Mechanisms are divided into three main classifications identified by the source of their closing power: solenoid, spring and pneumatic. Solenoid mechanisms obtain their energy from an external battery or from a transformer rectifier connected to the live supply. Spring mechanisms obtain their energy either by manually charging the springs by means of a fixed or loose handle or by electrically charging the springs by means of a motor and gear train. The motor obtains its energy from the same sources as the solenoid, but at a very much reduced power. Pneumatic mechanisms are fitted with compressed-air storage reservoirs that operate the closing pistons when the closing control signal opens the closing valve. The valve is manually or electrically operated. For the latter, it requires the same power source as for motor charged springs. The first two types of mechanism are those in general use, and are discussed in Section 5.4.1. 5.4.1 Closing-mechanism design parameters The following is a list of the major items that influence the design and type of contacts, t in particular, the clearance across the cdtisnterkiryy Shunseeifem“eneatensnteu Sohn “inini> fatasey nist be’ capable of closing and latching against the full rated short circuit. Those with series releases are only required to close against currents up to the instantaneous setting of the release. At currents above the setting, the series release will operate and immediately trip the circuit breaker, so the closing mechanism at these currents has only to hold the contacts made without latching until the trip operation takes over. (© Type of contacts: The type of contacts determines the extent of travel in the closing stroke between contact touch to fully home. This is very important to the closing mechanism because this travel, together with the travel associated with prearcing on ‘make’, determines the distance the blade must move from the instant current starts to flow to reaching fully home. Butt-type contacts give the shortest travel, with finger and blade giving the longest, as part of the travel takes place along the sliding faces of the blades. ( Mechanical duty: Some circuit breakers when in service are very rarely operated, and others are operated many times an hour, and the mechanical- endurance test required from the circuit breaker certainly influences the type | of mechanism fitted. Applications vary considerably, and, for this reason, most designs of circuit breaker cater for two types of mechanism, namely the pee BF BY TEA AG OH Te OTR LAR VF TRE HOVER parts acmrevea oy a nip speed during the closing stroke, Most circuit breakers, especially those of high current and short-circuit ratings work on the latter principle, sinceA solenoid mechanism relies on an external source for its closing power, which, for large installations, is obtained from a battery. Unfortunately, a battery has to be considered to be in various states of discharge, although in practice, with most reliable installations, the batteries are always fully charged. Most standards accept that the battery in its worst condition could be at 80% or 85% of its nominal voltage, and therefore the circuit breaker must be capable of its making capacity rating at this reduced voltage. The circuit breaker sometimes has to operate at 120% of its nominal voltage when the battery is fully charged. Since the closing power in kilowatts is proportional to V*, the closing power at 120% of V is twice that at 80% V. This can have a damaging effect on the mechanism, and needs to be catered for in the initial design. The consolation to the user with such a mechanism is that, with the capability of latching at 80% of the battery voltage, it has a considerable safety factor in service, where the voltages are always on the top side, proportional to the airgap in the solenoid, and therefore the static pull increases as the airgap reduces. In practice, the dynamic pull does not increase in proportion to the static pull, because the movement of the solenoid itself produces a back e.m.f. that reduces the current in the solenoid. The effect of this is dependent on the speed at which the solenoid moves, which in turn is dependent on the mechanical. advantage of the mechanism. The effect is to reduce the pull to below the static figures, but, since the mechanical advantage of the mechanism is at its greatest at the end of the stroke, the combined effects are designed to give the maximum closing force at the part of the stroke subjected to the maximum blowoff forces, ie. from contact touch to fully home. Any hesitation occurring in the closing mechanism as a result of the blowoff forces is counteracted by an increase in the pull from the solenoid, because the current will immediately increase again, and, in most designs, the solenoid is able to pull in and latch. With a spring mechanism, the closing force is known precisely for all positions in the closing stroke, there being no dynamic correction effects. The maximum force from the springs occur when they are fully compressed and the minimum is at the end of the stroke; however, with the mechanical advantage of the mechanism at its greatest, the maximum closing force on the contacts also occurs at the end of the etrakeclosing springs can only be discharged when they are fully charged. ting There is no question as to the simplicity of a solenoid mechanism over a sprit the mechar associa more 1 operati 5421 tarot Most ¢ overrid the spe usually ‘CLOSIn FoRcE obtaine higher mig once trip-frer pe Sasi. 17A Double toggle closing mechanism linkage with latch and trip catch mechar carer te principle closing opposinj must be reset before a closing operation takes place, thus propping one end of severe d the first toggle, If the trip catch is not reset, the end of the first toggle will ein move out of the way when the closing force is applied, and the moving blade betes tt Will not close, giving a trip-free close operation, No details of the closing operatio linkages from the power source to the first toggle are shown, as there are many spring n variations, which include bell cranks, levers etc. that convert the power source operatic from its sited position into a force applied in the correct direction and with the For thi correct mechanical advantage. No details are shown of the close latch and the fixed-tti trip catch as, once again, there are many variations. It is important with a tripping mechanism to ensure that, during the tripping stroke, the closing latch 5.4.3 Mis released and the trip catch reset before the circuit breaker completes its Typical opening stroke, Meeting all these tripping requirements, together with those illustrate associated with the closing requirements, forms the complete design and en usually results in a mechanical compromise within the design parameters. (@) Double-toggle closing mechanism with latch and trip catch: The two toggles are clearly shown in Fig. 5.17A, with the circuit breaker in the closed position. The closing force is applied in the direction shown, with a latch taking over and propping the circuit breaker closed when this force is removed. The trip catchprops the circuit breaker closed when the closing force is removed. The trip catch illustrated i a rolle-hook trip toggle, which, when reset, converts the toggle into a solid link. The action of knocking the hook off the roller allows the toggle to collapse and the cam to rotate, letting the roller move down the can face and opening the circuit beaker, (¢) A high-speed-trtpping-mechanism latch type: This is ilutrated in Fi, 5.17C. This circuit breaker has two moving contacts, identified as fromt and rea, and fas a combined closing and tripping spring, The action of closing the clrcult breaker is first to energve the solenoid, which charges the closing spring, resets the front contact together with the latch and the trip catch and, at the same time, moves back the rear contact In preparation for closure, When theFig. 5.178. Cam closing mechanism linkage with latch and trip catch solenoid de-energises and resets, the rear contact follows the return of the solenoid by the action of the closing spring and the contacts close. The tripping action releases the trip catch first, which in tum releases the latch. The closing springs now become tripping springs and pull the front contacts away from the rear contacts at a high speed. The rear contacts are prevented from following the front contacts by a stop in the mechanism. High-speed opening is performed by the high spring tension moving only the light mass ‘of one set of combined arcit ~~ * * oo longer opening = —! Foi eOwTACT EAN cova, T Fig. 6.170 High-speed tripping mechaniom — electrically held (TE Power Equipment] ‘High-speed mechanisms of type (c) can have a mechanical opening time of 0-003 s, to which must be added the operating time of the short-circuit release. Both forward- and. reverse-current releases can be fitted on this type of mechanism as it is inherently nondirectional in its methods of operation. The electronic tripping and impulse-coil release, shown in Figs. 5.14C and D is jeally suited to this type of mechanism. They have release operating times of Pring FOL : Fig. 5.17C High-speed tripping mechanism linkage with latch and trip catch [Whipp and Bourne Ltd.)Eg, 21/2, LE MLIIMLULE me DEMO UY IY LIBUL wD HUG HD 64NC GA.voLELEL ULI source is energised and the contacts are closed through the closing toggle, shown, The conductor called the bucking bar carries the same current as th moving contact and produces a flux in the armature, to assist that provided b: the external source. When fault current flows in the bucking bar, it must be i the opposite direction to the normal current flow, this produces a cancellin flux in the armature limb of the magnet, which releases the armature. Th light-weight contacts are then free to open by the high-pressure pulloff spring: After tripping, the magnet resets, and resets the armature. Another variation 0 this type of mechanism is the use of a permanent magnet in place of th magnet produced by the external control source. The principle of operatio, and flux diversion is the same. Opening times of these mechanisms are of th order of 0°003. inclusive of the release operating time. This type o mechanism is inherently directional in its high-speed operation, Le. th direction of the tripping required determines the connection of the current t: the bucking bar. Forward and reverse high-speed tripping can be obtained b, using two separate armatures,