A high voltage in-line air break disconnect switch operatively supported and suspended by and mounted in-line with an electric power line conductor, the high voltage in-line air break disconnect switch including at least one elongated strain insulator operatively supported and suspended by the electric power line conductor, an elongated rotating switch blade extending in parallel spaced relationship with and supported by the at least one elongated strain insulator, the elongated rotating switch blade having an electric open circuit non-conductive position and an electric closed circuit conductive position;
- a switch blade drive motor in operative arrangement with a gear drive configured to rotate the elongated rotating switch blade upon the actuation of the switch blade drive motor into operative electric closed circuit conductive switch position with at least one break jaw and configured to rotate the elongated rotating switch blade upon motor actuation into the electric open circuit non-conductive switch position, the gear drive including a switch blade drive motor shaft in operative arrangement with the switch blade drive motor having a hookstick eye ring affixed at an end of the switch blade drive motor shaft, the switch blade drive motor operatively attached to a housing mounted on the high voltage in-line air break disconnect switch;
- a communication system including a plurality of communication devices configured to actuate the switch blade drive motor for causing the switch blade drive motor shaft to rotate in one direction for causing the elongated rotating switch blade to rotate into the electric closed circuit conductive switch position and configured to actuate the switch blade drive motor for causing the switch blade drive motor shaft to rotate in an opposite direction for causing the elongated rotating switch blade to rotate into the electric open circuit non-conductive switch position;
- the high voltage in-line air break disconnect switch including a battery mounted in the housing connected in operative electrical circuit arrangement with and configured to power the switch blade drive motor and the communication devices carried by the switch;
- an improvement which comprises a switch lock out system comprising:
- the switch blade drive motor shaft carrying the hookstick eye ring including a lockout gear operatively affixed thereto;
- an electric lockout motor including a lockout motor shaft, the electric lockout motor connected in operative electrical circuit arrangement with the battery,
- a lockout lever operatively affixed proximate an end of the lockout motor shaft;
- the lockout lever having a locking tooth protruding from the perimeter of the locking lever in predetermined position, the lockout lever configured to rotate upon manual actuation or electrical actuation of the electric lockout motor in one direction to cause the locking tooth to engage the lockout gear to lock the switch blade drive motor from rotating and configured to rotate upon manual actuation or electrical actuation of the electric lockout motor in an opposite direction to cause the locking tooth to disengage the lockout gear to permit the switch blade drive motor to rotate;
- at least one of the plurality of the communication devices of the communication system configured to electrically actuate the electric lockout motor to rotate the locking tooth to engage the lockout gear to lock the switch blade drive motor to prevent the switch blade from rotating or to disengage the lockout gear to permit the switch blade drive motor to rotate the switch blade.