Patent GB-1141648-A (GB)
Title: Electromagnetic contactor
IPC: H01H50/04
Filed: 1966-07-15
Abstract: 1,141,648. Electromagnetic contactors. SQUARE D CO. 15 July, 1966 [20 July, 1965], No. 31869/66. Heading H1N. In a "block" contactor having a contact carrier 96 (Fig. 9) slidable in vertical slots in opposite side walls 28 of the insulating housing, ledges 97, provided at both ends of the U- shaped contact carrier 96, are accessible to drive auxiliary equipment through notches 54 in both side walls 28 and through holes 37c (Fig. 6) in the bottom of base moulding 24 of the housing and base plate 21. The contact carrier 96 carries contact bridges 96n which co-operate with pairs of fixed main contacts mounted in compartments 41, 42, 43 of the base 24. Each fixed contact is made in two pieces, namely a terminal member and a removable contact portion 62, so that the fixed contacts can be repaired without unwiring. Mounted in end compartments 32 of base 24 are two auxiliary switches 80 each of which may be changed from normally open to closed by inverting the pivoted cam actuator in its housing. The actuator is movable by contact carrier 96. The electromagnet comprises a moulded coil assembly 118, an E-shaped core 116 and an armature 117 which is retained assembled with the coil assembly by a spring tag 126 and is guided by the co-operation of upstanding arms 142 with side walls 152 of the coil assembly 118. The core 116 has extending lugs 129 which are resiliently positioned in slots 93k in the housing by springs 205. The armature 117 is coupled to the contact carrier 96 by a bellcrank lever 100 (Fig. 9) which has ball and socket connections with the contact carrier and an arm 145 of the armature assembly. Slots 1À94, 195, through which the position of the armature is visible are provided in a cover 175. These slots also permit a tool to be inserted to hold the armature and core apart during transit. An assembly of auxiliary switches (220A, 220B, 220C, 220D) (Fig. 2, not shown), may be driven by the ledge 97 extending through the left hand wall 28. Each of these switches can be changed from normally open to normally closed in a manner similar to switches 80 and they are mounted on a base plate secured to base plate 21. The switches are mounted in two pairs against the left hand wall 28 and their pivoted actuators are plugged together. Further main contact sets (Fig. 12) may be secured to the opposite side wall 28 for actuation by the other ledge 97. The additional contact sets have a rectilinear actuator engageable by ledge 97 and may have reversible contact bridges so that they may be normally open or closed. these additional main contact sets are mounted in an insulating housing carried by a base plate secured to base plate 21. Two contactors mounted on a common base plate (Fig. 10, not shown) may be mechanically interlocked by an interlock mechanism which is engagable by the bottom of the ledges 97 of the contactors through the holes 37c in their bases and base plates. The cover 175 may be replaced by an electromagnetic latch mechanism (Fig. 15, not shown) with optional manual release. The mechanism has a latching member urged into engagement with the upper ends of contact carrier 96. A fusible overload release (450) (Fig. 2, not shown)may be mounted on the front of the contactor and connected in series with the main fixed contacts. The overload release has normally closed contacts in series with the energizing coil of the contactor which are permitted to open when one of the fusible members melts. A push button switch assembly (e.g. start and stop switches), may be hooked into the apertures 193, 194 formed in the cover 175 and may be adjustably positioned relative to the contactor so that if the entire assembly is mounted in an enclosure the push-buttons will be capable of limited adjustment. A pilot light assembly (470) (Fig. 5, not shown) having an actuating coil wound around the centre limb of the core may be provided.