A monitoring device for switching systems including a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing the contact assembly. The monitoring device includes: an accelerometer adapted to be positioned on a moving part of the switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of the moving part; a control unit including: a first processing unit adapted to receive acceleration data measured by the accelerometer and calculate timing instants of predetermined events and motion parameters related to the switching system; a second processing unit adapted to receive the timing instants of predetermined events and the motion parameters and to use at least one timing instant and at least one motion parameter to calculate electro/mechanical parameters of the switching system.

A monitoring device for switching systems including a contact assembly having at least a movable contact and a kinematic chain for actuating said movable contact and opening/closing the contact assembly. The monitoring device includes: an accelerometer adapted to be positioned on a moving part of the switching system and capable of determining acceleration data of the moving part; a control unit including: a first processing unit adapted to receive acceleration data measured by the accelerometer and calculate timing instants of predetermined events and motion parameters related to the switching system; a second processing unit adapted to receive the timing instants of predetermined events and the motion parameters and to use at least one timing instant and at least one motion parameter to calculate electro/mechanical parameters of the switching system.

A force amplification module is disclosed for an electrical switching device, in particular a circuit-breaker, that is designed to amplify the release force of a shunt release which is designed to switch off the electrical switching device. A unit including a shunt release and the force amplification module for an electrical switching device is also disclosed, as well as an electrical switching device.

A charging mechanism for charging a stored-energy spring of a stored-energy spring mechanism includes a charging gear coupled to the stored-energy spring, an intermediate shaft coupled to the charging gear, an idler gear that can be driven by a charging motor, a freewheel coupled to the idler gear, and a dog clutch that couples the freewheel to the intermediate shaft in order to charge the stored-energy spring and uncouples same from the intermediate shaft in the charged state of the stored-energy spring. The dog clutch has a first clutch block coupled to the intermediate shaft for conjoint rotation, and a second clutch block connected to the freewheel. The first clutch block can be displaced along an axis of rotation of the intermediate shaft between two end positions and, in an intermediate position between the end positions can be freely rotated only in a direction of rotation with respect to the second clutch block.

A method for detecting insufficient contact pressure between two contacts of an electrical switching unit, including a device for resetting a mechanism for controlling the switching unit following a closure maneuver of the mechanism, the resetting device including a motor configured to complete the closure maneuver of the control mechanism. The method involves detecting whether the motor completes the closure and whether a resetting torque corresponds to a normal resetting torque, by analyzing an envelope curve of current consumed by the motor over time, and, if the motor completes the closure, deducing that a wear is a result of wear in the mechanism or a kinematic chain, and if the motor completes the closure and the resetting torque corresponds to an abnormal rescuing torque, deducing that the wear corresponds to wear in the motor or parts involved in compressing the closure spring.

A crank arm of an auxiliary rotary switch in a circuit breaker changes electrical connections of contacts in the auxiliary rotary switch when the crank-arm is rotated about its axis. An auxiliary switch actuator decouples abrupt forces from being applied to the crank arm resulting from closing main contacts of the circuit breaker. In response to the main contacts starting to close, the crank arm is set into rotation by motion of a connection-state link that is coupled to the main contacts. The rotation of the crank arm continues up to a point at which the rotation is stopped, while the connection-state link continues its motion without being connected to the crank arm. In this manner, the connection-state link is decoupled from the crank arm, to relieve the crank arm from receiving the abrupt forces conducted by the connection-state link resulting from the main circuit breaker contacts closing.

A crank arm of an auxiliary rotary switch in a circuit breaker changes electrical connections of contacts in the auxiliary rotary switch when the crank-arm is rotated about its axis. An auxiliary switch actuator decouples abrupt forces from being applied to the crank arm resulting from closing main contacts of the circuit breaker. In response to the main contacts starting to close, the crank arm is set into rotation by motion of a connection-state link that is coupled to the main contacts. The rotation of the crank arm continues up to a point at which the rotation is stopped, while the connection-state link continues its motion without being connected to the crank arm. In this manner, the connection-state link is decoupled from the crank arm, to relieve the crank arm from receiving the abrupt forces conducted by the connection-state link resulting from the main circuit breaker contacts closing.

A current interrupter system has a series arrangement of at least two interrupter units. At least one of the interrupter units is a vacuum tube, and the at least two interrupter units are mechanically connected to a drive system. The drive system has a drive assembly and a drive shaft. The drive shaft is a crank shaft equipped with at least two cranks. The at least two cranks have two crank strokes of different magnitudes.

A tensioning mechanism for tensioning a pre-loaded spring of a spring-loaded accumulator drive. The tensioning mechanism includes a tensioning wheel coupled to the pre-loaded spring, an intermediate shaft coupled to the tensioning wheel, an idler gear that can be driven by a clamping motor, a freewheel coupled to the idler gear, a locking mechanism for detachably locking the tensioning wheel in a tensioned state of the pre-loaded spring, and a dog clutch configured to couple the freewheel to the intermediate shaft in order to tension the pre-loaded spring and to uncouple same from the intermediate shaft in the tensioned state of the pre-loaded spring.

A tensioning mechanism for tensioning a pre-loaded spring of a spring-loaded accumulator drive. The tensioning mechanism includes a tensioning wheel coupled to the pre-loaded spring, an intermediate shaft coupled to the tensioning wheel, an idler gear that can be driven by a clamping motor, a freewheel coupled to the idler gear, a locking mechanism for detachably locking the tensioning wheel in a tensioned state of the pre-loaded spring, and a dog clutch configured to couple the freewheel to the intermediate shaft in order to tension the pre-loaded spring and to uncouple same from the intermediate shaft in the tensioned state of the pre-loaded spring.