Patent · US Expired

Manual operator for an electrical switch

US5066840A · kind A · utility

3Cited by
3References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 9, 1990
Grant dateNov 19, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 9, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T74/20474
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A manual operator for opening and closing an electrical switch, including a switch-driving element, a relatively rotatable handle element, and a resilient transmission, e.g., a leaf spring or springs, extending between the two elements. An abutment is fixed to one of the elements and a follower is fixed to the other, the abutment engaging the follower only after the resilient transmission has been tensioned by rotation of the handle element. When the driving element engages a portion of the switch mechanism, initial rotation of the handle causes the resilient transmission to be tensioned and the abutment to engage the follower. Further rotation of the handle is transmitted through the abutment and follower to the driving element to initiate the movement of the switch mechanism, following which the tensioned resilient transmission instantly shifts the switch mechanism through the remainder of its movement to snap the switch open or closed. A latch optionally rigidly interconnects the handle and driving elements to bypass the resilient transmission and transmit any rotation of the handle directly to the driving element.

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