Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Switch activation inhibitor – Actuator locking device
Patent
1998-07-30
1999-12-07
Luebke, Renee S.
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Switch activation inhibitor
Actuator locking device
H01H 920
Patent
active
05998743&
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a locking-type actuator for a rotary switch and more particularly to a locking-type actuator having a base plate that is slid over the actuating shaft of the rotary switch.
RELATED TECHNOLOGY
A locking device is disclosed in Swiss Patent Publication No. 631 828 A5. A base plate that is able to be slip-fit onto an actuating shaft of a rotary switch and secured from the front side to the rotary switch or to a front appliance plate includes a locking disk, which is able to be slipped so as to be torsionally fixed onto the actuating shaft and which has at least one cutout, a laterally displaceable strip-shaped locking bolt for engaging with the cut-out of the locking disk, and a slide bar that is premolded at right angles on the locking bar and which extends parallel to the lower rim of the base plate. The slide bar projects with one end laterally over the base plate and, at the other end, is acted upon by a compression spring. A cover that is mountable upon the base plate covers the base plate, together with the slide bar.
The slide bar and the part of the cover surrounding the slide bar are provided with holes that correspond when the slide bar is pressed in, at least one padlock or shackle connector being insertable into the holes for locking the rotary switch. In this locked state, the cover cannot be removed, making it impossible for the lock to be released. The fact that the locking device is configured separately from the twist handle entails the disadvantage of an unsatisfactory size and number of required components.
An actuator according to German Patent Application No. 42 06 378 A1, which includes a twist handle, which, together with an actuating shaft of a switching device, forms a keyed connection in the direction of rotation, and which is snap-fit onto the actuating shaft in the axial direction with form locking or friction locking, has a lock-and-release lever as a locking device, which in the swung-out position prevents the twist handle from executing a rotary motion and from being pulled off from the actuating shaft. For this, the lock-and-release lever has a lug, which cooperates with a radially arranged bore hole of the actuating shaft axis. The rotary motion is blocked by a blocking device or by a cut-out in the housing wall. Locking or sealing devices can be inserted in bore holes of the wing handle to protect against unauthorized operation. The disadvantage of this design approach is that it requires very precise adjustment of the actuating shaft end to the lug of the lock-and-release lever, which is impossible to achieve when working with different distances between the switch and the front plate, or different front plate thicknesses. Furthermore, many rotary switches require that the twist handle be connected to the actuating shaft in a way that does not permit it to be easily pulled off.
German Laid-Open (AS) Document No. 1 200 923 discusses a locking-type actuator having a twist handle, which is secured by a locking pin to the actuating shaft of a rotary switch. Within the twist handle, a catch lever is swing-mounted in a bearing block, which is retained in a cut-out of the twist handle and within which a locking pin that is coupled with force locking to the catch lever and that engages with a corresponding cut-out of the rotary switch housing is supported so as to be axially movable. The catch lever is movable in an open wing-lever slot, which is turned away from the rotary switch, and is provided with an elongated hole for receiving shackle connectors. In the neutral position, the catch lever has a working surface which projects slightly above the side surface of the twist handle. A spring that is braced on the one side against a base plate of the bearing block and, on the other side, against an extension of the locking pin holds the catch lever in its neutral position. A cross pin joins the locking pin via a slotted hole to the catch lever. The disadvantages in this case include the cumbersome fastening of the twist handle
REFERENCES:
patent: 1597832 (1926-08-01), Scott
patent: 4778954 (1988-10-01), Hauser
patent: 5213308 (1993-05-01), Jeromson et al.
patent: 5243157 (1993-09-01), Hoffman
Kloeckner-Moeller GmbH
Luebke Renee S.
LandOfFree
Locking-type actuator for a rotary switch does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Locking-type actuator for a rotary switch, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Locking-type actuator for a rotary switch will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-826307