# US 10,319,541 B1 · Rotary motion switching apparatus usable with circuit interrupter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,319,541 B1 - Document ID: US10319541B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/972,414 - Filed: 2018-05-07 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-19 - Assignees: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Applicants: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited - Inventors: John Thomas Clark; Ramesh Shivaji Powar; Sujit Subhash Patwardhan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319541B1 ## CPC - H01H 19/04: Cases; Covers - H01H 71/56: actuated by rotatable knob or wheel - H01H 3/10: Means for securing to shaft of driving mechanism - H01H 9/22: for interlocking between casing, cover, or protective shutter and mechanism for operating contacts {(explosion-proof cases H01H9/045; built-in fuses and interlocking mechanisms H01H9/104; by automatic release of circuit breakers H01H71/126)} - H01H 19/08: Bases; Stationary contacts mounted thereon - H01H 19/14: Operating parts, e.g. turn knob - H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00) ## Abstract A rotary motion switching apparatus is usable with a circuit interrupter and employs an attachment system in order to resist removal of the rotary motion switching apparatus from the circuit interrupter. The attachment system has three connectors that are engaged with an exterior surface of a housing of the circuit interrupter. The portions of the housing that are engaged by the three connectors are pre-existing portions of the exterior surface of the housing of the circuit interrupter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A rotary motion switching apparatus that is usable with a number of circuit interrupters, each circuit interrupter of the number of circuit interrupters having a housing and further having a switch situated on the housing, the rotary motion switching apparatus comprising: a base; an attachment system situated on the base, the attachment system comprising a first connector, a second connector, and a third connector that are structured to engage a housing of a circuit interrupter of the number of circuit interrupters to retain the housing between the first, second, and third connectors and to affix the base to the housing; a crank apparatus situated on the base, the crank apparatus comprising a first portion and second portion, the first portion being pivotable about an axis of rotation between a first orientation and a second orientation, the first portion and the second portion being engaged with one another at a location spaced from the axis of rotation, at least a part of the second portion being translatable along a movement axis between a first position and a second position, the first portion being in the first orientation when the at least part of the second portion is in the first position, the first portion being in the second orientation when the at least part of the second portion is in the second position; and the second portion having a number of lugs that are structured to engage a switch of a circuit interrupter of the number of circuit interrupters and to move the switch between a first state and a second state, the at least part of the second portion being structured to be in the first position when the switch is in the first state, the at least part of the second portion being structured to be in the second position when the switch is in the second state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second connectors are disposed in a confronting relationship with one another and are structured to retain a part of the housing between the first and second connectors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 2 wherein the third connector and at least one of the first connector and the second connector are structured to retain another part of the housing between the third connector and the at least one of the first connector and the second connector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein the base comprises a plate-like support, and wherein the first, second, and third connectors each extend in a common direction away from the support. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 4 wherein the base further comprises a platform that extends in the common direction away from the support, the crank apparatus being situated on the platform. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 5 wherein the platform is situated at an end of the support, and wherein the third connector is situated at another end of the support opposite the platform. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The rotary motion snitching apparatus of claim 5 wherein the first and second connectors are situated on the support generally between the end and the another end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first portion and the second portion are pivotably connected together at the location spaced from the axis of rotation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first portion has a receptacle formed therein, the receptacle being structured to receive therein an end of a shaft that has a handle situated on another end thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least part of the second portion comprises a slider that is at least partially situated in a slot formed in the base. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 10 wherein the second portion further comprises a link that is pivotably connected between the slider and the first portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) An assembly comprising the rotary motion switching apparatus of claim 1, the assembly further comprising: a number of circuit interrupters, each, circuit interrupter of the number of circuit interrupters having a housing and further having a switch situated on the housing; the first, second, and third connectors being engaged with a housing of a circuit interrupter of the number of circuit interrupters to retain the housing between the first, second, and third connectors and to affix the base to the housing; and the number of lugs being, engaged with a switch of a circuit interrupter of the number of circuit interrupters to move the switch between the first state and the second state, the at least part of the second portion being in the first position when the switch is in the first state, the at least part of the second portion being in the second position when the switch is in the second state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The assembly of claim 12 wherein the housing has a notch formed therein that is structured to receive a rail, one of the first connector, the second connector, and the third connector being received in the notch. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The assembly of claim 12 wherein the first and second connectors are disposed in a confronting relationship with one another and are biased toward one another and into engagement with the housing to retain a part of the housing between the first and second connectors. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14 wherein the third connector is biased toward at least one of the first, connector and the second connector and into engagement with the housing to retain another part of the housing between the third connector and the at least one of the first connector and the second connector.