Electricity: magnetically operated switches – magnets – and electr – Electromagnetically actuated switches – Tripping means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-10
2001-10-23
Barrera, Ramon M. (Department: 2832)
Electricity: magnetically operated switches, magnets, and electr
Electromagnetically actuated switches
Tripping means
C335S006000, C335S021000, C335S038000, C335S166000, C335S167000, C335S174000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06307455
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a control mechanism for a circuit breaker comprising poles with separable contacts.
This type of mechanism usually includes a manual control part used to start and stop and reset, and a trip part comprising an electromagnetic tripping device, a pivoting latch-in lever, and a pivoting control lever with a pawl normally held in place by the latch and acted upon by a trip spring, the tripping device pivoting the latch-in lever and unlatching the control lever to open the contacts, in response to an overcurrent.
In a particular circuit breaker called “contactor-circuit breaker” or hereafter circuit interrupter, the mechanism must also include a part for switching the contacts using an electromagnet depending on whether or not the electromagnet coil is energized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of this invention is to simplify such a circuit breaker mechanism by having some of its component parts perform several functions.
According to the invention, an oscillating lever is installed free to pivot on a hinge pin and is coupled with the manual control part, while the trip spring exerts an opening torque on the control lever through a first bearing point and a return torque on the oscillating lever through a second bearing point. The double-acting trip spring is preferably a compression spring, and the second spring bearing point is put into the On position slightly offset from the line between its first bearing point and the hinge pin of the oscillating lever, and when tripping takes place the offset forces the oscillating lever into an intermediate position between its On position and its Stop position.
The manual control part advantageously comprises a knob and a sliding connecting rod cooperating directly with the oscillating lever and coupled to a multipole contact actuator lever, the connecting rod and the knob being able to move into an On position, a Stop position and an intermediate trip position.
The sliding connecting rod may be used with a pivoting lock, this lock being able to lock the connecting rod in the On position and is provided with an arm coupled to a strip designed to move the auxiliary contacts, and transferring three positions (“On”, “Off” and “Tripped”) to the strip. The manual control part is coupled to a single sliding strip with three positions (On, Off and Tripped) to activate at least one signaling device.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4048599 (1977-09-01), Groth
patent: 5252933 (1993-10-01), Kamino et al.
patent: 0 571 258 (1993-11-01), None
patent: 0 847 070 (1998-06-01), None
patent: 2 538 160 (1984-06-01), None
Dolo Gerard
Millot Dominique
Noirot Frederic
Barrera Ramon M.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Schneider Electric Industries SA
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