Apparatus for actuating electrical load-separating switches in an electricity supply network

An apparatus for actuating electrical load-separating switches in an electricity supply network, and including at least one manual actuation lever. An electrical actuating motor is provided which is capable of being supplied with operating current from an auto battery, and is located at the load-separating switch in addition to the manual actuation levers. A remote control cable, which extends from the electrical actuating motor, is equipped with a plug connector having a plug which can be taken along in the maintenance-service vehicle belonging with the auto battery. The load-separating switches are selectively capable of being actuated over the remote operating cable from a switching and indicating panel carried along in a maintenance-service vehicle. A follower for the manual actuation lever of the load-separating switch is connectible to a closed-loop drive chain, and when coupled thereto is movable between abutments.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for actuating electrical 
disconnecting or load-separating switches in an electricity-supply 
network, and includes at least one manual actuation lever. 
With such apparatus, mostly three pole switches of a three-phase switch are 
equipped with a common manual actuation lever. If several of these 
three-phase switches are combined in a space, for example in a transformer 
station, each of the three-phase switches has a separate manual actuation 
lever. All manual actuation levers can be made very short if one extension 
piece with a handle or grip is kept ready to be inserted and fits all the 
levers. 
In case of disturbance, the transformer stations are located with a 
maintenance-service vehicle connected by radio telephone with a control 
station or central office. The drawback to this situation is that the 
maintenance-service man cannot use the radio telephone connection when he 
is in the transformer station. In order to report about his actions taken 
for switching on and off, and to receive new instructions, the 
maintenance-service man must frequently walk back to a maintenance-service 
vehicle which is parked far away. Such a situation, during the night and 
during fog, in spread out factories or in high-rises or their basements, 
is considered as extremely inconvenient. 
The object of the present invention is to create an actuation apparatus of 
the aforementioned type which is improved with respect to convenience, 
easier serviceability, higher safety in case of accident, and easier as 
well as more efficient for transmission of instructions.

The apparatus of the present invention is characterized primarily by an 
electrical actuating motor which is capable of being supplied with an 
operating current from an auto battery, and is located at the 
load-separating switch in addition to the manual-actuation levers; 
furthermore, a remote control cable, equipped with a plug connector having 
a plug which can be taken along in the maintenance-service vehicle 
belonging with the auto battery, leads from the electrical actuating 
motor. 
With the inventive apparatus, it is possible to undertake switching-on and 
switching-off operations at one transformer station without opening the 
enclosure of the transformer station and without being subjected to the 
danger of engaging or touching parts conveying high voltages. The plug 
counterpiece of the plug connector can be installed remote from the 
transformer station at a location where a maintenance-service vehicle can 
drive right up to it. As soon as the remote control cable is completed by 
combining or plugging together both parts of the plug connector, a 
load-separation switch can be switched on or off, while maintaining the 
radio telephone connection to the maintenance-service central office, from 
the maintenance-service vehicle by means of the electrical actuation 
motor. Consequently, consumer shut-down operations are less apparent, and 
disturbance location is considerably accelerated. Advantages attained with 
the present invention, however, are especially recognizable therein that 
the actuating motor, as a consequence of its connection to the auto 
battery of the maintenance-service vehicle, operates with low voltage and 
is independent of the electricity supply network. 
Pursuant to further features of the present invention, a common actuating 
motor may be provided for two or more load-separating switches. The 
load-separating switches 11 may be selectively actuated over the remote 
control cable from a switching and indicating panel carried along in the 
maintenance-service vehicle. A closed-loop drive chain may be provided on 
the output side of the actuating motor. A follower for the manual 
actuation lever of the load-separating switch may be provided and is 
capable of being coupled to the drive chain for every load-separating 
switch; when coupled, it is movable between two path limiting abutments. 
The manual actuation lever of the load-separating switch may be stressed 
or braced by tension springs on both sides with the follower, which may 
have a switching curve or cam with two end abutments and a top or crown 
located therebetween for assuring the two alternate switching positions. 
At each switching pole in the load-separating switch, the contact position 
of a cable connection plug is secured by a clamping or terminal bracket, 
which may have an interrupter extension, effective upon disengagement or 
release, to the coupling of the follower. 
Referring now to the drawing in detail, in a mostly schematically 
simplified illustration there is shown a transformer station 10 with four 
disconnecting or load-separating switches 11, in the form of three-phase 
switches, for which a common actuating motor 12 is provided for economy. 
In order to be able to subject the four load-separating switches 11 (the 
switches being differentiated from each other by I, II, III, IV) to 
individual remote control, the load-separating switches 11 are selectively 
actuatable by way of a remote control cable 15 from a switching and 
indicating panel 14 brought along in a maintenance-service vehicle 13. The 
switching and indicating panel 14, for this purpose, includes a step 
switch 16 with a neutral base position 0 and four selection positions for 
the load-separating switches 11 differentiated from each other by the 
Roman numerals I, II, III and IV; the panel 14 also includes a keying 
switch 17 with two keying positions "off" and "on", separated from each 
other by a central rest position, for both opposite manners of operation 
of the actuating motor 12, and further includes eight indicator lights 18 
in a lamp panel for simultaneous indication of the particular positioning 
of all four load-separating switches 11. 
The individual actuation of the load-separating switches 11 by means of the 
actuating motor 12, which operates all load-separating switches 11 in 
common, is accomplished in an especially economical manner in that at the 
actuating motor 12, at the output side thereof, a closed-loop drive chain 
19 is provided, and on the drive chain 19, for each load-separating switch 
11, there is provided a follower 21 for the manual actuation lever 22 of 
the load-separating switch 11; this follower 21 is capable of being 
coupled to the drive chain 19 and, when coupled, of being moved by the 
drive chain 19 between two abutments or path-limiting means 20. A magnetic 
coupling 23 respectively serves for coupling. This magnetic coupling 23 is 
fastened to the follower 21 and includes a conductor connection 24 to the 
remote control cable 15 for receiving the shifting movements of the 
follower 21. The magnetic coupling 23, when connected by means of the step 
switch 16, engages the drive chain 19 between the links thereof. As a 
path-limiting means 20, there is respectively provided a switch which 
turns off the actuating motor 12 until the latter is started again in the 
opposite direction by the keying switch 17 of the switching- and 
indicating-panel 14, or until activated in one of the two directions of 
movement of the follower 21 of a different load-separating switch 11. 
A very economical construction is also attained with the inclusion of a 
quick-break switch device serving for switching speed and switching 
safety, since the manual actuation lever 22 of the load-separating switch 
11 is braced on both sides with the follower 21 by tension springs 25, and 
the follower 21 has a shifting curve or cam 26 with two end abutments 27 
and a crown or top 28 located therebetween for assuring both alternate 
switching positions. After overcoming or passing over the top or crown 28, 
the manual actuation lever 22 snaps promptly into the other end position, 
whereas the drive chain 19, which is guided over two chain or sprocket 
wheels 29, 30, moves comparatively slowly as a consequence of the stepdown 
gearing 31 inserted between the drive chain 19 and the actuating motor 12. 
A further embodiment of the apparatus for actuation of electrical 
load-separating switches 11 in an electricity supply network finally 
consists therein that at each switching pole existing in the 
load-separating switch 11 there is assured the contact positioning or 
setting of a cable connection plug 32 by means of a clamping or terminal 
bracket 33. The clamping bracket 33 has an interrupter extension 34, 
effective upon disengagement, to the coupling 23 of the follower 21. In 
this way, a remote actuation of the load-separating switch 11 embodied as 
a three-phase switch is eliminated with extremely simple means when, at 
least at one of the three switching poles thereof, the cable connection 
plug 32 is loosened or withdrawn. A destructive arcing would be the 
consequence of a withdrawn or loosened cable connection plug 32 upon 
switching on of the load-separating switch 11, because of the short 
insulating distance or gap. Since this condition is not recognizable with 
a remote actuation of the pertaining load-separating switch 11, the 
interrupter extension 34 represents an extremely meaningful safety device. 
When a disturbance location in an electricity supply network is pinpointed, 
a maintenance-service vehicle 13 equipped with a radio telephone system 35 
drives close to the mating plug or plug counterpiece 37 of the multiple 
pole plug connector 38 installed, for example, on a post 36, externally of 
the transformer station 10, so that the remote control cable 15 can be 
completed, by insertion of the plug 39 carried in the maintenance-service 
vehicle 13 into the plug counterpiece 37, from the operator's seat of the 
maintenance-service vehicle 13. Upon joinder of the plug connector 38, the 
auto battery 40 of the maintenance-service vehicle 13 is connected or 
integrated into the apparatus for actuation of the electrical 
load-separating switches 11. As soon as actuations of the load-separating 
switches 11 of the transformer station 10, likewise undertaken by means of 
the switching and indicating panel 14 from the operator's seat of the 
maintenance-service vehicle 13, lead to new findings in the 
maintenance-service central office location, then without any loss in 
time, upon orders given by radio telephone, the maintenance-service 
vehicle 13 can proceed to a further switching location. 
The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific 
disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any 
modifications within the scope of the appended claims.