Apparatus and system for protecting power distribution circuits against ground faults

A ground fault circuit interrupting (GFCI) device for utilization in a system protecting an electrical power distribution circuit against ground faults, said GFCI device comprising, in combination:

• A. a first circuit breaker including:
• (1) a molded case,
• (2) first breaker contacts disposed in said first breaker molded case and serially connected in a first breaker internal pole circuit extending between first and second externally excessible GFCI device terminals,
• (3) a trip solenoid disposed in said first breaker molded case and electrically connected with said first breaker pole circuit,
• (4) a ground fault module electrically connected with said first breaker pole circuit and said solenoid, said module disposed in said first breaker molded case and including a differential current transformer having first and second primary windings, said first primary winding serially connected in said first breaker pole circuit, said module operable to initiate actuation of said solenoid in response to an imbalance in the currents flowing in said first and second differential transformer primary windings;
• B. a second circuit breaker having
• (1) a molded case ganged together in side-by-side relation with said first breaker molded case,
• (2) second breaker contacts disposed in said second breaker molded case and serially electrically connected with said second differential transformer primary winding in a second breaker internal pole circuit extending between said first and second breaker molded cases from a third externally excessible GFCI device terminal to a fourth externally excessible GFCI device terminal, said second breaker pole circuit also connected to said module, and
• (3) a switch disposed in said second breaker molded case and electrically connected in series between said first GFCI device terminal and a fifth externally excessible GFCI device terminal;
• C. an internal common trip bar extending between said first and second breaker molded cases, said common trip bar operatively coupling said trip solenoid with said first and second breaker contacts and said switch such that actuation of said solenoid trips said first and second breaker contacts open and actuates said switch;
• D. a sixth externally excessible GFCI device terminal electrically connected to said second breaker pole circuit at a point intermediate said second breaker contacts and said second differential transformer primary winding.