Abstract:
A rotary switch includes a housing (14) with a pair of fixed select terminals (44a, 44b) and a fixed common terminal (44c). A rotor (28) that can pivot about an axis (A1), carries a connector (48) with a contact pad (60) for engaging one of the select contacts at a time and a common contact (58) for engaging the common terminal on the housing. The common terminal on the housing is in the form of a track extending in an arc centered on the rotor axis to enable the common contact to remain in continuous engagement with the common terminal as the rotor turns. The common contact on the rotor forms a pair of tabs (62) that slideably engage opposite sides of the track. The connector on the rotor can shift radially to the axis, and is biased by a spring (64) to urge the contact pad toward a select terminal. A cam arrangement shifts the contact pad radially away from a select terminal as the rotor begins to turn from a center position, to minimize the duration of electric arcs. The housing has an inner face (68) extending in an arc between the pair of select terminals, with the inner face having a plurality of axially-extending grooves (69), to minimize the duration of electric arcs. A plurality of switches can lie in a stack, with each rotor having one end forming a drive protuberance (76) of non-circular cross section, and an opposite end forming a recess (78) for receiving the protuberance of an adjacent switch of the stack.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a plug-in circuit breaker and has the object of preventing no-load discharges of the closing mechanism when extraction of the circuit breaker is performed. The drive mechanism of the circuit breaker loading and closing mechanism comprises a trip mechanism which is able to move from a closed state wherein actuation of an oscillating lever is designed to move the closing spring to its loaded state, to a tripped state wherein actuation of the oscillating lever is designed to prevent movement of the closing spring to its loaded state. This trip mechanism causes either disengagement of the oscillating lever or neutralization of a free-wheel coupling of the drive mechanism. The circuit breaker is moreover equipped with opening and closing controls causing an opening, closing, opening cycle when extraction is performed.
Abstract:
A switchgear apparatus having at least one movable contact biased in an open position by an opening spring, a loading mechanism of a closing spring and a kinematic opening and closing system linking the closing spring, the movable contact and the opening spring. The system is controlled by an opening latch and a closing latch. A closing order can be validly transmitted only to the closing latch when the apparatus is in a "ready to close" state, i.e. open, loaded and without a permanent opening order. The switchgear apparatus has an indicator with three positions: a "not loaded" position, a "ready to close" position, and a third "loaded and not ready to close" or "loaded disengaged" position. The indicator is kinematically linked to the loading mechanism, the opening latch, and the movable contact.
Abstract:
A mechanism for a multipole circuit breaker with high currents and high electrodynamic strength, comprising a toggle device associated to a trip hook and a switching bar, an opening ratchet cooperating with the hook to perform loading and tripping of the mechanism respectively in the locked or unlocked position of the ratchet. The opening ratchet comprises a disengageable actuator causing self-unlocking of the catch in the presence of a short-circuit current exceeding a calibration threshold defined by a flexible element, said self-unlocking being commanded from a mechanical reaction generated by the electrodynamic compensation effect and causing an ultra-fast rotation of the catch to unlock the opening ratchet before the tripping component operates.