Modular vacuum interrupter

A modular polyphase vacuum interrupter for controlling the application of polyphase electrical power to polyphase electrical apparatus comprising

• an elongated base,
• a plurality of substantially identical vacuum switch modules,
• each of said vacuum switch modules including an insulating housing, a vacuum switch secured to said housing, first and second spaced apart electrical terminals, a stationary contact electrically short circuited to said first terminal, a movable contact electrically short circuited to said second terminal, an elongated member mechanically and electrically connected to said movable contact and mounted for translational movement in said housing and means biasing said elongated member to a first position in which said stationary contact is spaced from said movable contact such that said vacuum switch is in an OPEN position,
• an elongated, rigid, rotatable operating shaft,
• said plurality of vacuum switch modules being disposed along the length of said shaft and receiving said shaft therethrough,
• means for mechanically interconnecting said shaft to said elongated member in each of said plurality of vacuum switch modules to effect the translational movement of said elongated member upon the rotational movement of said shaft such that said movable contact is moved into engagement with said stationary contact to place said vacuum switch in a CLOSED position,
• an elongated insulating cover,
• actuating means at least partially mounted in said cover for effecting the rotational movement of said shaft, and
• means for mechanically interconnecting said actuating means to said shaft.

A modular polyphase vacuum interrupter for controlling the application of polyphase electrical power to a polyphase electrical motor comprising

• an elongated base,
• first, second and third substantially identical vacuum switch modules removably mounted on said base,
• each of said first, second and third vacuum switch modules including an insulating housing, a vacuum switch disposed on said housing, first and second electrical terminals, a stationary and movable contact in said vacuum switch, an elongated contact stem at least partially disposed in said vacuum switch mechanically and electrically connecting said stationary contact to said first terminal, an elongated movable member mechanically and electrically connected to said movable contact, a flexible current carrying conductive shunt mechanically and electrically connecting said elongated member to said second terminal, an operating plunger mounted in said housing for translational movement and mechanically connected to said elongated member and a compression spring disposed between said plunger and said housing for biasing said plunger into a position in which said stationary contact and said movable contact are out of engagement,
• an elongated, rigid, rotatable operating shaft extending through said first, second and third vacuum switch modules and mounted for rotation therein,
• said operating shaft being mechanically interconnected with said plunger in each of said first, second and third vacuum switch modules to effect the simultaneous translational movement of said plunger in each of said first, second and third modules upon the rotational movement of said operating shaft,
• a solenoid and means for mechanically interconnecting said solenoid to said operating shaft to effect the rotational movement of said operating shaft upon the energization of said solenoid, thereby moving said movable contact into engagement with said stationary contact simultaneously in said first, second and third vacuum switch modules.

A method of assembling a modular polyphase vacuum interrupter for controlling the application of polyphase electrical power to polyphase electrical apparatus comprising the steps of

• selecting a first vacuum switch module,
• selecting a second vacuum switch module substantially identical to said first vacuum switch module,
• selecting a third vacuum switch module substantially identical to said first and second vacuum switch modules,
• disposing said first, second and third vacuum switch modules serially along the length of an elongated, rigid, rotatable operating shaft,
• disposing said first, second and third vacuum switch modules along the length of and in contact with an elongated rigid base,
• disposing an elongated insulating cover in contact with said first, second and third vacuum switch modules and said base and
• interconnecting said first, second and third modules and said insulating cover and said base as a unitary modular polyphase vacuum interrupter by disposing at least one elongated insulating cap over at least a portion of one of said first, second and third vacuum switch modules.