Boom mountable breaker and methods of using same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10242830-B2
Application number	US-201715475689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

A boom mountable breaker system and a method of using same for interrupting electrical transmission through a portion of an energized conductor downstream of a desired break location. The method includes: mounting the jumper onto the energized conductor across the desired break location so as to form an electrically conductive first parallel electrical path; installing an in-line opener in the energized conductor at the desired break location on the energized conductor; positioning the breaker at the desired break location on the energized conductor, and electrically connecting the breaker, while open, across the desired break location and across the opposite ends of the jumper so as to form a second parallel electrical path when the breaker is closed; closing the breaker to thereby complete the second parallel electrical path; removing the jumper from across the desired break location; and, opening and then removing the breaker.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A boom mountable breaker system adapted for location in proximity to an energized section of an overhead power transmission line, and mountable onto an extendible and retractable boom having a distal end, the boom mountable breaker system comprising:
a) a support base adapted to be pivotally connected to the distal end of the boom; and
b) a breaker mountable on the support base, the breaker including an upstanding electrically insulating lower insulator having opposite upper and lower ends, and at least one electrically insulating upper insulator having spaced apart upstream and downstream electrical connectors thereon, wherein the electrical connectors are configured for mounting of electrically conductive cables thereto
and wherein, when the support base is mounted on the distal end of the boom, and the breaker is mounted on the support base with the upper insulator mounted to the upper end of the lower insulator and the lower end of the lower insulator mounted to the support base, the breaker is remotely actuable between open and closed positions through a control box which is mounted on the support base between the lower end of the lower insulator and the support base and which is configured to selectively open and close the breaker and wherein, when in the closed position the breaker is an electrical conductor thereby interrupting flow of current through the section and permitting flow of current through the breaker and when in the open position the breaker is an electrical insulator thereby stopping the flow of current through the breaker.

2. A method of using the boom mounted breaker system of claim 1 for interrupting electrical transmission through a portion of an energized conductor downstream of a desired break location, the method comprising:
a) using an electrically conductive jumper, mounting the jumper onto the energized conductor across the desired break location so as to form an electrically conductive first parallel electrical path,
b) with the jumper so installed, installing an in-line opener in the energized conductor at the desired break location on the energized conductor,
c) with the in-line opener so installed, positioning the breaker at the desired break location on the energized conductor, and electrically connecting the breaker, while open, across the desired break location and across the opposite ends of the jumper so as to form a second parallel electrical path when the breaker is closed,
d) with the breaker so installed, closing the breaker to thereby complete the second parallel electrical path,
e) with the second electrical path completed, removing the jumper from across the desired break location,
f) with the jumper removed, opening and then removing the breaker.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the jumper is a jumper cable.

4. A boom mountable breaker system adapted for location in close proximity to an energized section of an overhead power transmission line, and for mounting on the distal end of a boom comprising:
a) a boom adaptor mountable onto the distal end of the boom,
b) a platform pivotally mounted onto the boom adaptor,
c) a selectively actuable actuator mounted to, so as to co-operate between, the boom adaptor and the platform, whereby actuation of the actuator selectively pivots the platform relative to the boom adaptor,
d) a remotely selectively operable electrical circuit breaker mounted on, so as to be electrically insulated and upstanding from, the platform wherein the electrical circuit breaker includes an upstanding electrically insulating lower insulator having opposite upper and lower ends and at least one electrically insulating upper insulator having spaced apart upstream and downstream electrical connectors thereon wherein the electrical connectors are configured for mounting of electrically conductive cables thereto and wherein the upper insulator is mounted to the upper end of the lower insulator and the lower end of the lower insulator is mounted to the platform and
e) a control box mounted on the platform between the lower end of the lower insulator and the platform the control box configured to selectively open and close the electrical circuit breaker.

5. The boom mountable breaker system of claim 4 wherein the electrical circuit breaker is chosen from the group comprising: a T-breaker or an I-breaker.

6. The boom mountable breaker of system claim 4 wherein the control box includes a housing.

7. The boom mountable breaker system of claim 4 wherein the actuator includes a linear actuator connected to, so as to drive, a linkage operating between the boom adaptor and the platform.

8. The boom mountable breaker system of claim 7 wherein the linkage includes a scissor linkage.

9. A method using the boom mountable breaker system of claim 4 for selectively interrupting electrical transmission in a segment of an energized conductor at a desired break location, the method comprising:
a) providing:
i) the boom adaptor mountable onto the end of a boom,
ii) the platform pivotally mounted onto the boom adaptor,
iii) the selectively actuable actuator mounted to, so as to cooperate between, the boom adaptor and the platform, whereupon actuation of the actuator selectively pivots the platform relative to the boom adaptor,
iv) the selectively operable electrical circuit breaker mounted on, so as to be electrically insulated and upstanding from, the platform, wherein the electrical circuit breaker includes an upstanding electrically insulating lower insulator having opposite upper and lower ends and at least one electrically insulating upper insulator having spaced apart upstream and downstream electrical connectors thereon wherein the electrical connectors are configured for mounting of electrical conductive jumpers thereto and wherein the upper insulator is mounted to the upper end of the lower insulator and
v) the control box mounted on the platform between the lower end of the lower insulator and the platform wherein the control box configured to be remotely controlled and to selectively open and close the electrical circuit breaker,

b) mounting the boom adaptor onto the end of the boom,
c) positioning the electrical circuit breaker using the actuator and boom into a position underneath and adjacent the desired break location on the energized conductor,
d) with the electrical circuit breaker open, electrically connecting the electrical circuit breaker so as to bridge:
i) the desired break location on the conductor,
ii) an in-line opener installed in the conductor at the desired break location, and
iii) a jumper installed on the conductor across the in-line opener;

e) closing the electrical circuit breaker through the control box thereby allowing transmission of an electrical current load through the electrical circuit breaker to by-pass the in-line opener and jumper,
f) removing the jumper from the conductor,
g) opening and then removing the circuit breaker from the conductor.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the breaker control is configured to be either said remotely controlled or to be operable manually in situ.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the electrical circuit breaker is chosen from the group comprising: a T-breaker or an I-breaker.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising providing an actuator to drive a linkage operating between the boom adaptor and the platform to adjust the position of the platform relative to the boom adaptor.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the linkage includes a scissor linkage.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising an intermediary step, before step (d) of claim 9 , of

Assignees

• Quanta Associates Lp

Inventors

• O'Connell Daniel Neil
• Wabnegger David Karl

Classifications

• H02G1/02 Primary

  for overhead lines or cables · CPC title

• H01H71/0264 Primary

  Mountings or coverplates for complete assembled circuit breakers, e.g. snap mounting in panel · CPC title

• B66C1/42

  Gripping members engaging only the external or internal surfaces of the articles (for handling or stripping castings or ingots during manufacture B22D29/00) · CPC title

• B66C23/66

  Outer or upper end constructions · CPC title

• H01H71/10

  Operating or release mechanisms · CPC title