Patent ID: 8173916

Claim:
A interlock apparatus for a move-out type circuit breaker, the circuit breaker including a closing spring and a trip spring each storing elastic energy for opening and closing a circuit, and a latching mechanism movable to a latching position where the closing spring and the trip spring are latched so as to remain in a charged state and a release position where the closing spring and the trip spring are released to discharge the stored elastic energy, the circuit breaker further having a move-out position and a move-in position, the interlock apparatus comprising: a release protrusion fixed at a predetermined position to protrude upwardly on a path to move-out or move-in the circuit breaker; and an automatic release mechanism supported at the circuit breaker to be vertically movable, and configured to be moved up by contacting with the release protrusion upon moving-in or moving-out the circuit breaker to thereby drive the latching mechanism to the release position, wherein the automatic release mechanism comprises: an automatic release rod supported at the circuit breaker to be vertically movable, the automatic release rod being movable together with the circuit breaker when the circuit breaker is moved-in or moved-out, and having an ascent position of being moved up by contacting the release protrusion and a descent position of being moved down upon not contacting the release protrusion; and an automatic release lever connected to the automatic release rod, and having a contact position where the automatic release lever comes into contact with the latching mechanism upon the automatic release rod being moved up so as to drive the latching mechanism to the release position, and a non-contact position where the automatic release lever is separated from the latching mechanism upon the automatic release rod being moved down.