Operating mechanism for a toggle switch handle

An operating mechanism for a toggle switch handle includes a bar that is movably mounted along its longitudinal axis, and a roller head mounted at one end of the bar. The roller head includes two axes for rolls. The first roll of the rolls is provided for turning on the toggle switch handle depending on a movement of the bar, and a second roll of the rolls is provided for rolling over a plate and blocking a rotation of the bar around its longitudinal axis.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Stage Application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2016/075833 filed on Oct. 26, 2016, and claims benefit to British Patent Application No. GB 1519153.9 filed on Oct. 29, 2015. The International Application was published in English on May 4, 2017 as WO 2017/072189 A1 under PCT Article 21(2).

FIELD

The present invention relates to an operating mechanism for a toggle switch handle, particularly of a circuit breaker. More particularly, the present invention relates to an operating mechanism for the toggle switch handle of a high current circuit breaker.

BACKGROUND

Operating mechanisms for circuit breaker handles can be used for remote operation. For example, for operating circuit breakers located in a closed cabinet, through-the-door rotary circuit breaker handles can be used. A through-the-door handle mechanism comprises an external handle, which is fixed at a cabinet's door and coupled to the circuit breakers handle by means of a bar being friction-locked on one end to the external handle and on its other end to the circuit breaker handle. Thus, the circuit breaker handle can be rotated by rotating the external handle. However, this operating mechanism is only suited for circuit breakers with rotary handles and switch mechanisms, and not for circuit breakers with toggle switch handles.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, the present invention provides an operating mechanism for a toggle switch handle. The operating mechanism includes a bar that is movably mounted along its longitudinal axis, and a roller head mounted at one end of the bar. The roller head includes two axes for rolls. The first roll of the rolls is provided for turning on the toggle switch handle depending on a movement of the bar, and a second roll of the rolls is provided for rolling over a plate and blocking a rotation of the bar around its longitudinal axis.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an operating mechanism for a toggle switch handle, particularly of a circuit breaker. For example, embodiments of the present invention relate to an operating mechanism for the toggle switch handle of a high current circuit breaker.

Embodiments of the present invention use a bar having a roller head with two different rolls: a first roll is provided to operate a toggle switch handle and a second roll stabilizes the mechanism comprising the bar and the roller head with rolls so that a rotation of the bar around its longitudinal axis is blocked. The roller head design has two advantages: it allows reducing the forces applied to the toggle switch handle due to the rotating first roll, which “rolls over” the toggle switch handle when the bar with the roller head is moved. Thus, the forces of the pushing bar are converted into rotational forces on the toggle switch handle. Furthermore, the second roll stabilizes the movement of the bar with the roller head and, thus, improves the equilibrium of the entire mechanism. The inventive mechanism is particularly suitable for resetting toggle switch handles of circuit breakers, especially high current circuit breaker such as of the Heinemann circuit breakers series GJ from Eaton Corporation, USA, or similar circuit breakers from other manufacturers.

An embodiment of the invention relates to a an operating mechanism for a toggle switch handle comprising a bar being movably mounted along its longitudinal axis, and a roller head mounted at one end of the bar and comprising two axes for rolls, wherein a first roll is provided for turning on the toggle switch handle depending on a movement of the bar and a second roll is provided for rolling over a plate and blocking a rotation of the bar around its longitudinal axis.

The two axes for the rolls may be displaced in the direction of movement of the bar such that the first roll is located ahead of the second roll.

The radial distances of the first and second roll from the bar's axis may differ such that the first roll has a distance from the plate on which the second roll rests, which essentially corresponds to height of the toggle switch handle. Particularly, the distance from the plate on which the second roll rests may be selected such that the first roll turns on the lower part of the toggle switch handle.

The roller head may be u-shaped with the axis for the first roll being mounted between the clamps ends.

The mechanism may comprise an electromagnetic drive and/or an air pressure based drive for moving the bar along its longitudinal axis.

A further embodiment of the invention relates to a circuit breaker comprising a toggle switch handle and a mechanism of the invention and as described herein for operating the toggle switch handle, wherein the toggle switch handle and the mechanism are mounted on a plate such that the second roll of the mechanism rolls over the plate and the first roll turns on the toggle switch handle upon movement of the bar of the mechanism.

In the following, functionally similar or identical elements may have the same reference numerals. Absolute values are shown below by way of example only and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

FIG. 1shows an operating mechanism10for the toggle switch handle36(FIG. 2, 3) of a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker is mounted behind a plate24, on which an electromagnet drive26of the mechanism is fixed. The electromagnet drive26comprises an electromagnet for moving a bar12mounted in the drive26along its longitudinal axis32as shown by the double arrow30.

A roller head14is mounted at the bar's12end resting outside the drive26, namely fixed by a screw on the bar12. The roller head14is u-shaped, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3. The roller head14serves as carrier for two rolls20and22. The first roll20is rotatable (rotatably mounted) on a first axis16, which is mounted between the ends of both clamps14′ and14″ of the head14(FIG. 2). The second roll22is rotatable (rotatably mounted) on a second axis18, which is mounted between the ends of two levers extending from the roller head14to the plate24.

The first axis16and the second axis18are displaced in the direction of movement of the bar12(displacement28). By the displacement28, the first roll20is placed ahead of the second roll22so that the first roll20.

The radial distance of the second axis18from the axis32is selected such that the second roll22rests on the plate24and rolls over the plate24upon a movement of the bar12. The radial distance of the first axis16from the axis32is smaller than the radial distance of the second axis18and depends on the toggle switch handle. In fact, the radial distance of the first axis16is selected such that the distance34of the axis16and roll20from the plate24corresponds to the height of the toggle switch handle. Thus, when the bar12is moved by the electromagnet drive26the second roll22rolls over the plate24and the first roll20over the toggle switch handle. A rotation of the bar12around its longitudinal axis is blocked by the second roll22and the forces acting on the toggle switch handle are reduced by the first roll20smoothly rolling of at least a part of the toggle switch handle.

FIG. 2shows in a top view the mechanism10in conjunction with the toggle switch handle36of a high current circuit breaker mounted behind the plate24. The roller head14is in a first position with the bar retracted in the magnet of electromagnetic drive26. In this first position, the second roll22is placed near the drive26and the first roll20is placed before the toggle switch handle36.

FIG. 3shows the roller head14brought in a second position, where the first roll20is rolled over the toggle switch handle36and the second roll22placed near the toggle switch handle36. In this second position, the bar12is moved out of the magnet of the electromagnet drive26as shown by arrow30. The second roll22rests on the plate24and blocks any rotation of the bar12around its longitudinal axis, thus stabilizing the roller head14.

It should be noted that the roller head14can be adapted to different toggle switch handles by selecting suitable displacements of the rolls20and22in the direction30of movement of the bar12and roller head14and in radial direction. For example, the distance of the first roll20from the plate24can be selected such that the first roll20turns on a specific part of the toggle switch handle, particularly the lower part of the handle in order securely operate the handle.

The rolls20and22can be made of plastic, while the other parts of the roller head14and the bar12can made of a metal in order to stand higher strains for example when used on toggle switch handles of larger circuit breakers, which require large switching forces.