Vacuum capacitor switch having grounding switch means

Claim 2

In a multiphase vacuum capacitor switch having a supporting base; a plurality of vacuum interrupters each of which has a pair of separable contacts one of which is stationary and the other of which is movable into and out of engagement with said stationary contact; a grounding contact associated with each vacuum interrupter, said grounding contact being supported by its associated vacuum interrupter and in electrical conducting relationship with the movable contact of the vacuum interrupter; a grounded contact rod for each of said vacuum interrupters, said grounded contact rods being carried by said supporting base in position to engage with an associated grounding contact; operating means connected to said grounding contact rods for effecting the simultaneous movement of said grounding contact rods; and, a single actuator connected to said operating means for effecting operation of said operating means.

Claim 3

In a multiphase vacuum capacitor switch having a supporting base; a plurality of vacuum interrupters carried by said supporting base in vertical parallel array, said interrupters each having a pair of separable contacts, one of which is stationary, and the other of which is axially movable into and out of engagement with the associated stationary contact; a plurality of grounding switches carried by said supporting base, said grounding switches each having a contact carried by an associated vacuum interrupter externally thereof, said contact having an electrical conducting connection with the movable contact of its associated vacuum interrupters, said grounding switches each also having a movable grounded contact rod carried by said supporting base for movement into and out of engagement with the associated contact carried exteriorly of the vacuum interrupter; a rack formed on each grounded contact rod; a gear rotatably carried by said supporting base for each grounded contact rod, said gears being disposed in meshed engagement with an associated grounded contact rod rack; drive means interconnecting all of said gears in a manner that rotation of one of said gears will effect rotation of all of said gears simultaneously; and, actuating lever means connected to one of said gears to effect its rotation for engaging or disengaging said grounded contact rOds with the associated contacts carried by said vacuum interrupters exteriorly thereof.

Claim 4

In a multiphase vacuum capacitor switch having a supporting base; a plurality of vacuum interrupters carried by said supporting base in vertical parallel array, said interrupters each having a pair of separable contacts, one of which is stationary, and the other of which is axially movable into and out of engagement with the associated stationary contact; a plurality of grounding switches carried by said supporting base, said grounding switches each having a contact carried by an associated vacuum interrupter externally thereof, said contact having an electrical conducting connection with the movable contact of its associated vacuum interrupters, said grounding switches each also having a movable grounded contact rod carried by said supporting base for movement into and out of engagement with the associated contact carried exteriorly of the vacuum interrupter; a rack formed on each grounded contact rod; a gear rotatably carried by said supporting base for each grounded contact rod, said gears being disposed in meshed engagement with an associated grounded contact rod rack; drive means interconnecting all of said gears in a manner that rotation of one of said gears will effect rotation of all of said gears simultaneously; and, actuating lever means connected to one of said gears to effect its rotation for engaging or disengaging said grounded contact rOds with the associated contacts carried by said vacuum interrupters exteriorly thereof.

Claim 5

In a multiphase vacuum capacitor switch comprising: a grounded supporting base; multiple spaced apart insulators mounted on said supporting base; a vacuum interrupter mounted on each of said insulators; a stationary contact and a movable contact supported within each of said vacuum interrupters for make-and-break engagement; a first terminal for each of said vacuum interrupters, said first terminals being secured to the upper free end of an associated vacuum interrupter in electrical connection with an associated stationary contact; a second terminal for each of said vacuum interrupters, said second terminals being secured to the lower end of said associated vacuum interrupters in electrical connection with an associated movable contact; a grounding switch for each vacuum interrupter carried by said supporting base in operative association therewith, each of said grounding switches includes a resilient grounding contact and a grounded contact rod that is engageable with said grounding contact, said grounding contact being mounted on said second terminal in electrical relationship therewith and in position to receive said contact rod, said contact rod is supported to said supporting base for axial movement into and out of engagement with said grounding contact; means for operating said grounding switches including a rack formed on each of said contact rods and a gear rotatably supported by said supporting base and in engagement with an associated rack; and, a single means for effecting the rotation of said gears for moving said contact rods simultaneously into and out of engagement with their associated grounding contacts.

Claim 6

In a multiphase vacuum capacitor switch comprising: a grounded supporting base; multiple spaced apart insulators mounted on said supporting base; a vacuum interrupter mounted on each of said insulators; a stationary contact and a movable contact supported within each of said vacuum interrupters for make-and-break engagement; a first terminal for each of said vacuum interrupters, said first terminals being secured to the upper free end of an associated vacuum interrupter in electrical connection with an associated stationary contact; a second terminal for each of said vacuum interrupters, said second terminals being secured to the lower end of said associated vacuum interrupters in electrical connection with an associated movable contact; a grounding switch for each vacuum interrupter carried by said supporting base in operative association therewith, each of said grounding switches includes a resilient grounding contact and a grounded contact rod that is engageable with said grounding contact, said grounding contact being mounted on said second terminal in electrical relationship therewith and in position to receive said contact rod, said contact rod is supported to said supporting base for axial movement into and out of engagement with said grounding contact; means for operating said grounding switches including a rack formed on each of said contact rods and a gear rotatably supported by said supporting base and in engagement with an associated rack; and, a single means for effecting the rotation of said gears for moving said contact rods simultaneously into and out of engagement with their associated grounding contacts.