The present invention relates to a spring-loaded operating mechanism for a rectilinear motion circuit-breaker, for performing an open-close-reopen cycle, said mechanism operating on an operating rod of the circuit-breaker and comprising a closing spring and an opening spring which are coaxial, said opening spring being mounted around said operating rod, in a cylindrical casing fixed to the circuit-breaker, between a fixed bottom of the casing and a bearing member connected to the operating rod in the vicinity of its free end.
French patent 2 747 502 describes a circuit-breaker operating mechanism of the above kind which includes a reversible motor for rearming the closing spring, which motor is complicated to control because it is reversible. Also, on closing the circuit-breaker, the coupling between the end of the operating rod and a cylinder pushed by the closing spring is effected by means of retractable fingers, with the resulting risk of scoring.
An object of the present invention is to propose an operating mechanism which avoids these drawbacks, which is simpler, and in which surplus energy stored in the closing spring is recovered.
Thus the invention provides a spring-loaded operating mechanism for a rectilinear motion circuit-breaker, for performing an open-close-reopen cycle, said mechanism operating on an operating rod of the circuit-breaker and comprising a closing spring and an opening spring, said opening spring operating on said operating rod, characterized in that the closing spring operates on the end of a crank whose other end is connected to a shaft fastened to a flywheel and on which is mounted a closing cam which cooperates with a roller on said operating rod, in that a closing pawl retains the closing spring in a compressed position, opening this pawl releasing the closing spring and causing rotation of said cam in the direction in which it closes the circuit-breaker and rearms the opening spring, and in that it comprises a rearming motor coupled by a freewheel mechanism to said shaft, a pawl for triggering opening retaining the operating rod against the force of said opening spring in the closed position of the circuit-breaker and being adapted to receive an opening command.
Other features of the invention will emerge from the following description of one particular embodiment of the invention, which description is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The circuit-breaker includes an insulative external enclosure 1, only part of which is shown, containing all the active components, and its function is symbolized by a switch 2 which is closed in
The operating mechanism includes a fixed mechanism body 4 comprising a cylindrical casing 5 and a frame housing 6 connected together by flanges 7, 8. The mechanism body as a whole is fixed by a flange 9 to the insulative enclosure 1. The active portions of the mechanism include a closing coil spring 10 and a coaxial opening coil spring 11. The springs have rectilinear axes.
The opening spring 11 is mounted around the operating rod 3 inside the fixed cylindrical casing 5, bearing on the one hand against a fixed bottom 12 of the casing and on the other hand against a sliding ring 13 connected to the operating rod 3 by a pin 14 in the vicinity of the free end of the operating rod. The operating rod 3 terminates in a yoke 15 which carries a shaft 16 on which is mounted a roller 17.
The shaft 16 passes completely through the yoke 15 and its ends are guided in slots 18 and 19 formed in two opposite walls 20 and 21 of the frame housing 6.
The closing spring 10 surrounds the fixed cylindrical casing 5 and bears on the one hand against a shoulder formed by the flange 9 and on the other hand against a second sliding ring 22 which can slide along the cylindrical casing 5 and to which is articulated one end of each of two links 23 and 24 whose other ends are respectively articulated to a crank 25 and to a flywheel 26, the crank and the flywheel being fastened to a shaft 27 to which is connected a cam 28 adapted to cooperate with the roller 17 situated at the free end of the operating rod 3 to close the circuit-breaker.
Furthermore, a rearming motor 29 is coupled to the shaft 27 by means of the flywheel 26, which is externally toothed, and pinions 30, 31 and 32, the pinion 32 incorporating a freewheel mechanism.
The motor 29 is a one-way motor driving the toothed flywheel 26 and the cam 28 in the direction indicated by the arrows F in
This pawl withstands the force of the opening spring 11 and is opened by the operating system of the circuit-breaker, which system is not described. Unlocking opens the circuit-breaker. As can be seen clearly in
In the
If the fault persists, the pawl 33 for triggering opening receives an opening command and the opening spring 11 relaxes, which causes the circuit-breaker to open: the two springs 10 and 11 are relaxed, the circuit-breaker is open, and the position is the second Open position of the Open-Close-Open cycle (see FIG. 7).
To return to the original closed position (see
Thanks to the kinetic energy recovered from the flywheel and the cam at the end of a closing operation, the rating of the rearming motor 29 can be reduced.
In the example shown, and as seen in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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02 02092 | Feb 2002 | FR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/FR03/00175 | 2/14/2003 | WO | 00 | 7/19/2004 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO03/06640 | 8/14/2003 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
3138676 | Gratzmuller | Jun 1964 | A |
4654494 | Wuthrich | Mar 1987 | A |
4841788 | Thuries et al. | Jun 1989 | A |
5508487 | Smith et al. | Apr 1996 | A |
5512869 | Thuries | Apr 1996 | A |
5571255 | Baginski et al. | Nov 1996 | A |
5628394 | Benke et al. | May 1997 | A |
5740003 | Seymour et al. | Apr 1998 | A |
5756952 | Thuries | May 1998 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
2747502 | Oct 1997 | FR |
537 180 | Jun 1941 | GB |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20040262141 A1 | Dec 2004 | US |