CONTROL APPARATUS

• US 3,654,484 A
• Filed: 08/21/1970
• Issued: 04/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ONAN Corporation (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Harry E. Jorgenson, Wayne W. Hansen
• Inventors: Jorgenson, Harry E., Hansen, Wayne W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hohauser, Herman J.
• Application Number:
  US05/065,764
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 317/105,107,108,109 307/64,149,150,112
• US Class Current: 307/149
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 11/04 Housings; Supporting racks; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/06 having associated enclosures, e.g. for preventing access to live parts
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/06 with automatic change-over , e.g. UPS systems

Abstract

A system and apparatus for selectively connecting one of a plurality of sources of electrical power to a load. Apparatus is furnished to be plugged in intermediate an electrical watt hour meter and the meter receptacle normally provided in a typical electrical power utilization system that is usually designed to handle a single primary source of power. The apparatus provides for selective connection of the load distribution center to the utility power line or to another source of power which might reasonably be termed an auxiliary power source. The apparatus may easily be made to be tamper proof by the inclusion of appropriate locking seals. Further provision is made for manual switching or fully automatic operation including the energization of an auxiliary source of power and connection of the auxiliary source to the input terminals of the load distribution center. Suitable devices for sensing the existence of voltage are included to provide signals indicative of a need for selectively switching the input terminals of the load distribution center between one source of power or another.

Claims

1. In apparatus of the class above described, the combination comprising:

a source of primary electric power;

power distribution means including input terminals connected to said primary source of electrical power, and output terminals adapted to be connected to load means said terminals being disposed upon a receptacle;

a source of secondary electrical power;

housing means including input and output terminals adapted to removably, conductively engage like corresponding terminals on the receptacle in said power distribution means, said housing means including a further receptacle having like, corresponding input and output terminals adapted to removably receive current conductive means, including power measuring means, intermediate said input and output terminals on said further receptacle, further input terminals connected to said source of secondary electrical power and current controlling means operable to alternately connect the output terminals on said housing means to the output terminals on the further receptacle or said further input terminals.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the input terminals on the housing means and the input terminals on the receptacle thereon, and output terminals on the housing means and the output terminals thereon, are in like coaxial alignment.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the current controlling means in the housing means includes an actuator therefor, extending through said housing.

4. The apparatus of claim two in which the housing means is radially elongated.

5. The apparatus of claim four in which the current controlling means is disposed radially outwardly from the coaxially disposed terminals.

6. The apparatus of claim four in which the further terminals on said housing are disposed in the radially elongated portion thereof.

7. The apparatus of claim six in which the current controlling means includes an actuator extending through the housing, said actuator being rotatable about an axis parallel to the axes of the input and output terminals.

8. The apparatus of claim two in which the current controlling means includes a motor means.

9. The apparatus of claim eight in which means responsive to the presence of electrical potential on the input terminals of the power distribution means or the further input terminals on the housing is operably connected to the motor means on the current controlling means.

10. The apparatus of claim nine in which the means responsive to the presence of electrical potential is operative to energize the motor means on the current controlling means so that the output terminals on the further receptacle on the housing means are connected to the input terminals of said further receptacle whenever the input terminals on the power distribution means are energized.