Electrical switchgear manual safety system and mechanisms
View Patent ↗The disclosed invention ensures safe operation of an electrical switchgear by preventing an operator from contacting or interacting with an active circuit breaker. One way this is accomplished is through a locking system that prevents a door to the interior of the switchgear from opening until the circuit breaker is in a disengaged position. A second way this is accomplished is by a manipulation restriction system that prevents the circuit breaker from being manually moved unless the door is closed. Another way this is accomplished is by a circuit breaker decoupler, accessible from the exterior of the switchgear that can directly manipulate the circuit breaker into disengagement.
1. A circuit breaker disabling device for acting on a circuit breaker within an enclosure, comprising:
a) a switch on an external surface of said enclosure;
b) a manipulator aperture on said external surface of said enclosure;
c) a projection in communication with said switch on an interior surface of said enclosure;
d) a strike plate that may be acted on by at least one of said projection when said switch is activated or a manipulator is inserted through said manipulator aperture; and
e) a trip projection in communication with said strike plate;
f) wherein said switch may be moved to an active position by an outside force;
g) wherein said switch may cause said projection to act on said strike plate,
h) wherein said manipulator may be inserted through said manipulator aperture and act on said strike plate;
i) wherein said strike plate moves said trip projection to an active position after being acted on by at least one of said manipulator and said projection; and
j) wherein said trip projection toggles an external tripping mechanism on said circuit breaker.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said trip projection acts on said circuit breaker when said projection acts on said strike plate.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said projection returns to a retracted position when said switch is in an inactive position.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said switch returns to an inactive position when no longer acted on by an external force.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said switch may be held in an active position by the use of a switch restrictor.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein said trip projection acts on said circuit breaker when said manipulator acts on said strike plate.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said projection returns to a retracted position when said manipulator is withdrawn.