Electrical circuit interruptors

• US 4,321,436 A
• Filed: 04/04/1980
• Issued: 03/23/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Challenger Acquisition Corporation, Challenger DPT Corporation, Challenger Fuse Corporation, Challenger Lic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Federal Pacific Electric Company (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Inventors: McGarrity, Richard V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Little, Willis
• Application Number:
  US06/137,232
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 200/48 KB, 200/162, 200/153 G, 200/271, 200/15
• US Class Current: 200/48.0KB
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/42 Knife-and-clip contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 1/502 the action of the contact pressure spring becoming active only after engagement of the contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 33/121 Load break switches

Abstract

The disclosed circuit breaker includes a movable contact which enters the space between stationary contact jaws, the movable contact acting through a spring to bias a jaw-closing toggle toward erect condition, so that contacts on the contact jaws firmly grip the movable contact.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit making and breaking device including stationary contact means, movable contact means including a main movable contact member, means for operating the movable contact means into and out of cooperation with the stationary contact means, said stationary contact means including a pair of main contact jaws having respective pivots bearing contact surfaces that are opposite each other but spaced apart, a toggle operable toward an erect condition as the movable contact member advances in the space between said contact surfaces for driving said contact jaws so that said contact surfaces grip and are slidably engaged by the main movable contact member, and means on said movable contact means for operating said toggle.

2. An electrical circuit making and breaking device as in claim 1, wherein said means operating said toggle includes resilient means interposed between the toggle and the movable contact means.

3. An electrical circuit making and breaking device as in claim 1, wherein said means operating said toggle includes resilient means biasing the toggle toward a buckled condition.

4. An electrical circuit making and breaking device as in claim 1, wherein said means operating said toggle includes resilient means interposed between the toggle and the movable contact means, and resilient means biasing the toggle toward a buckled condition.

5. An electrical circuit making and breaking device as in claim 1, wherein said means operating said toggle includes a rod slidably extending through the knee of the toggle and arranged to be moved along its length by engagement of an end of the rod by said movable contact member, a compression spring interposed between the knee of the toggle and said end of the rod of resiliently biasing the toggle toward an erect condition as the movable contact member completes its closing stroke, and a compression spring biasing the toggle toward a buckled condition for opening the main contact jaws when the main movable contact member is retracted.

6. An electrical circuit making and breaking device including stationary contact means, movable contact means including a main movable contact member, means for operating the movable contact means into and out of cooperation with the stationary contact means, said stationary contact means including a pair of main contact jaws pivoted between first and second opposite ends thereof, main contacts on the first ends of said jaws, respectively, having contact surfaces that are opposite each other but spaced apart, and means operable by said movable contact means as the movable contact member enters the space between said contact surfaces for driving said second ends of the contact jaws farther from each other, thereby forcing the contact surfaces of the jaws to grip slidably the main movable contact member, said driving means including a toggle operable from a relatively collapsed condition when the contacts are open, toward an erect condition when the contacts are closed.

7. An electrical device as in claim 6, wherein said operable means includes an actuator engageable by said movable contact member as it enters the space between said contact surfaces.