US2311714A - Reclosing circuit breaker - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1943. J s THOMPSON ETAL 2,311,714

RECLOSING CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed July 22, 1940 6' Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 23, 1943. J 5 THOMPSON ETAL 2,311,714

RECLOSING CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed July 22, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 2 f1" s-EL- 1 5a s Z: /a I W III," I, I I i I 2 1943- J. s. THOMPSON ETAL 2,311,714

RECLOSING CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed July 22, 1940 I 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fin-3'- Feb. 23, J. 5 THQMPSQN ETAL 2,311,714

RECLOSING CIRCUIT BREAKER INV NTORS.

23, 1943- J. 5. THOMPSON zrm. 2,311,714

RECLOSING CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed July 22, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb 3- J. s. THOMPSON El'AL .714

RECLOSING CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed July 22, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Fis-Ji IN V N TORS Patented Febl 23, 1943 2,311,714 RECLOSING CIRCUIT BREAKER Joseph 8. Thompson and Charles E. Bay, San Francisco Calif., assignors to Pacific Electric Manufacturing Corporation, San Francisco,

Calif a corporation of California Application July 22, 1940, Serial No. 346,816

18 Claims.

Our present invention relates to circuit breakers, and more particularly to circuit breakers of the so-called reclosing type which are adapted to open and automatically reclose an electrical circuit upon the occurrence of an overload or fault thereupon. I

An object of the invention is to provide a reclosing circuit breaker for electric power systems that will give overload protection and predetermined automatic reclosures of the circuit in a reliable and eillcient manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic reclosing circuit breaker in which thereclosing operations thereof are carried out by mechanical means independently of current conditions upon the power line connected therethrough.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic reclosing circuit breaker with time delay means which, upon the occurrence of a sustained overload or fault upon the line, will serve to delay the second reclosing operation for a period of time greater than that of the first reclosing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism for an automatic revenient manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring operating mechanism for an automatic reclosing circuit breaker in which novel means is provided to maintain the spring in a 'predetermined wound condition.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic time controlled tripping and reclosing means for an automatic circuit breaker in which the opening and reclosing operations are delayed for predetermined intervals upon the occurrence of a fault upon the power line.

Another object of the invention is to provide a timing mechanism for controlling a spring operated reclosing circuit breaker which will be rendered inoperative'when the circuit breaker operating spring approaches a predetermined unwoundv condition.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part evident to those skilled in the art and in part pointed out hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation preferred embodiments of the several features of this invention.

In the drawings;

Figure is a fragmentary view partially in section showing a conventional circuit breaker of the multipole type adapted to be operated by the operating mechanism contemplated by this invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical view with parts in section showing the circuit breaker contacts in their closed circuit position,

Figure '3 is a vertical view taken along line III-III of Figure 1 showing the arrangement of the circuit breaker operated and timing mechanisms,

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged views showing details respectively of the circuit opening and reclosing latches illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings,

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the center of the circuit breaker operating spring shown in Figure 1 of the drawings,

Figure 7 is an end view of the spring operating mechanism illustrated in Figure 6 with parts broken away to illustrate the construction of a preferred form of spring holding and winding motor,

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are fragmentary views showing details of the timer controlled reclosing latch operating mechanism under different conditions of operation, and

Figure 15 is a plan view of the timer mechanism illustrated in Figure 12.

The apparatus contemplated by the present invention is similar in many respects in its mode of operation to the apparatus disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,125,465, issued August 2, 1938, to August C. Schwager and Paul Frehner, entitled Automatic reclosing circuit breaker, and assigned to the assignee of this invention. In its details of construction, however, this invention is considered an improvement upon the aforesaid disclosure in that it provides a different p of operating means which is particularly suitable for use in connection with circuit breakers of higher voltage and current capacities.

The purpose of the present invention, like that disclosed in the above patent, is to provide a reclosing circuit breaker which is adapted to provide overload protection on a transmission line with automatic reclosures at predetermined intervals and to this end the circuit breaker operating mechanism is so constructed that it will automatically open the circuit upon the occurrence of an overload or fault and immediately thereafter reclose the circuit so that should the fault be cleared, the circuit will be immediately reestablished. In the event that the overload or fault is of a continuous nature, the operating mechanism is adapted 'to again open the circuit and after a predetermined time delay, again reclose the circuit, this operation being repeated through two or more reclosing operations after which, should the overload or fault still exist upon the circuit in which the circuit breaker is connected, the circuit breaker operating mechanism will be rendered ineffective to produce a further reclosing of the circuit breaker.

For the purpose of a detailed description of the invention, there is shown in the drawings a circuit breaker of the three-pole type in which a bridging member is movable with respect to two spaced stationary contacts into a circuit closed or a circuit opened position in the conventional manner well understood in the art.

Reference is now made to Figure 1 of the drawings for a general description of the apparatus as a whole,- and later the various novel aspects thereof will be taken up in detail in connection with the remaining figures of the drawings. In this figure of the drawings, the numeral ll designates a frame that is adapted to be secured upon any suitable support and from which there is suspended a tank I i that is adapted to enclose the circuit controlling contacts of the circuit breaker and contain a suitable insulating and are extinguishing liquid l2, such as oil. The frame II also supports a cover forming member I! which is suspended therefrom so as to enclose the circuit breaker controlling and operating mechanisms which are here designated respectively by the numerals l4 and I. As shown, the controlling mechanism is in the main supported upon a transversely extending panel-like member II that is likewise carried by the frame Ill, and the operating mechanism II is supported 'upon a suitable bracket II which is carried by A the panel-like member II. The frame It has a web or partition ll which serves to separate the controlling mechanism ll from the circuit controlling elements of the circuit breaker. This partition ll also serves to support one end of a circuit breaker operating shaft I! that extends therethrough and is disposed along one side of the circuit breaker contacts. As shown, the shaft II has spaced inwardly extending arms 20 which are movable through an arc as the operating shaft is is oscillated and at their free ends these inwardly extending arms III are connected through a suitable linkage 2 I to a longitudinally extending bar 22. Suspended from the bar 22 and guided in a vertical path by guide members 23 there is a suitable insulating support It for each phase of the circuit breaker, upon the lower ends of which contact bridging members II are mounted. With this arrangement, when the shaft II is oscillated. the insulating supports 24 will move up and down in a vertical direction through the guide members 28 and thus carry the contact bridging members II into and out of cooperating relation with the stationary contacts of the circuit breaker. end, the shaft I. has a lever arm I. that is connected through a pitman TI to an eccentric crank arm II which is adapted to be moved intermittently through successive arcs of The crank arm 28 is rotated by a shaft 20 that is driven by a small gear II that meshes with a larger gear ll carried by an end plate 82 to which the free end of an energy storing operating spring a is connected. At its other end the operating spring 33 is connected to a rotatable end plate I which has gear teeth that mesh with an idler gear II which in turn meshes with a pinion gear 3| upon the shaft of an energized electric spring winding motor 11. It will be noted that the idler gear 8| has an axial length substantially longer than the gear teeth upon the end plate 34. This is to permit axial movement of the end plate N with respect to the idler gear I! as this end of the operating spring 08 moves in and out when the spring II is being wound and/or unwinds. At this point it should be stated that the sprin winding motor 31 is of novel design in that it is of a non-reversible character, and as a result, in addition to its function of maintaining the operating spring I! in a predetermined wound condition, it also serves to hold the operating spring it in a wound condition without resort to a ratchet or other like device. As a means to provide for a manual winding of the operating spring a, the bracket i1 is shown as having a supporting plate a suspended from the end thereof upon which there is mounted a longitudinally movable stop I! and a longitudinally movable end plate engaging member 40 that operates upon the ratchet principle to turn the end plate 34 in a spring winding direction when an operating force is applied thereupon by means of a manual lever 4| carried thereby. The nature of this manual spring winding mechanism is to be described in detail hereinafter.

The above briefly describes the manner in which the circuit breaker operating forces exerted by the operating spring 33 are transmitted to the movable contact bridging members 25 when the operating mechanism It is set in motion to effect an opening and/or a closing of the circuit breaker contacts. For the purpose of rendering the controlling mechanism It responsive to overload or fault conditions upon the circuit to be protected by the circuit breaker, there is provided an overload trip coil 4! which is in series with the contacts of each phase of the circuit breaker. This trip coil 42, as is more clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, is adapted to influence an armature II which is connected through an insulated rod 44 to a trip operating shaft 45. Each of the trip coil operated rods 44 is connected eccentrically to the trip shaft 45 with a lost motion connection mechanism 48 which permits any one of the trip coils 42 to operate independently of the others upon the occurrence of an overload or fault on any one of the phases of the circuit breaker. Like the circuit breaker operating shaft II, the trip shaft ll extends through the partition ll of the frame II and at its extending end it carries a crank arm At its projecting t'ltowhichatoggle collapsinglinkll anda time controlling link 40 are connected.

Upon lurther reference to Figure 2 oi the draw-- ings, it will be noted that the circuit operating shaft ii is mounted well to oneside oi the center oi the circuit breaker upon bearings II, and as a result the free ends or the inwardly extending arms 2| carried thereby will move in substantially vertical arcs. Therefore, as a result oi the linkage ii at the ends 01 the arms "and the ver-, tical guide members 28, the bridging contact supporting members will move vertically with a straight line motion. 1 As here illustrated, the contact bridging members II are-provided with upstanding contacts I whichare adapted to extend into an arc expulsion chamber I2 that surrounds stationary contacts I} carried by terminals I4 located within the circuit breaker tank I l and at the lower ends suitable insulating bushings II that carry exposed terminals (not shown) to which the power circuit conductors are connected. At this point it should be stated that the stationary contact 53, with which the trip coil 42 is associated, is mounted within its expulsion chamber '2 independently of its supporting terminal I4 so that the circuit of the trip coil 42 can be interposed therebetween by conductors ll and II, as is well understood. This latter figure o! the drawings clearly illustrates the nature or the lost motion connection mechanism 4! through which the trip coil operated rods 44 are connected to the trip operating shaft 4 As here'shown,

each or the insulated rods 4 is provided with a pin 88 which engages a slot ll in lever forming members to carried by the trip operating shalt ll. with this arrangement, when any one of the rods 44 is pulled down by an associated armature 43, it will imparta partial rotation of the shaft ll suiilcient to set the controlling mechanism N in operation independently of the trip coils 42 which are associated with the other poles of the circuit breaker.-

Reference is now mil-(iii to Figure 3 0! the drawings for a more detailed description or the controlling mechanism II which serves to automatically control the opening and closing operations or the circuit breaker under theirmuence oi the energy storing spring II. In this figure oixthe drawings it will be noted that the eccentric crank-arm 28, to which :the pitman 21 is conwith the crank arm 20 in its circuit breaker closed and opened positions. In other words, the latch 63 is arranged so that when operated it will permit the circuit breaker contacts to open, and the latch 64 is arrangedso that when it is operated into its disc releasing position, it will permit the spring 33 to reclose the circuit breaker contacts. These latches 63 and M will be described in more detail in connection with Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings. Therefore, for the present it will be suillcient to note that the position 01 the abutment engaging portion or the latch 83 is controlled by toggle forming links 85 and 66 which are connected at their meeting ends to the toggle operating link 48 previously referred to as operatively connected to the crank arm 41 which is carried by the trip shalt ll. As here shown, the

link 48 has an elongated slot 01 at its upper end 75' that provides for a limited amount of lost motion between it and the crank arm 41. Unlike the link ll, the time controllmg link 40 is attached directly to the end of the crank 41 and at itslower end this link II is connected to a lever am a l which is adapted to move upwardly with a time controlled movement, the period or which is determined by a suitable escapement N that de termines the speed of rotation 01 a shaft lil upon which the lever arm I is mounted. With this arrangement it will be seen that when the crank arm 41 is released after such a toggle tripping action, the links ll and 4| will fall by gravity and thus reset the toggle links it and II to position the circuit opening latch '3 in its normal operative position. As a means to provide for a manual operation of the circuit opening latch 63, thereis provided a lever arm Ii that is pivotally mounted upon a shaft 12 located substan tially centralLv uponthe supporting panel I. This lever arm Ii has an outwardly extending pin It at its end which is disposed beneath an outwardly extending boss ll carried by the toggle collapsing link II. For the purpose of moving the pin ll upon the lever arm 'll upwardly and into operating engagement with the boss ll, the leverarm H has an oppositely extending arm I! over which the end 18 of a manual operating push and/orpull rod l'l passes. The lever arm II also has an upstanding portion 18 that is adapted to'engage a stop 18 under the influence ot a spring ll.- The lever arm H is also shown as operatively connected to an armature ll of an electromagnet 82 by means oi a link 83. This latter expedient is to provide for a remote electrical control or the opening'lateh 83 from a push button control station independently of the automatic trip coil control provided for by the overload trip coils in the power line circuit. It will now be seen that when the toggle collapsing link 4', which serves to. control the circuit breaker opening latch 83, is raised by an upward movement of the lever arm 41 through a rotation of the trip coil operated shaft 45 under the influence of an overload or fault on any one of the overload trip coils 2, or by a manual operation of the lever arm II by a pulling down upon the push and/or pull rod 11, or by a rotation of the lever arm H by means oi the armature II in response to an energization of the electromagnet O2 in response to a push button control circuit,

the toggle links as and as will be drawn upwardly into their toggle collapsed positions and as a result the opening latch 83 will be moved out of engagement with the abutment 62 upon the plate 6i and as a result the crank arm 28 will be carried around into its opposite or circuit breaker open position where it will be stopped by an engagement of the abutment 82 with the reclosing latch 84, where the circuit breaker contacts will remain in their open circuit position until the reclosing latch 64 is operated, as will now be described.

Like the circuit opening latch 63, the reclosing latch 64 is also moved into and out oi! operative relation with the abutment 82 upon the disc 6| by toggle links 8| and 85, the latter of which, as is more clearly illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings, has an outwardly extending end 86 that carries a timer engaging link forming device 81 at its outer end. As here shown, the timer engaging link forming device 81 is biased into a timer engaging position by means of a spring ll that is carried by a member 89 which is made responsive to the wound condition of the energy storing spring 8! by means of a slidable member 00. as will be described in detail hereinafter. As

hero shown. the timer eng l l 1111! U 18 bi s d outwardly into the path of a projecting lug ti formed upon a sector I! which is adapted to be moved, as will also be hereinafter pointed out, into a lowered position by means associated with the circuit breaker operating spring It upon each opening movement of the circuit breaker, after which the sector It will be released and permitted to move upwardly with a time controlled movement and into a toggle link trip l engagement with the link device II by an operating means in the form of any suitable escapement type of timing mechanism It. In order to provide for a manually or a remote push button controlled operation of the reclosing latch ll, there is an independently movable lever arm 04 that is freely pivoted upon a shaft ll of the reclosing timer mechanism II and upon which the sector I! is secured. This lever arm 04 has an extending end which, like the lug ll upon the sector 02, is adapted to bemoved into engagement with the timer engaging link ll to collapse the toggle links it and II when it is moved upwardly. This upward movement of the lever am It is effected through a link ll which is carried by an additional lever means II that is pivotally mounted upon the centrally disposed shaft 12 which likewise supports the lever arm I i This lever means 01 has an upstanding portion II which is held in abutting relation with the stop 19 by means of the spring It, as is the case with the lever arm ll. intermediate its free end and the shaft 12, the lever means 01 is provided with an elongated slot ll which will permit a downward movement of the push and/or pull rod l1 and also engage the projection It thereupon so that when the rod 11 is pushed upwardly, the lever means I! will be moved upwardly with the link N and move the toggle tripping lever arm 04 into operating relation with the timer engaging link .1 of the reclosing latch N. A similar operation of the lever means I! by remote push button control is also provided for by means of an electromagnet ill which has an armature ill that is connected thereto by a connecting link I". Before proceeding with a detailed description of the construction of the opening and reclosing latches I and N, attention is again directed to the lever arm II for the purpose of pointing out that this lever arm Ii also carries a downwardly and rearwardly extending arm ilil which projects through the panel-like support it and is connected to a slidable member I at the back thereof which is adapted to render the reclosing timer mechanism It inoperative in the event of a manual and/or a remote push button controlled opening operation of the circuit breaker. It will also be noted that the trip coil operated shaft 45 is biased into its normalinoperative position by means of a spring I" which is connected between a wall of the frame ill and an arm Hi formed upon the crank arm 41.

Reference will now be made to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings for a detailed description of the opening and reclosing latch mechanisms 03 and N which, as stated above, cooperate with the abutment I! to stop the operating mechanism II with the circuit breaker contacts respectively in their closed and opened circuit positions. Except for the difference between the toggle links 68 of the latch N and the link I! of the latch 84, and possibly some slight differences in the dimensions of the several parts, they are identical in construction and mode of operation. As illustrated, the moving parts of these latches II and it are mounted upon a surface plate Ill and move between side walls ill secured thereupon thathave upstanding ears I between which the toggle links It and II are pivotally mounted. In Figure 4, the moving parts of the latch 03 are shown as comprising an abutment forming member Ill having a horizontally extending base iii that providesa surface opposed to the surface plate I" between which two spaced anti-friction rollers ii! are positioned so that the abutment forming member II. can be moved into and out of interfering relation with the abutment 82 upon the disc ti. For the purpose of holding the horizontally extending base iii of the abutment forming member ill in cooperating relation with the anti-friction rollers iii, the side walls I carry two transversely extending guide rods III which are positioned in spaced relation above the ends of the base iii. At its upper end the abutment forming member ill carries an antifriction roller i ll which is held in position thereupon by means of an adjustable cage III that permits a limited rolling of the roller iii thereupon, as when the latch is operated to release the disc Ii and permit an opening of the circuit breaker contacts. The abutment forming member ill with its base iii are also here shown as biased into latching relation with the abutment '2 upon the disc II by means of a compression spring Ill. This spring III is coiled about a guide rod 1 which is pivotally secured to a downwardly extending arm ill carried by the link ll. With this arrangement it will be seen that in addition to biasing the abutment forming member ill in cooperating relation with the abutment t2, the spring III will also serve in conjunction with the weight of the link ll to move the toggle links II and I. into their extended position. As illustrated in Figure 5'of the drawings, the abutment forming member ill with its horizontally extending base iii is positioned below the surface plate ili'l where it will be held in cooperating relation with the antifriction rollers lit by guide rods Ill, previously 64 may be referred to as positioned in an upside down position with respect to the corresponding moving elements of the latch BI. In the latch 04 the links N and 85 are shown as biased into an extended position by means of a compression spring ii! that is coiled about a guide rod in which is pivotally connected to an arm I21 formed upon the link ll. Inthis arrangement it will be seen that when an upwardly directed pulling force is exerted upon the link forming device I! carried by the extending end 86 of the toggle link 85, the toggle formed by the links I4 and I! will be collapsed and as a result the abutment forming member iili will be moved to the left, as viewed in this figure of the drawings, and thus the anti-friction roller I It at the end thereof will be carried out of the path of the abutment 82 carried by the disc ii to permit a reclosing of the circuit breaker contacts. While we have illustrated and here described a specific form of construction for the latches 63 and 64, it is to be understood that these latches may take many other forms, and since their novel construction is not a feature of the present invention, they are to be made the subject matter of a divisional application for patent.

Reference is now made to Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings for a more detailed description of the construction and mode of operation of the energy storing and circuit breaker operating spring 22 previously referred to in connection with Figure 1 of the drawings. As here shown, the energy storing spring 22 is mounted concentrically with respect to a shaft I22 and between the end plates 22 and 24 to which its corresponding ends are attached. The shaft I22 also carries the larger gear 2I previously referred to as associated in driving relation with the\smaller gear 22 carried by the shaft 22 upon which the latch engaging disc II is mounted. As shown in Figure 6, the gear teeth upon the end plate 24 are carried by a ring I22. The end plate 24 is also shown as having an arm I24 which projects into the energy storing spring 22 eccentric to the axis of the shaft I22. This arm I24 carries a radially extending-pin I22 that engages a spiral groove I22 formed in a collar-like member I2'I that is keyed upon the shaft I22. The purpose of the pin I22 and the spiral groove I22 is to pro-' duce a definite axial movement of the end plate 24 with respect to the end plate 22 as the energy storing spring 22 operates to give up energy by a rotation of the shaft I22, or to take up energy r by a relative rotation of the end plate 24 with respect to the end plate 22. This axial movement of the end plate 24 provides a means, as will hereinafter appear, for effecting a control of the circuit for the spring winding motor 21 and also rendering the circuit breaker controlling mechanism I4, and particularly the reclosing control elements thereof, in operative in the event that the energy storing spring 22 reaches a predetermined unwound condition. This figure of the drawings also shows the movable stop 22 which cooperates with the end plate 24 as mounted in a recess I22 formed upon the supporting plate 22. The movable stop 22 is held in engaging relation with the outer face of the end' plate 24 by means of a compression spring! so that as the end plate 24 moves in and out, the stop 22 will move accordingly. Cooperating with the 'stop 22, the outer surface of the end plate 24 is provided with stepped or inclined surfaces which provide radially extending ridges I that are adapted to engage the movable stop 22 and thus prevent rotation of the end plate 24 in all but its spring winding direction of rotation. In addition to the abovefunction, the radially extending ridges I22 upon the end plate 24 provide a ratchet-like surface with which the plate engaging member .40 is adapted to cooperate. As here shown, the plate engaging member 40 is carried by a member I2I journaled upon the supporting plate 22 concentric to the shaft I22 and is held in pressedengagement with the end plate 24 by means of a compression spring I22. With this arrangement it will be understood that when the manually operable lever 4I is oscillated through arcs of substan tially 90, the plate engaging member 42 will suecessively engage the radial ridges I20 upon the end plate 24 and produce a ratchet-like means for manually winding the energy storing spring 22. A further and important feature to be noted in connection with Figure 6 of the drawings is the provision of 'a series of four equally spaced pins I22 upon the spring driven gear 2|. These pins I22 serve, as will hereinafter appear, to set the automatic circuit breaker reclosing elements of the controlling mechanism I4 in operation. As shown more particularly in Figure 7 oi' the drawings, the supporting plate 22 has a portion 76 I24 which carries a shaft I22 upon which the idler gear 22 is lournaled in cooperating relation with the pinion 22 upon the electric motor 21 and the gear teeth upon the ring I22 carried by the end plate 24. Another feature which is illustrated in this latter figure of the drawings is the provision of a vertically disposed lever I22 which is plvotally mounted intermediate its ends upon spaced ears I21. formed upon the inside of the supporting plate 22. This lever I 22 has an extension I22 at its upper end that is adapted to engage an operating button I22 upon a normally closed circuit controlling switch I42 and effect an opening of the motor circuit when the spring 22 reaches a wound condition and the end plate 24 approaches its outermost position with respect to the end plate 22. The switch controlling movement of the lever I22 is produced by a roller I carried thereby and biased into engagement with the surface upon the ring I22 by means of a spring I42, as is more clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. At its lower end the lever I26 also carries one end of a push rod I42 that is adapted to cooperate with the slidable member 22 of the control mechanism I4 in a manner to be described in connection with Figure 14 of the drawings.

Before passing on to the remaining figures of the drawings for a description of the reclosing time delay elements of the control mechanism I4, attention is called to the fact that the spring winding motor 21 is not of the conventional type. As previously suggested, this motor is of a non-reversible type. The particular motor construction here partially illustrated comprises two opposed armatures or magnetic cores I44 which arelattracted toward each other by electromagnetic forces set up in a field coil I45 that is energized from an alternating current source of supply. The armatures I44 are secured upon the ends ofa U-shaped spring steel support I46 in such a manner that when the field coil I 42 is energized, the armatures I44 will vibrate with respect to each other. Associated with the armatures I44 and mounted upon each of the arms of the spring steel support I42 there is a one-way acting clutch means I" that provides a driving connection between the vibrating armatures I44 and a disc I42 carried by a shaft I 42 upon which novel and is to be made the subject matter of a separate application for patent.

Reference is now made to Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 for a detailed description of the manner in which the reclosure timing mechanism 92 is set in operation upon an opening of the circuit breaker by the energy storing spring 23. As illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings, the shaft 25 that carries the sector 92 upon which the lug 9| is formed also carriesan enclosed gear sector I22 that is geared to a suitable timing means or escapement mechanism III. The gear sector I50 is also shown as biased into an upper and inoperative position by means of a compression spring I22 which is capable of exerting a sufficient torque upon the shaft 22 to. operate the escapement mechanism Iii and also carry the link forming device 81 upwardly to collapse the toggle links I and II and thus move the abutment forming member Ill of the reclosing latch 84 out of latching relation with the abutment '1 upon the disc ti, as previously suggested. Upon referring particularly to Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings, it will be seen that the operating shaft ll of the reclosing timing mechanism It extends through to the rear of this device where it supports an extending tongue or lever III which. under normal operating conditions, is disposed in the path of the projecting pins- I" upon the gear Ii that drives the disc ll upon which the circuit breaker operating crank :s is mounted. In these ngures oi the drawings a portion of the gear II is shown for the purpose of indicating the relative location of the pins I thereupon with respect to the tongue or lever I". With this arrangement it will be seen that as the gear ll rotates sumciently to carry the eccentric crank it through a one-halfrevolution to open the circuit breaker contacts, one of the pins I33 thereupon will engage the ton ue or lever I" upon the timer shaft II and rotate this shaft through a predetermined arc and compress the timer operating spring I". At the end of this operation the tongue or lever ill will be released and the shaft is will be. returned to its original position by the spring Ill. During this return movement of the shaft", the sector 82 with its projecting lug II will also return toits initial position at a predetermined speed as determined by the timing escapement mechanism ill, .and when the projecting lug engages the link forming device 01, it will trip the toggle links 84 and 88 and permit the ene storing spring 33 to reclose the circuit breake, contacts.

, At this point it should alsobe noted that the back of the timing mechanism It is provided with an arcuate ridge "lll'that is adapted to hold the tongue or. lever ill outwardly and in engagement with a cooperating pin it! throughout its engagementtherewith. This ridge i, however, terminates at its upper endat-a point where the tongueor lever III is free to move inwardly and. outof the path of thepins I. In orderto hold-the endofthe' tongue or lever ill outwardly and in the path of the pins I", which is its normal operating position, the slidable member I previously referred to as controlled by the lever arm ll, ,ishere shown as provided with a wedge forming end!!! which, when in the position illustrated, will serve to hold the end of the tongue or lever ill in its outer operative position. The slidable member ill is here shown as having a slot I through which a screw lll passes to secure it slidably upon the back of the panel-like support ll. As is shown in detail in Figure 11, the tongue or lever III is pivotally mounted upon a pin it! carried by the shaft DI and is biased into an inoperative position, as

shown by dot and dash lines, by means of a compression spring I". Before passing on to the remaining figures of the drawings for a more detailed description of the reclosing time controlling mechanism, reference is again made to Figure 9 for the purpose of calling attention to the manner in which an interlocking circuit for the push button controlled electromagnets 82 and I" are provided for. As here illustrated, the panel-like support I 8 has two sets of spring contacts, designated by the numerals I and "I, which constitute what are commonly reswitches, as is well understood in the art, are respectively closed and open when the circuit breaker contacts are closed, and when the circuit breaker contacts are open, these switches I and ill arerespectively open and closed. For the purpose of operating these A and B switches Ill and ill, the shaft 20 upon which the disc II is mounted, carries an eccentric cam I" that is engaged by a pivotally mounted iorkedmember I" which carries an insulating switch engaging member I that is adapted to alternately open and/or close the interlocking switches I" and I" as the circuit breaker contacts are operated respectively between their closed and open circuit positions. .In the arrangement here shown the A switch contacts III will be connected in the push button circuit of the electromagnetic coil 82, and the B switch contacts "I will be similarly connected in the circuit of the electromagnetic coil I, shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

Reference is now made to Figures 12, 13, i4 and 15 of the drawings, wherein further details of the reclosing timer mechanism .8 and the manner in which it is associated with the reclosing latch mechanism :4 is illustrated. As shown in these figures 0! the drawings, it will be noted that in addition to the sector I2 with its projecting lug 9i the shalt I! alsocarries an additional 80 tripping member I" that'carries a Projecting 1118 I" which is also adapted to engage the link forming device I! to 'eilect a collapsing of the toggle formed by the links' It and 08. The lug I on the tripping member-l is normally posi- 36 tioned slightly in advance. of the-lug ll upon the sector 02, but, as is more {clearly illustrated in Figure 13, this tripping member-gill is biased for a'relative tripping movement independently of and with respect to the sectonflby means of a 40 spring I61. The spring lll'is positioned between a downwardly extending arm I carried by the tripping member "I andalatchlng lever I" which is pivotaliy mounted upon a shaft I'll carried by the sector-l2. The latching-lever Ill has aproiecting end I'll which is adapted to ensage a shoulder I12 upon the tripping member Ill when the parts are in their normal position, and at a point between itspivotal axis and the projecting end-I'll this latching lever I" has a shoulder [-11 which is adapted to be eng ed by the shoulder I12 formed upon the tripping membe: III. as is illustrated in this figure of the drawings. At its'other end the latching lever I" is adapted to engage-a stationary stop Ill as the sector It, upon which it is mounted, is rotated clockwise upon an opening of the circuit breaker contacts. When the parts are in this position. it will be seen that the projecting lug 1 upon the tripping member I" has moved upwardly a distance suflicient to engage the link forming device l1 and eflect a collapse of the toggle formed by the links M and II When the latching lever III is brought into engagement with the stationary stop Ill and the sector .2 continues in its clockwise rotation, the spring I" will be placed under an increased tension and as soon as the projecting end I'll upon the latching lever Ill disengages the shoulder III upon the tripping member I, this latter member will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction under the influence of the spring I" and independently of the sector 82 and engage the link forming device 01.

This will produce a substantially instantaneous reclosing of the circuit breaker contacts indeferred to as A and B switches. These A and B 15 pendently of the timing mechanism 88 which continues to operate to eilect a subsequent time delayed reclosing oi the circuit breaker contacts. It will be understood that it normal conditions have been established upon the line during the interval between the initial opening and this instantaneous reclos'ing. the lug 6i upon the sector 62 will be ineilective, as the link forming evice 61 will be held out of its path. On the other hand, if the abnormal condition still exists after this instantaneous reclosing, the reclosing timing mechanism 66 will continue to operate until the lug 6I upon its sector 62 comes into engagement with the link forming device 61 to again trip the reclosing latch 66 and effect a subsequent delayed reclosing oi the circuit breaker contacts. At this point the timing mechanism 66 will continue to operate and, i! 'the circuit breaker remains in its closed position, the upward movement of its sector 62 will continue until the extending arm I66 upon the tripping member I66 engages the stop I16. Then, as the sector 62 continues to move upwardly, it will carry the shaft I16 with the latching lever I66 upwardly and thus store energy in the spring I61. This relative movement between the tripping member I66 and the sector 62 will also carry the projecting end I11 of the latching lever I66 into latched engagement with the shoulder I12 upon the tripping member I66 and the timing mechanism 66 will then be reset to effect an instantaneous and, 30

it necessary. subsequently time delayed reclosing of the circuit breaker. In this connection it will be understood that where a number of subsequent time delayed reclosings are necessitated, the sector 62 upon the reclosing timing mechanism 66 will not have time between these operations to Idlto winter-clockwise a distance sufllcient to a resetting of the instantaneous tripping member I66 with respect to the sector 62 and,'as a result, the lug I66 upon the trippin lever 165 will not be brought down tar. enough to become operative during these subsequent delayed reclosings, but will remain displaced upwardly from the lug 6| upon the sector 62, as shown in Fi ures 13 and 14 of the drawings. As illustrated in Figure 12, it will be noted that the member 66 is provided with an outwardly extending tongue portion I16 that projects into the path of a pin I16 carried by the link forming device 61 and to which the spring 66 is connected. This tongue I16 upon the member 66 is so disposed in the path oi the pin I16 that when the link forming device 61 is moved upwardly by an operation oi. the reclosing timer mechanism 66. the pin I16 carried thereby will engage the inner edge of the tongue I16 and cause the link forming device 61 to be rotated clockwise. This will cause the link form.- ing device 61 to become disengaged from the projection 6i c-r theprojection I66 carried respectively by the timed sector 62 and the instantaneous tripping member I66 when the toggle formed by the links 36 and 85 has been collapsed sumciently to move the abutment forming member II6 with its roller II6 out oi latching relation with the abutment 62 upon. the disc 6|. Upon comparing the position of the link forming device 61, as shown in Figures 12 and 14 of the drawings, it will be noted that in the former figure the spring 66, which is carried by thev member 66, is disposed above the pivotal axis of the link formingdevice 61, whereas when the member 66 g is rotated into the position illustrated in the lattcr figure of the drawings by an upward movement of the slidable member 66, the spring 66 point the link iorming device 61. From this it will be seen that when the member 66 has been rotated into this latter position, the projecting tongue I16 and the spring 66 will operate to bias the link forming device 61 outwardly and into a position where the lugs 6i and I66. respectively carried by the sector ir'and the instantaneous trippin member I66, may pass thereby and thus be rendered ineilective to produce a reclosing of 1a the circuit breaker when the energy storing spring 66 has unwound sumciently to produce the required displacement of the end plate 66 which,

as previously suggested, operates through the push rod I66 to control the slidable member 66.

15 It will be noted, upon referring to Figure 15 of 5 respectively by the sector 62 and the tripping member I66 and the projecting end of the manually operable tripping lever arm 66. It will also be seen that the pin I16 upon the link taming device 61 which carries the spring 66 extends out-' wardly through the plane or the member 66'so that in its upward movement it willbe brought into engagement with the projecting tongue portion I16 previously referred to as formed upon the member 66. 1

For an understanding of the operation oi'our invention, referenceshould now be made to Fig" ures 1, 2 and 301' the drawings for a description of its operation under' manual and so-called remote push button control; l 'or this purpose it will be assumed that the energystoring spring 66 is fully wound and that the disc 6| is held in the position shown in Figure 3 by the latch mechanism 66, and that as a consequence the contact bridging member 26 of the circuit breaker is in 0 its circuit closed position. Now, should it be desired tov open the circuit breaker manually, the operator need only pull down on the push-pull rod 11. This will rock the lever arm 1I upon its pivotal support 12 and bring the pin 16 at the end 4 5 thereof into engagement with the boss 16 carried by the link 66 and impart an Iupward movement thereto. This upward movement of the link 66 will collapse the toggle formed by the links 66 and 66 upon the latch mechanism 66 and move the abutment II6 with its roller II6 out of engagement with the abutment 62 carried by the disc 6I and thus permit the energy storing spring 66 to rotate the disc 6| through an angle 01' 180 where the abutment 62 will engage the roller II6 car- 5 ried by the abutment forming member II6 of the latch mechanism 66. When this operation is completed, it will be seen that the pitman 21 carried by the crank arm 26 will cause the lever arm 26 upon the shaft I6 to be pulled down and thus -the levers 26 upon the shaft I6 will also move downwardly so as to move the bar 22 and the contact supporting members 26 carried thereby downwardly until the contact bridging member 26 with its contacts II are out of circuit making engagement with the stationary contacts 66 of the circuit breaker. Now, should it be desired to close the circuit breaker manually, the operator need only push up on the push-pull rod 11 and rock the lever mean 61 upwardly about its pivotal 70 support 12. This will move the link 66 upwardly and carry the independent tripping lever arm 66 upon the reclosing timer shaft 65 into tripping relation with the link forming device 61 to collapse the toggle formed by the links 66 and 66 will be positioned at the other side or the pivot l 76 0f the s ng latch mechanism 66. This collapsing of the toggle links it and II will move the abutment III with its roller II out of the path of the abutment 02 carried by the disc II and permit the energy storing spring a to rotate the disc ll back into engagement with the roller Ill carried by the abutment III of the latch mechanism It, as'shown in Figure 3 of the drawings. In the event that the circuit breaker is provided with a remotely located push button control station, it will be understood that the electromagnetic coils l2 and I will be connected in a, circuit with the opening and closing push buttons so that they may be energized from a suitable source of electric power as desired to open or close the main contacts of the circuit breaker.

As shown in Figure 3, if the electromasnetic 0011 I2 is energized, the armature 8| associated therewith will be pulled up and as a result the lever arm II will be rotated about its pivotal axis 12 and thus eilect an opening operation of the circuit breaker, as outlined above. Conversely, if the electromagnetic coil III is energized, this will cause the armature IIII to move up and rotate the lever means l1 and thus lift the independent lever arm .4 of the reclosin timer mechanism 93 into engagement with the link forming device s1 and trip the toggle links I and ti to release the disc II. This will permit the energy storing spring 33 to open the contacts of the circuit breaker, as hasalso been described hereinabove in connection with the manual operation of the circuit breaker. During both of the above opening operations, which involve an upward movement of the lever arm II, it will be seen that the downwardly and rearwardly disposed arm I carried thereby will move and carry the slldable member I to the right, as viewed in Figure 3 of the drawings, and to the left, as viewed in Figures 9 and 10 of the drawings' This movement on the slldable member I will carry the wedge forming member I" at the end thereof out from under the lever I" carried by the shaft OI of the reclosing timer mechanism II and permit the lever I" to move out of the path of the pins I carried by the gear II as the energy storing spring It operates to effect the opening operation of the circuit breaker. As a result of this, in the event of a normal or push button operation of the control mechanism It, the reclosing timer mechanism 93 will not be set in operation and, therefore, the disc II will be stopped and held by the reclosing latch mechanism 84 with the circuit breaker in its open circuit position.

A complete automatic operation of our improved circuit breaker through a series of opening and reclosing operations, such as would occur in the event of a sustained overload or fault upon the power line in which the circuit breaker is connected, will now be described. Under these conditions, as in the description of the manual and push button controlled operation, it will be assumed that the energy storing spring 33 is in its fully wound condition with the contact bridging member in its closed circuit position and that the elements of the control mechanism I4 are in the positions illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. At this point, since it is being assumed that the energy storing spring 33 is fully wound, it should be pointed out that in Figure 1 of the drawings the energy storing spring I! is shown in its unwound condition in order to illustrate the manner in which the lever arm It. operates to control the motor circuit and through the rod I to render the reclosing timer mechanism It inop- 75 erative when the energy storing spring It reaches this unwound condition.

Under the assumed conditions, if an overload or fault occurs upon the power circuit of the g circuit breaker, one or more of the trip coils l2,

depending upon the phases of the power line affected, will become energized and exert a downwardly pulling force upon its associated insulated rod 44 andcause the trip shaft II to be 10 rotated through an arc sutlicient to carrythe crank arm 41 upwardly, as viewed in Figure 3. This rotation of the shaft I will cause the end of the crank arm 41 to exert a pull on the timer link It. This will move the end of the crank arm 15 41 in the slot 81 of the link I with a delayed time action, as determined by the timer mechanism 59. As soon as the end of the crank arm 41 reaches the end of the slot 01 in the link I, further rotation of the crank arm 41 will cause the link 4. to collapse the toggle formed by the links "and it of the opening latch It and release the disc ti. As soon as the disc II is thus released, the energy storing spring 33 will operate through its driving gear II and the pinion 25 II to rotate the disc II and bring the abutment '2 carried thereby into latched relation with the roller Ill carried by the abutment III of the reclosing latch mechanism 04. At the same time, as'the gear II rotates to impart this movement so to the disc II, one of the pins III carried thereby will engage the lever I" which is supported upon the timer shaft II at the rear of the timer mechanism It. As this pin III engages this lever Ill it will rotate the shaft 05 andcarry the as sector 92 and the instantaneous trip member it downwardly against the action of the reclosing timer compression spring II2. After this operation, the pin I33 will'become disengaged with the lever Ill and as a result the sector I! of 40 the timer mechanism will be free to return slowly under the influence of the compression spring III at a speed determined by the escapement mechanism III. However, upon this initial downward movement of the sector 92, the latch lever i carried thereby will engage the stop Ill and be moved sufficiently to carry the pro- Jecting end I'll carried thereby out of engagement with the shoulder I12 upon the instantaneous trip member I". This will permit an immediate-retum of the instantaneous trip member I" through an arc sufllcient to engage the link forming device 01, as shown in Figure 13, and effect an immediate release of the .disc CI and consequently provide what might be described as an instantaneous reclosing of the circuit breaker. Now, should the overload or fault be of a continuing nature, as assumed, one of the trip coils 42 will again respond upon a closing of the circuit breaker contacts and as a result the lever arm I will again be moved upwardly to effect a second opening of the circuit breaker contacts in the manner above described for the first opening of the circuit breaker. When the circuit breaker contacts are thus opened a second time, another one of the pins III will engage the lever I53 carried by the shaft or at the back of the reclosing timer mechanism It and again move the sector 92 downwardly against the action of the compression spring Ill. During this interval, however, the latch I69 carried by the sector It will not have become reset and, therefore, the projecting end I thereof will not be moved down far enough to again engage the link forming device .1 and, therefore, there will be no instantaneous tripping of iormed by the links N and II alter a prede:

termined time delay, as determined by the escapement III. From this it will be seen that up to this point the circuit breaker contacts have been operated through one immediate reclosing operation and one delayed reclosing operation. Now, should the overload or fault still prevail upon the circuit in which the circuit breaker is connected, the last described reclosing operation will be again repeated. During the instantaneous and the two time delayed reclosing operations thus described, it will be undertsood that the energy storing spring II will give up its energy at a rate greater than the energy can be restored thereto by means at the motor 31 and, therefore, the end plate 84 carried thereby will move inwardly into the position shown in Figure l oi the drawings, where the lever I" carried by the end plate it will be permitted to move under the influence oi the spring I" and thus impart a' movement to the push rod I which will cause the slidable member II to, be moved upwardly in a diagonal path into the position illustrated in Figure 14 of the drawings, where the link iorming device II will be held out oi interfering relation with the projecting lugs II and I carried respectively by the sector I! and the instantaneous trip member "I oi! the reclosing timer mechanism ll. Upon the last opening operation of the circuit breaker, it will be seen that since the link forming device ll has been rendered inoperative by this displacement or the end plate 34 and the consequent movement the slidable member ll, the toggle formed by the links I and It will remain extendedandasaresultthediscll willbeflnally stopped by the latch mechanism ll in a position where the'contact bridging member II of the circuit breaker will be held out of circuit making engagement with the line terminals or the circuit breaker. During the above operation it will also be understood that as the lever I" is permitted to rotate under the influence oi the spring 2, the extension ill at the upper end we desire to have it understood that this inventionisnotlimitedtothespeciilcmeansdisclosed, but may be embodied in other ways that will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art. It is believed that this invention is new and it is desired to claim it so that all such changes as some within the scope oi the appended clsims are to be considered as part or this invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker oi the character described, the combination oi circuit controlling means, an energy storing spring for operating said circuit controlling means through a series of circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its closed circuit position, a second latch means for holding "said circuit controlling means in its open circuit position, means responsive to load conditions upon the circuit in which said circuit controlling means is connected adapted to render said iirst latch inoperative and permit said energy storing spring to move said circuit controlling means into its circuit open position, and means responsive to said energy storing spring adapted upon an initial opening operation or said circuit controlling means to render said second latch inoperative when said circuit controlling means reaches its circuit open position and permit an immediate reclosing of said circuit controlling means by said energy storing pring.

2. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker or the character described, the combination of circuit controlling means adapted to be connected I in a power circuit, an energy storing spring render said first latch inoperative and permit thereof will be moved out or engagement with the operating button ill at the normally closed motor circuit controlling switch I and as a result the motor 31 will continue to operate to rewind the energy storing spring 33. After the circuit breaker has been latched in either its open or closed circuit position, the motor II will continue to operate to rewind the energy storing spring 33 until the end plate 84 carried thereby has moved outwardly a suflicient distance to cause the lever I" to move and bring its extending end I into circuit opening engagement with the button ill of the normally closed switch ill.

While we have, for the sake oi clearness and in order to disclose our invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illustrated speciiic devices and arrangements,

said energy storing spring to move said circuit controlling means into its circuit open position, means responsive to said energy storing spring adapted upon an initial opening operation of said circuit controlling means to render said second latch inoperative when said circuit controlling means reaches its circuit open position and permit an immediate reclosing of said circuit controlling means by said energy storing spring, and means for rendering said last means inoperative in the event of an immediate circuit reopening operation of said circuit controlling means by said energy storing spring.

3. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker oi the character described, the combination of circuit controlling means, an energy storing spring for operating said circuit controlling means through a series 0! circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations,v a latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its closed circuit position, a second latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its open circuit position, means responsive to a fault or overload condition upon the power circuit in which said circuit controlling means is connected adapted to render said first latch inoperative and permit said energy storing spring to move said circuit controlling means into its circuit open position, a latch tripping means rcsponsive to said energy storing spring upon an initial opening operation of said circuit controlling means adapted to render said second latch inoperative when said circuit controlling means has reached its full circuit open position, whereby said circuit controlling means will be immediately operated by said energy storin spring to reclose the circuit controlled thereby, and means !or rendering said latch tripping means inoperative after said initial opening and reclosing operation in the event 9! a sustained fault or overload condition upon the power circuit in which the circuit controlling means is connected.

4. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination oi. circuit controlling means, an energy storing spring adapted to operate said circuit controlling means through a series oi circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its closed circuit position, a second latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its open circuit position, means responsive to an overload condition upon the power circuit in which said circuit controlling means is connected adapted to render said ilrst latch inoperative and permit said energy storing spring to move said circuit controlling means into its circuit open position, a latch tripping means responsive to said energy storing spring upon an initial opening operation 01' said circuit controlling means adapted to render said second latch inoperative when said circuit controlling means has reached its circuit open position, whereby said circuit controlling means will be immediately operated by said energy storing spring to reclose the circuit controlled thereby, means for rendering said latch tripping means inoperative after said initial circuit reclosing operation in the event of a sustained fault or overload condition upon the power circuit in which the circuit controlling means is connected, and a delayed action latch tripping means responsive to said'energy storing spring for rendering said second latch inoperative after a predetermined time interval following any circuit opening operation of said circuit controlling means by said energy storing spring immediately following the initial reclosing operation thereof in response to said latch tripping means.

5. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of circuit controlling means adapted to open and close a power circuit, an energy storing spring for operating said circuit controlling means through a series of circuit openin and circuit reclosing operations, a latch means for holdin said circuit controlling means in its closed circuit position, a second latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its open circuit position, means responsive to load conditions upon the circuit in which said circuit controlling means is connected adapted to render said first latch inoperative and permit said energy storing spring to move said circuit controlling means into its circuit open position, a timing mechanism adapted to be set in operation by said energy storing spring during each opening operation of said circuit controlling means. means controlled by said timing mechanism adapted in the event oil a sustained fault or overload upon the power circuit to render said second latch inoperative s,su,7-rs

after a predetermined interval or, lapsed time to permit a reclosing of said circuit controlling means by said energy storing spring, and means associated with said timing mechanism adapted upon an initial circuit opening operation oi said circuit controlling means in response to the means responsive to load conditions upon the power circuit to render said second latch inoperative independently oi said timing mechanism and permit an immediate reclosing oi said circuit controlling means by said energy storing spring.

6. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination oi circuit controlling means adapted to open and close a power circuit. an energy storing spring for operating said circuit controlling means through a series of circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its closed circuit position. a second latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its open circuit position, means responsive to load conditions upon the circuit in which said circuit controlling means is connected adapted to render said first latch inoperative and permit said energy storing spring to move said circuit controlling means into its circuit open position, a timing mechanism adapted to be set in operation by said energy storing spring upon each opening operation or said circuit controlling means, means associated with said timing mechanism adapted upon an initial circuit opening operation of said circuit controlling means in any one series of circuit opening and circuit closing operations to render said second latch inoperative independently of said timing mechanism and permit an immediate reclosing of said circuit con,- trolling means by said energy storing spring. other means controlled by said timing mechanism adapted upon each subsequent opening operation of the circuit controlling means resulting from a sustained fault or overload upon the power circuit to render said second latch inoperative aiter predetermined intervals of lapsed time to elect a plurality of subsequent reclosing operations of said circuit controlling means by said energy stor-' ing spring, and means responsive to an unwound condition oi said energy storing spring for rendering said timing mechanism inoperative upon said second latched means after a predetermined number of reclosing operations of said circuit controlling means.

"I. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination oi circuit controlling contacts adapted to be moved out of and into engagement with each other to respectively open and close a load circuit, an energy storing spring, means operated by said energy storing spring for moving said circuit controlling contacts through a series of circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a latching means for holding said means against operation by said energy storing spring when said contacts are in their circuit closed position, electromagnetic means responsive to load conditions upon the circuit controlled by said contacts, mechanical means operated by said electromagnetic means adapted to render said latching means inoperative and permit an operation oi said energy storing spring and movement of said circuit controlling contacts into an open circuit position in the event oi an overload or imit upon the circuit controlled thereby, and a mechanical timing device associated with said mechamcal means and perating independently of current conditions upon the circuit for introducing a predetermined time delay m the operation of-said electromagnetic means in responsetoanoverloadorfaultandtherelease of said shaft by said latching means.

8. In an automatic recloting circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of circuit controlling contacts adapted to be moved out of and into engagement with each other to rapectivelyopen and close a power transmission circuit, an energy storingspring. a shaft adapted to be rotated by said energy storing spring, means operated by rotation of said shaft for moving said circuit controlling contacts through a seriesof circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a

latching means for holding said shaft against rotation by said energy storing spring when said contacts are in their circuit closed position, an

overload tripping device responsive to load'conditions upon the circuit through said contacts. means operated mechanically by said overload tripping device adapted to render said latching means inoperative and permit a movement of said circuit controlling contacts into a circuit ,open position by said energy storing spring in the event of an overload or fault upon the power -Itransmission circuit. and a mechanical action --delaying device associated with said last means for retarding its operation by said overload tripinterval between the actuation of' said overload tripping device and the release of said shaft by said latching means.

9. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of circuit-contro11ing contacts adapted to be moved outof and into engagement with each other to respectively open and close a power tron circuit, an energy storing spring, a shaft adapted to be rotated'by said energy storing spring, means operated by rotation of said shaft for moving said circuit controlling contacts through a series of circuit opening and circuit reclosing opera: tions, a latching means for holding said shaft against rotation by said energy storing spring when said contacts are in their circuit closed position, electromagnetic means responsive to load conditions upon the circuit through said contacts adapted. torender said latching means inoperative and permit 'a movement of said circuit controlling contacts into an open circuit position by rotation of said shaft in the event render said latching means inoperative and permit a movement of said circuit controilingcontacts into an open circuit position by rotation ofsaid shaft in the event of an overload or fault upon the power circuit. a second latching means for stopping rotation of said shaft whensaid contacts reach their circuit open position,atimingmechanismadaptedtobea et inoperationbysaidenergystoringspringupon each opening operation of said circuit controlling contacts, means controlled by said timing mechanism adapted in the event of a sustained fault or overload upon the power circuit to render'said second latch inoperative after a predetermined interval of lapsed time following each opening operation of said circuit controlling contacts to effect a plurality ofsubsequent reclosn! operations" of said circuit controlling contactsby said energy storing spring, and means responsive to an unwound condition ofsaid energy storing spring for rendering said timing mechanism inoperative tocontrol said second latching means after a predetermined number of reclosing operations of said circuit controlling means.

11. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of eping device and introducing a predeterminedtime circuit controlling contacts adapted to be moved out of and intoengagement with each other to respectively open and close a power ton circuit, an energy'storing spring. a shaft adapted to be rotated by said energy storing spring, means operated by rotation of said shaft for moving said-circuit controlling contacts through a series of" circuit opening and circuit reclosing op power transmission circuit, a latching mechanism adapted to stop rotation of said shaft by said energy storing spring when said circuit controlling contacts are in their circuit open position, and means set in operation by said energy storing spring upon an initial operation thereof of anoverload or fault upon the power transmisf sion circuit, a mechanical lost motion link connection between said last means and said latch ing means, and an action delaying device associated with said lost motion link connection for introducing a predetermined time interval between the occurrence of an overload or fault upon the power circuit and the release of said shaft by said latching means.

10. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of circuit controlling contacts adapted to be moved out of and into engagement with each other to respectively open and close a power transmission circuit, an energy storing spring, a shaft adapted to be rotated by said energy. storing spring, means operated by rotation of said shaft for moving said controlling contacts through a series of circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a latching means for holding said shaft against rotation by said energy storing spring when said contacts are in their closed circuit position, means responsive to load conditions upon the power transmission circuit adapted to to rotate said shaft and move said circuit controlling contacts into their open circuit position adapted to render said latching mechanism inoperative, whereby said energy storing spring will operate to rotate said shaft and effect an immediate circuit reclosing movement of said circuit controlling contacts. V H

12. In an. automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of circuit controlling contacts adapted to be moved out of and into engagement with each other to respectively open and close. a power transmission circuit, an energy storing spring, a shaft adapted to be rotated by said energy storing spring, means operated by rotation of -said shaft for moving said circuit controlling contacts through a series of circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, means normally holding said shaft against rotation by said energy storing spring when said contacts are in their closed circuit position, means responsive to load conditions upon the power transmission circuit adapted to render said normally holding means inoperative in the event of an overload or fault upon the power transmission circuit, a latching mechanism adapted to stop rotation of said shaft by said energy storing spring when said circuit controlling contacts are in their circuit open position, means set in operation by said energy storing spring upon an initial operation thereof to rotate said shaft and move said. circuit controlling contacts into their open circuit position arranged and adapted to render said latching mechanism inoperative, whereby said energy storing spring will operate to rotate said shaft andeii'ect an immediate circuit reclosing movement of said circuit controlling contacts, and a timing means associated with said last means a,sii,'ria

crating said circuit controlling means through a aeries of circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a torsional energy storing spring atadapted upon an immediate subsequent circuit opening movement of said circuit controlling contacts to render said means operative to release said latching. mechanism after a predetermined interval of lapsed time, whereby in the event of a continuing overload or fault upon the power transmission circuit said circuit controlling contacts will) operated through a series of at least two reclosing operations the first one of which will occur immediately following the first circuit opening operation of said circuit controlling contacts and the second of which will occur after a predetermined time interval following a second circuit opening movement of said circuit controlling contacts.

13. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of circuit controlling means, a driving shaft for operating said circuit controlling means through a series of circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a torsional energy storing spring secured at one end to said driving shaft and arranged concentrically thereto, an end plate slidably and rotatably mounted upon said driving shaft and to which the other end of said torsional energy storing spring is connected, means for holding said end plate against rotation upon said driving shaft when said spring is wound to store energy therein, means carried by said driving shaft and cooperating with said end plate for imparting a definite axial movement to said end plate as said driving shaft is rotated by said energy storing spring, and means responsive to the axial movement of said end plate adapted to render said circuit controlling means inoperative upon a predetermined axial movement of said end plate as said energy storing spring unwinds to impart rotation to said driving shaft.

14. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of circuit controlling means, a driving shaft for operating said circuit controlling means through a series of circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a torsional energy storing spring attached at one end to said driving shaft and arranged concentrically thereto, an end plate slidably and rotatably mounted upon said driving shaft and to which the other end of said torsional energy storing spring is connected, means for holding said end plate against rotation upon said driving shaft when said spring is wound to store energy therein, a spiral guide means carried by said driving shaft, a guide engaging means carried by said end plate for imparting a definite axial movement to said end plate as said driving shaft is rotated by said energy storing spring, and means cooperating with said end plate adapted to render said circuit controlling means inoperative in the event of a predetermined axial displacement of said end plate upon shaft and to which the other end of said an sional energy storing spring is connected, an

electric motor for rotating said end plate about said driving shaft to wind and. store energy in said energy storing spring, means carried by said driving shaft and cooperating with said end plate for imparting a definite axial movement to said end plate as it is rotated relative to said drivin shaft by said electric motor, an energizing circuit for said electric motor. a normally closed circuit controlling switch in'said circuit for controlling the energization of said electric motor. and means responsive to the axial movement of said end plate upon said driving shaft resulting from a rotation thereof by said electric motor adapted to open said normally closed switch and disconnect the electric motor from said energizing circuit.

18. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of circuit controlling means, an energy storing spring for operating said circuit controlling means through a series of circuit opening and circuit reclosing operations, a latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in a closed circuit position, a second latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its open circuit position, means responsive to said energy storing spring adapted upon an opening operation of said circuit controlling means to render said second latch inoperative when said circuit controlling means reaches its open circuit position and permit an immediate reclosing of said circuit controlling means by said energy storing spring, manually operable means for rendering said first latch means inoperative and permitting said energy storing spring to move said circuit controlling means into its circuit open position, and means controlled by said manual means adapted to render the means responsive to said energy storing spring inoperative in the event of a manually controlled opening operation of said circuit controlling means.

17. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker of the character described, the combination of circuit controlling means adapted to open and close a power circuit, an energy storing spring for operating said circuit controlling means through a series of circuit-opening and circuit reclosing operations, a latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its closed circuit position, a second latch means for holding said circuit controlling means in its open circuit position, means responsive to load conditions upon the circuit in which said circuit controlling means is connected adapted to render said first latch inoperative and permit said energ storing spring to move said circuit controlling means said shaft as said energy storing springunwinds 1 into its circuit open position, a timing means for delaying the operation of said first latch means by said means responsive to load conditions, a second timing means adapted to be set in operation by said energy storing spring during each opening operation of said circuit controlling means, means controlled by said second timing'means adapted in the event of a sustained fault or overload upon the power circuit to render said second latch inoperative after a predetermined interval of lapsed time to permit a reclosing of said circuit controlling means by said energy storing spring, and means associated with said second timing means adapted upon an initial circuit opening operation of said circuit controlling means in response to the means responsive to load conditions upon the power circuit to render said second latch inoperative independently of said second timing means, whereby said circuit controlling means will operate to provide a delayed opening, an immediate reclosing and a series of delayed openings and reclosings of the controlled circuit in the event of a sustained fault or overload thereupon.

18. In an automatic reclosing circuit breaker having relatively movable contacts adapted to control a load circuit. an operating shaft for controlling the relative movements for said contacts, an energy storing spring means for operating said shaft through a series oi. contact moving operations, a latching means for holding said shaft against rotation by said energy storing spring when said contacts are in a circuit closed position, an overload trip ing device responsive to current passing through said contacts, a me-

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