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AssigneeS&C Electric Company
InventorsDavid H. Devonald, III, James A. Hansen, Henry W. Kowalyshen, Chester H. Lin, Buddy B. McGlone, James K. Niemira, Edward J. Rogers, Edward A. Steele
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A switchgear module is provided that is assembled from one or more molded housing portions to provide a gas-tight volume for the housing of electrical components. The switchgear modules include provisions for assembly of various combinations of switchgear modules into a variety of electrical circuit configurations while maintaining a gas seal of the switchgear modules. In a preferred arrangement, the switchgear module includes bus conductors that are integrally incorporated during the molding of the switchgear module housing and that are accessible from opposite sides of the module. Further, the switchgear module includes integrally molded features for providing access to make electrical interconnections between the bus conductors of adjacently positioned switchgear modules. Thus, the finally assembled and tested switchgear modules with pressurized internal volume may be configured to provide a variety of different electrical circuit combinations of the internal components and are also capable of being reconfigured as desired into different configurations or lineups without the loss of the seal of the interior volume of the switchgear modules. The switchgear module includes a complete internal and integral system to satisfy desirable operating practices to deenergize, test and ground the circuit before working thereon. Specifically, the switchgear module includes an integral indicator with test feature, a visible open gap in the circuit which is readily observable externally to the module, and a ground position for the internal switch to ground the circuit. In a preferred arrangement, an operating mechanism is internal to the module and controls the position of either a loadbreak switch or a disconnect switch between three operable positions, close, open, and ground. The operating mechanism is charged and operated by an operating train that is connected to an operator control.
A switchgear for medium-voltage electrical power distribution module comprising:
An arrangement for the interconnection of at least first and second external bus conductors of a plurality of switchgear modules in side to side fashion to form a lineup of said switchgear modules, wherein each of said switchgear modules includes two generally parallel external side surfaces, means for defining on each of said two external side surfaces access to said bus conductors, and first means for facilitating and providing interconnection of said bus conductors on said external side surfaces to said bus conductors of an adjacent switchgear module in the lineup, said first means comprising second means for interconnecting said bus conductors of adjacent of said switchgear modules, said second means including means for clamping together of said adjacent external side surfaces.
An arrangement for providing various configurations of switchgear modules that define a gas-filled internal volume by the combining of a plurality of said switchgear modules, each of said switchgear modules including a front portion including cable termination provisions and first and second opposed side portions adjacent said front portion, each of said switchgear modules including one or more complements of electrical components and at least three bus conductor provisions defining an external connection point for each bus conductor on each of said first and second opposed sides, the arrangement being characterized by the provision of means for interconnecting said external connection points of said switchgear modules when said switchgear modules are arranged in side to side fashion such that said first side portion of a first of said switchgear modules is connected to said second side portion of a second of said switchgear modules that is adjacent to said first of said switchgear modules, said interconnecting means comprising means for exerting force to draw said external connection points of said bus conductors of said adjacent switchgear modules together.
Switchgear for medium-voltage electrical power distribution comprising housing means defining a gas-filled sealed interior volume, two or more switches each of which is operable from a first, closed position to a second, open position to establish a visible open gap and each of which is operable from said second, open position to a third position, and mechanism means for defining three distinct operating positions and for selectively operating said two or more switches to said first, second and third positions, said housing means comprising means for viewing said open gaps.
An arrangement for providing different circuit configurations of electrical components by combining individual switchgear modules for medium-voltage electrical power distribution each of which defines in a gas-filled volume a polyphase circuit each phase of which includes one or more electrical components, each of said switchgear modules including a polyphase bus and bus connection means for defining external connection points for the polyphase bus, the arrangement being characterized by arranging two or more of said switchgear modules in a predetermined relation to each other and interconnecting said bus connection means.
An arrangement to provide pressure relief for a molding housing portion having a first wall of a first predetermined thickness comprising, forming in said first wall during the molding of said housing portion a predetermined pattern of a second predetermined thickness less than said first predetermined thickness, said predetermined pattern defining a perimeter of a first area of predetermined shape and intersecting line segments that divide said first area into a predetermined array.
A switchgear module for medium-voltage comprising electrical power distribution comprising:
An arrangement for testing the integrity of a sensed voltage signal from a voltage sensor proximate a conductor of an electrical power distribution system, the arrangement comprising the provision of a test path to the voltage sensor that is independent of the path defined by the sensed voltage signal, a test voltage being applied to said independent test path such that the integrity of the path defined by the sensed voltage signal is tested.
A molded housing for a switchgear module for medium-voltage electrical power distribution comprising integrally molded means for supporting predetermined electrical components, means for defining electrical connection features for predetermined cable termination devices on the exterior of said molded housing, and bus conductor means integrally incorporated within said molded housing during the molding thereof so as to provide external access to said bus conductor means at two predetermined locations on the exterior of said molded housing and internal connection access points to said bus conductor means internal to said molded housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.