US3590192A — Supporting and spring-charging means for circuit …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 331 words

A multipole circuit breaker comprising a housing structure, a circuit-breaker mechanism supported on said housing structure, said housing structure comprising a base plate and a pair of spaced generally parallel sideplates connected to said base plate, a pair of spaced generally parallel center plates connected to said base plate within the dimension between sideplates and supported in a generally parallel relationship with said sideplates, said circuit breaker mechanism comprising an elongated jackshaft common to all of said poles, each of said poles comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact, means operatively connecting each of said movable contacts with said jackshaft, bearing means on each of said sideplates and on each of said center plates supporting said jackshaft for pivotal movement about a fixed pivot, said bearing means on said center plates comprising a separate open-sided bearing on each of said center plates permitting movement of said jackshaft into said open-sided bearings in a direction normal to the direction of elongation of the axis of said jackshaft during the mounting operation of said jackshaft on said sideplates and center plates, each of said center plates having a crankshaft-receiving opening therein, a crankshaft extending through said crankshaft-receiving openings and being supported on said center plates for rotational movement, a closing cam on said crankshaft between said center plates, link means operatively connecting said closing cam with said jackshaft, spring means comprising a pair of closing springs supported on opposite sides of said pair of center plates, means connecting each of said closing springs to said crankshaft, means operable to rotate said crankshaft from a spring-discharged position to a spring-charged position to charge said spring means and when said spring means is charged to release said charged spring means whereupon said charged spring means discharges to rotate said crankshaft to said spring-discharged position, and said closing cam upon rotation of said crankshaft to said springdischarged position operating through said link means and said jackshaft to move said movable contacts to the closed position.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 331 words

A multipole circuit breaker comprising a housing structure, a circuit-breaker mechanism supported on said housing structure, said housing structure comprising a base plate and a pair of spaced generally parallel sideplates connected to said base plate, a pair of spaced generally parallel center plates connected to said base plate within the dimension between sideplates and supported in a generally parallel relationship with said sideplates, said circuit breaker mechanism comprising an elongated jackshaft common to all of said poles, each of said poles comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact, means operatively connecting each of said movable contacts with said jackshaft, bearing means on each of said sideplates and on each of said center plates supporting said jackshaft for pivotal movement about a fixed pivot, said bearing means on said center plates comprising a separate open-sided bearing on each of said center plates permitting movement of said jackshaft into said open-sided bearings in a direction normal to the direction of elongation of the axis of said jackshaft during the mounting operation of said jackshaft on said sideplates and center plates, each of said center plates having a crankshaft-receiving opening therein, a crankshaft extending through said crankshaft-receiving openings and being supported on said center plates for rotational movement, a closing cam on said crankshaft between said center plates, link means operatively connecting said closing cam with said jackshaft, spring means comprising a pair of closing springs supported on opposite sides of said pair of center plates, means connecting each of said closing springs to said crankshaft, means operable to rotate said crankshaft from a spring-discharged position to a spring-charged position to charge said spring means and when said spring means is charged to release said charged spring means whereupon said charged spring means discharges to rotate said crankshaft to said spring-discharged position, and said closing cam upon rotation of said crankshaft to said springdischarged position operating through said link means and said jackshaft to move said movable contacts to the closed position.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 101 words

A multipole circuit breaker according to claim 1, said crankshaft being operable from said spring-discharged position in one direction to said spring-charged position to charge said closing springs and to position said closing springs such that said charged closing springs bias said crankshaft in said one direction toward said spring-discharged position, latch means comprising a first latch on said closing cam and a second latch separate from said closing cam, said latch means latching said crankshaft in said spring-charged position, and means operable to release said latch means whereupon said closing springs discharge to rotate said crankshaft to said spring-discharged position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 111 words

A circuit breaker according to claim 1, each of said closing springs comprising a spring member supported at one end thereof on a fixed support and connected at the other end thereof to said crankshaft, said crankshaft being rotatable in one direction to said spring-charged position to move said other ends of said closing springs to thereby charge said closing springs, latch means automatically latching said crankshaft in said spring-charged position to thereby latch said closing springs in the charged condition, means for releasing said latch means, and upon release of said latch means said charged closing springs discharging to move said crankshaft in said one direction to said spring-discharged position.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 113 words

A multipole circuit breaker according to claim 1, said circuit breaker comprising three pole units, a separate lever projection fixed to said jackshaft at each of said pole units, means operatively connecting each of said lever projections with the associated movable contact, means operatively connecting the lever projection of the center pole unit to said operating means, said pole units being disposed in a side-by-side relationship, the lever projection of the center pole unit being positioned within the dimension between said center plates, and each of the lever projections of the two outer pole units being positioned within a lateral dimension between a different one of said center plates and the associated sideplate.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 151 words

A circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact, an operating mechanism comprising a linkage, stored-energy closing means, a closing cam, means operable to move said closing cam from a first position to a charged position to operate said stored-energy closing means from a discharged condition to a charged condition, said closing cam comprising a pair of twin cam members fixedly supported with relation to each other, a roller latch member supported on said closing cam between said twin cam members, a closing latch engaging said roller latch member to latch said closing cam in the charged position, and closing means operable to move said closing latch to release said roller latch member whereupon said charged stored-energy closing means discharges to move said closing cam to the closed position during which movement said closing cam operates through said linkage to thrust said movable contact into engagement with said stationary contact.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 151 words

A circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact, an operating mechanism comprising a linkage, stored-energy closing means, a closing cam, means operable to move said closing cam from a first position to a charged position to operate said stored-energy closing means from a discharged condition to a charged condition, said closing cam comprising a pair of twin cam members fixedly supported with relation to each other, a roller latch member supported on said closing cam between said twin cam members, a closing latch engaging said roller latch member to latch said closing cam in the charged position, and closing means operable to move said closing latch to release said roller latch member whereupon said charged stored-energy closing means discharges to move said closing cam to the closed position during which movement said closing cam operates through said linkage to thrust said movable contact into engagement with said stationary contact.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 53 words

A circuit breaker according to claim 5, said closing cam comprising a cam surface, and said linkage comprising a roller member movable on said cam surface of said closing cam upon operative movement of said closing cam to operate through said linkage to thrust said movable contact into engagement with said stationary contact.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 159 words

A circuit breaker comprising a pair of contacts operable between open and closed positions, stored energy closing means, charging means operable to charge said stored-energy closing means, latch means latching said stored-energy closing means in a charged condition, closing means comprising a closing member operable from an unactuated position to a closing position when said contacts are open and said stored-energy closing means is latched to release said latch means whereupon said stored-energy closing means discharges to close said contacts, said closing member being operable from said unactuated position to said closing position when said contacts are closed and said stored-energy means is latched, and means operating automatically when said contacts are closed and said stored-energy closing means is latched to render said operation of said closing member from said unactuated position to said closing position ineffective such that said operation of said closing member from said unactuated position to said closing position will not release said latch means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 159 words

A circuit breaker comprising a pair of contacts operable between open and closed positions, stored energy closing means, charging means operable to charge said stored-energy closing means, latch means latching said stored-energy closing means in a charged condition, closing means comprising a closing member operable from an unactuated position to a closing position when said contacts are open and said stored-energy closing means is latched to release said latch means whereupon said stored-energy closing means discharges to close said contacts, said closing member being operable from said unactuated position to said closing position when said contacts are closed and said stored-energy means is latched, and means operating automatically when said contacts are closed and said stored-energy closing means is latched to render said operation of said closing member from said unactuated position to said closing position ineffective such that said operation of said closing member from said unactuated position to said closing position will not release said latch means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 133 words

A circuit breaker according to claim 7, a fulcrum member, means automatically moving said fulcrum member to an operative position when said contacts are opened and to an inoperative position when said contacts are closed, an elongated lever member pivotally supported intermediate the ends thereof on said closing member, when said contacts are open and said closing member is operated to the closing position said lever member engaging said fulcrum member at one end thereof and moving about said fulcrum member such that the other end thereof operates to release said latch means, and when said contacts are in the closed position said fulcrum member being in said inoperative position such that said lever member is not operated to release said latch means when said closing member is operated to the closing position.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 27 words

A circuit breaker according to claim 8, and said closing member being supported for movement about a fixed pivot between said unactuated position and said closing position.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 93 words

A circuit breaker according to claim 9, said latch means comprising a latch member latching said stored-energy closing means in the charged condition, a bellcraNk lever supported on a fixed pivot, when said closing member is operated from said unactuated position to said closing position with said contacts in the open position said other end of said lever member engaging one leg of said bellcrank lever to pivot said bellcrank lever such that the other leg of said bellcrank lever engages said latch member to move said latch member to the unlatching position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-06-28	1974-12-28	1975-06-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-06-28	1978-12-28	1979-06-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-06-28	1982-12-28	1983-06-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Supporting and spring-charging means for circuit breaker

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