US3731239A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Excess current switch
Assignee: Ellenberger and Poensgen GmbH
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Filing: 1972-06-23
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Granted: 1973-05-01
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Expires: 1992-06-23
Abstract
Abstract An excess current switch has a thermal and/or electromagnetic trip, a pivotally mounted actuating member, a bell crank connecting the actuating member with a movable contact carrier and a locking lever for locking the bell crank in an extended position to establish a switched on position of the switch. The switch is further provided with a spring biased latch having a retaining portion which during switch on engages a stop prior to the contact carrier reaching its switched on position. The latch is subsequently disengaged from the stop by an arm of the actuating member to allow the contact carrier to move to its switched on position. When a thermal and/or electromagnetic trip occurs a release lever actuates the locking lever to move it to a release position to thereby allow the bell crank to assume its switched off position and thus allow the switch to break. Such a switch provides for instantaneous switch on and off which results in a lengthening of the life of the contacts of the switch.
Inventors
- 👤 J Ellenberger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 09:36
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H5/00; H01H5/04; H01H5/06; H01H71/00; H01H71/10; H01H71/12; H01H71/24; H01H71/2409; H01H71/50; H01H71/52; H01H71/528; H01H2300/00; H01H2300/046; H01H71/2463
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
262 words
A single or multi-pole excess current switch having a thermal and/or electromagnetic trip, such a switch comprising a pivotally mounted manual actuating member, said actuating member having first and second arms, a bell crank, said bell crank having first and second levers, said first lever being connected to the first arm of the actuating member, a pivotally mounted contact carrier, said second lever being connected to the pivotally mounted contact carrier, a first spring, said first spring being adapted to urge the first lever of the bell crank away from the first arm of the actuating member, a locking lever, said locking lever being pivotally mounted on one of said levers of the bell crank, a further spring, said further spring being adapted to bias the locking lever to a locking position in which it engages the other of the levers of the bell crank to lock the bell crank in an extended position thereof, a release lever, said release lever being adapted to be actuated by the thermal and/or electromagnetic trip to move the locking lever to a release position, a spring biased latch, said latch being pivotally mounted on the contact carrier, the latch having a retaining portion, and a stop, said retaining portion during switching on being adapted firstly to engage said stop prior to the contact carrier reaching its switched on position to overcome the spring bias of the latch and subsequently to be disengaged from the stop by the first arm of the actuating member to allow the contact carrier to move to its switched on position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
262 words
A single or multi-pole excess current switch having a thermal and/or electromagnetic trip, such a switch comprising a pivotally mounted manual actuating member, said actuating member having first and second arms, a bell crank, said bell crank having first and second levers, said first lever being connected to the first arm of the actuating member, a pivotally mounted contact carrier, said second lever being connected to the pivotally mounted contact carrier, a first spring, said first spring being adapted to urge the first lever of the bell crank away from the first arm of the actuating member, a locking lever, said locking lever being pivotally mounted on one of said levers of the bell crank, a further spring, said further spring being adapted to bias the locking lever to a locking position in which it engages the other of the levers of the bell crank to lock the bell crank in an extended position thereof, a release lever, said release lever being adapted to be actuated by the thermal and/or electromagnetic trip to move the locking lever to a release position, a spring biased latch, said latch being pivotally mounted on the contact carrier, the latch having a retaining portion, and a stop, said retaining portion during switching on being adapted firstly to engage said stop prior to the contact carrier reaching its switched on position to overcome the spring bias of the latch and subsequently to be disengaged from the stop by the first arm of the actuating member to allow the contact carrier to move to its switched on position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A switch according to claim 1 in which the first lever of the bell crank includes an end portion, the said end portion extending beyond its axis of rotation, the locking lever being pivotally mounted on the said end portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
A switch according to claim 1 which includes a torsion spring, said torsion spring being pivotally mounted about an axis which is common to the pivotal axis of the locking lever, one arm of the torsion spring bearing against the locking lever and the other arm thereof bearing against the first lever of the bell crank.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
91 words
A switch according to claim 1 which includes a contact arm, Said contact arm carrying the movable contact of the switch and being pivotally mounted about an axis which is common to the pivotal axis of the latch and a spring, said spring being adapted to bias the movable contact via the contact arm toward a fixed contact in the switched on position of the switch, the contact arm being adapted to engage a shaft on which the contact carrier is pivotally mounted in the switched off position of the switch.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A switch according to claim 4 which includes a lever, said lever being adapted to be pivoted by the armature of the electromagnetic trip to engage the contact arm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A switch according to claim 1 in which the actuating member includes a projection, said projection being adapted to disengage the retaining portion of the latch from the stop, the said projection being arranged adjacent the point of connection between the first arm of the actuation member and the first lever of the bell crank.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
A switch according to claim 1 which includes a further stop, said further stop being arranged in the path of movement of the locking lever to cause the locking lever to disengage from the said other lever of the bell crank during a manual switching off operation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-30 | 1976-10-30 | 1977-05-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-30 | 1980-10-30 | 1981-05-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-30 | 1984-10-30 | 1985-05-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |