General Electric Company

Hemant K Mody

Guillermo Wille

Anil Raj Duggal

Robert Allan Morris

Dean A Robarge

Timothy Gerard Richter

Aniruddha Dattatraya Gadre

Thomas F Papallo

James I Smith

Michael Gerard Tobin

Michael R Ronzello

Nataniel De Jesus Barbosa Vicente

An apparatus for interrupting an electrical short circuit current in an electrical distribution system having a plurality of phases is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, a plurality of separable conduction paths, an operating mechanism in operable communication with the plurality of conduction paths, an electronic trip unit in signal communication with each of the plurality of conduction paths and in operable communication with the operating mechanism, and an electromagnetic trip unit in signal communication with each of the plurality of conduction paths and in operable communication with the operating mechanism. The electromagnetic trip unit is configured to be operably responsive to a first half-cycle waveform of the short circuit current prior to the electronic trip unit being operably responsive to a second multi-cycle waveform of the short circuit current.

Method and apparatus for magnetically tripping circuit breakers

A remote operated device including: a plurality of circuit breakers; a first actuator in operable communication with a second actuator, the first actuator positions the second actuator at a circuit breaker of the plurality of circuit breakers, the second actuator mounted external to the plurality of circuit breakers, the second actuator moves a handle of the circuit breaker to an on position, an off position, or performs a reset operation; and a controller in electronic communication with the first actuator and the second actuator.

Method of operating remote operated circuit breaker panel

Remote operated circuit breaker panel

Transformers ( ) inject test voltage signals of know frequency to each phase of the load side of an electrical distribution circuit ( ). Processor ( ) waits for a delay period to allow transient effects of the injected signals to settle, and then accepts the sampled test current signals provided by current transformers ( ) through conditioning circuit ( ). This process is repeated by injecting test voltages at different frequencies, which are selected by processor ( ) based on stored instructions. Processor ( ) uses the sampled signals to determine a representative current for the load side of the distribution circuit ( ) and then compares the representative current with a predetermined current threshold value stored in non-volatile memory ( ). If the current is above this threshold, processor ( ) provides a lockout signal to the fault lockout device ( ) and fault lockout flag ( ). Upon receiving this lockout signal, fault lockout device ( ) prevents the closure of the breaker contacts ( ), and fault lockout flag ( ) provides for remote indication of breaker lockout. If the current is below the threshold value, fault lockout device ( ) is not activated, and the circuit breaker contacts ( ) are allowed to close.

Circuit breaker incorporating fault lockout protection

A circuit breaker is provided wherein the circuit breaker comprises a contact arm movable between a closed position, an open position and a blown open position wherein the contact arm is disposed in the circuit breaker. A bumper disposed to contact the contact arm when the contact arm is in the blown open position. In addition, a stop member disposed to be in contact with a linkage assembly so as to create a gap between the bumper and the contact arm when the contact arm is disposed in the open position.

Circuit breaker mechanism for a rotary contact system

A remote operated device including: a plurality of circuit breakers; a first actuator in operable communication with a second actuator, the first actuator positions the second actuator at a circuit breaker of the plurality of circuit breakers, the second actuator mounted external to the plurality of circuit breakers, the second actuator moves a handle of the circuit breaker to an on position, an off position, or an off position, or performs a reset operation; and a controller in electronic communication with the first actuator and the second actuator.

A current limiting device for protecting electrical circuits has a case and a pair of separable electrodes disposed within the case. Each electrode has a plurality of openings with an ablative member abutting the openings at an outer surface of the electrode. A spring is disposed between each ablative member and the case for urging the electrodes together. When the electrical current exceeds a predetermined setpoint the electrodes separate and an arc is created between the electrodes. The arc heats the ablative member causing expulsion of gasses which further increase the gap resistance and cool the arc to thereby quenching the arc. In a second embodiment of the current limiting device, one of the electrodes is a fixed electrode. The ablative member is disposed about a surface of the moveable electrode with a plurality of legs passing through a plurality of openings of the moveable electrode and in contact with an inner surface of the fixed electrode. A plurality of ablative member springs urges the ablative member against the fixed electrode and a plurality of electrode springs urge the movable electrode against the fixed electrode. In the second embodiment the efficiency of the expulsion of gasses is increased because the legs of the ablative member are positioned within the arc.

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Avon, CT, United States of America

Hemant K Mody