US3207878A - Multi-break compressed-gas circuit interrupter with separate storage volume for each break and single supply valve for associated supply volume - Google Patents

Description

p 1965 R. E. FRIEDRICH ETAL 3,207,878

MULTIBREAK COMPRESSED-GAS CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER WITH SEPARATE STORAGE VOLUME FOR EACH BREAK AND SINGLE SUPPLY VALVE FOR ASSOCIATED SUPPLY VOLUME Filed May 31, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 0 1 0 q- IO .J

B N ID M m B m m .1

3 o EL WITNESSES INVENTORS Robert E. Friedrich 8 Joseph Sucho p 21, 1955 R. E. FRlEDRlCH ETAL 3,207,373

MULTI-BREAK COMPRESSEDGAS CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER WITH SEPARATE STORAGE VOLUME FOR EACH BREAK AND SINGLE SUPPLY VALVE FOR ASSOCIATED SUPPLY VOLUME Filed May 51, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 p 1955 v R. E. FRIEDRICH ETAL 3,2

MULTI-BHEAK COMPRESSED GAS CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER WITH SEPARATE STORAGE VOLUME FOR EACH BREAK AND SINGLE SUPPLY VALVE FOR ASSOCIATED SUPPLY VOLUME 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 51, 1961 Sept. 21, 1965 R. E. FRIEDRICH ETAL 3,

MULTI-BREAK COMPRESSED-GAS CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER WITH SEPARATE STORAGE VOLUME FOR EACH BREAK AND SINGLE SUPPLY VALVE FOR ASSOCIATED SUPPLY VOLUME Filed May 51, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 U mu United States Patent 3,207,878 MULTI-BREAK COMPRESSED-GAS CIRCUIT IN- TERRUPTER WITH SEPARATE STORAGE VOL- UME FOR EACH BREAK AND SINGLE SUPPLY VALVE FOR ASSOCIATED SUPPLY VOLUME Robert E. Friedrich, Baldwin Born, and Joseph Sucha,

Port Vue, Pa., assiguors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 31, 1961, Ser. No. 113,701 6 Claims. (Cl. 200-148) This invention relates to compressed-gas circuit interrupters, and, more particularly, to arc-extinguishing structures and operating mechanisms therefor.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved compressed-gas circuit interrupter in which a predetermined quantity of compressed gas is utilized during an opening operation of the interrupter.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved compressed-gas circuit interrupter, particularly suitable for a multi-break construction, in which a plurality of compressed-gas circuit interrupting units are employed in series, and a predetermined quantity of compressed gas is utilized for arc extinction at each unit.

In United States patent application filed January 23, 1959, Serial No. 788,668, now United States Patent 3,057,983, issued October 9, 1962, to Russell N. Yeckley, Joseph Sucha and Benjamin P. Baker, and assigned to the assignee of the instant application, there is disclosed and claimed a high-power compressed-gas circuit interrupter of the type employing a plurality of serially-related breaks. In the interrupting construction disclosed by the aforesaid application, a high-pressure reservoir chamber and a blastvalve mechanism are disposed adjacent one end of an arc-extinguishing assemblage, which bridges the interior ends of a pair of spaced terminal bushings within a grounded metallic tank structure. The general operation of the aforesaid interrupter is such that during the opening operation a single blast valve is opened to permit the blasting of gas from such high-pressure reservoir chamber down through a plurality of blast tubes and into the plurality of serially-related gas-blast interrupting units. The construction is such that the units more remote from the high-pressure reservoir chamber are supplied with compressed gas at the same time as the more immediately disposed units, but all of the gas-blast units derive their blast pressure from a single reservoir tank and a single blast-valve mechanism.

It is a further object of the present invention to improve upon the multi-break interrupting structure of the aforesaid application, rendering it more suitable for synthetic tests for testing a single unit by employing a separate reservoir chamber associated with each of a plurality of arc-extinguishing units.

In addition, it is a feature of the present invention to utilize the high-pressure reservoir chamber of the aforesaid interrupting structure as a supply chamber, which is only communicated with the several reservoir chambers in the breaker-closed position. During the breaker-opening operation, the supply valve associated with the highpressure reservoir chamber is closed, and a separate valve structure associated with each of the gas-blast interrupting units is opened to permit a measured quantity of compressed gas' to flow into the respective gas-blast interrupting unit.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved compressed-gas circuit interrupter, particularly adaptable for high-power service, in which the several blast valve'structures are interrelated in a positive manner and are immediately opened at the beginning of a circuit-breaker opening operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved compressed-gas circuit interrupter in which a measured quantity of compressed gas is forced into each of a plurality of serially-related compressed-gas interrupting units so that substantially identical interrupting conditions exist at each of said gas-blast interrupting units.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved compressed-gas circuit interrupter in which a novel operating linkage interconnects the movable contact structure and the movable valve structure of a circuit interrupter of the foregoing type.

Further objects and advantages will readily become apparent upon reading the following specification, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a three-phase highpower compressed-gas circuit interrupter embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view, partially in vertical section, of the bridging arc-extinguishing assemblage disposed within each of the three tank structures illustrated in FIG. 1, and operable to interrupt one of the phase circuits of the three-phase circuit interrupter of FIG. 1, the contact structure being illustrated in the closed-circuit position;

FIG. 3 is a considerably enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the interrupting unit and valve structure disposed immediately adjacent the highpressure reservoir chamber, again the contact structure being illustrated in the closed-circuit position; and,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken through the interrupting unit and valve structure at the extreme left-hand end of the bridging interrupting assemblage, as shown in FIG. 2, again the contact structure and blastvalve structure being illustrated in the closed-circuit position.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a three-phase three-pole high-power compressedgas circuit interrupter adaptable for controlling the three phases of a transmission system.

As shown in FIG. 1, generally the circuit interrupter 1 includes a plurality of spaced grounded tank structures 2 mounted upon supports 3 to a pair of longitudinally extending steel beams 4. In addition, the tank structures 2 are mechanically interconnected by an enclosed tube 5 surrounding a longitudinally-operable operating rod, not shown. As a result, the entire circuit-interrupting assemblage 1 may be bodily lifted by a crane and readily transported to its site in the field for operation.

Disposed adjacent the end tank structure 2, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is a mechanism housing compartment 6, which houses a suitable operating mechanism, which may be of any conventional type, such as pneumatic, solenoid-actuated, or hydraulic mechanism. The operating mechanism, not shown, disposed within the mechanism compartment 6 is operable, at times, to effect longitudinal reciprocal movement of the interconnecting operating rod, not shown, disposed within the interconnecting tubular housing 5. It will be noted that terminal bushings 7, 8 extend downwardly interiorly through supporting sleeves 9 and into the general interior of each tank structure 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the interior ends 10 of the terminal bushings 7, 8 serve to fixedly support into an operative position a bridging arc-extinguishing assemblage, generally designated by the reference numeral 13.

As set forth in the aforesaid Yeckley et a]. patent application Serial No. 788,668, the operating mechanism for the circuit interrupter 1 is arranged to effect simultaneous movement of the several movable contact assemblages 14 associated with the arc-extinguishing assemblages 13 enclosed within the respective tank structures 2.

With further reference to FIG. 2, it will be noted that each arc-extinguishing assemblage 13 generally comprises a pair of spaced end support castings 15, 16, between which are supported and bolted a pair of spaced longitudinally-extending support bars 18. The support bars 18 fixedly support into position a plurality of seriallyrelated gas-blast orifice-type interrupting units, generally designated by the reference numeral 20.

Each gas-blast orifice-type interrupting unit 20 generally comprises a relatively stationary contact structure, designated by the reference numeral 21, and including a plurality of circumferentially-disposed contact fingers 22 and a substantially centrally located arcing horn 23. Cooperable with the relatively stationary contact structure 21 is a tubular movable contact structure 24.

The several movable contact structures 24 are fixedly secured adjacent the central portions of a plurality of crossbars which mechanically interconnect a pair of spaced longitudinally-extending operating rods 26. Disposed at the left-hand end of the movable contact assemblage 14, as viewed in FIG. 2, is a movable spring seat 27, against which is seated a heavy accelerating compression spring 28. The right-hand end of the accelerating spring 28, as viewed in FIG. 2, seats against a stationary seat portion, not shown, associated with the support casting 15. As a result, the accelerating compression spring 28 is effective to bias the movable contact assemblage 14 in a leftward opening direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, effecting thereby separation between the several movable contacts 24 from the relatively stationary contact structures 21, thereby establishing a plurality of serially-related arcs, not shown.

To assist in effecting the extinction of the are drawn at each of the several compressed-gas orifice-type interrupting units 20, there is provided an insulating orifice structure 29 providing an orifice opening 30, through which the established arc is drawn. Gas-blast means 31, hereinafter more particularly described, is effective to cause a blasting of compressed gas through each of the orifice structures 29 and through the orifice openings 30 thereof to effect rapid extinction of the several seriallyrelated arcs.

It is a novel and important feature of the present invention that associated with each of the plurality of compressed-gas interrupting units 20 is a separate storage volume or gas-reservoir chamber 32 for containing a predetermined quantity of high-pressure gas. This gas is supplied during the closed position of the interrupter 1 by a supply volume or chamber 11 disposed at the righthand end of the arc-extinguishing assemblage 13, as viewed in FIG. 2, and connected by a feed conduit 33 to an externally-located auxiliary high-pressure reservoir chamber, not shown.

With reference to FIG. 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that there is provided a longitudinally extending insulating valve rod, designated by the reference numeral 34, and having operatively associated therewith a plurality of sleeve valves 35. Preferably, each sleeve valve 35 has an annular recess portion 36, within which is positioned an O-ring 37. In addition, the right-hand end 38 of each sleeve valve 35 makes abutting engagement with a resilient annular valve seat 39, the requisite spring pressure being provided by a biasing spring 40. The valve rod 34 is biased toward the left by a spring 17, shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the right-hand end of the valve rod 34 has associated therewith a supply valve 41, which seats against a valve seat 42, and serves to interrupt communication between the interior 43 of the high-pressure storage chamber 11 and the several gas reservoir chambers 32 associated with the plurality of interrupting units 20.

A compression spring 44 is associated with the supply valve 41 and serves to efiect closing of the same against the valve seat 42 when the actuating valve rod 34 is in its leftward opening position, not shown. As a result, in

the closed-circuit position of the interrupter, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, there is provided'in tercommunication between the interior 43 of the highpressure storage chamber 11 and the several gas reservoir chambers 32. This is provided by the opened valve 41 and the gas passages 46 provided through each of the tubular sleeve-valve structures 35.

To interrelate opening movement of the movable contact structure 14 with opening of the several sleeve valves 35 and simultaneous closing of the supply valve 41, there is provided an operating linkage, generally designated by the reference numeral 47, and including a rotatable crankarm assembly 48 journaled on a stationary pivot 49 and having a plurality of crank- arms 50, 51. The crank-arm 50 is pivotally connected, as at 52, to an insulating operating rod 53, in turn pivotally connected, as at 54, to an internally-disposed crank-arm 55.

The crank-arm 51 is pivotally connected, as at 56, to a floating link 57, the upper end of which, as viewed in FIG. 2, is pivotally connected, as at 58, to a crank arm 59. The crank arm 59 is clamped, by a clamping portion 59a, to a crank shaft 60.

As illustrated more clearly in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the crank shaft 60 has a crank portion 61 pivotally connected, as at 62, to a drive link 63. The driving link 63 is pivotally connected, as at 64, to a crank-shaft assembly 65. The crank-shaft assembly 65 has a pair of crank arms 66, 67. The crank-arm 66, as shown, is pivotally connected to the pivot pin 64. The crank-arm 67, on the other hand, has a pin 69, which moves within an elongated slot 70 associated with a link 71 pivotally connected, as at 72, to the right-hand extremity of the valve-actuating rod 34.

It will be noted, consequently, that the provision of the elongated slot 70 within the link 71 and the drive pin 69 collectively constitute a lost-motion connection, generally designated by the reference numeral 74, interconnecting the valve-operating rod 34 and the crank-arm assembly 65 In the closed-circuit position of the circuit interrupter 1, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be apparent that the electrical circuit passing through the interrupter comprises the terminal bushings 7, 8, conducting support brackets 15, 16, and the several interrupting units 20, comprising the arc-extinguishing assemblage 13. The electrical circuit extends in an obvious manner between the several movable contacts 24 and the relatively stationary contacts 21. As illustrated more in detail in the aforesaid patent application Serial No. 788,668, the right-hand end of each relatively stationary contact structure 21 has associated therewith a relatively stationary sliding finger construction 76, which makes sliding contacting engagement with the adjacent movable contact rod 24.

During the closed-circuit position of the interrupter, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the high-pressure supply chamber 11 communicates through the open supply valve 41 with the several reservoir chambers 32, so that relatively high pressure gas exists in all of the reservoir chambers 32.

To effect an opening operation of the circuit interrupter 1, suitable mechanism, not shown, disposed within the mechanism compartment 6 (FIG. 1) is unlatched, and an accelerating spring 78 disposed within the end of the interconnecting tube 5, together with the several accelerating springs 28, cooperate collectively to effect leftward opening movement of the movable contact assemblages 14 associated with each of the three arc-extinguishing assemblages 13 of the several tank structures 2.

There will immediately occur counter-clockwise opening rotation of the crank-arm assembly 48. This will permit through the linkage, previously described, immediate leftward opening movement of the valve rod 34 which is biased by the spring 17. In addition, an interconnecting link 80, pivotally interconnecting the crankarm 81 of the crank-shaft assembly 60 and the laddershaped movable contact assemblage 14 permits opening Separating movement of the several movable contacts 24 and stationary contact structures 21. The separation between the several movable contacts 24 and the relatively stationary contact structures 21 draws a plurality of serially-related arcs, not shown, through the orifice openin-gs 30 of the insulating orifice structures 29.

Simultaneously with the foregoing action, there occurs opening of the several sleeve valves 35 permitting the blasting of gas from each reservoir chamber 32 into the respective gas-blast interrupting unit 20. As a result, each gas-blast interrupting unit 20 is supplied with a predetermined quantity of compressed gas at the desired highpressure level to quickly effect extinction of the are drawn within the respective orifice structure 29. The several arcs are quickly extinguished, and the movable contacts 24 continue toward the left to an isolating position, not shown. In the fully open-circuit position of the contact structure 14, it will be noted that the several sleeve valves 35 are open, as forced open by the shoulder portions 82 (FIG. 3) of the valve-rod assembly 35, and at this'time the supply valve 41 is closed. As a result, pressure equalization occurs between the reservoir chambers 32 and the general interior 84 within the tank structure 2.

During the closing operation, the mechanism disposed within the mechanism compartment 6 (FIG. 1) is effective to effect longitudinal movement of the operating rod, not shown, disposed within the interconnecting tubular housing and effect counter-clockwise rotation of the several crank-arms 55 associated with each of the tank structures 2. This will, in turn, eifect leftward closing movement of the insulating operating rod 53 and consequent clockwise rotation of the crank-arm assembly 47. Through the linkage, this will effect rightward closing movement of the movable contact assemblage 14 and closing of the several sleeve valves 35, with consequent opening action occurring at the supply valve 41. I

The opening of the supply valve 41, will permit highpressure gas disposed within the interior 43 of the highpressure supply chamber 11 to pass longitudinally through the passages 46, associated with the sleeve valves 35, and enter the several storage volumes 32 in readiness for the next opening operation of the circuit interrupter 1.

The dead-tank circuit-interrupting structure, set forth in the aforesaid Yeckley et al. patent application, utilizes a multi-break type of interrupting structure, which has a single blast valve located at one end of the structure. Operation of the contacts actuates the blast valve and provides a flow to each of the breaks through insulating tubes of varying lengths. This arrangement, because of the interdependence of flow to each of the breaks, is diificult to verify in the laboratory. If a single break is tested with the other two breaks electrically shorted out, then the flow through the two shorted breaks acts as somewhat of a by-pass on the flow to the break being tested and, therefore, results in a diminution of flow to the tested break. In order to obtain maximum fault current on such tests, it is necessary to test a single break. There is, consequently, the difliculty of verifying the interrupting structure set forth in the aforesaid Yeckley et al. patent application.

The present invention concerns a compressed-gas circuit-interrupting structure which is in many respects similar to that described in the aforesaid Yeckley et al. patent application, but which has the additional feature of storage means for the gas provided at each of the breaks, so that the flow of gas to each break is independent of each other. The high-pressure gas behind each break is stored in the insulating reservoir chamber 32. The slide valves 35 are mounted on an insulating operating valve rod 34, which is connected through a lever system to the contact operating lever and consequently operating rod. The spring assembly 17 at the other end of the valve rod 34 provides acceleration of the valve rod 34 to the open position when the breaker 1 is open. The supply volume 11 provides additional storage of gas behind the storage volumes 32 in the breaker closed position. As a consequence, when the circuit interrupter 1 opens, the valve 41, mounted on the valve rod 34, immediately closes off the passage 12 between the reservoirs 11, 32. The purpose of the supply volume 11, therefore, is to provide quick filling of reservoirs 32 when the breaker 1 is reclosed. The supply volume 11 is connected to an external reservoir through the insulating tube 33.

It will be observed that the lever system 47, as shown, provides for immediate operation of the valve actuating rod 34 upon opening of the breaker 1. The lost-motion connection 74 allows the movable contacts 24 of the circuit interrupter 1 to continue to open after the valves 35 have completed their stroke.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that there is provided an improved multi-break double-pressure type of circuit interrupter for use in dead-tank structures of the type set forth in the aforesaid Yeckley et al. patent application. The structure has many important advantages:

(1) An interrupting structure which lends itself very nicely to unit testing of single breaks because of the independence of the gas flow to each break.

(2) The interrupting structure provides a metered flow of gas to each break.

(3) The disclosed structure provides an interrupting structure in which the operation of the valves 35 admitting the high-pressure gas blast to the contacts 21, 24 is directly coupled to the motion of the contacts 24.

(4) It results in interrupting structure which is approximately the same in cost as that utilizing a single blast valve and employs a single blast valve feeding gas to each break.

(S) The interrupting structure of the present invention lends itself very nicely to high-speed reclosing operation by virtue of the supply volume 11, which quickly feeds the unit reservoirs 32 at each interrupter unit 20.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that there is provided a novel type of compressed-gas circuit interrupter in which a predetermined quantity of highpressure gas is supplied at each of a plurality of compressed-gas arc-extinguishing units 20. The structure is such that the high-pressure gas is supplied to each of the reservoir chambers 32 in the closed-circuit position of the interrupter 1 and by an independent flow of gas to each unit 20, highly efficient and effective interrupting performanceis obtained at each interrupting unit 20 during an opening operation of the circuit interrupter 1.

Although there has been illustrated and described a specific interrupting structure, it is to be clearly understood that the same was merely for the purpose of illustratlon, and that changes and modifications may readily be made therein by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. The combination in a multi-break compressed-gas circuit interrupter of a plurality of serially-related gasblast interrupting units, a separate storage volume for each un t, a separate blast valve for each unit, means defining a single supply volume, a supply valve for admitting highpressure gas to said storage volumes, and means closing said single supply valve upon opening said first-mentioned blast valves.

2. A multi-break compressed-gas circuit interrupter includlng a grounded metallic tank, a pair of spaced terminal bushings extending into said tank and supporting an arc-extinguishing assemblage therein, said assemblage ineluding a plurality of serially-related units, each unit having a storage volume to supply the same with a blast of high-pressure gas, a high-pressure supply chamber to supply said storage volumes, and a single supply valve feedmg high-pressure gas to all the storage volumes from the supply chamber in the breaker-closed position.

3. A multi-break compressed-gas circuit interrupter including means defining a high-pressure storage chamber, a single supply valve controlling the exhausting of gas out of said high-pressure storage chamber, a plurality of gas-blast interrupting units connected in series, a gas reservoir chamber supplying gas to each gas-blast interrupting unit, a blast valve connected with each gas reservoir chamber to control the blasting of gas out of the respective gas reservoir chamber toward the respective gas-blast interrupting unit to efiect arc extinction at said unit, a common control means effecting opening of the several blast valves and closing of the single supply valve, movable contact operating means, and means interconnecting said common control means with said movable contact operating means.

4. A multi-break compressed-gas circuit interrupter including means defining a high-pressure storage chamber, a single supply valve controlling the exhausting of gas out of said high-pressure storage chamber, a plurality of gasblast interrupting units connected in series, a gas reservoir chamber feeding each gas-blast interrupting unit, a blast valve connected with each gas reservoir chamber to control the blasting of gas out of the respective gas reservoir chamber toward the respective gas-blast interrupting unit to effect are extinction at said unit, a common control means eflecting opening of the several blast valves and closing of the supply valve, movable contact operating means, means interconnecting said common control means with said movable contact operating means, and means defining a lost-motion connection between said common control means and said operating means so that the several movable contacts may continue to move to the open position subsequent to full opening travel of said common control means.

5. A multi-break compressed-gas circuit interrupter including means defining a high-pressure storage chamber, a single supply valve controlling the exhausting of gas out of said high-pressure storage chamber, a plurality of gasblast interrupting units connected in series, a gas reservoir chamber feeding each gas-blast interrupting unit, a blast valve connected with each gas reservoir chamber to control the blasting of gas out of the respective gas reservoir chamber toward the respective gas-blast interrupting unit to efiect arc extinction at said unit, a common valve control rod interconnecting the plurality of blast valves with said supply valve, whereby opening of the blast valves will cause simultaneous closing of the single supply valve, movable contact operating means, and means interconnecting the valve control rod with said movable contact operating means.

6. A multi-break compressed-gas circuit interrupter in cluding means defining a high-pressure storage chamber, a single supply valve controlling the exhausting of gas out of said high-pressure storage chamber, a plurality of gasblast interrupting units connected in series, a gas reservoir chamber feeding each gas-blast interrupting unit, a blast valve connected with each gas reservoir chamber to control the blasting of gas out of the respective gas reservoir chamber toward the respective gas-blast interrupting unit to eliect arc extinction at said unit, a common valve control rod interconnecting the plurality of blast valves with said supply valve, whereby opening of the blast valves will cause simultaneous closing of the supply valve, movable contact operating means, and means including a lost-motion connection interconnectig the valve control rod with said movable contact operating means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,491,112 12/49 Jansson 200-148 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,222,392 1/ France. 1,247,592 10/60 France.

BERNARD A. GILI-IEANY, Primary Examiner.

MAX L. LEVY, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. THE COMBNATION IN A MULTI-BREAK COMPRESSED GAS CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER OF A PLURALITY OF SERIALLY-RELATED GASBLAST INTERRUPTING UNITS, A SEPARATE STORAGE VOLUME FOR EACH UNIT, A SEPARATE BLAST VALVE FOR EACH UNIT, MEANS DEFINING A SINGLE SUPPLY VOLUME, A SUPPLY VALVE FOR ADMITTING HIGHPRESSURE GAS TO SAID STORAGE VOLUMES, AND MEANS CLOSING SPAD SINGLE SUPPLY VALVE OPENING SAID FIRST-MENTIONED BLAST VALVES.

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