Abstract:
An integrated circuit breaker levering in and hoist crank tool provides a single tool for operating both a winch for raising and lowering a circuit breaker, and a levering in assembly for moving a circuit breaker forward and rearward within its cabinet.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an apparatus for moving a circuit breaker. More specifically, the present invention provides a tool structured to operate both a hoist crank and a circuit breaker levering in mechanism.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Although devices for levering in and for lifting circuit breakers are well-known, presently available devices require separate tools to operate them, increasing the costs of production, and increasing the inconvenience of servicing the breakers.  
           [0005]    An example of a presently available hoist crank is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,949, issued to S. D. Walker et al. on Mar. 28, 2000. The lifting assembly described therein includes a pair of rail members mounted on an electrical cabinet, upon which a plurality of wheels of the lifting assembly are mounted to permit movement from one side of the cabinet to the other. The support frame extends outward from the cabinet, supporting a winch at its outer end. A crank assembly is provided for rotating the spool of the winch to extend or retract the winch&#39;s cable.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,573, issued to G. A. Wilson on Jun. 22, 1976, describes a circuit breaker elevator.  
           [0007]    A typical levering in assembly for moving a circuit breaker between a forward position and a rearward position within its cabinet is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,066,814, issued to J. E. Smith on May 23, 2000. The levering in assembly is illustrated specifically in FIG. 6 of Smith. The levering in assembly includes a drive screw extending in the desired direction of travel of the circuit breaker. The drive screw includes a hexagonal tip dimensioned and configured to engage a crank. A levering block is threadedly mounted on the drive screw so that rotation of the drive screw moves the levering in block, and therefore the circuit breaker, forward or rearward within the cabinet. When the circuit breaker is in its rearward position, stabs within the rear panel of the cabinet wall will be electrically connected with quick disconnects on the back of the circuit breaker, permitting current to flow through the circuit breaker and to the protected load. The circuit breaker will typically be moved to the front of the cabinet, wherein the quick disconnects and stabs are disconnected, to ensure that it is completely disconnected from its power source during servicing.  
           [0008]    It is presently necessary to use different tools to operate the crank of the winch and the drive screw of the levering in assembly. It is therefore desirable to provide a single tool capable of operating both the drive screw of the levering in assembly, and the crank of the winch. Providing a single tool for both purposes will both reduce the cost of the circuit breaker assembly, and simplify servicing the circuit breaker.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention provides an integrated circuit breaker levering in and hoist crank tool. The tool includes a crank handle removably secured to a sleeve, which may be removably secured to either a levering in adapter or a hoist crank operating pole.  
           [0010]    The sleeve is preferably hexagonal, and defines two pairs of holes, with each pair of holes being dimensioned and configured to receive a pin oriented substantially perpendicular to the hexagonal sleeve. One end of the sleeve is dimensioned and configured to receive a crank handle therein, with the crank handle secured by a pin passing through both a hole in the crank handle, and one pair of holes within the sleeve. The opposite end of the sleeve is dimensioned and configured to receive either the levering in adapter or a hoist crank operating pole, with a second pin passing through both a hole in either the levering in adapter or the hoist crank operating pole, and also the second pair of holes within the sleeve. A cut-out section within the sleeve permits the levering in adapter to pivot within the sleeve, so that when the lowermost circuit breaker within a cabinet is being levered in, the crank handle may be pivoted to avoid striking the floor. When the hoist crank operating pole is inserted into the sleeve, it extends sufficiently far into the sleeve so that it is not permitted to pivot.  
           [0011]    To operate the winch, the hoist crank operating pole is inserted into the hexagonal sleeve, and secured in place with a pin. A hook at the opposite end of the hoist crank operating pole engages the crank of the winch. Rotating the crank thereby rotates the hoist crank operating pole, thereby rotating the spool of the winch to extend or retract the winch&#39;s cable. Alternatively, the crank handle may be removed from the hexagonal sleeve, and the hexagonal sleeve may fit within the socket of an air socket wrench, which may be used to rotate the hoist crank operating rod in the same manner.  
           [0012]    To operate the levering in assembly, a levering in adapter is inserted into the hexagonal sleeve, and a pin is placed through both to secure the levering in adapter in place. The other end of the levering in adapter fits into a square hole at the tip of the drive screw of the levering in assembly. Rotating the crank will thereby rotate the drive screw, moving the circuit breaker either forward or rearward within the cabinet. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is an environmental, isometric view of a circuit breaker cabinet utilizing an integrated circuit breaker levering in and hoist crank tool of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an integrated circuit breaker levering in and hoist crank tool according to the present invention, having the levering adapter installed, and engaging the levering in mechanism of a circuit breaker.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a partially exploded, isometric view of an integrated circuit breaker levering in and hoist crank tool according to the present invention, showing the levering in adapter and its securing pin removed from the hexagonal sleeve.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an integrated circuit breaker levering in and hoist crank tool of the present invention, illustrating the tool with the hoist crank operating pole installed, and engaging the crank of a winch.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the sleeve of an integrated circuit breaker levering in and hoist crank tool according to the present invention, having both a crank and a hoist crank operating pole installed therein.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an integrated circuit breaker levering in and hoist crank tool according to the present invention, illustrating the tool having the hoist crank operating pole installed and engaging the crank of a winch, and the hand crank removed, with an air socket wrench engaging the hexagonal sleeve. 
     
    
       [0019]    Like reference characters denote like features throughout the drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]    The present invention provides an integrated circuit breaker levering in and hoist crank tool. Referring to FIG. 1, the tool  10  includes a crank handle  12 , a levering in adaptor  14 , a hoist crank operating pole  16 , and a sleeve for connecting the crank handle  12  to either the levering in adaptor  14  or the hoist crank operator pole  16 .  
         [0021]    Referring to FIGS. 2-3, the crank handle  12  includes a sleeve end  20 , a handle end  22 , substantially parallel to the sleeve end  20 , and a central section  24 , substantially perpendicular to both the sleeve end  20  and handle end  22 . The sleeve end  20  is dimensioned and configured to fit within the sleeve  18 , and the handle end  22  is dimensioned and configured to be gripped by a user for turning. A hole  25  (FIG. 5) is defined within the sleeve end  20 .  
         [0022]    The sleeve  18  includes a crank end  26  and a tool end  28 . The crank end  26  defines a pair of apertures  30 , dimensioned and configured to receive a removable pin  32  therethrough, substantially perpendicular to the sleeve  18 , and dimensioned and configured to align with the hole  25  when the crank handle  12  is inserted into the sleeve  18 , so that the pin  32  passes through the hole  25  and both holes  30  to secure the handle  12  within the sleeve  18 . Likewise, the tool end  28  also defines a pair of apertures  34 , dimensioned and configured to receive a removable pin  36 , so that the pin  36  is oriented substantially perpendicular to the sleeve  18 . The tool end  28  also defines a cutout section  38 . The exterior of the sleeve  18  preferably has a noncircular configuration when viewed from either end, with a hexagonal configuration being preferred.  
         [0023]    The levering in adaptor  14  includes a sleeve end  40  and a drive shaft engaging end  42 . The sleeve end  40  defines a hole  44 , dimensioned and configured to be aligned with the holes  34  when the sleeve end  40  is within the sleeve  18 , and to receive the pin  36  therethrough. The levering in adaptor  14  is thereby secured within the sleeve  18  by the pin  36 , and is permitted to pivot around the pin  36  by the cutout section  38 . The drive shaft engaging end  42  is dimensioned and configured to engage the tip  46  of the drive shaft of a levering in assembly (not shown, and well known). In a preferred embodiment, the drive shaft engaging end  42  is dimensioned and configured to fit within a square hole at the tip  46  of the drive shaft. To lever the circuit breaker  64  forward or rearward within the cabinet  66 , the levering in adaptor  14  is positioned to engage the drive shaft, and then the crank handle  12  is rotated in the appropriate direction.  
         [0024]    Referring to FIGS. 4-5, the tool  10  is illustrated in a configuration enabling it to be used to operate the hoist crank  48  of the winch  50 . For this task, the hoist crank operating pole  16  will be used. The hoist crank operating pole  16  includes a sleeve end  52  and a hoist crank engaging end  54 . The sleeve end  52  defines a hole  56 , dimensioned and configured to align with the holes  34  within the sleeve  18  when the operating pole  16  is inserted into the sleeve  18 , and to receive the pin  36  along with the holes  34 . Referring specifically to FIG. 5, the operating pole  16  extends sufficiently far into the sleeve  18  so that it will not pivot about the pin  36 , despite the cutout  38  within the sleeve  18 . Referring back to FIG. 4, the hoist crank engaging end  54  may have the configuration of a hook for engaging a ring shaped hoist crank  48 . By rotating the crank handle  12 , the hoist crank  48  is turned, thereby turning the spool  58  of the winch  50 , extending or retracting the winch&#39;s cable (not shown, and well known).  
         [0025]    Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the pin  32  has been removed from the sleeve  18 , permitting removal of the crank handle  12  from the sleeve  18 . An air socket wrench  60  is being used to operate the tool  10 . The hexagonal shape of the sleeve  18  permits the sleeve  18  to engage the socket  62  of the air socket wrench  60 , permitting the air socket wrench  60  to turn the tool  10 , thereby rotating the hoist crank  48 , and spool  58  of the winch  50 .  
         [0026]    While a specific embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof