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US 4,611,187 AGranted
Circuit breaker contact arm latch mechanism for eliminating contact bounce
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorClaudio Banfi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latching mechanism is arranged to engage one of the movable contact arms upon magnetic repulsion of the contact arms independent of the operating mechanism to prevent the contact arm from re-closing until the operating mechanism has responded. An operating lever reacts with the contact arm latching mechanism to articulate the operating mechanism to trip the breaker after the latching mechanism has fully engaged the contact arm.
Claims8
A contact arrangment for eliminating contact bounce in current limiting circuit breakers comprising:
- a pair of parallel spaced contact arms having a pair of separable contacts arranged at a first end, said contacts being held in a closed position by a pair of contact springs, said contact arms being pivotally mounted within a circuit breaker enclosure to rotate to a first open position independent of an operating mechanism under the influence of magnetic repulsion generated by excess current transport in opposite direction through said contact arms;
- a first lever operatively connected with said operating mechanism for rotating one of said contact arms to a second open position after said contact arms are rotated by said magnetic repulsion;
- and
- a second lever pivotally mounted within said circuit breaker enclosure against the bias of a first return spring and operatively abutting a second end of said one contact arm opposite said first end and having a camming surface for receiving a cam pin when said one contact arm is rotated to said first open position.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.