Metal-enclosed switchgear with interlock means

Claim 2

Enclosed switchgear comprising an enclosure including a rear wall, a bottom wall, and a front opening, enclosure terminal means supported on said rear wall, a circuit interrupter removably mounted within said enclosure and comprising interrupter terMinal means for cooperating connection with said enclosure terminal means, said interrupter being movable between connected and disconnected positions of said enclosure terminal means with said corresponding interrupter terminal means, said interrupter having a stationary contact structure electrically connected to said corresponding terminal means, said interrupter also having a movable contact structure connected to said corresponding terminal means and movable relative to said stationary contact structure between open and closed positions therewith, said interrupter having drive means including a rotatable operating shaft and a connecting link which link is operatively connected between said operating shaft and said movable contact structure, means for moving said circuit interrupter between said connected and disconnected positions and comprising a rotatable rod having screw means for moving said interrupter into and out of said enclosure, said rotatable rod also having opening means in its surface, linkage means extending between said rotatable operating shaft and said rotatable rod and comprising a lever movable into and out of said opening means when said operating shaft is rotated respectively between closed and open positions of said contact structures and when the opening means is aligned with the lever.

Claim 3

The enclosed switchgear of claim 1 wherein said rotatable rod is a rotatable screw in which the opening means comprises a keyway, said lever comprising a key and a rod between the keyway and said operating shaft operative to move said key into and out of said keyway when said shaft is rotated.

Claim 4

The enclosed switchgear of claim 2 wherein said key is biased into said keyway and said rod being operable to move said key out of said keyway when said shaft is in the open position.

Claim 5

The enclosed switchgear of claim 3 wherein said drive means comprises an overcenter spring structure operatively connected to said operating shaft, a spring-charging element rotatably mounted on said shaft and operable between first and second positions to move said overcenter spring structure from the spring-discharged position to the spring-charged position, and key means operatively connected with said spring-charging element for locking and unlocking said shaft when said spring-charging element is rotated respectively between said spring-charged and said spring-discharged positions.

Claim 6

The enclosed switchgear of claim 4 in which said key means comprises second linkage means extending between said spring-charging element and said key means for holding said key means in said unlocked position when said element is in said spring-discharged position.

Claim 7

The enclosed switchgear of claim 4 in which means are provided for preventing rotation of said spring-charging element and comprising a shutter movable between access blocking and unblocking positions with respect to said element, a trip rail within said enclosure and disposed in a direction parallel to movement of said circuit interrupter between connected and disconnected positions, said rail having a terminal end spaced from said rear wall, and lever means extending between said shutter and said rail for maintaining said shutter in said blocking position when said lever means is on said rail and in said unblocking position when said lever means is at said terminal end of said rail.

Claim 8

Enclosed switchgear comprising an enclosure including a rear wall, a bottom wall, and a front opening, enclosure terminal means supported on said rear wall, a circuit interrupter removably mounted within said enclosure and comprising interrupter terminal means for cooperating connection with said enclosure terminal means, said interrupter being movable between connected and disconnected positions of said enclosure terminal means with corresponding interrupter terminal means, said interrupter having a stationary contact structure electrically connected to said corresponding terminal means, sad interrupter also having a movable contact stRucture connected to said corresponding terminal means and movable relative to said stationary contact structure between open and closed positions therewith, said interrupter having drive means including a rotatable operating shaft and a connecting link which link is operatively connected between said operating shaft and said movable contact structure, means for moving said circuit interrupter between said connected and disconnected positions and comprising a rotatable rod having screw means for moving said interrupter into and out of said enclosure, said rotatable rod also having opening means in its surface, said drive means comprising an overcenter spring structure operatively connected to said operating shaft, a spring-charging element rotatably mounted on said shaft and operable between first and second positions to move said overcenter spring structure from said spring-discharged position to said spring-charged position, blocking means for preventing rotation of said spring-charging element and comprising a shutter movable between access blocking and unblocking positions with respect to said element, a trip rail within said enclosure and disposed in a direction parallel to movement of said circuit interrupter between connected and disconnected positions, said rail having a terminal end spaced from said rear wall, and a levering mechanism extending between said shutter and said rail and being operative to maintain said shutter in said blocking position when said mechanism is on the rail and in said unblocking position when said mechanism is at said terminal end of said rail.

Claim 9

Enclosed switchgear comprising an enclosure including a rear wall, a bottom wall, and a front opening, enclosure terminal means supported on said rear wall, a circuit interrupter removably mounted within said enclosure and comprising interrupter terminal means for cooperating connection with said enclosure terminal means, said interrupter being movable between connected and disconnected positions of said enclosure terminal means with corresponding interrupter terminal means, said interrupter having a stationary contact structure electrically connected to said corresponding terminal means, sad interrupter also having a movable contact stRucture connected to said corresponding terminal means and movable relative to said stationary contact structure between open and closed positions therewith, said interrupter having drive means including a rotatable operating shaft and a connecting link which link is operatively connected between said operating shaft and said movable contact structure, means for moving said circuit interrupter between said connected and disconnected positions and comprising a rotatable rod having screw means for moving said interrupter into and out of said enclosure, said rotatable rod also having opening means in its surface, said drive means comprising an overcenter spring structure operatively connected to said operating shaft, a spring-charging element rotatably mounted on said shaft and operable between first and second positions to move said overcenter spring structure from said spring-discharged position to said spring-charged position, blocking means for preventing rotation of said spring-charging element and comprising a shutter movable between access blocking and unblocking positions with respect to said element, a trip rail within said enclosure and disposed in a direction parallel to movement of said circuit interrupter between connected and disconnected positions, said rail having a terminal end spaced from said rear wall, and a levering mechanism extending between said shutter and said rail and being operative to maintain said shutter in said blocking position when said mechanism is on the rail and in said unblocking position when said mechanism is at said terminal end of said rail.

Claim 10

The enclosed switchgear of claim 7 in which said trip rail is disposed on said bottom wall, a panel coextensive with said front opening of said enclosure and provided with an access aperture adjacent to said spring-charging element, said shutter being pivotally mounted on said panel for movement between positions blocking and unblocking said access aperture, said levering mechanism operatively connected between said shutter and said trip rail operable to move said shutter to said blocking position when said circuit interrupter is in said connected position of said enclosure terminal means and to said unblocking position when said circuit interrupter is in said unconnected position, whereby access to said spring-charging element is available when said shutter is in said unblocking position.

Claim 11

The enclosed switchgear of claim 8 in which end portions of said trip rail are inclined downwardly from top surface of said trip rail to said bottom wall of said enclosure, and said lever mechanism comprises a lever having one end positioned to move along said trip rail when said circuit interrupter is moved in between said connected and disconnected positions, and said other end of said lever being connected to said shutter for moving said shutter to said unblocked position when said one end of said lever is on said rail top surface.