S&c Electric Company

John Urbanek

Raymond P O'Leary

Edward J Rogers

Thomas O Fanta

An arrangement is provided that includes a coordinating input for a mechanism of an interrupter switch; the coordinating input being derived from sensed movement of an element away from a first position and toward a second position. The coordinating input is utilized to trip the interrupters if they are closed. In a specific arrangement, a stored-energy mechanism is tripped to provide opening and closing of the interrupters via a high-speed interrupter drive train. The tripping arrangement is operable via a first input to cause movement of a latch member to release the stored-energy mechanism to operate the interrupter drive train. The first input may be actuated via open or close instructions, including both local and remote capabilities. The latch for the stored-energy mechanism is reset after each actuation. An output shaft of the mechanism is connected to drive the interrupter drive train. Both opening and closing are accomplished via rotation of the output shaft in the same direction. An open/close sensing input for the interrupter drive train is derived from the position of the output shaft. In a specific embodiment, the sensed movement of the element corresponds to the movement of a disconnect linkage away from a closed position. The input from the disconnect linkage is utilized to release the latch member only if the open/close sensing input is in the closed position.

Interrupter switch with coordination of disconnect and interrupter

Interrupter unit for a switch assembly

Interrupter switch

A female interrupting contact for a current-interrupting unit includes a smoothly contoured, apertured pressure ring which is held in a groove formed in the wall of a bore through a contact body. A flat spring in the groove maintains the ring to one side of the bore so that the aperture is normally misaligned with the path of a male contact through the bore. When the male contact enters the aperture, it moves the ring against the action of the flat spring to align the aperture with its path. This alignment effects intimate sliding engagement between the male contact and both the ring and the wall of the bore, one or both of the latter of which are conductive so that a reliable, metal-to-metal, first electrical path through the contacts and the interrupting unit is established. The bore is elongated between the pressure ring and an end thereof from which the male contact exits, following which an arc is established between the contacts. This elongation is at least as long as the length of the male contact, so that after the intimate engagement ceases, a second electrical path is established via small arcs or arclets which form between the male contact and the wall of the bore. The length of time the second path exists may be selected so that when the unit interrupts the arc a switch or the like, with which the unit is used, is sufficiently far open to prevent an arc from forming therein.

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Evanston, IL, United States of America

John Urbanek