With Lockout Patents (Class 335/34)
  • Patent number: 11862962
    Abstract: A controllable main breaker includes a main breaker sized to fit within an existing panel slot of an electrical panel. The main breaker comprises a trigger to open the main breaker in response to a thermal fault or overcurrent event. The controllable main breaker further includes an auxiliary shell sized to fit within at least one adjacent breaker slot. The auxiliary shell includes a controllable actuator that mechanically opens the main breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Lunar Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Holveck, Randol Aikin, Mark Daniel Goldman, Kyle Breuning Evans
  • Patent number: 10862278
    Abstract: The disclosed invention ensures safe operation of an electrical switchgear by preventing an operator from contacting or interacting with an active circuit breaker. The locking system prevents a door to the interior of the switchgear from opening until the circuit breaker is in a disengaged position. A circuit breaker decoupler, accessible from the exterior of the switchgear, directly manipulates the circuit breaker into disengagement and also allows physical manipulation of the circuit breaker. By having the decoupler and tool interface in the same device, this removes the need to open the arc covers, negating arc resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: M&I Electric, LLC
    Inventors: Neal Thomas Hare, Thomas Matthew Stevens
  • Patent number: 10794956
    Abstract: A lockout subassembly of an electronic circuit breaker. The lockout subassembly includes a rotatable latch bar having an engagement portion configured to engage with and prevent movement of an operating handle to an ON position, the rotatable latch bar including a lock portion, and a latch device configured to be receivable in the lock portion, wherein rotation of the rotatable latch bar is limited between a first and second rotational position in response to the latch device being received in the lock portion. The lockout of the operating handle can be removed upon passing at least one test so that the operating handle can be moved to the ON position. Circuit breakers including the lockout subassembly and methods of operating the circuit breaker are provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Industry, Inc.
    Inventor: Russell Thomas Watford
  • Patent number: 8791777
    Abstract: An AC contactor with a mechanical short circuit self-locking function includes an AC contactor body. The AC contactor body includes a shell body, wherein a mechanical short circuit self-locking unit is provided therein. The mechanical short circuit self-locking unit includes a short circuit detecting and triggering device for generating a triggering action when a fault of short circuit occurs; and a self-locking acting device for generating a self-locking action after receiving the triggering action, so as to disable the AC contactor to automatically reset after the fault of short circuit is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hubei Shengjia Wiring Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Jiasheng Wan
  • Patent number: 8183962
    Abstract: A leakage protective plug comprises a case and electric contacts. A protective cap is fixed on the top of the case and includes a reset button protective cap and a test button protective cap. The reset button protective cap is interiorly provided with a reset button connected with a push rod which in order penetrates an electric contact upper panel, an upper spring, an electric contact lower panel and a lower spring. The electric contact upper panel is provided at a right side thereof with a locking member linked with a brake connecting rod which is linked with a brake plate. The brake plate is located at a lower right side of the locking member. Below the brake plate are disposed an electromagnet pole shoe, an electromagnet coil, and an electromagnet core. The test button protective cap is provided with a test button having a test electric contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Inventors: Keqing Zhang, Junxin Li
  • Patent number: 7978032
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for protecting a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) from being faultily reset. In one embodiment, the locking mechanism has a blocking member secured onto a lateral side of the movable assembly, a resilient member, and a locking member having a first end portion positioned against the resilient member, a second end portion positioned in relation to the blocking member, and a body portion defined between the first end portion and the second end portion. When the movable assembly is in a first (tripping) position, the expanding force of the resilient member applied to the first end portion of the locking member causes the second end portion of the locking member to be positioned against the blocking member so that no movement of the movable assembly from the first position to a second (resetting) position is allowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: General Protecht Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Wusheng Chen, Fu Wang, Huaiyin Song
  • Patent number: 7864005
    Abstract: A ground fault circuit interrupter device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Erik J. Gouhl, Gregory G. Moreinis, Gunter A. Gallas
  • Patent number: 7683745
    Abstract: A ground fault circuit interrupter device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Erik J. Gouhl, Gregory G. Moreinis, Gunter A. Gallas
  • Patent number: 7564329
    Abstract: A ground fault circuit interrupter device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Gregory G. Moreinis, Gunter A. Gallas
  • Patent number: 7538647
    Abstract: A ground fault circuit interrupter device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventor: Howard S. Leopold
  • Patent number: 7498909
    Abstract: An improved ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) receptacle with reverse wiring protection. If the power lines are incorrectly connected to the load end of the receptacle during installation, power output to both the input end of the receptacle and the insertion outlets on the faceplate is prevented. The GFCI receptacle includes two stationary terminals on two first output conductors electrically connected to the insertion outlet, two stationary terminals on two second output conductors adapted for electrically connecting to the load, and four moveable terminal on two moveable connector arm adapted for electrically connecting to the power lines. The four moveable terminals corresponds in position to the four stationary terminals, respectively, and operate to electrical connect or disconnect the power lines to and from the load and the insertion outlet in a manner controlled by a disconnecting mechanism assembly and a reverse wiring protection mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Shanghai ELE Manufacturing Corp.
    Inventors: Long Zhang, Cheng Li Li
  • Patent number: 7498910
    Abstract: A ground fault circuit interrupter device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company
    Inventors: Gunter A. Gallas, Erik J. Gouhl, Howard S. Leopold, Gregory G. Moreinis
  • Patent number: 7355497
    Abstract: This invention relates to a circuit interrupting device having a trip button for disconnecting a load from a source of electrical power and a reset button for resetting the device after it has tripped. When the device is operating in its reset state, a source of electrical power is connected to a load through a set of contacts located within the device. The contacts are held closed by the spring loaded reset button which holds captive and urges a latch plate to move up to close normally open contacts. In the preferred mechanical trip mechanism, depressing the trip button causes the latch plate to move forward and be released from the reset button. The latch plate, upon being released from the reset button moves down to allow the contacts, which are biased to be normally open, to assume their normally open position. At this time, pressing the reset button initiates an electrical cycle which causes the normally open contacts to close only if the device is operating properly and there is no fault on the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Frantz Germain, Stephen Stewart
  • Patent number: 5631798
    Abstract: A combined bell alarm and lock-out accessory is connected with the electronic trip unit that controls a high ampere rated circuit breaker. The accessory interacts with the circuit breaker operating mechanism to activate the bell alarm upon circuit interruption and to prevent the closing of the circuit breaker contacts until the accessory is manually reset. The circuit breaker lock-out mechanism interfaces between the circuit breaker operating mechanism and the accessory to insure that the contacts remain open until the accessory is completely reset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Raymond K. Seymour, Roger N. Castonguay
  • Patent number: 4001739
    Abstract: A circuit breaker includes an operating mechanism having powerful mechanism springs to achieve the requisite contact pressure for high current carrying capacity. A rotary handle resets the operating mechanism via a reciprocating slide and latching mechanism, while loading the mechanism springs. Return of the handle to its original position achieves rapid closure of the circuit breaker contacts. The circuit breaker is equipped with a trip solenoid and an accessory which includes a bell alarm switch and a breaker lockout operating automatically in response to tripping of the circuit breaker by the trip solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1977
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David B. Powell, Vincent P. Acampora
  • Patent number: 4000478
    Abstract: A static trip, molded case circuit breaker includes an operating mechanism having powerful mechanism springs to achieve the requisite contact pressures for high current carrying capacity. A rotary handle resets the operating mechanism via a reciprocating slide and a latching mechanism, while loading the mechanism springs. Return of the handle to its original position achieves rapid closure of the circuit breaker contacts. The latching mechanism is equipped with a trip interlock operating to trip the circuit breaker in response to removal of the case cover and to thereafter disable resetting of the operating mechanism in the absence of the cover and/or electronic trip unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1975
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1976
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Charles L. Jencks, Roger N. Castonguay