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US 5,397,982 AGranted
Releasable sensor for conductor fault detection including a rigid trigger arm
AssigneeCooper Industries, Inc.
InventorTheodore Van Lankvelt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A faulted circuit sensor is disposed in a releasable and reusable clamp mountable on an electrical conductor. The clamp includes a body for receiving the faulted circuit sensor indicating circuitry, and a pair of hinged fingers which actuate over the conductor to grip the clamp to the conductor and align the fault indicating circuitry with respect to the conductor. The fingers include a triggering arm which causes the arms to engage over the conductor when the conductor is properly aligned in the proximity of the clamp.
Claims21
A sensor for sensing a faulted condition in a conductor, comprising;
- a protective body having faulted circuit indicating means disposed therewithin and a conductor supporting portion adapted for receiving and engaging the conductor in a predetermined position with respect to said faulted circuit indicating means;
- a gripping finger disposed on said protective body and having a conductor engaging portion and a finger mounting portion, said finger mounting portion being adapted for mounting said gripping finger on said body and permitting said conductor engaging portion to be moved alternately between an open position adjacent to but spaced from the conductor, and a closed position engaging the conductor and holding it in said predetermined position on said body;
- trigger means for holding said conductor engaging portion of said gripping finger in said open position prior to actuation of said trigger means, and for releasing said conductor engaging portion from said open position and permitting it to move to said closed position when actuated, said trigger means including a rigid trigger arm extending from said gripping finger in fixed angular relation to said conductor engaging portion, said trigger arm being movable between a cocked position, wherein said conductor engaging portion is held in said open position, and an actuated position wherein said conductor engaging portion is permitted to move to said closed position;
- and
- biasing means disposed between said gripping finger and said body for urging said conductor engaging portion of said gripping finger into said closed position upon actuation of said trigger means, said biasing means supplying all of the force to maintain the conductor in position in the sensor.
2 more elements
A sensor for sensing a faulted condition in a conductor, comprising;
- a protective body having faulted circuit indicating means disposed therewithin and a conductor supporting portion adapted for receiving and engaging the conductor in a predetermined position with respect to said faulted circuit indicating means;
- a gripping finger disposed on said protective body and having a conductor engaging portion and a finger mounting portion, said finger mounting portion being adapted for mounting said gripping finger on said body and permitting said conductor engaging portion to be moved alternately between an open position adjacent to but spaced from the conductor, and a closed position engaging the conductor and holding it in said predetermined position on said body;
- trigger means for holding said conductor engaging portion of said gripping finger in said open position prior to actuation of said trigger means, and for releasing said conductor engaging portion from said open position and permitting it to move to said closed position when actuated;
- and
- biasing means disposed between said gripping finger and said body for urging said conductor engaging portion of said gripping finger into said closed position upon actuation of said trigger means, said biasing means supplying all of the force to maintain the conductor in position in the sensor;
- wherein said trigger means includes a trigger arm extending from said gripping finger in fixed angular relation to said conductor engaging portion and having a free end, and a trigger arm receptacle disposed on said body for releasably receiving said free end of said trigger arm therewithin, said trigger arm and said receptacle being movable from a cocked position wherein said free end of said trigger arm is held in said receptacle against movement with respect to said body and said conductor engaging portion is held in said open position, and an actuated position wherein said free end of said trigger arm is released from said receptacle and said conductor engaging portion is permitted to move to said closed position.
3 more elements
A sensor for sensing a faulted condition in a conductor, comprising;
- a protective body having faulted circuit indicating means disposed therewithin and a conductor supporting portion adapted for receiving and engaging the conductor in a predetermined position with respect to said faulted circuit indicating means;
- a pair of gripping fingers disposed on opposite sides of said protective body and each having a conductor engaging portion and a finger mounting portion, said finger mounting portions being adapted for mounting said gripping fingers on said body and permitting said conductor engaging portions to be moved alternately between an open position adjacent to but spaced from the conductor, and a closed position engaging the conductor and holding it in said predetermined position on said body;
- trigger means disposed on said gripping fingers for holding said conductor engaging portions of said gripping fingers in said open position prior to actuation of said trigger means, and for releasing said conductor engaging portions from said open position and permitting them to move to said closed position when actuated, said trigger means including a rigid trigger arm extending from a first one of said gripping fingers in fixed angular relation to said conductor engaging portion of said first gripping finger, said trigger arm being movable between a cocked position, wherein said conductor engaging portions are held in said open position, and an actuated position, wherein said conductor engaging portions are permitted to move to said closed position;
- and
- biasing means disposed between said gripping fingers and said body for urging said conductor engaging portions of said gripping fingers into said closed position upon actuation of said trigger means.
2 more elements
A sensor for sensing a faulted condition in a conductor, comprising:
- a protective body having faulted circuit indicating means disposed therewithin and a conductor supporting portion adapted for receiving and engaging the conductor in a predetermined position with respect to said faulted circuit indicating means;
- a pair of gripping fingers disposed on opposite sides of said protective body and each having a conductor engaging portion and a finger mounting portion, said finger mounting portions being adapted for mounting said gripping fingers on said body and permitting said conductor engaging portions to be moved alternately between an open position adjacent to but spaced from the conductor, and a closed position engaging the conductor and holding it in said predetermined position on said body;
- trigger means disposed on said gripping fingers for holding said conductor engaging portions of said gripping fingers in said open position prior to actuation of said trigger means, and for releasing said conductor engaging portions from said open position and permitting them to move to said closed position when actuated;
- and
- biasing means disposed between said gripping fingers and said body for urging said conductor engaging portions of said gripping fingers into said closed position upon actuation of said trigger means;
- and
- wherein said finger mounting portions of said gripping fingers each include means for rotatably mounting said gripping fingers on said body and effecting rotation of said conductor engaging portions between said open and closed positions, and wherein said trigger means includes a trigger arm extending from one of said gripping fingers, and a trigger arm receptacle disposed on the other of said gripping fingers for releasably receiving said trigger arm therewithin, said trigger arm and said receptacle being rotatable from a cocked position wherein said trigger arm and said receptacle are held against movement with respect to said body and said conductor engaging portions are held in said open position, to an actuated position wherein said trigger arm is released from said receptacle and said conductor engaging portions are permitted to rotate to said closed position.
4 more elements
A sensor for sensing a faulted condition in a conductor, comprising;
- a protective body having faulted circuit indicating means disposed therewithin and a conductor supporting portion adapted for receiving and engaging the conductor in a predetermined position with respect to said faulted circuit indicating means;
- a pair of gripping fingers disposed on opposite sides of said protective body and each having a conductor engaging portion and a finger mounting portion, said finger mounting portions being adapted for mounting said gripping fingers on said body and permitting said conductor engaging portions to be moved alternately between an open position adjacent to but spaced from the conductor, and a closed position engaging the conductor and holding it in said predetermined position on said body;
- trigger means disposed on said gripping fingers for holding said conductor engaging portions of said gripping fingers in said open position prior to actuation of said trigger means, and for releasing said conductor engaging portions from said open position and permitting them to move to said closed position when actuated;
- and
- biasing means disposed between said gripping fingers and said body for urging said conductor engaging portions of said gripping fingers into said closed position upon actuation of said trigger means;
- and
- wherein said finger mounting portions of said gripping fingers each include means for rotatably mounting said gripping fingers on said body and effecting rotation of said conductor engaging portions between said open and closed positions, and wherein said trigger means includes a trigger arm extending from each of said gripping fingers and engageable with one another at their free ends, the free end of one of said trigger arms having a depression therein and the free end of the other of said trigger arms having a projection releasably engageable with said depression, said trigger arms being rotatable from a cocked position wherein said trigger arms are frictionally retained against movement with respect to said body and said conductor engaging portions are held in said open position, to an actuated position wherein said projection of one of said trigger arms is released from said depression of the other of said trigger arms, and said conductor engaging portions are permitted to rotate to said closed position.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.