Enabling means for locking, by a padlock, hand control devices of electromechanical equipments

Abstract: Locking device comprising within a handle (16) for rotating control of electromechanical equipments a latch (20), for locking the handle in a preselected position, which can be engaged by a padlock (55) only if the electromechanical equipment properly carries a desired movement out, making available in the latch a seat (54) for the padlock only in the last case, the possibility of the latch of being engaged by the padlock depending either by movement clearance between the handle (16) and rotating movement control devices thereto connected, or by movement clearance between a shaft (28) integrally connected to the handle and a disk (32), provided with cam shape, controlling an enabling device.

Description: The present invention pertains to enabling means for padlock locking provided, to control devices of electromechanical equipments, specifically electric circuit breakers. The so-called padlocking devices allow to lock, by means of a padlock, a handle of a circuit breaker in open position. Said padlocking must be possible only when the circuit breaker contacts are open, as required by safety rules. There are some circuit breakers in which it is possible to drive the control lever in open position even if their contacts are welded. However, in such a case said lever shows a tendency to come back to the closed position or to intermediate positions between the closed and the open ones. When on circuit breakers are provided means to convert the linear alternating movement of their control lever to rotating movement of a handle, it can happen that said lever can be moved into padlocking position and there locked, making believe that the circuit breaker has open contacts, while they could be remained closed owing, for example, to contact welding. There are many padlocking or however locking approaches in the prior art. For example, DE-A- 1.665.604, filed on April 13, 1966, discloses and depicts in figures I and 5 an actuating rotary handle I for electric circuit breakers, or the like, provided with a cylinder (Yale) lock 3 and, in addition, a lever arm 30, containing an elongated slot 31 for housing the hook of a padlock, connected through a slider 5 to an eccentric cam 4, actuated by the cylinder lock 3, in order to have a supplemental safety blocking menas for the handle I, for example by connecting through the padlock the handle I to a fixed support, or to maintain the handle into blocked condition even in the case of abusive breaking open of the cylinder lock 3. Both the cylinder lock 3 and the lever arm 30 cooperate to block the handle 1 into one of the end positions 20 (see figure 4) thereof corresponding to closed and open circuit breaker. In conclusion, DE-A- 1.665.604 discloses means for blocking a rotary handle for switches and circuit breakers independently from the actual conditions of their contacts, i. e. wether they are in good condition or welded owing to an overcurent. DE-U- 1.952.458, filed on August 6, 1966, discloses and depicts in figures I to 6 a rotary handle which can be provided with three different means to block the handle into the positions corresponding to both open and closed contacts of a switch or circuit breaker, said means consisting of the combination of: 1 - a cylinder lock 1 and a pin 5 provided with a reutrn spring 9 and controlled by a pushbutton 12 and a lever 18 provided with an elongated slot 23 for housing the hook of a padlock to block the handle into a selected position, 2 - a cylinder lock 1 and a push button 12 to block the handle into a selected position, 3 - a pushbutton 12 and a lever 18 provided with an elongated slot 23 for housing the hook of a padlock, being the handle blocked by the pushbutton into a selected position. Clearly DE-U- 1.952.458 is concerned with the problem of having a rotary handle, for controlling circuit breakers, suited to house three different blocking systems, comprised between the most sophisticated approach 1 and the simplest approach 3, having the task of blocking the handle in the end positions corresponding to the "open" and "closed" positions, respectively, of a controlled circuit breaker, but not making any selection between the two different position. It is selfevident that both DE-A- 1.665.604 and DE-U- 1.952.458 do not face the problem faced by the present invention. On the contrary, FR-A- 2.399.111, filed on July 28, 1977, which represents the closest prior art, deals with the problem faced by the present invention but, looking at the figures 1 to 5 thereof, it is seen that it is compelled to use a rod 10 emerging from inside the case 2 of a circuit breaker 1 through a cover 3 and anyhow connected to the movable contacts of the circuit breaker itself to allow the actuation of a blocking and padlockable member 7, external to a rotary control handle 8, in accordance with the fact that the movable contacts are open and to prevente the actuation of said blocking member and the padlocking thereof in case of either closure or welding of the movable contacts against the fixed contacts of the circuit breaker 1 itself. This approach is undoubtely an improvement with respect to the approaches of DE-A- 1.665.604 and DE-U-1.952.458, because can discriminate between proper and improper operations of the circuit breaker, which is completely impossible with the approches thereof. However, the proposed approach is not particularly attractive because needs a particular and dedicated member (the rod 10) extiting from the cover 3 of the circuit breaker 1, which have to be pierced and, further, needs a blocking and padlockable member 7 separated from the control handle 8. Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a padlocking device, appliable to rotating handles to control circuit breakers, operating just when said circuit breaker is in open positon and the contacts thereof are actually open. It is another object, consequential from the precceding one, to provide a padlocking device preventing said padlocking when, after having moved the control in lockable position, it is anyhow tried to force the handle into padlocking positon, by overcoming forces opposing to the operation, when the circuit breaker contacts are not actually open. According to a first embodiment of the present invention, means to enable the actuation of a padlocking device of a rotating control device for electromechanical equipments, wherein the block of a rotating control handle, by means of a padlock, is allowed just when the equipment controlled by the control device itself has its contacts properly open, are characterized in that the possiblity to move said padlocking device is connected to a clearance between a first mechanical linking member in the form of a hollow seat and a second linking member in the form of a squared shaft being the hollow seat so oversized with respect to the squared shaft to allow just a limited idle angular movement of the seat before engaging the shaft, the absence of said angular idle movement, when the rotating control device is in properly open and not forced position allows the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device while the occurrence of said limited angular idle movement, obtained by overcoming opposing forces due to resilient means present in the control handle, prevents the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device when the rotating control device is in not properly open and forced position; a hub containing the hollow seat in the form of a double squared bore similar to two squares superimposed and each other rotated through an angle, wherein is inserted the squared shaft a little undersized with respect to said bore provided with a padlocking enabling member which, in properly open conditions, leaves the device clear from fingers of the member itself, while in condition improper or preventing contact opening, for example because of contact welding, makes interfere said device with said fingers; further said enabling member consists of a disk provided with a first substantially arranged planar finger and with a second square finger connected to said disk in a substantially opposed position with respect to the first finger operanting said finger as an interference member with the padlocking device to prevent the rotation of lever arms around a fulcrum because of an abutment of an end of one of the lever arms against said first finger occurring when after an opening operation of the rotary handle the contacts of the equipment are not open and a forcing of the handle in open position shifts the double squared bore of said lever so that, by overcoming the force of a spring abutting between an internal slot in a hub of said handle and said square finger of the padlocking enable member the end of the lever arm moves over said first finger of the disk remaining prevented from descending into a slot to allow the padlocking of the rotating handle; and further the lever arm is provided with a padlocking bracket having a slot wherein one or more padlock hooks can be inserted when the lever arm is liftable in lockable position. According to a second embodiment, the means to enable the actuation of a padlocking device of a rotating control device for electromechanical equipments, wherein the block of a rotating control handle by means of a padlock, is allowed just when the equipment controlled by the control device itself has its contacts properly open, are characterized in that the possiblity to move said padlocking device is connected to a clearance between a first mechanical linking member in the form of a hollow seat and a second linking member in the form of a squared shaft being the hollow seat so oversized with respect to the squared shaft to allow just a limited idle angular movement of the seat before engaging the shaft the absence of said angular idle movement, when the rotating control device is in properly open and not forced position allows the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device while the occurrence of said limited angular idle movement, obtained by overcoming opposing forces due to resilient means present in the control handle, prevents the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device when the rotating control device is in not properly open and forced position; a hub containing the hollow seat in the form of a double squared bore similar to two squares superimposed and each other rotated through an angle, wherein is inserted the squared shaft a little undersized with respect to said bore provided with a padlocking enabling member which, in properly open conditions, leaves the device clear from fingers of the member itself, while in condition improper or preventing contact opening, for example because of contact welding, makes interfere said device with said fingers; said enable member consists of a disk provided with a first square padlocking finger substantiaklly radially arranged, and a second square engagement finger connected to said disk in a substantially opposed position with respect to the first finger said first finger operating as an intereference member with the padlocking device to prevent the entry of an end of a latch in a slot and a shift of said latch within the rotary handle for having padlocking holes clear from fingers of the latch because of an abutment of said end against said first finger which occurs when after an opening operation of the rotary handle the contacts of the equipment do not open and a forcing of the handle in open position makes the double squared bore shifted, so that, by overcoming the force of a spring abutting between a slot internal to a hub of said handle and said second square finger of the padlocking enable member the end of the latch moves against said first finger of the disk remaining prevented from coming into said slot to allow a padlocking of the rotary handle; and further said latch is held pushed in extroflexed position by a spring, being said padlocking obtainable just on purpose by pushing said latch to the inside against the force of said spring and provided that the first finger of the disk does not interfere with the internal end of said latch. According to a third embodiment, the means to enable the actuation of a padlocking device of a rotating control device for electromechanical equipments, wherein the block of a rotating control handle, by means of a padlock, is allowed just when the equipment controlled by the control device itself has its contacts properly open and wherein the rotating control handle consits of a handgrip connected to a hub are characterized in that the possiblity to move said padlocking device is connected to a clearance between a first mechanical linking member in the form of a hollow seat and a second linking member in the form of a squared shaft being the hollow seat so oversized with respect to the squared shaft to allow just a limited idle angular movement of the seat before engaging the shaft, the absence of said angular idle movement, when the rotating control device is in properly open and not forced position, allows the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device while the occurrence of said limited angular idle movement, obtained by overcoming opposing forces due to resilient means present in the electromechanical equipment itself prevents the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device when the rotating control device is in not properly open and forced position; in the said hub is tightly inserted a squared shaft entering into a central bore shaped as two superimposed squares, having sides a little oversized with respect to the sides of the squared shaft, superimposed and eachother rotated through an angle, pierced through the center of a padlocking enbabling member consisting of a disk periferally provided with a raised cam profile, being said member obviously also connected to a mechanism transmitting movement to an electric equipment, said raised cam profile having an abutting slider which when abuts on the top area of said cam profile comes out from a boxlike cover to fill a slot, accomodating a latch of a padlocking device to prevent the entry of said latch into said slot; said latch is provided with a recess aligning with a corresponding window through said handgrip for passing a blocking member, as a padlock hook, when the handle is rotated in the open position and the contacts of the electric equipment are properly moved into the position allowing the disk to move the depression of the cam profile under the slider so that said slider clears the slot permitting an end of the latch to enter into said slot; and said latch is kept by a spring in usually protruding position closing the window and, in order to clear said window, must be driven on purpose to the inside, being able to move just if the padlocking conditions are met, i. e. the rotaing handle is in open position and the contacts of the controlled equipment are properly open. The features and the advantages of the present invention will be made more apparent by the following detailed description of some embodiments thereof, provided with the enclosed drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a rotating control for circuit breaker containing a device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the same rotating control of figure 1; Figure 3 is sectional view of a rotating control handle containing a first embodiment of padlocking enable means according to the present invention in lockable position; Figure 4 is a sectional view of the same handle in figure 3, also in lockable position; Figure 5 is sectional view of the handle in figure 3 in not lockable position; Figure 6 is a view from underside of the same handle depicted in figure 5, also in lockable position; Figure 7 is a sectional view of a handle for rotating control containing a second embodiment of locking enable means according to the present invention in lockable position; Figure 8 is a view from underside of the same handle in figure 7, also in lockable position; Figure 9 is a sectional view of the handle in figure 7 in not lockable position; Figure 10 is a view from underside of the same handle depicted in figure 9, also in not lockable position; Figure 11 is a prespectical view of an enable cam usable in the lockable handle depicted in the figures 3 to 6; Figure 12 is a perspectical view of an enable cam usable in the locable handle depicted in the figures 7 to 10; Figure 13a is a lateral diagrammatical view of a control device according to a third embodiment with the handle in closing position wherein, of course, is not lockable; Figure 13b is a frontal diagrammatical view of the same control device of figure 13a, also showing the handle in closing position, and depicting a locking latch in a position to prevent the locking itself; Figure 14a is a lateral diagrammatical view of the same control device of the third embodiment of the present invention with the handle in open and lockable, but not locked, position; Figure 14b is a diagrammatical front view of the same control device in figure 14a also showing the handle in the same open and lockable, but not locked, position; Figure 15a is a lateral diagrammatical view of the control device of the third embodiment of the present invention with the handle in open position and lockable condition; figure 15b is a frontal diagrammatical view of the same control device of figure 15a also showing the handle in open position and lockable condition; Figures 16a and 16b depict in lateral and partially broken and in frontal, partial and diagrammatical view, respectively, an enable operation to the padlokcing provided by a disk with cam profile arranged in a box housing the control device of the third embodiment in the case that the circuit breaker controlled by the device properly opens the contacts on command; Figures 17a and 17b depict in lateral and partially broken and in frontal, partial and diagrammatical view, respectively, a disable operation to the padlocking provided by the same disk with cam profile in the case wherein the circuit breaker, controlled by the device to open the contacts, does not succeed, for example because of welding thereof; Figures 18a and 18b depict in lateral and partially broken and in frontal, partial and diagrammatical view, respectively, a disable operation to padlocking due to alignment lack between latch and slot therefor at the base of the handle happening when people would try to rotate the lever from the open to the reset position; Figures 19a and 19b depict in lateral and partially broken and in frontal, partial and diagrammatical view, respectively, a disable operation to padlocking due to alignment lack between latch and slot therefor at the base of the handle happening when people would try to maintain the lever in the reset position; Figures 20a, 20b and 20c are lateral, frontal and perspective views. respectively, of the cam profile disk deciding about the lockability and not lockability conditions of the third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to figures 1 and 2, it is seen that a rotary control 10 according to the invention consist of a boxlike cover 12 appliable on an electric equipment 14, as for example an electric circuit breaker, containing a mechanism to forward control movements to said electric equipment from a rotating handle 16 of said control 10, being said handle 16 further able to have subsequent positions 16a and 16b, depicted in figure 1, of which postion 16 corresponds to a position of open contacts in the circuit breaker , the position 16b corresponds to a closed position thereof and the position 16a is an intermediate position between the open position 16 and the closed position 16b. As it is commonely know in this art, a rotating control operates to transform a rotary movement of a control handle 16 in a linear alternating movement of a control lever 18 of an equipment, as the mentioned circuit breaker. The kind of device providing to said movement transformation is known since long time and is not here disclosed, because it is not part of the present invention regarding in stead a padlocking device 20 (i.e.a device accomodating a padlock and lockable by the same) of said rotating handle 16 actuable just when said lever is in the position corresponding to open contacts of the circuit breaker to lock said handle 16 and then said contacts in their open position. As it may happen that, for some reason, the contacts of the beaker do not open when it is desired because, for example, a preceeding overcurrent condition did weld them, the padlocking of said handle 16 must result impossible when the contacts of the breaker do not open on command. Reference is now made to figures 3 to 6 and 11 to understand a first embodiment of the present invention. In said figures it is seen that the handle 16 is comprised by a handgrip 22 connected to a hub 24 centrally provided with a hollow seat 26, housing with some clearance according to herebelow explained means, a squared shaft 28 for connection to an underlying movement transformation mechanism (not shown) housed in the boxlike cover 12 (see specifically figures 1 and 2). On the squared shaft 28 is also inserted a padlocking enable member 30, specifically shown in figure 11, consisting of a disk 32 provided with a central bore 34 tightly insertable on the squared shaft 28, a first planar finger 36 and a second square finger 38, having the task to allow said padlocking only when do not exist conditions preventing the contact opening of said electric equipment or breaker 14, and preventing on the contrary said padlocking. To this purpose the hub 24 of the handle 16 is provided with a slot 40 housing a spring 42 abutting with a first end against a wall of said slot and with the other end against said square finger 38 of the enable member 30. The planar finger 36 cooperates with the padlocking device 20 which is comprised by a lever, rotatable around a fulcrum 48, comprising a first arm 50 and a second arm 52, being the first arm 50 provided with a bracket 54 housing a padlock member, such as a hook 55, and the second arm 52 being provided with a distal end 56 abutting against said finger 36 to prevent said padlocking. Of course, in the boxlike cover 12 exists a slot 57, aligned with the opening position of the handle 16, wherein can penetrate the end 56 of the arm 52, providing to the fastening of the handle 16 with respect to the cover 12 and, with the appearance of the bracket 54 out of the handgrip 22, to the possibility for inserting the padlock hook 55 in said bracket, so obtaining said padlockind. In fact in case of normal operation without problems of the circuit breaker 14, when the control handle 16 is brought into the opening position, the positioning of the circuit breaker lever 18 in opening arrangement moves the shaft 28 and thus the enable member 30 into the position shown in the figures 3 and 4, because, taking the shaft 28 the exact position corresponding to contact opening in the circuit breaker 14, the handle 16 does not have any more to be forced to reach the opening position and, as a consequence, the spring 42 freely operates on the slot 40 bringing said handle 16 into the open position wherein the end 56 of the arm 52 can penetrate in the slot 57 present in the boxlike cover 12 and, as a consequence,the bracket 54 can be lifted out of the handgrip 22 for housing the padlock hook 55. Still referring to figures 3 to 6, it is seen that the padlocking device 20 is housed in an elongated slot 58 present in the handgrip 22, front closed by a support cross-bar 60 and communicating with a seat 62 housing a push spring 64, having the task to normally maintain said padlocking device in the position shown in the figures 5 and 6, i. e. in not lockable position. The padlocking can be possible only when the handgrip is in the position shown in the figures 3 and 4, because only in this position it may happen to lift the first arm 50 for making the bracket 54 to come out from the slot 58 to allow the introduction thereinto of the padlock hook 55, because just in this position the end 56 of the second lever arm 52 can penetrate into the slot 57 present on the boxlike cover 12. Of course, as already hereabove indicated, said end 56 can penetrate into the slot 57 only if there are no drawbacks in controlling the contacts of the controlled breaker, as it will herebelow explained. The seat 26, present in the hub 24 of the handle 16, has a cross-section like two superimposed squares each other rotated, having sides a little oversized (for example of 1 mm) with respect the sides of the squared shaft 28 in order to have an effect similar to what happens when it is attempted to drive a nut or a bolt by means of a wrench oversized of a number, (e.g. to drive a 10 mm wide nut by means of a 11 mm wide wrench) it is somtime possible to obtain the movement, however the wrench moves idle through some angle before engaging said nut or bolt. Likewise, the handle 16, rotating in one direction, engages the sides of one of the squares defining its seat 26, and rotating in the other direction engages the sides of the other square, so that it exists allways some rotation of the handle 16 with respect to the square shaft 28. If the handgrip 22 of the handle 16 is not forcefully driven, it happens that the spring 42, between a wall of the slot 40 and the finger 38 of the enable member 30, can extend substantially completely, positioning the finger 36 according to the orientation shown in the figures 3 and 4, in order to leave room to the end of the lever arm 52 to penetrate into the slot 57 of the boxlike cover 12,when the circuit breaker is properly open, to allow the lifting of the bracket 54 in order to let a padlock bow 55 penetrate thereinto. When it occurs a malfunction in the breaker 14, such as contact welding, said malfunction opposes to a free movement of all the devices thereto connected, comprising the squared shaft 28 which could not freely reach the position corresponding to breaker opening and, consequentely, the handle 16 in the open position could not orientate according the direction corresponding to the opening wherein the padlocking is possible. An attempt to force said handle 16 into the opening position could just rotate the seat 26 with respect to the squared shaft 28, compelling a wall of the slot 40 to move and to abut against the spring 42, which will distort, as shown in figure 6, while the lever arm 52, having its end 56 abutting against said finger 36 could not descend, preventing the padlocking of the handle 16, being impossible to extract the bracket 54 from the slot 58 in the handgrip 22. Reference is now made to figures 7 to 10 and 12 depicting a second embodiment of the present invention and the relating padlockin enable member. In said figures it seen that the handle 16 is comprised by a handgrip 22 connected to a hub 24 centrally provided with a hollow seat 26 housing, with some clearance, likely to what happens in the first embodiment depicted in the figures 3 to 6 and 11, a squared shaft 28 connected to an underlying movement transformation mechanism (not show housed in the boxlike cover 12 (see specifically figures 1 and 2). On the squared shaft 28 is also inserted a padlocking enable member 70, specifically shown in figure 12, consisting of a disk 72 provided with a central bore 74 tightly insertable on the squared shaft 28, of a first square padlocking finger 76 and a second square finger 78, having the task to allow said padlocking only when do not exists any condition preventing the opening of the contact in said breaker 14, preventing the padlocking in contrary case. To this purpose, the hub 24 of the handle 16 is provided with a slot 80 housing a spring 82 abutting with an end against a wall 80a of said slot and with the other end against said square finger 78 of the enable member 70. The square padlocking finger 76 cooperates with the padlocking device 20a comprising a latch 92 driven to longitudinally slide by two pins 88a and 88b housed in two sliding slots 90a and 90b, padlocking protrusions 94a, 94b and 94c coming out from the latch 92 and having the task to cover or clear some holes 95a, 95b and 95c for the passage of possible padlock hooks. Said latch 92 further comprises an end 96 which, passing through an elongated handgrip slot 98, can penetrate into the slot 97 of the boxlike cover 12 allowing a fastening of the handle 16 with resepect the cover 12 and the consequent padlocking of the handgrip itself. The latch 92 is driven by a spring 100, abutting against a protrusion 101 and housed in an enlarged slot 102, to move into the position depicted in the figures 9 and 10 wherein the protrusion 94c of the latch 92 abuts against a stop 104 in the handgrip 22. Of course, the latch 92 must be pushed on purpose into the padlocking position, overcoming the force of the spring 100, being able to reach it only if the padlocking conditions are met, which are susbstantially the same of the embodiment of the figures 3 to 6. In fact, should happen a proper opening of the circuit breaker 14, the padlocking enable member 70 drives, through the spring 82 abutting against the square finger 78, the hub 24 and then the handgrip 22 into the position indicated in the figures 7 and 8, wherein the latch 92, if pressed on the end 105, can penetrate in the slot 97 of the cover 12, because the end 96 of the latch 92 avoids the padlocking finger 76, so that the protrusions 94a, 94b and 94c of the latch 92 clear the holes 95a, 95b and 95c for the passage of padlock hooks there insertable. Should happen some drawback in the circuit breaker 14 preventing the contact opening, as for example a welding thereof, as the hub 24 is provided with a hollow seat 26 absolutely identical to the hollow seat 26 of the first embodiment depicted in the figures 3 to 6, it would happen something similar to what happens in the first embodiment; i. e. the squared shaft 28 cannot be able to reach the position corresponding to open contacts and thus the handgrip 22 is no more positioned to make the latch 92 penetrating into the slot 97 to allow the padlocking. Not even an attempt to forcefully drive the handgrip 22 into the opening position can allow a padlocking thereof because, as the padlocking enable member 70, owing to its central squared bore 74 perfectely insertable on the squared shaft 28 must exactly follow the orientation thereof, it happens that a forced movement of the handgrip 22, which can happen because of the shape of the hollow seat 26, overcoming the force of the spring 82, drives the rotating handle 16 into the position depicted by the figures 9 and 10, wherein the latch 92 has the end 96 opposed to the square finger 76 preventing thus the entry of the latch end itself into the slot 97 of the cover 12, so preventing the padlocking of the handgrip 22 owing to malfunction of the circuit braker 14. Reference is now made to figures 13 to 20 depicting a third embodiment of the invention. In this last embodiment the rotation clearing, producing the padlocking enable, does not happen any more between a rotary handle and a shaft connected to the mechanism for transforming a rotary movement in linear alternating movement, but rather between a shaft rigidly connected to a rotary handle and a disk, having peripheral cam profile, centrally provided with a hole having shape similar to two superimposed squares, eachother rotated through an angle, and having size a little larger than said shaft which, properly, can have squared cross-section. Considering in advance figures 13 to 15, it is seen that the padlocking enable means according to the third embodiment of the present invention are connected to a rotary control 110 comprising a boxlike cover 112 appliable to an electric equipment, as a circuit breaker (not shown), from which comes out a rotary handle 116 inside containing a padlocking device 120 of the longitudinal movement kind, similar to the device 20a shown in the figures 7 to 10. Said rotary handle 116 comprises a handgrip 122 inserted on a hub 124 from which comes out a squared shaft 128 provided to be inserted in a padlocking enable member 130 inside the boxlike cover 112 under the hub 124, said padlocking enable member 130 particularly appearing in the figures 16 to 19 and being depicted alone in the figures 20a, 20b and 20c wherein all the details are shown. The boxlike cover 112 under the hub 124 of the rotary handle 116 has a raised pad 113 provided with circumferential raised edge 115 interrupted by a reentring slot 117 having the task of housing a latch member 150 rensembling the latch member 92 shown in the figures 7 to 10, being said latch member 150 able to entry with its end 156 into the slot 117 and being provided with a recess 152 able to align with a window 154 present in the handgrip 122 of the handle 116 when the padlocking conditions are met. Usually said latch 150 is held out of the handgrip 122 by means of a pushing spring 157 arranged between the inside of the hub 124 and a recess of the latch 150. Looking specifically at figures 20a, 20b and 20c, it is seen that the padlocking enable member consists of a disk 132 provided with a central bore 126 having shape like two superimposed squares, having the sides eachother roated through an angle, and a little larger size for having the already depicted large wrench effect which has been likely used in the two preceeding embodiments. Said disk 132 is povided on the periphery with a raised cam profile 134, having an interruption or depression 136 engaging an enable member in the form of a slider 138 which can either enter in or come out from the above mentioned slot 117, according to the fact of being above the cam profile 134 or the depression 136 (see figures 16 to 19). The operation of this third embodiment is the following one: when the rotary handle 116 is in open position and the underlying circuit breaker is properly open, the disk 132, driven by some mechanism connected to the circuit breaker, is positoned with the depression 136 of the raised cam profile 134 under the slider 138 which descends to the position depicted in the figures 15a and 16a. At this time the latch 150 can be driven into the handgrip 122, aligning the recess 152 with the window 154 so allowing the entry of the end 156 into the slot 117 and thus the transit of a padlock hook thereinto and the padlocking of the breaker in open condition. If for some reason, as contact welding, the opening movement of the contacts should not be complete, the handgrip 122 of the handle 116 stays backwards, not allowing to the end 156 of the latch 150 to be aligned with the slot 117, so preventing the padlocking of the handle 116. If it is tried to force the handgrip 122 into the open position, the central bore 126 of the cam disk 132 with the duoble squared shape and the clearance with respect to the shaft 128 makes said disk 132 to remain in the position depicted in figures 17a and 17b with the raised cam profile 134 driving the slider 138 in the raised position preventing the entry of the end 156 of the latch 150 in the slot 117 and thus the padlocking of the handle 116. Even a forcement of the handgrip 122 to the reset positon never could allow a padlocking of the handle 116 because even if, as depicted in the figures 18 and 19, the slider 138 can come on the interruption or depression 136 of the cam profile 134, so clearing said slot 117, however in this two positions the end 156 of the latch 150 should be no more aligned with the slot 117, being in any way the padlocking prevented.

Claims: Means to enable the actuation of a padlocking device (20) of a rotating control device (10) for electromechanical equipments, wherein the block of a rotating control handle (16), by means of a padlock, is allowed just when the equipment controlled by the control device itself (10) has its contacts properly open, characterized in that the possiblity to move said padlocking device is connected to a clearance between a first mechanical linking member in the form of a hollow seat (26) and a second linking member in the form of a squared shaft (28) being the hollow seat (26) so oversized, with respect to the squared shaft (28), to allow just a limited idle angular movement of the seat (26) before engaging the shaft (28), the absence of said angular idle movement, when the rotating control device (10) is in properly open and not forced position allows the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device (20) while the occurrence of said limited angular idle movement, obtained by overcoming opposing forces due to resilient means (42), present in the control handle, prevents the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device (20) when the rotating control device (10) is in not properly open and forced position; a hub (24) containing the hollow seat in the form of a double squared bore (26), similar to two squares superimposed and each other rotated through an angle, wherein is inserted the squared shaft (28) a little undersized with respect to said bore (26) provided with a padlocking enabling member (30) which, in properly open conditions, leaves the device (20) clear from fingers (36) of the member (30) itself, while in condition improper or preventing contact opening, for example because of contact welding, makes interfere said device (20) with said fingers; further said enabling member (30) consists of a disk (32) provided with a first substantially arranged planar finger (36), and with a second square finger (38) connected to said disk (30) in a substantially opposed position with respect to the first finger (36), operanting said finger (36) as an interference member with the padlocking device (20) to prevent the rotation of lever arms (50, 52) around a fulcrum (48) because of an abutment of an end (56) of one of the lever arms (52) against said first finger (36) occurring when after an opening operation of the rotary handle (16) the contacts of the equipment (14) are not open and a forcing of the handle (16) in open position shifts the double squared bore (26) of said lever so that, by overcoming the force of a spring (42) abutting between an internal slot (40) in a hub (24) of said handle (16) and said square finger (38) of the padlocking enable member (30), the end (56) of the lever arm (52) moves over said first finger (36) of the disk (32) remaining prevented from descending into a slot (57) to allow the padlocking of the rotating handle (16); and further the lever arm (50) is provided with a padlocking bracket (54) having a slot wherein one or more padlock hooks (55) can be inserted when the lever arm (50) is liftable in lockable position. Means to enable the actuation of a padlocking device (20a) of a rotating control device (10) for electromechanical equipments, wherein the block of a rotating control handle (16), by means of a padlock, is allowed just when the equipment controlled by the control device itself (10) has its contacts properly open, characterized in that the possiblity to move said padlocking device is connected to a clearance between a first mechanical linking member in the form of a hollow seat (26) and a second linking member in the form of a squared shaft (28) being the hollow seat (26) so oversized, with respect to the squared shaft (28), to allow just a limited idle angular movement of the seat (26) before engaging the shaft (28), the absence of said angular idle movement, when the rotating control device (10) is in properly open and not forced position allows the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device (20a) while the occurrence of said limited angular idle movement, obtained by overcoming opposing forces due to resilient means (82), present in the control handle, prevents the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device (20a) when the rotating control device (10) is in not properly open and forced position; a hub (24) containing the hollow seat in the form of a double squared bore (26), similar to two squares superimposed and each other rotated through an angle, wherein is inserted the squared shaft (28) a little undersized with respect to said bore (26) provided with a padlocking enabling member (70) which, in properly open conditions, leaves the device (20a) clear from fingers (36) of the member (70) itself, while in condition improper or preventing contact opening, for example because of contact welding, makes interfere said device (20a) with said fingers; said enable member (70) consists of a disk (72) provided with a first square padlocking finger (76) substantiaklly radially arranged, and a second square engagement finger (78) connected to said disk in a substantially opposed position with respect to the first finger (76), said first finger (76) operating as an intereference member with the padlocking device (20a) to prevent the entry of an end (96) of a latch (92) in a slot (97) and a shift of said latch (92) within the rotary handle (16), for having padlocking holes (95a-c) clear from fingers (94a-c) of the latch (92), because of an abutment of said end (96) against said first finger (76) which occurs when after an opening operation of the rotary handle (16) the contacts of the equipment (14) do not open and a forcing of the handle (16) in open position makes the double squared bore (26) shifted, so that, by overcoming the force of a spring (82) abutting between a slot (80) internal to a hub (24) of said handle (16) and said second square finger (78) of the padlocking enable member (70), the end (96) of the latch (92) moves against said first finger of the disk (72), remaining prevented from coming into said slot (97) to allow a padlocking of the rotary handle (16); and further said latch (92) is held pushed in extroflexed position by a spring (100), being said padlocking obtainable just on purpose by pushing said latch (92) to the inside against the force of said spring (100) and provided that the first finger (76) of the disk (70) does not interfere with the internal end (96) of said latch (92). Means to enable the actuation of a padlocking device (120) of a rotating control device (110) for electromechanical equipments, wherein the block of a rotating control handle (116), by means of a padlock, is allowed just when the equipment controlled by the control device itself (110) has its contacts properly open and wherein the rotating control handle (116) consits of a handgrip (122) connected to a hub (124) characterized in that the possiblity to move said padlocking device is connected to a clearance between a first mechanical linking member in the form of a hollow seat (126) and a second linking member in the form of the said squared shaft (128) being the hollow seat (126) so oversized with respect to the squared shaft (128) to allow just a limited idle angular movement of the seat (126) before engaging the shaft (128), the absence of said angular idle movement, when the rotating control device (110) is in properly open and not forced position allows the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device (120) while the occurrence of said limited angular idle movement, obtained by overcoming opposing forces due to resilient means present in the electromechanical equipment itself prevents the advance into padlockable position of the padlocking device (120) when the rotating control device (110) is in not properly open and forced position; in the said hub (124) is tightly inserted a squared shaft (128) entering into a central bore (126) shaped as two superimposed squares, having sides a little oversized with respect to the sides of the squared shaft (128), superimposed and eachother rotated through an angle, pierced through the center of a padlocking enbabling member (130) consisting of a disk (132) periferally provided with a raised cam profile (134), being said member obviously also connected to a mechanism transmitting movement to an electric equipment, said raised cam profile (134) having an abutting slider (138), which when abuts on the top area of said cam profile (134) comes out from a boxlike cover (112) to fill a slot (117), accomodating a latch (150) of a padlocking device (120) to prevent the entry of said latch into said slot (117); said latch (150) is provided with a recess (152) aligning with a corresponding window (154) through said handgrip (122) for passing a blocking member, as a padlock hook, when the handle (116) is rotated in the open position and the contacts of the electric equipment are properly moved into the position allowing the disk (132) to move the depression (136) of the cam profile (134) under the slider (138) so that said slider clears the slot (117) permitting an end (156) of the latch (150) to enter into said slot (117); and said latch (150) is kept by a spring (157) in usually protruding position closing the window (154) and, in order to clear said window (154), must be driven on purpose to the inside, being able to move just if the padlocking conditions are met, i. e. the rotaing handle (116) is in open position and the contacts of the controlled equipment are properly open.

Inventors: DE VIZZI FRANCESCO, DE VIZZI, FRANCESCO
Applicants: GE POWER CONTROLS ITALIA SPA, GE POWER CONTROLS ITALIA S.P.A.
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H01H9
IPC codes: E05B1, H01H9, H01H33