US997924A - Thermo-electric circuit-breaker. - Google Patents

Description

E. W. LEEPER.

THERMO ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLIoATIoN FILED DB0. 14, 1906.

997,924, Patented July 11,1911.

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UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. LEEPER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0

`FRANK B. COOK., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

THERMO-ELECTRIC CIBCUIT-BBEAKEB.

Original application med Specification of Letters Patent.v Iay 28, 1904, Serial No. 210,808. Dlvidel and this application med December Patented July 11, 1911.

14, 1908. Serial No. 347,873.

The principal objects of my inventlon are vto provide an electro-thermal cut-out or switch which may be adapted for use in connection with either large or small currents; to provide such an electro-thermal device which is self-contained, or in other words a complete unit in itself; to provide simplicity of construction and accessibility in such a device; and to construct such a cut-out or switch so that it may be utilized as a pushbutton device.

This invention is a division of my application entitled thermo-electric circuit breakers, filed May 28, 1904, Serial No. 210,308.

In my present invention I employ a heatproducmg conductor, preferably a straight piece of resistance wire, upon which is soldered a rotary detent, or toothed wheel, by heat-susceptible material which is readily affected by heat. The heat produced in the said conductor by an abnormally large current therein softens the heat-susceptible material and thereby allows the said detent to turn upon the said conductor and release a spring-controlled mechanism which operates clrcuit controllin means. When the heatsusceptible materlalbecomes cool, the said detent is thereby secured 'to the heat-producing conductor and is then ready to rengage the spring-controlled mechanism. The heatproducing conductor may be a solid conductor or a hollow conductor, whichever is required to suit the conditions under which'.

it 1s to operate.

In this invention the spring-controlled mechanism, the heat-producing means, and the rotary detent, are all carrled by a suitable frame or casing, the said mechanism preferably working 1n guides in the said in the county of Cook and casing and bein button for resettlng the device to operative posltion.

I will more particularly describe my'invention by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which,--

Figure l is a plan view of the device of the invention, showing same in an operated position; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 1, taken on line :vf-m, thereof, with portions shown in elevation, showing the device in a set position; Fig. 3 is side elevation of the rotary detent secured to a hollow heat-producing conductor by heat-susceptible material; Fig. 4 is a side view of the rotary detent secured to a solid heat-producing conductor by heat-susceptible mate'rial; and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View of Fig. 4, taken on line w--w thereof.

Like characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

The insulating head or slide h,s is provided with projections z', 5 thereon adapted to slide in the grooves j5 j, of guides-d5 d5, and is mounted on the end of pin e, which extends through the front plate b5 to the push-button f5. The switch blades '/"5 are secured to the head h5, preferably as shown, and are adapted to engage the contact members m5 and k, which are insulated from each other by the insulating block Z5, when the switch is closed. The heat-producing conductor o5 carrying the toothed wheel u which is secured thereto by heat-susceptible material d, is supported by a bracket p5 and a projecting portion of c. The toothed wheel a is preferably provided with a sleeve portion Z) which extends along the conductor o,s so as to give a larger soldering surface. The catch spring g5 is secured to the head h5 and is adapted to engage a tooth c of wheel a when the device is set for operation. When the device is set for operation, the switch then being closed, the head h5 is slid along the guides d5 d5 by means of the push-button f5, until the switch blades 1', engage the contact members m5 and kr, and the catch spring g5 engages a tooth c of wheel a and thus holds the head h5 in this position against the tension of the spring g5 which now tends to open the switch. The

provided with a pushcircuit through the device is from line conductor ze through contact member ma, switch blades 1', contact member la, resistance conductor o5, bracket p5, and line conductor ya.

When an abnormally large current traverses the heat-producing conductor 0 the heat produced therein softens the heat-susceptible material d and allows the toothed' wheel a to be turned upon conductor 0, by the spring g5, due to the tension of spring g5 which slides the head It, to the position shown in Fig. 1 and thereby opens the switch, the spring g5 beingY released from the wheel a which is now turned to a new position upon conductor 05. When the heatsusceptible material cools and hardens, the wheel a is resoldered to conductor o,s in its new position. The device may now be reset for another operation, the catch spring g5 engaging a new -tooth c of wheel a and thereby holding the head h5 in operative position against the tension of spring g5. N ow the device may be operated again by an abnormally large current in the conductor o5. The device may be operated and reset, as just described, as many times as desired.

The front plate b5 may be mounted to a suitable support in any desirable position, as, for example, to the face of a switch-board in front of the operator. The n'position of the push-button f, shows to theoperator whether the device is set for operation or is operated.

It will be readily seen from the drawings that the operating spring g5, the head or slide h5, and the switch blades T5, are all carriedvby the guides or casing d5 d5, andvthat the rotary dent a and the heat-producing conductor 05 are also carried by the said guides als d5, thus making a 'self-contained unit of the device.

In Fig. 3, e, is a hollow heat-producing conductor. The toothed wheel a2 is secured to the conductor e2 by heat-susceptible material d. b2 is the hub on wheel a2.

I do not wish to limit this invention tothe particular details of construction as herein shown, as many modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electrical protector unit comprising a rotary detent normally held against operation by heat-susceptible material, heating means associated with the heat-susceptible material to soften same upon the passage of an abnormally large current, circuit-controlling means associated with the detent and controlled thereby, means for placing the circuitcontrolling means under control of the detent, a coil spring for operating the circuit-controlling means and a frame-like support carrying the elements specified, the coil spring being within the frame-like support,

a coil spring the plunger er',

all constituting a single unit substantially as described.

2. In an electro-thermal protector, a rotary detent normally held against operation by heat-susceptible material, means for heating the heat-susceptible material to allow theV detent to operate, means for engaging the. detent and tending to operate same, a coil spring, and a plunger adapted to be depressed against the tension of the coil spring to set the apparatus for operation, the plunger being operated by the,coil spring when the apparatus operates.

3. An electrical protector comprising a suitable support, an electro-thermal switch carried by the support, a plunger for setting the device to operative position, and a coil spring against which the plunger is depressed when the apparatus is set, the coil spring being arranged to operate the plunger upon abnormal electrical conditions in the device.

4. In a device of the character described, a frame-like support, an electro-thermal device carried by the said support, a plunger for setting the device for operat-ion and carried Within the said frame-like support, and for'operating the said plunger upon abnormal current conditions in the device, and also carried Within the said framelike support.

5. An electro-thermal device comprising a rotary detent operable upon abnormal electrical conditions, means for engaging the de tent to operatel same and having a plunger adapted to be depressed to set the said engaglng means, and a coil spring acting on the plunger to operate same when the detent releasesA the said engaging means.

6. An electrical protector unit comprising a. rotary detent operable upon abnormal electrical conditions, means for engaging the detent to operate same and'thereby control a circuit, a plunger associated with the sai. engaging means and a coil spring acting on the said plunger whereby the said engaging means is disengaged from the detent under abnormal electrical conditions.`

7 A n electro-thermal device comprising a pair of guides carrying a thermally-operable device, a slide carried between the guides and carrying switching means, and means for engaging the thermally-operable device to operate same under abnormal heating; a plunger attached to the said slide and provided with a. push-button to be depressed to set the device for operation, and a coil spring surrounding the plunger and acting on the said slide to operate the apparatus, the coil spring 8 being put under tension by depressing the push button.'

8. In a device of the character described, a frame-like support, an electrothermal switch carried thereby, a plunger for setting the switch and carried within the said support, and a coil springacting on the said plunger whereby the switch is operated upon an excess of current in the device.

9. In a device of the character described, a frame-like support, an electrothermal device comprising a rotary detent operable upon abnormal electrical conditions and carried by the said support, means for engaging the detent to operate same and having a plunger adapted to be depressed to set the said engaging means, the plunger being carried within the said frame-like support, and acoil spring actingv on the plunger to operate same when the detent releases the said engaging means, the coil spring being also carried within the said `frame-like support.

10.`A device of the character described, comprising a pair of parallel guides carrying an electrothermal switch, a slide carried between the guides and carrying a detent for holding the switch in set osition, a plunger attached to the said slide, a push button lon one end ofthe plunger for setting the switch for operation, and a coil spring surrounding the plunger and actingon the said slide to operate the switch, the said coil spring and lunger being carried between the said gui es and the said coil spring being put under tension for operating the switch by depressing the pushbutton.

1l. In apparatus of the class specified, a heat cartridge embodying in its construction both self-soldering thermally-operable excess current mechanism, and circuit-controlling mechanism 'coperating therewith, said cartridge having a sliding member operable from the exterior of the cartridge and extending into the same and arranged to reset the cartrid e after operation.

12. A heat cartridge comprising a heating device, a self-soldering wheel, a spring-actuated plunger extending from the interior to the exterior of said cartridge, said plunger being provided with means for engaging said wheel.

As inventor of the foregoing I hereunto subscribe my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 11th day of December, 1906.

EDWARD W. LEEPER. Witnesses:

FRANK B. COOK, FREDERICK R. PARKER.

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