Patent US4045762A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4045762A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Remote control fuse closing device
Assignee: S&C Electric Co
•
Filing: 1975-09-19
•
Granted: 1977-08-30
•
Expires: 1995-09-19
Abstract
Abstract A small expendable rocket engine is attached to an electrical switching element and ignited to provide propelling force to open or close the switching element into or out of a circuit. An electrical ignition system attached to the rocket engine can be actuated remotely to ignite the rocket engine either by a relay switch or by the lineman using an insulative cord so that the lineman is remotely positioned when the switching element is closed into the circuit. The rocket engine is expendable and can either be removed from the switching element after operation by dislodging it by pulling on the cord, or a releasable connector can be used to connect the rocket engine to the switching element so that the rocket engine automatically disengages the switching element after operation. The rocket engine may be left in place after switching operation on the switching element if its presence will not adversely affect normal operation of the switching element. The rocket engine may also be ignited by the operation of automatic control circuitry to provide automatic unattended high speed operation of the switching element.
Inventors
- 👤 John F. Foulkes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 16:35
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H31/00; H01H31/02; H01H31/12; H01H31/122; H01H31/127; H01H39/00; H01H39/004
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A device for causing a switching element of an electrical switching device in an electrical circuit to move the switching element from a first position representative of a first circuit condition to a second position representative of a second circuit condition comprising: rocket means for being ignited to generate propelling forces to move the switching element from the first position to the second position in response to ignition of said rocket means; connector means connected to said rocket means for directly and disengageably attaching the rocket means to the switching element so that said rocket means disengages the switching element when the switching element moves to the second position; and activating means for igniting the rocket means in response to remote actuation.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
122 words
A device for causing a switching element of an electrical switching device in an electrical circuit to move the switching element from a first position representative of a first circuit condition to a second position representative of a second circuit condition comprising: rocket means for being ignited to generate propelling forces to move the switching element from the first position to the second position in response to ignition of said rocket means; connector means connected to said rocket means for directly and disengageably attaching the rocket means to the switching element so that said rocket means disengages the switching element when the switching element moves to the second position; and activating means for igniting the rocket means in response to remote actuation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rocket means is a solid fuel rocket engine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector means comprises a resilient clip member formed in a partial contour of the switching element to disengageably engage the switching element so that the momentum of said rocket means when said rocket means is ignited causes the clip member to bend so that the connected rocket means disengages the switching element when the switching element moves to the second position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
103 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connector means comprises: first and second finger members having first and second ends, said first ends being connected to said rocket means, and said second ends being spaced apart to accept and grip the switching element between the first and second finger members; and said rocket means includes means to sever the connection between said first ends of said first and second finger members and said rocket means after said rocket means has been ignited so that said rocket means disengages the switching element after the switching element has moved to the second position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
a device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rocket means comprises a solid fuel rocket, and said activating means comprises an electrochemical power source, heating means for causing solid fuel rocket to ignite, switch means serially electrically connecting said heating means across said electro-chemical power source, and an insulative cord for closing said switch means from a remote position to cause said heating means to ignite said solid fuel rocket.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rocket means comprises a solid fuel rocket, and said activating means comprises an electrochemical power source, heating means for causing said solid fuel rocket to ignite, switch means serially electrically connecting said heating means across said electro-chemical power source, and relay means for causing said switch means to operate in response to external activation to cause said heating means to ignite said solid fuel rocket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A device, as claimed in claim 1, further comprising ejecting means for causing said connector means to disengage the switching element after said rocket means generates propellant forces and moves the switching element to the second position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
132 words
In a conventional high voltage fuse arrangement comprising: a first terminal connected to one portion of an electrical circuit, a second terminal connected to another portion of an electrical circuit, a fuse pivotably mounted at one end to the second terminal so that the fuse can be pivoted to engage the first terminal to connect the fuse across both portions of the electrical circuit; an improved device for closing the fuse into the circuit comprising: rocket means for being ignited to generate propelling forces to cause the fuse to pivot until it engages the first terminal in response to ignition of said rocket means; connector means connected to said rocket for disengageably attaching the rocket means to the fuse; and activating means for igniting said rocket means in response to remote actuation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
132 words
In a conventional high voltage fuse arrangement comprising: a first terminal connected to one portion of an electrical circuit, a second terminal connected to another portion of an electrical circuit, a fuse pivotably mounted at one end to the second terminal so that the fuse can be pivoted to engage the first terminal to connect the fuse across both portions of the electrical circuit; an improved device for closing the fuse into the circuit comprising: rocket means for being ignited to generate propelling forces to cause the fuse to pivot until it engages the first terminal in response to ignition of said rocket means; connector means connected to said rocket for disengageably attaching the rocket means to the fuse; and activating means for igniting said rocket means in response to remote actuation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
An improved device, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rocket means is a solid fuel rocket engine.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
68 words
An improved device, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said connector means comprises a resilient clip member formed in a partial contour of the switching element to disengageably engage the fuse so that the momentum of said rocket means when said rocket means is ignited causes the clip member to bend so that the connected rocket means disengages the fuse after the fuse is closed into the circuit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
101 words
An improved device, as claimed in claim 8, wherein: said connector means comprises first and second finger members having first and second ends, said first ends being connected to said rocket means, and said second ends being spaced apart to accept and grip the fuse between the first and second finger members; and said rocket means includes means to sever the connection between said first ends of said first and second finger members and said rocket means after said rocket means has been activated so that said rocket means disengages the fuse after the fuse has been closed into the circuit.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
An improved device, as claimed in claim 8, wherein said rocket means comprises a solid fuel rocket, and said activating means comprises an electro-chemical power source, heating means for causing said solid fuel rocket to ignite, switch means serially electrically connecting said heating means across said electro-chemical power source, and an insulative cord for closing said switch from a remote position to cause said electro-chemical power source to cause said heating means to ignite said solid fuel rocket.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
123 words
In a conventional high-speed grounding switch arrangement including a first terminal connected to a portion of an electrical circuit, a second terminal connected to electrial ground, a switch blade pivotably mounted to the second terminal so that the switch blade can be pivoted to engage the first terminal to ground the first terminal; an improved device for closing the fuse into the circuit comprising: rocket means for being ignited to generate propelling forces to cause the switch blade to pivot until it engages the first terminal in response to ignition of said rocket means; connector means connected to said rocket means for disengageably attaching the rocket means to the fuse; and activating means for igniting the rocket means in response to remote actuation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
123 words
In a conventional high-speed grounding switch arrangement including a first terminal connected to a portion of an electrical circuit, a second terminal connected to electrial ground, a switch blade pivotably mounted to the second terminal so that the switch blade can be pivoted to engage the first terminal to ground the first terminal; an improved device for closing the fuse into the circuit comprising: rocket means for being ignited to generate propelling forces to cause the switch blade to pivot until it engages the first terminal in response to ignition of said rocket means; connector means connected to said rocket means for disengageably attaching the rocket means to the fuse; and activating means for igniting the rocket means in response to remote actuation.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
75 words
An improved device, as claimed in claim 13, wherein said rocket means comprises a solid fuel rocket, and said activating means comprises an electrochemical power source, heating means for causing said solid fuel rocket to ignite, switch means serially electrically connecting said heating means across said electro-chemical power source, and relay means for causing said switch means to operate in response to external activation to cause said heating means to ignite said solid fuel rocket.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3190990A
Cited
US3810060A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-29 | 1981-02-28 | 1981-08-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-29 | 1985-02-28 | 1985-08-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-29 | 1989-02-28 | 1989-08-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |