High-voltage switches with arc preventing or extinguishing devic – Arc preventing or extinguishing devices – Housing structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-07
2001-03-27
Donovan, Lincoln (Department: 2832)
High-voltage switches with arc preventing or extinguishing devic
Arc preventing or extinguishing devices
Housing structure
C218S067000, C218S084000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06207919
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The following copending applications assigned to the same assignee as this application disclose related subject matter:
(1) Ser. No. 09/454,575, filed Dec. 7, 1999, entitled “Load Break Interrupter Having Diagonally Split Case With Component Mounting Elements” by Brad W. Davis.
(2) Ser. No. 09/454,574, filed Dec. 7, 1999, entitled “Load Break Interrupter Having Arc-Suppressing Tube With Mechanically Interlocked Inner Quench Liner” by Brad W. Davis.
(3) Ser. No. 09/454,573, filed Dec. 7, 1999, entitled “Load Break Interrupter Having Vented Muffler Assembly On Arc-Suppressing Tube” by Brad W. Davis.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a load break interrupter for suppressing arcing during opening of a blade-type disconnect switch and, more particularly, is concerned with such an interrupter having a shunt circuit break actuating mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the use of high voltage electrical transmission and distribution equipment, it is common practice to provide manually operable blade-type switches which can be opened as needed to break the flow of current in order that linemen can work on such equipment. These switches employ a pivotally movable blade-like contact electrically connected between a pair of fixed switch terminal contacts. When the movable contact of the switch is swung open by means of a conventional hot-line tool or the like, the circuit between the fixed terminal contacts is broken and the flow of current is interrupted. The fixed and movable contacts are in proximal relationship during opening and closing of the movable contact and the swinging movement of the movable contact away from the fixed contacts is slow relative to the current flow.
Because transmission and distribution lines carrying high voltages on the order of 15,000 volts or more will produce arcing which is damaging to the blade-type switch as the movable contact is swung away from the fixed contacts, it is also common practice to employ load break interrupters with such blade-type switches. One load break interrupter marketed under the trademark DuoGap by Hubbell Power Systems, Inc. of Centralia, Mo., a subsidiary of Hubbell Incorporated, is designed to overcome the problems associated with arcing across switch contacts. The Hubbell DuoGap interrupter is illustrated and described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,852 to Roberts et al. The Hubbell DuoGap interrupter basically includes a case, an arc-suppressing tube supported on the housing, a reciprocal shunt circuit rod slidably supported in the tube, electrical contacts spaced apart from one another on the rod and tube, and a spring-loaded trip mechanism disposed in the housing and coupled with the rod. Actuation of the trip mechanism pushes the rod through and relative to the tube to break an electrical shunt circuit between the electrical contacts on the rod and on the tube after the movable contact of the blade-type switch has separated from the fixed contacts thereof. Any arcing between the spaced apart electrical contacts on the interrupter rod and tube is confined to and suppressed inside the tube due to the presence of arc-suppressing material therein. The interrupter also includes a mechanism for resetting the interrupter to re-establish the shunt circuit through the interrupter after each actuation thereof.
The above-described Hubbell interrupter has performed highly satisfactorily over a prolonged period of commercial use. However, as with any successful product, the need arises from time to time to make improvements which will enhance its overall manufacture and operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a load break interrupter incorporating improved features that satisfies the aforementioned need. These features are a diagonally split case having component mounting elements, a shunt circuit break actuating mechanism, an arc-suppressing tube having a mechanically interlocked inner quench liner, and a vented muffler assembly on the arc-suppressing tube. One of these features, the shunt circuit break actuating mechanism, constitutes the present invention of this application. This feature along with the other features constituting the inventions of the applications cross-referenced above increase reliability of the interrupter and simplify the manner of assembly and reduce the cost of the interrupter.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a load break interrupter which comprises: (a) a case defining an interior chamber; (b) an arc-suppressing tube supported on and extending outwardly from the case; (c) a shunt circuit rod slidably supported in the tube for making and breaking a shunt circuit upon sliding of the rod into and from the tube; (d) a shunt circuit break actuating mechanism disposed in the interior chamber of the case and coupled with the rod such that tripping of the actuating mechanism from a shunt circuit-defining position to a shunt circuit-breaking position pulls the rod at least partially into the case from the tube thereby breaking the shunt circuit such that any arcing that occurs upon breaking of the shunt circuit is confined and suppressed inside the tube; and (e) a reset spring coupled between the case and shunt circuit break actuating mechanism and being adapted to return the actuating mechanism to the shunt circuit-defining position from the shunt circuit-breaking position such that the actuating mechanism pushes the rod from the case back into the tube thereby remaking the shunt circuit.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2710897 (1955-06-01), Lindell
patent: 2923799 (1960-02-01), Polgov et al.
patent: 3223810 (1965-12-01), Jelinek
patent: 3471669 (1969-10-01), Curtis
patent: 3739122 (1973-06-01), Pierzehala
patent: 3909570 (1975-09-01), Harner et al.
patent: 4011426 (1977-03-01), Lange
patent: 4013852 (1977-03-01), Roberts et al.
patent: 4103129 (1978-07-01), Evans et al.
patent: 4459447 (1984-07-01), Arimoto
patent: 4611189 (1986-09-01), Mikulecky
patent: 5057654 (1991-10-01), Meyer et al.
patent: 5847630 (1998-12-01), Arnold et al.
'Hubbell Incorporated
Donovan Lincoln
Swartz Michael R.
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