Motor operated circuit breaker control

Claim 2

A motor operating device for operating a circuit breaker having a pair of breaker contacts and a handle structure movable to open and close said breaker contacts; said motor operating device comprising an electric reversible motor; and operating structure for operatively connecting said reversible motor with said handle structure; a closing relay comprising a closing relay coil and operable when said closing relay coil is energized to energize said reversible motor to operate said handle structure to close said breaker contacts; an opening relay comprising an opening relay coil and operable when said opening relay coil is energized to energize said reversible motor to operate said handle structure to open said breaker contacts; a first limit switch contact structure and a second limit switch contact structure; said first limit switch contact being in a first series circuit with said closing relay coil and a power source; said first limit switch contact structure being in a second series circuit with a normally open contact of said closing relay, a first winding of said reversible motor and a power source; said second limit switch contact structure being in a third series circuit with said opening relay coil and a power source; said second limit switch contact structure being in a fourth series circuit with a normally open contact of said opening relay, a second winding of said reversible motor and a power source; closing control contact means for closing said first and second series circuits; opening control contact means for closing said third and fourth series circuits; and means automatically operating to open said first limit switch contact structure and close said second limit switch contact structure when said handle structure is electrically operated to close said breaker contacts and automatically closing said first limit switch contact structure and opening said second limit switch contact structure when said handle structure is electrically operated to open said breaker contacts.

Claim 3

A motor operating device according to claim 1; a first limit circuit breaker and a second limit circuit breaker; said first limit switch contact structure being a contact structure in said first limit circuit breaker and said second limit switch contact structure being a contact structure in said second limit circuit breaker.

Claim 4

A motor operating device according to claim 1; and each of said relays comprising a normally open seal-in contact bypassing the associated control contact means in parallel with thE associated control contact means for sealing in the energized relay until the associated limit switch contact structure is opened.

Claim 5

A motor operating device according to claim 3; each of said relays comprising an interlock contact cooperable with an interlock contact of the other relay to provide an electrical interlock for preventing simultaneous energization of said relays.

Claim 6

A motor operating device according to claim 4; and each of said relays comprising a braking contact in series with a braking contact of the other relay to provide a short circuit through the winding of said motor to provide dynamic braking when both of said relays are deenergized.

Claim 7

A motor operating device according to claim 1; and each of said relays comprising a braking contact in series with a braking contact of the other relay to provide a short circuit through the winding of said motor to provide dynamic braking when both of said relays are deenergized.

Claim 8

In combination, a circuit breaker and a motor operating mechanism for operating said circuit breaker, said circuit breaker comprising a circuit breaker mechanism, said circuit breaker mechanism comprising a pair of breaker contacts and a handle structure, said circuit breaker mechanism being movable to a tripped position to automatically open said breaker contacts and to a reset position to permit closing an opening of said breaker contacts by operation of said handle structure, said handle structure being movable in a first direction to a closed position to close said breaker contacts, said handle structure being movable in a second direction from said closed position to an open position to open said breaker contacts, said handle structure being movable in said second direction to a reset position past said open position to open said breaker contacts if said breaker contacts are closed and to reset said circuit breaker mechanism if said circuit breaker mechanism is in the tripped position, said motor operating mechanism comprising a reversible motor and an operating structure operatively connecting said reversible motor with said handle structure of said circuit breaker, control means for operating said reversible motor, said control means comprising a closing relay energizable to effect energization of said motor in one direction to move said handle structure to said closed position, an opening relay energizable to effect energization of said motor in another direction to move said handle structure to said reset position, limit switch means comprising a first limit switch contact structure in series with said closing relay and said motor, and a second limit switch contact structure in series with said opening relay and said motor, limit switch actuating means automatically operable to open said first limit switch contact structure and close said second limit switch contact structure to deenergize said motor when said motor is energized to move said handle structure to the closed position, said limit switch actuating means being automatically operable to open said second limit switch contact structure and close said first limit switch contact structure to deenergize said motor when said motor is energized to move said handle structure to the reset position, said handle structure being manually operable from said closed position to said open position without disconnection from said operating structure of said motor operating mechanism, and said limit switch actuating means automatically positioning both of said first and second limit switch contact structures in the closed position when said handle structure has been manually moved from the closed position to the open position whereby said control is automatically prepared for an electrical operation to the closed position and also for an electrical operation to the reset position following a manual operation to the open position.

Claim 9

In combination, a circuit breaker and a motor operating mechanism for operating said circuit breaker, said circuit breaker comprising a circuit breaker mechanism, said circuit breaker mechanism comprising a pair of breaker contacts and a handle structure, said circuit breaker mechanism being movable to a tripped position to automatically open said breaker contacts and to a reset position to permit closing an opening of said breaker contacts by operation of said handle structure, said handle structure being movable in a first direction to a closed position to close said breaker contacts, said handle structure being movable in a second direction from said closed position to an open position to open said breaker contacts, said handle structure being movable in said second direction to a reset position past said open position to open said breaker contacts if said breaker contacts are closed and to reset said circuit breaker mechanism if said circuit breaker mechanism is in the tripped position, said motor operating mechanism comprising a reversible motor and an operating structure operatively connecting said reversible motor with said handle structure of said circuit breaker, control means for operating said reversible motor, said control means comprising a closing relay energizable to effect energization of said motor in one direction to move said handle structure to said closed position, an opening relay energizable to effect energization of said motor in another direction to move said handle structure to said reset position, limit switch means comprising a first limit switch contact structure in series with said closing relay and said motor, and a second limit switch contact structure in series with said opening relay and said motor, limit switch actuating means automatically operable to open said first limit switch contact structure and close said second limit switch contact structure to deenergize said motor when said motor is energized to move said handle structure to the closed position, said limit switch actuating means being automatically operable to open said second limit switch contact structure and close said first limit switch contact structure to deenergize said motor when said motor is energized to move said handle structure to the reset position, said handle structure being manually operable from said closed position to said open position without disconnection from said operating structure of said motor operating mechanism, and said limit switch actuating means automatically positioning both of said first and second limit switch contact structures in the closed position when said handle structure has been manually moved from the closed position to the open position whereby said control is automatically prepared for an electrical operation to the closed position and also for an electrical operation to the reset position following a manual operation to the open position.

Claim 10

A combination according to claim 7, a pair of insulating-housing type circuit breakers, and each of said limit switch contaCt structure being a contact structure in a separate one of said insulating-housing type circuit breakers.

Claim 11

A combination according to claim 8, each of said insulating-housing type circuit breakers comprising an externally operable handle for operating the associated limit switch contact structure, and resilient connecting means operatively connecting said operating structure with said handles of said insulating-housing type circuit breakers.

Claim 12

A motor operating device for operating a circuit breaker having a pair of breaker contacts and a handle structure movable to open and close said breaker contacts; said motor operating device comprising an electric reversible motor; an operating structure for operatively connecting said reversible motor with said handle structure; a closing relay comprising a closing relay coil and a first normally open contact; a first limit switch contact structure in a first series circuit with said closing relay coil and a power source; said first limit switch contact structure being in a second series circuit with said first normally open contact, a first winding of said reversible motor and a power source; closing control contact means for closing said first and second series circuits; an opening relay comprising an opening relay coil and a second normally open contact; a second limit switch contact structure in a third series circuit with said opening relay coil and a power source; said second limit switch contact structure being in a forth series circuit with said second normally open contact, a second winding of said reversible motor and a power source; opening control contact means for closing said third and fourth series circuits; interlock means interlocking said first and second limit switch contact structures; with said first limit switch contact structure closed and said second limit switch contact structure open said closing control contact means being closable to close said breaker contacts; upon closing of said closing control contact means said closing relay coil being energized to thereby close said first normally open contact to thereby close said second series circuit to energize said first winding whereupon said operating structure is operated to move said handle structure to close said breaker contacts whereupon said interlock means is automatically operated to open said first limit switch contact structure and close said second limit switch contact structure; with said first limit switch contact structure open and second second limit switch contact closed said opening control contact means being closable to open said breaker contacts; upon closing of said opening control contact means said opening relay coil being energized to thereby close said second normally open contact to thereby close said fourth series circuit to energize said second winding whereupon said operating structure is operated to move said handle structure to open said breaker contacts whereupon said interlock means is automatically operated to open said second limit switch contact structure and close said first limit switch contact structure.

Claim 13

A motor operating device for operating a circuit breaker having a pair of breaker contacts and a handle structure movable to open and close said breaker contacts; said motor operating device comprising an electric reversible motor; an operating structure for operatively connecting said reversible motor with said handle structure; a closing relay comprising a closing relay coil and a first normally open contact; a first limit switch contact structure in a first series circuit with said closing relay coil and a power source; said first limit switch contact structure being in a second series circuit with said first normally open contact, a first winding of said reversible motor and a power source; closing control contact means for closing said first and second series circuits; an opening relay comprising an opening relay coil and a second normally open contact; a second limit switch contact structure in a third series circuit with said opening relay coil and a power source; said second limit switch contact structure being in a forth series circuit with said second normally open contact, a second winding of said reversible motor and a power source; opening control contact means for closing said third and fourth series circuits; interlock means interlocking said first and second limit switch contact structures; with said first limit switch contact structure closed and said second limit switch contact structure open said closing control contact means being closable to close said breaker contacts; upon closing of said closing control contact means said closing relay coil being energized to thereby close said first normally open contact to thereby close said second series circuit to energize said first winding whereupon said operating structure is operated to move said handle structure to close said breaker contacts whereupon said interlock means is automatically operated to open said first limit switch contact structure and close said second limit switch contact structure; with said first limit switch contact structure open and second second limit switch contact closed said opening control contact means being closable to open said breaker contacts; upon closing of said opening control contact means said opening relay coil being energized to thereby close said second normally open contact to thereby close said fourth series circuit to energize said second winding whereupon said operating structure is operated to move said handle structure to open said breaker contacts whereupon said interlock means is automatically operated to open said second limit switch contact structure and close said first limit switch contact structure.

Claim 14

A motor operating device according to claim 10; and each of said relays comprising a normally open seal-in contact bypassing the associated control contact means in parallel with the associated control contact means for sealing in the energized relay until the associated limit switch contact structure is opened.

Claim 15

A motor operating device according to claim 11; each of said relays comprising an interlock contact cooperable with an interlock contact of the other relay to provide an electrical interlock for preventing simultaneous energization of said relays.

Claim 16

A motor operating device according to claim 12; and each of said relays comprising a braking contact in series with a braking contact of the other relay to provide a short circuit through the winding of said motor to provide dynamic braking when both of said relays are deenergized.

Claim 17

A motor operating device according to claim 10; and each of said relays comprising a braking contact in series with a braking contact of the other relay to provide a short circuit through the winding of said motor to provide dynamic braking when both of said relays are deenergized.