US3663906A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric circuit breaker with magnetically assisted closing means
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1969-10-09
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Granted: 1972-05-16
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Expires: 1989-10-09
Abstract
Abstract An electric circuit breaker containing electromagnetic-assist means for opposing the contact-repulsion forces developed when a high current flows through the breaker. The electromagneticassist means comprises a rigid support member which when restrained in a fixed position renders the assist means capable of transmitting closing force to the movable contact but which, when released, disable the assist means. Releasable latching means restrains the support member in said fixed position when the contacts are engaged. This latching means is controlled by the motion of a contact-operating member that is coupled to the movable contact through a suitable wipe mechanism.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip Barkan
- 👤 Klaus M Skreiner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:48
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H33/00; H01H33/60; H01H33/66; H01H33/666; H01H1/00; H01H1/50; H01H1/54; H01H1/58; H01H1/5822
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
273 words
An electric circuit breaker comprising: a. a first contact, b. a second contact movable into engagement with said first contact to close said circuit and movable out of engagement with said first contact to open the circuit breaker and interrupt the circuit therethrough, c. electromagnetic-assist means for developing a magnetic closing force on said movable contact which varies directly in accordance with the current through said contacts, d. said electromagnetic-assist means comprising a substantially rigid supporting member which when restrained in a fixed position renders said electromagnetic-assist means capable of transmitting closing force to said movable contact but which, when released, renders said electromagnetic assist means generally ineffective to transmit closing force to said movable contact, e. releasable latching means for restraining said supporting member in said fixed position when said contacts are engaged, f. an operating member for transmitting opening and closing forces to said movable contact, g. a wipe mechanism coupling together said operating member and said movable contact and permitting limited overtravel in a closing direction of said operating member after said contacts engage during a closing operation and also permitting limited travel of said operating member in an opening direction before opening force is transmitted from said operating member to said movable contact, h. releasing means responsive to travel of said operating member in an opening direction for releasing said latching means prior to disengagement of said contacts during an opening operation, i. and restoring means operable following separation of said contacts and completion of an interrupting operation for restoring said latching means to restraining relationship with said supporting member before said contacts engage during a subsequent closing operation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
273 words
An electric circuit breaker comprising: a. a first contact, b. a second contact movable into engagement with said first contact to close said circuit and movable out of engagement with said first contact to open the circuit breaker and interrupt the circuit therethrough, c. electromagnetic-assist means for developing a magnetic closing force on said movable contact which varies directly in accordance with the current through said contacts, d. said electromagnetic-assist means comprising a substantially rigid supporting member which when restrained in a fixed position renders said electromagnetic-assist means capable of transmitting closing force to said movable contact but which, when released, renders said electromagnetic assist means generally ineffective to transmit closing force to said movable contact, e. releasable latching means for restraining said supporting member in said fixed position when said contacts are engaged, f. an operating member for transmitting opening and closing forces to said movable contact, g. a wipe mechanism coupling together said operating member and said movable contact and permitting limited overtravel in a closing direction of said operating member after said contacts engage during a closing operation and also permitting limited travel of said operating member in an opening direction before opening force is transmitted from said operating member to said movable contact, h. releasing means responsive to travel of said operating member in an opening direction for releasing said latching means prior to disengagement of said contacts during an opening operation, i. and restoring means operable following separation of said contacts and completion of an interrupting operation for restoring said latching means to restraining relationship with said supporting member before said contacts engage during a subsequent closing operation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which said restoring means operates in response to travel of said operating member in a closing direction to restore said latching means to restraining relationship with said supporting member before said contacts engage during a closing operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
116 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which said electromagnetic-assist means comprises: a. a toggle having one end coupled to said supporting member and its opposite end coupled to said movable contact independently of said operating member, said toggle imparting a closing force to said movable contact when forced toward an in-line position, b. conductive means in series with said contacts for carrying current through a loop-shaped path that comprises a pair of series-connected arms between which a repulsive magnetic force is developed that urges said arms apart when current traverses said loop-shaped path, c. and means for forcing said toggle toward an in-line position when said arms are urged apart by said repulsive magnetic force.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which said electromagnetic-assist means comprises: a. conductive means in series with said contacts for carrying current through a loop-shaped path that comprises a pair of series-connected arms between which a repulsive magnetic force is developed that urges said arms apart when current traverses said loop-shaped path, b. and means connected between said supporting member and said movable contact for converting said repulsive magnetic force into said magnetic closing force on said movable contact.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The circuit breaker of claim 4 in which said means connected between said supporting member and said movable contact comprises a toggle that is forced toward an in-line position by said repulsive magnetic force, said toggle exerting said magnetic closing force on said movable contact when urged toward an in-line position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
138 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which: a. said releasable latching means comprises a latch and means biasing said latch toward a non-latching neutral position located near where the latch becomes effective to latch said supporting member, b. Said releasing means allowing said latch to return to said neutral position at a point in the opening operation near the end of opening travel of said operating member, c. means operable when high currents cease to flow through said circuit breaker for returning said supporting member to substantially the position where it is normally restrained by said latching means, d. and said restoring means of (i)-claim 1 is responsive to closing travel of said operating member to return said latch from said neutral position to a latching position with respect to said supporting member during a closing operation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
144 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which: a. said releasable latching means comprises a latch and means biasing said latch toward a non-latching neutral position, b. said restoring means comprises latch-control means coupled to said operating member for encountering said latch and forcing said latch into a latching position in response to closing travel of said operating member prior to contact engagement, c. said latch is shaped to allow said latch to return partially to said non-latching neutral position in response to further closing motion of said operating member after the latch-control means initially encounters said latch, d. said latch-control means prevents said biasing means from forcing said latch into non-latching neutral position during closing travel of said operating member following the initial encounter with said latch, thereby maintaining said latching means in restraining relationship with said supporting member during said latter travel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The circuit breaker of claim 7 in which said latch is shaped so as to cause said latch-control means to effect latch-release in response to opening motion of said operating member prior to the transmission of opening force from said operating member to said movable contact.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which: a. there is further provided a trip-free mechanism that is coupled to said movable contact through said operating member, and b. said latching means is so located that the reaction force produced by said electromagnetic-assist means in developing said closing force is transmitted to said latching means via a force-transmitting path that bypasses said trip-free mechanism.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
240 words
An electric circuit breaker comprising: a. a first contact, b. a second contact movable into engagement with said first contact to close said circuit breaker and movable out of engagement with said first contact to open the circuit breaker and interrupt the circuit therethrough, c. electromagnetic-assist means for developing a magnetic closing force on said movable contact which varies directly in accordance with the current through said contacts, d. said electromagnetic-assist means comprising a substantially rigid supporting member which when restrained in a fixed position renders said electromagnetic-assist means capable of transmitting closing force to said movable contact but which, when released, renders said electromagnetic-assist means generally ineffective to transmit closing force to said movable contact, e. releasable latching means for restraining said support-ing member in said fixed position when said contacts are engaged, f. a circuit-breaker closing mechanism, g. operating structure for transmitting closing force from said closing mechanism to said movable contact via a force-transmitting path that bypasses said electromagnetic-assist means, h. means for supplying an opening force to said movable contact to effect a circuit-breaker opening operation, i. means operable during said circuit-breaker opening operation for releasing said latching means prior to disengagement of said contacts during said opening operation, j. and restoring means operable following separation of said contacts and completion of an interrupting operation for restoring said latching means to restraining relationship with said supporting member bEfore said contacts engage during a subsequent closing operation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
240 words
An electric circuit breaker comprising: a. a first contact, b. a second contact movable into engagement with said first contact to close said circuit breaker and movable out of engagement with said first contact to open the circuit breaker and interrupt the circuit therethrough, c. electromagnetic-assist means for developing a magnetic closing force on said movable contact which varies directly in accordance with the current through said contacts, d. said electromagnetic-assist means comprising a substantially rigid supporting member which when restrained in a fixed position renders said electromagnetic-assist means capable of transmitting closing force to said movable contact but which, when released, renders said electromagnetic-assist means generally ineffective to transmit closing force to said movable contact, e. releasable latching means for restraining said support-ing member in said fixed position when said contacts are engaged, f. a circuit-breaker closing mechanism, g. operating structure for transmitting closing force from said closing mechanism to said movable contact via a force-transmitting path that bypasses said electromagnetic-assist means, h. means for supplying an opening force to said movable contact to effect a circuit-breaker opening operation, i. means operable during said circuit-breaker opening operation for releasing said latching means prior to disengagement of said contacts during said opening operation, j. and restoring means operable following separation of said contacts and completion of an interrupting operation for restoring said latching means to restraining relationship with said supporting member bEfore said contacts engage during a subsequent closing operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
The circuit breaker of claim 10 in which said restoring means for restoring said latching means to restraining relationship with said supporting member effects said restoration during a closing operation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The circuit breaker of claim 11 in which said restoring means is responsive to travel of said operating structure in a closing direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
56 words
The circuit breaker of claim 10 in which said closing mechanism is a trip-free mechanism that is coupled to said movable contact through said operating structure in such a manner that the speed of operation of said mechanism determines the speed with which the movable contact moves into engagement with said first contact during circuit-breaker closing.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
The circuit breaker of claim 10 in which: a. said closing mechanism is a trip-free mechanism that is coupled to said movable contact through said operating structure, and b. said latching means is so located that the reaction force produced by said electromagnetic-assist means in developing said hold-closed force is transmitted to said latching means via a force-transmitting path that bypasses said trip-free mechanism.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
111 words
The circuit breaker of claim 10 in which said electromagnetic-assist means comprises: a. a toggle having one end coupled to said supporting member and its opposite end coupled to said movable contact, said toggle imparting a closing force to said movable contact when forced toward an in-line position, b. conductive means in series with said contacts for carrying current through a loop-shaped path that comprises a pair of series-connected arms between which a repulsive magnetic force is developed that urges said arms apart when current traverses said loop-shaped path, c. and means for forcing said toggle toward an in-line position when said arms are urged apart by said repulsive magnetic force.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
93 words
The circuit breaker of claim 10 in which: a. said operating structure comprises: i. an operating member through which said opening force is transmitted to said movable contact, and ii. a wipe mechanism for coupling said operating member to said movable contact in such a manner that said operating member is free to move in an opening direction before initiating contact-separation, b. and there is provided means responsive to opening motion of said operating member before said contacts disengage for effecting said release of said latching means prior to disengagement of said contacts.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-05-16 | 1975-11-15 | 1976-05-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-05-16 | 1979-11-15 | 1980-05-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-05-16 | 1983-11-15 | 1984-05-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |