Patent Publication Number: US-10312037-B1

Title: Rotary motion switching apparatus usable with circuit interrupter

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Field 
     The disclosed and claimed concept relates generally to electrical switching equipment and, more particularly, to a rotary motion switching apparatus that is usable with a circuit interrupter. 
     Related Art 
     Numerous types of switching equipment is known in the relevant art. Among such switching equipment are any of a wide variety of circuit interrupters that are known to interrupt electrical power to a protected portion of a circuit in certain overcurrent and under-voltage conditions, as well as in numerous other predefined conditions. While such circuit interruption devices have been generally effective for their intended purposes, they have not been without limitation. 
     In certain applications, it is necessary for a circuit interrupter to be situated within an interior region of a National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) box for any of a wide variety of reasons. As is known in the relevant art, circuit interrupters typically have a handle that is movable among ON, OFF, and TRIPPED positions, and it is thus also known that the switching of the circuit interrupter between those positions can be made more difficult if the circuit interrupter is situated within the interior of a NEMA box. While some solutions have been known to exist in which a control mechanism extends between a circuit interrupter situated within the interior of a NEMA box and a handle or other implement situated at the exterior of the NEMA box, such solutions have typically involved a number of modifications to the to the housing of the circuit interrupter or to the molding that is used to mold the housing of the circuit interrupters, thus resulting in undesirable expense. As employed herein, the expression “a number of” and variations thereof shall refer broadly to any non-zero quantity, including a quantity of one. Improvements thus would be desirable. 
     SUMMARY 
     An improved rotary motion switching apparatus is usable with a circuit interrupter and employs an attachment system having a pair of connectors that are received in a pair of openings that are already formed in a housing of a circuit interrupter and that are affixed to the housing within the openings in order to resist removal of the rotary motion switching apparatus from the circuit interrupter. The openings are pre-existing in the housing of the circuit interrupter and are provided to enable access by tools such as screwdrivers and the like with terminals of the circuit interrupter to which load wires and the like are connectable. The connectors thus secure the rotary motion switching apparatus to the circuit interrupter by using openings that are already formed in the circuit interrupter and thus the rotary motion switching apparatus is usable without requiring a modification to the housing or to the molds that are employed to form the housing. 
     Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is to provide an improved rotary motion switching apparatus that is usable in conjunction with a circuit interrupter and a NEMA box but that does not require modification of the housing of the circuit interrupter and that likewise does not require any modification of the mold that is employed to form the housing. 
     Accordingly, an aspect of the disclosed and claimed concept is to provide an improved rotary motion switching apparatus that is usable with a circuit interrupter, the circuit interrupter having a housing, a switch situated on the housing, and at least a first opening formed in the housing. The rotary motion switching apparatus can be generally stated as including a base, an attachment system situated on the base, the attachment system can be generally stated as including at least a first connector that is elongated, the at least first connector being structured to be at least partially received in the at least a first opening and being further structured to engage the housing within the at least first opening to resist removal of the at least first connector from the at least first opening and to affix the base to the housing, a crank apparatus situated on the base, the crank apparatus can be generally stated as including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being pivotable about an axis of rotation between a first orientation and a second orientation, the first portion and the second portion being engaged with one another at a location spaced from the axis of rotation, at least a part of the second portion being translatable along a movement axis between a first position and a second position, the first portion being in the first orientation when the at least part of the second portion is in the first position, the first portion being in the second orientation when the at least part of the second portion is in the second position, and the second portion having a number of lugs that are structured to engage the switch and to move the switch between a first state and a second state, the at least part of the second portion being structured to be in the first position when the switch is in the first state, the at least part of the second portion being structured to be in the second position when the switch is in the second state. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A further understanding of the disclosed and claimed concept can be gained from the following Description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an improved rotary motion switching apparatus situated on a circuit interrupter and being disposed inside a NEMA box that is depicted in phantom lines, with the rotary motion switching apparatus being in a first position and with the circuit interrupter being in a first state; 
         FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 , except depicting the rotary motion switching apparatus in a second position and depicting the circuit interrupter in a second state; 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing an improved assembly in accordance with the disclosed and claimed concept in which the rotary motion switching apparatus of  FIG. 2  is exploded away from the circuit interrupter of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the rotary motion switching apparatus of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the rotary motion switching apparatus; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the rotary motion switching apparatus; and 
         FIG. 7  is a view of the rotary motion switching apparatus being mounted to a circuit interrupter from among a plurality of circuit interrupters that are ganged together. 
     
    
    
     Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     An improved rotary motion switching apparatus  4 , which may be alternatively referred to herein as the apparatus  4 , is depicted in  FIGS. 1-7  and is depicted in an exploded fashion in  FIG. 4 . The apparatus  4  is usable in conjunction with a circuit interrupter  6  such as is depicted in  FIGS. 1-3  to form an assembly  8  that is likewise in accordance with the disclosed and claimed concept. Furthermore, the apparatus  4  is usable with a plurality of ganged circuit interrupters, such as are indicated at the numeral  106  in  FIG. 7 . 
     As can be understood from  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the apparatus  4  is usable in conjunction with the circuit interrupter  6  (or with multiple instances of circuit interrupters  106 , such as are indicated in  FIG. 7 ) to form the assembly  8  when the assembly  8  is used inside a NEMA box  10  that is indicated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in phantom lines. More specifically, the NEMA box  10  includes a handle  12  that is situated at an exterior of an enclosure of the NEMA box  10  and further includes a shaft  14  that is elongated, with one end of the shaft  14  being connected with the handle  12 , and with an opposite end of the shaft  14  being connected with the apparatus  4 . Depending upon the dimensions of the NEMA box  10 , the shaft  14  can be cut to an appropriate length such that its opposite ends extend between the handle  12  and the apparatus  4 . 
     As can be understood from  FIGS. 1-3 , the circuit interrupter  6  includes a housing  16  that is molded from an appropriate resin material or other material and a switch  18  that is movably situated on the housing  16 . The switch  18  in the depicted exemplary embodiment is movable between an ON position and an OFF/TRIPPED position to switch the circuit interrupter  6  among a plurality of states in a well understood fashion. The housing  16  further includes a pair of openings formed therein that are indicated at the numerals  20 A and  20 B, and which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  20 . The openings  20  are provided in the housing  16  in order enable tools such as screwdrivers and the like to be receivable therein and to be cooperable with terminals of the circuit interrupter  6  that enable electrical connection between the circuit interrupter  6  and load conductor wires and other wires, by way of example. 
     As can be understood from  FIG. 3 , the apparatus  4  is provided separately from the circuit interrupter  6  and is mountable to the housing  16  of the circuit interrupter  6  by having portions thereof received in the openings  20 . Since the openings  20  are pre-existing in the housing  16  for the reception of tools therein in order to connect wires with terminals of the circuit interrupter  6 , the apparatus  4  advantageously is usable with the circuit interrupter  6  without requiring any modification of the housing  16  or of the mold that is used to form the housing  16 , which is highly advantageous from a cost standpoint. 
     As can be understood from  FIGS. 1-6 , the apparatus  4  can be said to include a base  22 , a crank apparatus  24  that is situated on the base  22 , and an attachment system  26  that is mounted on the base  22  and which secures the apparatus  4  to the housing  16 . In the depicted exemplary embodiment, the attachment system  26  includes a pair of connectors that are indicated at the numerals  28 A and  28 B, and which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  28 . When the connectors  28  are fully received in the openings  20 , such as is indicated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the apparatus  4  is mounted to and affixed to the circuit interrupter  6 . 
     As is best shown in  FIG. 4 , the base  22  can be said to include a main plate  30  in which an elongated slot  32  is formed. The base  22  further includes a pair of connection plates  34 A and  34 B, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  34 , and that are connected with the main plate  30 . The base  22  further includes a pair of base plates  36 A and  36 B, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  36 , and which are connected with the connection plates  34 A and  34 B, respectively. The base  22  further includes a pair of tabs  38 A and  38 B, which may be collectively or individually to herein with the numeral  38 , which are situated on the base plates  36 A and  36 B, respectively. The tabs  38  are in a confronting relationship with one another. The base plates  36 A and  36 B have formed therein a pair of holes  40 A and  40 B, respectively, and which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  40 . As can be understood from  FIG. 4 , the base plates  36  are oriented substantially parallel with the main plate  30 , and the connection plates  34  are oriented substantially perpendicular to the main plate  30  and the base plates  36 . When the apparatus  4  is mounted to the circuit interrupter  6  with the connectors  28  being fully received in the openings  20 , the tabs  38  confrontingly engage therebetween a portion of the housing  16  such that the portion of the housing  16  is interposed between the tabs  38  to advantageously resist movement of the base  22  with respect to the housing  16  along a direction parallel with the longitudinal extent of the slot  32 . As can be further understood from  FIG. 4 , the connectors  28 A and  28 B are receivable in the holes  40 A and  40 B, respectively. 
     As can further be understood from  FIG. 4 , the crank apparatus  24  includes a crank  42  which can be said to include a boss  44 , a crank plate  46 , and a screw  48 . The screw  48  engages an underside of the crank plate  46  and fastens the crank plate  46  to the boss  44 . The crank  42  can be said to constitute a first portion  42  of the crank apparatus  24 . 
     The main plate  30  has an aperture  50  formed therein within which the boss  44  is receivable. When the crank  42  is installed on the base  22 , a shoulder  52  of the boss  44  is receivable against an upper surface  51  of the main plate  30 . The boss  44  can be said to include a tip  54  that is of a rectangular shape and which is receivable through a spring  56  and is receivable in a rectangular hole  58  that is formed in the crank plate  46 . With the tip  54  received in such fashion in the rectangular hole  58 , the screw  48  can be received in a threaded hole formed in the tip  54  in order to connect together the boss  44  and the crank plate  46  in a condition installed on the base  22 . 
     As can further be understood from  FIG. 4 , the boss  44  can be said to have a receptacle  60  formed therein at an end thereof opposite the tip  54  and which is configured to receive therein the corresponding end of the shaft  14 . The boss  44  further includes a set screw  62  that is receivable in a hole in the side of the boss  44  and which is configured to be tightened in the hole and to compressively engage a flat surface of the shaft  14  in order to affix the shaft  14  and the crank  42  together. 
     It can be seen that the spring  56  includes a pair of legs that are indicated at the numerals  64 A and  64 B, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  64 . The legs  64 A and  64 B are received in a pair of openings  66 A and  66 B, respectively, and which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  66 . When the legs  64  are received in the openings  66 , the openings  66  serve as seats for the legs  64  and which enable the spring  56  to rotationally bias the crank  42  in a desirable fashion that is tailored to the needs of the particular application. For instance, the spring  56  may rotationally bias the crank apparatus  24  toward an OFF or TRIPPED state of the circuit interrupter  6 , by way of example and without limitation. 
     As can further be understood from  FIG. 4 , the crank apparatus  24  further includes a slider  68  and a link  70  which together can be said to form a second portion of the crank apparatus  24  that is cooperable with the first portion of the crank apparatus  24 , i.e., the crank  42 . The link  70  is pivotably connected with both the slider  68  and the crank  42  via pinned connections therebetween, as will be set forth in greater detail below. More specifically, the link  70  has formed therein a pair of holes  72 A and  72 B, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  72 , and which receive therein pins that enable the pivotable connections to exist between the link  70  and each of the crank  42  and the slider  68 . 
     The slider  68  can be said to include a main portion  74  having formed therein a pair of holes  84 A and  84 B, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  84 . The slider  68  further includes a pair of lugs  76 A and  76 B, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  76 , that are connected with the main portion  74  and that are cooperable with the switch  18  to move it among its various positions. The lugs  76  are in a confronting relationship with one another. The slider  68  further includes a fastening plate  78  that has formed therein a pair of holes  80 A and  80 B, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  80 . The slider  68  further includes a pair of pins  82 A and  82 B, that are receivable in the holes  80  of the fastening plate, through the slot  32 , and are receivable in the holes  84  and which are cooperable with a pair of locking fasteners  86 A and  86 B. It is noted, however, that the pin  82 A is additionally received through the hole  72 B in the link  70  before being connected with the locking fastener  86 A. The locking fastener  86 A receives the pin  82 A in a locking opening formed therein and is receivable against an underside of the link  70  adjacent the hole  72 B. In a like fashion, the locking fastener  86 B receives the pin  82 B in a locking opening formed therein and is receivable against an underside of the main portion  74 . In such a fashion, the slider  68  is mounted to the base  22  and is slidably translatable along the main plate  30  via sliding movement of the pins  82  within the slot  32 . Furthermore, the link  70  is pivotably connected with the slider  68 . 
     The crank apparatus  24  further includes a pin  88  that is receivable in the hole  72 A in the link  70  and that is further received through a hole  90  that is formed in the crank plate  46 . The pin  88  is further received in a locking opening of a locking fastener  92  that is receivable against an underside of the crank plate  46  to provide the pivotable connection between the link  70  and the crank  42 . 
     As can be understood from the accompanying figures, the crank  42  is rotatable about an axis of rotation  94  between a first orientation such as is depicted generally in  FIG. 1  and a second orientation such as is depicted generally in  FIG. 2 . The axis of rotation  94  extends through the rectangular hole  58  formed in the crank plate  46  and further extends through the aperture  50  formed in the main plate  30 . The hole  90  in the crank plate  46  is situated at a location  96  that is spaced a distance  98  from the axis of rotation  94 . Since the link  70  is pivotably connected between the crank  42  and the slider  68 , it can be understood that rotational movement of the crank  42  about the axis of rotation  94  is converted via the link  70  being connected with the crank  42  at the location  96  spaced the distance  98  from the axis of rotation  94  into translational movement of the slider  68  within the slot  32  along a movement axis  100  that is parallel with the slot  32 . More specifically, and as can be understood from  FIGS. 1 and 2 , when the crank  42  is in its first orientation, such as is depicted in  FIG. 1 , the slider  68  is in a first position. In a like fashion, when the crank  42  is in its second orientation, such as is depicted generally in  FIG. 2 , the slider  68  is in a second position. Since the crank apparatus  24  transforms rotational movement of the handle  12  and the shaft  14  applied to the crank  42  into translational movement of the slider  68  along the movement axis  100 , it can be seen that such rotation of the handle  12  causes the lugs  76  to engage the switch  18  of the circuit interrupter  6  and to move the switch  18  among its various positions, which changes the circuit interrupter  6  among its various states. 
     As is best shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the connectors  28  can be said to each include an elongated body  102  that is elongated along a direction of elongation  105  and which has formed therein an elongated notch  107  that is elongated along the direction of elongation  105 . Each connector  28  further includes a head  107  at one end thereof and a pair of latches that are situated thereon opposite the head  109  and which are indicated at the numerals  111 A and  111 B, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  111 . The latches  111 A and  111 B extend away from the notch  107  in a pair of directions that are indicated at the numerals  113 A and  113 B, respectively, and which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  113 . In the depicted exemplary embodiment, the directions  113  are each perpendicular to the direction of elongation  105  and are opposite one another. 
     The latches  111 A and  111 B each have an engagement surface  115 A and  115 B, respectively, which may be collectively or individually referred to herein with the numeral  115 . In the depicted exemplary embodiment, the engagement surfaces  115  are of a generally planar configuration and are oriented perpendicular to the direction of elongation  105 . When the connectors  28  are fully received in the openings  20 , the engagement surfaces  115  engage a structure  117  of the housing that is best shown in  FIG. 7 . In the depicted exemplary embodiment, the structure  117  is an annular flange that is situated adjacent the opening  20  and that confrontingly engages the engagement surfaces  115  when the connectors  28  are received in the openings  20 . Such engagement between the engagement surfaces  115  and a corresponding surface of the structure  117  advantageously resists removal of the connectors  28  from the openings  20  and thus likewise resists removal of the apparatus  4  from the circuit interrupter  6 . In such a situation, the engagement surfaces  115  directly confront and engage a corresponding confronting surface of the structure  117  and thus enable the connectors  28  to remain affixed to the housing  16  within the openings  20 . 
     It is noted that the direction of elongation  113  is substantially parallel with the axis of rotation  94  such that any reaction of the rotation of the handle  12  that is applied to the connectors  28  results in the bodies  102  compressively engaging the housing  16  within the openings  20  rather than applying forces between the engagement surfaces  115  and the structures  117 . As such, any forces that may be applied to the connectors  28  as a result of application of a torque to the handle  12  at most further engage the bodies  102  with the housing  16  within the openings  20  without compromising the connection between the engagement surfaces  115  and the structures  117 . Furthermore, it is noted that the engagement of the tabs  38  with the housing  16  resists the application of any meaningful torque to the connectors  28  due to rotation of the handle  12 . 
     It thus can be seen that the apparatus  4  is affixable to the circuit interrupter  6  by receiving the connectors  28  in the openings  20 , which enables the apparatus  4  to be affixed to the circuit interrupter  6  using the pre-existing openings  20  and without a need of modifying the housing  16  or the tooling that is used to form the housing  16 . The apparatus  4  converts rotary motion of the handle  12  of the NEMA box  10  into translation of the slider  68  which is cooperable with the switch  18  to move the circuit interrupter  6  among its various states. This provides an advantageously workable solution at relatively low cost. 
     As noted above, and as can be seen in  FIG. 7 , the rotary switching apparatus  4  is connectable with a plurality of circuit interrupters  106  that are ganged together, with four of the circuit interrupters  106  being depicted in  FIG. 7  as being ganged together. The apparatus  4  can be mounted to any one of the circuit interrupters  106  in the fashion set forth above, namely be receiving the connectors  28  in the openings  20 , in order to be cooperable with the switch  18  of that circuit interrupter  106  to thereby effect simultaneous movement of all of the circuit interrupters  106  among their various states. Depending upon limitations of the circuit interrupters  106  themselves, it may be more desirable to mount the apparatus  4  to one of the two inboard-situated circuit interrupters  106 , such as is shown in  FIG. 7 , rather than being affixed to one of the two outboard-situated circuit interrupters  106 , although such position is not intended to be limiting and is provided merely as an example. 
     It thus can be seen that the apparatus  4  is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and does not require any modification of the housings  16  in order to be affixable to the circuit interrupter  6 . The attachment of the connectors  28  in the openings  20  with the heads  109  being received against the baseplates  36  and with the bodies  102  being received through the holes  40  and into the openings  20  with the engagement surfaces  115  being engaged with corresponding confronting surfaces of the structures  117  causes the apparatus  4  to be affixed to the circuit interrupter  6 . Such affixing of the apparatus  4  to the circuit interrupter  6  employs the pro-existing openings  20  and thus avoids the need for a modification of the housing  16  or a modification of the tooling that is used to make the housing  16 , which is cost advantageous. Other advantages will be apparent. 
     While specific embodiments of the disclosed concept have 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 disclosed concept which is to be given the full breadth of the claims appended and any and all equivalents thereof.