Abstract:
A trip indicator for handle operator for controlling a handle of a circuit breaker comprises a cover having a window sufficiently sized to view indicia indicating a position of the handle, a trip flag having indicia indicating a TRIPPED condition, and a connection between a chuck of the handle operator and the trip flag configured to move the trip flag such that the indicia is visible through the window when the handle is in a TRIPPED position and is not visible through said window when the handle is not in the TRIPPED position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This application relates to circuit breaker remote handle operators. More specifically, this application relates to a trip indicator for circuit breaker remote handle operators. 
     Remote handle operators are available to remotely operate a circuit breaker, i.e., to turn on, off, or reset the circuit breaker from a remote location. Remote handle operators work by attaching to the front face of the circuit breaker and engaging a chuck on the circuit breaker handle to physically operate the circuit breaker. A chuck disposed on the circuit breaker handle is operated by a solenoid or motor which is operated by a control unit at the remote location. 
     A drawback to using a remote handle operator is that the remote handle operator covers the handle of the circuit breaker, making it impossible determine which position the handle is in unless some indicator is provided by the remote handle operator. 
     It has been known to provide a window on the case of the remote handle operator with a label mounted to the handle chuck or a part that moves with the handle chuck to indicate whether the handle is in an ON position or OFF position. However, it would also be desirable to know when the circuit breaker has been tripped. When a circuit breaker trips, the handle moves slightly away from the ON position. Unfortunately, this movement is not visible on circuit breakers with remote handle operators. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To overcome the limitations of the prior art, the present invention provides a trip indicator for handle operator for controlling a handle of a circuit breaker comprising a cover having a window sufficiently sized to view indicia indicating a position of the handle, a trip flag having indicia indicating a TRIPPED condition, and a connection between a chuck of the handle operator and the trip flag configured to move the trip flag such that the indicia is visible through the window when the handle is in a TRIPPED position and is not visible through said window when the handle is not in the TRIPPED position. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring now to the exemplary drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES: 
     FIG. 1 shows a circuit breaker with a handle operator instaled; 
     FIG. 2 shows a simplified cross section view of the remote handle operator in engagement with a handle of a circuit breaker; 
     FIGS. 3,  4  and  5  show a trip indicator according to a preferred embodiment in ON, OFF, and TRIP positions, respectively; and 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 show another embodiment of a trip indicator of the invention in ON and TRIP positions, respectively. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a prior art circuit breaker unit  8  has a remote handle operator  4  installed, covering circuit breaker handle  2  so that its position cannot be seen. Remote handle operator  4  includes a chuck  3  which engages handle  2  and operates it via motor  5 . Handle  2  is operated to turn the circuit breaker OFF or ON by two-way motor  5  which rotates jack-screw  14  causing threaded block  16  moves up or down in the direction of the arrow  9 . Chuck  3  is connected to threaded block  8  and includes rollers  11  that directly engage handle  2 . Spring  15  allows chuck  3  to move in response to the handle movement when circuit breaker  8  is tripped, regardless of any movement of threaded block  16 . Plates  12  ensure that when remote handle operator  4  is positioned on circuit breaker  8 , handle  2  extends between rollers  11 . To reset handle  2  after the circuit breaker trips, the handle is moved to the OFF position, then to the ON position. 
     Connected to chuck  3  is extension  13  for supporting indicator flag  10 . The remote handle operator includes a window  7  through which a portion of indicator flag  10  is visible. When the handle moves from an on position to an off position or vice-versa, indicator flag  10  moves thereby changing the portion of indicator flag  10  that is visible through window  7 . When circuit breaker ON, the portion of indicator flag  10  that is visible includes indicia for “ON” and when the circuit breaker is OFF, the portion of indicator flag  10  that is visible includes indicia for “OFF”. As discussed above in the background section above, there has heretofore been no known way of clearly indicating when the breaker is in a TRIPPED position, since it is relatively close to the ON position and thus the indicia for “ON” may still be visible or partially visible in window  7  even though the unit has tripped. 
     Turning to FIGS. 3 through 5, the present invention has solved this problem by providing a slider  20 , trip flag support  42 , trip flag  40 , dial drive positioner  27 , and dial  30  having an ON label  33  and an OFF label  35 . Slider  20  slides along slide posts  24  under the influence of chuck  3  such as that shown in FIG.  2 . Trip flag support  42 , trip flag  40  and dial drive positioner  27  are fixed to slider  20  so they move as one. Dial  30  rotates on pin  37  and is positioned by pin  38  captured in slot  26  of positioner  27 . As the slider slides down from the position shown in FIG. 3, positioner  27  forces dial  30  to rotate clockwise as shown by arrow  32 . 
     Although the prior art shows a motor driven jack screw (shown in FIG. 2) for positioning said chuck, the invention contemplates other configurations, such as the use of a solenoid, spring operated, pneumatic or hydraulic positioner. Regardless of the means for motivating the chuck assembly, the chuck must also respond to movement of the circuit breaker handle in the case of the circuit breaker being tripped. 
     Looking now to FIG. 4, slider  20  is in its lowest position. The trip flag is below indicator window position  6  and dial  30  has rotated to the OFF position wherein the word “OFF” is aligned with window position  6 . When the breaker is ON (FIG. 3) and then trips, the force and stroke provided by the handle displacement provides the motion and force necessary to move slide  20  and position trip indicator flag  40  into alignment with window  7  at window position  6 , as shown in FIG.  5 . Because of the opposite motions of dial  30  and flag  40  and because of the mechanical advantage gained by the dial  30 , ON label  33  can be covered and “TRIP” can be displayed with a very short stroke. 
     In addition to mechanically displaying an ON-OFF-TRIP indicator, the present invention also contemplates providing an electronic annunciation or communication of the condition of the circuit breaker. For remote handle operators having electronic annunciation or communication capability, it is necessary for handle operator  4  to have some sensing means to sense the position of handle  2  of the circuit breaker  8 . To sense the three possible positions, ON, OFF, and TRIP, of handle  2 , and therefore chuck  3 , slider  20 , or some other part of the assembly shown in FIG. 2 that moves with chuck  3 , is provided with two position sensors  61  and  62  to detect slider being in an ON position as shown in FIG. 2, or an OFF position as shown in FIG.  3 . Sensors  61  and  62  may be of any type capable of detecting the proximity of slider  20 . For example, sensors  61  and  62  may be electrical contacts designed to complete a circuit of which slider  20  is a part, or they may be mechanical switches, such as micro-switches, or they may proximity sensors such as Hall-effect sensors or other magnetic sensors, or they may be optical sensors capable of sensing the position of slider  20 , or a projection therefrom, in a known manner. 
     When the circuit breaker is in the ON position, slide  20  is positioned so that it is adjacent to sensor  61  and not adjacent to sensor  62  as shown in FIG.  3 . In response to the proximity of slide  20 , sensor  61  sends a signal indicative of a proximity of slide  20  along line  64  to logic circuit  65 . Since slide  20  is not proximate sensor  62 , sensor  62  does not send a signal indicative of proximity of slide  20  along line  66  to logic circuit  65 . Logic circuit  65  can then interpret the presence of a proximity signal from only sensor  61  as an indication that the circuit breaker is in the ON position, and then output this information to output  67 , which may be a display, alarm, or communications port to a monitor or controlling computer. 
     When the circuit breaker is in the OFF position, slide  20  is positioned so that it is adjacent to sensor  62  and not adjacent to sensor  61  as shown in FIG.  4 . In response to the proximity of slide  20 , sensor  62  sends a signal indicative of a proximity of slide along line  66  to logic circuit  65 . Since slide  20  is not proximate sensor  61 , sensor  61  does not send a signal indicative of proximity of slide  20  along line  64  to logic circuit  65 . Logic circuit  65  can then interpret the presence of a proximity signal from only sensor  62  as an indication that the circuit breaker is in the OFF position, and then output this information to output  67 , which may be a display, alarm, or communications port to a monitoring or controlling computer. 
     When the circuit breaker is in the TRIP position, slide  20  is positioned intermediate sensor  61  and  62 , and is not adjacent to either of them as shown in FIG.  5 . In this case, neither sensor  61  nor sensor  62  send a signal indicative of the proximity of slide  20  along lines  64  and  66  to logic circuit  65 . Logic circuit  65  can then interpret the absence of a proximity signal from either sensor  61  or  62  as an indication that the circuit breaker is in the TRIP position, and then output this information to output  67 , which may be a display, alarm, or communications port to a monitoring or controlling computer. 
     An alternative embodiment is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. In this embodiment, sensor  63  detects the proximity of element  69  on dial  30  when in the TRIP position shown in FIG.  7 . Sensor  63  is any type of proximity sensor such as discussed above with respect to sensors  61  and  62 . FIG. 5 shows the position of sensor  63  when dial  30  is in the ON position. When the circuit breaker trips, slider  20  slides slightly down from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG.  6 . As the slider slides down, it forces dial  30  to rotate slightly clockwise as shown in FIG. 7 sensor  63  comes into proximity with sensor element  69 , causing sensor  63  to transmit a proximity signal to logic circuit  65  which interprets the presence of such signal as an indication that the circuit breaker is in the TRIP position, and then outputs this information to output  67 , which may be a display, alarm, or communications port to a monitoring or controlling computer. 
     While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.