Handle position indicator

Details Handle position indicator Handle position indicator

2000-12-27

2002-12-17

Enad, Elvin (Department: 2832)

Electricity: circuit makers and breakers

Electric switch details

Indicators

C200S308000, C200S330000, C200S331000, C200S333000, C200S334000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06495781

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a circuit breaker with a stored energy motor operator, and more particularly this invention relates to a stored energy motor operator which does not indicate an off condition when the handle is in an on/closed position.
Stored Energy motor operators provide closing times of breakers in under 300 micro-seconds (ms). These can be used in uninterrupted power supplies where one breaker is interlocked to the other so that both cannot be closed. Inherent in the design is the possibility that the motor operator can be closed on the auxiliary breaker but because the contacts are blocked due to the interlock, the motor operator does not indicate that the motor operator is discharged, which would cause inadvertent closing of the auxiliary breaker when the main breaker is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,016 to Baginski et al, for example, discloses an add-on remote control unit for a circuit breaker in which an indicator is arranged at the top end of an operating lever, operatively connected with the circuit breaker for indicating whether the contacts are in the open or closed state. This device does not, however, prevent the inadvertent closing of an auxiliary breaker when a main breaker is opened because the indication relies solely on whether the contacts are separated or not.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above discussed and other drawbacks and deficiencies are overcome or alleviated by a circuit breaker assembly comprising a rotary circuit breaker including a top cover, a midcover, a base, a moveable rotor drive pin, an on-off indicator having a first end and a second end, the rotor drive pin connected to the second end of the on-off indicator, and a handle. The circuit breaker assembly further preferably comprises a stored energy motor operator mounted to the top cover of the rotary circuit breaker, the stored energy motor operator including a flag, a connecting bar attached to the flag, a lever having a first end and a second end, the first end of the lever attached to the connecting bar, a hook portion of the lever between the first end and the second end, and, a pin seatable within the hook portion of the lever, the pin preventing the lever from movement towards the connecting bar when seated within the hook portion.
The above-discussed and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4042896 (1977-08-01), Powell et al.
patent: 4167988 (1979-09-01), Acampora et al.
patent: 4245140 (1981-01-01), Jencks et al.
patent: 5323131 (1994-06-01), Castonguay
patent: 5477016 (1995-12-01), Baginski et al.
patent: 5545867 (1996-08-01), Castonguay et al.
patent: 5791457 (1998-08-01), Castonguay et al.
patent: 5981887 (1999-11-01), Robarge et al.

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