Electric circuit breaker
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsEldon Bertel Heft, Joseph Francis Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit breaker designed for automated assembly includes pairs of fixed and movable contacts, the latter carried by a carrier mounted for reciprocating movement in the breaker case. Operating and trip mechanism parts are mounted on a frame positioned in the case. A handle slideably mounted by the case actuates the operating mechanism to open and closed circuit positions. A fixture is utilized with the frame for calibrating the thermal trip setting and for partial assembly of the operating mechanism.
Claims26
An electric circuit breaker comprising, in combination:
- A. an insulative case;
- B. a frame positionally mounted in said case;
- c. a trip mechanism mounted by said frame;
- D. an operating mechanism mounted by said frame;
- E. at least one fixed contact and one movable contact;
- F. a contact carrier for said movable contact mounted by said case for reciprocal movement between open and closed contact positions, said carrier operatively connected to said operating mechanism for movement to said open and closed contact positions;
- G. an operating handle mounted by said case and acting on said operating mechanism to effectuate said open and closed contact positions;
- and
- H. an operating spring acting on said carrier to separate said contacts and on said operating mechanism to automatically reset said operating mechanism immediately following a trip function.
An electric circuit breaker comprising, in combination:
- A. an insulative case;
- B. a frame positioned in said case, said frame carrying first, second and third pivot posts;
- C. a trip mechanism including a latch pivotally mounted on said first pivot post;
- D. a pair of fixed contacts and a pair of movable contacts;
- E. a carrier for said movable contacts, said carrier mounted for reciprocating movement within said case;
- F. an operating arm pivotally mounted on said second pivot post, said arm having a first end and a second end operatively engaging said carrier;
- G. a latchable member pivotally mounted on said third post for engagement with said latch;
- H. linkage means pivotally connected at one end to said latchable member and at the other end to said first end of said operating arm;
- and
- I. an operating handle mounted in said case for movement between ON and OFF positions, said handle operable incident to its movement to effect pivoting of said arm and thereby reciprocation of said carrier to translate said movable contacts between positions of engaging and disengaging relation with said fixed contacts.
In an electric circuit breaker having a trip mechanism, a pair of fixed contacts, and a pair of movable contacts mounted by a reciprocating contact carrier, an operating mechanism comprising, in combination:
- A. a frame having first and second pivot posts;
- B. an operating member pivotally mounted on said first pivot post, said operating member having a first end operatively connected to the contact carrier and a second end;
- C. a latchable member pivotally mounted on said second pivot post, said latchable member being normally restrained against pivotal movement by the trip mechanism;
- D. a cam link having a first end pivotally connected to said second end of said operating member and a second end;
- E. an interconnecting link pivotally interconnecting said second end of said cam link to said latchable member;
- F. an operating spring acting between the contact carrier and said cam link to power a trip function of the circuit breaker;
- and
- G. an operating handle movable between ON and OFF positions, said handle mounting a cam acting on said cam link during handle movement to articulate said operating mechanism pursant to reciprocating said carrier and thereby translate the movable contacts between positions of engaging and disengaging relation with the fixed contacts.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.