Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Edmund W Kuhn

Alan G McGuffie

Jesse L Uber

Allan I Bennett

William P Matty, Jr

Joseph D Findley, Jr

An electric fuse is disposed within a fluid tight submersible enclosure. The status of the fuse is indicated by an externally mounted neon lamp. The outside surface of the enclosure is coated with conductive paint for safety. Likewise, most of the inside surface of the enclosure is coated with conductive paint to reduce corona therein. A relatively thin annular band of semiconductive paint is disposed between terminals of the fuse apparatus on the inner surface of the enclosure. The enclosure is made primarily of insulating material. When the fuse blows, the voltage difference between the opposite ends of the fuse is capacitively coupled through the enclosure to the indicator. The indicator is sensitive to a change in voltage thereacross and periodically illuminates to indicate that the fuse within has blown.

Capacitively coupled indicator for a submersible fuse

Semiconductive paint is applied to a narrow strip on the inside surface of an insulating enclosure for a submersible fuse. The enclosure is generally watertight. The semiconducting paint marginally overlaps two isolated regions of electrically conducting paint. The combination of the conducting paint and semiconducting paint covers the entire inner surface of the enclosure and acts cooperatively to prevent or reduce corona therein. At the place of overlap, rounded ridges are provided for shielding the relatively sharp interface corner of the conductive paint on the inside surface of the electrically insulating material to reduce the corona at that relatively critical point. A flowable rubber gasket is provided for insertion between two separable portions of the enclosure. The gasket not only provides watertight sealing for the enclosure when completely assembled but has a bead on the inside surface thereof which shields the corners of the two portions of the enclosure to reduce the corona effects thereat.

Corona reducing apparatus for a submersible electrical fuse

A circuit interrupter includes an automatic circuit breaker in a draw-out unit removably mounted within an enclosure. A levering mechanism is provided to lever out the draw-out unit on rails to permit complete disengagement of the circuit breaker from load and line terminals mounted within the enclosure without requiring unbolting operations. The circuit breaker includes an interrupter module, an operating module, and a control module, each of which includes a sub-frame supporting all module components. Each module is removably mounted in a main support structure and can be separately removed therefrom without removing the other two modules. Interlocks prevent removal of any module until the draw-out unit is levered out to the completely disengaged position.

Draw-out type circuit interrupter with modular construction

An enclosed circuit interrupter includes a removable drawout unit mounted within an enclosure and sealed by an enclosure door. The drawout unit is movable between a connected position and a disconnected position by a levering mechanism operated by a levering crank. A shutter prevents insertion of the levering crank unless the circuit interrupter is tripped by actuation of a trip plate. An interlock prevents removal of the inserted levering crank when the drawout unit is at any position intermediate the completely connected and completely disconnected positions. Closing of the enclosure door is prevented when the levering crank is inserted.

Drawout type circuit interrupter with interlocked levering mechanism

A circuit interrupter including a drawout unit mounted within a sealable enclosure and operable between engaged and disengaged positions. A removable conductive safety barrier at ground potential is mounted on the front of the drawout unit and prevents any human contact with components at high potential. An interlock prevents removal of the safety barrier unless the drawout unit is in the fully levered out position. A hinged plate is operated by replacement of the safety barrier to allow the drawout unit to be operated to the engaged position.

Enclosed circuit interrupter with interlocked safety barrier

A network protector includes an automatic circuit breaker mounted in a metal enclosure and a fuse assembly externally mounted upon the enclosure. The fuse assembly includes a fuse housing of molded insulating material and a gasketed access plate providing a watertight enclosure for a fuse. Resiliently mounted studs are provided for connection to a fuse without cracking of the fuse housing due to misalignment between the studs and the fuse.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Edmund W Kuhn