US3898420A - High voltage switch operating mechanism - Google Patents

High voltage switch operating mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
US3898420A
US3898420A US433728A US43372874A US3898420A US 3898420 A US3898420 A US 3898420A US 433728 A US433728 A US 433728A US 43372874 A US43372874 A US 43372874A US 3898420 A US3898420 A US 3898420A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
spring
yoke arm
high voltage
contacts
drive lever
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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
US433728A
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English (en)
Inventor
David Evans
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.)
S&C Electric Co
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S&C Electric Co
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 S&C Electric Co filed Critical S&C Electric Co
Priority to US433728A priority Critical patent/US3898420A/en
Priority to CA217,320A priority patent/CA1024567A/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3898420A publication Critical patent/US3898420A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H3/00—Mechanisms for operating contacts
    • H01H3/22—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism
    • H01H3/30—Power arrangements internal to the switch for operating the driving mechanism using spring motor
    • H01H3/3005—Charging means

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to high voltage electrical switches and more particularly to operating mechanisms for high voltage electrical switches which operate to cause a switch to quickly make and quickly break a circuit.
  • the quick-make, quick-break switch often consists of an operating lever and a spring arrangement for causing the rapid action of an operating lever.
  • Springs are often used in high voltage switch operating mechanisms because of the large amount of force generated by springs, and because such springs have essentially no reaction time delay once released.
  • the input to quick-make, quick-break switches is often provided by a lever which can be, but need not be, operated by hand.
  • the output of quick-make, quick-break switches may be a switch blade or other switch contact mechanism.
  • the principal use of such inventions is for manual operation in making or breaking a circuit under conditions of high voltage or excessively high currents, e.g., a fault current.
  • a high voltage switch operating mechanism comprises operating switch contacts connected to an operating means which extends into a switch housing.
  • Mounted within the housing and operably connected to the output means is an output drive lever.
  • the output drive lever is free to rotate and has engaging abutments thereon which engage a pin projection on a yoke arm means.
  • An input crankshaft means mounted for rotation has an engaging pin which'is positioned to engage an engaging surface on the yoke arm means.
  • the yoke arm means has first and second spring link means pivotably connected to its periphery.
  • the spring link means are connected to wing arm means which are pivotably mounted so that rotation of the yoke arm means causes the wing arm means to separate, thus extending a spring connected between the wing arm means.
  • the rapid snapping rotation causes the pin projection on the yoke arm means to engage the engaging abutment on the output drive lever, thereby causing the drive lever to rotate rapidly to cause the output means to rapidly open the switch contacts.
  • Reverse rotation of the input crankshaft means in an opposite direction causes the elements described above to move in an opposite direction so that the switch contacts are rapidly closed in the same manner.
  • the present invention also includes a locking means for locking the operating means after the switch contacts are opened so that the switch contacts are not accidentally closed by wind or other external forces. Rotation of the input crankshaft means in the opposite direction unlocks the locking means so that the switch contacts can be closed.
  • the present invention also includes an over center toggle means for locking the operating means in the switch closed position so that the switch contacts can only be opened as a result of rotation of the input crankshaft means.
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a quick-make, quick-break switch operating mechanism such that the switch is held open not only by spring means but also by a locking means when the switch is in the open position.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide a quick-make, quick-break switch operating mechanism such that the operating mechanism is locked in a switch closed position so that the switch contacts can only be opened by operation of the input crankshaft.
  • FIG. 1 is a top partially fragmentary view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention taken substantially along line 33 in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 44 in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 in FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along line 6-6 in FIG. 1 showing the output drive lever, latch dog, and output lever in the switch closed position.
  • FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along line 66 in FIG. 1 showing the output drive lever, latch dog, and output lever in the switch open position.
  • operating mechanism 10 comprises housing 12, including front wall 14, side walls 15, back wall 16 joined together by bolts 18.
  • input crankshaft 20 extends through bearing housing 22 which comprises body 24, enclosed roller bearing 30 (shown in dotted lines).
  • Bearing housing 22 is mounted to front wall 14 by bearing housing bolts 28.
  • Input crankshaft 20 includes crank arm 31 which extends away from the central axis of crankshaft 20. Mounted at the end of crank arm 31 is engaging pin 32 which extends parallel to the center axis of crankshaft 20.
  • Crankshaft 20 also in- I cludes a narrowed portion 34 which extends through back wall 16 so that crankshaft 20 can rotate.
  • yoke arm 36 Pivotably mounted on the narrowed portion 34 of input crankshaft 20 is yoke arm 36. At the upper edge of yoke arm 36 is slot 38 (see FIG. 5) having engaging surfaces 40 and 41 at the ends thereof. Mounted to extensions 42 of yoke arm 36 by pin 44 are first spring link member 46 and second spring link member 48. The opposite ends of first and second spring link members 46 and 48 are connected to first wing arm 50 and second wing arm member 52 respectively by pins 54. First and second wing arms 50 and 52 are pivotably mounted by shafts 56 to the interior of switch housing 12 so that first and second wing arms 50 and 52 can freely pivot about shaft 56. A spring 58 is connected at each end to first and second wing arms 50 and 52 by pins 54.
  • pin projection 60 Mounted on the opposite side of yoke arm 36 is pin projection 60 that is positioned at a distance radially disposed from the central axis of rotation of yoke arm 36 so that rotation of yoke arm 36 causes pin projection 60 to travel in a circular arc.
  • Output drive lever 62 also has a slot 64 formed therein for receiving pin projection 60 of yoke arm 36. Slo't 64 forms two abutting surfaces 66 and 67 at the ends of slot 64 against which pin projection 60 can engage output drive lever 62.
  • latch dog member 68 Also pivotably mounted to output drive lever 62 by pin 69 is latch dog member 68 which is biased by a spring 70 (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 6) so that latch dog member 68 tends to rotate in a counterclockwise direction until arm 70 of latch dog member 68 engages a flange 72 on output drivelever 62.
  • Latch dog member 68 also comprises arm 74 which extends at an angle to arm 70.
  • Drive link 80 Pivotably connected an extended portion 76 of output drive lever 62 by pin 78 is drive link 80.
  • Drive link 80 has formed at one end thereof a finger 81 that is adapted to engage the arm 70 of latch dog member 68 when output drive lever 62 is in the position as shown in FIG. 6.
  • drive link 80 is connected by pin 84 to output arm 86.
  • Output arm 86 is rigidly attached to output shaft 88 by set screws 90 (see FIG. 1).
  • Output shaft 88 extends through back wall 16 and is rotatably mounted by bearing housing 92 which encloses roller bearing 94 (shown in dotted lines).
  • Bearing housing 92 is mounted to back wall 16 by bolts 96.
  • rotation of output arm 86 causes output shaft 88 to rotate within roller bearing 94.
  • Also mounted on output shaft 88 outside of back wall 16 is operating arm 98 that can be connected by appropriate linkage (not shown) to the switch contacts of a high voltage switch so that rotation of operating arm 98 causes the switch contacts to either open or close depending upon the direction of rotation of operating arm 98.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 show the operating mechanism 10 in the switch closed position. To achieve a switch open condition, input crankshaft 20 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction so that the engaging pin 32 on the end of crank arm 31 of input crankshaft 20 engages engaging surface 40 of yoke arm 36 (see FIGS. 3 and 5).
  • first and second spring link members 46 and 48 are in the position shown in the dotted lines designated 46 and 48' respectively.
  • Thecenter line 46 and 48' is aligned with the center line of input crankshaft 20 which is the center of rotation of yoke arm 36.
  • spring 58 contracting rapidly to cause spring link members 46 and 48 to impart rapid rotational motion to yoke arm 36, until pins 44 on yoke arm 36 reach the position indicated by the dotted lines designated as 44" in FIG. 5.
  • pins 54 have returned to their original position, spring 58 has contracted to its original configuration, and the center line of first and second spring link members 46 and 48 have reached the position designated by 46 and 48 respectively.
  • the rapid rotational motion imparted to output drive lever 62 causes output arm 86 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) to also rotate very rapidly to the position shown in FIG. 7 as a result of the connection of drive link 80.
  • the rapid rotation of output arm 86 is transmitted through output shaft 88 to cause connected operating arm 98 to pivot very rapidly in the same direction.
  • An insulating link (not shown) connected to output arm 98 is connected to an appropriate high voltage switch and causes the contacts of the high voltage switch to open very rapidly as a result of the snap action of operating arm 98.
  • This rapid rotational motion of yoke arm 36 causes pin projection 60 to engage abutting surface 67 on output drive lever 62, thus causing output drive lever 62 to rotate very rapidly from the position illustrated in FIG. 7 to the position illustrated in FIG. 6.
  • This rapid rotational motion of output drive lever 62 causes output arm 86 connected by drive link 80 to pivot very rapidly to the position illustrated in FIG. 6 thereby imparting rapid rotational motion to output shaft 88 and to operating arm 98 to rapidly close the switch contacts of the connected high voltage switch.
  • a locking means is provided in the form of latch dog member 68.
  • latch dog member 68 When in the switch closed position, latch dog member 68 is held in the position illustrated in FIG. 6 by finger projection 81 on the end of drive link 80. In this position, latch dog member 68 is pivoted until arm 74 contacts the flange 72 on output drive lever 62, and the end of arm 74 disengages pin projection 60. In this position, pin projection 60 is free to move through slot 64 to engage abutting surface 66.
  • latch dog member 68 can pivot to the position where the end of arm 74 engages the surface of pin projection 60 thereby trapping pin projection 60 between abutting surface 67 and the end of arm 74 (see FIG. 7).
  • output drive lever 62 and output arm 86 connected by drive link 80 are locked in the position shown in FIG. 7 and consequently the switch contact connected to operating arm 98 cannot be accidentally closed as a result of rebounding or by external forces.
  • latch dog member 68 does not interfere with the closing sequence as long as the force provided to cause the closing results from input rotational motion from input crankshaft 20.
  • An additional feature of the present invention is that the switch contacts are locked in a closed position as a result of the toggle action of drive link 80 and output drive lever 62.
  • FIG. 6 it can be seen that output drive lever 68 and drive link 80 are in a position when the switch contacts are closed so that the center line of pin 78 is beyond the center line between the center line of input crankshaft 20 and the center line of pin 84.
  • this force will be transmitted through output arm 86 to cause output arm 86 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 6.
  • such force will only tend to cause the finger projection 81 on the end of drive link 80 to press against arm 70 of latch dog member 68.
  • the major advantage of the present invention is the use of the double acting spring 58. Since a spring force of several hundred pounds is involved, it is undesirable to connect one end of the spring to the housing so that the spring is a single acting spring. If the spring were attached to the housing, a large reaction force would be applied to the housing with an equally large side thrust on the output drive lever. By using a double acting spring, side thrust loads on the members is avoided due to the symmetry of the design, and the reaction couple on the wing arm produces relatively low forces. Consequently, heavily loaded bearings are avoided resluting in lower friction during operation.
  • a high voltage switch operating mechanism for opening and closing the contacts of a high voltage switch comprising:
  • a spring having two ends for storing energy upon extension and rapidly releasing stored energy upon contraction
  • a spring extending means for extending both ends of said spring simultaneously in opposite directions to cause said spring to store energy and for permitting said spring to contract rapidly to release the stored energy when said spring is expanded to a predetermined amount of extension;
  • output means coupled to said spring extending means for receiving the released stored energy of said spring and causing saidswitch contacts to open and close rapidly in response to receipt of the stored energy.
  • a high voltage switch operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
  • locking means for locking said output means after the contacts of the high voltage switch are open so that the contacts cannot be accidentally closed, said locking means unlocking said output means in response to operation of said input means to close the switch contacts.
  • a high voltage switch operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
  • over center toggle means for locking said output means in the switch closed position so that the switch contacts can only be opened as a result of operation of the input means.
  • a high voltage switch operating mechanism for opening and closing the contacts of a high voltage switch comprising:
  • yoke arm means mounted for rotation within said housing, said yoke arm means having an engaging surface for engaging said engaging pin on said input crankshaft means, and a pin projection extending in an opposite direction from said engaging surface:
  • first and second spring link means having first and second ends pivotably connected at their first ends to said yoke arm means;
  • first and second wing arm means having first and second ends.
  • said first and second wing arm means being pivotably mounted within said housing at their first end adjacent opposite sides of said yoke arm means.
  • said first spring link means being pivotably connected at its second end to the second end of said first wing arm means and said second spring link means being pivotably connected at its second end to the second end of said second wing arm means;
  • spring bias means having first and second ends. said first end being connected to the second end of said first wing arm means. and said second end being connected to the second end of said second wing arm means. said spring bias means tending to urge said first and second wing arm means to pivot toward one another;
  • output drive lever means pivotably mounted within said housing, said output drive lever means having engaging abutments thereon for engaging said pin projection on said yoke arm means;
  • output means operably connected to said output drive lever means, said output means for causing the switch contacts to open and close in response to rotation of said output drive lever means;
  • locking means for locking said operating means after the contacts of the high voltage switch are opened so that said contacts cannot be accidentally closed, said locking means unlocking said operating means in response to rotation of said input crankshaft means and said yoke arm means in the opposite direction to close the contacts.
  • a high voltage switch operating mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein said locking means comprises:
  • a latch dog member pivotably mounted to said output drive lever means, said latch dog member being spring biased to rotate to engage said pin projection on said yoke arm when said output drive lever rotates to open the contacts so that said output drive lever cannot rotate in an opposite direction until said yoke arm means is rotated by said input crankshaft means.

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US433728A 1974-01-16 1974-01-16 High voltage switch operating mechanism Expired - Lifetime US3898420A (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US433728A US3898420A (en) 1974-01-16 1974-01-16 High voltage switch operating mechanism
CA217,320A CA1024567A (fr) 1974-01-16 1975-01-03 Mecanisme d'interrupteur haute tension a fermeture/rupture brusques

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US433728A US3898420A (en) 1974-01-16 1974-01-16 High voltage switch operating mechanism

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US3898420A true US3898420A (en) 1975-08-05

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CA (1) CA1024567A (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4255733A (en) * 1978-01-30 1981-03-10 Electro Switch Corp. Latching switch relay
US4256941A (en) * 1978-03-09 1981-03-17 Asea Aktiebolag Spring operating devices for high-voltage circuit-breakers
US4291209A (en) * 1977-06-21 1981-09-22 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Circuit breaker having improved movable contact-drive mechanism interconnection
US20140091886A1 (en) * 2011-06-09 2014-04-03 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Operating mechanism

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3590183A (en) * 1967-07-31 1971-06-29 Westinghouse Electric Corp Quick-make and quick-break switch
US3723686A (en) * 1971-06-28 1973-03-27 Mc Graw Edison Co Quick closing mechanism for circuit interrupter

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3590183A (en) * 1967-07-31 1971-06-29 Westinghouse Electric Corp Quick-make and quick-break switch
US3723686A (en) * 1971-06-28 1973-03-27 Mc Graw Edison Co Quick closing mechanism for circuit interrupter

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4291209A (en) * 1977-06-21 1981-09-22 Westinghouse Electric Corp. Circuit breaker having improved movable contact-drive mechanism interconnection
US4255733A (en) * 1978-01-30 1981-03-10 Electro Switch Corp. Latching switch relay
US4256941A (en) * 1978-03-09 1981-03-17 Asea Aktiebolag Spring operating devices for high-voltage circuit-breakers
US20140091886A1 (en) * 2011-06-09 2014-04-03 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Operating mechanism
US9053875B2 (en) * 2011-06-09 2015-06-09 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Operating mechanism

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Publication number Publication date
CA1024567A (fr) 1978-01-17

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