Abstract:
An oil-immersed and high-pressure tripping switch structure comprises an operational apparatus, an arc-extinguishing cylinder, and an oil-shortage automatic tripping safety device wherein a sensory device detecting a fault current will trip open to displace a spring rebound pivoting-point, permitting a main spring to simultaneously actuate the release of contact points and the rotation of an operational handle therewith so that the operational handle is rotated to recover its primary angle so as to indicate the tripped/off status of the switch, facilitating the judgment and operation of workers. In addition, via a buoyant tube combined with an oil-retaining tank, the buoyant tube in case of oil-shortage can generate a sufficient downward pressure to activate the release of a tripping device so as to ensure the safety of the present invention in operation. Furthermore, a complex arc-interruption mechanism is applied so that the arc-extinguishing cylinder can efficiently break higher fault current thereby.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is related to an oil-immersed and high-pressure tripping switch structure, comprising an operational apparatus, an arc-extinguishing cylinder, and an oil-shortage automatic tripping safety device wherein a sensory device detecting a fault current will trip open to displace a spring rebound pivoting-point, permitting a main spring to simultaneously actuate the release of contact points and the rotation of an operational handle therewith so that the operational handle is rotated to recover its primary angle so as to indicate the tripped/off status of the switch, facilitating the judgment and operation of workers. In addition, via a buoyant tube combined with an oil-retaining tank, the buoyant tube in case of oil-shortage can generate sufficient downward-pressure to activate the release of a tripping device so as to ensure the safety of the present invention in operation. Furthermore, a complex arc-quenching mechanism is applied so that the arc-extinguishing cylinder can efficiently break higher fault current thereby. 
   Please refer to  FIGS. 1-A ,  1 -B,  1 -C, and  1 -D. For decades, oil-immersed and high-pressure tripping switches have been applied to transformers to prevent the over-current condition thereof. A conventional oil-immersed and high-pressure tripping switch usually found on the market utilizes a fixed spring rebound pivoting-point R 1 , and a tripping mechanism having a ring-shaped trip spring R 5  applied thereto. To set the switch in operation, an actuating linkage rod R 4  of a tripper R 3  is first connected to a contact point crank R 5  and a main spring rotating crank R 6 . Meanwhile, the ring-shaped trip spring R 2  is built up in strength as shown in  FIG. 1-A . An operational handle R 7  is rotated to activate the stretching movement of a main spring R 8 . When the main spring R 8  is rotated to exceed the rebound pivoting-point R 1 , the main spring R 8  will contract in opposite directions as shown in  FIG. 1-B , speedily actuating the movement of the main spring rotating crank R 6  and the contact point crank R 5  therewith so as to allow a movable contact point R 9  of the switch thereof to close onto a fixed contact point RIO as shown in  FIG. 1-C . And a switch current sensory device R 11  detecting a fault current will activate the tripper R 3  and the actuating linkage rod R 4  therewith, releasing the contact point crank R 5  to detach from the main spring rotating crank R 6 . Meanwhile, the ring-shaped trip spring R 2  will undergo an expansion movement to actuate the contact point crank R 5  rotating downwards and making the movable contact point R 9  to detach from the fixed contact point R 10  thereof. Due to the main spring R 8  still remained in the first adjusted status, the operational handle R 7  will stay in the former switched-on position as shown in  FIG. 1-D . Therefore, a worker can&#39;t judge from the external look of the switch if it has been shutdown in a tripped status, which can not only increase the chance of accident, but may easily cause mistakes in operation thereof. 
   In case of a leakage of the insulating oil due to the corrosion or breaking of the case of the transformer, the continuity in the supply of electricity will result in the insufficient insulation distance and cause the accident of electrical-arc blast. At present, the high-pressure tripping switch on the market cannot detect the shortage of oil and automatically trip off in case of the oil-shortage. Thus, in addition to the failure to insulate the transformer in advance before it works under the condition of insufficient oil, the conventional high-pressure tripping switch under the shortage of insulating oil may fail to successfully cut off the supply of electricity and break the circuit thereof, which can lead to the disaster of electrical-arc blast and endanger the lives of workers. 
   Moreover, the arc-extinguishing cylinder of the conventional high-pressure tripping switch is designed in a half-enclosed form so as to reduce the pressure of the vaporized oil generated in the process of arc-interruption, which makes it to trip at rather small fault current. As a result, series of low-current and backup fuses must be strung to match with the conventional high-pressure tripping switch. Thus, the conventional high-pressure stripping switch is uneconomically limited in the range of protection thereof. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   It is, therefore, the primary purpose of the present invention to provide an oil-immersed and high-pressure tripping switch structure wherein a single main spring is applied and, via the displacement of a spring rebound pivoting-point, the main spring is changed in the direction of motion so as to easily achieve various mechanisms such as the switch-on, the automatic trip-off, and the indication of movement thereof. Besides, the linkage rotating rod of an operational handle and a rotary arm actuating the main spring thereof are not connected in a concentric arrangement so as to increase the swinging range thereof in operation. In addition to saving a lot of efforts in operation, the operational handle when tripped will swing in a larger range to obviously indicate the tripped/off status thereby. 
   It is, therefore, the second purpose of the present invention to provide an oil-immersed and high-pressure tripping switch structure wherein an automatic tripping safety device is provided to trip/off the switch in case of an oil-shortage. Besides, the tripping safety device is equipped with an anti-shock property to prevent any mistakes in operation caused by vibrations or earthquakes. The shock-resistant and oil-shortage automatic tripping safety device includes an oil-retaining tank with an upper opening, a buoyant tube coupled with the oil-retaining tank disposed on top thereof before put into a damping oil cup disposed at the bottom thereof, and a linkage rod extending from the bottom of the buoyant tube and right through the damping oil tank thereof to connect with one end of an oil-shortage tripping device thereby. The buoyant tube and the oil-retaining tank are immersed in the insulating oil without the buoyant tube floating on the oil surface. With the effect of the damping oil cup, the tripping device will almost not be shaken along in case any vibrations occur. Thus, the switch will not be mistakenly operated due to the vibrations thereof. When an oil-shortage causes the oil surface to lower down, the oil-retaining tank filled with the insulating oil will gradually emerge to the oil surface till the weight of the insulating oil stored inside the oil-retaining tank will directly activate the tripping device of the switch thereof so as to achieve an automatic tripping mechanism in case of oil-shortage thereof. 
   It is, therefore, the third purpose of the present invention to provide an oil-immersed and high pressure tripping switch structure wherein an arc-extinguishing cylinder is provided, utilizing a complex arc-quenching mechanism in which a spray-type arc-interrupting chamber is applied to expel vaporized-oil upwards and a side-blowing arc-interrupting chamber is set to cut the electrical arc sideways into pieces and have the vaporized-oil discharged outwards there-from. When a movable contact point is detached from a fixed contact point of the switch thereof to generate an electrical arc thereby, the insulating oil will immediately fill up the space opened there-between to cool down the high temperature electrical arc with a large amount of vaporized-oil produced in the process to be emitted via the spray-type arc-interrupting chamber disposed at the upper section thereof so as to break the continuation of the electrical arc thereby. When the movable contact point moves through the side-blowing arc-interrupting chamber, if the electrical arc is still unquenched, the single gas-emitting channel of the side-blowing arc-interrupting chamber and the expanded vaporized-oil will generate a side-blowing pressure to break the electrical arc in a transverse direction. Furthermore, the arc-extinguishing cylinder is integrally molded and built up in strength to resist any deformation in operation thereof. Therefore, the present invention can safely and reliably break higher fault current than the above-mentioned prior art thereof. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1-A  is a diagram showing the structure and mechanism of a conventional high-pressure tripping switch structure. 
       FIG. 1-B  is another diagram showing the structure and mechanism of the conventional high-pressure tripping switch of  FIG. 1-A . 
       FIG. 1-C  is a third diagram showing the structure and mechanism of the conventional high-pressure tripping switch of  FIG. 1-A . 
       FIG. 1-D  is a fourth diagram showing the structure and mechanism of the conventional high-pressure tripping switch of  FIG. 1-A . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention looked from outside. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional and detailed view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of an operational apparatus with a movable contact point of the present invention in operation. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of the operational apparatus of the present invention in a switched-on operation. 
       FIG. 6  is another cross sectional view of the operational apparatus of the present invention in the switched-on operation thereof. 
       FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the operational apparatus of the present invention in an automatic tripping operation. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an automatic tripping safety device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of the automatic tripping safety device of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view of the automatic tripping safety device of the present invention immersed in insulating oil. 
       FIG. 11  is a diagram showing the mechanism of the automatic tripping safety device of the present invention in condition of an oil-shortage. 
       FIG. 12  is a diagram showing the mechanism of the automatic trip-off safety device of the present invention buffering the shock caused by vibrations. 
       FIG. 13  is a partially perspective view of an arc-extinguishing cylinder of the present invention. 
       FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view of the arc-extinguishing cylinder of the present invention immersed in oil and set in a switched-on status. 
       FIG. 15  is a cross sectional view of the arc-extinguishing cylinder thereof immersed in oil and released in a tripped/off status. 
       FIG. 16  is another cross sectional view of the arc-extinguishing cylinder thereof immersed in oil and released in a tripped/off status. 
       FIG. 17  is a third cross sectional view of the arc-extinguishing cylinder thereof immersed in oil and released in a tripped/off status. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Please refer to  FIG. 2  showing a perspective view of the present invention (accompanied by  FIG. 3  showing a detailed illustration of the mechanism of the present invention). The present invention is related to an oil-immersed and high-pressure tripping switch structure, comprising an operational apparatus, an arc-extinguishing cylinder, and an oil-shortage automatic tripping safety device. The arc-extinguishing cylinder  10  includes an electrical side connecting wire  11 , a fixed contact point  12 , a spray-type arc-interrupting chamber  13 , a side-blowing arc-quenching mechanism  14 , a side-blowing arc-interrupting chamber  15 , an aligning slide ring  16 , and a sideway gas-ventilating channel  17 . The operational apparatus is made up of a main support bracket  20 , a rebound pivoting-point support  21 , a spring rebound pivoting-point  21   a , a main spring  22 , a movable contact point crank  23 , a tripper bracket  24 , a trip trigger  25 , a spring rotary arm  26 , and an over-current magnetic tripping device  27 . The oil-shortage automatic tripping safety device is composed of an oil-retaining tank  30 , a buoyant tube  31 , a damping oil cup  32 , a linkage rod  33 , and an oil-shortage tripping device  34 . The present invention is also equipped with a movable contact point  40 , a movable contact point connecting wire  41 , an over-current sensory device  42 , an overload side connecting wire  43 , an operational handle  50 , a linkage rotating rod  51 , and a rotary shaft  52 . 
   The rear section of the operation handle  50  thereof is coupled to one end of the linkage rotating rod  51  having the other end connected to the rotary shaft  52  thereof. The rotary shaft  52  has an indented groove disposed thereon to be engaged with one end of the spring rotary arm  26  having one end of the main spring  22  hooked to the middle section thereon. The other end of the spring rotary arm  26  is movably fitted to the main support bracket  20  of the operational apparatus thereof, and the rebound pivoting-point support  21  is rotatably mounted to the main support bracket  20  thereof. The rebound pivoting-point support  21  has the spring rebound pivoting-point  21   a  disposed at one lateral edge thereon to which the movable contact point crank  23  is secured. The trip trigger  25  is connected to one side of the rebound pivoting-point support  21  in a linkage mechanism therewith. The other end of the main spring  22  is attached to the middle section of the movable contact point crank  23 . And the movable contact point  40  is fixed to the other end of the movable contact point crank  23  and cooperatively operates with the arc-extinguishing cylinder  10  thereby. 
   The mechanism of the present invention is respectively presented in details as follows:
     A. The operational apparatus: Please refer to  FIGS. 4 through 7  inclusive showing cross sectional views of the mechanism of the operational apparatus thereof.
       1. The operational handle  50  is rotated clockwise to actuate the movement of the linkage rotating rod  51 , the rotary shaft  52 , the spring rotary arm  26 , and the rebound pivoting-point support  21  therewith, permitting the bottom edge of the rebound pivoting-point support  21  to fit onto the trip trigger  25  of the trip trigger bracket  24 , and the over-current magnetic tripping device  27  to attach onto the over-current sensory device  42  so as to finish the first preparation before the switch is set up in operation as shown in  FIG. 4 .   2. The operational handle  50  is then rotated counterclockwise to activate the linkage rotating rod  51  and extend the spring rotary arm  26  so as to move the main spring  22  thereby as shown in  FIG. 5 . When the main spring  22  is guided to exceed the spring rebound pivoting point  21   a , the main spring  22  will contract in opposite directions and speedily actuate the movable contact point crank  23  therewith, permitting the movable contact point  40  to move upwards till touching the fixed contact point  12  thereof. Meanwhile, the main spring  22  is kept in a half-extended status, permitting the movable contact point  40  to tightly close onto the fixed contact point  12  and complete the switch-on operation thereof as shown in  FIG. 6 .   3. When the over-current sensory device  42  detects high current passing there-through to increase temperature and reduce the magnetic conduction capability thereof, the over-current magnetic trip device  27  losing its magnetic force will detach from the over-current sensory device  42  and move in a counterclockwise direction, which in turn will activate the trip trigger  25  and force the rebound pivoting-point support  21  to move counterclockwise as well. When the spring rebound pivoting-point  21   a  is moved to exceed the main spring  22 , the half-extended main spring  22  will contract in the opposite direction, speedily actuating the movable contact point crank  23  to move counterclockwise therewith and forcing the movable contact point  40  to detach from the fixed contact point  12  thereby. Meanwhile, the spring rotary arm  26 , the linkage rotating rod  51 , and the operational handle  50  are actuated to move in a clockwise motion therewith so that the operational handle  50  can provide an obvious signal to indicate the tripped/off status of the switch thereof as shown in  FIG. 7 .   
       B. The oil-shortage automatic tripping safety device: Please refer to  FIGS. 8 through 12  inclusive. The oil-shortage automatic tripping safety device includes the oil-retaining tank  30  disposed on top of the buoyant tube  31 , and the damping oil cup  21  disposed at the bottom of the buoyant tube  31  wherein the oil-retaining tank  30  has oil inlets  30   a  disposed at the top surface thereon, and the damping oil cup  32  is equipped with separation brackets  32   a  extending thereon. And the linkage rod  33  is provided extending from the bottom of the buoyant tube  31  and right through the damping oil cup  32  thereof to connect with one end of the oil-shortage tripping device  34  thereby.
       1. The present invention thereof is immersed in oil. When the oil stored in the case of a transformer remains on a normal level, the insulating oil will flow in through the oil inlets  30   a  disposed on the top surface of the oil-retaining tank  30  and the separation brackets  32   a  disposed between the damping oil cup  32  and the buoyant tube  31  thereof so as to fill the interior of both oil-retaining tank  30  and the damping oil cup  32  with the insulating oil thereby. The buoyant tube  31  is designed with a buoyant force slighter larger than the weight of the oil-retaining tank  30  and the linkage rod  33  immersed in the oil. Therefore, the present invention thereof will be buoyed upwards and actuate the oil-shortage tripping device  34  in a clockwise rotation as shown in  FIG. 10 .   2. In case of oil leakage caused by the corrosion of the case of the transformer or impact from external articles, the oil surface  1   a  of the insulating oil stored inside the case will lower down along with the oil leakage thereof. However, the oil-retaining tank  30  thereof is still filled with the insulating oil whose weight will generate a downward pressure and build up in strength if the oil surface  1   a  keeps descending downwards. When the downward pressure becomes larger than the buoyant tube  31  and the force required to activate the oil-shortage tripping device  34  thereof, the switch will be actuated and tripped/off as shown in  FIG. 11 .   3. To protect the oil-shortage automatic tripping device from the vibration influence of earthquakes, vehicles-passages, or wind-pressure, the damping oil cup  32  is mounted at the bottom of the buoyant tube  31 . The damping oil cup  32  features a plurality of the separation brackets  32   a  disposed at the inner surface thereon, permitting a certain distance apart between the buoyant tube  31  and the damping oil cup  32 . When a vibration causes the oil surface  1   b  to wave up and down and makes the buoyant tube  31  shaking up and down therewith, the swinging buoyant tube  31  will squeeze out or suck in the insulating oil stored inside the damping oil cup  32  via the separation brackets  32   a  thereof so as to form a resistance to buffer partially the force generated by the vibration and, thus, reduce the vibration range of the buoyant tube  31 , efficiently avoiding the mistake of accidentally tripping the switch due to the vibration thereof as shown in  FIG. 12 .   
       C. The arc-extinguishing cylinder: Please refer to  FIGS. 13 through 17  inclusive. The arc-extinguishing cylinder  10  has vaporized-oil discharging orifices distributed at the upper surface thereon, and the fixed contact point  12  is fitted at the center of the top thereon. Inside the arc-extinguishing cylinder  10  is sequentially arranged from top to bottom the spray-type arc-interrupting chamber  13 , and the side-blowing arc-quenching mechanism  14  equipped with the gas-emitting channel  17  and the side-blowing arc-interrupting chamber  15  thereof. And the movable contact point  40  attached at one end of the movable contact point crank  23  of the operational apparatus as shown in  FIG. 3  is guided to extend through the center of the arc-extinguishing cylinder  10  and reciprocally operated with the fixed contact point  12  disposed at the top thereof.
       1. When the switch is in a switched-on position, the movable contact point  40  is closed onto the fixed contact point  12  inside the arc-extinguishing cylinder  10  as shown in  FIG. 14  wherein the arc-extinguishing cylinder  10  is completely immersed in insulating oil thereof.   2. When fault current is detected to pass there-through, the operational apparatus will actuate the movable contact point  40  to detach from the fixed contact point  12  and the insulating oil will immediately fill up the space opened there-between. Meanwhile, the high-pressure fault current will stay between the movable contact point  40  and the fixed contact point  12  in the form of high temperature electrical arc  18  and generate a large amount of vaporized-oil  19  inside the spray-type arc-interrupting chamber  13  disposed at the upper section of the arc-extinguishing cylinder  10  thereof. Due to the difference of pressure, the vaporized-oil  19  will produce an upward momentum to emit upwards there-from so as to quench the electrical arc  18  thereby as shown in  FIG. 15 .   3. When the movable contact point  40  moves through the side-blowing arc-interrupting chamber  15  disposed at the middle section of the arc-extinguishing cylinder  10 , if the electrical arc  18  is still unquenched, the expanded vaporized-oil  19   a  will generate a sideway pressure difference in the side-blowing arc interrupting chamber  15  and push the electrical arc  18   a  sideward to the openings of the side-blowing arc-interrupting chamber  15  as shown in  FIG. 16  wherein electrical arc  18   b  is cut into a series of disconnected electrical arcs to be interrupted thereby, and vaporized-oil  19   b  is expelled outwards via the gas-emitting channel  17  to complete the trip mechanism of the present invention as shown in  FIG. 17 .