Molded case circuit breaker with movable upper electrical contact positioned by tension springs

An electrical circuit breaker comprising:

• first and second separable electrical contacts, said first electrical contact having a base portion disposed at one longitudinal end thereof with said base portion including a slot formed therein,
• operating means for opening and closing said first and second electrical contacts, said operating means comprising an elongated rotatable member and spring means for enabling both the rotational movement of said first electrical contact in unison with said elongated member and the rotational movement of said first electrical contact independently of rotation of said elongated member, said spring means comprising a tension spring and a locking pin biased by said tension spring, said pin being receivable within said slot for enabling the rotational movement of said first electrical contact in unison with said elongated member, and
• latching means for maintaining said first electrical contact spaced apart from said second electrical contact subsequently to said rotational movement of said first electrical contact independently of rotation of said elongated member, said latching means comprising a leaf spring having one longitudinal end fixedly secured in said circuit breaker and having an opposite longitudinal end positioned in said circuit breaker for deflection and release by said base portion during said rotational movement of said first electrical contact independently of rotation of said elongated member, said opposite longitudinal end being disposed in said circuit breaker to limit the movement of said first electrical contact subsequently to being deflected by said base portion.

An electrical circuit breaker comprising:

• a first movable electrical contact having a base portion and a first slot formed in said base portion,
• a second electrical contact and
• operating means for moving said first and second electrical contacts into a CLOSED position and into an OPEN position, said operating means comprising a rotatable cross bar,
• said operating means further including spring means for enabling both the rotational movement of said first electrical contact in unison with said cross bar and the rotational movement of said first electrical contact independently of rotation of said cross bar, said spring means comprising a spring biased locking pin at least partially disposed in said first slot in contact with said base portion at some portion thereof along the periphery of said first slot, said pin capable of being removed from within said first slot, said cross bar including an elongated second slot formed therein, said pin being disposed in said second slot.

An electrical circuit breaker comprising:

• a first movable electrical contact having a base portion and a first slot formed in said base portion,
• a second electrical contact,
• operating means for moving said first and second electrical contacts into a CLOSED position and into an OPEN position, said operating means comprising a rotatable cross bar,
• said operating means further including spring means for enabling both the rotational movement of said first electrical contact in unison with said cross bar and the rotational movement of said first electrical contact independently of rotation of said cross bar, said spring means comprising a spring biased locking pin at least partially disposed in said first slot in contact with said base portion at some portion thereof along the periphery of said first slot, said pin capable of being removed from within said first slot, and
• latching means for maintaining said first electrical contact spaced apart from said second electrical contact subsequently to said rotational movement of said first electrical contact independently of rotation of said cross bar, said latching means comprising a leaf spring having one longitudinal end positioned in said circuit breaker for deflection by said base portion during said rotational movement of said first electrical contact independently of rotation of said cross bar.

An electrical circuit breaker comprising:

• a first movable electrical contact having a slot formed therein;
• a second electrical contact;
• and
• spring means for biasing said first electrical contact, said spring means comprising:
• a spring biased locking pin at least partially disposed in said slot in contact with said first contact at some portion thereof along the periphery of said slot, said pin capable of being removed from within said slot;
• a first tension spring biasing said locking pin;
• and
• a second tension spring biasing said pin, said first tension spring and said second tension spring being secured to said pin at spaced apart locations along the length of said pin.

An electrical circuit breaker comprising:

• a first movable electrical contact having a slot formed therein,
• a second electrical contact,
• spring means for biasing said first electrical contact, said spring means comprising a spring biased locking pin at least partially disposed in said slot in contact with said first contact at some portion thereof along the periphery of said slot, said pin capable of being removed from within said slot, and
• latching means for maintaining said first electrical contact spaced apart from said second electrical contact, said latching means comprising a leaf spring having one longitudinal end positioned in said circuit breaker for deflection by said first electrical contact.