Exhaust arc gas manifold

• US 5,241,289 A
• Filed: 07/24/1992
• Issued: 08/31/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Pratt, James R., Robarge, Dean A., Markowski, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): DONOVAN, LINCOLN D
• Application Number:
  US07/918,091
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• Field of Search: 335/201, 335/202, 200/144 R, 200/304, 200/305, 200/306, 200/149 R, 200/149 A
• US Class Current: 335/201
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/342 Venting arrangements for arc chutes

Abstract

An industrial rated molded case circuit breaker fitted with an exhaust arc gas manifold arranged over ventilation slots of the circuit breaker and disposed at a line end thereof to redirect the arc exhaust gases exiting the ventilation slots. The exhaust arc gas manifold is fixedly attached to the circuit breaker to prevent an electric fault from occurring between the different phases of a multi-phase electric power distribution system connected to the line end of the circuit breaker. An electric fault is further prevented between the exiting arc gases and the line terminals attached to the circuit breaker thereof.

Claims

1. An exhausting gas manifold for molded case circuit breakers comprising:

an electrically-insulated body having an upper and lower wall joined by a bottom wall;

a pair of electrically-insulated walls perpendicular said bottom wall and extending between said upper and lower walls to thereby define a first section closed at a top, bottom, back and one side thereof;

a second section closed at a top, bottom and both sides thereof;

a third section closed at a top, bottom, back and one side thereof; and

means formed within said upper wall attaching said body to one end of an industrial-rated circuit breaker.

2. The gas manifold of claim 1 wherein said upper wall, lower wall and bottom wall are integrally-formed in a single unit.

3. The gas manifold of claim 1 wherein said electrically-insulated base comprises plastic.

4. The gas manifold of claim 1 wherein said upper wall includes radial slots allowing access to circuit breaker terminal lugs when said manifold is attached to one end of an industrial-rated circuit breaker.

5. The gas manifold of claim 1 including means formed on a bottom surface of said upper wall adapted for being received in slots formed in a circuit breaker cover to hold said manifold against one end of an industrial rated circuit breaker.

6. The gas manifold of claim 5 wherein said means comprises a pair of dovetail extensions.

7. The gas manifold of claim 1 including an arm extending from said upper wall, said arm having means formed at one end for receiving a threaded fastener to secure said manifold to an industrial-rated circuit breaker.

13. The molded case circuit breaker of claim 1 wherein said first section receives arc gases emanating from one phase of said circuit breaker and directs said gases to one side of said circuit breaker enclosure.

14. The molded case circuit breaker of claim 13 wherein said second section receives gases emanating from another phase of said circuit breaker and directs said gases in a direction away from said one side.

15. The molded case circuit breaker of claim 13 wherein said third section receives gases from still another phase of said circuit breaker and directs said gases to an opposite side of said circuit breaker enclosure.

8. A molded case circuit breaker having increased circuit interruption capacity comprising, in combination:

a plastic case and cover securely fastened together to form a circuit breaker enclosure, said cover including exhaust ports situated at one end of said enclosure;

a pair of linear extensions formed on said one end, each of said extensions having a linear slot defined within an outer edge of said extensions; and

an external unitary gas manifold attached to said one end, said manifold comprising an upper wall, a lower wall and a bottom wall, said upper wall including a pair of dovetail extensions formed on a bottom surface, each of said extensions being retained within each of said linear slots for attaching said manifold external to said circuit breaker enclosure.

9. A molded case circuit breaker having increased circuit interruption capacity comprising, in combination:

a plastic case and cover securely fastened together to form a circuit breaker enclosure, said cover including exhaust ports situated at one end of said enclosure;

a pair of linear extensions formed on said one end, each of said extensions having a linear slot defined within an outer edge of said extensions;

a unitary gas manifold attached to said one end, said manifold comprising an upper wall, a lower wall and a bottom wall, said upper wall including a pair of dovetail extensions formed on a bottom surface, each of said extensions being retained within each of said linear slots for attaching said manifold to said circuit breaker enclosure, said manifold comprising an electrically-insulated body having an upper and lower wall joined by a bottom wall;

a pair of electrically-insulated walls perpendicular said bottom wall and extending between said upper and lower walls to thereby define a first section closed at a top, bottom, back and one side thereof;

a second section closed at a top, bottom and both sides thereof; and

a third section closed at a top, bottom, back and one side thereof.

10. The molded case circuit breaker of claim 9 including a plurality of circuit breaker lug terminal slots formed within said circuit breaker cover and said manifold includes corresponding radial slots formed on said upper wall, whereby said radial slots provide access to said lug terminal slots when said manifold is attached to said circuit breaker.

11. The molded case circuit breaker of claim 10 including an arm extending from said upper wall, said arm overlapping said circuit breaker cover when said manifold is attached to said circuit breaker.

12. The molded case circuit breaker of claim 11 including a slot formed in one end of said arm, said slot receiving a fastener to secure said manifold to said circuit breaker.