Eaton Corporation

Cutler-hammer, Inc.

William G Dennison

Albert C Snowdon

Edmund M Butterworth

Robert I Kindler

Kenneth R Horr

An electromagnetic operator for a contactor (2) having a housing (4,34) including an insulating upper part (4) and a snap-in lower part (34), a magnetic armature (24) movable in the upper part (4), and a magnetic core (30), molded coil (28), return spring (36) and shock pad (32) in the lower part (34). The molded coil (28) is clamped immovably by the lower part (34) against the upper part (4) of the housing. The shock pad (32) has a flat base (32a) with a thin spherical segment (32b) between the magnet core (30) and the lower part (34) and four tabs (32c-f) at its corners supporting the four legs (28c-d) of the molded coil (28) to press the latter securely against the upper part (4) of the housing, these legs (28c-d) having reduced sections (28e-f) that sink into those tabs (32c-f). The shock pad (32) also has two pairs of resilient strips (32g,h,j,k) that extend from the opposite edges of the base (32a) up and toward one another between the yoke portions (32c,d) of the magnetic core (30) and the coil (28). This shock pad (32) takes up tolerances and isolates the magnetic core (30) for limited rocking movement in any radial direction to enable it to seat fully against the armature (24) when the coil (28) is energized. Alternatively, the resilient strips (32c-f) may be two continuous bands that can be stretched to assemble the shock pad (32) on the E-shaped magnetic core.

Electromagnetic operator for a contactor with improved shock pad

A mechanical interlock (6) for coupling a pair of contactors (2, 4) to prevent concurrent closure thereof. The interlock includes a generally T-shaped one-piece molded frame (16) having a pair of mounting hooks (16a, 16b) at one side at the ends of its arms for coupling to false-front upper corners (2c, 2d) of a first contactor (2) and another pair of mounting hooks (16c, 16d) at the other side at the ends of its arms for similarly coupling to the other contactor (4). Snap-in lugs (16e, 16f) snap into a rectangular aperture (2b) in the contactor wall to retain the interlock in place. A rockable, spring-biased interlock pawl (18) snap-in mounted within the frame has projecting wings (18e, 18f) that extend into the contactor aperture (2b) below a contact carrier projection (8a) so that downward actuation of the contact carrier of one contactor rocks the pawl so as to compress its bias, return spring (20) and cause a toe (18d) at the lower end of the pawl to slide down one side of a double-incline bump (16k) into a pocket at the bottom of the frame thereby preventing depression of the other wing of the pawl by the other contactor and prevent closure of the other contactor at the same time.

Mechanical interlock for contactors

The parts of the three-pole contactor (FIGS. 1 and 2) are designed so as to enable economical assembly thereof without any screws or similar fasteners. A molded contact carrier (12) having windows (12a-c) that retain movable bridging contacts (14, 16, 18) and their bias springs (20, 22, 24) and armature (28) seat (12i) and snap-in securing ramps (12k, 12m) that retain a leaf spring (26) extending through a slot (28a) in the armature (28) forms a subassembly that is inserted into an upper housing part (2) that has slots (2v, 2w, 2x) into which stationary contacts (6, 8, 10) are inserted. An encapsulated coil subassembly (38) having terminals (42, 44), a bobbin (40) and a coil (4) and a return spring (36) snap-in assembled thereon is placed over the armature (28). An E-shaped magnet (46) having shading coils (48, 50) on its poles is inserted through the holes in the coil assembly (38). A frame (52) is placed over the magnet (46) and snap-in coupled to the upper housing part (2) to complete the assembly of the contactor. Thin portions (38r) on the legs (38m, 38n, 38p, 38q) of the molding material encased coil (38) are resiliently deformed as the frame is pressed into snap-in engagement to take up any looseness between the parts.

Electromagnetic contactor

An electrical terminal having a looped configuration for properly orienting a segment of the terminal to which a contact may be mounted to thereby properly direct a magnetic blow-out force induced by current flow through said segment. The terminal is formed by two longitudinal, parallel 90.degree. bends rather than two lateral, parallel 90.degree. bends, and comprises a flat rectangular member having a U-shaped aperture formed longitudinally therein defining a tongue segment (to which a contact may be mounted) spaced between a pair of longitudinal side segments joined at their ends by a pair of lateral segments bent 90.degree. from the plane of said tongue segment about longitudinal axes co-linear with the legs of the U-shaped aperture.

Growing community of inventors

Cedarburg, WI, United States of America

William G Dennison