Circuit breaker
AssigneeWestinghouse Electric Corp.
InventorEdgar R. Eley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A circuit breaker having a magnetic trip mechanism pivotally mounted on the bimetal actuating assembly. First and second flanges extend from the bimetal element and respectively include first and second co-axially aligned apertures. A magnetic trip arm is pivotally mounted in the first and second apertures and includes a first portion disposed in proximity to the bimetal element to be drawn thereto in response to a high overload current flowing therethrough and a second portion which engages a latch, upon movement of the magnetic trip arm, thereby tripping open the contacts of the circuit breaker.
Claims7
A circuit breaker comprising:
- first and second separable electrical contacts;
- means for moving at least one of said first and second electrical contacts between a closed position wherein said first and second electrical contacts are disposed in registry to complete an electrical circuit therethrough and an open position wherein said first and second electrical contacts are spaced apart;
- latch means for latching said moving means in said closed position;
- bimetal actuating means, responsive to current flow, for unlatching said latch means when current flow through said first and second electrical contacts exceeds a selected trip level for a predetermined period of time;
- and
- a magnetically-responsive trip pivotally mounted on said bimetal actuating means and having a first portion disposed in proximity to said bimetal actuating means to be drawn toward said bimetal actuating means when current flow through said bimetal actuating means exceeds a high current overload level and, also, having a second portion disposed in proximity with said latch means so as to unlatch said latch means when said first portion of said magnetically-responsive trip is drawn toward said bimetal actuating means.
A circuit breaker comprising:
- first and second electrical contact sets, each having first and second separable electrical contacts;
- first and second means, associated, respectively, with said first and second contact sets, for moving at least one of said first and second contacts of each of said first and second contact sets between a closed position wherein said first and second contacts are in registry to complete an electrical circuit therethrough and an open position wherein said first and second contacts are spaced apart;
- a shaft connecting said first and second moving means for unitary movement;
- latch means, connected to one of said first and second moving means, for latching said first and second moving means in said closed position;
- first and second bimetal actuating means respectively associated with said first and second contact sets and responsive to current flow, for unlatching said latch means when current flow through said respective first and second bimetal actuating means exceeds a selected trip level for a predetermined period of time;
- and
- a magnetically-responsive trip pivotally mounted on said first and second bimetal actuating means and having a first portion disposed in proximity with both of said bimetal actuating means to be drawn toward said first and second bimetal actuating means when current flow through either of said first and second bimetal actuating means exceeds a high current overload level and, also, having a second portion disposed in proximity with said latch means so as to unlatch said latch means when said first portion of said magnetically-responsive trip is drawn toward said first and second bimetal actuating means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.