EP0086697A1 - Change-over device with electromagtic operation and mechanical lock - Google Patents

Abstract

Mechanical locking reversing contactor. The housing (2) of the apparatus comprises a half-housing (3) with which are associated two identical covers (70, 71) which each close one of two housings (9, 10) each receiving the fixed and movable parts d '' an electromagnet and the corresponding contact clearances (49, 50). Such a contactor which lends itself particularly well to a compact embodiment, is used to effect the change of direction of an engine with all the guarantees of safety.

Description

The invention relates to an electromagnetic-controlled reversing device comprising on the one hand, two identical contactor systems each equipped with an electromagnet having a fixed yoke, a coil and a movable armature associated with a set of switches whose fixed contacts are connected to terminals and, on the other hand, a mechanical locking device using two levers, the first ends of which are coupled to the armatures while the second ends move alternately in a common region which can only be occupied by the 'one of these second ends.

Such devices are frequently used in installations where the direction of a motor is changed by reversing the order of the phases, and where it is desired to improve by other means the reversal safety offered by an electrical locking circuit.

Known devices are generally obtained by the electrical association of two three-pole contactors between which, or next to which there is a mechanical locking sub-assembly containing the two levers mentioned above.

Such an embodiment can only give complete satisfaction if the manufacturing tolerances of the contactors and of the locking sub-assembly are. kept within relatively narrow limits so that the sum of these tolerances does not exceed those which guarantee proper overall operation.

Furthermore, when a locking sub-assembly is arranged between two contactors, a place is lost at this location which is generally allocated either to contactor terminals or to other similar devices fixed in the vicinity, while if the sub-assembly is placed parallel to two neighboring contactors, there are even greater difficulties in mechanical association between it and the contactors due to the uncertainty of position given to these devices by the assembly personnel who fix them on the same support.

The invention therefore proposes to provide a switch-reversing device having the general constitution mentioned above but in which measures will be taken so that the user does not have to carry out an assembly requiring the respect of precise respective positions and so that factory assembly and verification of proper operation can be greatly facilitated.

According to the invention the aim is achieved thanks to the fact that the device is contained in a housing formed by a half-housing which comprises, on the one hand, all of the output terminals of the two sets of switches and has , on the other hand, two parallel and identical internal housings able to each receive and guide a contactor contactor and the armature associated therewith, as well as pivoting means for the two levers placed on a side wall between a first region receiving a row of aligned output terminals and a second region having at least part of the fixing base of the device, this half-housing being associated with two identical covers each carrying the input terminals of a switch set corresponding and able to close each of the housings by completing the guide of the contact carrier and these covers being associated with the half-housing along a joint plane in which the two frames move substantially.

Other features of the invention having in particular the aim of improving the rigidity of the housing and the accessibility to the electromagnet coils will appear more clearly with the aid of the detailed description below.

• La figure 1 représente une vue en perspective éclatée des éléments du boîtier de l'appareil ;
• La figure 2 représente une vue en élévation du demi-boîtier de l'appareil, dirigée vers l'intérieur, et sans électro-aimant ;
• La figure 3 représente une vue analogue à celle de la figure 2 mais où sont disposés les électro-aimants et les porte-contacts ;
• La figure 4 représente une vue du boîtier du fond et non équipé de ses deux embases ;
• La figure 5 représente une demi-vue de l'appareil coupé par un plan brisé SS' défini à la figure 2 ; et,
• La figure 6 représente une vue avant de l'appareil complet examiné dans le sens de la flèche G.

In the attached drawing:

• Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the elements of the housing of the device;
• FIG. 2 represents an elevation view of the half-casing of the device, directed inwards, and without an electromagnet;
• FIG. 3 represents a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but where the electromagnets and the contact carriers are arranged;
• Figure 4 shows a view of the bottom case and not equipped with its two bases;
• Figure 5 shows a half view of the device cut by a broken plane SS 'defined in Figure 2; and,
• FIG. 6 represents a front view of the complete apparatus examined in the direction of the arrow G.

The main elements of a box 2 of a switch-reversing device 1 according to the invention are particularly visible in FIG. 1 where the reference 3 relates to a half-box having mainly side walls 4, 5 and two longitudinal walls 6, 7. These side walls and a central partition 8 extend to a plane P which the limits and are perpendicular thereto, while the longitudinal walls 6, 7 are substantially parallel thereto.

Between the walls 4, 5 and the central partition 8 are formed two identical housings 9, 10 (see also FIG. 2), the lower volumes 11, 12 of which are adjacent to a fixing plate 13 located in a lower region 14 of the half -box 3 respectively receive fixed and mobile elements of two electromagnets 15, 16, while upper volumes 17, 18 of these housings respectively receive a contact carrier 19, respectively 20, each of them being linked to a frame respective mobile 21, 22; each electromagnet also comprises, in a known manner, a fixed yoke 23, 24, a coil 26, 42 and a return spring 27, 28.

In each upper volume are placed fixed contacts such as 29, 30 respectively 31, 32 (see FIG. 2) which are separated by internal insulating partitions, such as 33, respectively 34.

The fixed contacts are connected to aligned output terminals 35, placed outside the half-box and therefore outside the two housings, in an upper region 36 of the half-box. These output terminals are separated by isolation ribs 37 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) and include power terminals 38, 38 'and relay terminals 110, 110' and coil terminals 39, 39 '. The coil terminals lead to internal contact parts 40, respectively 41 which are in elastic contact with one of the ends of the winding of each coil 26 respectively 27 (see FIG. 2).

Each frame 21, 22 is linked to the corresponding contact carrier by a rib 43, 44 transverse to the plane P, and their movements are guided in the plane P by the cooperation of the contact carriers with the internal partitions 33 respectively 34.

Each contact carrier 19, 20 carries movable bridge contacts such as 45 respectively 46, and such as 47 respectively 48.

The three contact bridges such as 45 and 46 cooperate with corresponding fixed contacts 29, 30 of the half-housing to form closing switches T, while the contact bridges such as 47 and 48 cooperate with corresponding fixed contacts 31, 32 to constitute opening switches R. Each contact carrier 19, 20 therefore actuates a particular set of switches 49, 50 respectively.

Each rib 43, 44 of the contact carriers 19, respectively 20 carries a transverse finger 51, respectively 52, which moves at the same time as the corresponding reinforcement parallel to an axis ZZ '(see FIGS. 5 and 3).

The longitudinal wall 7 has a longitudinal cavity 53 located between the first region 36 receiving the terminals and the fixed contacts and the second region 14 adjacent to the sole 13 (see FIGS. 2 and 1).

This cavity has two studs 54, 55 perpendicular to the plane PP 'on which two reciprocal mechanical locking levers 56, 57 are pivoted.

These levers have, in known manner, at first ends 63, 64 two edges 58, respectively 59, placed in the vicinity of one another in the same region 60 and two curved bearing surfaces 61, respectively 62, while that second opposite ends 65, 66 each have an oblong opening 67, respectively 68 which is able to cooperate with one of the rib fingers 51, respectively 52 (see also FIG. 5).

When a frame moves parallel to the axis ZZ 'downwards in FIG. 2, a corresponding locking lever places its bearing surface opposite the edge of the other locking lever, which prevents a parallel movement of the other, a notch 69 of the central partition 8 placed opposite the cavity 53 allowing the cooperation of the two levers (see Figures 5 and 1). When the armatures of the two electromagnets 15, 16 and the contact-holders equipped 19, 20 are placed in the respective housings, these are covered by covers 70, respectively 71 (see FIGS. 1 and 5) which have an identical shape. to that which would be obtained by cutting the half-casing 3 by a median plane QQ 'passing through the central partition 8; however, it is not intended to have cavities on the covers which would be useless for their function of closing the housings. Each of these covers completes the guiding of an armature and a contact carrier and has fixed contacts such as 72 which cooperate with the contact bridges and aligned input terminals 73 connected to these fixed contacts (see FIGS. 5 , 1 and 6).

The input terminals 73 are divided, on the one hand, into terminals 72 ', 73 "for each cover and, on the other hand, into power and relay terminals 74, 75, respectively 76, 77 and into terminals of coil 78, 79 in a similar manner to those of the half-casing and are therefore placed in upper regions 80, respectively 81, covers 70, respectively 71, divided by insulating partitions 82, 83 (see FIG. 6).

These covers therefore apply to the half-housing along the plane PP ', which represents a joint plane and its joined to it by means of elastic hooks 84, 85, 86, 87 and notches or openings 83, 39 , 91 carried by partitions 4, 8, 5, respectively 110, 111, 112, 113 of these three parts in a complementary and symmetrical manner.

During assembly, the half-housing 3 is equipped with the fixed contacts, the coil parts, the input terminals, the two levers and the contact carriers fitted, then the covers themselves equipped with fixed contacts and terminals. outlet, are associated with the half-housing.

When this first stage of assembly is carried out, the fixed elements 92, 93 of each electromagnet are introduced into the respective housings 9, 10 through two openings 94, 95 which remain in the bottom 96 of the housing 2 between the parts 2 and 70, 71 (see FIGS. 4 and 2). These openings are closed by two snap-on bases 97, 98 which serve respectively to hold the yokes 23, 24 of the electromagnets and also carry externally elastic hooks capable of cooperating with a standardized profile, according to a technique described in the patent application. French n ° 81 17721 filed on September 15, 1981 by the Applicant (see Figures 1, 2 and 3).

These bases form, in cooperation with fixing lugs such as 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, belonging respectively to the half-housing 3 and to the covers 70, 71, the fixing sole 13.

As best seen in Figure 5, the locking levers 56, 57 move in a plane RR ', parallel to PP' and passing through the cavity 53; this RR plane 'passes substantially through cells 105 in which are housed, side by side and in the same order, the output terminals 35 of the same kind of the two sets of switches 49, 50 associated respectively with each electromagnet, thus as the coil terminals 78 and 79. To prevent the locking levers from tending to slide along their pivots, the wall 106 of the cavity 53 preferably carrying the pins horizontally and downward; this orientation can be made necessary by a corresponding orientation of the wiring marks 107 carried by the longitudinal wall 6 which will become a front face when the bottom of the sole 13 is fixed to a vertical wall 108.

The parts 3, 70, 71, 97, 98 can advantageously be obtained each in one piece by molding of thermoplastic material, which will in particular allow to give the guide surfaces which ensure the sliding of the contact carriers, and the pivots 54 , 55 locking levers for defect-free positions. The device finished pre feels an excellent rigidity provided in particular by the numerous elastic hooks which is further improved when the bases are associated with a fixing profile 109.

Claims (6)

1. Electromagnetic control reversing device comprising on the one hand two identical contactor systems each equipped with an electromagnet having a fixed yoke, a coil and a movable armature associated with a set of switches whose fixed contacts are connected to born2n and, on the other hand, a mechanical locking device using two levers, the first ends of which are coupled to the reinforcements, while the second ends move alternately in a common region which can only be occupied by one of these second ends, characterized in that the device (1) is contained in a housing (2) comprising, on the one hand, a half-housing (3) which comprises all of the output terminals (35) of the two sets of switches (49, 50), which has two parallel and identical internal housings (9, 10), each capable of receiving and guiding a contact carrier (19) respectively (20) of the contactor and the armature (21) , respectively (22), which is associated, as well as pivoting means (54, 55) for the two levers (56, 57) placed on a side wall (7) between a first region (36) receiving a row of output terminals (35) and a second region (11) having at least a portion of the fastening shoe (13) ^per the unit, and comprising on the other hand two identical covers (70, 71) each adapted to close one of the housings to complete the guiding the corresponding contact carrier and carrying each of the input terminals (73), respectively (73 "), of each set of switches, these covers being associated with the half-housing along a joint plane P in which move substantially the two plates (21), respectively (22) and the associated contact carriers (19), respectively (20). 2. Reversing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pivoting means are pins (54, 55) coming from one piece by molding with the bottom (106) of a cavity (53) placed in this side wall (7) and directed towards the interior of the housings (9, 10). 3. Inverter apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the locking levers (56, 57) oscillate in a plane R passing substantially through the row of output terminals (73), the bottom (106) of this cavity coming substantially at the terminal cells (105). 4. Reversing device according to one of claims 1, 2 or 3,
characterized in that the half-housing (3) has a central partition (8) which is parallel to the transverse walls (4, 5) perpendicular to the median plane P and which is placed between the housings (9, 10), this partition and these transverse walls being associated with transverse walls (110, 111) respectively (112, 113) of the covers (70, 71) by elastic hooking means (84, 85, 86, 87), respectively of the openings (88, 89). 5. Inverter device according to one of claims 2 or 4,
characterized in that a longitudinal face (6) of the housing, parallel to a fixing wall (108), has inscriptions (107) identifying the terminals which are oriented in such a way that these can be read when the side wall (7) is horizontal and the cavity (53) is directed upwards. 6. Inverter device according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that the lower region (14) of the housing (2) comprises, opposite each housing (9, 10), an opening (95, 95) each closed by a base (97, 98) capable of hanging on a standardized profile (109) and to maintain the yoke (23), respectively (24) of the electromagnets entering these housings.

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