US 6,777,627 B1Granted

Remote control and racking device for medium-voltage circuit breakers

AssigneeRemote Solutions, LLC

InventorRobert L. Stevenson

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Abstract

A remote control system for vertically racking circuit breakers into and out of electrical switchgear cells includes a lever mechanism for coupling the drive shaft of a portable drive motor to the driven shaft of a circuit-breaker racking mechanism and a latching solenoid for locking the coupled shafts together. A power-transfer panel is provided in the cell and is connected for transferring control of the drive motor, the latching solenoid and the circuit breaker to a remote control and status indicating device that is located externally of the cell cabinet. An inclinometer is mounted on the circuit breaker for producing an alarm signal and interrupting operation of the circuit-breaker elevating mechanism upon detecting an excessive amount of tilting in the normally level attitude of the circuit breaker.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A remote control system for operating a circuit breaker and racking the circuit breaker into and out of electric contact with switchgear contained in a cell cabinet, wherein the circuit breaker is movable by a racking mechanism between racked-in and racked-out positions, the racking mechanism having a driven shaft and the circuit breaker having a plug which is electrically connected to a receptacle provided on the switchgear when the circuit breaker is in the racked-in position to provide power for operation of circuit breaker functions, said remote control system comprising:

a) a portable drive motor for mounting in the cell cabinet and having a drive shaft which aligns with the driven shaft of the racking mechanism;
b) a lever mounted in said cell cabinet for movement from a disconnected position to a connected position wherein the driven shaft of the racking mechanism is coupled to the drive shaft of said drive motor, said lever having a latch key;
c) a latching solenoid for engaging the latch key of said lever to hold said lever in the connected position;
d) an electrical connector mounted to extend through the cell cabinet;
e) a remote control device connected by an elongated cable to said electrical connector;
and
f) transfer means electrically connected to transfer operational control of said drive motor, said latching solenoid, and the opening, closing and charging of the circuit-breaker through said electrical connector to said remote control device.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.