Rockwell Technologies, Inc.

Allen-bradley Company, LLC

Karin Hannelore Spengler-Schmid

Stephan Spengler

Hans-Peter Meili

Bruno Aeschbach

Daniel Brugger

A quick mount base provided to attach electrical components to a mounting rail features a housing composed of plastic. At least one retainer spring wire is inserted in a hollow space of the housing that faces the mounting rail. An end area of the retainer spring wire terminates as a sharp edge that rests in a self locking manner with one tip on an edge strip of the mounting rail, whereby the retainer spring wire is secured from longitudinal movement in the direction facing away from the end area at the edge strip of the mounting rail, but permits outward bending.

Quick mount base for attaching an electrical component to a mounting

A method of calibrating a thermal trigger for an electrical switching device starts with fastening bimetal strips (1) for each phase in the housing of the trigger. Thereafter, the bimetal strips (1) are heated-up with a predetermined calibration current for a predetermined time, and are thus brought into a calibrated position. In the calibrated position, the positioning of each of the free end sections of each bimetal strip (1) is measured on both folded ends opposite each other. Then, two slides (3,4) are fitted with two hinged drive arms (5,6) and are retained in a calibration device. Stops (9) bring the drive arms (5,6) into the previously measured calibrated position of the assigned bimetal strip (1) by sluing. In the calibrated position, the other single-piece arms (8) with the trigger arms (5,6) are attached to the slide (3,4). The slides (3,4) that are provided with rigid drive arms (5,6) in calibrated positions are assembled in the trigger together with a differential lever (12) actuating one of the two slides (3,4). This method is especially suited for a fully automatic assembly line.

Method of calibrating a thermal trigger for an electrical switching

A latching mechanism comprises a stationary chamber (1), a spring-loaded main slide (2) which is guided along the stationary chamber (1) in a first direction, a spring-loaded message slide (3) disposed inside the stationary chamber (1) which is guided in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a spring-loaded snap lever (4) which is pivotally mounted inside the stationary chamber (11) and which supports the switch lock's toggle linkage during the switched-on position of an overload protection switch. The main slide (2) is mechanically coupled to a manual actuator. During switching-on, the main slide (2) is moved in the direction of the message slide (3), such that the message slide (3) is moved via interacting bevels (19, 28), and locks the main slide (2). During tripping, the trip latch moves the message slide (3), causing the main slide (2) to be locked into a tripped position and causing the snap lever (4) to be released. Advantageously, in order to switch off and reset after tripping, an increased force must be applied manually. The reset or main spring (12) is housed inside the main slide (2) and does not affect the switch lock. Additionally, it is possible to adjust the resetting strength of the main spring (12), which acts upon the manual actuator.

Latching mechanism for an electrical overload protection switch, in

The overcurrent protective switch contains a switch lock 8, which, in the switched on position, holds the movable contact pieces 3 in engagement with the fixed contact pieces 2 against the force exerted by at least one switch-off spring. The switch lock 8 comprises a switch splicing plate 10 connected to the movable contact pieces 3 in an articulated mechanism; a toggle lever splicing plate 12 connected to the switch splicing plate 10 at a toggle joint 13; and a pawl lever 15 mounted in a position inside the housing 1, which is supported by a trigger pawl 17 and connected with the toggle lever splicing plate 12 in an articulate mechanism. The joint axles 11, 13, 16 of the switch splicing plate 10 and the toggle lever splicing plate 12, as well as the pivot bearing axle 14 of the pawl lever 15 are in the on state arranged on a slightly curved line, so that a past dead center condition is created. Under this condition, the toggle joint 13 is supported against a latched stop slide 22, the latching of which is released when switched off manually. The pawl lever 15 is capable of swiveling in both directions, that is, in one direction when the trigger pawl 17 is actuated, and in the other direction when switched off manually. Thus, a quick switching off is achieved either manually or by a current surge, using only a few simple components.

Growing community of inventors

Siblingen, Switzerland

Karin Hannelore Spengler-Schmid