Tripping device for pre-selection of function for electrical equipment

Tripping devices, more particularly for circuit-breakers, in which a single model tripping device can be transformed by a simple operation, not requiring any dismantling, to obtain either a shunt or undervoltage type of operation. This result can be obtained by changing the relative position of a catch part of the striker, for example by rotation through 180 degrees in relation to a locking part.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relation tripping devices and, more particularly, 
voltage emission or shunt trips and undervoltage trips for electrical 
equipment and more especially for circuit-breakers. 
BACKGROUND 
It is known that a voltage emission or shunt trip is currently used for 
causing the opening of a circuit-breaker by means of a control device 
situated at a distance. 
Likewise, an undervoltage trip is currently used for causing the opening of 
a circuit-breaker as a safety means when the voltage of the mains falls 
below a certain level. Such tripping devices comprise, generally, a 
striker operating a tripping element of the circuit-breaker and operative 
as a function of an electromagnet which exerts magnetic attraction by 
energizing of the control winding, in the case of a voltage emission 
tripping device or a tripping device which effects release by 
de-energizing of the control winding in the case of an undervoltage trip. 
These tripping devices are therefore different according to whether the 
tripping device is of the type which exerts magnetic attraction or of the 
type which effects release. 
It is therefore compulsory, more particularly in a maintenance service, to 
have tripping devices of both types. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention seeks, on the contrary, to provide a tripping device 
having a single transformable embodiment, with simple operation not 
requiring any dismantling, either as a voltage emission or shunt trip or 
as an undervoltage trip. 
The tripping device according to the invention has the advantage of 
preselecting the required operation from among at least two others and is 
essentially characterized in that it comprises a striker provided with a 
projecting part forming a catch for a locking part connected to a mobile 
part of the control means and in that the modification of the relative 
position of the said projecting part with respect to the said locking part 
enables the changeover from one operation to another. 
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the striker is able 
to move in a linear direction along an axis about which a part forming the 
catch means can be set in two stable positions which are diametrically 
opposite; in one of the positions, the catch part engages with a part of 
the locking part and is released by a movement in one direction of the 
locking part; in the other position, the part forming the catch part 
enagages with another part of the locking part and is released by a 
movement in the other direction of the locking part; the movement of the 
locking part is connected either directly or through connection parts 
(connecting rod or lever) with the movement, in one direction or the 
other, of the mobile part of the trip control electromagnet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
In FIG. 1, the tripping device comprises, from right to left, a control 
electromagnet, a return spring 7, a control lever 5, a support part 6, a 
striker 11, a locking part 8, a percussion spring 17 and a cocking lever 
18 connected with a guide part 10. 
The electromagnet is constituted by an energizing winding 1, a fixed, 
U-shaped magnetic armature 2, a magnetic closing plate 3 and a plunger 
core 4 sliding in the winding through a hole formed in the closing plate 
3. 
The control lever 5 is articulated on the fixed support part 6 and engaged 
at one of its ends 5a, which is forked, in a groove of the plunger core 4 
with slight play. 
The return spring 7 surrounds the plunger core 4 and is compressed between 
the closing plate 3 and the forked end 5a of the control lever 5. 
The locking part 8 has which receives a slot 9 in the other end 5b of the 
control lever 5 and is installed in a sliding configuration in recesses 
10a and 10b formed in the fixed guide part 10. 
The striker 11 provided with an axle 12 is guided, on one side, in a hole 
6a in the fixed support part 6 and, on the other side, by a hole 4a formed 
in the axle of the plunger core 4. The striker 11 comprises a projecting 
part 13, forming a catch with the locking part 8 and a flat part 14, 
comprised between two projecting parts in the form of disks 15 and 16. 
The U-shaped leaf-type percussion spring 17 has an opening 17a allowing the 
core 4 to pass therethrough, and the spring 17 is held, on one side, 
against the closing plate 3, whereas the other side is subdivided into two 
branches 17b engaged with a slight gripping on either side of the flat 
part 14 between the two disk-shaped parts 15 and 16 of the striker 11. It 
is thus possible, by means of the flat part 14, to impart to the striker 
11 two stable positions which are diametrically opposite about its axle 12 
without its being possible for the branches 17b of the spring 17 to escape 
from the space formed between the disks 15 and 16. 
To ensure the selecting of the operation, the striker 11 passes through an 
aperture 8a in the locking part 8 whose edges 8b and 8c can engage with 
the projecting part 13 forming a catch of the striker 11 according to the 
position of the said striker about its axle 12. 
The cocking lever 18 provided with a heel 19 is installed in a pivoting 
configuration in a slot 20 in the fixed guide part 10 whose hole 10c 
allows the striker 11 to pass through. 
In FIG. 2, the tripping device is in the "cocked" position and the winding 
1 is not energized. The tripping device is fixed onto a part 30 of the 
housing of the circuit-breaker with which it co-operates, the striker 11 
being arranged in facing relation with a tripping device 31 of the 
circuit-breaker. The part 32 is a part which is mobile about the axle 33 
of the circuit-breaker shown in the open position and by its action on the 
heel 19 of the cocking lever 18, it has caused the cocking of the tripping 
device during the opening of the circuit-breaker and is shown in its 
end-of-opening position. 
When the circuit-breaker is closed, the part 32 comes to the position where 
it is shown in FIG. 3 and consequently releases the lever 18, whereas the 
projecting part 13 of the striker 11 remains enagaged with the part 8b of 
the locking part 8, as shown in FIG. 2. 
When the winding 1 is energized, more particularly by remote-control, the 
plunger core 4 is attracted towards the inside of the winding, against the 
pull of the return spring 7; it draws away the forked end 5a of the lever 
5 whose other end 5b moves the locking part 8 upwards. The projecting part 
13 forming a catch with the part 8b of the locking part 8 is thus released 
and the striker 11, urged by the percussion spring 17 pushing on the disk 
15, strikes the tripping element 31 of the circuit-breaker. The tripping 
device is then in the position shown in FIG. 3, whereas the consecutive 
tripping of the circuit-breaker then makes the part 32 strike the heel 19 
of the cocking lever 18 and the latter, by its other end, recompresses the 
percussion spring 17, thus drawing the striker 11 into the cocked position 
by its effect on the disk 16. Simultaneously, the energizing of the 
winding 1 having ceased, the return spring 7 brings the plunger core 4, 
the control lever 5 and the locking part 8 back into the original position 
in FIG. 2 as soon as the projecting part 13 has passed again to the other 
side of the locking part 8. 
To arrange the striker 11 in the position ensuring the undervoltage 
operation of the tripping device, it is necessary only to make the striker 
11 turn through 180.degree. about its axle 12. In this type of operation, 
the winding 1 is normally energized by the voltage of the mains. In the 
"cocked" position, the plunger core 4, the spring 7, the lever 5 and the 
locking part 8 would be in the positions shown in FIG. 3. The other parts 
would be in the positions shown in FIG. 2, except for the striker 11, 
which would assume a symmetrical position in relation to its axle 12, that 
is, with the projecting part 13 situated towards the bottom, hence engaged 
with the part 8c of the locking part 8. In the same way as previously, 
when the circuit-breaker is closed, the part 32 comes to the position 
shown in FIG. 3 and consequently releases the lever 18, whereas the 
projecting part 13 of the striker 11 remains engaged with the part 8c of 
the locking part 8. On the de-energizing of the winding 1, for example, by 
a great drop in the mains voltage the electromagnetic forces exerted on 
the plunger core become insufficient with respect to the return pull of 
the spring 7 which consequently draws the control lever 5 and the plunger 
core 4 towards the left and the locking part 8 downwards, thus releasing 
the striker 11, whose projecting part 13 is released from the locking part 
8. By striking the tripping device 31, the striker 11 causes the opening 
of the circuit-breaker and the part 32 in its turn strikes the heel 19 of 
the "cocking" lever 18, thus bringing the percussion spring 17 and the 
striker 11 into the original position, whereas the plunger core 4, the 
control lever 5, and the locking part 8 resume their original positions 
only if the mains voltage has been re-established at a sufficient level 
for the electromagnetic forces to attract the plunger core 4 inside the 
winding against the pull of the return spring 7. 
It is self-evident that this embodiment of the invention has no limiting 
character and that the field of its protection applied for by the present 
application, comprises all variants corresponding to the general 
definition which has been given thereof. 
Thus, the connection between the locking part and the mobile control part 
can be made just as well by a connecting rod as by a lever. A direct 
connection, more particularly by transformation of the linear movement of 
the mobile control part, in a perpendicular movement of the locking part, 
by suitably inclined inter-contacting surfaces can also be provided. 
Or, even, in another embodiment, the mobile control part can be arranged so 
as to move perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the striker and 
thus drive the locking part made integral with the said mobile 
control-part, directly.