US3810541A - Method of segregating temperature responsive circuit breakers according to their opening temperature - Google Patents

Method of segregating temperature responsive circuit breakers according to their opening temperature Download PDF

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Publication number
US3810541A
US3810541A US00291785A US29178572A US3810541A US 3810541 A US3810541 A US 3810541A US 00291785 A US00291785 A US 00291785A US 29178572 A US29178572 A US 29178572A US 3810541 A US3810541 A US 3810541A
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Prior art keywords
circuit breakers
block
temperature
segregating
circuit breaker
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Expired - Lifetime
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US00291785A
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R Perkins
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GTE Sylvania Inc
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GTE Sylvania Inc
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B07—SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING
    • B07C—POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING
    • B07C5/00—Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches
    • B07C5/34—Sorting according to other particular properties
    • B07C5/344—Sorting according to other particular properties according to electric or electromagnetic properties
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H69/00—Apparatus or processes for the manufacture of emergency protective devices
    • H01H69/01—Apparatus or processes for the manufacture of emergency protective devices for calibrating or setting of devices to function under predetermined conditions
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S209/00—Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
    • Y10S209/919—Rotary feed conveyor
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S209/00—Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
    • Y10S209/933—Accumulation receiving separated items

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT Circuit breakers are inserted into close fitting holes in a rotatable ring shaped metal block. The block is heated and maintained at a predeterminedtemperature that exceeds the normal opening temperature of the circuit breakers. At the time of insertion, the leadin wires of each circuit breaker are clamped by a suitable device. When the circuit breaker thermostatically opens, the clamp releases and the circuit breaker falls from the block. The time interval between insertion and release permits segregation of the circuit breakers according to their opening temperature.
  • circuit breakers include a pair of normally closed electrical contacts, one of which is mounted on a'thermostatic element which deflects and opens the contacts when heated to a predetermined temperature.
  • Prior art methods of testing are generally time consuming, expensive and not readily adaptable to high speed manufacturing processes. For example, if circuit breakers having an opening temperature between, say, 100 to l C are desired for a particular application, the use of two oil baths would be required, one maintained at 100C and the other at 110C. A group of circuit breakers would first be inserted into the 100C bath and those that opened would be set aside. The remaining ones would then be placed into the l 10C bath and those not opening within a certain time interval would similarly be set aside. The remaining circuit breakers would then have an opening temperature within the range of 100 to l 10C.
  • the apparatus for testing the circuit breakers includes a horizontally positioned, ring shaped, metal block having high thermal conductivity, which is rotatable about its axis, and which contains a plurality of uniformly spaced vertical holes extending through the block.
  • the block is heated, preferably electrically, and has suitable controls capable of maintaining the block at a suitable predetermined temperature. To obtain close temperature control, the external surface of the block are thermally insualted.
  • Circuit breakers are individually loaded into the holes in the block and are clamped therein by means of the lead-in wires.
  • the clamps are electrically operated in such a manner that they release upon thermostatic opening of the circuit breakers, thereby permitting each circuit breaker to fall through the hole into a suitable container disposed therebeneath.
  • the holes in which the circuit breakers are disposed are fairly close fitting but are not so small as to prevent the circuit breakers from falling through under the action of gravity.
  • the thickness of the block is greater than the length of the circuit breakers so that the entire length of each circuit breaker is completely surrounded by the heated block for efficient heat transfer with minimum cooling at the ends of the circuit breaker. For this purpose, the thickness of the block exceeds the circuit breaker length by at least about three circuit breaker diameters.
  • the block In operation the block is heated and maintained at a temperature that exceeds the nominal opening temperatures of the circuit breakers being tested. As the block is rotated, circuit breakers are loaded and clamped into each hole. Disposed beneath the holes are a plurality of trays or chutes arranged so as to catch the circuit breakers as they release and fall from the block. The time interval between loading and release is related to the opening temperature of the circuit breakers and permits segregation thereof according to ranges of opening temperature.
  • FIG. 1 is a plan view of apparatus for segregating circuit breakers in accordance with this invention, showing a ring shaped block and holes therein.
  • FIG. 2 is an expanded sectional view of a circuit breaker within one of the holes.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the electrical circuit that closes and opens the clamps for the circuit breaker lead-in wires.
  • DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Apparatus for segregating circuit breakers in accordance with this invention included a cast aluminum ring shaped block 6 having an outer diameter of 48 inches, an inner diameter of 45 inches and a thickness of 2 inches. There were 200 equally spaced holes 8, five-sixteenths inch diameter, drilled through the block.
  • Attached to the outer periphery of the block were eight 250 watt heaters 14; the external surfaces of the ring and heaters were thermally insulated.
  • Four electrical temperature controls were used which were capable of maintaining a uniform temperature throughout the block to a tolerance of plus or minus 0.75C.
  • Type SB glass enclosed circuit breakers 4 were tested and segregated. Said circuit breakers have a diameter of nine thirty-seconds inch, a length of 1 /4 inches, a current rating of 15 amperes and a nominal opening temperature range of to C.
  • the circuit breakers 4 were automatically loaded into the holes 8 of the block 6, lead-in wires 18 up, while the block 6 was rotating at the rate of one revolution per 2 minutes, which is equivalent to testing 6,000 units per hour.
  • Each circuit breaker entering a hole tripped a switch which energized a solenoid 16 and activated a pair of clamps, one for each lead-in wire.
  • the clamps 10 supported the circuit breaker within the hole and were electrically operated to release when the circuit breaker opened, thereby permitting the circuit breaker to fall through the hole.
  • the temperature at which the block is maintained is determined by the desired opening temperature range for the circuit breakers. If a narrow temperature range is desired, say, 105 to 110C, the block temperature would be set slightly higher, say, 115C, in order that the rate of heating the circuit breakers be relatively slow. if a wider opening temperature range is desired, say, 95 to 110C, then the heating rate. can be faster and the block temperature can be set at a relatively higher temperature, say, 120 or 125C.
  • a method of segregating normally closed thermostatic cylindrically enclosed circuit breakers according to their opening temperature comprising the steps of:
  • circuit breakers in containers ar-' ranged to segregate them according to the time interval between loading and release thereof.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Testing Electric Properties And Detecting Electric Faults (AREA)

Abstract

Circuit breakers are inserted into close fitting holes in a rotatable ring shaped metal block. The block is heated and maintained at a predetermined temperature that exceeds the normal opening temperature of the circuit breakers. At the time of insertion, the lead-in wires of each circuit breaker are clamped by a suitable device. When the circuit breaker thermostatically opens, the clamp releases and the circuit breaker falls from the block. The time interval between insertion and release permits segregation of the circuit breakers according to their opening temperature.

Description

United States Patent Perkins [4 1 May 14, 1974 METHOD OF SEGREGATING TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE CIRCUIT BREAKERS ACCORDING TO THEIR OPENING TEMPERATURE 3,409,127 11/1968 Aiken 209/81 R X Primary Examiner--Richard A. Schacher Attorney, Agent, or FirmJames Theodosopoulos [57] ABSTRACT Circuit breakers are inserted into close fitting holes in a rotatable ring shaped metal block. The block is heated and maintained at a predeterminedtemperature that exceeds the normal opening temperature of the circuit breakers. At the time of insertion, the leadin wires of each circuit breaker are clamped by a suitable device. When the circuit breaker thermostatically opens, the clamp releases and the circuit breaker falls from the block. The time interval between insertion and release permits segregation of the circuit breakers according to their opening temperature.
1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures METHOD OF SEGREGATING TEMPERATURE RESPONSIVE CIRCUIT BREAKERS ACCORDING TO THEIR OPENING TEMPERATURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to thermostatic circuit breakers and is particularly concerned with methods of segregating such devices according to their opening temperature.
2. Description of the Prior Art Circuit breakers of the type with which this invention is concerned are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 3,272,944, 3,278,705, 3,278,706, 3,307,126, 3,555,478,
3,573,697, 3,597,838 and 3,619,534. Such circuit breakers include a pair of normally closed electrical contacts, one of which is mounted on a'thermostatic element which deflects and opens the contacts when heated to a predetermined temperature.
As pointed out in U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,838, it is usually not possible to consistently manufacture a large number of circuit breakers all of which will open within a narrow predetermined temperature range. Accordingly, it is usually necessary to test each circuit breaker to determine its opening temperature.
Prior art methods of testing, such as ovens or heated oil baths, are generally time consuming, expensive and not readily adaptable to high speed manufacturing processes. For example, if circuit breakers having an opening temperature between, say, 100 to l C are desired for a particular application, the use of two oil baths would be required, one maintained at 100C and the other at 110C. A group of circuit breakers would first be inserted into the 100C bath and those that opened would be set aside. The remaining ones would then be placed into the l 10C bath and those not opening within a certain time interval would similarly be set aside. The remaining circuit breakers would then have an opening temperature within the range of 100 to l 10C.
It is an object of this invention to provide a rapid, clean method of segregating circuit breakers according to their opening temperature.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is applicable to thermostatic circuit breakers that are enclosed within a substantially cylindrical container, either a glass envelope. or a metal case, and which have two lead-in wires extending from one end of the circuit breaker. The apparatus for testing the circuit breakers includes a horizontally positioned, ring shaped, metal block having high thermal conductivity, which is rotatable about its axis, and which contains a plurality of uniformly spaced vertical holes extending through the block. The block is heated, preferably electrically, and has suitable controls capable of maintaining the block at a suitable predetermined temperature. To obtain close temperature control, the external surface of the block are thermally insualted.
Circuit breakers are individually loaded into the holes in the block and are clamped therein by means of the lead-in wires. The clamps are electrically operated in such a manner that they release upon thermostatic opening of the circuit breakers, thereby permitting each circuit breaker to fall through the hole into a suitable container disposed therebeneath.
In order to provide good heat transfer between the block and'the circuit breakers, the holes in which the circuit breakers are disposed are fairly close fitting but are not so small as to prevent the circuit breakers from falling through under the action of gravity. Also, the thickness of the block is greater than the length of the circuit breakers so that the entire length of each circuit breaker is completely surrounded by the heated block for efficient heat transfer with minimum cooling at the ends of the circuit breaker. For this purpose, the thickness of the block exceeds the circuit breaker length by at least about three circuit breaker diameters.
In operation the block is heated and maintained at a temperature that exceeds the nominal opening temperatures of the circuit breakers being tested. As the block is rotated, circuit breakers are loaded and clamped into each hole. Disposed beneath the holes are a plurality of trays or chutes arranged so as to catch the circuit breakers as they release and fall from the block. The time interval between loading and release is related to the opening temperature of the circuit breakers and permits segregation thereof according to ranges of opening temperature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 isa plan view of apparatus for segregating circuit breakers in accordance with this invention, showing a ring shaped block and holes therein.
FIG. 2 is an expanded sectional view of a circuit breaker within one of the holes.
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the electrical circuit that closes and opens the clamps for the circuit breaker lead-in wires.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Apparatus for segregating circuit breakers in accordance with this invention included a cast aluminum ring shaped block 6 having an outer diameter of 48 inches, an inner diameter of 45 inches and a thickness of 2 inches. There were 200 equally spaced holes 8, five-sixteenths inch diameter, drilled through the block.
Attached to the outer periphery of the block were eight 250 watt heaters 14; the external surfaces of the ring and heaters were thermally insulated. Four electrical temperature controls were used which were capable of maintaining a uniform temperature throughout the block to a tolerance of plus or minus 0.75C.
Type SB glass enclosed circuit breakers 4 were tested and segregated. Said circuit breakers have a diameter of nine thirty-seconds inch, a length of 1 /4 inches, a current rating of 15 amperes and a nominal opening temperature range of to C.
The circuit breakers 4 were automatically loaded into the holes 8 of the block 6, lead-in wires 18 up, while the block 6 was rotating at the rate of one revolution per 2 minutes, which is equivalent to testing 6,000 units per hour. Each circuit breaker entering a hole tripped a switch which energized a solenoid 16 and activated a pair of clamps, one for each lead-in wire. The clamps 10 supported the circuit breaker within the hole and were electrically operated to release when the circuit breaker opened, thereby permitting the circuit breaker to fall through the hole.
Disposed beneath the holes around the periphery of the block were a plurality of chutes 12 which segrecuit breakers having an opening temperature between 77 and 89C, the block temperature was maintained at 107C. All circuit breakers that were released 28 to 45 seconds after loading were within this desired opening range. I
The temperature at which the block is maintained is determined by the desired opening temperature range for the circuit breakers. If a narrow temperature range is desired, say, 105 to 110C, the block temperature would be set slightly higher, say, 115C, in order that the rate of heating the circuit breakers be relatively slow. if a wider opening temperature range is desired, say, 95 to 110C, then the heating rate. can be faster and the block temperature can be set at a relatively higher temperature, say, 120 or 125C.
1 claim:
1. A method of segregating normally closed thermostatic cylindrically enclosed circuit breakers according to their opening temperature comprising the steps of:
collecting said circuit breakers in containers ar-' ranged to segregate them according to the time interval between loading and release thereof.

Claims (1)

1. A method of segregating normally closed thermostatic cylindrically enclosed circuit breakers according to their opening temperature comprising the steps of: inserting said circuit breakers into close fitting holes in a heated rotatable ring shaped metal block; clamping the lead-in wires of said circuit breakers to support them within said holes; rotating said block while said circuit breakers are being heated thereby; releasing said circuit breakers when the thermostatic elements thereof open, thereby causing said circuit breakers to fall out of said block; and collecting said circuit breakers in containers arranged to segregate them according to the time interval between loading and release thereof.
US00291785A 1972-09-25 1972-09-25 Method of segregating temperature responsive circuit breakers according to their opening temperature Expired - Lifetime US3810541A (en)

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1997018046A1 (en) * 1995-11-16 1997-05-22 Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. Electrical circuit component handler
CN103831256A (en) * 2012-11-21 2014-06-04 江苏格朗瑞科技有限公司 Non-normal temperature test module

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3059215A (en) * 1959-10-02 1962-10-16 Eitel Mccullough Inc Electrical testing apparatus
US3409127A (en) * 1966-12-20 1968-11-05 Aiken Ind Inc Method and apparatus for testing electrical circuit breakers

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3059215A (en) * 1959-10-02 1962-10-16 Eitel Mccullough Inc Electrical testing apparatus
US3409127A (en) * 1966-12-20 1968-11-05 Aiken Ind Inc Method and apparatus for testing electrical circuit breakers

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1997018046A1 (en) * 1995-11-16 1997-05-22 Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. Electrical circuit component handler
CN103831256A (en) * 2012-11-21 2014-06-04 江苏格朗瑞科技有限公司 Non-normal temperature test module
CN103831256B (en) * 2012-11-21 2016-12-21 江苏格朗瑞科技有限公司 Non-room temperature test module

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