US3769477A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Switch operating mechanism
Assignee: S&C Electric Co
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Filing: 1972-09-18
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Granted: 1973-10-30
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Expires: 1992-09-18
Abstract
Abstract Main and auxiliary contact operating rods are sequentially moved to contact open positions by coil tension springs on the sequential tripping of main and auxiliary toggle latches by a mechanism cam on an operating shaft pivoted in one direction. Continued pivoting of the operating shaft in the same direction effects movement of the rods to the contact closed positions. The toggle latches can be tripped sequentially independently of the mechanism cam. An indicator operated in conjunction with the main contact operating rod provides a visible indication of the position of the operating rod and thereby of the contacts.
Inventors
- 👤 L Chabala
- 👤 E Rogers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:07
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H9/00; H01H9/16; H01H33/00; H01H33/02; H01H33/04; H01H33/12; H01H33/121; H01H33/125; H01H33/128; H01H33/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
281 words
Switch means comprising: a circuit interrupter having main and auxiliary contact operating rods for sequentially opening main contacts and auxiliary contacts and for closing said contacts, a mechanism housing into which said operating rods extend, an operating shaft pivoted on said housing, an auxiliary shaft on said housing in parallel spaced relation to said operating shaft, a main rod operating arm pivoted on said auxiliary shaft and connected at its distal end to said main contact operating rod, an auxiliary rod operating arm pivoted on said auxiliary shaft and connected at its distal end to said auxiliary contact operating rod, spring means individual to and interconnecting said operating arms and said mechanism housing and biasing said arms and thereby said rods to switch open positions, main toggle latch means interposed between the distal end of said main rod operating arm and said mechanism housing for holding said main contact operating rod in switch cloSed position, auxiliary toggle latch means interposed between the distal end of said auxiliary rod operating arm and said mechanism housing for holding said auxiliary rod operating arm and thereby said auxiliary contact operating rod in switch closed position, a mechanism cam secured to said operating shaft for tripping said main toggle latch means to release said main rod operating arm to shift said main contact operating rod to switch open position on pivotal movement of said operating shaft in one direction, and driving means between said main toggle latch means and said auxiliary toggle latch means for tripping the latter when the former has moved to a predetermined position to release said auxiliary rod operating arm to shift said auxiliary contact operating rod to switch open position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
281 words
Switch means comprising: a circuit interrupter having main and auxiliary contact operating rods for sequentially opening main contacts and auxiliary contacts and for closing said contacts, a mechanism housing into which said operating rods extend, an operating shaft pivoted on said housing, an auxiliary shaft on said housing in parallel spaced relation to said operating shaft, a main rod operating arm pivoted on said auxiliary shaft and connected at its distal end to said main contact operating rod, an auxiliary rod operating arm pivoted on said auxiliary shaft and connected at its distal end to said auxiliary contact operating rod, spring means individual to and interconnecting said operating arms and said mechanism housing and biasing said arms and thereby said rods to switch open positions, main toggle latch means interposed between the distal end of said main rod operating arm and said mechanism housing for holding said main contact operating rod in switch cloSed position, auxiliary toggle latch means interposed between the distal end of said auxiliary rod operating arm and said mechanism housing for holding said auxiliary rod operating arm and thereby said auxiliary contact operating rod in switch closed position, a mechanism cam secured to said operating shaft for tripping said main toggle latch means to release said main rod operating arm to shift said main contact operating rod to switch open position on pivotal movement of said operating shaft in one direction, and driving means between said main toggle latch means and said auxiliary toggle latch means for tripping the latter when the former has moved to a predetermined position to release said auxiliary rod operating arm to shift said auxiliary contact operating rod to switch open position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
Switch means according to claim 1 wherein closing abutment means on said main rod operating arm engage closing abutment means on said auxiliary rod operating arm in the switch closed position for holding the latter and said auxiliary operating rod in the switch closed position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
78 words
Switch means according to claim 2 wherein said closing abutment means on said main rod operating arm include diametrically positioned shoulders facing in the same circular direction on opposite sides of said auxiliary shaft, and said closing abutment means on said auxiliary rod operating arm include diametrically positioned shoulders facing in the same circular direction on opposite sides of said auxiliary shaft and opposite to the direction in which said shoulders on said main rod operating arm face.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
Switch means according to claim 1 wherein opening abutment means on said main rod operating arm engage opening abutment means on said auxiliary rod operating arm after said main rod operating arm has moved through a predetermined extent from the switch closed position for transferring kinetic energy from said main rod operating arm to said auxiliary rod operating arm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
78 words
Switch means according to claim 4 wherein said opening abutment means on said main rod operating arm include diametrically positioned shoulders facing in the same circular direction on opposite sides of said auxiliary shaft and said opening abutment means on said auxiliary rod operating arm include diametrically positioned shoulders facing in the same circular direction on opposite sides of said auxiliary shaft and opposite to the direction in which said shoulders on said main rod operating arm face.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
Switch means according to claim 5 wherein resilient means on one of said opening abutment means cushion the mechanical shock incident to engagement of said opening abutment means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
72 words
Switch means according to claim 1 wherein said main toggle latch means includes: a first link pivoted to said housing, a second link pivoted to said distal end of said main rod operating arm, and means pivotally interconnecting said links; and a trip latch is mounted on said means pivotally interconnecting said links and is positioned in the path of said mechanism cam to shift said links out of toggle latched position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
Switch means according to claim 7 wherein said mechanism cam has a plurality of teeth for operatively engaging said trip latch at different angular positions of said operating shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
Switch means according to claim 7 wherein said trip latch is characterized by being capable of pivoting said main rod operating arm and said interrupting rod operating arm to the switch open positions on continued pivotal movement of said mechanism cam and said operating shaft in said one direction in the event that said spring means are incapable of effecting such operations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
95 words
Switch means according to claim 7 wherein said auxiliary toggle latch means include: a first link pivoted to said housing, a second link pivoted to said distal end of said auxiliary rod operating arm, and means pivotally interconnecting the last named links; and said driving means between said main and auxiliary toggle latch means includes cooperating shoulders on saId first links spaced apart when said toggle latch means are in switch closed positions and in driving engagement after tripping of said main toggle latch means and pivoting of its first link to a predetermined position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
Switch means according to claim 2 wherein a recocking cam is pivoted on said operating shaft, link means interconnect said recocking cam and said main rod operating arm, and shoulder means on said mechanism cam engage shoulder means on said recocking cam on further pivotal movement of said operating shaft in said one direction to pivot said main rod operating arm and thereby said auxiliary rod operating arm to switch closed positions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
Switch means according to claim 1 wherein means independent of said mechanism cam is arranged to cooperate with said main toggle latch means and operate sequentially said main and auxiliary contact operating rods to switch open positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
121 words
Switch means according to claim 1 wherein said main toggle latch means includes: a first link pivoted at one end to said housing, and a second link pivoted at one end to said distal end of said main rod operating arm and at the other end to the other end of said first link; said second link has an arm extending from said one end thereof, an auxiliary trip shaft is pivoted on said mechanism housing, an actuating arm is secured to said auxiliary trip shaft, and a push rod is pivoted to the distal end of said actuating arm and its distal end is arranged to engage said arm on said second link for tripping said main toggle latch means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
Switch means according to claim 13 wherein means on said mechanism housing guide said push rod in its movement relative to said arm on said second link, and spring means bias said actuating arm to retract said push rod.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
77 words
Switch means according to claim 14 wherein spring means react between said actuating arm and said push rod to bias the latter away from the former, and stop means on said actuating arm and on said push rod cooperate to limit the extent of such movement after said actuating arm has been pivoted through a predetermined extent to shift said distal end of said push rod out of the path of said arm on said second link.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
Switch means according to claim 1 wherein means cooperate with said main rod operating arm to indicate the position thereof and thereby whether said main and auxiliary contact operating rods are in the open or closed positions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
123 words
Switch means according to claim 16 wherein said indicating means include: a stationary target outside said mechanism housing, an indicator lever pivoted on said mechanism housing, a sleeve connected to said indicator lever and movable thereby into and out of said housing and out of and into overlying relation to said target, an indicator spring means biasing said indicator lever to withdraw said sleeve into said housing whereby said target is visible and said contacts are open; and detent means on said main rod operating arm engage said indicator lever to shift the same and said sleeve to obscure said target and indicate the closed position of said main and auxiliary contact operating rods against the biasing action of said indicator spring means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
80 words
Switch means according to claim 17 wherein said indicator lever has a notch adjacent its pivot axis for receiving said detent means in the form of a pin characterized by being arranged and adapted to shift said indicator lever and thereby said sleeve to its withdrawn position in the event that said indicator spring means should be unable to accomplish such withdrawal on pivotal movement of said main rod operating arm to the open position of said contact operating rod.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
Switch means according to claim 1 wherein said mechanism housing includes a removable cover, and apertured support arms extend from said cover into said mechanism housing and support said auxiliary shaft.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
Switch means according to claim 19 wherein means on said cover cooperate with said main rod operating arm to indicate the position thereof aNd thereby whether said main means and auxiliary contact operating rods are in the open or closed positions.
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) | 1976-10-29 | 1977-04-30 | 1977-10-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-29 | 1981-04-30 | 1981-10-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-29 | 1985-04-30 | 1985-10-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |