Eaton Corporation

David M Tallman

Robert Tracy Elms

William John Murphy

Joseph Charles Zuercher

Richard A Reiner

Thomas Edward Natili

Loy A Hicks

Kurt R Van Wormer

Daniel Harley Wagner

A receptacle interrupts a power circuit including a glowing contact and a gas, such as hydrogen chloride, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide or a combination of those gases, associated with the glowing contact. The receptacle includes a set of separable contacts for interrupting the power circuit, an operating mechanism controlling the set of separable contacts, and a trip mechanism, such as a trip coil, cooperating with the operating mechanism to open the set of separable contacts in response to a trip signal. A gas detector detects the gas and outputs a gas concentration signal based upon a level of the gas. A microprocessor outputs the trip signal responsive to the gas concentration signal whenever a predetermined concentration level of the gas is detected.

Apparatus and method for detecting a gas associated with a glowing contact and interrupting a power circuit

A pulsing apparatus for an electrical system includes line and neutral terminals structured to input a nominal alternating current line voltage, a timing mechanism or circuit for generating a timing signal having a duty cycle from the line voltage; a transformer for transforming the line voltage to a stepped up voltage having the duty cycle; load and load neutral terminals; and an output circuit for outputting a current at about the stepped up voltage to the load and load neutral terminals. The stepped up voltage is greater than the line voltage and less than a rated voltage of the electrical system. The stepped up voltage is adapted to identify an arcing fault in the electrical system. The duty cycle limits an average value of the current to less than about 4 mA to about 6 mA.

Low energy pulsing device and method for electrical system arc detection

A testing device for detecting and locating an arcing fault in an electrical system includes a detector circuit for detecting one or more characteristics of the arcing fault proximate the arcing fault and outputting a responsive signal. An annunciator speaker or display annunciates the responsive signal when the detector circuit is proximate the arcing fault, in order to locate the arcing fault in the electrical system.

Testing device for detecting and locating arc faults in an electrical system

An on-line monitor for electrical faults in the stator of an ac motor has a single di/dt current transformer or three separate di/dt current transformers coupled to the three phase conductors of the ac supply. The windings of the transformer, or transformers, are selected to generate a single sensed signal containing a linear combination of components of current in the three phase conductors weighted relatively so that algebraic differences between components from any two phase conductors is non-zero, such as preferably 2A+B-C or 3A+2B+C. The single sensed current signal is bandpass filtered to generate a pulse signal which is applied to an analyzer. The analyzer, preferably implemented by a microcontroller, generates an output based upon a combination of the amplitude and frequency of occurrence of the current pulse signal including a time attenuated accumulation of the pulses. A similar pulse signal is generated from a single sensed voltage signal and compared to the pulse signal generated from the current sensor to verify that the detected events originate in the motor and not from upstream in the ac supply. The monitor is coupled to the phase conductors between the local disconnect switch and the motor, and preferably, is mounted in the disconnect housing.

Single channel apparatus for on-line monitoring of three-phase AC motor

A rigid insulating shield has tabs at a lower end inserted in slots in a case and a press-in fastener at an upper end inserted within a hole in a switch base assembly for securing said shield within the case. A handle pullout has a large flange extending over the shield when inserted in the switch base assembly to prevent removal or displacement of the shield while the handle pullout is inserted in an ON position of the switch. The flange is sufficiently large to block direct access to termination means on the switch base assembly when the shield is removed and the handle pullout is inserted in the switch ON position.

Growing community of inventors

Marshall Township, PA, United States of America

David M Tallman