Eaton Corporation

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Daniel D Gress, Jr

Daniel Evan Palmieri

James Jeffery Benke

Ronald E Vaill

Nagar J Patel

Robert N Krevokuch

Edward J Klimek

William Q Aglietti

An auxiliary switch operator for a circuit breaker operates auxiliary contacts between open and closed positions. The auxiliary switch operator includes a hub which is biased to follow a pole shaft of the circuit breaker and follow the pole shaft when it rotates in a first direction to close separable contacts of the circuit breaker. A first spring mechanism biases the hub to follow the pole shaft when the pole shaft rotates in the first direction. When the pole shaft rotates in the first direction, an arm of the hub engages a rotatable shaft to drive an operating lever and operate the auxiliary contacts to the closed position. When the pole shaft rotates in the second direction, another arm of the hub recharges the first spring mechanism. A second spring mechanism biases the rotatable shaft and the operating lever toward a position corresponding to the open position of the auxiliary contacts when the pole shaft rotates in the second direction.

Auxiliary contact operator for electrical switching apparatus

Heat sinks are placed on the contact stems of a vacuum interrupter between the vacuum bottle and junctions with the terminal conductors to lower the temperature of these junctions. The heat sinks are formed by a stack of thin laminations having central openings with inwardly directed tabs which bite into and secure the laminations to the stems. The laminations have aligned slots forming axial passages for cooling air. Preferably, the slots are enclosed to eliminate sharp peripheral edges to reduce the potential for flash over. In one embodiment, the slots are not formed by removing material but by bending it out of the plane of the lamination to maximize heat radiating surface area and to generate turbulent cooling air flow for increased cooling efficiency. An axially extending peripheral lip can provide axial spacing between laminations.

Heat sink for contact stems of a vacuum interrupter and a vacuum

A visually inspectable indicator for a circuit breaker interrupter apparatus is provided. The visual indicator is located on a portion of the contact wipe assembly of an operating rod assembly of a circuit breaker to provide a reading of relative movement between components of the contact wipe assembly. This reading is related to integrity of the contacts. In a preferred embodiment, the indicator is a T-shaped cut out which is positioned and dimensioned such that it provides a reading relating to compression of the contact spring of the operating rod assembly when the assembly and the circuit breaker contacts are in the closed position which, in turn, provides an indication of the condition of the contacts.

Circuit breaker contact wipe indicator

Growing community of inventors

Monroeville, PA, United States of America

Daniel D Gress, Jr