Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Electric switch details – Actuators
Reexamination Certificate
2003-07-11
2004-07-20
Scott, James R. (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Electric switch details
Actuators
Reexamination Certificate
active
06765163
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention refers to a mechanical reset device for a switch, and it allows said reset to be realized from a location at a distance from the switch.
Therefore the invention has been especially designed to reset switches located in inaccessible or hard-to-reach places.
The invention is applicable to automatically triggered switches that are turned on by means of the angular displacement, in either direction, of a contact bridge and its support.
An example of this type of switch is the switch provided in speed limiters for elevators, which is found in an inaccessible place.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, it is known that elevators use speed limiters incorporating switches that turn on automatically when the elevator exceeds a certain speed. These switches are turned on through the angular displacement of the contact bridge, in one of two directions, depending on whether the elevator is going up or down, and to reset the switch, it must be accessed and manually turned in the direction opposite the contact bridge.
Speed limiters for elevators are set in places that are hard to access, so resetting is complicated.
To resolve this disadvantage, the use of electromechanical devices that allow resetting at a distance is known. These devices have the disadvantage that, if there is a break in the electrical current, the reset cannot be carried out.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
To resolve the disadvantages mentioned above, the invention presents a totally mechanical device that makes it possible to reset a switch from a location at a distance from said switch. The device is totally mechanical, so that interruptions in electrical power do not prevent the reset from being effected.
As mentioned earlier, the invention is applicable to automatically triggered switches that are turned on by means of angular displacement, in either direction, of the contact bridge and its support.
The invention is characterized in that the outside of the contact bridge support comprises at least one extension that, when the contact bridge is closed, is perpendicular to the direction of displacement of an actuator and is separated from the actuator by a certain distance.
The actuator is connected to a remote handle so that it can be moved by operating said handle.
Thus, when the contact bridge is opened by means of the angular displacement of the same bridge and its support, the angular displacement of the extension is also produced, so that, when the handle is operated, the actuator shifts, contacting and pressing against the extension and forcing it to return to its initial position, which produces the reset of the contact bridge.
In one preferable embodiment of the invention, the at least one extension consists of two pin-shaped extensions. The central branch of a T-shaped piece forming the actuator runs between these pin-shaped extensions. In this case, when the contact bridge is opened, the pins shift angularly, so that, depending on the direction of rotation, one of the pins approaches the arms of the T-shaped piece and the other pin moves away from the arms. In this case, the reset is realized by operating the handle, which displaces the T-shaped piece, and one of the arms of this piece presses against the closest pin, forcing the contact bridge to return to its initial position, where the other arm of the T-shaped piece contacts the corresponding pin, producing the reset.
In another embodiment of the invention, the at least one extension consists of a small partition which, in the idle position, is located parallel to a small wall that comprises the actuator. In this case the opening of the contact bridge produces the angular displacement of the partition, so that one of its ends approaches the small wall and the other moves away from the wall, in such a way that, when the handle is operated, the wall approaches the closer end of the partition, pressing against it and forcing it to shift in the opposite direction toward the initial reset position, in which the partition and the wall are parallel and in contact.
In either of the described embodiments, the actuator is assisted by a spring, so that after the reset is effected and the handle is no longer acted upon, the actuator is forced to return to its initial idle position.
The actuator is joined to the handle by a cable housed in a sleeve. The ends of the sleeve are attached to a support of the handle and to a support of the actuator.
The end of the actuator has an elastic stop that limits the movement of the actuator during reset, so that it stops at the end of the sleeve through which the cable runs.
Furthermore, the actuator has a stop that stops at the frame of the switch to define the initial idle position of the actuator.
Finally, it is worth pointing out that the handle also has an elastic stop that limits its movement when it is released after the reset is effected. To facilitate better understanding of this description and forming an integral part thereof, a series of figures is attached below in which the object of the invention has been represented with illustrative, non-restrictive features.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3267248 (1966-08-01), Bagley
patent: 3939725 (1976-02-01), Fisher
patent: 3956606 (1976-05-01), Reiter
patent: 4626638 (1986-12-01), Samples et al.
patent: 29 35 420 (1980-03-01), None
patent: 0 923 095 (1999-06-01), None
patent: WO 02/97238 (2002-12-01), None
Aguado Jose-Miguel
Sevilleja-Perez Jose
Otis Elevator Company
Scott James R.
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