Puffer type circuit interrupter

Claim 2

In an electric switch, housing means containing a chamber filled with gas, a hollow stationary contact in said chamber having first and second openings communicating with the interior of said housing means, a movable contact in said chamber which seals said first opening when in contact closed position and which unseals said first opening upon being moved to contact open position, a stationary cylinder in said chamber containing a portion of the gas in said chamber, a movable piston in said cylinder, said piston having a starting position and a second pisition, means defining a passage communicating between said cylinder and said first opening and comprising an electrical insulating portion to prevent current flow between said stationary contact and said cylinder, and operating means to effect movement of said piston in one direction from its start position to compress the gas in said cylinder, and means actuated by said piston operating means to effect subsequent opening movement of said movable contact in a direction opposite to said one direction and to unseal said first opening to permit compressed gas to flow from said cylinder, between said stationary and movable contacts, through said first opening, through said hollow stationary contact, and through said second opening back into said chamber, said movable contact opening means being responsive only after a predetermined degree of operation of said piston operating means for initiating movement of said movable contact to contact open position, whereby the gas in said cylinder is precompressed prior to contact opening.

Claim 3

In combination, a support at ground potential, first, second and third post type insulators mounted on said support in spaced apart relationship, electrically conductive disconnect switch means supported on the first and second of said insulators, at least one of said first and second insulatorS being rotatable to effect opening and closing operation of said disconnect switch means, a puffer type circuit interrupter comprising an insulated housing having a pair of separable contacts therein, said interrupter supported on said second and third of said insulators, and a reciprocably movable drive shaft to effect operation of said separable contacts of said interrupter extending outwardly of said housing for cooperation with said third insulator, said third insulator being rotatable effecting reciprocable movement of said drive shaft.

Claim 4

In combination, a support at ground potential, first, second and third post type insulators mounted on said support in spaced apart relationship, electrically conductive disconnect switch means supported on the first and second of said insulators, at least one of said first and second insulatorS being rotatable to effect opening and closing operation of said disconnect switch means, a puffer type circuit interrupter comprising an insulated housing having a pair of separable contacts therein, said interrupter supported on said second and third of said insulators, and a reciprocably movable drive shaft to effect operation of said separable contacts of said interrupter extending outwardly of said housing for cooperation with said third insulator, said third insulator being rotatable effecting reciprocable movement of said drive shaft.

Claim 5

A combination according to claim 2 wherein said second insulator is rotatable.

Claim 6

A combination according to claim 3 wherein said disconnect switch means comprises two movable arms and wherein each of said three columns is rotatable.

Claim 7

An electric switch according to claim 1 wherein said piston operating means includes a mechanical linkage and said movable contact opening means includes cam means actuated by said mechanical linkage after operation of said mechanical linkage to effect a predetermined degree of piston travel.

Claim 8

An electric switch according to claim 5 wherein said mechanical linkage and said cam means cooperate to effect the simultaneous movement of said piston to said start position and said movable contact to said contact closed position.

Claim 9

An electric switch according to claim 6 wherein said linkage mechanism includes a main link povitally mounted within said housing means and connected to said piston, said cam means comprising a cam groove on said main link and said contact moving means includes a secondary link pivotally mounted within said housing and having a cam follower in engagement with said cam groove.

Claim 10

An electric switch according to claim 7 wherein said cam groove is L-shaped having a portion thereof which permits movement of said main link without imparting contact opening movement to said cam follower and said secondary link until said main link has pivoted through a predetermined arc.

Claim 11

An electric switch according to claim 8 including latch means pivotally carried on said main link for latching said cam follower in said cam groove so that pivotal movement of said main link in a direction to return said piston to said start position simultaneously actuates said secondary link to move said movable contact to closed position.

Claim 12

An electric switch according to claim 1 wherein said movable contact is movable axially and said stationary cylinder and said piston are coaxial with said stationary and movable contacts.

Claim 13

An electric switch according to claim 10 and including a longitudinally reciprocable contact shaft coaxial with and affixed to said movable contact and extending axially through said cylinder.

Claim 14

An electric switch according to claim 11 wherein said piston has a central aperture therein which receives said shaft and including sealing means between said shaft and said piston.

Claim 15

An electric switch according to claim 11 wherein said insulating portion of said passage means surrounds the portion of said stationary contact defining said first opening and also surrounds said movable contact, and the axial end of said cylinder through which said contact shaft extends is provided with a plurality of openings providing communication between said cylinder and said passage.

Claim 16

An electric switch according to claim 13 wherein said cylinder is metallic and is provided with an axially extending neck portion surrounding said contact rod, and there is provided a plurality of contact fingers within said passage and having one end thereof in sliding engagement with said movable contact and the opposite ends in electrical engagement with said neck portion.

Claim 17

A circuit interrupter of the fluid-blast type including a stationary contact, a movable contact separable from said stationary contact to establish an arc, puffer means for compressing fluid to effect arc extinction, mechanical linkage means for actuating said puffer means, means for preventing flow of said compressed fluid from said puffer means to effect arc extinction until said movable contact separates from said stationary contact, and cam means actuated by said mechanical linkage means for separating said movable contact from said stationary contact and being actuated thereby to initiate said separation only after compression of said fluid by said puffer means as a result of predetermined movement of said mechanical linkage means.

Claim 18

A circuit interrupter of the fluid-blast type including a stationary contact, a movable contact separable from said stationary contact to establish an arc, puffer means for compressing fluid to effect arc extinction, mechanical linkage means for actuating said puffer means, means for preventing flow of said compressed fluid from said puffer means to effect arc extinction until said movable contact separates from said stationary contact, and cam means actuated by said mechanical linkage means for separating said movable contact from said stationary contact and being actuated thereby to initiate said separation only after compression of said fluid by said puffer means as a result of predetermined movement of said mechanical linkage means.

Claim 19

A circuit interrupter of the fluid-blast type including a hollow stationary contact having first and second apertures therein, a movable contact adapted to close said first aperture when engaged with said stationary contact and being separable from said stationary contact to establish an arc, puffer means for compressing fluid to extinguish said arc and including a stationary cylinder, passage means between said cylinder and said first aperture, and a piston movable within said cylinder, said movable contact when closing said first aperture preventing flow of compressed fluid from said cylinder through said first aperture into said hollow contact until said movable contact separates from said stationary contact, mechanical linkage means for actuating said movable piston to compress said fluid within said cylinder, and cam means actuated by said mechanical linkage means for separating said movable contact from said stationary contact to thereby permit said compressed gas to flow through said first aperture into said hollow stationary contact to extinguish said arc and to be exhausted through said second aperture, said cam means only being actuated by said mechanical linkage means to initate separation of said movable contact from said stationary contact after movement of said piston within said cylinder by said linkage to precompress said fluid.

Claim 20

A circuit interrupter of the fluid-blast type including a hollow stationary contact having first and second apertures therein, a movable contact adapted to close said first aperture when engaged with said stationary contact and being separable from said stationary contact to establish an arc, puffer means for compressing fluid to extinguish said arc and including a stationary cylinder, passage means between said cylinder and said first aperture, and a piston movable within said cylinder, said movable contact when closing said first aperture preventing flow of compressed fluid from said cylinder through said first aperture into said hollow contact until said movable contact separates from said stationary contact, mechanical linkage means for actuating said movable piston to compress said fluid within said cylinder, and cam means actuated by said mechanical linkage means for separating said movable contact from said stationary contact to thereby permit said compressed gas to flow through said first aperture into said hollow stationary contact to extinguish said arc and to be exhausted through said second aperture, said cam means only being actuated by said mechanical linkage means to initate separation of said movable contact from said stationary contact after movement of said piston within said cylinder by said linkage to precompress said fluid.

Claim 21

A circuit interrupter according to claim 16 wherein said movable contact is movable axially and said stationary cylinder and said piston are coaxial with said stationary and movable contacts, and including a longitudinally reciprocable contact shaft coaxial with and affixed to said movable contact and extending axially through said cylinder.

Claim 22

In an electric switch; housing means including an elongated hollow ceramic insulator containing a chamber filled with gas; a hollow stationary contact in said chamber at one end of said ceramic insulator, said hollow stationary contact having a first opening and at least one second opening providing communication between the interior of said hollow stationary contact and the chamber; a stationary cylinder in said chamber and disposed in coaxial relationship in said ceramic insulator at the end thereof opposite to said stationary contact, said cylinder containing gas; a piston movably supported in said cylinder and having a first starting position and a second position; means defining a passageway extending in coaxial relationship between said stationary cylinder and said first opening in said stationary contact and including an electrical insulating portion to prevent current flow between said stationary contact and said stationary cylinder, said passageway means having communication with the interior of said cylinder at one side of said piston and with the interior of said hollow stationary contact through the first opening therein; a movable contact disposed in said passageway means and operable in contact closed position to seal the first opening in said stationary contact and to establish a current flow path between said stationary contact and said cylinder, said movable contact being also operable to unseal said first opening and to interrupt the current flow path between said stationary contact and said cylinder; electrical conductive means sealing both ends of said ceramic insulator; and, operating means extending through one of said sealing means and connected to said piston and to said movable contact and operable to effect the movement oF said piston in one direction from its first position for compressing the gas in the end of the cylinder which communicates with said passageway means and to effect the subsequent opening movement of said movable contact in a direction opposite to the direction in which said piston moves to compress the gas, to thereby unseal said first opening in said stationary contact; whereby the gas in said cylinder is precompressed prior to contact opening and upon the subsequent opening of said contact the precompressed gas is directed through the passageway means and into the first opening of said stationary contact and thence through the interior of said hollow stationary contact and out through the second opening therein back into the chamber of said ceramic insulator.

Claim 23

In an electric switch; housing means including an elongated hollow ceramic insulator containing a chamber filled with gas; a hollow stationary contact in said chamber at one end of said ceramic insulator, said hollow stationary contact having a first opening and at least one second opening providing communication between the interior of said hollow stationary contact and the chamber; a stationary cylinder in said chamber and disposed in coaxial relationship in said ceramic insulator at the end thereof opposite to said stationary contact, said cylinder containing gas; a piston movably supported in said cylinder and having a first starting position and a second position; means defining a passageway extending in coaxial relationship between said stationary cylinder and said first opening in said stationary contact and including an electrical insulating portion to prevent current flow between said stationary contact and said stationary cylinder, said passageway means having communication with the interior of said cylinder at one side of said piston and with the interior of said hollow stationary contact through the first opening therein; a movable contact disposed in said passageway means and operable in contact closed position to seal the first opening in said stationary contact and to establish a current flow path between said stationary contact and said cylinder, said movable contact being also operable to unseal said first opening and to interrupt the current flow path between said stationary contact and said cylinder; electrical conductive means sealing both ends of said ceramic insulator; and, operating means extending through one of said sealing means and connected to said piston and to said movable contact and operable to effect the movement oF said piston in one direction from its first position for compressing the gas in the end of the cylinder which communicates with said passageway means and to effect the subsequent opening movement of said movable contact in a direction opposite to the direction in which said piston moves to compress the gas, to thereby unseal said first opening in said stationary contact; whereby the gas in said cylinder is precompressed prior to contact opening and upon the subsequent opening of said contact the precompressed gas is directed through the passageway means and into the first opening of said stationary contact and thence through the interior of said hollow stationary contact and out through the second opening therein back into the chamber of said ceramic insulator.

Claim 24

An electric switch according to claim 18 wherein the end seal associated with the end of said ceramic insulator at which said cylinder is disposed is a hollow gas-tight enclosure; wherein said operating means comprising, a drive shaft extends into the interior of said enclosure; a main link pivotally mounted within said enclosure and being connected to said drive shaft to be actuated thereby; a first cam means on said main link; a piston rod connected to said piston and extending outwardly of said cylinder into said enclosure, said piston rod being pivotally connected to said main link; a contact rod extending through said piston in slidable seated relationship thereto, said contact rod having one end secured to said movable contact and its opposite end extending into said enclosure; a secondary link pivotally mounted in said enclosure; a second cam means on said secondary link in position to operatively cooperate with said first cam means; and, a contact rod link pivotally connected to said contact rod and to said secondary link; whereby movement of said drive shaft in one direction effects the pivotal movement of said main link to actuate said piston rod for moving said piston to compress the gas in said cylinder, and said first and second cam means cooperate to maintain said secondary link and said contact rod stationary until said piston has moved a distance sufficient to compress the gas in said cylinder and thereafter said main link through said first cam means and said second cam means effects pivotal movement of said secondary link to move said contact rod in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said piston rod, thereby moving said movable contact to open position to allow the compressed gas to flow out of said cylinder and through said passageway means and thence through the first opening to return to the chamber via said second opening.

Claim 25

An electrical switch according to claim 19 wherein said drive shaft is connected to said main link at a point between said pivot point of said main link and said first cam means thereon; and wherein said pivot point for said secondary link is located between said second cam means thereon and the point at which said contact rod link is pivotally connected thereto.

Claim 26

An electrical switch according to claim 20 wherein there is provided a latch mechanism operable to maintain said second cam means in fixed relationship to said first cam means until said main link has pivoted a distance to move said piston in its gas compressing stroke, said latch thereafter releasing said second cam means so that it may change its position relative to said first cam means and thereafter the continued pivotal movement of said main link will also effect pivotal movement of said secondary link to impart a movement to said contact rod to move said movable contact to open position, said latch being operable in a contact closing operation to maintain said second cam means in contact open position relative to said first cam means during a portion of the pivotal movement of said main link in the opposite direction to effect the retracting movement of said piston from its gas compressing second position to its first start Position, said latch thereafter releasing said second cam means so that it changes its position relative to said first cam means and the continued pivotal movement of said main link in the opposite direction will operate to move said contact rod in a direction to move said movable contact to a closed position.