S&c Electric Company

Other

Leonard V Chabala

Thomas J Tobin

Edward J Rogers

Joel A Ramos

Christopher D Roman

Raymond P O'Leary

Walter J Hall

Peter J Meyer

Robert H Harner

John Haarsma

Roy T Swanson

Hiram S Jackson

David H Devonald, Iii

Otto Meister

Thomas O Fanta

Chester H Lin

Norman J Stranczek

Michael P O'Dell

Albert F Cowsky

Harner Robert H

Roy R Swanson

David H Devonald

Michael P O'dell

An interconnection arrangement is provided for the appropriate interconnection of predetermined assemblies and modules affixed to the exterior of an enclosure of pad-mounted gear, while also shielding the interconnections from the medium-voltage sections of the pad-mounted gear. The interconnection arrangement may be utilized either during manufacture of the pad-mounted gear or as a field retrofit installation. The interconnection arrangement includes a base assembly which defines predetermined enclosed cable pathways through which the interconnecting conductors are routed. The interconnecting conductors are provided by preassembled and pre-routed cable harnesses within the defined cable pathways. The interconnection arrangement also includes internal and external duct structures that extend the cable pathways through the base assembly and into the individual enclosures for the assemblies and modules affixed to the exterior of the enclosure of the pad-mounted gear. The interconnection arrangement is of modular design so as to be easily configurable for installation to different configurations of pad-mounted gear and affixed assemblies. In addition to the interconnection arrangement being versatile, it also lends itself to ease of manufacture and the use of basic component parts to provide different configurations as either manufacturing assemblies or field retrofit kits.

Interconnection arrangement for electrical equipment enclosures

A durable polymeric bearing is provided for a rotatable support insulator. The bearing is of sufficient conductivity to permit the flow of leakage current and capacitive charging current through the bearing. Thus, tracking across and/or deterioration of the bearing is avoided since insufficient voltage is developed across the bearing to cause any deleterious effects.

Support arrangement for a rotatable insulator

Insulating through-bushing for an electrical conductor

A multi-pole group-operated switch configuration is provided for electrical distribution circuits. The switch configuration includes integral arrangements for sensing circuit parameters and supplying power for a switch operator of the switch configuration. The switch configuration includes a plurality of switch-pole units. In accordance with desired characteristics and features, one or more of the switch-pole units includes an integral current-sensing device, an integral voltage-sensing device, or an integral combination voltage and current-sensing device. The voltage-sensing device also provides operating power to power a switch operator and charge the batteries of the switch configuration.

Switch configuration with integral sensing and power supply apparatus

A sealing arrangement is provided with overpressure relief. In the preferred embodiment, the sealing arrangement includes a sealing member that is positioned between two housing portions or the like and that is acted upon by the pressure within the housing. A force-responsive retaining arrangement maintains the sealing member in a predetermined location. Upon the occurrence of overpressures exceeding a predetermined value, the sealing member exerts sufficient force on the force-responsive retaining arrangement so as to cause appropriate displacement of the sealing member to permit the venting of the housing.

Sealing arrangement with overpressure relief

A multi-pole group-operated switch is provided for electrical power distribution circuits. The switch is self-contained and suited for ease of use with various line spacings and arrangements of the distribution lines; e.g., side-by-side (horizontal plane), phase-over-phase, and cable drops. The switch includes a plurality of switch-pole units carried at desired spacings by a base support and drive arrangement. Each of the switch-pole units includes a housing, interrupting contacts, and disconnect contacts. The housing that encloses the interrupting contacts in movable to perform the disconnect function. The base support and drive arrangement encloses a high-speed interrupting linkage for operation of the interrupting contacts of each of the switch-pole units and carries an operating mechanism that is connected to the interrupting linkage internal to a base support member of the base support and drive arrangement. The switch also includes a disconnect linkage to move the switch-pole housings. For manual operation of the disconnect function, an operating handle is provided. The operating handle and the operating mechanism are oriented and positioned relative to the switch in various predetermined locations that are desirable for the particular mounting configuration of the switch with respect to the line layout and the equipment pole. In a preferred embodiment, the switch includes integral dead-ending connection provisions and also includes integral line- parameter sensing and power-supply provisions incorporated within one or more of the switch-pole units.

Self-contained switch for electrical distribution circuit

An interrupting unit for a switch is provided that includes the efficient combination of a molded housing and a shunt current path therethrough. The shunt current path includes easily assembled components that provide positive contact at a point in the current path at which the components are relatively movable with respect to each other. The interrupting unit includes an operating mechanism with movable linkage components that operate the shunt interrupting contacts. The linkage components also provide a portion of the shunt current path. The shunt current path also includes a stationary auxiliary contact which extends outside the molded housing and which is cooperable with a moving auxiliary shunt contact of an overall interrupting switch. The molded housing includes a cover portion having a section that extends beyond the main integrally molded housing portion. The stationary auxiliary contact is a protruding member or stud disposed from the extending section of the cover portion. The cover portion of the molded housing carries integrally molded conductive provisions for connecting the externally disposed stationary auxiliary contact to the movable linkage portions of the operating mechanism internal to the molded housing. The provisions in the shunt current path that connect the externally disposed stationary auxiliary contact and the movable linkage portions of the operating mechanism also includes a depending resilient contact or wiper arm which engages a movable wiper contact surface or hub of the movable linkage to provide appropriate contact engagement.

Interrupting unit with molded housing and shunt current path therethrough

A method and arrangement are provided for power operation of manually operable switchgear. The capability for power operation may be provided either during manufacture or as a retrofit to installed switchgear. The apparatus includes a switch-operator unit which is attached to the switchgear. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a device for providing power to a rechargeable power supply of the switch-operator unit from the energized portions of the switchgear; the power-providing device being efficiently installed in either a field retrofit operation to installed switchgear or during manufacture of the switchgear. The apparatus also includes provisions for providing operating power from the rechargeable power supply of the switch operator to a second, separately housed switch-operator unit that is attached to the switchgear.

Method and arrangement for providing power operation of switchgear

A contact arrangement is provided for a medium- or high-voltage switch including two contact surfaces that are generally parallel and relatively movable via a predetermined path between open and closed positions. During closing, the two contact surfaces define predetermined areas of relative engagement between the two contact surfaces. The movement along the predetermined path during contact engagement generally defines a first direction. The two contact surfaces are arranged relative to each other and the first direction such that, during closing, the relative engagement between the two contact surfaces defines a locus along each contact surface that is non-parallel to the first direction.

Switch contacts with improved fault-closing capability

Design for an interrupter unit for a switch assembly

An interrupter switch is provided that includes an interrupter housing that is integrally formed from insulating material. The interrupter housing defines structure to house the interrupting contacts and the operating linkage for the interrupting contacts. The interrupter housing is selectively movable after circuit interruption to perform a visible, circuit-isolating function; the interrupter housing functioning as a movable switching member and carrying a disconnect contact that cooperates with a stationary disconnect contact at a first circuit terminal. A second circuit terminal is defined at a swivel or hinge contact carried by the interrupter housing. The interrupting contacts are connected between the movable disconnect contact and the second circuit terminal. The operating linkage includes a rotatable operating member which extends from the interrupter housing. The interrupter housing is filled with an insulating gas. Seals are provided between the interrupter housing and the operating member. The interrupter housing is rotatable about a predetermined axis through the first portion to perform the circuit-isolating, disconnect function. In a multi-pole arrangement in an electrical power distribution circuit, a plurality of circuit interrupters are provided with a common circuit-interrupter drive train and a common disconnect drive linkage. An arrangement is provided to ensure that the circuit interrupter is operated to open the interrupting contacts before the selective circuit-isolating function is provided. Also in the preferred arrangement, the integrally molded interrupter housing defines a pump cylinder for cooperation with the movable interrupting contact which carries a puffer piston.

Interrupter switch with selective circuit-isolating feature

Interrupter switch

An arrangement for efficiently assembling and providing a plurality of circuit protection device configurations by use of major components that are common to the configurations and that are adapted for interconnection and functioning with each other; some of the major components providing different or multiple functions in the various configurations. The various configurations satisfy the application requirements and customer needs with regard to voltage rating, efficient space usage, station layouts, and the provision of disconnect mechanisms. The configurations include various orientations of interrupting units and the provision of various types of disconnect mechanisms. The major components include an operator, an interrupting unit, an insulating support column, and a base drive. The operator provides a first drive output and a second drive output. The insulating support column is capable of being rotated to provide a rotary drive output for disconnect mechanisms. The insulating support column also internally carries an operating member. The operating member is driven to operate the interrupting unit. The base drive is connected to receive the first drive output of the operator and in turn to provide a driving output to the operating member. The second drive output is connected through appropriate linkage to rotate the insulating support column.

Arrangement for providing various circuit protection device

An improved current-limiting section is provided for an interrupting device. A main-current-path section of the interrupting device carries substantially all of the normal, load current while only a negligible portion of the current flows through a higher-impedance current-limiting section. Upon operation of the interrupting device, the contacts of a switch in the main-current section are rapidly separated to create one or more gaps. Upon the creation of the one or more gaps, the current is transferred into the current-limiting section. The current-limiting section includes a plurality of fusible elements. The fusible elements are thin, elongated, conductive ribbons. One or more of the fusible elements has a first predetermined pattern of reduced cross-sectional areas that is different than a second predetermined pattern of reduced cross-sectional areas provided in the one or more remaining fusible elements such that for low overcurrent conditions, the one or more fusible elements having the second predetermined pattern melt and have gaps created therein at an earlier time than the one or more fusible elements having the first predetermined patterns. At high overcurrent conditions, the melting characteristics of the fusible elements having the first predetermined pattern and the melting characteristics of the fusible elements having the second predetermined pattern are substantially equal.

Interrupting device with improved current-limiting arrangement

An improved insulating material is provided. The insulating material is a mixture of an insulating fluid and solid insulative bodies. The insulating material exhibits desirable insulating, conformal coating, surface adhesion, and low-viscosity characteristics. For example, when the insulating material is used to fill the cavity of a hollow insulator, the insulating material prevents any moisture that enters the insulator from adhering to the walls that define the cavity; thus maintaining the insulating qualities of the insulator. In the event that some of the fluid is lost through leakage, the insulating material also aids in preserving the insulating qualities of the insulator.

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Maywood, IL, United States of America

Leonard V Chabala