US3673525A

US3673525A - Contactor

Info

Publication number: US3673525A
Application number: US129473A
Authority: US
Inventors: James D Collins; Thomas A Wilsdon
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1971-03-30
Filing date: 1971-03-30
Publication date: 1972-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-27
Also published as: CH540562A; AT311475B; DE2215180A1

Abstract

A contactor comprises an insulating carrier comprising a pair of spaced leg portions at one end thereof that are pivotally supported to support the insulating carrier for pivotal movement about a fixed pivot. An overload relay is removably supported on the contactor between the spaced leg portions of the insulating carrier. The insulating carrier supports a movable contact structure and a magnetic armature to provide a movable structure movable between open and closed positions. Opening movement of the movable structure is limited by engagement of the movable structure with stop means on a removable arc hood structure. When the arc hood structure is removed the movable structure can be moved past the open position to a maintenance position.

Description

United States Patent Collins et al. June 27, 1972 [541 CONTACTOR 3,525,059 8/1970 Schramm et a] ..335/132 [72] inventors: James D. Collins, Buffalo; Thoma A. Wilsdon, Alden, both of NY.

[73] Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: March 30, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 129,473

[52] U.S. Cl... ..335/l32, 335/193 [5 l] Int. Cl. ..H01h 51/06 [58] Field ofSearch ..335/l32, 192,193, 194, 201

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,732,452 1/1956 Jackson et a]. ..335/l93 3,324,431 6/1967 Cataldo et al ..335/132 3,388,353 6/1968 lsler ..335/132 3,469,215 9/1969 Brovedan ..335/1 32 Primary Examiner-Harold Broome Anomey-A. T. Stratton, W. A. Elchik and Clement L. McHale ABSTRACT A contactor comprises an insulating carrier comprising a pair of spaced leg portions at one end thereof that are pivotally supported to support the insulating carrier for pivotal movement about a fixed pivot. An overload relay is removably supported on the contactor between the spaced leg portions of the insulating carrier. The insulating carrier supports a movable contact structure and a magnetic armature to provide a movable structure movable between open and closed positions. Opening movement of the movable structure is limited by engagement of the movable structure with stop means on a removable arc hood structure. When the arc hood structure is removed the movable structure can be moved past the open position to a maintenance position.

9 Clains, 5 Drawing Figures l Lllll I0 3,573,525 JUN27 I872 PATENTED SHEET 1 OF 5 PATENTEDwnzv I972 SHEET 2 [IF 5 FIG.2

PATENTEDJum m2 m 's or 5 I FIG.5.

CONTACTOR CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Certain features herein disclosed are disclosed and claimed in the copending application of Thomas A. Wilsdon et al., Ser. No. l29,474, filed concurrently herewith.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention Electromagnetic contactors.

2. Description of the Prior Art It is old in the art to provide a contactor comprising a pivotally supported movable structure movable between open and closed positions. This invention is an improvement over the prior art in that stop means on a removable arc hood structure limits opening movement of the movable structure, and when the arc hood structure is removed the movable structure can be pivotally moved past the open position to a maintenance position.

It is also old in the art to provide a contactor structure with an overload relay removably supported thereon for operating the contactor structure in response to an overload. This invention provides an improved compact structure wherein the overload relay is removably supported between pivotally supported spaced leg parts of a movable insulating carrier. The movable insulating carrier is movable to a maintenance position without interference from the overload relay.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A contactor comprises an insulating support and a contactor structure supported on the insulating support. The contactor structure comprises a stationary structure including a stationary contact structure and a movable structure including a movable contact structure. The movable structure comprises an insulating carrier with the movable contact structure being supported on the insulating carrier in proximity to one end of the insulating carrier. Pivot support means, in proximity to the other end of the insulating carrier, supports the insulating carrier for movement about a fixed pivot. Electromagnetic operating means comprises a magnetic yoke and an energizing coil supported on the insulating support. The electromagnetic means also comprises a magnetic armature supported on the insulating carrier between the movable contact structure and the pivot support means of the insulating carrier. An arc hood structure is supported on the insulating support in proximity to the stationary and movable contact structures. Kick-out spring means is provided to bias the movable structure toward an open unactuated position. Upon energization of the coil and armature is drawn toward the yoke to pivot the movable structure to the closed position wherein the movable contact structure engages the stationary contact structure. Upon deenergization of the coil to open the contactor the kick-out spring means pivots the movable structure to an open position wherein the movable contact structure is disengaged from the stationary contact structure. Stop means on the insulating arc hood structure engages the movable structure to limit opening movement of the movable structure. Upon removal of the arc hood structure the movable structure is pivotally movable in the opening direction past the open position to a maintenance position. The insulating carrier, at the supported end thereof, comprises a pair of spaced leg portions that are pivotally supported to support the insulating carrier for pivotal movement. An overload relay is removably supported on the insulating support between the spaced leg portions of the insulating carrier. The movable structure is movable between the closed, open and maintenance positions without interference from the overload relay.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a contactor constructed in accordance with principles of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line II- II of FIG. I with the overload relay being shown in full lines in the mounted position thereof and partially in broken lines in a removed position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the contactor shown in the energized closed position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the arc hood structur removed and with the movable structure being shown in the maintenance position; and

FIG. 5 is a front plan view of the contactor as shown in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, there is shown therein a threepole contactor 5 comprising a stationary insulating support 7 and a contact structure 9 supported on the insulating support 7. In each pole unit, there is a conductor 11, with a stationary contact 13 secured thereto, secured to the insulating support 7 by means of a bolt 15. In each pole unit there is another conductor 17 secured to the insulating support 7 by means of

bolts

19 and 21. A stationary contact 23 is secured to the conductor 17 by means of the bolt 19. As can be understood with reference to FIG. 2, the conductors l1 and 17 are spaced and an insulating part 25 of the base 7 is disposed therebetween. The insulating support 7 is a molded insulating member molded with three cavities 27 therein for receiving three current transformers 29 of the three-pole units. Each of the conductors 17 passes through an opening in the associated current transformer 29 as illustrated in FIG. 2.

There is a single generally U-shaped stationary magnetic member or yoke 31 supported in a cavity 33 of the insulating support 7. A pair of compression springs 35 (only one being shown in FIG. 2) and a damping spring 37 are provided to resiliently mount the stationary magnetic member 31 in a manner more specifically described in the above-mentioned copending US. Pat. application Ser. No. l29,474. Suitable stop means limits frontward movement of the stationary magnetic member 31 under the bias of the loaded compression springs 35. An insulated energizing coil 39 (FIG. 2), having a pair of openings therein for receiving the legs of the stationary magnetic member 31 (FIG. 5), is supported on the insulating support 7 by means of a pair of bolts 43 (FIG. 2). A pair of kick-out springs 45 are supported on the insulating support 7 on opposite sides of the coil 39. There is a three-pole arc hood structure 47 supported on the insulating support 7. The are hood structure comprises a molded insulating arc hood 49 having three pockets 51 for the three-pole units of the contactor. A plurality of magnetic plates 53 are supported in each of the pockets 51 in a stacked relationship. The plates 53 are provided with slots 55 therein that are aligned so that one of the movable contacts can be moved within the slots 55 in a manner to be hereinafter described. A metallic magnetic arc cup 57, having a slot 59 therein, is supported on the insulating support 7 in proximity to one of the stationary contacts 23.

As can be understood with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the hood structure 47 is secured to the insulating support 7 by means of a pair of elongated bolts 61 which pas through openings in the insulating material of the arc hood structure 47 and which are threaded into the insulating support 7.

A metallic rigid generally U-shaped support plate 65 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is fixedly supported on the insulating support 7. The support plate 65 comprises a first leg 67 having a first pivot support pin 69 supported thereon that extends inward toward the opposite leg of the support plate 65. The support plate 65 comprises a second leg 71 having a second pivot support pin 73 supported thereon, which pivot support pin 73 extends outward from the leg 71. The pivot support pin 73 comprises a threaded end portion 75 that receives a securing nut 77 that ing leg parts 83, 85 (FIG. 1) at one end thereof. A three-pole overload relay 86 is removably mounted on the stationary support plate 65 between the

legs

83, 85. The relay 86 comprises an insulating housing 87 with a reset plunger 88 extending from the front of the housing 87. The reset plunger can be manually depressed inwardly to reset the relay after operation thereof. During assembly of the contactor 5, with the overload relay 86 not yet assembled onto the support plate 65, the insulating carrier 81 is moved down in position with the leg 83 being moved down between the

legs

67, 71 of the support plate 65 and with the leg 85 being on the outside of the support plate 71 and pin 73. The insulating carrier 81 is then moved transversely with the pin 69 entering into a bearing 90 supported in an opening 91 in the leg 83 and with the pin 73 entering into a bearing 92 supported in an opening 93 in the leg 85. A washer 95 is then placed over the pin 73 and the nut 77 is then threaded onto the threaded portion 75 of the pin 73 to thereby secure the insulating carrier 81 in position pivotally mounted on the

pins

69, 73. The insulating carrier 81 pivots on the bearings 90, 92 and pins 69, 73 about an axis generally normal to the plane of the paper as seen in FIG. 2.

In each pole unit, a contact support 101, having a window opening 103 therein, is secured to the insulating contact carrier 81 by means of a bolt 105. A bridging contact structure 107 comprising a pair of contacts 109 and 1 11, is supported on the support 101 and extends through the window opening 103. A biasing contact pressure spring 113 is supported in the window opening 103 to bias the bridging contact 107 downward to the position shown in FIG. 2 to provide contact pressure in the closed position of the contacts. A generally U-shaped magnetic armature 119 is supported on the insulating carrier 81 in a cavity 121 that is open at the back of the insulating carrier 81. A support plate 123 is secured to the insulating carrier 81 by four bolts 125 (FIGS. 1 and to retain the armature 119 against movement out of the cavity 121. A pair of compression springs 127 (only one of which is seen in FIG. 2) and a damping leaf spring 129 resiliently bias the armature 119 forward against a depressed portion 131 of the plate 123 to permit resilient limited generally universal movement of the armature 129 in the cavity 121. The spring bias and mounting of the armature 119 and yoke 31 are more specifically described in the hereinbefore mentioned copending application Ser. No. 129,474.

The overload relay 86 is a three-pole relay comprising an insulating housing and a relay mechanism supported in the housing. The relay is thermally responsive and each pole thereof is electrically connected in series with one of the current transformers 29. The thermally responsive relay is automatically operated to operate a pair of relay contacts, in response to an overload in any of the contactor pole units, in a well-known manner. The relay contacts are connected in electrical series with the coil 39 to deenergize the coil 39 upon operation of the relay. The relay is of the type specifically described in the patent to Ramsey et al. US. Pat. No. 3,265,831 issued Aug. 9, 1966. It is to be understood, however, that any of a number of commercially available overload relays could be utilized in the combination so long as the relay is of a size to fit within between the

legs

83, 85 of the insulating carrier 81 without interfering with movement of the movable structure 79 between the closed, open and maintenance positions. The relay 86 is removably secured to the support 65 (FIG. 2) by means of a pair of bolts 131, only one of which is seen in FIG. 2.

As was hereinbefore set forth, there are three current transformers 29 for the three-pole units, and there is a three-pole relay 86 for opening the contactor in response to an overload in any of the pole units. It can be understood that for certain applications two current transformers could be provided on two of the pole units and a two-pole relay could be connected to the two current transformers to protect the three poles of the contactor in a manner well known in the art.

The contactor is shown in the deenergized open position in FIG. 2. The kick-out springs 45 bias the movable structure 79 frontward with the frontward opening movement being limited by the engagement of the insulating carrier 81 with a stop surface 132 of the arc hood structure 79. There is a stop surface 132 in each of the pole units of the arc hood structure 47 engaging the associated part of the insulating carrier 81 to limit opening movement of the movable structure 79. Upon energization of the coil 39 the armature 119 is attracted to the stationary magnetic member 31 and the movable structure 79 is pivoted on the pins 69, 73 (FIG. 1) from the deenergized open position seen in FIG. 2 to the energized closed position seen in FIG. 3 wherein the movable contacts 109, 1 11 engage the

stationary contact

13, 23 respectively. Upon deenergization of the coil 39, the kick-out springs 45 move the movable structure 79 to the open position seen in FIG. 2 with the opening movement being limited by the engagement of the insulating carrier 81 with the stop surfaces 132 of the arc hood structure 47.

When it is desired to inspect the contact or other parts of the contactor for maintenance purposes, the arc hood structure 47 is removed by removing the two bolts 61 (FIG. 1), and the movable structure 79 is manually pivoted to the maintenance position seen in FIG. 4. As can be seen in FIG. 4, in the maintenance position the movable structure is moved through an angle of approximately 90 from the closed position of the movable structure. During movement of the movable structure 79 to the maintenance position, the bridging contact structures move through the slots 59 in the arccups 57. The movable structure 79 is movable to the maintenance position without requiring disassembly or adjustment of parts other than removal of the arc hood structure 47. Upon movement of the movable structure to the maintenance position the carrier 81 engages and depresses the reset plunger 88 of the overload relay 86 and the movable structure is stopped in the maintenance position by the plunger 88 when the plunger 88 reaches the limit of its inward movement. At installations when the overload relay 86 is not used the movable structure is stopped in the maintenance position when a pair of stop surfaces 134 (FIG. 4) on the insulating carrier 81 engage surfaces 136 on the legs of the U-shaped support 65. At the installations in the contactor 5 is mounted on a vertical panel and the movable structure 79 is pivoted downward to the maintenance position. Thus the weight of the movable structure 79 will maintain the movable structure in the maintenance position.

During opening operations of the contactor the are that is drawn between the stationary contact 23 and movable contact 111 is attracted to the magnetic cup 57. The are drawn between the stationary contact 13 and movable contact 109 is attracted into the bight portions of the U-shaped plates 53 to be broken up into a plurality of serially related arcs that are extinguished in a well known manner.

With the provision of stopping the opening movement of the movable structure 79 by the engagement of the insulating carrier 81 with the insulating arc hood part 49 of the arc hood structure 47, it can be understood that the movable structure 79 can be freely moved to the maintenance position after the arc hood structure 47 is removed without necessitating any other disassembly of parts. With the insulating carrier 81 having a generally U-shaped back portion to provide the spaced

legs

83, 85, and with the legs 83, being supported on the

pins

69, 73, there is space between the

legs

83, 85 for the overload relay 89 that is removably mounted on the support 65, to provide a compact arrangement. As can be understood with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the movable structure 79 is movable between the closed, open and maintenance positions without interference from the overload relay 89. The insulating carrier 81 is readily mounted on the

pins

69, 73, being moved into position with the relay 89 removed in the manner hereinbefore described, and a single securing nut 77 is threaded onto the threaded portion 75 of the pin 73 to secure the insulating carrier 81 in position pivotally mounted on the

pins

69, 73.

We claim:

1. A contactor comprising an insulating support, a contactor-structure supported on said insulating support, said contactor-structure comprising a stationary contact structure, a movable structure comprising an insulating carrier and a movable contact structure, means supporting said movable contact structure on said insulating carrier in proximity to one end of said insulating carrier, pivot support means supporting said insulating carrier in proximity to the opposite end of said insulating carrier for movement about a fixed pivot, electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means comprising a magnetic yoke and an energizing coil supported on said insulating support, said electromagnetic means comprising a magnetic armature supported on said insulating carrier as part of said movable structure with said magnetic armature being supported on said insulating carrier between said movable contact structure and said pivot support means, an arc hood structure supported on said insulating support in proximity to said stationary and movable contact structure, kick-out spring means biasing said movable structure toward an open unactuated position, upon energization of said coil said armature being attracted to said yoke to pivotally move said movable structure in a closing direction against the bias of said kick-out spring means to an actuated closed position wherein said movable contact structure engages said stationary contact structure, upon deenergization of said energizing coil to open said contact said kick-out spring means pivotally moving said movable structure in an opening direction toward an open position wherein said movable contact structure is disengaged from said stationary contact structure, and stop means on said arc hood structure engaging said movable structure to limit opening movement of said movable structure.

2. A contact according to claim 1, and said stop means on said are hood structure engaging said insulating carrier to limit opening movement of said movable structure.

3. A contactor according to claim 1, said are hood structure being removably secured to said insulating support, and upon removal of said arc hood structure said movable structure being pivotally movable in the opening direction past said open position to a maintenance position.

4. A contactor according to claim 3, and in said maintenance position said movable structure being moved through an angle of more than 80 from the closed position of said movable structure.

5. A contactor comprising an insulating support, a contactor structure on said insulating support, said contactor structure comprising a stationary contact structure, a movable contact structure cooperable with said stationary contact structure, an insulating carrier, means supporting said movable contact structure on said insulating carrier in proximity to one end of said insulating carrier, said insulating carrier comprising a pair of spaced insulating leg portions in proximity to the other end thereof, pivot support means supporting said spaced insulating leg portions for pivotal movement about an axis,

said pivot support means comprising a'separate pivot support means for each of said spaced insulating leg portions, electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means comprising a stationary magnetic yoke and an energizing coil supported on said insulating support, said electromagnetic means comprising a magnetic armature supported on said insulating carrier between said movable contact structure and said pivot support means, kick-out spring means biasing said insulating carrier toward an unactuated open position, an overload relay removably supported on said insulating support between said spaced insulating leg portions of said insulating carrier, said overload relay being responsive to an overload in said contactor to efi'ect deenergization of said coil when said contactor is in the closed position, upon energization of said coil said armature being attracted to said stationary magnetic member to pivotsaid insulating carrier about said axis to thereby move said movable contact structure into engagement with said stationary contact structure, and upon deenergization of said coil said kick-out spring means moving said movable structure to an open position wherein said movable contact structure is spaced from said stationary contact structure.

6. A contactor according to claim 5, an arc hood structure removably supported on said insulating support in proximity to said contact structures, upon removal of said are hood structure from said insulating support said movable structure being pivotally movable past the open position thereof to a maintenance position, and in said maintenance position said movable contact structure being disposed generally over said overload relay.

7. A contactor according to claim 5, a generally U-shaped support plate supported on said insulating support, a first pin on said support plate extending from a first leg of said support plate generally toward the second leg of said support plate, a second pin on said support plate extending from said second leg of said support plate in the same direction as said first pin and on the outside of said second leg, a first of said insulating leg portions of said insulating carrier being pivotally supported on said first pin and the second of said insulating leg portions of said insulating carrier being pivotally supported on said second pin.

8. A contactor according to claim 7, said second pin comprising a threaded end portion, and securing means on said threaded end portion securing said insulating carrier on said first and second pins.

9. A contactor according to claim 8, stop means on said arc hood structure engaging said insulating carrier to limit opening movement of said insulating carrier, and with said arc hood structure removed said insulating carrier being pivotally movable to said maintenance position without requiring further disassembly of said contactor.

Claims

1. A contactor comprising an insulating support, a contactorstructure supported on said insulating support, said contactorstructure comprising a stationary contact structure, a movable structure comprising an insulating carrier and a movable contact structure, means supporting said movable contact structure on said insulating carrier in proximity to one end of said insulating carrier, pivot support means supporting said insulating carrier in proximity to the opposite end of said insulating carrier for movement about a fixed pivot, electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means comprising a magnetic yoke and an energizing coil supported on said insulating support, said electromagnetic means comprising a magnetic armature supported on said insulating carrier as part of said movable structure with said magnetic armature being supported on said insulating carrier between said movable contact structure and said pivot support means, an arc hood structure supported on said insulating support in proximity to said stationary and movable contact structure, kick-out spring means biasing said movable structure toward an open unactuated position, upon energization of said coil said armature being attracted to said yoke to pivotally move said movable structure in a closing direction against the bias of said kick-out spring means to an actuated closed position wherein said movable contact structure engages said stationary contact structure, upon deenergization of said energizing coil to open said contact said kick-out spring means pivotally moving said movable structure in an opening direction toward an open position wherein said movable contact structure is disengaged from said stationary contact structure, and stop means on said arc hood structure engaging said movable structure to limit opening movement of said movable structure.

2. A contact according to claim 1, and said stop means on said arc hood structure engaging said insulating carrier to limit opening movement of said movable structure.

3. A contactor according to claim 1, said arc hood structure being removably secured to said insulating support, and upon removal of said Arc hood structure said movable structure being pivotally movable in the opening direction past said open position to a maintenance position.

4. A contactor according to claim 3, and in said maintenance position said movable structure being moved through an angle of more than 80* from the closed position of said movable structure.

5. A contactor comprising an insulating support, a contactor structure on said insulating support, said contactor structure comprising a stationary contact structure, a movable contact structure cooperable with said stationary contact structure, an insulating carrier, means supporting said movable contact structure on said insulating carrier in proximity to one end of said insulating carrier, said insulating carrier comprising a pair of spaced insulating leg portions in proximity to the other end thereof, pivot support means supporting said spaced insulating leg portions for pivotal movement about an axis, said pivot support means comprising a separate pivot support means for each of said spaced insulating leg portions, electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means comprising a stationary magnetic yoke and an energizing coil supported on said insulating support, said electromagnetic means comprising a magnetic armature supported on said insulating carrier between said movable contact structure and said pivot support means, kick-out spring means biasing said insulating carrier toward an unactuated open position, an overload relay removably supported on said insulating support between said spaced insulating leg portions of said insulating carrier, said overload relay being responsive to an overload in said contactor to effect deenergization of said coil when said contactor is in the closed position, upon energization of said coil said armature being attracted to said stationary magnetic member to pivot said insulating carrier about said axis to thereby move said movable contact structure into engagement with said stationary contact structure, and upon deenergization of said coil said kick-out spring means moving said movable structure to an open position wherein said movable contact structure is spaced from said stationary contact structure.

6. A contactor according to claim 5, an arc hood structure removably supported on said insulating support in proximity to said contact structures, upon removal of said arc hood structure from said insulating support said movable structure being pivotally movable past the open position thereof to a maintenance position, and in said maintenance position said movable contact structure being disposed generally over said overload relay.