Claims
- 1. A switch locking assembly for a switch for interrupting power in a circuit path between a source and a load, comprising;
- (a) an electro-mechanical assembly including first and second contacts cooperatively arranged in the circuit path for providing current from the source to the load, wherein at least one of the contacts is movable for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (b) a switch handle operatively engaged with the electro-mechanical assembly for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (c) a casing for enclosing the electro-mechanical assembly, wherein the switch handle is accessible for operation, and a pair of recesses are provided in the casing adjacent the switch handle; and
- (d) a locking device, comprising a first member and a second member pivotally connected to the first member at a pivot point, said first member and second member being in slidable contact with each other and removably engaged in the pair of recesses for interfering with the operation of the switch handle.
- 2. The switch locking assembly of claim 1, wherein the first member and the second member are legs.
- 3. The switch locking assembly of claim 2, wherein the locking device comprises a first foot attached to the first leg and a second foot attached to the second leg, and the first foot and the second foot engage the pair of recesses.
- 4. The switch locking assembly of claim 3, wherein the first and second legs each have an opening for receiving a locking shaft.
- 5. The switch locking assembly of claim 4, wherein the first and second legs are interchangeable.
- 6. A locking device for interfering with movement of an electrical switch handle, comprising:
- (a) a first leg having opposing first and second ends; and
- (b) a second leg pivotally connected at a pivot point to the first leg, the second leg having first and second ends, said first leg and second leg being in slidable contact with each other and having first and second respective openings which are arranged to overlap each other upon pivotal movement of said first leg with respect to said second leg such that; a locking shaft can be received in said openings.
- 7. The locking device of claim 6, wherein a first foot is integral with the first end of the first leg.
- 8. The locking device of claim 7, wherein the pivot point is between the first and second ends of the first leg and the first and second ends of the second leg.
- 9. The locking device of claim 8, wherein the first opening is between the pivot point and the second end of the first leg.
- 10. The locking device of claim 9, wherein the second leg is interchangeable with the first leg.
- 11. A method of interfering with the movement of an electrical switch handle, comprising:
- (a) molding a casing having a first and second recesses adjacent the switch handle;
- (b) obtaining a locking device for interfering with the movement of the electrical switch handle, the locking device comprising:
- (i) a first leg having opposing first and second ends,
- (ii) a first foot integral with the first end of the first leg,
- (iii) a second leg pivotally connected at a pivot joint to the first leg and in slidable contact with the first leg, the second leg having opposing first and second ends; and
- (iv) a second foot integral with the first end of the second leg, wherein the first and second legs have first and second openings, respectively, for receiving a locking shaft;
- (c) inserting the first foot and the second foot of the locking device into the first recess and second recess of the casing, respectively; and
- (d) inserting the locking shaft through the first and second opening for inhibiting the pivoting of the second leg on the first leg.
- 12. A circuit breaker for interrupting power in a circuit path between a source and a load, comprising:
- (a) an electro-mechanical assembly including first and second contacts cooperatively arranged in the circuit path for providing current from the source to the load, wherein at least one of the contacts is movable for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (b) a switch handle operatively engaged with the electro-mechanical assembly for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (c) a casing for enclosing the electro-mechanical assembly, wherein the switch handle is accessible for operation, and the casing has first and second recesses adjacent the switch handle; and
- (d) a locking device, comprising a first member and a second member pivotally connected to the first member at a pivot point, said first member and second member being in slidable contact with each other and removably engaged in the first and second recesses for interfering with the operation of the switch handle.
- 13. The circuit breaker of claim 12, wherein the locking device comprises a first leg and a second leg pivotally connected to the first leg.
- 14. The circuit breaker of claim 13, wherein the locking device has a first foot integral with the first leg and a second foot integral with the second leg, and the first foot and the second foot engage the first and second recesses, respectively.
- 15. The circuit breaker of claim 14, wherein the first and second legs each have an opening for receiving a locking shaft.
- 16. The circuit breaker of claim 15, wherein the first and second legs are interchangeable.
- 17. The circuit breaker of claim 16, wherein the first leg is a flat plate.
- 18. The circuit breaker of claim 12, wherein the switch handle moves in a path, and the locking device is transverse to the path.
- 19. The circuit breaker of claim 18, wherein the locking device comprises first and second legs pivotally connected.
- 20. The circuit breaker of claim 19, wherein the first leg has an integral first foot and the second leg has an integral second foot, and the first foot and second foot engage the first and second recesses, respectively.
- 21. A switch locking assembly for a circuit breaker for interrupting power in a circuit path between a source and a load, comprising;
- (a) an electro-mechanical assembly including first and second contacts cooperatively arranged in the circuit path for providing current from the source to the load, wherein at least one of the contacts is movable for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (b) a switch handle operatively engaged with the electro-mechanical assembly for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (c) a casing for enclosing the electro-mechanical assembly, wherein the switch handle is accessible for operation, and a first and second recesses are provided in the casing adjacent the switch handle; and
- (d) a locking device comprising:
- (i) a first member having first and second ends, a first opening and a first substantially flat surface, the first end being adapted to removably engage with the first recess;
- (ii) a second member having third and fourth ends, a second opening and a second substantially flat surface, the second member pivotally connected to the first member at a pivot point, the first and second substantially flat surfaces in slidable contact, the third end being adapted to removably en gage with the second recess; and
- (iii) a device capable of being inserted through the first and second openings.
- 22. The switch locking assembly of claim 21, wherein the first member and the second member are legs.
- 23. The switch assembly of claim 22, wherein the first end comprises a foot integral with the first leg and the third end comprises a foot integral with the second leg.
- 24. A locking device for use in locking a circuit breaker having a switch handle and first and second recesses adjacent to the switch handle, comprising:
- (a) a first member having a first substantially flat surface and a first end that is adapted to be removably engaged with the first recess, and (b) a second member having a second substantially flat surface and a second end that is adapted to be removably engaged with the second recess, the second member being pivotally connected at a pivot point to the first member; the first and second substantially flat surfaces being in slidable contact with each other.
- 25. The locking device of claim 24 wherein the first and second members have first and second openings, respectively, for receiving a locking member.
- 26. A method for interfering with the movement of an electrical switch handle, comprising:
- (a) molding a casing having a first and second recesses adjacent the switch handle;
- (b) obtaining a locking device for interfering with the movement of the electrical switch handle, the locking device comprising:
- (i) a first member having opposing first and second ends and a first substantially flat surface;
- (ii) a first foot integral with the first end;
- (iii) a second member pivotally connected at a pivot point to the first member, the second member having opposing third and fourth ends and a second substantially flat surface, the second substantially flat surface being in slidable contact with the first substantially flat surface; and
- (iv) a second foot integral with the third end, wherein the first and second members have first and second openings, respectively, for receiving a locking member;
- (c) inserting the first and second foot of the locking device into the first recesses and the second recess of the casing, respectively; and
- (d) inserting the locking member through the first and second openings for inhibiting the pivoting of the second leg on the first leg.
- 27. A circuit breaker for interrupting power in a circuit path between a source and a load, comprising:
- (a) an electro-mechanical assembly including first and second contacts cooperatively arranged in the circuit path for providing current from the source to the load, wherein at least one of the contacts is movable for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (b) a switch handle operatively engaged with the electro-mechanical assembly for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (c) a casing for enclosing the electro-mechanical assembly, wherein the switch handle is accessible for operation, and the casing has first and second recesses adjacent the switch handle; and
- (d) a locking device, comprising:
- (i) a first member having a first substantially flat surface, and
- (ii) a second member having a second substantially flat surface, the second member being pivotally connected to the first member by a pivot at a pivot point, the second substantially flat surface being in slidable contact with the first substantially flat surface, the locking device removably engaged in the first and second recesses for interfering with the operation of the switch handle.
- 28. The circuit breaker of claim 12 wherein the first member and the second member are rigid.
- 29. The method of claim 11 wherein the first leg and the second leg are rigid.
- 30. The locking device of claim 6 wherein the first leg and the second leg are rigid.
- 31. The switch locking assembly of claim 1 wherein the first member and the second member are rigid.
- 32. A switch locking assembly for a switch for interrupting power in a circuit path between a source and a load, comprising;
- (a) an electro-mechanical assembly including first and second contacts cooperatively arranged in the circuit path for providing current from the source to the load, wherein at least one of the contacts is movable for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (b) a switch handle operatively engaged with the electro-mechanical assembly for interrupting the power provided to the load;
- (c) a casing for enclosing the electro-mechanical assembly, wherein the switch handle is accessible for operation, and a pair of recesses are provided in the casing adjacent the switch handle; and
- (d) a locking device, comprising a first member having a first opening, a first substantially flat surface and a first end adapted to engage one of the recesses in said pair of recesses; and a second member having a second opening, a second substantially flat surface and a second end adapted to engage the second recess; said first and second members being slidably connected at a pivot point in a manner that the locking device engages the pair of recesses in a first position and disengages from the pair of recesses in the second position.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 08/644,991, filed May 14, 1996, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
644991 |
May 1996 |
|