Switch mechanism for service disconnect

A switch mechanism for connecting and disconnecting an electrical system from a power source, the switch mechanism comprising:

• a contact mounted for movement between a closed, connect position in which the system and source are connected and an open, disconnect position in which the system and source are disconnected;
• actuator means moveable in a switch open direction and a switch closed direction;
• drive means, including a lost motion connection, operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch closed direction to move the contact from its open to its closed position;
• biasing means operative in response to movement of the contact to its closed position to generate a force biasing the contact toward its open position;
• detent means operative in response to arrival of the contact at its closed position to prevent movement of the contact to its open position irrespective of the biasing force;
• and
• release means operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch open direction to release the detent means to allow the biasing force to move the contact to its open position with the movement of the contact allowed by the lost motion connection in the drive means.

A disconnect switch mechanism for an electrical circuit comprising a contact mounted for movement between a closed position in which the circuit is closed and an open position in which the circuit is open, a handle moveable between a switch open position and a switch closed position, and drive means operative in response to movement of the handle between its switch open and switch closed positions to move the contact between its open and closed positions;

• characterized in that:
• the drive means includes a lost motion connection operative to allow movement of the handle from its switch open position to an intermediate position, and from its switch closed position to the intermediate position, without movement of the contact, whereby to prevent inadvertent actuation of the switch mechanism;
• and
• the switch mechanism further includes detent means operative in response to movement of the contact to its closed position to engage the contact to preclude movement of the contact toward its open position, and release means operative in response to movement of the handle from its switch closed position to its intermediate position to release the detent means and allow the contact to move toward its open position.

A method of performing a switching operation in a switch mechanism for an electrical circuit, the switch mechanism including a contact mounted for movement between a closed position in which the circuit is closed and an open position in which the circuit is open, actuator means moveable in a switch open direction and a switch closed direction, and drive means operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch closed direction to move the contact from its open to its closed position;

• the method comprising:
• moving the actuator member in a switch close direction to move the contact from its open to its closed position;
• generating a force biasing the contact toward its open position in response to movement of the contact to its closed position;
• lockingly engaging the contact in response to arrival of the contact at its closed position to prevent movement of the contact to its open position irrespective of the biasing force;
• releasing the contact in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch open direction;
• and
• drivingly disconnecting the actuator means from the contact upon release of the contact to allow the biasing force to move the contact to its open position.

A disconnect switch mechanism for an electrical circuit comprising:

• a contact mounted for movement between a closed position in which the circuit is closed and an open position in which the circuit is open;
• actuator means moveable in a switch open direction and a switch closed direction;
• drive means operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch closed direction to move the contact from its open to its closed position;
• biasing means operative in response to movement of the contact to its closed position to generate a force biasing the contact toward its open position;
• detent means operative in response to arrival of the contact at its closed position to prevent movement of the contact to its open position irrespective of the biasing force;
• and
• release means operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch open direction to release the detent means to allow the biasing force to move the contact to its open position;
• the drive means including a driven member moving with the contact;
• the actuator means including a driving member;
• a lost motion connection being provided between the driving and driven members which is operative to allow movement of the driven member relative to the driving member whereby to allow the contact to move to its open position under the biasing force without moving the driving member.

A disconnect switch mechanism for an electrical circuit comprising:

• a contact mounted for movement between a closed position in which the circuit is closed and an open position in which the circuit is open;
• actuator means moveable in a switch open direction and a switch closed direction;
• drive means operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch closed direction to move the contact from its open to its closed position;
• biasing means operative in response to movement of the contact to its closed position to generate a force biasing the contact toward its open position;
• detent means operative in response to arrival of the contact at its closed position to prevent movement of the contact to its open position irrespective of the biasing force;
• and
• release means operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch open direction to release the detent means to allow the biasing force to move the contact to its open position;
• the actuator means including a shaft;
• the drive means including a gear mounted on the axis of the shaft and a rack driven by the gear and connected to the contact;
• the switch means further including a lost motion connection between the shaft and the gear.

A disconnect switch mechanism for an electrical circuit comprising:

• a contact mounted for movement between a closed position in which the circuit is closed and an open position in which the circuit is open;
• actuator means moveable in a switch open direction and a switch closed direction;
• drive means operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch closed direction to move the contact from its open to its closed position;
• biasing means operative in response to movement of the contact to its closed position to generate a force biasing the contact toward its open position;
• detent means operative in response to arrival of the contact at its closed position to prevent movement of the contact to its open position irrespective of the biasing force;
• and
• release means operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch open direction to release the detent means to allow the biasing force to move the contact to its open position;
• the actuator means including a shaft;
• the drive means including a gear mounted on the shaft and a rack driven by the gear;
• the detent means including a notch in the rack and a detent member operative to engage the notch in response to movement of the contact to its closed position;
• the release means including a cam member carried by the shaft and operative to release the detent from the notch in response to rotation of the shaft.

A disconnect switch mechanism for an electrical circuit comprising a contact mounted for movement between a closed position in which the circuit is closed and an open position in which the circuit is open, a handle moveable between a switch open position and a switch closed position, and drive means operative in response to movement of the handle between its switch open and switch closed positions to move the contact between its open and closed positions;

• characterized in that:
• the drive means includes a lost motion connection operative to allow movement of the handle from its switch open position to an intermediate position, and from its switch closed position to the intermediate position, without movement of the contact, whereby to prevent inadvertent actuation of the switch mechanism;
• and
• the switch mechanism further includes resilient means operative to urge the handle toward its open position upon release of the handle after movement of the handle from its open position to any position between the open position and the intermediate position, and operative to urge the handle toward its closed position upon release of the handle after movement of the handle from its closed position to any position between the closed position and the intermediate position.

A method of performing a switching operation in a switch mechanism for an electrical circuit, the switch mechanism including a contact mounted for movement between a closed position in which the circuit is closed and an open position in which the circuit is open, actuator means moveable in a switch open direction and a switch closed direction, and drive means operative in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch closed direction to move the contact from its open to its closed position;

• the method comprising:
• moving the actuator member in a switch closed direction to move the contact from its open to its closed position;
• generating a force biasing the contact toward its open position in response to movement of the contact to its closed position;
• lockingly engaging the contact in response to arrival of the contact at its closed position to prevent movement of the contact to its open position irrespective of the biasing force;
• releasing the contact in response to movement of the actuator means in a switch open direction;
• and
• providing a lost motion connection in the drive means operative to allow the contact to be moved to its open position by the biasing force in response to release of the contact.