Manual override mechanism for a remote controlled circuit breaker

Abstract

A remotely controllable circuit breaker device for interrupting current in a circuit path between a source and a load includes local and remote monitoring capabilities and a gear mechanism for reliable remote control of the interruption mechanism. The device includes a first contact and a second contact cooperatively arranged in the circuit path so as to provide current from the source to the load. At least one of the contacts is disposed on a contact carrier which is movable for interrupting the current provided to the load. The gear mechanism includes a motor with a rotatable shaft which responds to open and closed control signals generated from a remote location, and a gear, rotatably responsive to the rotatable shaft, for controlling the contact carrier so that the circuit path is interrupted and established, respectively. The gear mechanism controls the contact carrier using a coupling arrangement, which has a first part coupled to the contact carrier and a second part coupled to the gear. A manual override mechanism is utilized to render the coupling arrangement non-responsive to the motor. The manual override mechanism includes a manually operated member interlocked to a slide mechanism which is coupled to the gear. The slide mechanism and gear being in one position to enable the remote control mechanism to be responsive to remote control signals and in another position to disable the remote control mechanism to render it non-responsive to the remote control signals. The manually operated member is biased by a spring so that when it is released from a fixed position it pulls the slide mechanism and thusly the gear into a position where the gear no longer will move the contact carrier in response to rotation of the motor shaft.