Interlock for handles of adjacent circuit breakers

An interlock for preventing operation of both circuit breakers of one circuit breaker pair to the "on", contacts engaged position when the circuit breakers of an adjacent circuit breaker pair have been operated to the "on", contacts engaged position, wherein all circuit breakers are of the type having contact position controlling handles that are operated by pushing the handle of the circuit breaker into its casing, and wherein the circuit breakers are arranged such that a first circuit breaker of one of the pairs is next to the first circuit breaker of an adjacent circuit breaker pair and such that the corresponding terminals and handles of the respective first circuit breakers are aligned in respective rows, wherein the second circuit breaker of each of the circuit breaker pairs is facing in the opposite direction from the respective first circuit breakers and such that those adjacent second circuit breakers are also aligned such that the corresponding terminals and handles of the respective second circuit breakers are aligned in respective rows;

• the adjacent first circuit breakers and their handles have front sides facing in the same direction and away from the second circuit breakers;
• the adjacent second circuit breakers and their handles have respective front sides facing in the same direction and opposite to the first circuit breaker front sides;
• each circuit breaker handle has a side facing toward a side of the handle of the adjacent circuit breaker in the other circuit breaker pair;
• the interlock comprising:
• a bar of a length sufficient to extend across both circuit breakers of each of the adjacent circuit breaker pairs and being located between the handles of the circuit breakers of one circuit breaker pair and the handles of the circuit breakers of the other adjacent circuit breaker pair;
• said bar having opposite outwardly facing sides and being of a width between its said sides less than the distance between the spaced apart, facing sides of the handles of one circuit breaker pair which face toward the facing sides of the handles of the other circuit breaker pair, such that the bar is shiftable toward the handles of both circuit breaker pairs;
• said bar having opposite ends;
• at at least one said end of said bar is a pair of guide legs;
• one said guide leg of said pair of guide legs projects from each said bar side toward the respective said circuit breaker at that said side and at said one end of said bar;
• each said guide leg being shaped and positioned to rubbingly engage the front side of the handle of its respective circuit breaker and each said guide leg being of a length sufficient for enabling each said guide leg of said pair to continuously engage its respective circuit breaker handle front side throughout shifting of said interlock;
• a respective handle motion obstructing leg located intermediate the length of said bar and projecting from each said side thereof;
• said handle motion obstructing legs being shiftable by shifting of said bar;
• each said handle motion obstructing leg being shiftable toward the handles of the circuit breaker pair on said side of said bar toward which that said handle motion obstructing leg extends;
• each said handle motion obstructing leg being so positioned and of a shape so as to be engaged by both handles of the circuit breaker pair toward which that said handle motion obstructing leg extends and to block depression of the handles of the circuit breaker pair toward which that said handle motion obstructing leg extends;
• said handle motion obstructing legs being of such length that when said bar is fully shifted toward and engages and is blocked from further shifting in that direction by both handles of one circuit breaker pair, said handle motion obstructing leg which is provided for blocking the handles of the other circuit breaker pair is sufficiently away from the handles of that other circuit breaker pair as to not block depression of those handles.

In combination, at least two adjacently located circuit breaker pairs arranged in a row and an interlock for preventing operation of the circuit breakers of one circuit breaker pair to the "on", contacts closed position when the circuit breakers of the adjacent circuit breaker pair have been operated to the "on", contacts closed position:

• each said circuit breaker comprising:
• a casing, including a front side, an opposite rear side, a top and two opposite side walls intersecting said front and rear sides and said top;
• a line and a load terminal;
• circuit forming and interrupting means, including closable contacts, electrically connected between said line and said load terminals;
• a handle projecting through said casing top and being so connected to said circuit forming and interrupting means that upon depression of said handle toward said casing and into said circuit breaker top, said circuit breaker is turned "on", its said contacts are closed and a circuit between said line and said load terminals is formed;
• two said circuit breakers being paired and arranged with their said rear sides facing toward each other, and this comprises a circuit breaker pair;
• two said circuit breaker pairs being arranged such that a said side wall of each said circuit breaker of one said circuit breaker pair is positioned adjacent an opposing said side wall of one said circuit breaker of the other said circuit breaker pair, and the corresponding said circuit breaker handles and said terminals of the adjacent said circuit breakers in the two said pairs are aligned in respective rows;
• each said circuit breaker handle having a front side facing in the same direction as its said circuit breaker front side and also having a second side facing toward said handle of the adjacent said circuit breaker in the other said circuit breaker pair;
• said interlock comprising:
• a bar of a length at least the distance between said front sides of said handles of a said circuit breaker pair;
• said bar having opposite outwardly facing sides and being of a width between its said sides less than the distance between said circuit breaker handle facing second sides of two adjacent aligned said circuit breakers;
• said bar being located between said handle second sides of said handles of both pairs said circuit breaker pairs;
• each said bar opposite side facing toward a respective said circuit breaker pair;
• said bar being selectively shiftable toward both said handle pairs;
• said bar having opposite ends;
• at each said end of said bar is a respective pair of guide legs;
• in each said guide leg pair, one said guide leg projects from each said side of said bar toward said handle of the respective said circuit breaker at that said side of said bar and at that said end of said bar;
• each said guide leg being shaped and positioned to rubbingly engage said front side of its respective said circuit breaker handle, and each said guide leg being of a length sufficient for enabling each said guide leg to continuously engage its respective said circuit breaker handle front side throughout shifting of said interlock;
• located intermediate the length of said bar is a pair of circuit breaker handle motion obstructing legs, with a respective said handle motion obstructing leg projecting from each said side of said bar toward a respective said circuit breaker pair;
• each said handle motion obstructing leg being so shaped and positioned and said handles of said circuit breakers including formations so shaped that with said interlock shifted toward one said circuit breaker pair, the said handle motion obstructing leg on that said side of said bar engages said formations on said handles of that said circuit breaker pair for blocking depression of those said circuit breaker handles;
• said handle motion obstructing legs being of a length such that when said bar is fully shifted toward and engages said handle second sides of one said circuit breaker pair, said handle motion obstructing leg on the opposite said side of said bar is sufficiently away from the other said circuit breaker pair handles and the respective said formations as to not block depression of said handles of said other circuit breaker pair.