Patent · US Expired

Electrical switching apparatus and control system for use therewith

US4112401A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
7References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 14, 1977
Grant dateSep 5, 1978
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 14, 1997

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H36/006
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An array of magnetically-actuatable electrical switches is controlledly operated in response to changes in position of a movable member controlling the magnetic field reaching the switching elements. The movable member may for example comprise a panel, supporting permanent magnets which are moved into switch-closing or switch-opening positions by motion of the panel, or a movable magnetic shielding arrangement used in conjunction with fixed permanent magnets so that the position of the magnetic shield determines whether the switches are open or closed. The preferred arrangement is such that the motion of the movable switch-controlling member can be accomplished mechanically by a manually-operable actuator or electrically by an electrically-controlled solenoid arrangement, at the option of the operator. In one preferred embodiment a latching arrangement is provided which holds the movable switch-controlling member in one of two stable positions until either the manually-operable mechanical actuator or the electrically-controlled solenoid is momentarily operated to move the movable member to its opposite stable position. In other cases, the switch-controlling movable member may, in e…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.