US3867597A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Contact opening means for a circuit breaker
Assignee: Cooper Industries LLC
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Filing: 1972-07-26
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Granted: 1975-02-18
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Expires: 1992-07-26
Abstract
Abstract An auxiliary kickoff contact opening means is provided which supplements the main contact opening means during the inital opening movement of the circuit breaker contacts. The initial kickoff force is provided by a spring and control means is included which comprises a piston engaging the spring and a fluid connection to the interior of a main contact structure and an interrupting chamber. During initial opening movement of a main movable contact, gas pressure generated by an arc between the main contacts is applied via the fluid connection against the piston to thereby apply force to the spring in a direction opposite to its opening force. If sufficient gas pressure is generated, the opening force of the spring will be retarded. If the gas pressure is excessive, the piston and spring will be moved in a direction opposite to the opening movement and the initial opening force of the spring will be completely nullified.
Inventors
- 👤 Melbourne G Jawelak
- 👤 Richard R Boni
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 02:36
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H33/00; H01H33/70; H01H33/7007; H01H33/02; H01H33/04; H01H33/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
355 words
In a circuit breaker including main stationary and movable contact structures, the main movable contact being movable to open and closed positions relative to the main stationary contact structure, said contact structures carrying current when in said closed position and interrupting current while moving from the closed to the open position, a first housing containing dielectric fluid and enclosing said stationary and movable contacts when the contacts are in their closed position, the movement of the movable contact to the open position causing arcing of said current resulting in decomposition of the fluid and creating of gas within the first housing, a main contact opening means for moving the main contact out of engagement with the stationary contact, the combination comprising: an auxiliary spring for providing additional main contact opening force during the initial opening movement of the main movable contact; a second housing having a first chamber aNd a second chamber containing fluid and having an enclosed fluid connection with the first housing; a piston slidable in the directions of the main movable contact and being positioned within the second housing, said piston having a piston rod extending from the second housing into engagement with the main movable contact structure; The first chamber of the second housing being positioned on one side of the piston and the second chamber of the second housing being positioned on the other side of the piston, said auxiliary spring being positioned within the first chamber and biasing the piston and piston rod in the direction of opening movement of the main movable contact and the piston rod against the auxiliary movable contacts; and said gas and fluid within the first housing flowing through said fluid connection into said second chamber, said piston and piston rod moving in the direction of the first chamber against the bias force of the auxiliary spring and the piston rod moving out of engagement with the main movable contact structure in response to flow of the gas and fluid from the first housing into the second chamber whereby the opening force of the auxiliary spring provided to the main movable contact is retarded.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
355 words
In a circuit breaker including main stationary and movable contact structures, the main movable contact being movable to open and closed positions relative to the main stationary contact structure, said contact structures carrying current when in said closed position and interrupting current while moving from the closed to the open position, a first housing containing dielectric fluid and enclosing said stationary and movable contacts when the contacts are in their closed position, the movement of the movable contact to the open position causing arcing of said current resulting in decomposition of the fluid and creating of gas within the first housing, a main contact opening means for moving the main contact out of engagement with the stationary contact, the combination comprising: an auxiliary spring for providing additional main contact opening force during the initial opening movement of the main movable contact; a second housing having a first chamber aNd a second chamber containing fluid and having an enclosed fluid connection with the first housing; a piston slidable in the directions of the main movable contact and being positioned within the second housing, said piston having a piston rod extending from the second housing into engagement with the main movable contact structure; The first chamber of the second housing being positioned on one side of the piston and the second chamber of the second housing being positioned on the other side of the piston, said auxiliary spring being positioned within the first chamber and biasing the piston and piston rod in the direction of opening movement of the main movable contact and the piston rod against the auxiliary movable contacts; and said gas and fluid within the first housing flowing through said fluid connection into said second chamber, said piston and piston rod moving in the direction of the first chamber against the bias force of the auxiliary spring and the piston rod moving out of engagement with the main movable contact structure in response to flow of the gas and fluid from the first housing into the second chamber whereby the opening force of the auxiliary spring provided to the main movable contact is retarded.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
96 words
The combination according to claim 1 wherein: said current flows from the main stationary to the main movable contact in a direction such that a magnetic force biases the main movable contact toward its open position during opening movement of the main movable contact, said magnetic force being at a maximum during interruption of a high current level by the main contacts; and said gas creates a maximum pressure during initial opening movement of the main movable contact while a high current level is being interrupted whereby the opening force of the auxiliary spring is nullified.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2749412A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-17 | 1978-08-19 | 1979-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-17 | 1982-08-19 | 1983-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-17 | 1986-08-19 | 1987-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |