Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Interlocking – Between switch and connector assembly
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-20
2001-07-03
Scott, J. R. (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Interlocking
Between switch and connector assembly
Reexamination Certificate
active
06255607
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to plug and receptacle assemblies designed for heavy duty industrial uses and, more particularly, is concerned with a switchable receptacle assembly having an internal interlock mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices, such as plugs and receptacle assemblies, designed for heavy duty industrial uses have been manufactured and marketed for some time by Killark Electric Manufacturing Company, a subsidiary of Hubbell Incorporated, the assignee of the present invention, and by other companies as well. These devices supply electrical power to both fixed and portable electrical equipment including pumps, generators, welders, vacuums, blowers and similar apparatus. These devices are suitable for indoor or outdoor environments and wet, cold, hosedown and corrosive locations commonly encountered in chemical, petrochemical, refining, pharmaceutical, food processing offshore energy, coal mining and many other industries.
Many of these devices have interlock mechanisms to prevent inadvertent removal of plugs from the receptacle assemblies. The interlock mechanism has typically been mounted on the exterior of the receptacle assembly in order to engage an external recess provided in the plug to prevent its removal. A problem which arises with providing the interlock mechanism on the exterior of the receptacle assembly is that this typically has eliminated the use of external threads on the receptacle assembly for reason that external threads would block any radial engagement of the external recess by the interlock mechanism, especially when other supporting structure is considered. The provision of external threads are desired to enable meeting certain industrial rating standards for weather resistance.
Consequently, a need exists for an innovation which will provide a suitable interlock function without sacrificing the provision of external threads on the receptacle assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a receptacle assembly designed to satisfy the aforementioned need. Whereas the approach of the prior art has been to locate the interlock mechanism external to the receptacle assembly, the approach of the present invention is to locate an interlock mechanism internal to the receptacle assembly which accomplishes all interlock functionality without disturbing the provision of external threads on the receptacle assembly. The internal interlock mechanism prevents removal of the plug from the receptacle body after the switch mechanism has been switched to the ON position and prevents switching of the switch mechanism from the OFF position to the ON position once the interlock mechanism has been unlocked relative to the receptacle body allowing removal of the plug from or insertion of the plug into the receptacle body.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a receptacle assembly which comprises: (a) a housing having an interior chamber; (b) a switch mechanism movably mounted to the housing and having a portion extending into the interior chamber, the switch mechanism capable of being moved relative to the housing and switched between OFF and ON positions; (c) a receptacle body spaced from the switch mechanism and mounted to the housing, the receptacle body having an interior cavity in which a plug can be inserted into the receptacle body; and (d) an internal interlock mechanism supported within the interior chamber of the housing and extending between the interior cavity of the receptacle body and the portion of the switch mechanism extending into the interior chamber of the housing. The interlock mechanism is rotatable between unlocked and locked positions relative to the receptacle body and relative to the portion of the switch mechanism such that the interlock mechanism, when in the locked position relative to the receptacle body and concurrently in the unlocked position relative to the switch mechanism, prevents removal of a plug from the receptacle body after the switch mechanism has been switched to the ON position whereas the interlock mechanism, when in the unlocked position relative to the receptacle body and concurrently in the locked position relative to the switch mechanism, prevents switching of the switch mechanism from the OFF position to the ON position once a plug is allowed to be removed from or reinserted into the receptacle body.
More particularly, the interlock mechanism includes elongated interlock shaft having first and second end portions and an intermediate portion disposed between the first and second end portions. The interlock shaft is rotatably supported within the interior chamber of the housing and extends at the first end portion to adjacent to an inner portion of a switch shaft of the switch mechanism and extends at the second end portion into the interior cavity of the receptacle body. The second end portion of the interlock shaft has a pawl thereon protruding laterally therefrom such that rotation of the interlock shaft moves the pawl between withdrawn and locking positions relative to a plug inserted in the interior cavity of the receptacle body.
Also, the interlock mechanism includes a catch element disposed adjacent to the second end portion of the interlock shaft and coupled therewith when the plug is removed from the receptacle body such that the interlock shaft is held by the catch element in the unlocked position relative to the receptacle body and concurrently in the locked position relative to the switch mechanism. The catch element is displaced relative to the second end portion of the interlock shaft and decoupled therefrom when the plug is inserted into the receptacle body such that the interlock shaft is released by the catch element and free to move between the unlocked and locked positions relative to the receptacle body and the switch mechanism.
Further, the interlock mechanism includes means for interfacing the first end portion of the interlock shaft and the inner portion of the switch shaft with each other such that rotation of the switch shaft to the OFF and ON positions of the switch mechanism correspondingly allows and prevents rotation of the interlock shaft whereas rotation of the interlock shaft to the unlocked and locked positions relative to the receptacle body and of the pawl to the withdrawn and locking positions relative to a plug in the receptacle body correspondingly prevents rotation of the switch shaft from the OFF position of the switch mechanism and allows rotation of the switch shaft between the OFF and ON positions of the switch mechanism.
Still further, the interlock mechanism includes an actuator assembly having an actuating shaft with outer and inner end portions and being mounted to the housing for undergoing reciprocal movement in the interior chamber thereof toward and away from the intermediate portion of the interlock shaft and an actuating button attached on the outer end portion of the actuating shaft and disposed exteriorly of the housing for depressing and releasing the actuating button to move the actuating shaft relative to the intermediate portion of the interlock shaft. The interlock mechanism also includes means for movably coupling the intermediate portion of the interlock shaft to the lower end portion of the actuating shaft such that depression and release of the actuating button and shaft correspondingly causes rotation of the interlock shaft in opposite directions and vice versa. The actuating button and shaft are held at a disabled position and prevented from being depressed when the interlock shaft is in the locked position relative to the receptacle body and the switch mechanism is in the ON position. The actuating button and shaft are released from the disabled position and allowed to be actuated, that is, depressed and reciprocally moved, to rotate the interlock shaft from the locked position to the unlocked position relative to the receptacle body when the switch mechanism is in the OFF position.
These and other features and advantages of the present inve
'Hubbell Incorporated
Scott J. R.
Swartz Michael R.
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