Circuit interrupting device

A circuit interrupting device comprising:

• a stationary electrical contact connected to a first circuit terminal;
• a stationary hollow insulator mounted coaxially with said stationary contact having an opening at one end thereof;
• a movable electrical contact normally engaging said stationary electrical contact and mounted for movement within said insulator away from said stationary contact;
• bias means for urging said movable contact toward engagement with said stationary contact;
• a movable conductive element serially connected to a second circuit terminal;
• release means connected to said movable contact and extending through said opening in said insulator for disengageably engaging said movable conductive element to serially electrically connect said first circuit terminal with said second terminal;
• arc extinguishing means for extinguishing arcs between said stationary and movable contacts;
• whereby current flow is serially interrupted when said movable conductive element is moved to cause said movable contact to disengage said stationary contact so that the resultant arc is extinguished by said arc extinguishing means, said movable contact continuing to move until said release means disengages from said movable conductive element thereby allowing said bias means to return said movable contact to engagement with said stationary contact.

A device for interrupting and closing an electrical circuit in a series circuit relationship comprising:

• a first electrically conductive element connected to a first circuit terminal and a second electrically conductive element connected to a second terminal, a first set of separable contacts arranged to serially electrically connect said first and second electrically conductive elements between the terminals, said electrically conductive elements being mounted for relative movement together or apart along a pre-determined path, said first electrically conductive element comprising a second set of separable contacts, said first and said second sets of separable contacts being serially arranged for sequential operation so that when said relative movement of said electrically conductive elements is apart, the series circuit is interrupted by the separation of said second set of separable contacts followed by separation of said first set of separable contacts, and when said relative movement of said elements is together, a series circuit is completed at said first set of separable contacts, there being no other electrical connection between said second conductive element and said first terminal when said conductive elements are serially connected by both sets of said separable contacts so that said conductive elements carry the same current in all relative positions of said conductive elements.

In a device for interrupting and closing an electrical circuit having relatively movable first and second electrically conductive elements, means for releaseably preventing relative separation of said first and second electrically conductive elements comprising:

• engaging means on the first of said electrically conductive elements, said engaging means being relatively fixed with respect to said first element;
• latch means mounted for rotation on a first pivot attached to said second electrically conductive element, said latch means positioned to achieve a latching relationship with said engaging means;
• resilient means biasing said latch means for rotation in a latching direction;
• stop means on said second electrically conductive element to limit rotation of said latch means in the latching direction;
• pull-ring means mounted for rotation on a second pivot attached to said second electrically conductive element;
• coupling means joining said latch means and said pull-ring means, whereby rotation of said pull-ring means by a force applied to said pull-ring means to effect separation of said first and said second electrically conductive elements will cause a rotation of said latch means to disengage said engaging means to permit separation of said first and second electrically conductive elements, and whereby said coupling means permits said latch means to rotate for engagement with said engaging means without causing corresponding rotation of said pull-ring means when a force is applied to said pull-ring means to affect closing of said first and second electrically conductive elements.

An apparatus for mounting a fuse comprising:

• first and second circuit terminals in an insulated spaced relation;
• hinge means connected to the second circuit terminal for supporting a fuse having first and second ends for rotation about its first end;
• p1 current interrupting means connected to said first circuit terminal, said current interrupting means including a housing, external contact means outside of the housing adapted for serial engagement with the second end of said fuse, said stationary current interrupting means also including internal separable contacts within the housing serially arranged between said first circuit terminal and said external contact means;
• said current interrupting means and said fuse being in a series electrical circuit relationship between said first and second terminals, there being no other electrical connection between said second fuse end and said first terminal when said contact means engage said second fuse end so that said interrupting means and said fuse carry the same current in all rotational positions of said fuse.

An improved electrical current interrupting device for use with a circuit switching element, the device and the switching element being relatively movable between a circuit closed position and a circuit opened position;

• the device being of the type which includes a movable contact normally engaging a stationary contact and movable relative thereto in an arc extinguishing environment;
• the stationary contact being connectable to a first circuit terminal;
• the switching element being connectable to a second terminal;
• wherein the improvement comprises:
• means for normally electrically connecting the movable contact in series with the switching element between the terminals and for disengaging the movable contact from the stationary contact in response to relative movement of the device and the switching element toward the circuit opened position;
• and
• means for disconnecting the movable contact from the switching element after the movable contact has moved a predetermined distance away from the stationary contact, there being no other electrical connection between the switching element and the first circuit terminal in the circuit closed position so that the switching element and the interrupting device carry the same current in the circuit closed position.