Fused GFI unit
AssigneeI-T-E Imperial Corporation
InventorCarl E. Gryctko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fused GFI unit for manually controlling the application of electrical power to a utilization device while automatically protecting the device and personnel associated therewith from electrical hazards, includes a switch plate unit have an insulated handle for controlling mechanical current interrupting means. Fuse receptacle means is provided in series connection with the switch pole to protect the GFI unit and the power lines against overcurrent hazards. A ground fault detector operates an actuating member in mechanical cooperation with the latched portion of the switch mechanism to enable current interruption by the switch pole in the event an unbalanced current flow is produced in one of a pair of power lines by a personnel hazard. A compact sectionalized structure encasing the switch, the fuse receptacle means and the GFI detector results.
Claims5
A unitary fused ground fault circuit interrupting device constituting a protective arrangement for automatically interrupting a flow of current from a source of electrical energy to an external power utilization device upon the occurrence of predetermined fault conditions;
- said protective arrangement including:
- a series combination of holding means for replaceably receiving a fuse, switch means actuated solely by mechanical operation and ground fault interruption means;
- a fuse operatively mounted by said holding means and having a predetermined current interruption value, thereby to interrupt a flow of current from said source to said utilization device in the event of a current flow in excess of said interruption value;
- said switch means including a pair of cooperating separable contacts, manually operable latchable means for moving said contacts between their engaged and disengaged positions, said latchable means when mechanically unlatched automatically moving said contacts to their disengaged position;
- said ground fault interruption means including differential means for detecting a ground fault condition and an actuatable member, said actuatable member being operatively positioned to mechanically unlatch said latchable means to automatically move said contacts to their disengaged position in response to the detection by said differential means of a predetermined ground fault condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.