Electrical system and operating handle interface assembly therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9595408-B2
Application number	US-201414527986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2014
Priority date	Oct 30, 2014
Publication date	Mar 14, 2017
Grant date	Mar 14, 2017

Abstract

An operating handle interface assembly is for an electrical system. The electrical system includes an enclosure having an interior and an exterior, and a plurality of electrical switching apparatus disposed within the interior. Each of the electrical switching apparatus includes an operating handle. The operating handle interface assembly includes a linking assembly structured to interconnect the operating handles of a plurality of the electrical switching apparatus. An elongated shaft includes opposing first and second ends. The first end cooperates with one of the operating handles of one of the electrical switching apparatus. The second end is disposed on the exterior of the enclosure. A handle attachment is coupled to the second end of the elongated shaft on the exterior of the enclosure. The handle attachment is operable among a plurality of positions to correspondingly operate the operating handles of all of the interconnected electrical switching apparatus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An operating handle interface assembly for an electrical system, said electrical system comprising an enclosure having an interior and an exterior, and a plurality of electrical switching apparatus disposed within the interior, each of said electrical switching apparatus including an operating handle, said operating handle interface assembly comprising:
a linking assembly structured to interconnect the operating handles of a plurality of said electrical switching apparatus;
an elongated shaft including a first end and second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end, the first end being structured to cooperate with one of the operating handles of one of said electrical switching apparatus, the second end being structured to be disposed on the exterior of said enclosure; and
a handle attachment structured to be coupled to the second end of said elongated shaft on the exterior of said enclosure,
wherein said handle attachment is operable among a plurality of positions to correspondingly operate the operating handles of all of said interconnected electrical switching apparatus;
wherein said linking assembly comprises a number of linking members and a mounting assembly structured to mount said linking members to the operating handles of said interconnected electrical switching apparatus; and
wherein said mounting assembly comprises a plurality of pivot plates, a plurality of adapters, and a plurality of fasteners; wherein each of said adapters is structured to be coupled to a corresponding one of the operating handles; wherein each of said pivot plates is fastened to a corresponding one of said adapters by a number of said fasteners; and wherein said linking members are structured to be pivotably coupled to said pivot plates to interconnect the operating handles.

2. The operating handle interface assembly of claim 1 wherein said number of linking members is a plurality of pivot arms each including a first end and a second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end; wherein the first end is pivotably coupled to one of said pivot plates; and wherein the second end is pivotably coupled to another one of said pivot plates.

3. The operating handle interface assembly of claim 2 wherein said mounting assembly further comprises a plurality of pivot pins; and wherein said pivot pins pivotably couple said pivot arms to said pivot plates.

4. The operating handle interface assembly of claim 2 wherein said plurality of pivot plates is a first pivot plate and a second pivot plate each comprising a generally square planar member having a first corner portion and a second corner portion disposed diagonally opposite the first corner portion; wherein said plurality of pivot arms is a first pivot arm and a second pivot arm; wherein the first end of said first pivot arm is pivotably coupled to the first corner portion of said first pivot plate; wherein the second end of said first pivot arm is pivotably coupled to the first corner portion of said second pivot plate; wherein the first end of said second pivot arm is pivotably coupled to the second corner portion of said first pivot plate; and wherein the second end of said second pivot arm is pivotably coupled to the second corner portion of said second pivot plate.

5. The operating handle interface assembly of claim 1 wherein each of said adapters is structured to be disposed between the operating handle of a corresponding one of said interconnected electrical switching apparatus and a corresponding one of said pivot plates; wherein each of the operating handles includes a pivot axis; wherein each of said pivot plates includes a central aperture structured to be aligned with the pivot axis of a corresponding one of the operating handles; and wherein each of said adapters includes an axial bore hole structured to be aligned with the pivot axis of a corresponding one of the operating handles and to be aligned with the central aperture of a corresponding one of said pivot plates.

6. The operating handle interface assembly of claim 5 wherein said elongated shaft further includes a longitudinal axis structured to align with the pivot axis of one of the operating handles; and wherein the first end of said elongated shaft is structured to extend through the central aperture and into the axial bore hole of the adapter coupled to said one of the operating handles.

7. The operating handle interface assembly of claim 1 wherein said handle attachment includes a base and a pivotable handle coupled to the base; and wherein said pivotable handle is coupled to the second end of said elongated shaft.

8. The operating handle interface assembly of claim 7 wherein said enclosure includes a cover member; wherein said cover member has a first side facing the interior of said enclosure, a second side facing the exterior of said enclosure, and a thru hole; wherein the second end of said elongated shaft is structured to extend through said thru hole; and wherein the base of said handle attachment is structured to be mounted to the second side of said cover member.

9. An electrical system comprising:
an enclosure having an interior and an exterior;
a plurality of electrical switching apparatus disposed within the interior, each of said electrical switching apparatus including an operating handle; and
an operating handle interface assembly comprising:
a linking assembly interconnecting the operating handles of a plurality of said electrical switching apparatus,
an elongated shaft including a first end and second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end, the first end cooperating with one of the operating handles of one of said electrical switching apparatus, the second end being disposed on the exterior of said enclosure, and
a handle attachment coupled to the second end of said elongated shaft on the exterior of said enclosure,
wherein said handle attachment is operable among a plurality of positions to correspondingly operate the operating handles of all of said interconnected electrical switching apparatus;
wherein said linking assembly comprises a number of linking members and a mounting assembly for mounting said linking members to the operating handles of said interconnected electrical switching apparatus; and
wherein said mounting assembly comprises a plurality of pivot plates, a plurality of adapters, and a plurality of fasteners; wherein each of said adapters is coupled to a corresponding one of the operating handles; wherein each of said pivot plates is fastened to a corresponding one of said adapters by a number of said fasteners; and wherein said linking members are pivotably coupled to said pivot plates to interconnect the operating handles.

10. The electrical system of claim 9 wherein said number of linking members is a plurality of pivot arms each including a first end and a second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end; wherein the first end is pivotably coupled to one of said pivot plates; and wherein the second end is pivotably coupled to another one of said pivot plates.

11. The electrical system of claim 10 wherein said mounting assembly further comprises a plurality of pivot pins; and wherein said pivot pins pivotably couple said pivot arms to said pivot plates.

12. The electrical system of claim 10 wherein said plurality of electrical switching apparatus is two circuit breakers mounted side-by-side within the interior of said enclosure; wherein said plurality of pivot plates is a first pivot plate and a second pivot plate each comprising a generally square planar member having a first corner portion and a second corner portion disposed diagonally opposite the first corner portion;

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Fischer Kenneth Martin
• Turner David Curtis
• Gundy Ii Raymond Peter

Classifications

• H01H71/1018

  with only external interconnections · CPC title

• H01H2009/265

  with interlocking of more than two switches · CPC title

• H01H9/26

  for interlocking two or more switches ({H01H13/568 takes precedence;} by a detachable member H01H9/28 {; for electromagnetic relays H01H50/323}) · CPC title

• H01H2221/052

  interlocked · CPC title

• H01H21/36

  Driving mechanisms · CPC title