Device for remote operation of electrical disconnect

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9530576-B2
Application number	US-201414249468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2014
Priority date	Apr 10, 2013
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

Provided is a device for remote operation of an electrical disconnect. The device can include a handle clamp configured to be secured to an extending member of the electrical disconnect. The device can further include a case clamp configured to be secured to a rigid portion of the electrical disconnect. The device can further include a cable having an exterior sheath coaxially surrounding an inner cable. The inner cable can be coaxially slidable with respect to the exterior sheath. The inner cable can extend through an opening of the case clamp and be secured to the handle clamp. The device can further include an actuator configured to coaxially slide the inner cable such that the handle clamp is actuated towards the case clamp.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for the remote operation of an electrical disconnect, the device comprising:
a handle clamp configured to be secured to an extending member of the electrical disconnect;
a case clamp configured to be secured to a rigid portion of the electrical disconnect;
a cable having an exterior sheath coaxially surrounding an inner cable, wherein the inner cable is coaxially slidable with respect to the exterior sheath, and wherein the inner cable extends through an opening of the case clamp and is secured to the handle clamp; and
an actuator configured to coaxially slide the inner cable such that the handle clamp is actuated towards the case clamp;
wherein the handle clamp defines a passage through which the inner cable extends; and
wherein the inner cable is secured in the passage by a fastener.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the extending member of the electrical disconnect comprises an arm of the electrical disconnect.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the handle clamp comprises one of a fastener that presses the extending member against a wall of the handle clamp or a squeeze type clamp that pulls the extending member against a wall of the handle clamp.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the rigid portion of the electrical disconnect comprises a lip of a case cover of the electrical disconnect.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the case clamp comprises:
a clamp plate;
a flange clamp; and
a reaction arm, wherein the reaction arm defines the opening through which the inner cable extends.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein:
the clamp plate and the flange clamp are secured together around a lip of a case cover of the electrical disconnect; and
the reaction arm extends beyond the clamp plate and the flange clamp when the clamp plate and the flange clamp are secured together around the lip of the case cover of the electrical disconnect.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the reaction arm has one or more of an adjustable extension length and an adjustable extension direction.

8. The device of claim 5 , wherein the exterior sheath has a first diameter that is greater than a second diameter of the opening of the reaction arm.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the exterior sheath abuts a first face of the reaction arm, wherein the first face is distal with respect to the handle clamp such that the inner cable freely extends through the opening of the reaction arm while the exterior sheath is restrained by the reaction arm.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises:
a T-handle; and
a hand grip;
wherein the inner cable freely extends through an opening of the hand grip and is secured to the T-handle; and
wherein the exterior sheath abuts a face of the hand grip that is distal with respect to the T-handle such that the exterior sheath is restrained by the hand grip, whereby an operator can force the T-handle away from the hand grip to cause the inner cable to coaxially slide with respect to the exterior sheath.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises:
a pistol grip; and
a trigger configured such that when the trigger is operated the inner cable is coaxially slid with respect to the outer sheath.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein:
the trigger is connected to a rod;
the inner cable is secured to the rod;
the exterior sheath is restrained by the pistol grip; and
operation of the trigger causes the rod to be advanced and held in place by one of a plurality of teeth.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the handle clamp and the case clamp is integral to the electrical disconnect.

14. The device o claim 1 , wherein both the exterior sheath and the inner cable are non-conductive.

15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the inner cable transmits force only in a pulling direction whereby the actuator is operable to coaxially slide the inner cable such that the handle clamp is actuated towards the case clamp but is not operable to coaxially slide the inner cable such that the handle clamp is actuated away from the case clamp.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the case clamp is configured to be removably secured to a lip of the electrical disconnect.

17. A method for remotely operating an electrical disconnect, the method comprising:
securing a handle clamp to an extending member of the electrical disconnect, wherein the extending member can be actuated between a first position and a second position in order to respectively allow or disallow the flow of electricity;
securing a case clamp to a rigid portion of the electrical disconnect;
passing an inner cable through an opening defined by the case clamp, wherein the inner cable is coaxially slidable with respect to an exterior cable sheath, wherein passing the inner cable through the opening defined by the case clamp comprises passing the inner cable through the opening defined by the case clamp such that the exterior sheath abuts a first face of a reaction arm of the case clamp and the inner cable freely extends through the opening of the reaction arm while the exterior sheath is restrained by the reaction arm, and wherein the first face is distal with respect to the handle clamp;
securing the inner cable to the handle clamp; and
operating an actuator to coaxially slide an inner cable with respect to exterior sheath such that the handle clamp is actuated towards the case clamp, whereby the extending member of the electrical disconnect is actuated from the first position to the second position.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the actuator comprises:
a T-handle; and
a hand grip, the hand grip defining a second opening; and

the method further comprises:
passing the inner cable through the second opening such that the exterior sheath abuts a face of the hand grip that is distal with respect to the T-handle and the exterior sheath is restrained by the hand grip; and
securing the inner cable to the T-handle;
wherein operating the actuator comprises forcing the T-handle away from the hand grip to cause the inner cable to coaxially slide with respect to the exterior sheath.

19. A system for the remote operation of an arm-style electrical disconnect, the system comprising:
a handle clamp configured to be placed over an arm of the electrical disconnect and secured to the arm;
a case clamp configured to be clamped to a lip of a case cover of the electrical disconnect, wherein the case clamp comprises a clamp plate having an elongated L-shape and a flange clamp having an elongated U-shape, and wherein the case clamp is configured to be clamped to the lip of the case cover by pressing the lip of the case cover between the clamp plate and the flange clamp;
a cable having an exterior sheath coaxially surrounding an inner cable, wherein the inner cable is coaxially slidable with respect to the exterior sheath, and wherein the inner cable extends through an opening of the case clamp and is secured to the handle clamp; and
an actuator configured to coaxially slide the inner cable such that the handle clamp is actuated towards the case clamp.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein:
the handle clamp comprises a screw guide defining a passageway through which the inner cable extends and is secured by a fastener; and
the screw guide comprises a swivel mechanism such that the orientation of the passageway is rotatable about a plane perpendicular to an axis of the fastener.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein the handle clamp comprises:
a band cl

Assignees

• Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Llc

Inventors

• Coleman Jody Rustyn
• Bobbitt Iii John Thomas

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• H01H71/1018

  with only external interconnections · CPC title

• H01H9/20

  Interlocking, locking, or latching mechanisms · CPC title

• H01H3/02 Primary

  Operating parts, i.e. for operating driving mechanism by a mechanical force external to the switch · CPC title