A MANUAL ACTUATING DEVICE FOR ENCLOSED ELECTRICAL SWITCHES

Abstract: A handle (1) is mounted on the door of a cubicle in which the switch is mounted. The device compensates for misalignment due to mounting tolerances and establishes locking of the door in certain positions of the handle and switch. These functions are obtained by means of a misalignment compensating unit which is completely enclosed in a housing (10). The outer shape of the housing (10) interacts with a well (13) in the handle, and the rear part of the housing (10), one edge of which has a taper (18), interacts with a locking device in the form of a slide (17).

Description: The invention relates to a manual actuating device for an electrical switch which is built into a cubicle and is activatable by means of a handle mounted in a door, via a rotatable switch axle, with misalignment compensating means and with blocking means to prevent opening and closing of the door while the handle is in the switch-on position. In order to enhance safety and for protection against the environment, industrial switches are frequently enclosed in cubicles. However, it is desirable to operate such switches without having to open the door of the cubicle, and the switch is supplied with an axle of a length suitable for the mounting of an operating handle on the outside of the door. However, it is important to be able to open the door in order to change fuses or the like, and the handle is therefore often supported in the door and connected to the switch axle by means of a claw coupling. However, safety requires that the door may only be opened when the switch is in its "off" position, and hence the the handle is often connected with locking means for the door. There are further safety requirements that the handle shall only be connectable to the switch when the position of the handle and the position of the switch agree. In practical mounting of switches in cubicles and handles in doors certain misalignments are inavoidable, and hence there is a requirement that compensating means will allow friction-free operation in any case. Several solutions to the above requirements are known. Common to them all is that they consist of loose parts that have to be mounted in correct mutual relationship on handle and switch axle respectively. This reduces security in that the possibility of errors increases and it also contributes to greater assembly time. In particular the locking of the door is complicated, and in most cases it is dependent on correct engagement of the locking device and the part that is connected to the switch axle. Such manual actuating devices are disclosed in US-A- 3 009 029 and in US-A-2 698 361, the former of which discloses an actuating device comprising a first coupling member rotatably mounted in a door and connected to a handle and a second coupling member mounted on a switch axle. The first coupling member comprising an engaging member and a mounting member mutually connected by misalignment compensating means which allow displacement of the engaging member in any direction perpendicular to the axis of the switch axle. The state of the art (as described below) also includes a manual actuating device for an electrical switch which is built into a cubicle and is activatable by means of a handle mounted on an openable door, via a rotatable switch axle, the actuating device comprising a first coupling member rotatably mounted in the door and fixedly connected to the handle and a second coupling member mounted on the switch axle, the two coupling members being adapted to engage with each other when the door is closed and comprising mutually cooperating guiding surfaces which facilitate the insertion of one coupling member into the other during adjustment by misalignment compensating means of differences of position of the two coupling members due to misalignment, blocking means being provided to preventing opening and closing of the door while the handle is in the switch-on position. The present invention is characterised in that the second coupling member comprises an engaging member cooperating with the first coupling member, and a mounting member releasably mounted on the swich axle, the engaging member and the mounting member being mutually connected by means of the misalignment compensating means, which comprise a plate-shaped member carrying on each side one rectilinear tongue, the said tongue on one side of the plate-shaped member extending in a direction perpendicular to the tongue on the other side of the plate-shaped member and being displaceably received in grooves in the engaging member and the mounting member, respectively, means being provided for restricting the displacement of the tongues in the grooves and for retaining the engaging member and the mounting member against axial displacement in a direction away from one another. Preferred and optional features of the invention are set forth in sub-claims 2 et seq . The invention is to be further described with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a construction already known in practice; Fig. 2 shows a construction according to the invention; and Fig. 3 shows details in the construction of Fig. 2. In Fig. 1 is shown the state of the art of a handle with misalignment compensating means for actuating a switch and with interlock to ensure that the door carrying the handle is locked when the switch is in the "on" position. A handle 1 is mounted on an axle 2 which is rotatably disposed in the door (not shown). The axle 2 carries a cross plate with projecting pins 3 which may engage slits 4 in an essentially circular disc 5 . A further slit 6 is provided perpendicular to the first slits 4 surrounding the centre of the disc 5 . In the slit 6 is disposed the end of the actuating axle 7 of a switch. As the length of the slit 6 is greater than the width of the square axle 7, the disc 5 may perform a sideways motion on the switch axle 7 . The disc 5 furthermore has a cut-out 8 covering part of the periphery. When using this, well-known, actuating device the length of the axle 7 has to be adjusted according to the mounting of the switch in the cubicle. The pins 3 and the slits 4 must get into engagement, and this can only occur when there is agreement between the position of the handle and the position of the switch. In case there is a certain misalignment between the directions of the axles 2 and 7, relative displacements between the pins 3 and the slits 4 and of the axle 7 in the slit 6 provide compensation during rotation of the handle, thus transmitting torque from the handle to the switch in order to let it operate. In order to obtain a locking action on the door when the switch is in the "on" position, a claw 9 which is mounted on the inside of the door projects in order that it grips the disc 5 unless it has a position corresponding to switch "off". In this position only, the claw is opposite the cut-out 8 in the disc 5 . It is apparent that an actuating device according to the state of the art as described above has certain mechanical weaknesses and disadvantages in use. In case the misalignment between the handle in the door and the switch in the cubicle is large a large compensatory movement is required. This will increase wear, in particular in the slit 6, which again leads to undesirable slack in the movement. The claw 9 must have a large capture area in that it shall not only function properly in case of slack but also in case of full compensatory movement of the pins 3 in the slits 4 which gives the disc 5 a translatory movement as well as a rotation. The amount of compensation that this construction has to give is limited by the fact that there is only a 90 degree movement involved in the actuation of most switches. These disadvantages are completely avoided by the construction according to the invention shown in Fig. 2. A engaging member 10 which has a taper 11 contains the misalignment compensating means, and it is mounted on the switch axle 7 by means of a sleeve 12 . The taper 11 eases introduction into and engagement with a well 13 in the handle 1 . The handle 1 is rotatably mounted on the door, which is not shown. The engaging member 10 for the misalignment compensating means carries on one of its sides a projection 14 which corresponds to a slot 15 in the well 13 of the handle 1 when the well 13 has the correct position with respect to the engaging member 10 . In close proximity to the well 13 there is disposed a slide 17 carried in the bearing 16 of the handle, which slide is spring loaded as shown by the downwards pointing arrow of Fig. 3a. The slide 17 is forced aside when the engaging member 10 is introduced into the well 13 , and upon completion of this operation the slide moves back by spring pressure and so prevents the pulling out of the engaging member 10 . This function is used for locking the door in that the handle may not be separated from the switch axle 7 in this position (the "on" position ). There is in practise a possibility of overriding the interlock by insertion of a special tool from the outside of the door; however this is not shown as it is a part of the state of the art. The door must be openable in the "off" position of the switch, and this is obtained by means of a tapered back edge 18 of the engaging member 10 which may push back the slide 17 and so allow withdrawal of the engaging member 10 from the well 13 . The major advantage of the interlocking obtained by means of the invention as compared to the state of the art is that the interlock acts on a part 10 of the actuating means that has already had its position mechanically corrected. This means that the interlocking means do not need to have a large capture area because they always have to act at the same place, and normal mechanical tolerances may be used in order to obtain easy introduction and withdrawal. On Fig. 2 it may further be seen how it has been obtained that there is always the same relationship between the position of handle and switch as prescribed by the manufacturer. By means of the means indicated in claim 5 this may be obtained in those cases where the switch has a permanently fixed axle as well as in the case where an axle of square cross-section is cut and pushed home in a hole provided in the switch. In the latter case there is the only requirement that there be provided in the hole a protrusion or tab. The device thus functions in the following manner: the axle 7 with the slot or groove 22 is cut from stock and one end is put in the hole with a tab provided in the switch (not shown). This can only be performed one way. Subsequently the misalignment compensating means contained in the engaging member 10 is mounted on the axle 7 by means of the sleeve 12 . Similarly this can only be performed one way because there is fitted an inwards projecting pin in the hole 24 so that the axle 7 can only be pushed into the sleeve 12 when the pin is allowed to slide in the groove 22 . The sleeve is fixed to the axle by means of the screw shown. The door may be shut closed when the projection 14 is introduced in the slot 15 in the handle, and only under those circumstances. Hereby it is unambiguously ensured that one may read the position of the switch from the position of the handle with the door closed. In case certain absolute requirements as to the position of the handle have to be adhered to (e.g. vertical signifies "on", horizontal signifies "off"), certain problems might occur if a switch can only be mounted one way for reasons of space in the cubicle, and when the groove in the switch axle is disposed for the other way of mounting. In this case the pin in the hole 24 in the sleeve 12 may be driven out by a conscious use of tools and placed in the hole 23 instead, thus compensating for the changed mounting of the switch. There are typically 4 holes in the sleeve 12 corresponding to 4 different orientations of the groove 22 with which the pin has to cooperate. In Fig. 3 is shown the misalignment compensating means enclosed in the engaging member 10 . This is the part that compensates for the switch axle 7 not necessarily having the same axis of rotation as the handle 1 , even though they may be parallel. It is a question of transmitting a rotational movement between two parallel axles, and from a kinematic point of view it is performed the same way as described in connection with known constructions. That is, use is made of two sliding movements in directions perpendicular to each other. According to the invention this is obtained by means of the part shown in Fig. 3b consisting of a plate 19 carrying tongues 20 and 21 perpendicular to each other. These interact with grooves in the engaging member 10 and in that part of the sleeve 12 which extends into the engaging member and which carries a collar 25 which is larger than the hole allowing the extension into the engaging member 10 . The part shown in Fig. 3b transmits the movement of the handle 1 which drives the engaging member 10 to the switch axle 7 through the sleeve 12 . This is shown by means of different hatchings on Fig. 3a. The grooves are longer than the tongues 20 and 21 in order to permit the sideways movement in perpendicular directions. It should again be pointed out that kinematically the part shown in Fig. 3b performs the same action as the circular disc 5 in Fig. 1. However, it is not to act as a door interlock as in the state of the art. In the present invention door interlock is performed on the hindmost part of an element, the position of which has already been compensated for. Because the locking of the door occurs by means of a slide moving in parallel to the door, it is a simple matter to obtain both locking of the door as well as locking of the movement of the handle by means of a pin which is controlled from the outside of the handle. This pin is pushed in parallel with the axis of rotation of the handle in order to engage holes at selected places in slide and in door. A pin of this kind may be locked by means of a padlock which ensures that only authorized acces to activation or opening of the door can occur. The following advantages accrue from the actuating device according to the invention having the misalignment compensating means permanently mounted on the switch axle: the construction is smaller, lubrication is permanent, the weight and parts count are smaller, and the mounting of the handle in the door is greatly simplified in that there is no need for careful mounting of interlocking means.

Claims: A manual actuating device for an electrical switch which is built into a cubicle and is activatable by means of a handle (1) mounted on an openable door, via a rotatable switch axle (7), the actuating device comprising a first coupling member rotatably mounted in the door and fixedly connected to the handle (1) and a second coupling member mounted on the switch axle (7), the two coupling members being adapted to engage with each other when the door is closed and comprising mutually cooperating guiding surfaces (11, 13) which facilitate the insertion of one coupling member into the other during adjustment by misalignment compensating means (19, 20, 21) of differences of position of the two coupling members due to misalignment, blocking means being provided to prevent opening and closing of the door while the handle (1) is in the switch-on position, characterised in that the second coupling member comprises an engaging member (10), cooperating with the first coupling member, and a mounting member (12) releasably mounted on the switch axle (7), the engaging member and the mounting member being mutually connected by means of the misalignment compensating means (19, 20, 21), which comprise a plate-shaped member (19) carrying on each side one rectilinear tongue (20, 21), the said tongue on one side of the plate-shaped member extending in a direction perpendicular to the tongue on the other side of the plate-shaped member and being displaceably received in grooves in the engaging member and the mounting member, respectively, means being provided for restricting the displacement of the tongues (20, 21) in the grooves and for retaining the engaging member and the mounting member (12) against axial displacement in a direction away from one another. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the outer shape of the engaging member (10) of the second coupling member is not rotationally-symmetric and is complementary to a receiving well (13) of the first coupling member, the engaging member (10) being tapered in the direction towards the first coupling member. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the blocking means comprises a spring biased slide (17) in the bearing (16) of the handle (1), the slide (17) being adapted to be displaced by the engaging member (10) of the second coupling member during its engagement with the first coupling member, and the slide (17) comprises parts for cooperating with an inclined surface (18) situated on an edge area of the engaging member (10), when the said member together with the handle (1) is in the switch-off position, so that the mutual blocking of the coupling member ist released by opening of the door. A device as claimed in claim 3, in which the slide (17) is lockable by means which are operatable and lockable from the side of the handle (1) remote from the door. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the mounting member (12) of the second coupling member comprises a sleeve which receives the switch axle (7), the sleeve having at least two bores (23, 24) to mount an inwardly protruding pin for cooperation with a longitudinal slot (22) in the switch axle (7) upon insertion of the axle in the sleeve.

Inventors: DENEKE, ALBERT, PEDERSEN, KURT FLEMMING LINDEGAARD
Applicants: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Application year: 1984
Main classification: H01H3
IPC codes: H01H9, H01H3