Snap action circuit breaker
AssigneeAirpax Electronics Incorporated
InventorGeorge Sullivan Harper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a snap action circuit breaker with a compact one piece steel frame in a two part, telescoping molded circuit breaker case. The compact construction is combined with a symmetrical toggle actuator to provide a pleasing appearance suitable for mounting at readily accessible and visible locations on the front of an instrument panel. A variety of handle constructions are usable with the same basic mechanism. By providing a snap actuated contact construction with substantial overcurrent trip delay the device combines the best features of modern manual switches and circuit breakers so that it is in effect a manual switch with nuisance free over-current trip protection.
Claims34
A circuit breaker comprising an electrically insulating plastic housing, and overcurrent trip coil and armature in said housing, a stationary and a movable contact in said housing, a latch mechanism coupled to said movable contact for manually moving it between contacts open and contacts closed positions, said latch mechanism having a sear for collapsing it in response to movement of said armature, means coupled to said movable contact for opening and closing said contacts with a snap action, a handle link coupled to said latch mechanism, said case having a handle opening communicating with said handle link, and a handle passing through said opening and coupled to said handle link, the pivot axis of said handle link lying at least substantially in a central transverse plane through the shorter dimension of said circuit breaker case with said handle opening symmetrically located in said case.
A circuit breaker comprising a molded plastic housing formed of an upper outer section and a lower section telescoped into said upper section, a one piece frame carried by the lower section of said housing, an overcurrent trip coil and armature mounted on said frame, a stationary contract on the lower section of said housing, a movable contact mounted on said frame, a latch mechanism on said frame coupled to said movable contact for manually moving it between contacts open and contacts closed positions, said latch mechanism having a sear for collapsing it in response to movement of said armature, an overcenter spring coupled to said movable contact for opening and closing said contacts with a snap action, a handle link pivoted to said frame and coupled to said latch mechanism, said upper case section having a central symmetrical opening, the pivot axis of said handle link lying below the center of said opening to permit a symmetrical handle construction, and a handle passing through said opening and coupled to said handle link.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.