SF6 puffer recloser

Abstract

A distribution class recloser comprises puffer type, compressed-gas circuit interrupters and a spring stored energy operating mechanism. The interrupter includes a single pair of elongated and axially aligned contacts, one of which is moveable and includes a plurality of flexible contact fingers for engagine the stationary contact. The contacts include arcing tips formed on the terminus portions thereof for conducting arcing current. Additionally, the contact fingers on the moveable contact include raised, wedge-shaped electrical connections. When the moveable contact engages the stationary contact, the raised connections flex the fingers outward so as to cause the arcing tips of the moveable contact to move out of contact with the stationary contact to allow the raised electrical connections to carry the continuous current. It has been found that an interrupter of this design in which the same set of contacts carry both the arcing current and the continuous, steady state current may be made smaller, lighter in weight, and less costly, and thus can be employed in an recloser application and actuated by means of a spring stored energy operating mechanism. The operating mechanism employs opening springs and closing springs for actuating the interrupters by means of a mechanical linkage and actuator shafts, one of which extends through the housing of each interrupter. A modular rotary seal assembly is also provided which provides both a bearing and a seal for the actuator shafts and which employs no metal-to-metal components.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.