US4077026A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Integral motor controller
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
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Filing: 1977-02-23
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Granted: 1978-02-28
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Expires: 1997-02-23
Abstract
Abstract A motor controller having a single set of contacts and two contact operating systems is provided for operation and protection of a motor and the associated circuitry over a complete range of possible currents. For a normal motor starter operation and for fault current up to a predetermined value, an electromagnetic actuator is used to open the contacts a relatively small distance such as 1/4 inch. For higher fault currents a magnetic drive or linear slot motor opens the contacts to a greater spacing such as 1 inch. The slot motor opens the contacts very rapidly giving rise to good current limiting. The disclosed integral motor starter utilizes a bridging contact arm on which are mounted a pair of movable contacts which are aligned to engage a pair of stationary contacts when the disclosed motor starter is closed, completing an electric circuit to the controlled motor.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul G. Slade
- 👤 John A. Wafer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 14:29
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H77/00; H01H77/02; H01H77/10; H01H77/107; H01H77/108; H01H89/00; H01H89/06; H01H89/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
34 words
An integral motor controller comprising: a housing; a movable bridging contact arm; means mounted within said housing for supporting said movable bridging contact arm in a manner so as to permit rectilinear movement thereof;
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
34 words
An integral motor controller comprising: a housing; a movable bridging contact arm; means mounted within said housing for supporting said movable bridging contact arm in a manner so as to permit rectilinear movement thereof;
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
183 words
a pair of movable contacts spaced apart on said movable bridging contact arm; a pair of stationary contacts spaced apart and supported by said housing in alignment with said pair of movable contacts; electromagnetic actuator means associated with said movable contact arm to move said movable contact arm from a closed position wherein said pair of stationary contacts engage said pair of movable contacts, to a first open position wherein said pair of stationary contacts are spaced apart from said pair of movable contacts, and from said first open position to said closed position, said electromagnetic actuator being adapted for electrical operation when current flow through the integral motor controller is in the normal range or is in a lower overload range having a predetermined upper current limit; and, magnetic driving means supported by said housing and coupled to said movable contact arm for moving said movable contact arm from the closed position to a second open position when current flow through the integral motor controller lies in an upper overload range overlapping the predetermined upper current limit of the lower overload range.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
183 words
a pair of movable contacts spaced apart on said movable bridging contact arm; a pair of stationary contacts spaced apart and supported by said housing in alignment with said pair of movable contacts; electromagnetic actuator means associated with said movable contact arm to move said movable contact arm from a closed position wherein said pair of stationary contacts engage said pair of movable contacts, to a first open position wherein said pair of stationary contacts are spaced apart from said pair of movable contacts, and from said first open position to said closed position, said electromagnetic actuator being adapted for electrical operation when current flow through the integral motor controller is in the normal range or is in a lower overload range having a predetermined upper current limit; and, magnetic driving means supported by said housing and coupled to said movable contact arm for moving said movable contact arm from the closed position to a second open position when current flow through the integral motor controller lies in an upper overload range overlapping the predetermined upper current limit of the lower overload range.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
An integral motor controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said electromagnetic actuator means can move said movable contact arm to said first position wherein said pair of movable contacts are spaced a first distance from said stationary contacts; and said magnetic driving means can move said movable contact arm to said second open position where said pair of movable contacts are spaced a distance from said pair of stationary contacts greater than said first distance.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
An integral motor controller as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnetic driving means is operable upon current flow in said upper range to move said movable contact arm to said second open position with speed sufficient to obtain current limiting, whereby peak let-through current is held to a value less than the maximum available fault current.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
An integral motor controller as claimed in claim 3 wherein said magnetic driving means comprises: a member formed of magnetizable material having a slot with a magnetically open end formed therein; and said movable bridging contact arm is disposed in said slot in proximity to the magnetically open slot end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
109 words
An integral motor controller as claimed in claim 1 comprising: a keeper; connecting means connecting said keeper to said movable bridging contact arm; and, spring biasing means biasing said keeper and said movable bridging contact arm apart; said support means comprising a permanent magnet cooperating with said keeper to maintain said keeper in a fixed position relative to said permanent magnet until said magnetic drive means operates to move said movable contact arm to said second open position; whereby said movable contact arm movement is limited to the closed position and the first open position so long as current flow through said controller is below said upper overload range.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
An integral motor controller as claimed in claim 1 comprising sensing means associated with said controller for operating said electromagnetic actuator means to cause said movable contact arm to automatically move from the closed to said first open position upon occurrence of overload currents within said lower range.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus for controlling an electric motor comprising: separable contact means; an electromagnetic actuator operably associated with said separable contact means for opening and closing movement thereof in response to electrical control signals generated external to said apparatus while current flow through said seperable contact means is below a predetermined value; and magnetic driving means magnetically coupled to said separable contact means for opening said separable contact means for all current flow above said predetermined value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus for controlling an electric motor comprising: separable contact means; an electromagnetic actuator operably associated with said separable contact means for opening and closing movement thereof in response to electrical control signals generated external to said apparatus while current flow through said seperable contact means is below a predetermined value; and magnetic driving means magnetically coupled to said separable contact means for opening said separable contact means for all current flow above said predetermined value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said electromagnetic actuator comprises a movable member operable between two positions, means biasing said movable member to one of said positions, and a solenoid operable upon energization to move said member in opposition to said bias means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said separable contact means comprises stationary contact means and movable contact means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
89 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 8 comprising means actuated by operating personnel for generating electrical control signals to operate said electromagnetic actuator and cause said operable contact means to move from a closed to an open position and from an open to a closed position; and sensing means responsive to current flow through said apparatus for generating electrical control signals to operate said electromagnetic actuator and cause said movable contact means to automatically move out of engagement with said stationary contact means upon overload currents below said predetermined value.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein said magnetic driving means is operable upon current flow above said predetermined value to drive said movable contact means out of engagement with said stationary contact means with speed sufficient to obtain current limiting, whereby the peak let-through current is held to a value less than the maximum available fault current.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
94 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein: said movable contact means comprises a movable contact arm; and said magnetic driving means comprises a plurality of stacked laminations formed of a magnetizable material and having a slot formed therein within which is disposed a portion of said movable contact arm; said magnetic driving means being constructed to move said movable contact means to a spaced apart position with respect to said stationary contact means, the spacing thereby produced being greater than the spacing between said movable and stationary contact means caused by said electromagnetic actuator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
91 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 comprising: a keeper; lost motion connecting means linking said keeper to said contact arm; and biasing means biasing said keeper and said contact arm apart; said apparatus comprising a permanent magnet cooperating with said keeper to maintain said keeper in a fixed position relative to said permanent magnet until said magnetic driving means operates to move said movable contact means; whereby said movable contact means movement is limited to that caused by said electromagnetic actuator so long as current flow is below said predetermined value.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said magnetic driving means is operable upon current flow above said predetermined value to drive said movable contact means out of engagement with said stationary contact means with speed sufficient to obtain current limiting, whereby the peak let-through current is held to a value less than the maximum available fault current.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus for controlling an electric motor comprising: a housing; a stationary contact supported within said housing; a movable contact; a movable contact arm having said movable contact attached thereto and being movable between an open position and a closed position; operating means for positioning said movable contact arm in an open position or a closed position in response to an electrical signal when current flow is below a predetermined overload value; and magnetic driving means comprising a slotted magnetizable member within which said movable contact arm is disposed for moving said movable contact arm to the open position for all current flow above the predetermined overload value.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus for controlling an electric motor comprising: a housing; a stationary contact supported within said housing; a movable contact; a movable contact arm having said movable contact attached thereto and being movable between an open position and a closed position; operating means for positioning said movable contact arm in an open position or a closed position in response to an electrical signal when current flow is below a predetermined overload value; and magnetic driving means comprising a slotted magnetizable member within which said movable contact arm is disposed for moving said movable contact arm to the open position for all current flow above the predetermined overload value.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 15 comprising sensing means responsive to current flow through said apparatus for energizing said operating means to automatically move said contact arm to the open position upon occurrence of overload currents below said predetermined value.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for controlling an electric motor comprising: a housing; a stationary contact disposed within said housing; a movable contact; a movable contact arm having said movable contact attached thereto and being constructed for movement to a small separation open position, wherein said movable contact is separated from said stationary contact by a relatively small separation, and a large separation open position, wherein said movable contact is separated from said stationary contact by a relatively large separation; operating means associated with said movable contact arn for moving said movable contact arm from the closed position to the small separation open position and from the small separation open position to the closed position when current flow is below a predetermined value; and magnetic driving means associated with said movable contact arm for moving said movable contact arm to the large separation open position for all current flow above the predetermined value.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
149 words
Apparatus for controlling an electric motor comprising: a housing; a stationary contact disposed within said housing; a movable contact; a movable contact arm having said movable contact attached thereto and being constructed for movement to a small separation open position, wherein said movable contact is separated from said stationary contact by a relatively small separation, and a large separation open position, wherein said movable contact is separated from said stationary contact by a relatively large separation; operating means associated with said movable contact arn for moving said movable contact arm from the closed position to the small separation open position and from the small separation open position to the closed position when current flow is below a predetermined value; and magnetic driving means associated with said movable contact arm for moving said movable contact arm to the large separation open position for all current flow above the predetermined value.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 17 comprising sensing means responsive to current flow through said apparatus for energizing said operating means to automatically move said contact arm to the small separation open position upon occurrence of overload currents below said predetermined value.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
114 words
Apparatus for controlling an electric motor comprising: a housing; separable contact means supported within said housing and operable between open and closed positions; electrically energizable electromagnetic actuator means operably associated with said separable contact means for opening and closing of said separable contact means upon energization by operating personnel situated at a remote location and for automatic opening movement of said separable contact means upon overload currents below a predetermined value; and magnetic driving means magnetically coupled to said separable contacts for rapidly separating said contacts upon overload currents above said predetermined level, said separation occurring with speed sufficient to obtain current limiting whereby peak let-through current is less than the available fault current.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
114 words
Apparatus for controlling an electric motor comprising: a housing; separable contact means supported within said housing and operable between open and closed positions; electrically energizable electromagnetic actuator means operably associated with said separable contact means for opening and closing of said separable contact means upon energization by operating personnel situated at a remote location and for automatic opening movement of said separable contact means upon overload currents below a predetermined value; and magnetic driving means magnetically coupled to said separable contacts for rapidly separating said contacts upon overload currents above said predetermined level, said separation occurring with speed sufficient to obtain current limiting whereby peak let-through current is less than the available fault current.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-02-27 | 1981-08-29 | 1982-02-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-02-27 | 1985-08-29 | 1986-02-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-02-27 | 1989-08-29 | 1990-02-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |