Stacked circuit breakers having high interrupting capacity

A circuit breaker including stationary contact means;

• movable contact means operable into and out of engagement with said stationary contact means to respectively close and open said circuit breaker;
• an operating mechanism for moving said movable contact means to open and close said circuit breaker;
• automatic trip means to actuate said mechanism to open said circuit breaker when said circuit breaker is subjected to fault current conditions;
• first and second spaced terminals;
• circuit means, including said movable and fixed contact means, extending between said terminals;
• said circuit means also including first and second elongated sections with said first section constituting at least part of an arm mounting said movable contact means and connected to said mechanism to be movable thereby for opening and closing said circuit breaker;
• with said circuit breaker closed, said sections being in confronting closely spaced relationship with currents flowing therethrough in opposite directions to create a magnetic blow-off force tending to open said circuit breaker prior to actuation of said mechanism to open said circuit breaker;
• said operating mechanism including a toggle connected to said arm and including first and second links connected at a movable knee which, for all positions of said arm, remains on the same side of a straight line extending between pivots at opposite ends of said toggle;
• said mechanism also including main spring means connected to said toggle at said knee to provide power for opening and closing said circuit breaker;
• said first section being pivoted to a pivot at one end thereof and mounting the movable contact means at the other end thereof;
• said second section at one end thereof mounting said stationary contact means and said first terminal being at the other end thereof;
• said first terminal being disposed in the general vicinity of said one end of said first section.