Abstract:
A portable, remote racking device that is controlled by a remote control. The remote racking device includes a drive that fits into a corresponding crank access hole formed in a front panel of a cradle housing a circuit breaker installed into a switchgear. The drive turns a mechanism inside the cradle that causes the circuit breaker to be racked into or out of the switchgear. The remote racking device includes an actuator pin that abuts a corresponding button arm protruding through the front panel. The remote control includes a control for depressing the button arm and another control for causing a motor to rotate the drive. The actuator pin detects when the button arm pops out of the panel, and a circuit in the remote racking device briefly reverses the motor to bring it and the circuit breaker to a sudden stop, preventing the mechanical linkages of the mechanism from locking-up or becoming damaged and avoiding over-torquing the motor.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to remote racking systems for electrical switchgear/board equipment, and, more particularly, to a portable remote racking device with a remote control device for racking a circuit breaker into or out of electrical switchgear/board equipment. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electrical switchgear/board equipment (sometimes just called switchgear or switchboard) house very large and heavy circuit breakers that protect loads that can consume thousands of amps of current. The procedure for making or breaking the electrical connections inside the electrical equipment between primary current carrying connectors in the circuit breaker and the corresponding connectors in the switchgear is referred to as racking. Racking such high-capacity circuit breakers is a procedure wrought with personal danger to the operator&#39;s safety. A possibility always exists that an explosion will occur due to a fault creating an arc flash, causing significant injury, including burns, or even death to the operator. Existing racking systems require the operator to insert a hand crank called a racking handle into a panel of a cradle or enclosure housing the circuit breaker to rack a circuit breaker into and out of the switchgear/board. This puts the operator right in front of the circuit breaker enclosure. Other existing racking systems use a wheeled platform that is positioned in front of the circuit breaker. A racking device is placed on the wheeled platform and mechanically couples with a control screw in the switchgear, which is cranked by the racking device. 
     A circuit breaker can be racked into or out of the switchgear among various positions, including a connected, test, and disconnected positions. When the circuit breaker is racked from one position to another (e.g., from a disconnected to a test position), a safety system in the switchgear typically prevents a further racking operation to be performed until the operator affirmatively signals an intention to perform the next racking operation (e.g., from the test position to a connected position). In some systems, the operator must press a stop/release button to perform the next racking operation. This button is accessible from the front panel of the switchgear, which places the operator in close proximity to the switchgear and within range of a harmful and potentially deadly arc flash explosion. Allowing the operator to perform various racking operations while maintaining a safe distance from the circuit breaker is desirable. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     This disclosure presents, among other things, a remote racking system that allows an operator to rack a circuit breaker safely into and out of a switchgear. A switchgear is a large metal enclosure that houses multiple circuit breakers that protect loads carrying very high levels of current. These circuit breakers are very heavy and bulky, much larger than those typically found in residential homes. Some of these circuit breakers can weigh over 100 pounds. Each circuit breaker is housed within a cradle, which is itself an enclosure, typically composed of metal, which has a panel accessible from a front of the circuit breaker. Inside the cradle is a mechanism that allows the operator to “rack” or slide the heavy circuit breaker into and out of switchgear. This operation is typically carried out by a hand crank that is inserted into a hole in the front panel, and then turned by the operator, which operates the mechanism to slide the circuit breaker into and out of the switchgear. As an added safety measure, the operator is also required to depress a button arm (also called a stop/release button) that protrudes through the front panel before turning the crank. The cradle also houses primary electrical connectors which in turn are connected to the primary connectors of switchgear. On the back of the circuit breaker are electrical connectors that connect to corresponding electrical connectors in the cradle inside the switchgear, thereby connecting the circuit breaker between a power source and a load to be protected. 
     The racking operation, as it is called, ensures reliable connections and disconnections are made between the electrical connectors on the circuit breaker and the corresponding connectors on the cradle inside the switchgear. In order to perform racking operation, the operator attaches and then locks in place a remote racking device to the front of the panel of the cradle. The remote racking device has a spring-loaded drive shaft that goes into the hole where the manual crank is normally inserted and an actuator pin that goes right up against the protruding button arm in the panel of the cradle. The remote racking device is connected to a remote control device by an electrical cable that is long enough to allow the operator to operate the remote racking device a safe distance away from the circuit breaker. The remote control device includes a number of buttons or switches that can control the operation of the remote racking device, which in turn operates on the cradle mechanism inside the cradle to cause the circuit breaker to be racked into or out of the cradle in the switchgear. 
     To initiate a racking operation, the operator depresses a button or switch on the remote control device that causes the actuator pin to depress the button arm of the cradle mechanism, thereby simulating the manual action by the operator who would normally use a finger to depress the button arm. Then, the operator pushes another button or switch on the remote control device to start a racking operation. A signal is sent over the electrical cable to the remote racking device, which begins to turn the motor in a direction indicated by the operator via the remote control device. The motor turns the drive, which cranks the cradle mechanism, causing the circuit breaker to rack in or out of the switchgear. When the mechanism inside the cradle reaches the next stopping position, the button arm pops out, which pushes the actuator pin in the remote racking device back into the remote racking device, engaging a switch that sends an input signal to a circuit inside the remote racking device. When the circuit receives this input signal, it produces an output signal in the form of an electrical pulse that causes the motor to stop and briefly reverse itself, bringing the motor and the accompanying circuit breaker to a sudden stop. This prevents the mechanical linkage of the cradle mechanism inside the switchgear from locking up and also prevents damage to the cradle mechanism inside the switchgear. Normally, the motor, which is connected to a heavy load, has an inertia that wants to continue to apply rotational energy even after power is removed. By reversing the motor briefly when the button arm pops out, this inertia can be overcome, effectively slamming the brakes on the motor and the accompanying movement of the circuit breaker. 
     The foregoing and additional aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of various embodiments and/or aspects, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided next. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings. 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective exploded view of a circuit breaker installed in a cradle within an electrical switchgear and a remote racking device connected to a remote control device; 
         FIG. 1B  is a close-up perspective view of the panel of the cradle of the circuit breaker shown in  FIG. 1A  positioned to receive corresponding members of the remote racking device shown in  FIG. 1A ; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of part of the remote racking device showing a protruding drive and actuator pin; 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective, partial cutaway front view of an actuator guide and actuator pin in relation to a sensing device, a rotating member, and a solenoid; 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates the actuator pin shown in  FIG. 3A  in a refracted position relative to the housing of the remote racking device; 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates the actuator pin shown in  FIG. 3A  in an extended position relative to the housing of the remote racking device; 
         FIG. 4A  is a perspective, partial cutaway rear view of part of the remote racking device showing the interaction of the actuator pin and the button arm from the cradle of the circuit breaker when the button arm is in the release position; 
         FIG. 4B  illustrates the button arm of  FIG. 4A  in the stop position and the relative position of the actuator pin and a toggle element of the sensing device; 
         FIG. 5A  illustrates a locking mechanism to lock the remote racking device in position once attached to the cradle; 
         FIG. 5B  illustrates the locking mechanism to hold the remote racking device in position on the panel of the circuit breaker cradle; and 
         FIG. 6  is a circuit wiring diagram of example circuits in the remote racking device and the remote control device and their associated electronic components. 
     
    
    
     While the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the present disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a circuit breaker  100  housed within a cradle or enclosure  102  for use in electrical switchgear equipment (or switchgear/board)  104  and a remote racking system  106 . The switchgear/board  104  can have a high, medium, or low voltage rating as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or can refer to a “switchboard” as defined in Underwriters Laboratory Standard UL891. The terms switchgear and switchboard are referred to interchangeably and synonymously herein and refer to the same device. A non-limiting example of a suitable circuit breaker  100  for use in connection with aspects of the present disclosure is the MASTERPACT® circuit breaker available from Schneider Electric. The remote racking system  106  includes a portable, remote racking device  108  and a remote control device  110 , which is not drawn to scale in  FIG. 1A  but rather has been enlarged for ease of illustration. The cradle  102  includes a front panel  112  that is accessible from a front of the switchgear  104 . An electrical cable  114  connects the remote racking device  108  with the remote control device  110 . The electrical cable  114  conventionally includes multiple wires insulated from one another, each carrying power, control, data, or other electrical signals between the remote racking device  108  and the remote control device  110 . The remote control device  110  includes a housing  116  and multiple controls  118 , such as switches, and indicators  120 , such as light emitting diodes, for example. 
     The circuit breaker  100  is installed into the switchgear  104  and can be racked into or out of the switchgear  104  among at least two, typically three racking positions. The details of the conventional components including the cradle mechanism involved in this racking operation are not necessary for the present disclosure; however, exemplary details can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,229, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. These components are housed within the cradle  102 , and cause the circuit breaker  100  to be racked among multiple racking positions, such as Disconnect, Test, and Connect positions. The disconnect position is sometimes also referred to as the “remove” position because the circuit breaker  100  can be safely removed from the switchgear  104 , the electrical conductors of the circuit breaker  100  having been disconnected from corresponding busbars in the switchgear  104 . In the connected position, the electrical conductors of the circuit breaker  100  are connected to the busbars of the switchgear  104 , allowing current to flow between an energy source, through the circuit breaker  100 , and to one or more loads protected by the circuit breaker  100 . In the test position, the electrical conductors are not physically connected to the busbars of the switchgear  104 , but other electrical connectors in the circuit breaker  100  can be connected to corresponding connectors in the switchgear  104  for testing various functionalities or features of the circuit breaker  100 . 
     The front panel  112  of the cradle  102  includes a crank access hole  124  and a button arm  126  (also referred to as a stop/release button) that protrudes through the front panel  112 . The button arm  126  is part of a conventional crank detent actuator, which has detents conventionally formed at predetermined points along its length (see  FIG. 4A ) to allow the button arm  126  to pop out of the panel  112  as the control screw in the cradle mechanism reaches each racking position. The front panel  112  also includes a manual crank handle storage hole  128 , which will be used by the remote racking device  108  for support and supports  130   a,b  ( FIG. 5A ) to lock the remote racking device  108  in position. The front panel  112  further includes a manual position indicator  132 , which indicates the racking position of the circuit breaker  100 . Alternately, the supports  130   a,b  can be formed on a mounting plate (not shown) that is attached over the panel  112  by screws or the like to retrofit existing cradles that lack the supports  130   a,b.    
     The remote racking device  108  includes a housing  122 , a detachable drive shaft  200  ( FIG. 2 ) extending away from the housing  122  and configured to be received by the crank access hole  124  ( FIG. 1B ) in the front panel  112  of the cradle  102  when the remote racking device  108  is positioned on to the front panel  112 . The remote racking device  108  further includes an actuator pin  300  ( FIG. 3A ) extending through the housing  122  and positioned to move with the button arm  126  protruding through the panel  112  ( FIG. 4A ). The remote racking device includes a sensing device  202  ( FIG. 2 ,  3 A), such as a micro-switch, within the housing  122 . The sensing device  202  is configured to, when the actuator pin  300  is moved by the button arm  126  transitioning from a release position to a stop position, produce a signal indicative of the position of the button arm. For example, when the circuit breaker  100  reaches the next racking position, the button arm  126  pops out (relative to the front panel  122 ), placing it in the stop position. To initiate the next racking operation, the button arm  126  must be pushed in (relative to the front panel  122 ) to place it into the release position. 
     The remote racking device  108  includes a motor  204  ( FIG. 2 ) that is operably coupled to the drive  200  to cause the drive  200  to rotate within the crank access hole  124 . Within the crank access hole  124  is conventionally a control screw, which when rotated, causes the circuit breaker  100  to be racked from one racking position toward another racking position. Details of this operation can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,229, mentioned above. The remote racking device  108  includes a circuit  600  ( FIG. 6 ) that receives the signal from the sensing device  202  ( FIG. 2 ) while the motor  204  is rotating in a forward (e.g., clockwise) or reverse (e.g., anti-clockwise) direction. When the signal indicates that the button arm  126  is in the stop position, the circuit  600  produces an output signal  602  ( FIG. 6 ) that causes an electrical pulse in a reverse direction to the motor  204  to suppress over-driving of the motor  204 , and associated mechanical linkage lock-up, during a racking operation of the circuit breaker  100 . The output signal  602  has a predetermined duration that is selected to overcome an inertia of the motor  204  having a load corresponding to the circuit breaker  100  (which can weigh hundreds of pounds) and to bring the motor  204  to a sudden stop such that over-driving of the motor  204  is suppressed or prevented. As the motor  204  is rotating in a forward or reverse direction (depending on the desired racking operation) under a heavy load corresponding to the circuit breaker  100 , it has an inertia such that when the motor  204  is instructed to stop, the inertia will cause the load (i.e., circuit breaker  100 ) to continue to move in the direction that it was traveling even after the motor  204  is de-energized. When this occurs, damage to the cradle mechanism can occur or the cradle mechanism can become locked or the motor  204  can become undesirably over-torqued. 
     To avoid or minimize these undesirable conditions, the present disclosure proposes to reverse the direction of the motor  204  for a predetermined duration of time sufficient to brake the motor  204  suddenly, and reverse its direction slightly, such as by a few degrees, for example 2-5 degrees. For example, when the circuit breaker  100  is a MASTERPACT® circuit breaker from Schneider Electric, it has been found that a pulse duration of 55 milliseconds in which the direction of the motor  204  is reversed is sufficient to brake the motor  204  and prevent damage to or locking up of the cradle mechanism. The duration of the output signal  602  can be determined as a function of any one or more of the torque of the motor  204 , the weight of the load attached to the motor  204 , and the rotation angle of the motor  204 , for example. 
     As mentioned above, the remote racking system  106  also includes the remote control device  110 , which is communicatively coupled to and physically separated by a distance from the remote racking device  108 . This distance is selected so that the operator operating the remote control device  110  is located a safe distance, such as 30 feet, away from the circuit breaker  100  while performing a racking operation. The remote control device  106  includes a switch assembly (also referred to as a motor direction switch)  118   a  ( FIG. 6 ), which is part of the controls  118  accessible from the housing  116  of the remote control device  110 . The switch assembly  118   a  receives the output signal  602  from the circuit  600 . The operator uses the switch assembly  118   a  to cause the drive  200  to rotate in a forward or a reverse direction as a function of a position of the switch assembly  118   a . The remote control device  110  also includes a control  118   b  that, when actuated, causes the button arm  126  to transition from the stop position to the release position. For example, the control  118   b  can be a solenoid switch that when actuated causes the button arm  126  to be pushed in (relative to the front panel  112 ), changing the position of the button arm  126  from the stop position to the release position. Details of how the control  118   b  is operable to change the position of the button arm  126  are described in more detail below, particularly in connection with  FIG. 6 . The drive  200  is mechanically prevented from racking the circuit breaker  100  into or out of the switchgear  104  when the button arm  126  is in the stop position. By contrast, the drive  200  is mechanically operable or permitted to rack the circuit breaker  100  among various racking positions when the button arm  126  is in the “pushed-in” release position until the button arm  126  transitions to the “popped-out” stop position. 
     Although the remote racking device  108  is communicatively coupled to the remote control device  110  by the electrical cable  114 , alternately, the remote racking device  108  can be wirelessly coupled to the remote control device  110 , using any conventional wireless protocol that permits the operator to be a safe distance, such as at least 30 feet, away from the circuit breaker  100  while performing a racking operation. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the remote racking device  108  includes a solenoid  206  having a plunger  208  (seen more clearly in  FIGS. 3A-3C ). A rotating member  302  ( FIG. 3A ), such as a bell crank, is mechanically coupled between the actuator pin  300  and the plunger  208  of the solenoid  206 . When the solenoid  206  is actuated, the plunger  208  moves to cause the rotating member  302  to rotate, thereby pushing the actuator pin  300  away from the housing  122  in the direction of arrow B, which causes the button arm  126  to be transitioned from the stop position to the release position (compare  FIG. 3B  with  FIG. 3C ). The sensing device  202  (seen in  FIG. 3A ) is positioned in a movement path (indicated by the arrow A in  FIG. 3B ) of the actuator pin  300  so that a toggling element  304  of the sensing device  202  switches between an open and a closed position when the actuator pin  300  engages the toggling element  304 . 
     The remote racking device  108  includes an actuator guide  210  ( FIG. 2 ) protruding through the housing  122  and configured to cover the button arm  126  (see  FIG. 4A ) when the remote racking device  108  is mechanically coupled to the cradle  102 . The remote racking device  108  is mechanically coupled to the cradle  102  (and thereby the switchgear  104 ) by at least a support member  212  ( FIG. 2 ) that protrudes through the housing  122  of the remote racking device  108 . The remote racking device  108  is also mechanically coupled to the cradle  102  by a support guide  216  that extends into the crank handle storage hole  128  formed in the panel  112  of the cradle  102  that houses the circuit breaker  100 . The member  212  includes a pin  214  inserted into an end thereof as shown in  FIG. 2 , the pin  214  being securely received in the racking device supports  130   a,b  to lock the remote racking device  108  in position relative to the cradle  102  while racking operations are being performed ( FIGS. 5A-5B ). 
     To mount or mechanically couple the remote racking device  108  into the panel  112  of the cradle  102 , the operator first installs the detachable drive  200  and then aligns any one or more of the support guide  216 , the drive  200 , or the actuator guide  210  with the corresponding hole  128 , the crank access hole  124 , or over the button arm  126  in the panel  112 , such as shown by the dashed lines in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . When mounted, the remote racking device  108  is flush against the panel  112 . Once the support guide  216  is received in hole  128  and the drive  200  is received in the crank access hole  124 , the operator twists a handle  134  mechanically coupled to the pin  214  to rotate the pin  214  as shown in  FIG. 5A  until the pin  214  is securely received between the supports  130   a,b . These racking device supports  130   a,b  as well as the support guide  216  help to carry the weight of the remote racking device  108  when it abuts against the cradle  102 . The operator connects the electrical cable  114  between the remote racking device  108  and the remote control device  110 . 
     Initially, when the circuit breaker  100  is mounted into the switchgear  104 , the button arm  126  is in a “popped-out” position, which represents the stop position. Even if a manual crank (not shown) is inserted into the crank access hole  124 , the operator will be mechanically prevented from rotating the crank and thereby racking the circuit breaker  100  into the switchgear  104 . In this initial configuration, the circuit breaker  100  is in the disconnect racking position. To initiate a racking operation, for example, from the disconnect position to the test position, the button arm  126  needs to be changed from its original “popped-out” or extended position (representing the stop position) to the “pushed-in” or depressed position corresponding to the release position. To do so, the operator actuates the control  118   b  on the remote control device  110  (at a safe distance away from the circuit breaker  100 ), which causes the solenoid  206  to pull the plunger  208  in the direction of arrow C shown in  FIG. 3C , which rotates the bell crank  302  in a counterclockwise direction, which in turn causes the actuator pin  300  to extend away from the housing  122  in the direction of arrow B, which is opposite the direction of arrow C. The actuator pin  300  pushes against the button arm  126 , pushing it to the release position (see  FIG. 4A ). 
     The operator actuates the motor direction switch  118   a  to indicate whether to rotate the motor  204  in a forward (e.g., clockwise) direction (such that the circuit breaker  100  is racked into the switchgear  104  into a connected position, referred to as racking on) or in a reverse direction (such that the circuit breaker  100  is racked out of the switchgear  104  into a disconnect position, referred to as racking off). In this example, the operator puts the motor direction switch  118   a  into the forward position and actuates a motor run switch  118   d  on the remote control device  110 . As can be seen from  FIG. 6 , closing the motor run switch  118   d , which connects a power supply  604  to a forward relay  614 , which closes to allow the power supply  604  to run the motor  204  in a direction that causes the circuit breaker  100  to begin to move from the disconnect position to a test position. When the circuit breaker  100  reaches the test position, the cradle mechanism causes the button arm  126  to “pop out” from its release position to the stop position, such as shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B . This triggers a sequence of mechanical and electrical actions. Mechanically, the button arm  126  pushes the actuator pin  300  into the housing  122 , such as shown in  FIG. 4B , until the actuator pin  300  actuates the toggling element  304  of the sensing device  202 , which closes a circuit shown in  FIG. 6  by applying a signal along the input line  616 , triggering the electrical actions. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a brief explanation of the electrical components will be described, followed by exemplary procedures for carrying out racking operations using the remote control device  110  and the remote racking device  108 .  FIG. 6  is an exemplary wiring diagram showing various electrical and electromechanical components in the remote racking device  108  and the remote control device  110 , which are connected together by the corresponding electrical connectors on the cable  114 . In  FIG. 6 , the terms or abbreviations mean the following: “REM” refers to remote, “OT” refers to overtorque, LED refers to light emitting diode, RL refers to relay, REV refers to reverse, FWD refers to forward, RDY refers to ready, SPLY refers to supply, VDC refers to direct current volts, CKT refers to circuit, and PWR refers to power. Referring to the circuit of the remote racking device  108 , the components shown in the remote racking device  108  can be disposed on one or more printed circuit boards. A power supply  604 , such as a 24 VDC supply, provides power to the components in the remote racking device  108  and the remote control device  110 . Alternately, the remote control device  110  can have its own power source independent of the power supply  604 . The power supply  604  derives its 24 VDC supply from a power entry module  606 , which is connected to a 120V or 240V alternating current (AC) line. This supply line can be independent from or derived from the supply line or lines supplied to the circuit breaker  100 . A power on LED  610  is connected to the output of the power supply  604  and turns on when the power supply  604  produces a 24 VDC output. A switch labeled cradle switch in  FIG. 6  corresponds to the sensing device  202  shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C , for example. One of the poles of the sensing device  202  is connected along an input line  616  to a circuit  600  labeled a brake pulse circuit in  FIG. 6 . The circuit  600  produces an output  602  having a waveform, such as a pulse waveform. The remote racking device  108  also includes a pair of relays  612 ,  614 , labeled RL 2  and RL 3 , respectively, one to cause the motor  204  to rotate in a anticlockwise/reverse direction (RL 2 ) and the other to cause the motor  204  to rotate in a clockwise/forward direction (RL 3 ). When energized, corresponding contacts of the relay close to apply the voltage from the power supply to the motor  204 , causing the motor  204  to rotate in the direction controlled by the relays  612 ,  614 . The remote racking device  108  further includes the solenoid  206  shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C , for example, whose actuation is controlled by the remote control device  110 , described below. 
     Referring now to the remote control device  110 , the remote control device  110  includes six controls  118   a - f  and five indicators  120   a - e . These controls and indicators are exemplary only, and more or fewer controls and indicators can be incorporated in the remote control device  110 . The five indicators  120   a - e  can be light emitting diodes having various colors and shapes to indicate their function. For example, the power on LED  120   a  can be a green LED, which turns on when the control  118   c  is switched on, thereby connecting the remote control device  110  to the power source  604 . A motor ready LED  120   b  can be green and turn on when the motor  204  is ready to be run. To do so, the operator actuates the motor run control  118   d  to connect the power supply  604  to the motor  204  through one of the relays  612  or  614 . An over-torque LED can be orange and turn on when an over-torque condition in the motor  204  is sensed by the remote racking device  108 . The remote racking device  108  includes a torque limiter coupled to the drive, and the torque limiter slips when the motor  204  is overtorqued, causing the over-torque switch  608  to close. When this occurs, the operator should determine the cause of the over-torque condition and make the appropriate corrections or adjustments and then actuate the over-torque control  118   e  to continue rotating the motor  204 , typically a few degrees, until the normal operating mode is reached, which will cause the over-torque switch  608  to toggle (into the position shown in  FIG. 6 ). Reverse and forward LEDs  120   d,e  can be in the shape of arrows pointing to the left and to the right, for example, to indicate a direction of the desired racking operation. Suitable labels can be printed proximate the indicators  120   a - e  and the controls  118   a - f  to indicate their function. A solenoid control  118   b  actuates the solenoid  206  as explained above. A lamp test control  118   f  can be pressed to ensure that all of the indicators  120   a - e  are functioning properly. When the lamp test control  118   f  is actuated, all of the indicators  120   a - e  should illuminate to indicate that they have not burned out. 
     Having described the components of the circuits shown in  FIG. 6 , attention will now be drawn to a few examples of carrying out racking operations using the remote control device  110  to control the remote racking device  108 . Closing the switch  202  (which can occur, for example, when the button arm  126  pops out of the panel  112  of the cradle  102 ) connects the input line  616  of the brake pulse circuit  600  to the power supply  604 . The brake pulse circuit  600  outputs a pulse having a duration, such as 55 milliseconds on the output  602 , which, when the motor direction switch  118   a  is connected in the clockwise/forward direction, connects the output  602  to a reverse relay  612 . Contacts of the reverse relay  612  close (the contacts of the forward relay  614  were opened when the switch  202  transitions to the stop position), causing to provide current to the motor  204  to reverse direction for the duration of the output pulse  602 , such as 55 milliseconds. When the pulse ends, power is removed from the reverse relay  612 , causing the motor  204  to stop. The circuit breaker  100  can be observed to come to a sudden, hard stop. 
     To ready the remote racking device  108  to perform the next racking operation, the operator actuates the solenoid switch  118   b  to cause the actuator pin  300  to push the button arm  126  into the release position. If the operator wants to perform a racking out operation, the operator puts the motor direction switch  118   a  into the anticlockwise/reverse position, which connects the contacts  1 , 2  shown in  FIG. 6  and disconnects the contacts  3 , 4 . The operator presses the motor run switch  118   d  on the remote control device  110 , which closes a circuit between the power supply  604  through the reverse contacts  1 , 2  of the motor direction switch  118   a , and the reverse relay  614 . The contacts of the relay  614  close, causing the motor  204  to start rotating in the reverse (e.g., anticlockwise) direction until the button arm  126  pops out from its release position to the stop position, causing the power supply  604  to be connected to the input line  616  to the brake pulse circuit  600 , which outputs a pulse as an output signal  602 , which activates the forward relay  614  and closes its associated contacts to cause the motor  204  to reverse its direction for the duration of the output signal  602 . 
     While particular embodiments and applications of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise construction and compositions disclosed herein and that various modifications, changes, and variations can be apparent from the foregoing descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.