1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transfer device for an automatic transfer switch, and particularly, to a transfer device for an automatic transfer switch, by which various electric components are allowed to be continuously supplied with stable power in a manner of blocking one air circuit breaker from being mechanically electrically closed when another air circuit breaker is closed due to a switching of states between the two air circuit breakers.
2. Background of the Invention
In general, hospitals or telephone offices, in which power failure should not happen, use an automatic transfer switch (hereinafter, referred to as ATS) in order to ensure stable power supply. The ATS includes therein a regular air circuit breaker (hereinafter, referred to as a first ACB) and an emergency air circuit breaker (hereinafter, referred to as a second ACB). The first and second ACBs are mechanically connected to each other to be switched to each other. Accordingly, when a fault current is applied to one of the two ACBs, such fault current is detected. Consequently, a closed ACB is tripped and simultaneously another ACB is closed so as to be switched to each other. The switching of the ACBs allows a constant supply of stable power.
Upon allowing the switching of the two ACBs for use, the two ACBs are typically connected to each other via a wire or a thin iron bar for allowing an interlocking of the ACBs.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing an example of a related art device for interlocking two ACBs using a thin iron bar. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the related art ATS includes frames 11 and 21 installed at the ACBs 1 and 2, respectively, closing links 12 and 22 rotatably coupled to the frames 11 and 21, respectively, to be rotatable by respective closing levers (not shown) installed within each ACB 1 and 2, trip links 13 and 23 rotatably installed in the frames 11 and 21, respectively, at one sides of the corresponding closing links 12 and 22 so as to cooperate with respective trip levers (not shown) installed in each ACB 1 and 2, and transmission rods 14 and 24 connected between the closing links 12 and 22 and the trip links 13 and 23 so as to transfer a rotational force. Here, the closing links 12 and 22 and the trip links 13 and 23 are installed independent of each other, and each of the transmission rods 14 and 24 is made of an integrally rigid material.
With the configuration of the related art ATS, when the first ACB 1 is closed, the first closing link 12 is rotated counterclockwise in the drawing due to the first closing lever installed in the first ACB 1. Responsive to this, the first transmission rod 14 is pulled upwardly such that the second trip link 23 of the second ACB 2 installed at a lower side in the drawing is moved upwardly. Here, an interlock lever is also moved upwardly by the second trip link 23, accordingly, the second trip lever installed in the second ACB 2 is pushed up such that the second ACB 2 is switched (transferred) to a tripped state.
When the first closing link 12 is restored by a restoring spring (not shown), the pulled first transmission rod 14 is moved back to its original position and the second trip link 23 is also moved back to its original position, thereby releasing the tripped state of the second ACB 2.
In the meantime, a procedure that the second ACB 2 is switched to a closed state and the first ACB 1 to a tripped state is performed in an opposite manner to the aforesaid procedure.
However, in the structure of the ATS of the related art, since the closing links 12 and 22 and the trip links 13 and 23 are independently installed, a problem is caused that a process of assembling the closing links 12 and 22 and the trip links 13 and 23 becomes complicated.
Also, a length of each transmission rod 14, 24 should be adjusted by cutting off the transmission rod 14, 24, which makes it difficult to fabricate the transmission rods 14 and 24 with exactly the same length between the closing links 12 and 22 and the trip links 13 and 23, and also makes it difficult to adjust an error occurred during the assembly operation, which may cause a mis-operation to occur due to a defective assembly.
Furthermore, while each of the ACBs 1 and 2 is repeatedly closed and tripped, upon rotation of the closing links 12 and 22 and the trip links 13 and 23, an impact transferred to each transmission rod 14, 24 cannot be absorbed, thereby generating impact noise or degrading durability.
In addition, each transmission rod 14, 24 is formed of a thin rod, so it has a low intensity. Also, since each of the transmission rods 14, 24 has a structurally bent portion, it may have high possibility of being curved during operation, which may cause a mis-operation.