Fault sensing and actuating means for repeating circuit interrupter

Claim 2

In a circuit interrupter coupled to an electrical system and including switch means having an open and closed condition and means including an electrical coil for moving the switch means to the open condition, the combination comprising, control means including sensing means for detecting the occurrence of an abnormal condition in said system and being operative in response to the occurrence of said condition and coil actuating means connected to said coil, said coil actuating means being effective to energize the coil when an abnormal conditions occurs and being initially operative in response to said control means and thereafter self-maintained in operation until after the switch means is open, said coil actuating means including recovery circuit means operable after said sensing means ceases operation and in response thereto to terminate the operation of said coil actuating means, said recovery circuit means when operative having an energized circuit connection with the electrical system.

Claim 3

In a circuit interrupter coupled to an electrical system and including switch means having an open and closed condition and means including an electrical coil for moving the switch means to the open condition, the combination comprising, control means including sensing means for detecting the occurrence of an abnormal condition in said system and being operative in response to the occurrence of said condition, coil actuating means connected to said coil, said coil actuating means being effective to energize the coil when an abnormal condition occurs and being initially operative in response to said control means and thereafter self-maintained in operation until after the switch means is open, and timing means for delaying operation of the coil actuating means after the sensing means becomes operative, said timing means having a shunted condition and a nonshunted condition and being operative only when in the nonshunted condition, and circuit means connected in parallel with the timing means and having a conductive shunting condition to prevent operation of the timing means and a nonconductive condition permitting operation of the timing means.

Claim 4

In a circuit interrupter coupled to an electrical system and including switch means having an open and closed condition and means including an electrical coil for moving the switch means to the open condition, the combination comprising, control means including sensing means for detecting the occurrence of an abnormal condition in said system and being operative in response to the occurrence of said condition, coil actuating means connected to said coil, said coil actuating means being effective to energize the coil when an abnormal condition occurs and being initially operative in response to said control means and thereafter self-maintained in operation until after the switch means is open, and timing means for delaying operation of the coil actuating means after the sensing means becomes operative, said timing means having a shunted condition and a nonshunted condition and being operative only when in the nonshunted condition, and circuit means connected in parallel with the timing means and having a conductive shunting condition to prevent operation of the timing means and a nonconductive condition permitting operation of the timing means.

Claim 5

In a circuit interrupter coupled to an electrical system and including switch means having an open and closed condition and means including an electrical coil for moving the switch means to the open condition, the combination comprising, control means including sensing means for detecting the occurrence of an abnormal condition in said system and being operative in response to the occurrence of said condition and coil actuating means connectEd to said coil, said coil actuating means being effective to energize the coil when an abnormal condition occurs and being initially operative in response to said control means and thereafter self-maintained in operation until after the switch means is open, said coil and coil actuating means having an energized circuit connection with the electrical system and said switch means is simultaneously in its open condition.

Claim 6

In a circuit interrupter coupled to an electrical system and including switch means having an open and closed condition and means including an electrical coil for moving the switch means to the open condition, the combination comprising, control means including sensing means for detecting the occurrence of an abnormal condition in said system and being operative in response to the occurrence of said condition and coil actuating means connectEd to said coil, said coil actuating means being effective to energize the coil when an abnormal condition occurs and being initially operative in response to said control means and thereafter self-maintained in operation until after the switch means is open, said coil and coil actuating means having an energized circuit connection with the electrical system and said switch means is simultaneously in its open condition.

Claim 7

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said coil actuating means is operated by supplying electrical energy thereto from said system and said energized circuit connection is an energy diverting connection carrying said energy whereby the coil actuating means is deenergized.

Claim 8

The combination according to claim 4 wherein said coil actuating means includes first circuit means connected in series with said coil for energizing the coil and said recovery circuit means is connected in parallel with the first circuit means.

Claim 9

The combination according to claim 1 wherein said control means includes timing means inoperative when in a deenergized condition and having an energized condition for delaying operation of the coil actuating means, a circuit having a first conductive condition maintaining the timing means deenergized when the switch means is closed and the system is in a normal operating condition, said circuit having a second conductive condition during operation of the recovery circuit means, said recovery circuit means and circuit comprising an energized diverting circuit connected in shunt with the coil actuating means for diverting energy from the coil actuating means during the second conductive condition of the circuit and operation of the recovery circuit means.

Claim 10

The combination according to claim 6 wherein the coil actuating means includes first circuit means connected to said coil, said first circuit means being effective to energize the coil, and lock-in circuit means connected to the first circuit means and to the diverting circuit, said lock-in circuit means being conductive after the switch means is open to maintain the first circuit means operative and terminating conduction in response to operation by the diverting circuit.