High voltage electrical circuit breaker with preinsertion resistor during closing

Claim 2

An electrical circuit breaker assembly comprising a first breaker, a resistor means connected in series with said first breaker whereby when said first breaker is closed said resistor means is connected in circuit, a second breaker connected in shunt relation to said first breaker and said resistor means, an operating means responsive to opening and closing signals for said breaker assembly, first and second control means respectively associated with said first and second breaker for controlling the closing and opening of the respective breakers, means connecting said operating means to said first and said second control means during the closing operation of the breaker assembly to cause the closing of said first breaker before the closing of said second breaker to thereby connect said resistor means in circuit before said second breaker is closed, closing of said second breaker being effective to complete an electrical path in shunt relation to said first breaker and to said resistor means, clutch means effective substantially at the end of said closing operation of the breaker assembly for disconnecting said operating means from said first control means, and means acting on said first control means and effective upon the disconnection of said operating means from said first control means for moving said first control means to a position in which said first breaker is opened and is maintained open throughout the subsequent circuit opening operation of said second breaker whereby said resistor is not in circuit during said circuit opening operation of said second breaker.

Claim 3

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said first and second breakers are vacuum interrupters.

Claim 4

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said first and second control means respectively comprise separate cam means cooperatively engaging the respective said first and second breaker for controlling the closing and opening of the respective breakers.

Claim 5

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 1 including a first and a second cam plate respectively associated with said first and second breakers, means connecting a movablE contact of each of said breakers to its corresponding cam plate whereby movement of each respective cam plate is effective to change the position of the corresponding movable contact relative to an associated fixed contact to close or to open the respective breaker, means connecting said operating means to both said cam plates during the circuit closing operation of said breaker assembly and effective to cause the closing movement of said first and said second breaker, said clutch means disconnecting said operating means from said first cam plate after said second breaker has moved to closed position, and means for moving said first cam plate independently of said operating means after said operating means has been disconnected from said first cam plate, whereby to move said first cam plate to a position in which it causes opening of said first breaker and in which it maintains said first breaker open during the subsequent circuit breaker assembly opening operation.

Claim 6

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 1 in which said means acting on said first control means effective upon the disconnection of said operating means is a spring means.

Claim 7

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 1 including means tending to bias said second control means to a position in which it would move said second breaker to an open position, whereby when restraining force is released from said operating means, said second control means moves to a position in which it opens said second breaker.

Claim 8

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 1 comprising an inner pull rod and outer pull rod mounted for telescopic movement relative to each other, means collecting one of said pull rods to said second control means, means connecting the other of pull rods to said first control means, said operating means comprising an operating rod which is moved in response to a closing signal to initiate the closing operation of said breaker assembly, means connecting said operating rod to said second control means, clutch means effective when in engaged position to hold said inner and outer pull rods in a fixed position relative to each other whereby said inner and said outer pull rods move together when said operating rod is moved to thereby sequentially move said first breaker and said second breaker to closed position during the closing operation of said breaker assembly, means for disengaging said clutch means substantially at the end of said closing operation to permit said inner and said outer pull rods to move relative to each other, and means effective upon the disengagement of said clutch means for moving said first control means and the other of said pull rods to a position in which said first breaker is opened and remains open during the subsequent opening operation of said circuit breaker assembly.

Claim 9

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 7 in which said inner and said outer pull rods are provided with cooperating recesses adapted to be in registry during the closing of said first and second breaker, detent balls received in said cooperating recesses to hold said pull rods in interlocked engagement with each other, a clutch collar coaxially positioned about said pull rods to hold said detent balls in said cooperating recesses, and means effective near the end of the closing operation of said breaker assembly to move said clutch collar to permit said detent balls to move to a position in which said pull rods are released from interlocking engagement with each other.

Claim 10

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 1 comprising a pair of said first breakers connected in series with each other, said resistor means being connected in series with said pair of said first breakers, a pair of said second breakers connected in series with each other, said pair of said second breakers connected in series with each other, said pair of second breakers being connected in shunt relation to the series connection of said pair oF said first breakers and said resistor means.

Claim 11

An electrical circuit breaker assembly comprising a first breaker, a resistor means connected in series with said first breaker whereby when said first breaker is closed said resistor means is connected in circuit, a second breaker connected in shunt relation to said first breaker and said resistor means, a first and a second cam means respectively associated with said first and second breakers for controlling the closing and opening of the respective breakers, operating means controlling the position of said respective cam means during the closing operation of the breaker assembly whereby to cause the closing of said first breaker before the closing of said second breaker to thereby connect said resistor means in circuit before said second breaker is closed, closing of said second breaker under the control of said second cam means being effective to complete an electrical path in shunt relation to said first breaker and to said resistor means, means for disconnecting said operating means from said first cam means after the closing of said second breaker, and means acting on said first cam means after said operating means is disconnected from said first cam means for maintaining said first breaker open during the entire opening operation of said second breaker, whereby said resistor means is not in circuit during said opening operation of said second breaker and whereby said circuit is opened only by said second breaker.

Claim 12

An electrical circuit breaker assembly comprising a first breaker, a resistor means connected in series with said first breaker whereby when said first breaker is closed said resistor means is connected in circuit, a second breaker connected in shunt relation to said first breaker and said resistor means, a first and a second cam means respectively associated with said first and second breakers for controlling the closing and opening of the respective breakers, operating means controlling the position of said respective cam means during the closing operation of the breaker assembly whereby to cause the closing of said first breaker before the closing of said second breaker to thereby connect said resistor means in circuit before said second breaker is closed, closing of said second breaker under the control of said second cam means being effective to complete an electrical path in shunt relation to said first breaker and to said resistor means, means for disconnecting said operating means from said first cam means after the closing of said second breaker, and means acting on said first cam means after said operating means is disconnected from said first cam means for maintaining said first breaker open during the entire opening operation of said second breaker, whereby said resistor means is not in circuit during said opening operation of said second breaker and whereby said circuit is opened only by said second breaker.

Claim 13

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 10 in which said means for disconnecting said operating means from said first cam means is a clutch.

Claim 14

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 10 in which said means acting on said first cam means is a spring.

Claim 15

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 10 in which said first and second breakers are vacuum interrupters.

Claim 16

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 10 including means tending to bias said second cam means to a position in which it would move said second breaker to an open position, whereby when restraining force is released from said operating means said second cam means moves to a position in which it opens said second breaker.

Claim 17

An electrical circuit breaker assembly comprising a first hollow insulating column, a hollow housing mounted on an upper end of said first insulating column, a first circuit interrupting device supported by said first housing and extending from said first housing along a first axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said first insulating column, a second insulating column mounted on the upper end of said first housing in substantial axial alignment with said first insulating column, a second hollow housing mounted on an upper end of said second insulating column, a second circuit interrupting device supported by said second housing and extending from said second housing along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said first and second insulating columns, first and second cam means respectively positioned in said first and second housings, means connecting the respective first and second cam means to a movable contact of the respective said first and second circuit interrupting devices whereby movement of each respective cam means is effective to change the position of the corresponding movable contact relative to an associated fixed contact to close or to open the respective circuit interrupting device, a resistor means connected in series with said second circuit interrupting device, said first circuit interrupting device being connected in shunt relation to said second circuit interrupting device and said resistor means, an operating means positioned in said first insulating column and responsive to opening and closing signals for said breaker assembly, means connecting said operating means to said first and to said second cam means during the closing operation of said breaker assembly to cause the closing Of said second circuit interrupting device before the closing of said first circuit interrupting device to thereby connect said resistor means in circuit before said first circuit interrupting device is closed, clutch means effective substantially at the end of said closing operation of the breaker assembly for disconnecting said operating means from said second cam means, and means acting on said second cam means and effective upon the disconnection of said operating means from said second cam means for moving said second cam means to a position in which said second circuit interrupting device is opened and is maintained open throughout the subsequent circuit opening operation of said first circuit interrupting device whereby said resistor means is not in circuit during said circuit opening operation of said first circuit interrupting device.

Claim 18

An electrical circuit breaker assembly comprising a first hollow insulating column, a hollow housing mounted on an upper end of said first insulating column, a first circuit interrupting device supported by said first housing and extending from said first housing along a first axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said first insulating column, a second insulating column mounted on the upper end of said first housing in substantial axial alignment with said first insulating column, a second hollow housing mounted on an upper end of said second insulating column, a second circuit interrupting device supported by said second housing and extending from said second housing along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said first and second insulating columns, first and second cam means respectively positioned in said first and second housings, means connecting the respective first and second cam means to a movable contact of the respective said first and second circuit interrupting devices whereby movement of each respective cam means is effective to change the position of the corresponding movable contact relative to an associated fixed contact to close or to open the respective circuit interrupting device, a resistor means connected in series with said second circuit interrupting device, said first circuit interrupting device being connected in shunt relation to said second circuit interrupting device and said resistor means, an operating means positioned in said first insulating column and responsive to opening and closing signals for said breaker assembly, means connecting said operating means to said first and to said second cam means during the closing operation of said breaker assembly to cause the closing Of said second circuit interrupting device before the closing of said first circuit interrupting device to thereby connect said resistor means in circuit before said first circuit interrupting device is closed, clutch means effective substantially at the end of said closing operation of the breaker assembly for disconnecting said operating means from said second cam means, and means acting on said second cam means and effective upon the disconnection of said operating means from said second cam means for moving said second cam means to a position in which said second circuit interrupting device is opened and is maintained open throughout the subsequent circuit opening operation of said first circuit interrupting device whereby said resistor means is not in circuit during said circuit opening operation of said first circuit interrupting device.

Claim 19

An electrical circuit breaker assembly as defined in claim 15 comprising a pair of said first circuit interrupting devices electrically connected in series with each other and supported by said first housing along said first axis and on opposite sides of said first housing, a pair of said second circuit interrupting devices electrically connected in series with each other and supported by said second housing along said second axis and on opposite sides of said second housing, said first cam means controlling the opening and closing of said pair of said first circuit interrupting devices, said second cam means controlling the opening and closing of said pair of said second circuit interrupting devices.