts 43 are used to adjust the flow through the cylinder holes 41a.
  • Check valves 45, 46 are used at either end to allow free flow of the gas in one direction, and blocking the flow of such gas in the other direction.
  • a linearly movable pressure-sensitive flow regulator, or baffle gives constant opening and closing travel regardless of the operating pressure.
  • the pressure in the high-pressure source can vary over a considerable pressure range, for. example, from 180 psi. to 300 p.s.i.
  • This high pressure acts in the operating cylinder chamber 22 (FIG. 5) to move the baffle piston 35 to the right under high-pressure conditions, as viewed in FIG. 5 to a position as shown partially blocking off the flow of high pressure to the opening piston 15, thereby compensating for such a high-pressure condition.
  • the shock absorber 39 can be adjusted without removing the gas within the breaker, and also the lowpressure gas volume is kept to a minimum.
  • the movable contact-operating rod 14 is connected to a generally ladder-shaped operating rod-structure 48 (FIG. 3), which effects opening and closing movements of the one or more movable contacts 29 within the arc-extinguishing assemblages 6, and, additionally, operates the downstream valves 33 pneumatically connected to the interior of contact structures 7.
  • the manner of arc interruption is such as to exhaust'high-pressure gas through the interior of the separable contacts 7 themselves during the opening operation.
  • FIG. 4 the piston rod 14 has a hollow center 14a. The liquid collects on the piston 16 and drains by gravity into the hollow shaft 14 through radial holes 34. It drains out of shaft 14 at the bottom again through radial holes 34. It drains out of shaft 14 at the bottom again through radial holes 36 into intermediate sump 14b, which is connected to the high-pressure source through pipe 24, where heat is provided and the liquid is again vaporized.
  • SP6 sulfur-hexafluoride
  • shock absorber 39 In place of the SP gas described for use in the shock absorber 39, a hydraulic shock absorber could be substituted, if desired.
  • An operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter including, in combination:
  • a. separable contact structure including a movable contact for establishing an arc
  • a piston device for actuating said movable contact including a closing piston and a separate opening piston both secured to a piston rod;
  • the cross-sectional area of the opening piston being larger than the cross-sectional area of the closing piston.
  • a compressed-gas operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter comprising, in combination:
  • b. means defining a high-pressure chamber and disposed contiguously of said low-pressure chamber and having a shock-absorbing cylinder disposed at least partially therein;
  • shock-absorbing cylinder has check valves disposed at opposite ends thereof.

Landscapes

  • Fluid-Damping Devices (AREA)
  • Fluid-Driven Valves (AREA)
  • Circuit Breakers (AREA)
  • Driving Mechanisms And Operating Circuits Of Arc-Extinguishing High-Tension Switches (AREA)
  • Actuator (AREA)
US762479A 1968-09-25 1968-09-25 Pneumatic operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter with piston device having an opening piston and a closing piston Expired - Lifetime US3590189A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US76247968A 1968-09-25 1968-09-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3590189A true US3590189A (en) 1971-06-29

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ID=25065177

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US762479A Expired - Lifetime US3590189A (en) 1968-09-25 1968-09-25 Pneumatic operating mechanism for a circuit interrupter with piston device having an opening piston and a closing piston

Country Status (11)

Country Link
US (1) US3590189A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
AT (1) AT290660B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BE (1) BE739214A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
BR (1) BR6912375D0 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CH (1) CH493923A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE1947758A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ES (1) ES371161A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
FR (1) FR2018833A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1266373A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
SE (1) SE365895B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
YU (1) YU224669A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4016384A (en) * 1974-11-19 1977-04-05 Westinghouse Electric Corporation Operating mechanism and position indicator for a circuit interrupter

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2392483A1 (fr) * 1977-05-25 1978-12-22 Renault Contacteur a commande magnetique

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US798082A (en) * 1903-02-07 1905-08-29 Otis Elevator Co Automatic controller for electric circuits.
US3110783A (en) * 1958-01-16 1963-11-12 Westinghouse Electric Corp Hydraulically operated circuit breaker
US3185180A (en) * 1963-07-18 1965-05-25 Westinghouse Electric Corp Fluid-control valve with automatic fluid latching

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US798082A (en) * 1903-02-07 1905-08-29 Otis Elevator Co Automatic controller for electric circuits.
US3110783A (en) * 1958-01-16 1963-11-12 Westinghouse Electric Corp Hydraulically operated circuit breaker
US3185180A (en) * 1963-07-18 1965-05-25 Westinghouse Electric Corp Fluid-control valve with automatic fluid latching

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4016384A (en) * 1974-11-19 1977-04-05 Westinghouse Electric Corporation Operating mechanism and position indicator for a circuit interrupter

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AT290660B (de) 1971-06-11
ES371161A1 (es) 1972-03-16
YU224669A (en) 1974-10-31
DE1947758A1 (de) 1970-04-02
GB1266373A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1972-03-08
CH493923A (de) 1970-07-15
SE365895B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-04-01
BE739214A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-03-02
FR2018833A1 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1970-06-26
BR6912375D0 (pt) 1973-01-04

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