Electric power distribution substation

Claim 2

An incoming line compartment for an electric power distribution substation comprising: a. a housing comprising a base, a roof, and metal walls extending vertically between said base and roof, b. a cable projecting upwardly through said base and having a terminal at its upper end within said housing, c. electrical apparatus terminal structure within said housing, d. an isolating switch within said housing comprising: a switch base mounted near said roof, A contact, an insulator extending downwardly from said switch base and mounting said contact on said switch base in a position beneath said switch base, a generally horizontally extending blade for engaging said contact when said switch is closed, insulating means mounting said blade on said switch base for pivotal motion in a generally horizontal plane about a generally vertical axis, thus allowing said blade to be moved into an open position wherein a gap is established between said blade and said contact, e. a vacuum switch within said housing comprising a plurality of vacuum interrupters arranged one above the other and means for supporting said interrupters on said housing base in a location horizontally spaced from said cable, said vacuum switch comprising a pair of vertically spaced terminals between which a conductive path extends through said interrupters when said vacuum switch is closed, f. and means for electrically connecting said cable terminal, said isolating switch, and said vacuum switch in series with each other and with said electrical apparatus terminal structure comprising: a conductor connecting said cable terminal with said contact, an additional conductor connecting said blade with one terminal of said vacuum switch, and still another conductor connecting the other terminal of said vacuum switch with said electrical apparatus terminal structure.

Claim 3

The incoming line compartment of claim 1 in which: a. said isolating switch is a double break switch comprising a second contact in addition to the first contact of claim 1 and another insulator mounting said second contact on said switch base in a position beneath said switch base and horizontally spaced from said first contact, and b. said blade interconnects said contacts when the switch is closed and is mounted by said insulating means for pivotal motion in said generally horizontal plane about a generally vertical axis located between said contacts, thus allowing said blade to be pivoted out of its closed position into an open position wherein two gaps are established, one between each of said contacts and said blade.

Claim 4

An incoming line compartment as defined in claim 1 and further comprising: a. an aisle located between said cable and said vacuum switch in a location beneath the generally horizontal plane in which said blade moves, b. a barrier between said aisle and said cable for blocking access to said cable from said aisle, c. said vacuum interrupters being accessible from said aisle, whereby to allow inspection of said vacuum interrupters from said aisle, and d. a door in one of said metal walls openable to afford access to said aisle.

Claim 5

An incoming line compartment as defined in claim 3 in which said door is an outer door and which further comprises: a. a vestibule located between said outer door and said aisle, b. an inner door between said vestibule and said aisle blocking entry from said vestibule into said aisle until said inner door is opened, c. control means located within said vestibule and operable to open said isolating switch, d. and interlock means requiring said control means to be operated to open said isolating switch before said inner door can be opened to permit entry into said aisle from said vestibule.

Claim 6

An incoming line compartment for a three-phase electric power distribution substation comprising: a. a housing comprising a base, a roof, and metal walls extending vertically between said base and said roof, b. three spaced-apart cables, one for each phase, projecting upwardly through said base and each having a terminal at its upper end within said housing, c. three spaced-apart terminal structures for three-phase electrical apparatus, one terminal structure for each phase, located within said housing, d. a three-phase isolating switch within said housing comprising a switch base mounted near said roof and three spaced-apart switching assemblies, one for each phase, mounted on said Switch base; each switching assembly comprising: a contact, an insulator extending downwardly from said switch base and mounting said contact on said switch base in a position beneath said switch base, a generally horizontally extending blade for engaging said contact when said switch is closed, insulating means mounting said blade on said switch base for pivotal motion in a generally horizontal plane about a generally vertical axis, thus allowing said blade to be moved to an open position wherein a gap is established between said blade and said contact, and means for mechanically coupling said blades together for opening movement in unison and for closing movement in unison, e. a three-phase vacuum switch within said housing comprising three spaced-apart interrupting assemblies, one for each phase; each interrupting assembly comprising a plurality of vacuum interrupters arranged one above the other and means for supporting said vacuum interrupters on said housing base in a location horizontally-spaced from said cables, each interrupting assembly comprising a pair of vertically spaced terminals between which a conductive path extends through said interrupters of said assembly when the vacuum switch is closed, f. means for electrically connecting in series in each phase one of said cable terminals, one of said switching assemblies, one of said interrupting assemblies, and one of said apparatus terminal structures, comprising: a conductor connecting said one cable terminal with said contact of said one switching assembly, an additional conductor connecting said blade of said one switching assembly with one terminal of said one interrupting assembly, and still another conductor connecting the other terminal of said interrupting assembly with said one apparatus terminal structure.

Claim 7

An incoming line compartment for a three-phase electric power distribution substation comprising: a. a housing comprising a base, a roof, and metal walls extending vertically between said base and said roof, b. three spaced-apart cables, one for each phase, projecting upwardly through said base and each having a terminal at its upper end within said housing, c. three spaced-apart terminal structures for three-phase electrical apparatus, one terminal structure for each phase, located within said housing, d. a three-phase isolating switch within said housing comprising a switch base mounted near said roof and three spaced-apart switching assemblies, one for each phase, mounted on said Switch base; each switching assembly comprising: a contact, an insulator extending downwardly from said switch base and mounting said contact on said switch base in a position beneath said switch base, a generally horizontally extending blade for engaging said contact when said switch is closed, insulating means mounting said blade on said switch base for pivotal motion in a generally horizontal plane about a generally vertical axis, thus allowing said blade to be moved to an open position wherein a gap is established between said blade and said contact, and means for mechanically coupling said blades together for opening movement in unison and for closing movement in unison, e. a three-phase vacuum switch within said housing comprising three spaced-apart interrupting assemblies, one for each phase; each interrupting assembly comprising a plurality of vacuum interrupters arranged one above the other and means for supporting said vacuum interrupters on said housing base in a location horizontally-spaced from said cables, each interrupting assembly comprising a pair of vertically spaced terminals between which a conductive path extends through said interrupters of said assembly when the vacuum switch is closed, f. means for electrically connecting in series in each phase one of said cable terminals, one of said switching assemblies, one of said interrupting assemblies, and one of said apparatus terminal structures, comprising: a conductor connecting said one cable terminal with said contact of said one switching assembly, an additional conductor connecting said blade of said one switching assembly with one terminal of said one interrupting assembly, and still another conductor connecting the other terminal of said interrupting assembly with said one apparatus terminal structure.

Claim 8

The incoming line compartment of claim 5 in which: a. said isolating switch is a double-break switch and each switching assembly comprises: a second contact in addition to the first contact of claim 5 and another insulator mounting said second contact on said switch base in a position beneath said switch base and horizontally spaced from said first contact, and b. the blade of each switching assembly interconnects it contacts when the switch is closed, and is mounted by said insulating means for pivotal motion in said generally horizontal plane about a generally vertically extending axis located between said contacts.

Claim 9

An incoming line compartment as defined in claim 5 and further comprising: a. an aisle located between said three cables and said three interrupter assemblies in a location beneath the generally horizontal plane in which said blades move, b. a barrier between said aisle and said three cables for blocking access to said cables from said aisle, c. said interrupting assemblies being accessible from said aisle, whereby to allow inspection of said interrupting assemblies from said aisle, and d. a door in one of said metal walls openable to afford access to said aisle.

Claim 10

An incoming line compartment as defined in claim 7 in which said door is an outer door and which further comprises: a. a vestibule located between said outer door and said aisle, b. an inner door between said vestibule and said aisle blocking entry from said vestibule into said aisle until said inner door is open, c. control means located within said vestibule and operable to open said isolating switch, d. and interlock means requiring said control means to be operated to open said isolating switch before said inner door can be opened to permit entry into said aisle from said vestibule.

Claim 11

An electric power substation comprising; a. the incoming line compartment of claim 1, b. a transformer space located immediately adjacent said incoming line compartment, c. a transformer comprising a tank located within said transformer space and a high voltage lead-in bushing extending generally horizontally through said tank and into said incoming line coMpartment, d. said high voltage bushing having at its outer end the terminal structure of (c) claim 1.