Capacitor switch including a bi-directional toggle mechanism and linearly opposing opening and closing spring latches

An electric power switch configured for an alternating current electric power system operating at a system frequency, comprising:

• a circuit interrupter including an electric contactor for introducing and removing an electric service component from an electric power circuit;
• an interrupter linkage configured for moving the electric contactor between a closed position in which the electric service component is electrically connected to the electric power circuit and an open position in which the electric service component is electrically removed from the electric power circuit;
• and
• an interrupter drive unit for causing the interrupter linkage to move the electric contactor between the closed and open positions, comprising:
• an opening spring operative for moving the interrupter linkage through an opening stroke to move the electric contactor from the closed position to the open position while preventing a current restrike at the system frequency,
• an opening spring latch movable to a latched position for maintaining the opening spring in a charged configuration, and movable to a tripped position in response to an open trip action to release the opening spring to move the interrupter linkage through the opening stroke,
• an opening stroke triggering device for imparting the open trip action to the opening spring latch,
• a closing spring operative for moving the interrupter linkage through a closing stroke to move the electric contactor from the open position to the closed position while conducting a current arc during less than one-half of a current cycle at the system frequency,
• a closing spring latch movable to a latched position for maintaining the closing spring in a charged configuration and releasing the closing spring in response to a close trip action to move the interrupter linkage through the closing stroke,
• a closing stroke triggering device for imparting the close trip action to the closing spring latch,
• a bi-directional toggle mechanism operative for moving the opening spring latch to its latched position, moving the opening spring to its charged configuration, moving the closing spring latch to its latched position, and moving the closing spring to its charged configuration, and
• wherein the opening spring latch, the closing spring latch and the toggle mechanism are positioned in a linear configuration with the bidirectional toggle mechanism located linearly between the opening spring latch and the closing spring latch.

An electric power switch configured for an alternating current electric power system operating at a system frequency of approximately sixty cycles per second, comprising:

• a capacitor bank;
• a circuit interrupter including an electric contactor for introducing and removing the capacitor bank from an electric power circuit;
• an interrupter linkage configured for moving the electric contactor between a closed position in which the capacitor bank is electrically connected to the electric power circuit and an open position in which the capacitor bank is electrically removed from the electric power circuit;
• and
• an interrupter drive unit for causing the interrupter linkage to move the electric contactor between the closed and open positions, comprising:
• an opening spring operative for moving the interrupter linkage through an opening stroke to move the electric contactor from the closed position to the open position while preventing a current restrike at the system frequency,
• an opening spring latch movable to a latched position for maintaining the opening spring in a charged configuration, and movable to a tripped position in response to an open trip action to release the opening spring to move the interrupter linkage through the opening stroke,
• an opening stroke triggering device for imparting the open trip action to the opening spring latch,
• a closing spring operative for moving the interrupter linkage through a closing stroke to move the electric contactor from the open position to the closed position while conducting a current arc during less than one-half of a current cycle at the system frequency,
• a closing spring latch movable to a latched position for maintaining the closing spring in a charged configuration and releasing the closing spring in response to a close trip action to move the interrupter linkage through the closing stroke,
• a closing stroke triggering device for imparting the close trip action to the closing spring latch,
• a bi-directional toggle mechanism operative for moving the opening spring latch to its latched position, moving the opening spring to its charged configuration, moving the closing spring latch to its latched position, and moving the closing spring to its charged configuration,
• a charging cam operative to rotate through an operational cycle and, during the operational cycle, set the opening spring latch to maintain the opening spring to its charged position, move the opening spring to its charged position, set the closing spring latch to maintain the closing spring to its charged position, move the closing spring to its charged position, and trip the closing spring latch,
• an electric motor operative to rotate the charging cam through its operational cycle, and
• wherein the opening spring latch, the closing spring latch and the toggle mechanism are positioned in an linear configuration with the bidirectional toggle mechanism located linearly between the opening spring latch and the closing spring latch.