The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 29, 1978
Filed:
Mar. 04, 1975
Russell E Frink, Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Stanislaw A Milianowicz, Monroeville, PA (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
An improved operating mechanism of the energy-storage type is provided for circuit-interrupting structures, including an energy-storing means having the energy content therein increased by the movement of a movable member during the closing operation, and a collapsible toggle-linkage is provided between the energy-storing means and the separable arcing contact structure of the circuit-interrupter structure. Improved means are provided for a tripping operation, and thereby effecting the collapse of said toggle-linkage to effect the opening of said separable contact structure, and a second releasing means is preferably provided for discharging the stored-energy of the energy-storing means to effect thereby the straightening of said toggle-linkage and the consequent closing of the separable contacts within the circuit-interrupter during the closing operation. The aforesaid improved operating mechanism is additionally applicable to the situation in which a serially-related disconnecting-switch structure is used in electrical series with the circuit-interrupting structure, so that a visible open-circuit safe gap is provided in the fully-open-circuit position of the device for safety of maintenance personnel. The energy-storing means, preferably, is provided by suitable spring-means, such as, for example, compression-spring means, which has the energy content therein increased during the closing operation of the circuit interrupter by suitable crank-means, for example, which increases the energy content of the energy-storage means until a certain point in closing travel is reached, at which point releasing means effects an extension of said spring means to thereby effect straightening of the toggle-linkage associated with the contacts of the circuit-interrupter and consequent closing of the separable contacts thereof. An extension of the movable member, which provides an increase in the energy-storage content of the energy-storage means effects opening and closing movements of a conjointly-acting serially-related disconnecting switchblade.