Air break electrical switch having a blade toggle mechanism
An electrical switch includes a pivotally supported blade, a toggle mechanism, and an operating mechanism. The operating mechanism is drivable in a first direction to pivot the blade about a first axis and toward a closed blade position. When pivoting toward the closed blade position, the toggle mechanism inhibits the blade from pivoting about a second axis. Upon reaching the closed blade position, continued motion of the operating mechanism in the first direction causes the toggle mechanism to pivot the blade about the second axis toward a closed contact position. In the closed contact position, the blade contacts at least one blade contact to electrically connect the blade and a first electrical terminal.
1. An electrical switch, comprising:
a frame configured to connect to a utility structure;
a first electrical terminal electrically insulatively supported by the frame, the first electrical terminal including at least one blade contact;
a blade support housing electrically insulatively supported by the frame and disposed apart from the first electrical terminal, the blade support housing being pivotally supported so as to be pivotable about a first axis relative to the frame;
a blade pivotally supported by the blade support housing so as to be pivotable about a second axis relative to the blade support housing;
a toggle mechanism including:
a first toggle member fixedly connected to the blade;
a second toggle member movably supported by the blade and pivotally fixed relative to the blade support housing;
a biasing member forcing the second toggle member to engage the first toggle member;
an operating mechanism connected to the blade through the first toggle member; and
wherein the operating mechanism is drivable in a first direction to pivot the blade support housing and the blade about the first axis and toward a closed blade position, in the closed blade position the blade being disposed proximate and engageable with the first electrical terminal, when pivoting toward the closed blade position the second toggle member engaging the first toggle member to inhibit the blade from pivoting about the second axis relative to the blade support housing, upon reaching the closed blade position continued motion of the operating mechanism in the first direction causing the first toggle member to slip relative to the second toggle member and thereby pivot the blade about the second axis toward a closed contact position, and in the closed contact position the blade contacts the at least one blade contact to electrically connect the blade and the first electrical terminal.
2. The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the first toggle member has a crown shape with a first set of crown points, the second toggle member has a crown shape with a second set of crown points engaging the first set of crown points, and upon reaching the closed blade position continued motion of the operating mechanism in the first direction causes the first set of crown points to slip relative to the second set of crown points and thereby pivot the blade about the second axis toward the closed contact position.
3. The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the first toggle member displaces the second toggle member longitudinally along the blade when the first toggle member slips relative to the second toggle member.
4. The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the operating mechanism is drivable in a second direction when the blade is disposed in the closed blade position and the closed contact position to cause the first toggle member to slip relative to the second toggle member and thereby pivot the blade about the second axis away from the closed contact position and toward an open contact position, upon reaching the open contact position continued motion of the operating mechanism in the second direction causing the blade support housing and the blade to pivot about the first axis and toward an open blade position, in the open blade position the blade being disposed apart from the first electrical terminal to electrically isolate the blade and the first electrical terminal.
5. The electrical switch of claim 4 , wherein the first toggle member and the blade move over an angular range of motion when pivoting from the open contact position to the closed contact position and vice versa, and the first toggle member and the blade are biased by the second toggle member toward the open contact position over a first portion of the angular range of motion and are biased by the second toggle member toward the closed contact position over a second portion of the angular range of motion.
6. The electrical switch of claim 4 , wherein the first toggle member has a crown shape with a first set of crown points, the second toggle member has a crown shape with a second set of crown points engaging the first set of crown points, and wherein the operating mechanism is drivable in the second direction when the blade is disposed in the closed blade position and the closed contact position to cause the first set of crown points to slip relative to the second set of crown points and thereby pivot the blade about the second axis toward the open contact position.
7. The electrical switch of claim 4 , wherein the blade is pivotable between the open contact position and the closed contact position only in the closed blade position.
8. The electrical switch of claim 4 , wherein the first electrical terminal includes a first arcing arm and the blade includes a second arcing arm, and wherein 1) in each of the open blade position and the closed contact position the second arcing arm is disposed apart from the first arcing arm, and 2) in the closed blade position and the open contact position the second arcing arm contacts the first arcing arm to electrically connect the blade and the first electrical terminal.
9. The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the toggle mechanism further includes a toggle lever driveably connected to the operating mechanism and pivotally supported relative to the frame, the first toggle member includes a drive bracket driveably connected to the toggle lever, and wherein the operating mechanism is drivable in the first direction to cause the toggle lever to pivot the first toggle member and the blade about the first axis toward the closed blade position, upon reaching the closed blade position continued motion of the operating mechanism in the first direction causing the toggle lever to pivot the first toggle member so as to slip relative to the second toggle member and thereby pivot the blade about the second axis toward the closed contact position.
10. The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is a compression spring compressed between the second toggle member and the blade support housing.
11. The electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical terminal further includes a blade lock bracket, and the blade includes a lock bolt that engages the blade lock bracket in the closed blade position and the closed contact position to inhibit the blade from moving away from the closed blade position.
12. An electrical switch, comprising:
a frame configured to connect to a utility structure;
a first electrical terminal electrically insulatively supported by the frame, the first electrical terminal including at least one blade contact;
a blade support housing electrically insulatively supported by the frame and disposed apart from the first electrical terminal, the blade support housing being pivotally supported so as to be pivotable about a first axis relative to the frame;
a blade pivotally supported by the blade support housing so as to be pivotable about a second axis relative to the blade support housing;
an over-center mechanism disposed within the blade support housing and including:
a first over-center member fixedly connected to the blade;
a second over-center member pivotally and translatably supported by the blade and pivotally fixed relative to the blade support housing;
a compression spring forcing the second over-center member to engage the first over-center member;
an operating mechanism connected to the blade through the first over-center member;
wherein the operating mechanism is drivable in a first direction to pivot the blade support housing and the blade about the first axis and toward a closed blade position, in the closed blade position the blade being disposed proximate and engageable with the first electrical terminal, when pivoting toward the closed blade position the second over-center member engaging the first over-center member to inhibit the blade from pivoting about the second axis relative to the blade support housing, upon reaching the closed blade position continued motion of the operating mechanism in the first direction causing the first over-center member to slip relative to the second over-center member and thereby pivot the blade about the second axis toward a closed contact position, and in the closed contact position the blade contacts the at least one blade contact to electrically connect the blade and the first electrical terminal; and
wherein the operating mechanism is drivable in a second direction when the blade is disposed in the closed blade position and the closed contact position to cause the first over-center member to slip relative to the second over-center member and thereby pivot the blade about the second axis away from the closed contact position and toward an open contact position, upon reaching the open contact position continued motion of the operating mechanism in the second direction causing the blade support housing and the blade to pivot about the first axis and toward an open blade position, in the open blade position the blade being disposed apart from the first electrical terminal to electrically isolate the blade and the first electrical terminal.
13. The electrical switch of claim 12 , wherein the first over-center member and the blade move over an angular range of motion when pivoting from the open contact position to the closed contact position and vice versa, and the first over-center member and the blade are biased by the second over-center member toward the open contact position over a first portion of the angular range of motion and are biased by the second over-center member toward the closed contact position over a second portion of the angular range of motion.
14. The electrical switch of claim 12 , wherein the first over-center member has a crown shape with a first set of crown points, the second over-center member has a crown shape with a second set of crown points engaging the first set of crown points, upon reaching the closed blade position continued motion of the operating mechanism in the first direction causes the first set of crown points to slip relative to the second set of crown points and thereby pivot the first over-center member and the blade about the second axis toward the closed contact position, and when the blade is disposed in the closed blade position and the closed contact position the operating mechanism is drivable in the second direction to cause the first set of crown points to slip relative to the second set of crown points and thereby pivot the first over-center member and the blade about the second axis toward the open contact position.
15. The electrical switch of claim 14 , wherein the first set of crown points interdigitate with the second set of crown points in a first configuration in the open contact position, and the first set of crown points interdigitate with the second set of crown points in a second configuration different from the first configuration in the closed contact position.
16. The electrical switch of claim 12 , further comprising a toggle lever driveably connected to the operating mechanism and pivotally supported relative to the blade support housing, motion of the operating mechanism causing the toggle lever to both pivot the blade support housing and the blade about the first axis and pivot the first over-center member and the blade about the second axis.
17. The electrical switch of claim 12 , wherein the first over-center member displaces the second over-center member longitudinally along the blade when the first over-center member slips relative to the second over-center member.
18. The electrical switch of claim 12 , further comprising a lock mechanism, motion of the operating mechanism in the second direction when the blade is in the closed blade position and the closed contact position causing the lock mechanism to inhibit the blade from pivoting about the vertical axis before pivoting to the open contact position.
19. The electrical switch of claim 12 , further comprising a second electrical terminal supported by the blade support housing and electrically conductively connected to the blade.
20. The electrical switch of claim 12 , further comprising a second electrical terminal electrically insulatively supported by the frame, the second electrical terminal including at least one blade contact, and wherein in the closed contact position the blade contacts the at least one blade contact of the first electrical terminal and the at least one blade contact of the second electrical terminal to electrically connect the first electrical terminal and the second electrical terminal.
21. An electrical switch, comprising:
a frame configured to connect to a utility structure;
a first electrical terminal electrically insulatively supported by the frame, the first electrical terminal including at least one blade contact;
a blade support housing electrically insulatively supported by the frame and disposed apart from the first electrical terminal, the blade support housing being pivotally supported so as to be pivotable about a first axis relative to the frame;
a blade pivotally supported by the blade support housing so as to be pivotable about a second axis relative to the blade support housing;
a toggle mechanism including:
a first toggle member fixedly connected to the blade;
a second toggle member movably supported by the blade and pivotally fixed relative to the blade support housing;
a biasing member forcing the second toggle member to engage the first toggle member;
an operating mechanism connected to the blade through the first toggle member; and
wherein the operating mechanism is drivable in a first direction by applying a first torque to the operating mechanism, the first torque pivoting the blade support housing and the blade about the first axis and toward a closed blade position, in the closed blade position the blade being disposed proximate and engageable with the first electrical terminal, when pivoting toward the closed blade position the second toggle member engaging the first toggle member to inhibit the blade from pivoting about the second axis relative to the blade support housing, upon reaching the closed blade position the operating mechanism is drivable in the first direction by applying a second torque greater that the first torque to the operating mechanism, the second torque causing the first toggle member to slip relative to the second toggle member and thereby pivot the blade about the second axis toward a closed contact position, and in the closed contact position the blade contacts the at least one blade contact to electrically connect the blade and the first electrical terminal.