Patent · US Expired

Operating mechanism for a circuit interrupting device

US4203083A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
4References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 3, 1978
Grant dateMay 13, 1980
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 3, 1998

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H71/10
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A bus-mountable, circuit-interrupting device, including an interrupting unit and a novel line-potential, manually-resettable operating mechanism for the unit, is usable in circuits in which faults may exceed the interrupting capability of the unit. A normally engaged pair of contacts in the unit is separable within an arc-extinguishing medium. The operating mechanism includes a robust, stored-energy operator, for separating the contacts, and a tripping mechanism, which selectively releases the stored operating energy. The tripping mechanism normally prevents release of the stored operating energy, and includes a high mechanical advantage lever-link system which permits a low latching force to counteract the stored operating energy. A ratchet-solenoid combination in the tripping mechanism selectively removes the low latching force. If a circuit fault occurs, the solenoid moves an arm past, and moves, the ratchet in a first direction, which does not remove the low latching force, but rather stores energy capable of moving the arm in a second direction. Arm movement in the second direction, which occurs immediately in the case of a fault within the interrupting capability of the inter…

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