US 5,990,439 AGranted

Compartmentalized arc chamber

AssigneeSiemens Energy & Automation, Inc.

InventorSteven E. Pever

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A multiphase switch support base including a molded top cover and a molded bottom base each having interior and exterior walls which when assembled together, the base is divided into compartmentalized arc chambers which function to isolate each line contact and each load contact of each phase of the switch from each other as well as from each other line and each other load contact of each of the other phases of the switch.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A switch assembly having a main disconnect switch mechanism support base comprising:

(a) a molded bottom base having a bottom surface, upstanding side outer walls, upstanding front and rear outer wails, first upstanding interior walls, and second upstanding interior walls transverse to the first upstanding interior walls, dividing the interior of the bottom base for isolating each phase of the switch assembly;
(b) a molded top cover having a top surface, depending side outer walls, depending front and rear outer walls, and first depending interior walls, dividing the interior of the top cover for isolating each phase of the switch assembly;
(c) the molded top cover being mountable to the molded bottom base wherein the depending side outer walls and the depending front and rear outer walls of the top cover are in mutual engagement with the upstanding side outer walls and the upstanding front and rear outer walls of the bottom base, and the first upstanding interior walls or the bottom base are in mutual engagement with the first depending interior walls of the top cover to form phase to phase separation chambers for isolating each phase in the main disconnect switch mechanism support base;
(d) a plurality of pairs of stationary contacts comprising a line contact secured to the bottom surface of the base in each of the phase to phase separation charmers and a load contact secured to the top surface and extending into each of the phase to phase separation chambers;
(e) means disposed in the molded bottom base in proximity to the line contact and disposed in the molded top cover in proximity to the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers for receiving arc extinguishing devices;
(f) a rotor assembly supported and guided by the upstanding side outer walls of the bottom base and the depending side outer walls of the top cover, the rotor assembly having a rotor shaft arranged between the molded top cover and molded bottom base and between the line contact and the load contact for rotating a contact assembly between the line contact and the load contact to make circuit connection between the line contact and the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers;
and
(g) wherein the second upstanding interior wall has a free edge in mutual engagement with the rotor shaft to form a barrier between the line contact and the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers to form compartmentalized arc chambers isolating each line contact and each load contact or each phase of the switch from each other, and from each other line contact and each other load contact of each other phase of the main disconnect switch support base.

5 more elements

A switch assembly having a main disconnect switch mechanism support base comprising:

(a) a molded bottom base having a bottom surface, upstanding side outer walls, upstanding front and rear outer walls, first upstanding interior walls, and second upstanding interior walls transverse to the first upstanding interior walls, dividing the interior of the bottom base for isolating each phase of the switch assembly;
(b) a molded top cover having a top surface, depending side outer walls, depending front and rear outer walls, and first depending interior walls, dividing the interior of the top cover for isolating each phase of the switch assembly;
(c) the molded top cover being mountable to the molded bottom base wherein the depending side outer walls and the depending front and rear outer walls of the top cover are in mutual engagement with the upstanding side outer walls and the upstanding front and rear outer walls of the bottom base, and the first upstanding interior walls of the bottom base are in mutual engagement with the first depending interior walls of the top cover to form phase to phase separation chambers for isolating each phase in the main disconnect switch mechanism support base;
(d) a plurality of pairs of stationary contacts comprising a line contact secured to the bottom surface of the base in each of the phase to phase separation chambers and a load contact secured to the top surface and extending into each of the phase to phase separation chambers;
(e) means disposed in the molded bottom base in proximity to the line contact and disposed in the molded top cover in proximity to the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers for receiving arc extinguishing devices;
(f) a rotor assembly supported and guided by the upstanding side outer walls of the bottom base and the depending side outer walls or the top cover, the rotor assembly having a rotor shaft arranged between the molded top cover and molded bottom base and between the line contact and the load contact for rotating a contact assembly between the line contact and the load contact to make circuit connection between the line contact and the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers;
and
(g) wherein the second upstanding interior wall has a free edge in mutual engagement with the rotor shaft to form a barrier between the line contact and the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers to form compartmentalized arc chambers isolating each line contact and each load contact of each phase of the switch from each other, and from each other line contact and each other load contact of each other phase of the main disconnect switch support base;
and
(h) a fuse support mechanism means for connecting a fault interrupting device placed between and in electrical contact with the load side of the main disconnect switch support base and a load of the switch.

7 more elements

A switch assembly having a main disconnect switch mechanism support base comprising:

(a) a molded bottom base having a bottom surface, upstanding side outer walls, upstanding front and rear outer walls, first upstanding interior walls, and second upstanding interior walls transverse to the first upstanding interior walls, dividing the interior of the bottom base for isolating each phase of the switch assembly;
(b) a molded top cover having a top surface, depending side outer walls, depending front and rear outer walls, and first depending interior walls, dividing the interior of the top cover for isolating each phase of the switch assembly;
(c) the molded top cover being mountable to the molded bottom base wherein the depending side outer walls and the depending front and rear outer walls of the top cover are in mutual engagement with the upstanding side outer walls and the upstanding front and rear outer walls of the bottom base, and the first upstanding interior walls of the bottom base are in mutual engagement with the first depending interior walls of the top cover to form phase to phase separation chambers for isolating each phase in the main disconnect switch mechanism support base;
(d) a plurality of pairs of stationary contacts comprising a line contact secured to the bottom surface of the base in each of the phase to phase separation chambers and a load contact secured to the top surface and extending into each of the phase to phase separation chambers;
(e) means disposed in the molded bottom base in proximity to the line contact and disposed in the molded top cover in proximity to the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers for receiving arc extinguishing devices;
(f) a rotor assembly supported and guided by the upstanding side outer walls of the bottom base and the depending side outer walls of the top cover, the rotor assembly having a rotor shaft arranged between the molded top cover and molded bottom base and between the line contact and the load contact for rotating a contact assembly between the line contact and the load contact to make circuit connection between the line contact and the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers;
and
(g) wherein the second upstanding interior wall has a free edge in mutual engagement with the rotor shaft to form a barrier between the line contact and the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers to form compartmentalized arc chambers isolating each line contact and each load contact of each phase of the switch from each other, and from each other line contact and each other load contact of each other phase of the main disconnect switch support base;
and
(h) a fuse support mechanism means for connecting a fault interrupting device placed between and in electrical contact with the load side of the main disconnect switch support base and a load of the switch and wherein the fault interrupting device is a fuse.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A switch assembly having a main disconnect switch mechanism support base comprising:

(a) a molded bottom base having a bottom surface, upstanding side outer walls, upstanding front and rear outer wails, first upstanding interior walls, and second upstanding interior walls transverse to the first upstanding interior walls, dividing the interior of the bottom base for isolating each phase of the switch assembly;
(b) a molded top cover having a top surface, depending side outer walls, depending front and rear outer walls, and first depending interior walls, dividing the interior of the top cover for isolating each phase of the switch assembly;
(c) the molded top cover being mountable to the molded bottom base wherein the depending side outer walls and the depending front and rear outer walls of the top cover are in mutual engagement with the upstanding side outer walls and the upstanding front and rear outer walls of the bottom base, and the first upstanding interior walls or the bottom base are in mutual engagement with the first depending interior walls of the top cover to form phase to phase separation chambers for isolating each phase in the main disconnect switch mechanism support base;
(d) a plurality of pairs of stationary contacts comprising a line contact secured to the bottom surface of the base in each of the phase to phase separation charmers and a load contact secured to the top surface and extending into each of the phase to phase separation chambers;
(e) means disposed in the molded bottom base in proximity to the line contact and disposed in the molded top cover in proximity to the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers for receiving arc extinguishing devices;
(f) a rotor assembly supported and guided by the upstanding side outer walls of the bottom base and the depending side outer walls of the top cover, the rotor assembly having a rotor shaft arranged between the molded top cover and molded bottom base and between the line contact and the load contact for rotating a contact assembly between the line contact and the load contact to make circuit connection between the line contact and the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers;
and
(g) wherein the second upstanding interior wall has a free edge in mutual engagement with the rotor shaft to form a barrier between the line contact and the load contact in each of the phase to phase separation chambers to form compartmentalized arc chambers isolating each line contact and each load contact or each phase of the switch from each other, and from each other line contact and each other load contact of each other phase of the main disconnect switch support base.

5 more elements