S&c Electric Company

Other

David M Evans

Edward J Rogers

Joel A Ramos

Henry W Scherer

Roy T Swanson

Richard J Sabis

Apparatus for preventing two switches from being simultaneously closed. A pair of rollers are each movable in, and between the ends of, respective curved tracks. The rollers are each linked to a respective switch so that when its switch is closed, each roller is at the bottom of its track, and when its switch is open, each roller is at the top of its track. Each switch cannot operate if its roller cannot move. A yoke maintains the rollers a fixed distance apart so that each roller may be at the top of its track, one roller may be at the top of its track while the other roller is at the bottom of its track, and vice versa, but one roller cannot move away from the top of its track if the other roller is not at the top of its track and vice versa. If one switch attempts to close while the other switch is closed, the roller of the closed switch is pulled into a detent at the bottom of its track; the roller remains in the detent as long as the other switch attempts closure. The closed switch may reopen while its roller remains in the detent, preventing closure of the one switch until its attempt at closure ceases. If the switches attempt simultaneous closure, one roller is preferentially held at the top of its track, while the other roller moves to the bottom of its track.

Anti-paralleling apparatus for high-voltage gear

Disclosed in a high voltage switch operating mechanism which utilizes energy stored in a spiral spring to drive the high voltage switches from either the open to the closed or the closed to the open position. The spring can be charged either by a manual tool or by an electric motor. The switch can be tripped by either electric or manual trip mechanisms. Manual and electric trip interlock assemblies are provided to prevent the switch operating mechanism from being tripped either manually or electrically while the spring is being charged. A mechanism is provided to prevent the charging of the spring by the electric motor when the manual tool is used to charge the spring. Another mechanism is provided to decouple the operating mechanism from the switch. To allow testing of the operating mechanism without change of the switch state. The decoupling mechanism locks the switch to its present position before the decoupling is complete allowing the energy in the operating spring to be dissipated.

High-voltage switchgear

A manual operating handle assembly for an enclosed switch includes a walled frame which resides within the switch enclosure and rotatably mounts a shaft. A sprocket on the shaft turns therewith to move a chain coupled to another sprocket which operates the switch or a stored-energy operator therefor. A pair of arms keyed to the shaft mounts a handle for longitudinal sliding movement toward the shaft and into the frame, and away from the shaft and out of the frame. Rotation of the handle between extreme rotative locations rotates the arms and the shaft. A contoured surface within the frame interferes with the handle in its extreme rotative locations when it is within the frame to prevent rotation thereof. Only if the handle is first slid out of the frame does it clear the surface for rotation between its extreme rotative locations. When the handle is between its extreme rotative locations, it cannot be slid into the frame due to interference of the contoured surface. The handle may be locked when it is in either extreme rotative location and within the frame, whereat it presents a low profile, is shielded from the elements, and is virtually pryproof and vandal-proof.

Handle assembly for manual operation of electric switches

A circuit interrupting device is disclosed. A stationary contact is mounted within a stationary hollow insulator and connected to one side of an electrical circuit. A movable contact normally engages the stationary contact and is mounted for movement within the stationary hollow insulator. The movable contact is connected by a contact rod that extends through an opening in the insulator to a set of spring detent fingers. The spring detent fingers electrically and mechanically engage the end of a movable conductive element, such as a power fuse or disconnect switchblade, which is connected to the other side of the electrical circuit. A spring biases the movable contact toward engagement with the stationary contact. When the movable conductive element is moved away from the device, the spring detent fingers grip the element and cause the movable contact to move to disengage the stationary contact. The resultant arc is quickly extinguished by an arc extinguishing liner and trailer thereby interrupting current flow. The movable contact continues to move away from the stationary contact until the movable contact engages a limit stop within the hollow insulator. At this time, the spring detent fingers disengage the movable conductive element creating an air gap, and the spring returns the movable contact to engagement with the stationary contact. However, since the movable conductive element is now disengaged, current flow remains interrupted. A latch arrangement may be provided to latch the conductive element to the device to prevent accidental opening until the latch is manipulated by an operator.

Circuit interrupting device

Disclosed is an improved high voltage switch operating mechanism which utilizes energy stored in a spiral spring to drive high voltage switches from either the open to the closed position or the closed to the open position. A spiral spring interconnects a rotatably mounted drive lever, which can be rotated to charge the sprial spring, and an output lever, which drives the switch either open or closed when the switch operating mechanism is tripped. A gearbox assembly reduces the torque required to charge the spiral spring when supplied either manually with a crank or electrically through a motor. The output lever is held in the switch-closed or the switch-opened position by improved first or second output lever latch assemblies, respectively, while the drive lever is rotated to charge the spring. Once the spiral spring is charged, first and second main latches engage the drive lever holding it in a spring charged position. The switch operating mechanism is tripped by releasing first or second output lever latch assemblies, which can be released manually by a single trip handle or by solenoids connected to control circuitry. When tripped, the spiral spring reacts against the output lever to either open or close the switch depending on the position of the switch at the initiation of the operation. After a switching operation is completed, the spring can be recharged for the next operation. Manual and electrical trip interlock assemblies are provided to prevent the switch operating mechanism from being tripped either manually or electrically while the spiral spring is being recharged either manually or electrically.

High voltage switch operating mechanism

An indicator is disclosed for a high voltage circuit interrupter having a stored-energy mechanism for biasing the contacts open. The interrupter has a shunt trip mechanism to open the contacts in response to either circuit conditions or a remote command, and a manual mechanism to trip the store-energy mechanism and to recharge and reset the store-energy mechanism. The indicator mimics the operation of the circuit interrupter and provide three signals indicating that the contacts are closed and the manual mechanism are between home and trip position, that the contacts open and the manual mechanism is either in the home or trip position, and that the contacts are open and the manual mechanism is between the trip and reset position or at the reset position. The indicators are preferably two lights with either light on or with both lights out.

Auxiliary switch for indicating the condition of a circuit-interrupting

Base-mounted high voltage circuit interrupter

Housing for electrical apparatus

Molded insulating base for an electrical apparatus

Hinge mounting for a high voltage fuse

High voltage fuse end fitting

An improved support assembly for a circuit-interrupting device is disclosed. The device is of a type having first and second end fittings which define a major axis and which are selectively engageable and disengageable from matching first and second mountings spaced apart in the assembly in insulated relation. The device can be manipulated by a hookstick selectively attachable to the first end fitting and held by a human operator, and so manipulated as to selectively engage and disengage the end fittings and their respective mountings and to open and close the device. The second mounting has a noncircular pin which can be slideably received in a slot in the second end fitting only when the second end fitting and the device are in one particular orientation. The slot contains an enlargement which permits the second end fitting to rotate in the second mounting once the pin enters the enlargement. When the pin is in the enlargement, the device is freely rotatable to both the closed position and the opened position. A cradle, provided on the second mounting for supporting the device, is utilized at two times. First, the cradle supports the device when the second end fitting is being engaged with the second mounting. It performs such support function to automatically place the second end fitting in the one orientation in which it may slideably engage the end fitting. Second, the cradle arrests rotation of, and supports, the device following an opening operation during which the first end fitting is disengaged from the first mounting. Such arresting and support function also automatically aligns the pin in the slot so that the device may be removed from the second mounting.

Support assembly for a circuit interrupting device

Disclosed is a switch suitable for use in power systems. The switch is of the vertical break type, having two stationary support insulators and one reciprocatory, insulative push rod, wherein movement of a switch blade takes place in a plane which also includes the insulators and the push rod. The two insulators are mounted on a base, one insulator supporting a switch blade hinge assembly, and the other insulator supporting a contact assembly for the switch blade. A novel linkage mounted to the hinge assembly connects the blade to the push rod and permits at least 90.degree. of movement of the blade without adversely affecting dielectric clearances between the push rod and the insulators. The insulators remain stationary when the switch operates, only the push rod and the novel linkage moving to provide motive force to the blade. The push rod may be reciprocated by interconnection to a rotatable shaft via a lever. The shaft may be connected to an operating pipe reciprocated by a remote operator to rotation therewith. After the switch is open, the novel linkage permits the push rod and the lever to form an over-center toggle which, together with the more than 90.degree. opening of the blade, prevents the blade from inadvertently moving toward engagement with the stationary contact as a result of external forces such as wind, etc. The switch and the linkage are usable in single pole and polyphase switches in a variety of configurations.

Interrupter switch arrangement

A fuse safety tester apparatus utilizing a pair of neon light bulbs to test the wiring connections of a fuse receptacle in the active power circuit of a unit under test.

Probe means utilized with a pair of indicators for testing the wiring

A three-phase, high voltage switch arrangement is operated through a connected drive shaft by a switch operating mechanism that can be either driven by motor power or manually operated. When manual operation is desired, a crank handle is folded out of a stored position to an operating position. An improved mechanism is provided to prevent the crank handle from operably engaging the switch operating mechanism until stored torsional energy (i.e., the potential energy due to torsional strain) in the drive shaft has been released thereby avoiding improper operation, such as unexpected whipping of the handle. In addition, when the crank handle is folded out to its operating position, the motor is disabled so that the motor can not be operated while the handle is engaged with the mechanism so that the handle cannot be driven by the motor. When it is desired to disconnect the switch operating mechanism from the switch so that maintenance and testing can be performed, a selector handle may be operated that disconnects the drive shaft from the operating mechanism and locks the drive shaft so that the switch cannot be accidentally opened or closed due to wind or vibrational forces. Also, while the selector handle is being operated, the motor cannot be operated while the drive shaft is being disconnected and locked.

Growing community of inventors

Palatine, IL, United States of America

David M Evans