Circuit breaker including improved handle indication of contact position
AssigneeSiemens Energy & Automation, Inc.
InventorsBernard DiMarco, Rodney C. Kramer, Bruce D. Guiney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit breaker including a contact operating mechanism configured to prevent the switch handle of the circuit breaker from being placed in an OFF position when the contacts are not separable. In addition to the switch handle, the mechanism is operable with a tripping circuit which actuates the mechanism to urge the contacts apart when the current flowing through the circuit breaker exceeds the preset limits of the circuit breaker. When the contacts are not separable and the tripping circuit actuates the mechanism, the operating handle is restricted from being placed in the OFF position, thereby avoiding the possibility of indicating an incorrect position of the contacts.
Claims21
An improved circuit breaker including a circuit breaker housing, first and second terminals attached to the housing, a first stationary contact electrically coupled to the first terminal, a first movable contact electrically coupled to the second terminal, a first link including a first end and a second end, a second link including a third end and a fourth end, and a pivoting member movable between an ON position and an OFF position;
- wherein the first end is pivotable about a first pivot supported relative to the housing, the second end is rotatably connected to the third end, and the fourth end is pivotably coupled to the movable contact, such that the movable contact engages the stationary contact when the pivoting member is in the ON position and the movable contact is separated from the stationary contact when the pivoting member is in the OFF position;
- the improvement comprising:
- a pin fastened to the pivoting member such that the pin interferes with the first link before the handle mechanism is moved to the OFF position when the first movable contact is restricted from separating from the first stationary contact, wherein the pivoting member is prevented from moving to the OFF position.
A circuit breaker contact moving mechanism for moving a first movable contact into and out of electrical engagement with a first stationary contact, the mechanism comprising:
- a first contact arm including a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotable about a first pivot and the second end being fixed to the first movable contact;
- a handle mechanism rotatable about a second pivot between an ON position and an OFF position;
- a first link including a first line end and a second link end, the first link end being pivotably coupled to a third pivot;
- a second link including a third link end and a fourth link end, the third link end being pivotably coupled to the second link end and the fourth link end being pivotably coupled to the first contact arm;
- a tension spring coupled to the handle mechanism and the third link end, wherein the first movable contact is engaged with the first stationary contact when the handle mechanism is in the ON position and the first movable contact is separated from the first stationary contact when the handle mechanism is in the OFF position;
- and
- a pin fastened to the handle mechanism such that the pin interferes with the first link before the handle mechanism is moved to the OFF position when the first movable contact is restricted from separating from the first stationary contact such that the handle mechanism is prevented from rotating to the OFF position.
An improved circuit breaker including a circuit breaker housing, first and second terminals attached to the housing, a first stationary contact electrically coupled to the first terminal, a first movable contact electrically coupled to the second terminal, a first link including a first end and a second end, a second link including a third end and a fourth end, and a pivoting member movable between an ON position and an OFF position;
- wherein the first end is pivotable about a first pivot supported relative to the housing, the second end is rotatably connected to the third end, and the fourth end is pivotably coupled to the movable contact, such that the movable contact engages the stationary contact when the pivoting member is in the ON position and the movable contact is separated from the stationary contact when the pivoting member is in the OFF position;
- the improvement comprising:
- a protrusion on the pivoting member which interferes with the first link before the handle mechanism is moved to the OFF position when the first movable contact is restricted from separating from the first stationary contact.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.