Abstract: A programmable data link module is used on a time division multiplex data bus. The module is functional as an input device, an output device, or both as an input or output device. It can receive data from the data bus during a selected time slot for selected number of frames to control output devices connected to it. The data link module includes an input circuit for generating a data output signal data to the data bus in response to input signals from in input device coupled to the module. The input circuit includes a programmable input communication mode selector, allowing the data bus and the data link module to function with or without a host computer. The mode selector provides simplex or duplex.

Abstract: A circuit breaker interconnect arrangement and a method for selective interruption of electrical circuits includes at least one upstream circuit breaker having an upstream electronic trip unit and a microprocessor and a plurality of downstream circuit breakers connected to the upstream circuit breaker. The microprocessor transmits a trip command signal to the downstream electronic trip units at the occurrence of a predetermined load condition, such as an overload condition, through the upstream circuit. One or more downstream circuit breakers are tripped after the predetermined time delay for tripping according to a predetermined priority until the load condition through the upstream circuit is reduced below the predetermined load condition whereby the upstream circuit breaker is deterred from interrupting current in the upstream circuit.

Abstract: An improved high voltage insulator includes a central core and an insulating body fitted tightly around the central core. A flexible coating layer is interposed between a part of the central core and the insulating body. The flexible coating layer fills in shrinkage cavities and compensates for a retraction effect caused by injected material used in forming the insulating body. The insulating body is overmolded to the central core previously coated with the flexible coating layer with an injected insulating resin such as a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin. The insulator could be used as a capactive divider or bushing insulator.

Abstract: The present invention provides an assembly and method for mounting a plurality of circuit breakers for electrical and mechanical connection to a bus bar in a module of a distribution board. The mounting assembly includes each circuit breaker having a housing which is defined by a contact end for connecting to the bus bar, a mounting end for securing to the cell of the distribution board, and side panels extending therebetween. Each housing has a top surface and a bottom surface. The connect end of each housing has a bus bar terminal for connecting to the bus bar. At least one spacer is located between at least two of the circuit breakers. The spacer has a predetermined width between the side panels of adjacent circuit breakers. The spacer width is sufficient to spread the circuit breakers apart from each other and align the bus bar terminal of each housing with the busbar.

Abstract: A solenoid operated remote resetting device with a protective solenoid activation circuit is disclosed. The solenoid activation circuit includes circuitry for protecting the solenoid from overheating due to intentional or unintentional prolonged current flow in the solenoid. The solenoid activation circuit receives an activation signal, in the form of an alternating current signal, from a remote activation means. The activation signal is coupled to a rectifier in the solenoid activation circuit that provides rectified DC power for the solenoid activation circuit. A solenoid power circuit is also coupled to the rectifier input such that the AC signal from the activation means can be rectified and passed to the solenoid positive DC signal. A timing circuit coupled between the rectifier output and the solenoid power circuit provides an active phase of a predetermined time and a blocking phase after each application of the activation signal.

Abstract: An electrical distribution system having a load center for programmably and remotely controlling a plurality of circuit breakers, an expander unit coupled to the load center and a plurality of external switches for providing signals to the load center representative of the status of the switches. The load center contains a control module that continually receives inputs from the expander unit via an interface module. It also contains a keyboard and display for programming instructions for closing and opening the individual circuit breakers and for displaying the status of the circuit breakers. The interface module, coupled to the control module, causes the circuit breakers to open and close according to programmed instructions received from the control module or another external device. The expander unit contains a plurality of input circuits coupled to external switches.

Abstract: A Positive Temperature Coefficient Resistivity (PTC) element has a resistivity that increases as the temperature increases. Circuit breakers having PTC elements can achieve better overload and short circuit protection than existing products. Breakers with PTC elements can also be combined with ground fault detection circuits to activate the circuit breaker under ground fault conditions that are less severe than the overcurrent conditions that would normally activate the circuit breaker. A shunt trip assembly incorporating a PTC resistor reduces the required power rating of the clearing switch.

Abstract: The invention provides a combination service entrance device which contains a common enclosure, divided by a center barrier into two sections. One houses a watt-hour meter socket and the other houses a panel board containing circuit breakers. The panel board is installed on an elevated mounting pan placed in the circuit breaker section. One side of the mounting panel preferably has a pair of tabs, each of which slides into a separate lance or guide formed in the center barrier. A pair of spaced posts are attached between the side opposite the barrier and the back panel of the enclosure. The length of the posts defines the gap between the back panel and the panel board. An elevated neutral bar is attached to the back panel along and distant from the mounting panel. The panel board remains parallel to and raised from the back panel. The elevated mounting pan provides for routing wires in the circuit breaker section and easier access to the load connections of the circuit breakers compared to prior art devices.

Abstract: A phase controlled weld controller system provides a stable timebase phase reference which has improved transient response in the presence of spurious noise generated by other external equipment coupled to the same voltage source. The system estimates a phase error between an internal phase reference generator and the voltage source. The system also estimates the phase distortion generated by the weld control when operating with an inductive impedance load when significant line impedance is present. The weld controller provides compensation for the phase distortion in the timebase phase reference using the estimated line impedance to realize a phase reference which more accurately tracks the voltage source.

Abstract: The present invention includes a control device and a control center having at least one cell defining an interior space with a front face for receiving and electrically connecting the control device therein. The cell and control device have mounting for mounting at least one electrical component thereon. The control device pivots on a pivotal axis within the cell so that a rear mounting surface pivots away from a cell mounting surface to provide access to the rear mounting surface and the cell mounting surface through the front face of the cell. The control device is releasably fastened to the cell to prevent pivoting the control device while the control device is electrically connected. A method is included with the present invention for providing access to the interior space through a front face of a cell in a control center with a control device inserted therein.

Abstract: A reverse deflection prevention arrangement is provided for use in a circuit breaker for preventing a bimetal from bending in a direction opposite its normal thermal deflection. The reverse deflection prevention arrangement includes a tab portion extending from a yoke and a corresponding block member disposed on the inside surface of a circuit breaker cover. The tab portion engages the block member when the bimetal is forced to deflect in the direction opposite its normal deflection. An alternate embodiment of the reverse deflection prevention arrangement includes a reinforcement member secured to one end of the bimetal. The reinforcement member strengthens and supports the bimetal so that it is prevented from bending in the direction opposite its normal thermal deflection.

Abstract: A clock line over-protection circuit (28) carried on an interface card (16) for interfacing synchronous clock line (20), power line (22), DC common line (24) and data line (26) between a host computer (12) and a plurality of data link modules (14) with a plurality of associated controlled devices (18) including a series resistor (52) interconnected between a clock disable switch (52) and a clock signal generating amplifier (48) and a current sensor circuit (64, FIG. 3) connected across the series resistor (50) to produce a current sensor signal on an output (62). The current sensor signal is integrated by an over-current protection circuit (58, FIG. 4) to produce an over-current detection signal that varies with the difference in the clock line current magnitude during clock signal phases of opposite polarity.

Abstract: A remotely controllable circuit breaker device for interrupting current in a circuit path between a source and a load includes local and remote monitoring capabilities and a gear mechanism for reliable remote control of the interruption mechanism. The device includes a first contact and a second contact cooperatively arranged in the circuit path so as to provide current from the source to the load. At least one of the contacts is disposed on a contact carrier which is movable for interrupting the current provided to the load. The gear mechanism includes a motor with a rotatable shaft which responds to open and closed control signals generated from a remote location, and a gear, rotatably responsive to the rotatable shaft, for controlling the contact carrier so that the circuit path is interrupted and established, respectively. The gear mechanism controls the contact carrier using a coupling arrangement, which has a first part coupled to the contact carrier and a second part coupled to the gear.

Abstract: A method for high speed spin winding a coil on a continuous lamination core. A two piece or hinged bobbin having two flanges is placed around a leg of the transformer core and snapped together. Both flanges include an outwardly facing surface which defines a concentric groove. One flange includes passages for receiving printed circuit board terminating pins which are installed prior to winding the coil. The other flange has a circumferential gear located in its outwardly facing surface. The core with bobbin and terminating pins installed is placed into a spin winding fixture. A bobbin bearing having a bearing surface including a circumferential ridge is placed adjacent the outwardly facing surfaces of the two flanges such that the circumferential ridges are partially received within the concentric grooves of the outwardly facing surfaces of the two flanges. A wire feeder terminates the leading end of the coil wire on one of the terminating pins.

Abstract: A reduced current consumption circuit for multiple optical switches 10 having associated status indicator LEDs 26. The reduced current consumption is achieved by electrically connecting the emitter IREDs 14 of each optical switch 10 in series with the status indicator LEDs 26 and a constant current source Ccs 12. Each status indicator LED 26 includes a shunting circuit 34 which removes the LED 26 from the series circuit in response to an output signal from the receiver 18 of its associated optical switch 10 without breaking the series circuit.

Abstract: A communications network has an operator interface system for monitoring and controlling controllers utilizing any known control strategy. A common database is accessible across the communication network of controllers regardless of each controllers dissimilar data structure. The operator interface provides an apparatus for displaying, storing, and editing data obtained from the network. Data from each controller can be accessed by a master device based upon the controller's individual data structure and type through embedded objects resident in the master device's operating system and program. The data can then be displayed, edited, and stored by any data entry device that is capable of executing the master's program.

Abstract: A phase control system has a stable timebase phase reference generated by an internal phase reference generator which has improved transient response in the presence of spurious noise generated by other external equipment coupled to the same voltage source. A digital phase comparator estimates a phase error between the timebase phase reference and the voltage source. The internal phase reference generator constructs the timebase using a normalized difference between the volt-time-areas between two adjacent quadrants of the internal timebase phase reference. This allows corrections to the phase reference generator to be made on the next cycle of the phase reference generator based on the error estimate of the present cycle.

Abstract: A programmable data link module for use with a time division multiplex data bus includes an input and a high voltage protection circuit to prevent outputting of data to the data bus under several different operation conditions. These include programming of the data link module and verification of the programming. The data link module also inhibits the outputting of data signals to the data bus in response to changes of the input signals from a local input device until the power to the data link module has stabilized for a preselected period of time. The high voltage protection circuit protects the data link module from excessive overvoltage from other devices connected to the data bus.

Abstract: A weld controller is coupled to a communications network which has an operator interface unit for monitoring and controlling the weld controller and other weld controllers on the network. A time of day clock provides a chronological reference to tag weld current and voltage data and other data when it occurs for storage in its memory which is also accessible by the operator interface unit for storing in said system database. A memo pad in the weld controller is also accessible to the network for storing data for diagnostic purposes, said data including faults, events, and other operational data. The data can then be displayed, edited, and stored by the operator interface's program.

Abstract: An adjustable torque clutch assembly is provided for use in a motor operator. The clutch assembly includes a cylinder ring disposed between upper and lower clutch plates and houses a pair of friction discs, a drive plate disposed between the friction discs, and a spring for forcing the friction discs together to create a frictional coupling force between the drive plate and the friction discs. The exact amount of frictional force is determined by the distance between the upper and lower plates. A rubber gasket is disposed between the housing and one of the clutch plates for allowing adjustment of the distance between the clutch plates, thereby allowing the frictional force, and hence the overall clutch torque to be adjusted. A plurality of screws are provided to secure the clutch plates together once the distance between them, and hence the frictional force has been adjusted to a desired amount.