Blocking members and circuit breakers having quick-make feature
AssigneeABB Schweiz AG
InventorsDavid Peter Mika, Linda Yvonne Jacobs, Daniel Edward Delfino, Nagesh V. Tumu, Dmitry Povolotskiy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A blocking member for an actuator having a movable arm for effecting a quick-make feature, includes for example, an elongated member having a first end and a second end, and wherein a portion of said elongated member being configured so that said blocking member disposed in a first position engages a portion of the movable arm of the actuator to restrain movement of the movable arm, and so that said blocking member disposed in a second position disengages from the portion of the movable arm of the actuator to permit movement of the movable arm.
Claims16
A circuit breaker having a quick-make feature, the circuit breaker comprising:
- a frame;
- a stationary electrical contact attached to said frame;
- a movable arm having a first end attachable to said frame and a second end having an electrical contact releaseably contactable with said stationary electrical contact;
- and
- an actuator mechanism comprising:
- a main biasing means operable to apply a first force to move said movable arm in a first direction to open said electrical contacts;
- a contact biasing means operable to apply a second force to move said movable arm in a second direction to close said electrical contacts;
- and
- a blocking member comprising an elongated member having a portion disposed between a first end and a second end, wherein said blocking member is configured so that said portion of said elongated member engages a portion of said movable arm to restrain movement of said movable arm by said main biasing means and maintain said electrical contacts open when said blocking member is disposed in a first position, and so that said portion of said elongated member disengages from said portion of said movable arm to permit movement of said movable arm by said contact biasing means to close said electrical contacts when said blocking member is disposed in a second position,
- wherein said movable arm is disposed through said blocking member in both said first position and said second position.
A method for actuating a circuit breaker for opening and closing electrical contacts, the method comprising:
- engaging a movable arm with a portion of a blocking member to restrain movement of said movable arm in a first direction and maintain said electrical contacts open, wherein said portion of said blocking member is disposed between a first end and a second end of an elongated member, and wherein said movable arm is disposed through said blocking member when said moveable arm is engaged with said portion of said blocking member;
- and
- disengaging said portion of said blocking member from said movable arm to allow movement of said movable arm in said first direction to close said electrical contacts, wherein said movable arm is disposed through said blocking member when said portion of said blocking member is disengaged from said moveable arm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.