Eaton Corporation

Peter K Moldovan

Mark Allan Juds

Peter J Theisen

Earl T Piber

Paul Jason Rollmann

Edward Louis Wellner

Richard G Smith

Daniel A Wycklendt

Michael F Walz

Thomas Michael Hall

Robert A Kihn

Jerome Kenneth Hastings

Bruce C Beihoff

Michael R Larsen

Robert J Clarey

William E Grass

Peter Nerstrom

William R Nelson

Hemant K Mody

Herbert R Streich

Jeffery A Patten

Xin Zhou

James Michael McCormick

Steven Christopher Schmalz

Kurt Von Eckroth

Charles J Tennies

Slobodan Krstic

James R Jaeschke

Engelbert Hetzmannseder

Mark G Solveson

Peter J McGinnis

James C Vander Meer

Michael E Bauer

Randal D Gazdecki

John Robert Skibinski

Englebert Hetzmannseder

Kurt D Matschull

Brad L Myers

Stephen R Fiacchino

Mary Jo Vanderheiden

John C Hohensee

Engelbert Hetzmanseder

John M Reske

The auxiliary switch includes a non-contact sensor, such as a Hall effect device, that is switched by the condition of a magnetic field. The magnetic field condition is effected by a movable contact indicator that moves between open and closed positions with the separable contacts of the electric power apparatus. A magnet may be attached to the movable contact indicator, or the movable contact indicator can be magnetized to form the magnet. Alternatively, the moving contact indicator can intercept or not intercept a magnetic field produced by a fixed magnet spaced from the sensor. The Hall effect device may be mounted on the outside of the nonmagnetically permeable housing of the electric power apparatus, or inside if there is sufficient room. In either case, no mechanical coupling is required for the sensor.

Non-contact auxiliary switch and electric power apparatus incorporating same

A circuit breaker includes a housing; separable contacts mounted in the housing; and an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts. An overcurrent assembly is responsive to selected conditions of current flowing through the separable contacts and actuates the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. A bonnet forms a U-shape which surrounds the separable contacts and which cools and splits an arc when the operating mechanism trips open the separable contacts. A first bonnet piece forms a first leg of the bonnet, and a second bonnet piece forms a second leg and a base of the bonnet.

Circuit breaker

The toggle mechanism of a circuit breaker is connected at one end to the pivoted contact arm and at the other end to a pivoted latch lever which is engaged to latch the toggle mechanism by a latch member pivoted for movement in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the toggle mechanism. The latch member serves as an armature for a trip motor energized by a trip circuit responsive to an arc fault and/or a ground fault to unlatch the toggle mechanism and trip the circuit breaker open. The latch member is also tripped by a helical bimetal responsive to persistent overcurrents and coupled to the latch member through an ambient compensator bimetal cantilevered from the latch member. A flexible shunt connected between the helical bimetal and contact arm passes through an extension of the magnetic circuit of the trip motor to generate a magnetic field of sufficient strength to trip the latch member instantaneously in response to a short circuit.

Circuit breaker with instantaneous trip provided by main conductor routed through magnetic circuit of electronic trip motor

Circuit breaker with latch and toggle mechanism operating in perpendicular planes

An electric switch has an arc extinguishing mechanism that includes a plurality of splitter plates located adjacent to the switch contacts. An electromagnet coil is connected between one of the contacts and a splitter plate to produce a magnetic field that drives an arc into the extinguishing mechanism. The unique electromagnet coil is formed by a lamination of a plurality of flat open loops of conductive material alternating with layers of insulation. The flat open loops are interconnected to form a helical coil.

Electric current switching apparatus having an arc extinguisher with an

A DC contactor has stationary and movable contacts. A magnet is rotatably mounted adjacent to the stationary contact within a self magnetic field produced by the flow of electric current in the stationary contact. The magnet rotates so that its magnetic field extends around the stationary contact in the same direction as the self magnetic field. When an arc forms between the stationary and movable contacts, interaction with the self magnetic field and the magnetic field drives the arc toward an adjacent extinguishing chamber.

Magnetic enhanced arc extinguisher for switching assemblies having

An improved circuit interrupter having a solenoid in series with the line and load terminals with an armature operable to activate a trip mechanism within the circuit breaker upon experiencing current levels indicative of short circuit conditions. The traditional solenoid coil is replaced with a free form conductor stamped in a serpentine pattern with adjacent legs deformed slightly in opposite directions to permit an electromagnetic material to be disposed therebetween. Current is directed through the conductor progressively back and forth through the serpentine pattern and creates a magnetic field in the electromagnetic material which is sufficient to activate an armature when current levels approximate short circuit conditions.

Molded case circuit breaker having an improved electromagnetic trip

An electric arc extinguishing mechanism for an electric current switching apparatus employs a plurality of splitter plates in a conventional arc chute arrangement. Each splitter plate has a pair of permanent magnet structures that produce a magnetic field which interacts with the arc causing the arc to move continuously about the surface of the splitter plate until the arc is extinguished. Such movement prevents the arc energy from being concentrated in one spot which could melt the splitter plate.

Electric current switching apparatus with dual magnet arc spinning

An electric motor control apparatus includes an electrical current control apparatus which is operable to limit current to an electric motor. When the electric motor is a three-phase motor, three current limiting switch assemblies are provided in the electric current control apparatus. A single stack of laminations concentrates magnetic fields emanating from conductors in all three current limiting switch assemblies. Each of the current limiting switch assemblies includes two movable contacts which are mounted on contact arms. The contact arms are movable in slots in the stack of laminations. A first series of splitter plates is disposed in an array along a path of movement of the contact on the first movable contact arm and a second series of splitter plates is disposed along a path of movement of the contact on the second contact arm for each of the current limiting switch assemblies. A short circuit splitter plate conducts electrical current between the two series of splitter plates. A bypass splitter plate is connected in a bypass circuit which conducts excessive current around a motor starter to protect the motor starter.

Electric control apparatus

An electric arc extinguishing mechanism is provided for an electric current switching apparatus of the type having a pair of contacts which selectively engage to complete an electric circuit. The mechanism includes a plurality of splitter plates located adjacent to the contacts and formed of electrically conductive material. Each splitter plate has a body of electrically conductive material, and a casing with a pair of planar portions on opposite sides of the body and connected by the curved edge portion. The edge portion is adjacent the contacts with the planar portions extending from the edge portion in an open loop having a gap. Any arc introduced between adjacent splitter plates moves around the open loop before being extinguished thereby not residing in one spot long enough to cause gross melting and associated erosion of the splitter plate.

Electric current switching apparatus with arc spinning extinguisher

A contactor for switching electric current has a stationary contact and a movable contact which when driven by a solenoid moves into and away from abutment with the stationary contact. An arc chute includes a plurality of splitter plates which extend radially from a center point in a geometric arc around the stationary contact on a side that is opposite to the movable contact. A curved arc runner is connected to the stationary contact to guide an electrical arc travelling between the stationary contact and each of the splitter plates. An elongated arc runner is connected to the movable contact to guide the electrical arc between the movable contact and splitter plates at the ends of the geometric arc.

Electric switch with arc chute, radially converging arc splitter plates,

A contactor for switching electric current has a stationary contact and a movable contact which when driven by a solenoid moves into and away from abutment with the stationary contact. An arc extinguishing chamber is adjacent to the movable and stationary contacts and includes two rows of splitter plates with a gap therebetween. Each row comprises alternating splitter plates of first and second types. The first type of splitter plate has a first member of non-magnetic material with an aperture within which a permanent magnet is received and a second member of a magnetic material abutting the first member remote from the gap. An outer casing of a non-ferrous, electrically conductive material extends at least partially around the first and second members. The second type of splitter plates are formed of non-ferrous, electrically conductive material. The magnets produce a magnetic field around each of the first type of splitter plates which causes the electric arc to move about the surface of the outer casing.

Electric current switching apparatus with tornadic arc extinguishing

A sealed contactor for switching electric current has a switching assembly that includes a movable contact which selectively bridges a pair of stationary contacts to provide an electrical path therebetween. The moveable and stationary contacts are mounted to a body of electrically insulating material to form a unitized structure. A separate actuator assembly has an enclosure which contains an electrically operated driver with a linkage that extends into the switching assembly to alternately operate the moveable contact into engagement with and disengagement from the stationary contacts. The switching assembly is sealingly attached to the actuator assembly in an interlocking manner that prevents arcs produced between the contacts from escaping outside the electric current switching apparatus. Nevertheless, the switching assembly is capable of being easily removed and replaced as a single unit from the actuator assembly when repairing the contactor.

Electric current switching apparatus with unitized removable contacts

A two-pole switch for DC current has a housing formed by a pair of open shells abutting each other to enclose components of the apparatus. Each shell rigidly holds a stationary contact, and an actuator is pivotally coupled to the shells. A pair of movable contacts are pivotally attached to the actuator so that each movable contact touches one stationary contact when the actuator is in a first position and the contacts are separated when the actuator is in a second position. A spine plate is between the shells and electrically separates the two stationary contacts and arc extinguishing chambers. A solenoid is within the housing aligned with the contacts and drives the actuator between the second and first positions to close the contacts.

Direct current switching apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Cascade, WI, United States of America

Peter K Moldovan