Electrical apparatus with dual movement of contacts comprising a return device with two levers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9543081-B2
Application number	US-201414762638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2014
Priority date	Jan 24, 2013
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

The invention provides electric power line switchgear ( 10 ) comprising a main movable contact ( 14 ) and a secondary movable contact ( 16 ), capable of moving along a main axis A of the switchgear ( 10 ), in which the main movable contact ( 14 ) is connected to the secondary movable contact ( 16 ) by means of a crank mechanism ( 20 ) that transforms the movement of the main movable contact ( 14 ) in one direction into a movement of the secondary movable contact ( 16 ) in an opposite direction; the switchgear being characterized in that the crank mechanism ( 20 ) comprises two levers ( 22, 24 ) mounted to pivot relative to the stationary housing ( 12 ) about respective parallel pivot axes (B, C), each lever ( 22, 24 ) being connected firstly to a respective one of the main movable contact ( 14 ) and the secondary movable contact ( 16 ), and secondly to the other lever ( 24, 22 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Electric power line switchgear ( 10 ) comprising a main movable contact ( 14 ) and a secondary movable contact ( 16 ), each of which is capable of moving relative to a stationary housing of the switchgear along a main axis A of the switchgear ( 10 ) between a closed position of the switchgear ( 10 ) and an open position of the switchgear ( 10 );
wherein the main movable contact ( 14 ) is connected to the secondary movable contact ( 16 ) by means of a crank mechanism ( 20 ) that transforms the movement of the main movable contact ( 14 ) in one direction into a movement of the secondary movable contact ( 16 ) in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the main movable contact;
the switchgear being characterized in that the crank mechanism ( 20 ) comprises two levers ( 22 , 24 ) mounted to pivot relative to the stationary housing ( 12 ) about respective parallel pivot axes (B, C), each lever ( 22 , 24 ) being connected firstly to the main movable contact ( 14 ) or the secondary movable contact ( 16 ), and secondly to the other lever ( 24 , 22 ).

2. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the crank mechanism ( 20 ) is made in such a manner that when the main movable contact ( 14 ) moves between a first position corresponding to the closed position of the switchgear ( 10 ) and an intermediate position, the crank mechanism ( 20 ) doesn't transform the movement of the main movable contact ( 14 ) in a movement of the secondary movable contact ( 16 ) and when the main movable contact ( 14 ) moves between said intermediate position and a third position corresponding to the open position of the switchgear ( 10 ), the crank mechanism ( 20 ) transforms the movement of the main movable contact ( 14 ) in a movement of the secondary movable contact ( 16 ).

3. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 2 , characterized in that a first lever ( 22 ) of the crank mechanism ( 20 ) comprises a first branch ( 30 ) that is connected to the main movable contact ( 14 ) and a second branch ( 32 ) that is connected to a second lever of the crank mechanism ( 20 ), and the second lever ( 24 ) comprises a first branch ( 34 ) that is connected to the second branch ( 32 ) of the first lever ( 22 ) and a second branch ( 36 ) that is connected to the secondary movable contact ( 16 ).

4. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 3 , characterized in that the first branch ( 34 ) of the second lever ( 24 ) includes a slot ( 38 ) in which a follower pin ( 40 ) secured to the second branch ( 32 ) of the first lever ( 22 ) is capable of moving during pivoting of the first lever ( 22 ).

5. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 4 , characterized in that the slot ( 38 ) comprises a first portion ( 42 ) that is of circularly arcuate shape centered on the pivot axis (B) of the first lever ( 22 ) relative to the housing ( 12 ) when the second lever ( 24 ) is in its closed position of the switchgear ( 10 ).

6. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 5 , characterized in that the follower pin ( 40 ) moves in the first portion ( 42 ) of the slot ( 38 ) when the main movable contact ( 14 ) moves between said first position and said intermediate position.

7. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 6 , characterized in that the slot ( 38 ) comprises a second portion ( 44 ) in which the follower pin moves when the main movable contact ( 14 ) moves between said intermediate position and said third position to drive the second lever ( 24 ) in rotation about its pivot axis (C).

8. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , characterized in that the shape of the second portion ( 44 ) of the slot ( 38 ) is defined in such a manner that when the main movable contact ( 14 ) moves from said intermediate position to said third position , the pivot speed of the second lever ( 24 ) increases progressively.

9. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 7 , characterized in that the shape of the second portion ( 44 ) of the slot ( 38 ) is defined in such a manner that when the main movable contact ( 14 ) moves from said intermediate position to said third position, the pivot speed of the second lever ( 24 ) increases progressively and then reduces progressively.

10. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 9 , characterized in that the speed of the main contact ( 14 ) is greater than the speed of the secondary movable contact ( 16 ) when the main movable contact ( 14 ) moves from said intermediate position to said third position.

11. Switchgear ( 10 ) according to claim 9 , characterized in that the speed of the main contact ( 14 ) is less than or equal to the speed of the secondary movable contact ( 16 ) then is greater than the speed of the secondary movable contact ( 16 ) when the main movable contact ( 14 ) moves from said intermediate position to said third position.

Assignees

• Alstom Technology Ltd
• Alstom Technology Ltd

Inventors

• Ozil Joël
• Darles Ludovic
• Coda Benjamin
• Gregoire Cyril

Classifications

• H01H33/904 Primary

  characterised by the transmission between operating mechanism and piston or movable contact · CPC title

• H01H3/46 Primary

  using rod or lever linkage, e.g. toggle · CPC title

• H01H2033/028

  the cooperating contacts being both actuated simultaneously in opposite directions · CPC title