Molded case circuit breaker crossbar assembly
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsRoger N. Castonguay, David Arnold, David J. Meiners
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A molded case circuit breaker crossbar assembly allows the movable contact carrier, contact spring and contact carrier operating cam to be preassembled prior to insertion within the circuit breaker case. The crossbar is fabricated from a plastic molding composition having means thereon for supporting the movable contact carrier and for retaining the charged contact operating spring. The contact carrier operating cam engages a roller carried by the operating mechanism link to couple the crossbar assembly to the circuit breaker operating mechanism.
Claims20
A molded case circuit breaker crossbar assembly comprising:
- a plastic crossbar body member including a pair of spaced parallel upstanding arms integrally formed therein;
- a stop member extending across an end of each of said crossbar arms;
- detent means integrally formed on each of said crossbar arms outboard said stop member;
- first slot means formed on a bottom surface of said crossbar member;
- a movable contact carrier having a movable contact on one end and a pivot post extending through said carrier at an opposite end, said contact carrier being inserted within said first slot means;
- a contact spring mounted on a top surface of said crossbar member and comprising a pair of spring coils joined by a crossover arm, said spring further including a pair of legs, each of said spring legs extending from one of said spring coils;
- a circuit breaker operating mechanism for lifting said movable contact carrier upon overcurrent conditions through said movable contact;
- and
- an operating cam supported on said crossbar member and engaging a roller connected with said operating mechanism.
A molded case circuit breaker crossbar assembly comprising:
- a slotted molded plastic crossbar having cylindrical extension means for pivotal motion within a circuit breaker enclosure;
- a movable contact carrier pivotally arranged within said crossbar slot and having a movable contact at one end;
- a contact spring comprising a pair of spring coils joined by a crossover arm and a pair of spring legs, each of said legs extending from one of said spring coils, said contact spring biasing said movable contact carrier in a first location when the circuit breaker is in a closed position;
- a pair of detent means integrally formed on a pair of legs exending from said crossbar;
- and
- a retainer groove within a top surface of said contact carrier, said spring crossover arm being supported within said retainer groove and said spring legs being retained by said detent means;
- means wherein said contact spring legs move from said first location to a second location when said movable contact carrier is in an open contact position and said contact spring holds said movable contact carrier in said open contact position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.