Abstract:
A circuit breaker assembly is comprised of a first circuit breaker and an oppositely oriented circuit breaker adjacent thereto. The circuit breaker toggle actuators are coupled to one another by an offset coupler or tie such that when one circuit breaker is ON, the other is OFF and vice versa. A motorized circuit breaker module is preferably provided alongside one of the breakers or poles to allow remote operation thereof.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a coupler for oppositely disposed circuit breakers, such that when one circuit breaker is switched ON, the other is automatically switched OFF. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Circuit breaker couplers that automatically switch one circuit breaker OFF when another is switched ON are typically used in applications where different sources of power, e.g., utility power and emergency generator power, are to be alternatively connected to a load and where it is critical that both not be connected to the load simultaneously. There are many other applications, both residential and commercial, in energy management, diagnostics and smart appliances, for example, where coupled circuit breakers are considered to be advantageous. 
     Manually operated coupled circuit breakers so arranged that one turns ON when the other turns OFF, are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,646 for CIRCUIT BREAKER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY, for example, discloses an interlock for tandemly aligned first and second circuit breaker switches, which respectively have first and second external operating handles oriented such that the operating handles are disposed oppositely from each other so that with one of the switches OFF, the other switch is ON. The interlock of the &#39;646 patent includes a linkage arrangement formed with at least one slot. The linkage has one end connected to the first operating handle and another end connected to the second operating handle such that pushing the first operating handle from an OFF to an ON position pushes the second operating handle from an ON to an OFF position. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,031,193 entitled CIRCUIT BREAKER SWITCH INTERLOCK also discloses an interlock for tandemly aligned circuit breaker switches. The interlock of the &#39;193 patent includes a substantially inflexible control member movably retained relative to the switches. Like the interlock of the &#39;646 patent, the control members are constructed and arranged such that pushing the first operating handle from an ON to an OFF position pushes the second operating handle from an ON to an OFF position. Although the drawings of the &#39;193 patent illustrate tandemly aligned circuit breakers, the disclosed invention contemplates an interlock for both tandemly aligned and adjacently disposed circuit breakers. 
     The coupled circuit breakers shown in the prior art are manually operated, requiring someone at the load panel to physically switch the circuit breakers to the desired position. For situations in which time is critical, or where the load panel is unattended, inaccessible, or otherwise unusable, the manual operation of such coupled circuit breakers constitutes a significant limitation on system capability. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a coupler that can be used in combination with a circuit breaker assembly including oppositely disposed side-by-side poles to simultaneously shut down a primary power source for a circuit or load and to power that circuit from a secondary source of power. In a preferred embodiment of the invention this switching can be done remotely by incorporating a motorized circuit breaker into the circuit breaker assembly and utilizing the coupler to interconnect the primary to the secondary breakers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide oppositely disposed side-by-side, coupled circuit breakers that may be activated remotely such that when one circuit breaker switches OFF in response to a remote control signal the other automatically switches ON and vice versa. 
     It is a further objective to provide remotely actuated and oppositely disposed circuit breakers in a side-by-side configuration to minimize panel space, and to restrict any contact arcing egress to behind the panel thereby avoiding environmentally hazardous dielectric breakdown conditions at the front of the panel. 
     In accordance with the present invention, these objects are achieved in a circuit breaker assembly that includes at least two circuit breakers, of at least one pole each, arranged alongside one another but with one breaker reversed from the other breaker such that with one breaker pole OFF the other breaker pole is ON and vice versa. An interlock or coupling device connects the breaker actuator toggles in spite of the asymmetrical arrangement of the toggles characteristic of split case breakers such as described herein. A remotely operated motorized module is preferably provided in a split case breaker housing similar to the split case circuit breaker housings, and arranged alongside one or the other of these oppositely disposed circuit breakers. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an assembly, including a remotely actuated circuit breaker assembled with oppositely disposed and coupled circuit breakers of the present invention. 
     FIG.  2 . is an exploded view of a remote module of the type shown in the FIG. 1 assembly. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a circuit breaker such as those of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the remotely actuated circuit breaker assembly for oppositely disposed and coupled circuit breakers depicted in FIGS. 1-3. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the present invention with an electrical control circuit for the remote module. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown assembled in FIG.  1 . Remote module  1 , having toggle actuator  5  with conventional handle throughhole includes a split case molded circuit breaker housing having industry standard dimensions. This module  1  may be activated either remotely in response to a control signal generated by a conventional circuit, or manually using toggle actuator  5 . 
     Host circuit breaker  2  having toggle actuator  7  with handle throughhole is mounted adjacent to remote module  1  such that toggle actuators  5  and  7  pivot about a common axis offset from central lateral plane E and handle throughholes in toggle actuator handles  7  and  5  are aligned with one another so as to be conventionally linked by tie pin  6 . 
     Circuit breaker  3  having toggle actuator  9  with handle throughhole is mounted adjacent to but inversely oriented relative to host circuit breaker  2  such that when circuit breaker  3  is ON, host circuit breaker  2  is OFF. Toggle actuators  7  and  9  are both positioned in the same direction  13 . Likewise when host circuit breaker  2  is ON and circuit breaker  3  is OFF toggle actuators are both positioned in the opposite direction  15 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, toggle actuators  9  and  7  pivot about substantially parallel axes disposed on opposite sides of central lateral plane E. Throughholes (not shown) in handle actuators  7  and  9  also have substantially parallel axes. As will be more fully described below, toggle actuators  5 ,  7  and  9  are interlocked or coupled using handle ties  6  and  8 , so that remote or manual actuation of host circuit breaker  2  to the OFF position automatically causes circuit breaker  3  to switch to the ON position and vice versa. 
     Remote module  1  is generally similar to the “Remote Operated Circuit Breaker” described in Carlingswitch Product Bulletin #81, dated Mar. 31, 2000, incorporated herein by reference, and disclosed in detail in a co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09/710018, entitled REMOTE OPERATED CIRCUIT BREAKER MODULE, also incorporated by reference herein. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, such a remote module generally includes a module toggle actuator  5  pivotally mounted to the interior of the module housing  60 . A motor  112  is disposed within the module housing  60  and is electrically connected to a small printed circuit board  114 . A limit switch (not shown), on the underside of the small printed circuit board  114  and electrically connected to the motor  112 , is provided for controlling the direction of rotation of the motor  112 . The small printed circuit board  114  is electrically connected to a large printed circuit board  116  by a plurality of pin board connectors  118 . The small printed circuit board  114  and the large printed circuit board  116  together provide voltage regulation and signal conditioning to the motor  112 . Input power to the motor  112  is supplied through either the electrical terminals (not shown) or wire leads (not shown) connected to the small circuit board  114 . The motor  112  includes a motor shaft  120  with a motor gear  122  mounted axially thereon. The motor gear meshes with a double gear  124  which is pivotally mounted to the interior of the module housing  60  via a double gear pin  126 . 
     The double gear  124  meshes with a lead screw gear  128  provided on a lead screw  130 . Thus, motor  112  drives lead screw  130  at a reduced speed, providing a controlled force on lead screw car (not shown) to position the internally threaded lead screw car along the length of the lead screw  130 . The lead screw car pivotally drives the module toggle actuator  5 . At the extreme end of its intended course of travel along the lead screw, the lead screw car actuates a limit switch (not shown) to reverse the direction of the motor  112 . 
     Circuit breakers  2  and  3  (FIG. 1) are preferably hydraulic/magnetic circuit breakers generally similar in type to that described in issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,347,488 entitled MULTI-POLE CIRCUIT BREAKER and 4,760,226 entitled SPLIT CASE CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH MULTI-PURPOSE WELL. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, such circuit breakers generally include a collapsible link provided between a movable contact arm and a pivotally mounted toggle actuator. The collapsible link structure is indicated schematically at  22  and as suggested by the broken line position is adapted to be operated without collapsing by the actuator handle  7 , 9 , so as to achieve direct opening and closing movement of the movable contact arm. The circuit breaker is connected in a circuit to be protected through terminals T 1  and T 2 . FIG. 2 illustrates terminal T 1  as connected by lead L 1  to an internal electromagnetic coil  18  and from the coil to the movable contact arm by lead L 2 . When the movable contact arm  20  is in the solid line position to achieve closing of its contact with fixed contact  16  electrical current will flow through the toggle actuator. When the current in the coil  18  exceeds a predetermined design level a magnetic circuit will be closed through a core (not shown) in element  14  drawing armature  12  downwardly causing pin means  10 , to be acted upon by a leg  12   a  of the armature. The collapsible link  22  is collapsed by this action upon pin means  10 . This electromagnetic tripping process causes the link  22  to collapse and the circuit breaker contacts to open. Movable contact lever  20  can also be manually moved from the closed to the open position using actuator handle  7 , 9 . 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in detail in FIG.  4 . Remote module  1 , is assembled with host circuit breaker  2  and inversely oriented circuit breaker  3 , as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, by rivets  19  projecting through corner throughholes  17  of circuit breakers  2  and  3  and remote module  1 . 
     Axially aligned handle throughholes  11  and  27  define a first toggle axis  30 . A second toggle axis  31 , parallel to the first toggle axis  30 , is defined by handle throughhole  29  as shown. Toggle actuators  7  and  9  pivot about first and second pivot axes  33  and  34  respectively which are preferably parallel and disposed on opposite sides and equidistant from central lateral plane E. First and second pivot axes  33  and  34  are also parallel to and spaced equally from first and second toggle axes  30  and  31  respectively. 
     An offset shaped handle tie  8  has throughbores  21  and  23  axially aligned with toggle axes  30  and  31  respectively. Pin  24  projects through handle throughhole  29  and throughbore  23  along toggle axis  31  to pivotally connect handle tie  8  at one end to toggle actuator handle  9 . C-washers  25  disposed at both ends of pin  24  secure handle tie  8  to toggle actuator handle  9 . The opposite end of handle tie  8  is pivotally connected to toggle actuator handle  7  using pin  26  as described below. Inversely oriented circuit breakers  2  and  3  are thus interlocked and operably linked such that when circuit breaker  2  is switched OFF, inversely oriented circuit breaker  3  is switched ON, and vice versa. 
     Referring still to FIG. 4, a conventional tubular shaped handle tie  6  with throughbore  28  centered on toggle axis  30  is disposed between toggle actuator handles  5  and  7 . Pin  26  projects through throughholes  11  and  27  and throughbores  28  and  21  along toggle axis  30  and is secured with C-washers  25  disposed at each end. Handle tie  6 , in combination with handle tie  8 , thus mechanically couple or interlock toggle actuator handles  5 ,  7 , and  9  to provide for remote actuation of oppositely coupled circuit breakers  2  and  3 . 
     FIG. 5 shows the preferred embodiment of the present invention as used in a typical application. Remote module  1 , host circuit breaker  2  and inversely oriented circuit breaker  3  are adjacently disposed and coupled using handle ties  6  and  8  to interlock toggle actuator handles  5 ,  7  and  9  as shown. Host circuit breaker  2 , normally ON, has terminal  40  connected to normal load power. Inversely oriented circuit breaker  3 , normally OFF, is connected to auxiliary power through terminal  41 . When circuit  45  is closed by remote actuation, remote module  1  switches host circuit breaker  2  to the OFF position and inversely oriented circuit breaker  3  to the ON position. Thus only normal or auxiliary power may be connected to the load at any given time. 
     It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that multiple pairs and various other combinations of oppositely disposed circuit breakers may be coupled in like manner to meet a range of system applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment is to be understood as exemplary only and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention set forth with the following claims.