Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Martin J. Moran
  • Patent number: 6636401
    Abstract: A bus assembly for a network protector, where the network protector includes a housing, and where the bus assembly includes a plurality of busses having laminations and a rack assembly. The plurality of busses are mounted in the rack assembly and the rack assembly is coupled to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Steven E. Meiners, Douglas M. Brandt, Michael F. Magazine
  • Patent number: 6636409
    Abstract: A surge protection device includes terminals adapted to receive a power source voltage and surge protection circuits, each of which includes a thermal fuse spring, one or more metal oxide varistors (MOVs), and one or more fuse traces corresponding to the MOVs. The thermal fuse spring, one of the fuse traces and the corresponding one of the MOVs are electrically interconnected in series between the terminals, in order to form a series electrical connection therebetween. The thermal fuse spring is adapted to disconnect the series electrical connection between the terminals under first fault conditions including a first current of first duration through one of the MOVs. The thermal fuse spring and each of the fuse traces are adapted to cooperatively disconnect a corresponding one of the series electrical connections between the terminals under second fault conditions including a second greater current of second lesser duration through one of the MOVs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Dalibor Kladar, James Funke, Chi Thuong Ha, Anthony-Cernan Mendoza, Mieczyslaw Bandura, Mahoud Ghanem
  • Patent number: 6633009
    Abstract: A shorting switch eliminates arcing faults in low voltage power distribution equipment. The switch includes a base supporting a first side and an opposite second side. A first end of a spring engages the first side of the base. A first end of a release bolt engages the first side of the base. An electrically activated, chemical charge is disposed in an opening of the release bolt to fracture that bolt. A bridging contact is biased by a second end of the spring toward the second side of the base. A second end of the release bolt normally holds the bridging contact and maintains the spring in a compressed state. Two contacts are supported by the second side of the base for electrical engagement by the bridging contact after fracture of the release bolt. Two terminals are respectively electrically connected to the two contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: John J. Shea
  • Patent number: 6633211
    Abstract: A circuit interrupter including a housing, separable main contacts disposed in the housing, and an operating mechanism disposed in the housing and interconnected with the contacts. A trip mechanism is disposed in the housing and has an automatic trip assembly that generates a tripping operation. The automatic trip assembly includes an armature and a magnetic yoke having pivot supports. The armature includes a head portion having a first hook-like member and an oppositely facing second hook-like member. The first hook-like member has a first recess, and the second hook-like member has a second recess. The automatic trip assembly includes a pivot pin positioned on the pivot supports and extending through the first recess and the second recess to provide a rotatable disposition of the armature. The assembly also includes a biasing member applying a force to the armature in a direction to normally rotationally displace a bottom portion of the armature away from the magnetic yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Mark O. Zindler, Roger William Helms
  • Patent number: 6633210
    Abstract: A securing member for use in a switch assembly of a circuit breaker includes a support post and a fastener. The securing member assists in mounting an alarm switch onto a bracket of the switch assembly and further resists movement of the actuation levers of a pair of auxiliary switches from moving beyond a first given position and from potentially becoming caught in an operating mechanism that pivots a crossbar. The dual functionality of the securing member is cost effective and occupies only a minimal amount of additional space within the crowded confines of the circuit breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth Martin Fischer, Robert Michael Pomaybo, Joseph Bell Humbert
  • Patent number: 6612878
    Abstract: A jumper assembly which includes a housing assembly and two or more bus assemblies. The housing assembly has a planar member, a plurality of lower side walls and plurality of upper side walls. The housing assembly planar member has an upper side and a lower side. The lower side walls forming a plurality of bus assembly raceways. The two or more bus assemblies each have a planar member and two terminal ends. The bus assembly planar members are disposed in the lower raceways adjacent to and parallel to the housing assembly planar member lower side. Thus, the bus assemblies are in a single plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Ethber Lias, Michael Jerome Whipple
  • Patent number: 6612865
    Abstract: A mounting for a jumper assembly bus assembly where the jumper assembly includes a housing assembly and a bus assembly. The jumper assembly housing assembly has a housing assembly planar member and a plurality of side walls extending generally perpendicular to and downward from the planar member defining at least one raceway. The bus assembly includes a bus assembly planar member with two terminal ends extending therefrom. The mounting includes at least one bus assembly mounting boss disposed on a housing assembly side wall, the mounting boss disposed adjacent to, but spaced from, the housing assembly planar member, and at least one elongated bus assembly clip extending from the housing assembly. The bus assembly mounting boss is structured to retain the bus assembly planar member adjacent to the housing assembly planar member and the at least one bus assembly clip is structured to retain a bus assembly terminal end against the housing assembly planar member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Ethber Lias, Michael Jerome Whipple
  • Patent number: 6614219
    Abstract: A metering assembly includes an FT-21 kWh analog meter enclosure having an opening and carrying a plurality of stabs. A frame includes four sides, with the bottom side carrying a plurality of electrical terminals. The stabs electrically engage the frame terminals. A mechanism secures the frame within the enclosure opening. A display module includes a display port and a metering display driven from the display port. A monitoring module includes a monitoring unit, a display port driven by the monitoring unit, and a module enclosure having four sides. The monitoring module top side is mounted to the frame top side. The monitoring module bottom side has a plurality of electrical connections to the frame bottom side electrical terminals. The monitoring module display port is electrically connected to the display module display port. A mechanism mounts the display module to the frame offset from the monitoring module front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Charles Dadian
  • Patent number: 6614639
    Abstract: A control system includes a rectifier bridge including a heat sink having a temperature, and also including an SCR having a gate. The SCR thermally engages the heat sink. A circuit controls the rectifier bridge through the gate of the SCR. An RTD circuit measures the temperature of the heat sink. A circuit disables gating of the SC based upon the temperature of the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Irving A. Gibbs
  • Patent number: 6614339
    Abstract: An exhaust control device for use with a circuit interrupter includes a casing having a first expansion chamber and a second expansion chamber that are operationally disposed upstream of a heat sink and a damper, with the second expansion chamber being in fluid communication with the first expansion chamber and being in register with an inlet of the casing. The first expansion chamber extends between the inlet and the heat sink. The heat sink is a porous member that is annular in cross-section and includes a central cavity formed therein, the second expansion chamber being disposed in the central cavity. The first and second expansion chambers are configured to separate a blast of gases from the circuit interrupter into first and second pressure waves that sequentially travel through the heat sink and the damper, which reduces the peak intensity of the blast, extends its duration, and reduces its ionization level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Neville Parry, Richard Craig Alexander, James Jeffery Benke
  • Patent number: 6614326
    Abstract: A CEBus coupler for a pair of power-lines includes a housing in the form of a miniature two-pole circuit breaker. A wire pigtail electrically connects to a neutral power-line. First and second circuit breaker stabs are disposed on the housing. An inductively coupled circuit couples a CEBus power-line carrier signal, as referenced to the neutral power-line, between one of the first and second circuit breaker stabs, and the other of the first and second circuit breaker stabs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Allan R. Merriman, James Dolfi, Fred Shahdadian
  • Patent number: 6614334
    Abstract: A circuit breaker includes a housing, line and load terminals, first and second circuit breaker mechanisms, an operating handle having on and off positions, and first and second links from the operating handle to the respective first and second operating mechanisms. Each of the circuit breaker mechanisms includes a set of separable contacts in series with the other separable contacts between the line and load terminals, an operating mechanism for moving the corresponding separable contacts between open and closed positions, and a trip mechanism cooperating with the corresponding operating mechanism for moving the corresponding separable contacts from the closed to the open position thereof. The first and second links engage the first and second operating mechanisms to move the first and second separable contacts, respectively, between the corresponding closed and open positions thereof responsive to the on and off positions, respectively, of the operating handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Gibson, Craig A. Rodgers, Lance Gula
  • Patent number: 6596952
    Abstract: A rotary handle operator for a circuit breaker includes a lock plate having a live spring, formed as one piece with the lock plate, for biasing the lock plate in its unlocked position. With the lock plate in this unlocked position, rotation of the rotary handle operator's handle will actuate movement of a sliding member within the rotary handle operator, thereby moving the operating lever of the circuit breaker from its on position to its off position, and vice versa. When the rotating handle is in its off position, the lock plate may be pivoted against the bias of the springs so that the lock plate fits within a slot in the housing of the rotary handle operator, thereby resisting movement of the handle. In this position, an aperture dimensioned and configured to receive the shackle of a lock protrudes upward from the handle, permitting insertion of a lock to secure the lock plate in this locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Dean Basil Degrazia, Andrew James Male
  • Patent number: 6592388
    Abstract: A spring-biased electrical connector permits the connector to be moved into a retracted position for installation and removal of the components to which the connector is attached, and then extended to form an electrical connection with its mating connector. The spring-biased connector may be secured in electrical connection with its mating connector. Such a spring-biased connector is particularly useful for connecting a control relay to a network protector, although not limited to such use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Steven E. Meiners, Arthur J. Jur, Douglas M. Brandt, Stephen W. Oneufer, Michael F. Magazine
  • Patent number: 6589070
    Abstract: A jumper assembly that includes a housing assembly and at least two bus assemblies. The housing assembly has a planar member and a plurality of upper and lower side walls extending generally perpendicular from opposite sides of the planar member. The housing assembly planar member has an upper side and a lower side with one or more openings passing therethrough. The at least two or more bus assemblies each have a planar bus member and one or more collar assemblies coupled to each planar bus members. The upper side walls form two or more separate upper raceways. The lower side walls form two or more lower raceways. The bus planar members are disposed in the lower raceways. The collars disposed in the upper raceways and coupled to the bus planar members through the housing assembly planar member openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Ethber Lias, Michael Jerome Whipple
  • Patent number: 6590481
    Abstract: An electrically powered, fast acting transfer switch utilizes a single action solenoid that, alternately, through a mechanical assembly, moves the handle of one electric power switch between OFF and ON positions. A coupling including a rigid strap operates the handle of a second electric power switch oppositely between ON and OFF positions. The mechanical assembly includes an electromagnet drive plate to which the electromagnet of the solenoid is secured and an armature drive plate carrying the solenoid armature. A latch mechanism alternately holds one drive plate and then the other stationary so that the electromagnet and armature alternately move to effect reciprocal movement of the handle of the one electric power switch, and through the rigid strap, the handle of the second electric power switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: David Curtis Turner, Jeffrey Lowell Woods, David Michael Olszewski, William Ellsworth Beatty, Jr., Ronald Dale Hartzel
  • Patent number: 6589071
    Abstract: A mounting for a jumper assembly bus assembly where the jumper assembly includes a housing assembly and a bus assembly. The jumper assembly housing assembly has a housing assembly planar member and a plurality of side walls extending generally perpendicular to and downward from the planar member defining at least one raceway. The bus assembly includes a bus assembly planar member with two terminal ends extending therefrom. The mounting includes at least one bus assembly mounting boss disposed on a housing assembly side wall, the mounting boss disposed adjacent to, but spaced from, the housing assembly planar member, and at least one elongated bus assembly clip extending from the housing assembly. The bus assembly mounting boss is structured to retain the bus assembly planar member adjacent to the housing assembly planar member and the at least one bus assembly clip is structured to retain a bus assembly terminal end against the housing assembly planar member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Edward Ethber Lias, Michael Jerome Whipple
  • Patent number: 6590756
    Abstract: A cable trip assembly includes an actuating assembly, a mounting assembly, and a cable assembly. The cable assembly includes a cable member disposed within a sheath. The cable member has a first end and a second end. The cable member first end is coupled to a lever, which is part of the actuating assembly, which is structured to move between a first position and a second position, similar to the prior art lever. The cable member second end is coupled to the circuit breaker trip bar. The sheath is mounted on a rigid frame, preferably a portion of the circuit breaker. Thus, with the sheath held stationary, the lever can move the cable within the sheath between a first and second position as the lever moves between its first position and second position. Because the cable member second end is coupled to the circuit breaker trip bar, the trip bar is also moved between the trip bar first and second positions as the lever moves between the lever first position and second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Steven E. Meiners, Stephen W. Oneufer, Arthur J. Jur, Douglas M. Brandt
  • Patent number: 6590757
    Abstract: Electrical equipment (14) is safeguarded from damage due to parallel arc faults by a circuit that provides several levels of protection. A semiconductor switch (18) and a current sensor (24) are placed in series with the electrical equipment (14). When the current to the equipment exceeds a first threshold for a predefined period of time, the semiconductor switch (18) is rendered non-conductive until the circuit is specifically reset. When the current to the equipment exceeds a greater second threshold, a pulsed signal alternately places the semiconductor switch (18) in conductive and non-conductive states so that the average current applied to the equipment (14) is within an acceptable level. The pulses are measured to determine whether a parallel arc fault has occurred. When the measured pulses (74) are within a predetermined range, a parallel arc fault is declared and the semiconductor switch (18) is rendered non-conductive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Birger Pahl, Ronald R. Jahn, William E. Berkopec, Slobodan Krstic, Joseph C. Zuercher, Jerome K. Hastings
  • Patent number: 6590170
    Abstract: A latch kit comprising a member with at least one hook end, a tension member, and a hook plate. The hook plate is connected to the member by a tension member. The kit is intended to be used in conjunction with an industrial circuit breaker which is secured in a cell by a catch plate. When the hook plate is attached to the circuit breaker, the hook end can be used to support the circuit breaker's catch plate handle in the open position so that the circuit breaker can be extracted from the cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Walter O. Jenkins