AU636708B2

AU636708B2 - Switch lock for a fault current circuit breaker

Info

Publication number: AU636708B2
Application number: AU71111/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Gerhard Amon; Gerhard Schuh
Original assignee: Felten and Guilleaume Austria AG
Current assignee: Felten & Guilleaume Fabrik Elektrischer Apparate AG
Priority date: 1990-02-19
Filing date: 1991-02-18
Publication date: 1993-05-06
Anticipated expiration: 2011-02-18
Also published as: EP0444010B1; HU208881B; AU7111191A; HUT56658A; ES2070482T3; CZ279385B6; TR25103A; AT404771B; PT96801A; HU910440D0; CS9100422A2; PL164308B1; PT96801B; ATA37890A; DE59104185D1; SK278581B6; EP0444010A2; EP0444010A3

Description

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA67 PATENTS ACT 1952-69 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

Class I t. C1 Application Number: Lodged: ass Complete Specification Lodged: *:**riority Pelated Art Ar -epted: Published: ame of Applicant: FELTEN GUILLEAUME FABRIK ELEKTRISCHER APPARATE

AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Address of Applicant: A-394 3 S chrems -Eugenia, Niederosterreich, Oe 00 Actual Inventor *00 0&ddcress for Service GERHARD AMON and GERHARD SCHUH WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS.

LOCKED BAG NO. 5, HAWTHORN, VICTORIA 3122, AUSTRALIA Complete Specification for the invention entitled: ScWITCH LOCK FOR A FAULT CURRENT CIRCUIT BREAKER The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to -la- The present invention relates to a switch lock for a fault current circuit breaker.

The object of the present invention is to produce a switch lock in which there is reliable retraction of the permanent magnetic trigger provided in the fault current circuit breaker.

According to the present invention the solution is provided by a switch lock for a fault current circuit breaker including a swivel-mounted control knob, the control knob being operably coupled with movable contacts of a contact apparatus, a swivel-mounted pawl operably coupled to the control knob, the pawl co-operating with a spring-loaded pawl arbor swivel-mounted in the switch lock, the pawl arbor co-operating with the trigger rammer of a permanent magnetic trigger, wherein a reset lever is swivel-mounted on the switch lock and is stressed by a spring in the direction of return of the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger, and wherein the reset lever is arranged at a 15 distance from the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger when the control knob is in an on-position.

The remaining components of the switch lock can be arranged so as to achieve an optimal trigger process, in that with the switch lock according to the present invention a reset lever is provided, independent of the other switch lock 20 mechanics, which after being triggered without separate assistance is swivelled by its associated spring in such a way that it repels the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger and in so doing returns the permanent magnetic trigger to its starting position (the armature again lies on the yoke). Unlike with known switch locks for fault current circuit breakers, it is no longer necessary in the case of the switch lock according to the present invention to contemplate resetting the permanent magnetic trigger due to the design, dimensioning and arrangement of the components involved in the trigger 2 procedure of the switch lock, especially of the springs fitted in the switch lock.

In a simple/embodiment of the invention there is provision for the reset lever to be swivel-mounted around an axle fixed on a lock plate of the switch lock.

In an/embodiment of the invention there is provision for the reset lever to be a two-armed lever, one arm of which is assigned to the trigger rammer and the other arm of which is assigned to the control knob. With this arrangement, the reset lever is actuated by the control knob accordingly.

An especially favourable and compact/design occurs when there is S" provision for the lock plate of the switch lock, on the sides of which the permanent magnetic trigger is arranged and the reset lever is mounted, to be formed in steps, whereby the switch lock is narrower in the vicinity of the permanent magnetic trigger than in the vicinity of the control knob.

This form of construction has the advantage that the control knob can be built in a wide design for problem-free manual operation, without the switch lock being too wide overall, since the permanent magnetic trigger is arranged in the narrower area of the switch lock.

e ex sere A particularly favourable/spatial arrangement of the reset lever in f* 0 the case of the switch lock according to the present invention occurs when **see: 0 the reset lever projects through a slot arranged in the region of the step of the stepped lock plate of the switch lock. This form of construction has the further advantage that the reset lever is held on its trunnion pin without special measures, since the reset lever is guided in the slot by one of its arms.

In order to simplify assembly of the switch lock according to the invention, provision can/be made for the end of the slot farthest from the 3 reset lever to lie beyond the swivel zone of the arm of the reset lever turned towards the control knob. With this form of construction, the reset lever is set on its trunnion pin for assembly and then made to swivel, under the influence of its associated spring, in such a way that its arm assigned to the control knob engages through the slot.

In another/form of construction of the invention, provision is made for the spring stressing the reset lever to be supported with its one branch on the step of the stepped lock plate of the switch lock, for the spring to be wound several times around the axle of the reset lever and for the other branch of the spring to abut one of the tongues projecting from S" the reset lever.

ego*: 0 This particular form of construction, which guarantees that the reset.

lever is stressed substantially, also forms the basis for a form of construction in which the free end of the tongue projecting from the reset lever is deflected and has a hole in which the axle of the reset lever engages. With this form of construction, the reset lever is guided not only through a hole provided in itself, but also through the hole provided on the free end of the bent tongue on its trunnion pin.

pr \U The required movements of the reset lever are achieved especially easily, when the control knob has a control cam, which is associated with c* one arm of the reset lever. Provision can thereby be made for the control *.SSS8 cam, in the on-position of the control knob, to hold the reset lever in a swivel position, in which its arm assigned to the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger is arranged outside the movement zone of the trigger rammer.

A favourable/spatial arrangement and a problem-free operation of the reset lever by the control cam on the control knob occurs when there is provision for the arm of the reset lever, on which the control cam of the

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4 control knob impacts, to be bent. In this sense, another feature of the invention also takes effect, after which the arms of the reset lever enclose an obtuse angle.

Within the scope of the invention provision can/also be made for the free end of the arm of the reset lever, which is assigned to the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger, to be angled away from the lock plate. A tongue indicating the trigger rammer is preferably provided on the end of the angled part of the arm. This form of construction offers the advantage whereby, with a compact construction of the switch lock, as is ":16 generally preferred, the reset lever does not hinder thl pawl arbor with its arm assigned to the switch lock, which must also be assigned to the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger.

Fastening the permanent magnetic trigger on the switch lock is fevra^ effected particularly simply according to a/(form of construction of the invention, wherein the permanent magnetic trigger has on its casing wall facing the switch lock at least two protruding trunnions, which engage in holes in the stepped lock plate of the switch lock. This can be further improved on when the permanent magnetic trigger is fixed in place on the lock plate of the switch lock by means of a spring bracket, preferably a wire spring bracket. Undesired slipping of the spring bracket is prevented

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by the spring bracket engaging, with a bend 'at the end of its branch abutting the wall of the permanent magnetic trigger averted from the switch lock, in a hole in this wall. Provision can also/be made for a corresponding bending or offsetting on the branch of the spring abutting the one lock plate of the switch lock.

Further details and features of the invention result from the a Preavc-rr&1G following description of eA/embodiment with reference to the accompanying d ,diagrams.

Figure 1 is a view of a switch lock in the off-position according to the present invention, Figure 2 shows the switch lock of Figure 1 in the on-position with the upper lock plate removed, Figures 3 are views of the switch lock in the off- or on-position and 4 with the upper lock plate in place, and Figure 5 is a side view of the switch lock seen from the left of Figure 3.

A switch lock 1, as shown in the diagrams, is used in fault current circuit breakers in order to suddenly lift off the contacts 5 in the onoooo S position abutting the movable switch bridges 7 of the contact apparatus we S under the effect of a spring stressing the arbor bearing the switch bridges 7, when the unit is triggered. Assigned to the switch lock is a permanent magnetic trigger 11, which when the unit is triggered (in the summary current transformer of the fault current circuit breaker a current is induced to release the permanent magnetic trigger 11) displaces the oo e coupling elements of the switch lock such that the movable switch bridges 7 are distanced under the effect of the abovementioned spring from the fixed S contacts 3 solid in the casing and combined purposefully with clamps 13.

The switch lock 1 according to the present invention comprises two lock plates 14 and 15 which in turn essentially form the rear lock plate 14, as seen in Figures 1 to 5. The other lock plate 15, omitted from Figures 1 and 2, is offset in shape, creating a narrow space 17 and a wide space 19 between the lock plates 14 and 15. In the wider space 19 limited by the lock plates 14 and 15 a control knob 20 is swivel-mounted around an axle 21 fixed in the lock plates 14 and 15 and is stressed in the offposition shown in Figures 1 and 3 by a button spring, one end of which engages in a recess in the offset lock plate r The lock mechanism comprises a button plate 25, articulated to a pawl plate 29 and a roller plate 31 by means of a hinge pin 27. The roller plate 31 is coupled by means of a second hinge pin 33 to the arbor 9 bearing the movable switch bridges 7; said arbor 9 is swivel-mounted in the casing of the fault current circuit breaker against the force of a spring.

The pawl plate 29 is coupled to a pawl 37 swivelling in the switch lock around a clinched bolt 35 by means of another hinge pin 39. The clinched bolt 35 is fixed in the lock plates 14 and The free end 41 of the pawl 37 is assigned to a pawl arbor 43, which 6:0c7: is stressed in a clockwise direction, as in Figure 1, by a support spring 45 assigned to it, in the sense that it swivels around a bolt 44 fixed to the lock plates 14 and 15. The support spring 45 is a branch spring, which is looped in several coils around a clinched bolt 47 and which is supported at one end on the flat lock plate 14. The clinched bolt 47 simultaneously serves to interconnect both lock plates 14 and 15. This also applies to the clinched bolt 35, around which the pawl 37 swivels.

The pawl arbor 43 is a two-armed, angled lever, one arm of which forms a support surface 49 for the free end 41 of the pawl 37. The other S" arm of the pawl arbor 43 bears an angled lug 50, which projects through a bent, slotted recess 51 in the upper lock plate 15. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the lug 50 is assigned to the trigger rammer 53 of the permanent magnetic trigger 11.

When the pawl arbor 43 is swivelled anti-clockwise out of the position shown in Figure 2 under the effect of the trigger rammer 53 of the permanent magnetic trigger 11 impacting on its lug 50, the free end 41 of the parl 37 comes free of the surface 49 of the pawl arbor 43 and the pawl 37 swivels anti-clockwise around the clinched bolt 35. The plate pair 29 is extended so that the roller plate 31 moves upwards out of the iposition shown in Figure 2 and swivels the lever shaft 9 under the effect of its associated spring into the off-position, as shown in Figure 1, in which the switch bridges 7 held resiliently in the lever shaft 9 are lifted off the fixed contacts 3.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a reset lever 55 is swivel-mounted around a trunnion pin 57 on the offset lock plate 15 of the switch lock.

The reset lever 55 is in the form of a two-armed lever and is stressed by a reset spring 59, in the sense that it swivels anti-clockwise, which is supported by one branch 61 on the lock plate 15 in the region of its offset :ID 16. The other branch 62 of the reset spring 59 is supported on a tongue 63, eooee2 S which is formed preferably in one piece with the reset lever 55 and whose ease*: a free end 65 has an opening through which the trunnion pin 57 is placed.

ee S One arm 67 of the reset lever 55 is assigned to the rammer 53 of the permanent magnetic trigger 11.

The other arm 69 of the reset lever 55, which encloses an obtuse S angle with the arm 67 assigned to trigger rammer 53, is in turn in the form of an angle and assigned to the control knob 20. The arm 69 of the reset

S.

lever 55 penetrates a slot 71 in the lock plate 15, which is in the form of e the same in the region of the first angle adjoining the narrower space 17.

A control cam 22 is formed on the control knob 20, which impacts on

S..

the arm 69 of the reset lever 55 when the control knob 20 is in the on.

position as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The reset lever 55 is thereby swung into the position shown in Figure 4, in which the end of its arm 67 is removed sufficiently far from the trigger rammer 53 of the permanent magnetic trigger 11 for the latter to be displaced unhindered from the permanent magnetic trigger 11 in the direction of the arrow 54 when the unit is triggered.

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r When the switch lock 1 is released, the control knob 20 also swings into the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 under the effect of its fitted button spring, in which its control cam 22 no longer impacts on the arm 69 of the reset lever 55, and under the effect of the return spring 59 this is swung into the position shown in Figure 3, thereby repelling the trigger rammer 53, whereby the armature of the permanent magnetic trigger 11 is moved back into its original position held by the permanent magnet, as shown in Figures 3 and 4; the permanent magnetic trigger can be advantageously designed as in AT-PS 378 862 and AT-PS 381 599.

ai In that the reset lever 55 penetraces with its arm 69 through the S slot 71 in the lock plate 15, the trunnion pin 57 requires no special S security against the reset lever 55 falling, as this is guided substantially precisely in the slot 71 and is prevented from moving in the direction of the axis of the trunnion pin 57.

For assembly, the reset lever 55 can be swung sufficiently far clockwise for the free end of its arm 69 to be no longer taken up in the S slot 71 (at that point it lies below the step 16 in the lock plate whereupon the reset lever 55 can be simply withdrawn from the trunnion pin 57. Assembly is performed in correspondingly reverse order.

The free end 73, impacting on the trigger rammer 53 of the permanent magnetic trigger 11 or assigned to it, of the arm 69 of the reset lever is bent out of the diagram plane of Figures 3 and 4 and has a lug pointing to the trigger rammer 53.

On its side turned towards the switch lock 1 and not shown in Figures 3 and 4, the permanent magnetic trigger 11 has at least two notched projections engaging in holes in the lock plate 15. Thereby the position of the permanent magnetic trigger 11 is defined precisely on the switch lock 1 and thus also opposite the lug 50 of the pawl arbor 43 and the end 73,

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of the reset lever 55, and the permanent magnetic trigger 11 can be set in place with the aid of a spring bracket 77. A branch 79 lies on the side of the permanent magnetic trigger 11 visible in Figures 3 and 4 and the other branch 80 lies from the inside out on the lock plate 15. For fixing the spring bracket 77, a depression or hole can be provided in the permanent magnetic trigger 11 on its side visible in Figures 3 and 4, in which a bent or downwards offset end of the branch 79 of the spring bracket 77 engages.

A similar positioning can also be provided on the other branch 80 of the spring bracket.

.fee.: 0 0* *b 4 e*o a f a 09 a a a ft

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Claims

1. Switch lock for a fault current circuit breaker including a swivel-mounted control knob, the control knob being operably coupled with movable contacts of a contact apparatus, a swivel-mounted pawl operably coupied to the control knob, the pawl co-operating with a spring-loaded pawl arbor swivel-mounted in the switch lock, the pawl arbor co-operating with the trigger rammer of a permanent magnetic trigger, wherein a reset lever is swivel-mounted on the switch lock and is stressed by a spring in the direction of return of the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger, and wherein the reset lever is arranged at a distance from the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger when the control knob is in an on-position.

2. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the reset lever is swivel- mounted around an axle fixed on a lock plate of the switch lock.

3. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the reset lever is a two-armed lever, one arm of which co-operates with the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger and the second arm of which co-operates with the control knob.

4. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the permanent magnetic trigger is placed on the side of the lock plate of the switch lock, upon where, the reset lever is mounted, and said lock plate is configured as a step, whereby the switch lock is narrower in the region of the permanent magnetic trigger then in the region of the control knob. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the reset lever projects through a slot arranged in the vicinity of the step of the stepped lock plate of the switch lock,

6. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the end of the slot farthest s from the reset lever lies beyond the swivel zone of the arm of the reset lever facing the control knob.

7. Switch lock as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the spring stressing the reset lever is supported with one branch on the step of the stepped lock plate of the switch lock, the spring is looped in several coils around the axle for the reset lever and wherein the other branch of the spring abuts a tong projecting from the reset lever.

8. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the free end of the tongue projecting from the reset lever is bent and has a hole in which the axle engages.

9. Switch lock as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 8, wherein the control S knob has a control cam, which co-operates with said one arm of the reset lever.

10. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the control cam, when the control knob is in the on-position, holds the reset lever in a swivel position so that the arm co-operating with the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger is arranged beyond the swivel zone of the trigger rammer.

11. Switch lock as claimed in either Claim 9 or 10, wherein the control knob has a control carm which can impact said second arm of the reset lever and wherein said second arm is bent.

12. Switch lock as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 1 wherein the arms of the reset lever together enclose an obtuse angle.

13. Switch lock as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 12, wherein the free end of the arm of the reset lever, assigned to the trigger rammer of the permanent magnetic trigger, is angled away from the lock plate.

14. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 13, wherein a tongue pointing to the trigger rammer is provided on the end of the angled section of the arm. -4 Switch lock as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 14, wherein the permanent magnetic trigger has on its casing wall facing the switch lock at least two projecting lugs, which engage in holes in the stepped lock plate of the lock switch.

16. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 15, wherein the permanent magnetic trigger is set in place on the lock plate of the switch lock by means of a spring bracket, preferably a wire spring bracket.

17. Switch lock as claimed in Claim 16, wherein the spring bracket engages with an angled end of its branch lying on the wall of the permanent magnetic trigger averted from the switch iock in a hold in this wall.

18. Switch lock substantially as hereinbefore described with respect of what is shown in the accompanying drawings. DATED this 18th day of January, 1993 FELTEN GUILLEAUME FABRIK ELEKTRISCHER APPARATE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS THE ATRIUM 290 BURWOOD ROAD HAWTHORN VICTORIA 3122 AUSTRALIA 0