Operating mechanism for opening and closing an electrical switch

Claim 2

An operating mechanism for opening and closing an electrical switch comprising a frame, a spring-actuated switch-closing member; a spring-actuated switch-opening member, said members being disposed in spaced side-by-side relation and mounted for independent pivotal movement about a common axis; manually actuated means for independently pivoting said members in opposite directions into cocked positions wherein the springs therefor are in charged condition; adjustable control means mounted on said frame for successive releasing of the switchclosing member and the switch-opening member from said cocked positions, said switch-closing member being released from said cocked position only if said switch-opening member remains in said cocked position; and lock means mounted on said frame for manual adjustment between lock and unlock positions, said means when in said lock position retaining said members in an immovable state.

Claim 3

The operating mechanism of claim 1 wherein said manually actuated means includes an elongated shaft means having the longitudinal axis thereof coincident to said common axis, and at least one crank member mounted on said shaft means and movable therewith as a unit about said common axis, said crank member when manually moved in one direction through a predetermined mined sector engaging only one spring-actuated member and moving same to said cocked position and when manually moved in a second direction through a predetermined sector engaging the other spring-actuated member and moving same to said cocked position whereby both of said members are disposed in cocked positions.

Claim 4

The operating mechanism of claim 2 wherein said shaft means includes an elongated rod, a sleeve element rotatably mounted thereon, and a lug protruding from and affixed to the periphery of said sleeve element, said lug being disposed intermediate said spring-actuated members; said switch-closing member being provided with an adjustably mounted clutch element adapted to engage said lug when said switch-closing member is disposed in a cocked position, said sleeve and switch-closing member moving as a unit through a first predetermined sector in one direction independently of said elongated rod upon said switch-closing member being released from said cocked position; said switch-opening member being provided with a protruding cam affixed thereto and a protruding lug affixed thereto and annularly spaced and offset relative to said cam; said sleeve element lug and said member lug being disposed in abutting relation and the clutch element engaging said cam and being out of engagement with the sleeve element lug only upon the switch-closing member being in a discharged position and said switch-opening member being in a cocked position whereby upon subsequent release of said switch-opening member, said sleeve and said switch-opening member move as a unit through a second predetermined sector in a second direction; the movement of said sleeve element through said first predetermined sector being adapted to close the switch, and the movement of said sleeve element through said second predetermined sector being adapted to open the switch.

Claim 5

The operating mechanism of claim 1 wherein the periphery of each spring-actuated member is provided with a first locking component, and the periphery of said lock means is provided with a second locking component, said first and second components being in interlocking relation only when said lock means is disposed in said lock position and said spring-actuated members are disposed in discharged positions.

Claim 6

The operating mechanism of claim 4 wherein said first locking component comprises a peripheral notch, and said second locking component comprises an elongated rigid bar adjustably mounted on said frame for endwise movement relative to said spring-actuated members, the endwise movement of said bar being substantially parallel to said common axis; said bar, when in one position of adjustment, having longitudinally spaced portions thereof disposed within said aligned peripheral notches and locking said spring-actuated members against pivotal movement about said common axis.

Claim 7

An operating mechanism for opening and closing an electrical switch comprising a frame; a spring-actuated switch-closing member pivotally mounted on said frame for movement between cocked and uncocked positions, said member being engaged by a spring disposed in a charged condition when said member assumes a cocked position; a spring-actuated switch-opening member pivotally mounted on said frame for movement between cocked and uncocked positions, said switch-opening member being engaged by a second spring disposed in a charged condition when the latter member assumes a cocked position, said members being movable about a common axis; an elongated shaft means having an elongated rod coaxial with said common axis, and a sleeve element encompassing said rod and being rotatable independently of said rod, said sleeve element being provided with an outwardly projecting lug; a clutch element mounted on and carried by said switch-closing member, said clutch element being movable independently of said switch-closing member between extended and retracted positions, said clutch element, when both of said spring-actuated members are in cocked positions, projecting from said switch-closing member towards said switch-opening member and being disposed within the path of movement of the lug carried on said sleeve element; a cam mounted on said switch-opening member and extending towards said switch-closing member and engaging said clutch element and causing same to be moved out of the path of movement of said sleeve element lug, engagement between said clutch element and said cam occurring only when said switch-closing member has moved to an uncocked position and said switch-opening member has remained in a cocked position; a lug mounted on said switch-opening member and extending towards said switch-closing member, said lug being annularly spaced and offset from said cam, said sleeve element lug and said switch-opening member lug being disposed in abutting end-to-end relation when said switch-closing member is in an uncocked position and said switch-opening member is in a cocked position; and a control device adjustably mounted on said frame for successive releasing of said switch-closing member and said switch-opening member from said cocked positions, said switch-closing member being released from said cocked position only if said switch-opening member is disposed in said cocked position.

Claim 8

An operating mechanism for opening and closing an electrical switch comprising a frame; a spring-actuated switch-closing member pivotally mounted on said frame for movement between cocked and uncocked positions, said member being engaged by a spring disposed in a charged condition when said member assumes a cocked position; a spring-actuated switch-opening member pivotally mounted on said frame for movement between cocked and uncocked positions, said switch-opening member being engaged by a second spring disposed in a charged condition when the latter member assumes a cocked position, said members being movable about a common axis; an elongated shaft means having an elongated rod coaxial with said common axis, and a sleeve element encompassing said rod and being rotatable independently of said rod, said sleeve element being provided with an outwardly projecting lug; a clutch element mounted on and carried by said switch-closing member, said clutch element being movable independently of said switch-closing member between extended and retracted positions, said clutch element, when both of said spring-actuated members are in cocked positions, projecting from said switch-closing member towards said switch-opening member and being disposed within the path of movement of the lug carried on said sleeve element; a cam mounted on said switch-opening member and extending towards said switch-closing member and engaging said clutch element and causing same to be moved out of the path of movement of said sleeve element lug, engagement between said clutch element and said cam occurring only when said switch-closing member has moved to an uncocked position and said switch-opening member has remained in a cocked position; a lug mounted on said switch-opening member and extending towards said switch-closing member, said lug being annularly spaced and offset from said cam, said sleeve element lug and said switch-opening member lug being disposed in abutting end-to-end relation when said switch-closing member is in an uncocked position and said switch-opening member is in a cocked position; and a control device adjustably mounted on said frame for successive releasing of said switch-closing member and said switch-opening member from said cocked positions, said switch-closing member being released from said cocked position only if said switch-opening member is disposed in said cocked position.

Claim 9

The operating mechanism of claim 6 wherein the control device includes an adjustable latch pin mounted on said frame and when in one position of adjustment engaging said switch-opening member and retaining same in a cocked position; said latch pin, when in a second position of adjustment, being disengaged from said switch-opening member whereby the latter automatically moves from said cocked position to an uncocked position.

Claim 10

The operating mechanism of claim 7 wherein adjustment of said latch pin is manually controlled.

Claim 11

The operating mechanism of claim 7 wherein adjustment of said latch pin is automatically effected by electrically energized means.

Claim 12

The operating mechanism of claim 6 wherein the clutch pin is biased so as to project from the switch-closing member towards the switch-opening member.