US1689836A - Circuit interrupter - Google Patents

Description

Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

; eeann UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH w. LEGG, or WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO wnsrmenonsn ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A oonrona'rron or PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

Application filed December 21, 1920. Serial No. 432,321.

One object of my invention is to providemagnetic flux-forming means for closing a circuit interrupter and for holding theinterrupter closed and means for so reducing the said flux as to open the interrupter in response to certain circuit conditions and for preventing the re-establishment of the flux to prevent the closing of the interrupter so long as said circuit conditions exist Another object of my invention is to provide an exceedingly simple and effective apparatus that shall be adapted to open a circuit in response to abnormal circuit conditions and that shall prevent the closing of the circuit until normal circuit conditions arc'restored.

Heretofore, it has been usual to open a circuit in response to abnormal circuit conditions and to prevent the reclosing of the circuit until such conditions no-longer prevail but the means for so doing has usually involved the use of quite a number of interdependent switches and relays. Several rela tively complicated and expensive systems of the above general character have been pro posed, certain of which have required considerable special design.

In practicing my invention. 1 provide means whereby a switch or switches of stand ard, or of substantially standard, form may be readily adapted to function singly or col-o lectively to open a circuit in response to predetermined circuit conditions and to prevent the reclosure thereof during the continuance of such conditions. By my invention,a single switch of the so-called standard character, may be constructed by the mere rearrange.

ment of its electromagnet-coils or windings to function in the above described manner or a plurality of such switches may be constructed and related to effect the desired results.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing is a partially structural and partially diagrammatic View of an electrical system and apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is av wiring or circuit diagram of the system shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a system embodying my invention comprises, in general, supply and return conductors land 2, respectiveis connected. across the lines ly, a. main circuit interrupter 3, and an auxiliary circuit interrupter 4.

The main interrupter 3 may be of any suitable type, such as those having automatically reclosing features.

The auxiliary circuit interrupter 1, that may be suitably supported, as'on a switchboard panel 8, comprises a. terminal connector 9, a blowout coil 10, a stationary contact memis pivoted, by a pin 13, to thcoutcr end of an arm 14. The arm 14.- is pivoted, by a pin 15, to the outer end of a projection .16 on a bracket 17 that is secured to the panel 8. A spring 18 is disposed between lugs 19 and 20, constitutingparts of the movable contact member 12 and the aria-14, respectively, and serves to give a wiping contact between the contact members 11 and 12. y i

. Current from the supply conductor 1 passes through the interrupter 8, the terminal connector 9, the blowout coil 10, the contact members 11 and 12 and through a flexible connee-tor 21 that is connected between the movable cont-act member 12 and a terminal connector 22. p

The arm 14 is provided with a recess 23 adapting the arm to fit over the outer end of a core member 24 of an electromagnetic device 25 that is supported on the bracket 17 and, further, comprises an energizing coil 26 that 1 and 2 from a terminal connector 27, on the stationary contact member 11, through a resistor 60.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a coil is disposed on thecore member 2a of the switch 1 in series with the supply line 1., the blowout coil 10 and the contact members 11 and 12. A coil 56 of few turns is connected, by conductors 57 and 58 through a resistor 59, to be in series with the line 1, when the interrupter is open.

Upon the occurrence of an overload, the flux of the shunt coil 26 will be reduced or nullified by the series coil 55. and the switch will be thereby opened. After this opera-- tion, the switch will not close until the line current is reduced to normal or, in other words, until the current through the resistor 59 and the coil 56 is so reduced as. to permit the coil 26to close the switch.

While I have shown and described aparticular form of my invention, changes may be effected therein Without departing from ber11 and a. movable contact member 12 that the spirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automatic reelosing circuit in terrn 'iter system, the combination with a supply circuit, a load circuit, and a circuit interrupter therebetween, 0t means for controlling the operation of the circuit interrupter comprising a single magnetic circuit and a plurality of magnet coils for energizing said magnetic circuit. one of said coils being permanently connected in parallel relation to the supply circuit to be energized only in response to the potential thereof, another ot said coils being permanently connected in series with the supply circuit to be energized only in response to the rate of current trayersal between the supply circuit and the load circuit and so disposed as to energize the magnetic circuit differentially with respect to the first-mentioned coil, and a third one of said coils being connected in parallel relation to the circuit interrupter and so disposed as to energize the magnetic circuit ditl'erentiallywith respect to the first-mentioned coil when the circuit interrupter is open.

2. An automatic reclosing circuit interrupter system comprising a stationary contact member, a movable contact member, an electric circuit having two portions connected, respectively, to the two contact members,

a magnetizable armature member for actuating the movable contact member, means for conducting current between the two portions of the circuit when the movable contact memher is out of engagement with the stationary contact member, a single magnetic circuit including the armature member, a magnet coil energized only in accordance with the potential of one of the portions of the electric circuit and coo erating with the magnetic circuit to tend to actuate the armatiu'e memher to, and to maintain it in, its closed position, a second magnet coil energized in accordauce with the rate of current traversal between the two portions of the circuit when the stationary contact member and the mov able contact member ire in ensz'agen'ient and ditt'erentially opposed to the first-mentioned magnet coil in relation to the magnetic circuit, and a third magnet coil energized only in accordance with the rate of current travorsal between the two portions of the circuit when the stationary contact member and the movable contact member are out of enga ement and dili'erentially opposed to the firstmentioned magnet coil in relation to the magnetic circuit.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my name this 13th day of December, 1920.

JOSEPH WV. LEGG.

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