US3657672A - Circuit breaker with manual trip structure - Google Patents

Circuit breaker with manual trip structure Download PDF

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Publication number
US3657672A
US3657672A US75198A US3657672DA US3657672A US 3657672 A US3657672 A US 3657672A US 75198 A US75198 A US 75198A US 3657672D A US3657672D A US 3657672DA US 3657672 A US3657672 A US 3657672A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
trip
circuit breaker
actuator
trip actuator
housing
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
US75198A
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English (en)
Inventor
Robert H Flick
Glenn R Thomas
John Majcher
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.)
CBS Corp
Original Assignee
Westinghouse Electric Corp
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 Westinghouse Electric Corp filed Critical Westinghouse Electric Corp
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3657672A publication Critical patent/US3657672A/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
    • H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
    • H01H9/20—Interlocking, locking, or latching mechanisms
    • H01H9/28—Interlocking, locking, or latching mechanisms for locking switch parts by a key or equivalent removable member
    • H01H9/281—Interlocking, locking, or latching mechanisms for locking switch parts by a key or equivalent removable member making use of a padlock
    • 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
    • H01H71/12—Automatic release mechanisms with or without manual release
    • H01H71/128—Manual release or trip mechanisms, e.g. for test purposes

Definitions

  • a molded case type circuit breaker comprises an externally operable trip structure manually operable to an actuating "335/ position to trip the breaker with means for padlocking the trip o a e a e e e e e a e I e I n e e e e n e a e u t t t 't' 58 Field of Search .335/35, 21, 166, 167, 168, s we m 6 ac 335/169; 200/42 T 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 119 I 67 69
  • This invention covers a molded case type circuit breaker comprising an externally operable manual trip structure with means for padlocking the trip structure in the trip actuating position.
  • a circuit breaker comprises an insulating housing having an opening therein and a circuit breaker structure supported in the housing.
  • the circuit breaker structure comprises a pair of contacts and a latched releasable member releasable to effect automatic opening of the contacts.
  • the circuit breaker structure also comprises a trip member movable from an initial position to a tripped position to effect release of the releasable member.
  • a manual trip structure, supported on the housing at the opening in the housing, comprises a shroud and a trip actuator supported in the shroud which trip actuator is biased to an inoperative position.
  • the trip actuator is manually movable in the shroud through the opening in the housing against the bias of the biasing means to move the trip member to the tripped position.
  • the shroud is provided with a padlockreceiving opening therein for receiving the hasp of a padlock that may be used to lock the trip actuator in a position wherein the trip actuator maintains the trip member in the tripped position.
  • Stop means in the housing limits movementof the trip member in the tripping direction and the connection between the trip actuator and trip member is a resilient connection which enables movement of the trip actuator an additional distance after the trip member has been stopped. The trip actuator is moved the additional distance in order to clear the opening in the shroud for reception of the hasp of a padlock.
  • FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a multi-pole molded case type circuit breaker constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally ll of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a partial view illustrating the position of the trip actuator and trip bar when manually moved to trip the circuit breaker.
  • FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the additional movement of the trip actuator to clear the opening in the shroud for the reception of the hasp of a padlock.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 a molded case or insulating housing type three-pole circuit breaker 5.
  • the circuit breaker 5 comprises an insulating base 7 and an insulating cover 8secured to the base 7 to house the internal parts of the breaker.
  • the base 7 and cover 8 are molded with cooperating insulating barriers that separate the housing into three adjacent compartments for housing the three-pole units of the circuit breaker in a manner well known in the art.
  • a circuit extends from a solderless terminal connector 9 through a stationary conductor 11, a stationary conductor 13, stationary contact means movable contact means 17 of a movable contact structure indicated along the line II- generally at 19, movable contact means 21 of the movable contact structure 19, stationary contact means 23, a stationary conductor 25 to another solderless terminal connector 27.
  • the circuit also includes stationary arcing contact means 29 mounted on the stationary conductor 25 and movable arcing contact means 31 mounted on the movable contact structure 19.
  • Each of the movable contact structures 19 is mounted for pivotal movement on a pivot pin 35, and all three of the movable contact ann structures 19 are connected together for simultaneous movement by means of an elongated tie bar 37.
  • the details of construction and operation of the stationary and movable contacts are move specifically described in the above-mentioned patent application of Eugene J. Walker, Ser. No. 700,251 filed Jan. 24, 1968.
  • the movable contact arm structures 19 for the three-pole units are moved between closed and open positions by operation of an operating mechanism, indicated generally at 39, of the type more specifically described in the above-mentioned patent application of Eugene J. Walker et al. Ser. No. 700,251.
  • the operating mechanism 39 is a single operating mechanism in the center pole unit of the circuit breaker.
  • the operating mechanism 39 comprises a lower toggle link 41 that is connected to the movable contact structure 19 of the center pole unit by means of a pin 43.
  • the lower toggle link 41 is connected to an upper toggle link 45 by means of a knee pivot pin 47.
  • the upper toggle link 45 is connected to a releasable trip member 49 by means of a pin 51.
  • the releasable trip member 49 is pivotally supported at one end thereof on a pin 53 that is supported on a pair of supporting plates 55.
  • the releasable trip member 49 is latched at the other end thereof by means of a latch structure, indicated generally at 57, of the type more specifically described in the patent application of James P. Ellsworth et al. Ser. No. 9,370 filed Feb. 6, I970.
  • the operating mechanism 39 comprises an inverted generally U-shaped operating lever 61 that is supported for pivotal movement at the inner ends of the legs thereof on pin means 63 supported on the supporting plates 55.
  • Over-center tension springs 65 are connected at'the lower end thereof to the knee pivot 47 and at the upper end thereof to the bight portion of the operating lever 61.
  • the housing cover 8 is provided with an opening 67 therein, and an insulating handle 69, which is secured to the front of the operating lever 61, extends through the opening 67 to permit manual operation of the circuit breaker.
  • the circuit breaker is shown in the closed position in FIG. 2.
  • the operating handle 69 In order to manually open the circuit breaker the operating handle 69 is moved in a clockwise (FIG. 2) direction to move the operating lever 61 clockwise about the pivot 63. This movement carries the overcenter springs 65 to the right to collapse the toggle 41, 45 to simultaneously move the three contact arm structures 19 of the three-pole units to the open position.
  • the operating handle 69 In order to manually close the circuit breaker, the operating handle 69 is moved in a counterclockwise direction back to the closed position seen in FIG. 2. During this movement, the tension springs 65 are moved to the left to erect the toggle 41, 45 to thereby move the three contact arm structures 19 to the closed position seen in FIG. 2.
  • the releasable member 49 is latched in the position seen in FIG. 2 by means of the latch structure 57 which comprises a latch member 71 that latches the latch structure 57 in the latching position and that is in turn latched in the latching position by a latch part 75 of a trip bar 77.
  • the structure and operation of the latch structure 57 are of the type described in FIGS. 1-3 of the aforementioned patent application of James P. Ellsworth et al. Ser. No. 9,370.
  • the trip bar 77 is part of a generally at 85, in each pole unit that operates upon the occurrence of a severe overload in the associated pole unit to move a rod member 87 downward to rotate the trip bar 77 in a clockwise direction about the axis 81 to the tripped position to trip the breaker in a manner to be hereinafter described.
  • the trip device 79 also comprises a thermal trip structure, indicated generally at 91, in each pole unit with each terminal trip structure 91 comprising a bimetal 93 that is heated and flexes to the left with a time delay upon the occurrence of a lesser overload in the associated pole unit to operate against a depending projection 95 of the trip bar 77 to rotate the trip bar clockwise about the axis 81 to the tripped position.
  • the latch part 75 thereof releases the latch part 71 of the latch structure 57 to effect release of the releasable member 49.
  • the springs 65 operate to move the releasable member 49 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 53 collapsing the toggle 41, 45 to move the contact arm structures 19 to the open positiomWith the releasable trip member 49 in the tripped position, the circuit breaker cannot be operated to the closed position until the trip member 49 is reset and relatched-in the position seen in FIG. 2.
  • the releasable member 49 is reset and relatched by movement of the operating handle 69 to a position slightly past the full off position. During this movement, a depending projection 101 on the operating lever 61 operates against a shoulder portion 103 on the releasable member 49 to pivot the releasable member 49 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 53 to the reset and relatched position wherein the releasable member 49 is automatically relatched by the latch structure 57 which is automatically relatched by the latch part 75 of the trip bar 77 in a manner well known in the art. Following resetting of the releasable member 49 the circuit breaker can then be manually and automatically operated in the same manner as was hereinbefore described.
  • the trip bar 77 is biased back to the latching position by means of a coil compression spring 107 that is supported between the part 95 and the housing 73 of the trip device.
  • the circuit breaker is provided with an improved manual trip structure indicated generally at 111.
  • the section line II-Il goes first through the center pole unit to illustrate the operating mechanism and latch mechanism which is in the center pole unit and then jogs down to the one outside pole unit to illustrate the manual trip structure 111 which is disposed over the trip bar 77 at the one outside pole unit.
  • the manual trip structure 111 comprisea a tubular metallic shroud 113 that extends,
  • the shroud 113 protects the trip actuator 119 from accidental actuation.
  • the shroud 113 also provides for padlocking in a manner that will be hereinafter described.
  • a push-button type manual trip actuator 119 is supported for movement in the shroud 113.
  • the manual trip actuator'l19 is biased to the inoperative position seen in FIG. 2 by means of a coil spring 121 that engages under the head portion of the trip actuator 119.
  • Frontward movement of the trip actuator 119 is limited by a pin 123 that extends through a small-diameter portion of the trip actuator 119 and engages the shroud 113 at the opposite ends thereof.
  • a coil spring 125 is supported on the trip actuator 119 engaging the pin 123 and a shoulder surface 127 on the trip actuator 119. As can be understood with reference to FIGS. 3-5, the coil spring 125 can be rotated counterclockwise with relation to FIG. 1 to operate against the pin 23 to thread the spring frontward to provide a frontward adjustability of the position of the spring 125.
  • a rigid metallic member 131 is positioned just below the spring 125 and secured to the insulating trip bar 77 by a suitable securing screw 133.
  • the shroud 113 is provided with a padlock receiving opening 135 for receiving the hasp 137 (FIG. 4) of a padlock to enable padlocking of the manual trip structure 111 in a manner to be hereinafter described.
  • the circuit breaker is shown in FIG. 2 in the closed position.
  • an operator manually depresses the trip actuator 119 moving the trip actuator from the inoperative position seen in FIG. 2 to the tripped position seen in FIG. 3.
  • the spring 125 which is stronger than the spring 107 of the trip bar 77 operates against the arm 131 to move the trip bar 77 to the tripped position seen in FIG. 3. Movement of the trip bar 77 to the tripped position seen in FIG. 3 operates to release the latch structure 57 to trip the circuit breaker 5 in the same manner as was hereinbefore described with regard to the thermal and electro-magnetic tripping operations.
  • the spring 121' will bias the trip actuator 119 back to the inoperative position seen in FIG. 2, and the circuit breaker can be relatched in the same manner as was hereinbefore described.
  • the opening 135 in the shroud 113 is not 'fully cleared when the trip bar 77 is moved to the tripped position, and the projection on the trip bar 77 engages the housing 73 of the trip device to limit tripping movement of the trip bar 77.
  • the resilient operative connection of the spring with the part 131 of the trip bar 77 enables further depression of the trip actuator 119 past the position wherein the trip bar 77 is stopped which additional movement puts the trip actuator 119 in the position seen in FIG.
  • a circuit breaker comprising an insulating housing having a pair of openings therein, a circuit breaker structure supported in said housing, said circuit breaker structure comprising a pair of contact structures and a latched releasable member releasable to effect automatic opening of said contact structures, an operating handle extending through a first of said openings and being manually operable to open and close said contacts, a trip member movable from an initial position to a tripped position to effect release of said releasable member, a manual trip structure supported on said housing at the second of said openings, said manual trip structure comprising a tubular shroud supported on said housing, a trip actuator supported in said tubular shroud, biasing means biasing said trip actuator to an inoperative position, said trip actuator being manually movable in said tubular shroud and through said second opening against the bias of said biasing means to move said trip member to said tripped position, and said manual trip structure comprising means for receiving a padlock that may be used to lock said trip actuator
  • a circuit breaker according to claim 1 and said tubular shroud having a padlock receiving opening therein for receiving the hasp of a padlock that may be used to lock said trip actuator in said position wherein said trip actuator maintains said trip member in the tripped position.
  • a circuit breaker according to claim 2 said trip actuator being a push-button type member movable rectilinearly in said tubular shroud and through said second opening.
  • a circuit breaker according to claim 2 and resilient means between said trip actuator and said trip member for actuating said trip member upon movement of said trip actuator.
  • a circuit breaker according to claim 3 and resilient means between said trip actuator and said trip member for actuating said trip member upon movement of said trip actuator.
  • a circuit breaker according to claim 5 said trip actuator being movable in said tubular shroud from said inoperative 7.

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US75198A 1970-09-24 1970-09-24 Circuit breaker with manual trip structure Expired - Lifetime US3657672A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US7519870A 1970-09-24 1970-09-24

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US (1) US3657672A (ja)
JP (1) JPS477184A (ja)
CA (1) CA930777A (ja)
ZA (1) ZA714931B (ja)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3731239A (en) * 1971-07-01 1973-05-01 Ellenberger & Poensgen Excess current switch
US3810051A (en) * 1973-03-27 1974-05-07 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit breaker trip and latch mechanism
FR2516700A1 (fr) * 1981-11-13 1983-05-20 Hager Electro Perfectionnements aux mecanismes a declenchement libre, du type a genouillere, pour disjoncteurs differentiels et analogues et disjoncteurs differentiels comportant un tel mecanisme
DE3342468A1 (de) * 1983-11-24 1985-06-05 Brown, Boveri & Cie Ag, 6800 Mannheim Elektrisches schaltgeraet
US5079390A (en) * 1991-04-03 1992-01-07 Occidental Chemical Corporation Lock-out device for circuit breakers
US6439360B1 (en) * 2000-01-13 2002-08-27 Tmc Enterprises, A Divison Of Tasco Industries, Inc. Reel dispenser for power cord application
EP1587116A1 (de) * 2004-04-16 2005-10-19 ABB PATENT GmbH Verriegelungsvorrichtung für ein Installationsschaltgerät
WO2008128672A2 (de) * 2007-04-19 2008-10-30 Abb Ag Verriegelungsvorrichtung für ein installationsschaltgerät
US20160329169A1 (en) * 2014-01-16 2016-11-10 Metis Co., Ltd Automatic control device for padlock

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3826951A (en) * 1973-01-30 1974-07-30 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit breaker with replaceable rating adjuster and interlock means
JPH0834081B2 (ja) * 1989-12-22 1996-03-29 三菱電機株式会社 回路遮断器の手動引き外し機構
JPH07216952A (ja) * 1994-01-31 1995-08-15 Fuchitaka:Kk 排水装置

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3296564A (en) * 1963-08-30 1967-01-03 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit breaker with thermal and magnetic trip means
US3388224A (en) * 1964-08-31 1968-06-11 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Circuit breaker locking device

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3296564A (en) * 1963-08-30 1967-01-03 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit breaker with thermal and magnetic trip means
US3388224A (en) * 1964-08-31 1968-06-11 Ite Circuit Breaker Ltd Circuit breaker locking device

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3731239A (en) * 1971-07-01 1973-05-01 Ellenberger & Poensgen Excess current switch
US3810051A (en) * 1973-03-27 1974-05-07 Westinghouse Electric Corp Circuit breaker trip and latch mechanism
FR2516700A1 (fr) * 1981-11-13 1983-05-20 Hager Electro Perfectionnements aux mecanismes a declenchement libre, du type a genouillere, pour disjoncteurs differentiels et analogues et disjoncteurs differentiels comportant un tel mecanisme
EP0079817A1 (fr) * 1981-11-13 1983-05-25 Hager Electro S.A. Perfectionnements aux mécanismes à déclenchement libre, du type à genouillère, pour disjoncteurs différentiels et analogues et disjoncteurs différentiels comportant un tel mécanisme
DE3342468A1 (de) * 1983-11-24 1985-06-05 Brown, Boveri & Cie Ag, 6800 Mannheim Elektrisches schaltgeraet
US5079390A (en) * 1991-04-03 1992-01-07 Occidental Chemical Corporation Lock-out device for circuit breakers
US6439360B1 (en) * 2000-01-13 2002-08-27 Tmc Enterprises, A Divison Of Tasco Industries, Inc. Reel dispenser for power cord application
EP1587116A1 (de) * 2004-04-16 2005-10-19 ABB PATENT GmbH Verriegelungsvorrichtung für ein Installationsschaltgerät
DE102004019174B4 (de) * 2004-04-16 2012-09-06 Abb Ag Verriegelungsvorrichtung für ein Installationsschaltgerät
WO2008128672A2 (de) * 2007-04-19 2008-10-30 Abb Ag Verriegelungsvorrichtung für ein installationsschaltgerät
WO2008128672A3 (de) * 2007-04-19 2009-05-14 Abb Ag Verriegelungsvorrichtung für ein installationsschaltgerät
US20160329169A1 (en) * 2014-01-16 2016-11-10 Metis Co., Ltd Automatic control device for padlock
US9799463B2 (en) * 2014-01-16 2017-10-24 Metis Co., Ltd. Automatic control device for padlock

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU3328571A (en) 1973-03-15
CA930777A (en) 1973-07-24
JPS477184A (ja) 1972-04-19
ZA714931B (en) 1972-04-26

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