US 4,124,790 A · Protective switch device and operating mechanism therefor

Abstract

A vacuum contact enclosure has end contact assemblies within contact enclosures specially formed to distribute the high voltage field and eliminate high stress in an encapsulating solid insulation. A non-tracking guide tube extends concentrically of a movable contact rod. A solid, dry, high voltage insulation wall intimately attaches to the vacuum and contact enclosures. The wall has an opening through which the contact rod extends with a planar end wall surface abutting a submersible operating housing. A clamp engages the wall and housing and draws the wall surface into sealing engagement with the housing. The operating mechanism includes a pivoted lever assembly connected to a spring-loaded linkage member secured to the contact operating member and a spaced drive lever and pin assembly. A toggle assembly is pinned between the assemblies and includes a releasable latch member. An extension spring is connected at opposite ends to the lever assemblies to rapidly open the contacts upon release of the latch member. A separate closing spring is connected to the lever and pin assembly. A trip-free operating handle has a reset arm engaging a pivoted arm for pivoting the lever and pin assembly to reestablish the toggle latch and simultaneously stress the both extension springs. The reset arm disengages and releases the mechanism and the closing spring pivots the reset toggle mechanism to close the contacts.

Claims14

Dependent claims

In a protective switch device for rapid opening and closing of a power circuit, the combination comprising an encapsulated interrupter including a first and a second contact within a vacuum enclosure, the first of said contacts being movable relative to said second contact and including an operating member extending from said vacuum enclosure, an outer solid insulation wall encapsulating said enclosure with said enclosure embedded in said insulation wall, said insulation wall including a mounting wall and having an opening extending inwardly from said mounting wall to said enclosure, said operating member extending through said opening, said insulation wall having a high mechanical strength to form a supporting structure,

a separate housing having a coupling opening, said mounting wall being an integral mounting enlargement portion of the insulation wall, attachment means including a clamping element secured to the housing and releasably abutting the exterior of said enlargement portion and drawing the mounting wall into tight abutting supporting engagement with said housing with said operating member extending through said opening to attach the encapsulated interrupter to the housing, and
an operating mechanism mounted within said housing, said operating mechanism including yieldable resilient means urging the mechanism to a collapsed position and having releasable latch means holding the mechanism in an extended position, said mechanism being coupled to said operating member for rapid movement of the movable contact in response to release of said latch means.

An encapsulated vacuum interrupter, comprising an inner elongated vacuum enclosure having oppositely located first and second end members and contacts in said enclosure and contact elements connected to said contacts and extending in opposite direction and through the first and second end members of the enclosure, a first of said contact elements being movable within the first end member to open and close the contacts, a first end cap assembly secured to the second end of the vacuum enclosure and enclosing the second of said contact elements, a second end cap assembly secured to the opposite first end of the vacuum enclosure and including a sliding contact means engaging said movable contact element, terminals secured to said end cap assemblies and extending normal to said contact elements, and a high-voltage outer shell of a single continuous insulating material molded about the end cap assemblies and vacuum enclosure to form an outer integral shell;

said shell having an opening to the exterior of the shell and concentrically of the movable contact element with the contact element extending outwardly of said shell through said opening;
said shell being lightweight and mechanically self-supporting and including an integral enlarged mounting flange projecting from said shell adjacent the extension of the contact element from the shell, and a releasable mechanical clamping attachment means abutting said flange and having an element for drawing the means against the flange to secure said shell into tight supporting and abutting engagement with a support for said interrupter and to form the mounting means for the interrupter.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Protective switch device and operating mechanism therefor

Life of this patent

Protective switch device and operating mechanism therefor

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14