Automatic electric power source transfer apparatus

Claim 2

Automatic electric power source transfer apparatus comprising: a. a support, b. a pair of multi-pole enclosed electric switching devices disposed on said support in end-to-end alignment with output ends of said switching devices in adjacent spaced relation, and with the operating handles of said devices moving in reciprocal fashion along a common line of action; c. handle operating means comprising an elongated rigid handle operating slide member extending between the handles of said switching devices and including portions engaging said handles respectively for movement of said handles substantially simultaneously by reciprocal sliding movement of said handle operating slide member; d. motor operated means for moving said operating slide from one extreme longitudinal position to an opposite extreme longitudinal position to operate both of said enclosed switching devices simultaneously; e. whereby one of said switching devices is moved from ON to OFF position by longitudinal movement of said slide member while the other handle of the other switching device is moved from OFF to ON position; f. electrical interconnecting means connecting the respective poles of said multi-pole switching devices at their adjacent ends, and power take-off terminals attached to said interconnecting conductors for supplying power consuming apparatus from a normal source when one of said switching devices is in closed position and for utilizing power from an emergency stand-by power source when the other of said switching devices is in closed circuit position; g. means for supporting said rigid elongated handle operating slide member substantially independently of said switching devices, and supporting means comprising a box-like enclosure of rigid material including hinge means supporting said enclosure for pivotal movement about a first position in which said elongate handle operating slide member is in engagement with said handles of said devices and a second position in which said elongated handle operating slide member is out of engagement with handles of said devices so as to afford access to said operating handles for manual operation; and h. a walking beam interlock member pivotally mounted to said support and having projection members extending upwardly from opposite ends of said interlock member and engaging said devices so as to prevent both of said devices from being in the ON position at the same time.

Claim 3

Automatic electric power source transfer apparatus comprising: a. a generally planar support; b. a pair of multi-pole enclosed electrical switching devices supported on said support in end-to-end alignment with output ends adjacent each other; c. each of said switching devices having a plurality of contact arms and an over-center spring type operating mechanism and an operating handle for operating said contact arms by means of said over-center spring mechanism; d. electrical busing means interconnecting the respective poles of said multi-pole switching devices at said adjacent ends, and electric pOwer take-off means connected to said interconnecting busing means for supplying power to power consuming apparatus; e. an elongated rigid handle operating slide member extending between said enclosed switching devices and including portions engaging each of the handles of said switching devices respectively, whereby longitudinal movement of said operating slide causes simultaneous movement of one of said switching devices from ON to OFF position and the other of said switching devices from OFF to ON position; f. motor operated means for operating said handle operating slide; g. said apparatus also comprising means for assuring that a first one of said switching devices which is initially in ON position is operated by said slide to OFF condition before the other of said switching devices which is initially in OFF condition is operated to ON condition without a mechanical linkage interconnecting said contact arms of said first switching device to said contact arms of said other switching device; and h. means for supporting said rigid elongated handle operating slide member substantially independently of said switching devices, and supporting means comprising a box-like enclosure of rigid material including hinge means supporting said enclosure for pivotal movement about a first position in which said elongated handle operating slide member is in engagement with said handles of said devices and a second position in which said elongated handle operating slide member is out of engagement with said handles of said devices so as to afford access to said operating handles for manual operation.

Claim 4

Automatic electric power source transfer apparatus comprising: a. a generally planar support; b. a pair of multi-pole enclosed electrical switching devices supported on said support in end-to-end alignment with output ends adjacent each other; c. each of said switching devices having a plurality of contact arms and an over-center spring type operating mechanism and an operating handle for operating said contact arms by means of said over-center spring mechanism; d. electrical busing means interconnecting the respective poles of said multi-pole switching devices at said adjacent ends, and electric pOwer take-off means connected to said interconnecting busing means for supplying power to power consuming apparatus; e. an elongated rigid handle operating slide member extending between said enclosed switching devices and including portions engaging each of the handles of said switching devices respectively, whereby longitudinal movement of said operating slide causes simultaneous movement of one of said switching devices from ON to OFF position and the other of said switching devices from OFF to ON position; f. motor operated means for operating said handle operating slide; g. said apparatus also comprising means for assuring that a first one of said switching devices which is initially in ON position is operated by said slide to OFF condition before the other of said switching devices which is initially in OFF condition is operated to ON condition without a mechanical linkage interconnecting said contact arms of said first switching device to said contact arms of said other switching device; and h. means for supporting said rigid elongated handle operating slide member substantially independently of said switching devices, and supporting means comprising a box-like enclosure of rigid material including hinge means supporting said enclosure for pivotal movement about a first position in which said elongated handle operating slide member is in engagement with said handles of said devices and a second position in which said elongated handle operating slide member is out of engagement with said handles of said devices so as to afford access to said operating handles for manual operation.

Claim 5

Electric power source transfer apparatus comprising: a. a generally planar support; b. a pair of multi-pole electric switching devices supported on said support with output ends thereof in adjacent spaced relation, each of said multi-pole switching devices having a single externally available opeerating handle for operating all poles of said switching device simultaneously; c. automatic operating mechanism for said operating handles of said circuit breakers; d. means supporting said automatic operating mechanism on said support substantially independently of said switching devices, said automatic operating mechanism being positioned immediately above said switching devices and including an elongated rigid handle operating slide member extending between the handles of said switching devices and including portions engaging said handles respectively for movement of said handles substantially simultaneously by reciprocal sliding movement of said handle operating slide member; e. said supporting means comprising a generally rectangular box-like enclosure of rigid material including hinge means supporting said generally rectangular enclosure for pivotal movement about one of the longitudinal sides thereof between a first position in which said elongated rigid handle operating slide member is in engagement with said handles and a second position in which said elongated rigid handle operating slide member is out of engagement with said handles, affording access to said operating handles for manual operation; f. interconnecting busing means interconnecting the output ends of said multi-pole switching devices together in pole-to-pole relation, said hinge means supporting said automatic operating mechanism on said main support member permitting movement of said operating mechanism to a retracted position in which access is permitted to said interconnecting busing means as well as to said operating handles; g. electric motor drive means supported within said generally rectangular enclosure of said automatic operating mechanism and including an elongated spiral grooved drive shaft and a traveling nut member supported on said shaft; h. means connecting said traveling nut to said means engaging said handles of said switching devices; and i. said electric motor drive means acting on said means engaging said handles of said switchIng devices when energized to move said operating handles substantially simultaneously and to move a first one of said switching devices from an initially closed condition to open condition prior to movement of the second of said switching devices from an initially open condition to closed condition despite said simultaneous movement of said handles.

Claim 6

Electric power source transfer apparatus comprising: a. a generally planar support; b. a pair of multi-pole electric switching devices supported on said support with output ends thereof in adjacent spaced relation, each of said multi-pole switching devices having a single externally available opeerating handle for operating all poles of said switching device simultaneously; c. automatic operating mechanism for said operating handles of said circuit breakers; d. means supporting said automatic operating mechanism on said support substantially independently of said switching devices, said automatic operating mechanism being positioned immediately above said switching devices and including an elongated rigid handle operating slide member extending between the handles of said switching devices and including portions engaging said handles respectively for movement of said handles substantially simultaneously by reciprocal sliding movement of said handle operating slide member; e. said supporting means comprising a generally rectangular box-like enclosure of rigid material including hinge means supporting said generally rectangular enclosure for pivotal movement about one of the longitudinal sides thereof between a first position in which said elongated rigid handle operating slide member is in engagement with said handles and a second position in which said elongated rigid handle operating slide member is out of engagement with said handles, affording access to said operating handles for manual operation; f. interconnecting busing means interconnecting the output ends of said multi-pole switching devices together in pole-to-pole relation, said hinge means supporting said automatic operating mechanism on said main support member permitting movement of said operating mechanism to a retracted position in which access is permitted to said interconnecting busing means as well as to said operating handles; g. electric motor drive means supported within said generally rectangular enclosure of said automatic operating mechanism and including an elongated spiral grooved drive shaft and a traveling nut member supported on said shaft; h. means connecting said traveling nut to said means engaging said handles of said switching devices; and i. said electric motor drive means acting on said means engaging said handles of said switchIng devices when energized to move said operating handles substantially simultaneously and to move a first one of said switching devices from an initially closed condition to open condition prior to movement of the second of said switching devices from an initially open condition to closed condition despite said simultaneous movement of said handles.

Claim 7

Electric power source transfer apparatus as set forth in claim 3 said apparatus also comprising: a. means connecting said input end of said first switching device to a normal external source of power and means connecting said input end of said second switching device to an emergency stand-by source of electric power; b. electric circuitry means including means sensing loss of power from said normal external source of power and initiating operation of said motor drive means to open said first switching device and to subsequently close said second switching device, whereby to disconnect said power consuming apparatus from said normal power source and to connect said power consuming apparatus to said emergency power source; and c. said electric circuitry also including means sensing the restoration of power by said normal power source and to thereby initiate operation of said motor drive to move said second switching device from said closed circuit position to open circuit position and to subsequently operate said first switching device from said open circuit position to said closed circuit position whereby to disconnect said power consuming apparatus from said emergency stand-by source of electric power and to reconnect said power consuming apparatus to said normal external power source.

Claim 8

Electric power source transfer appparatus as set forth in claim 3 in which said electric switching devices may be removed for repair or replacement without removing said automatic operating mechanism from its mounting on said main support member.

Claim 9

Electric power source transfer equipment as set forth in claim 5 in which said switching devices are disposed in end-to-end spaced alignment with said output ends of said switching devices adjacent each other and with said operating handles of such switching devices moving along a substantially common line.

Claim 10

Electric power source transfer equipment as set forth in claim 6 in which said apparatus also includes interlock means positively preventing the closure of both of said switching devices at the same time.

Claim 11

Electric power source transfer equipment as set forth in claim 3 in which said means supporting said automatic operating mechanism on said main support comprises at least one pair of rigid bracket members rigidly attached at one end to said main support and extending closely adjacent said switching devices, and a member extending between each of said pairs of brackets and overlying a corresponding one of said switching devices.

Claim 12

Electric power source transfer equipment as set forth in claim 3 in which each of said multi-pole switching devices includes an over-center type operating mechanism having the characteristic that said operating handle thereof is required to move a greater portion of the distance between ON and OFF positions when moving in ON direction before causing operation of said switching device than when moving in OFF direction, whereby simultaneously movement of said handles results in opening of the one of said switching devices which is initially in closed condition prior to closing of the one of said switching device which is initially in said open condition.

Claim 13

Electric power source transfer equipment as set forth in claim 8 in which at least one of said switching devices comprises an automatic molded case electric circuit breaker including means for causing automatic tripping of said circuit breaker upon the occurrence of predetermined excessive current conditions therethrough.