Undercarriage and keylock assembly for use with a circuit breaker
View Patent ↗An undercarriage for use with a circuit breaker includes a bottom plate, a front beam removably coupled to the bottom plate via a lead screw, wherein the lead screw is configured to engage with a threaded support that is coupled to the bottom plate to facilitate racking the circuit breaker in a switchgear. The undercarriage also includes a keylock assembly configured to enable racking the circuit breaker in the switchgear. The keylock assembly includes a lock and an interlock configured to couple to the lock such that the interlock is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein engagement of a racking handle with the lead screw is enabled when the interlock is in the unlocked position.
1. An undercarriage for use with a circuit breaker, said undercarriage comprising:
a bottom plate;
a front beam removably coupled to said bottom plate;
a lead screw configured to engage with a threaded support that is coupled to said bottom plate to facilitate racking the circuit breaker in a switchgear; and
a keylock assembly configured to enable racking the circuit breaker in the switchgear, said keylock assembly comprising:
a lock;
an interlock configured to couple to said lock such that said interlock is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein engagement of a racking handle with said lead screw is enabled when said interlock is in the unlocked position; and wherein said lock comprises an arm and a gear configured to move said arm between a first position and a second position, and wherein said interlock is in the locked position when said arm is in the first position, and said interlock is in the unlocked position when said arm is in the second position.
2. An undercarriage in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said interlock comprises a slot configured to receive said arm and to enable said arm to move between the first position and the second position.
3. An undercarriage in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said interlock comprises a first end configured to interfere with engagement of the racking handle with said lead screw when said interlock is in the locked position.
4. An undercarriage in accordance with claim 3 , wherein said interlock further comprises a second end comprising a first hook portion, and wherein said keylock assembly further comprises a hooking mechanism configured to be coupled to said front beam, said hooking mechanism comprising a first end, a second end, and a second hook portion at said first end.
5. An undercarriage in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said first hook portion is movable between a first position and a second position such that, when said first hook portion is in the first position, engagement of the racking handle with said lead screw is enabled.
6. An undercarriage in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said hooking mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position, the first position corresponding to the unlocked position of said interlock, and wherein said hooking mechanism further comprises a lip portion and a spring configured to be coupled to said lip portion, said lip portion configured to stop movement of said hooking mechanism at the second position.
7. An undercarriage in accordance with claim 1 , wherein when said interlock is in the locked position, removal of a key for use with said lock is enabled, and wherein said interlock is in the unlocked position, removal of the key is disabled.
8. A keylock assembly in accordance with claim 7 , wherein when said interlock is in the locked position, removal of a key for use with said lock is enabled, and wherein said interlock is in the unlocked position, removal of the key is disabled.
9. A keylock assembly for use with an undercarriage having a bottom plate and a lead screw coupled to the bottom plate, said keylock assembly comprising:
a lock; and
an interlock configured to couple to said lock such that said interlock is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein engagement of a racking handle with the lead screw is enabled when said interlock is in the unlocked position; wherein said lock comprises an arm and a gear that is configured to move said arm between a first position and a second position.
10. A keylock assembly in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said interlock is in the locked position when said arm is in the first position, said interlock is in the unlocked position when said arm is in the second position, and said interlock comprises a slot configured to receive said arm and to enable said arm to move between the first position and the second position.
11. A keylock assembly in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said interlock comprises a first end configured to interfere with engagement of the racking handle with the lead screw when said interlock is in the locked position.
12. A keylock assembly in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the undercarriage further includes a front beam removably coupled to the bottom plate, said interlock further comprises a second end comprising a first hook portion, and wherein said keylock assembly further comprises a hooking mechanism configured to be coupled to the front beam, said hooking mechanism comprising a first end, a second end, and a second hook portion at said first end.
13. A keylock assembly in accordance with claim 12 , wherein said first hook portion is movable between a first position and a second position such that, when said first hook portion is in the first position, engagement of the racking handle with the lead screw is enabled.
14. A keylock assembly in accordance with claim 12 , wherein said hooking mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position, the first position corresponding to the unlocked position of said interlock, and wherein said hooking mechanism further comprises a lip portion and a spring configured to couple to said lip portion, said lip portion configured to stop movement of said hooking mechanism at the second position.
15. A switchgear comprising:
a power source; and
at least one circuit breaker coupled to said power source, said at least one circuit breaker comprising:
a racking handle;
a lead screw configured to engage with said racking handle to facilitate racking said at least one circuit breaker in said switchgear; and
a keylock assembly comprising:
a lock;
an interlock configured to couple to said lock such that said interlock is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein engagement of said racking handle with said lead screw is enabled when said interlock is in the unlocked;
wherein said interlock comprises a first end configured to disable engagement of said racking handle with said lead screw when said interlock is in the locked position; and
wherein said interlock further comprises a second end comprising a first hook portion, and wherein said keylock assembly further comprises a hooking mechanism comprising a first end, a second end, and a second hook portion at said first end, said first hook portion is movable between a first position and a second position such that, when said first hook portion is in the first position, engagement of said racking handle with said lead screw is enabled.
16. A switchgear in accordance with claim 15 , wherein said hooking mechanism is movable between a first position and a second position, the first position corresponding to the unlocked position of said interlock, and wherein said hooking mechanism further comprises a lip portion and a spring configured to be coupled to said lip portion, said lip portion configured to stop movement of said hooking mechanism at the second position.