Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Richard J Bohinc

Ronald E Vaill

Charles W Tragesser

Francis R Racki

An improved oil-pumping piston-assembly is provided for an oil-type circuit-interrupter to improve the interrupting performance during low-current conditions, having an improved hydraulic-dashpot action occurring during charging and discharging oil, incorporating, additionally, a 'floating' piston design, and reducing the mechanical impulse forces exerted on the cylinder when high-current interruptions are made with an improved check-valve construction. The improved oil-pumping piston-assembly of the present invention is particularly adapted for the inclusion therewith of an auxiliary shunting separable-contact structure, which will, when desired, increase the current-carrying capability of the circuit-interrupter. Its inclusion, or exclusion, is optional, depending upon the current rating desired by the utility customer. Also, the improved oil-pumping piston-assembly provides an improved check-valve construction, which will admit clean oil into the pumping cylinder from the clean-oil region externally of the grid structure, by an improved check-valve structure located at a position between the pumping-cylinder reservoir and the lower end of the pumping housing, through which oil inlet passages are provided for the entrance of such clean oil into the pumping cylinder.

Oil circuit-breaker pump-assembly with improved shunting contact

A tank-type oil circuit-breaker has a pair of arc-extinguishing grid-structures disposed interiorly within the oil tank, each of said arc-extinguishing grid-structures having a pair of outwardly-directed horizontally-laterally-spaced venting ports, with the angular direction, or divergence between the two horizontally-spaced venting ports of somewhat critical angular magnitude. The construction is such that the two spaced venting ports on each arc-extinguishing grid structure collectively produce a resultant inwardly-directed jet force, which substantially counterbalances the outwardly-directed magnetic and mechanical forces resulting from the U-shaped line-current flow passing through the circuit-interrupter. The angular separation, or angular divergence provided between the two horizontally-laterally-spaced venting ports of each arc-extinguishing grid-structure falls within the range of angular magnitude of 80.degree. to 160.degree.. A desirable divergence range is between 100.degree. and 140.degree., and preferably, the angular divergence is desirably 120 angular degrees.

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Hempfield Township, PA, United States of America

Richard J Bohinc