Circuit breaker phase current barrier
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsLouis M. Frutuoso, Louis A. Rosen, Timothy W. Webber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An industrial rated molded case circuit breaker is fitted with a phase barrier and a phase insulation cap at the line end thereof to redirect the arc exhaust gases exiting from the line end and to prevent an electric circuit between the different phases of a multiphase electric power distribution system. The Y-shaped phase barrier eliminates the need to provide additional insulation to the line end conductors. The phase insulation cap provides inexpensive and reusable means for isolating mounting screws from the line end conductors.
Claims9
A phase current barrier for molded case circuit breakers comprising in combination:
- an electrically-insulated base;
- a pair of electrically-insulated walls joined to said base and extending co-planar therewith;
- and
- a pair of off-set flanges extending from said walls, said flanges adapted for attachment to one end of a molded case circuit breaker, said base, walls and flanges being integrally-formed in a single unit, said flanges comprising edges coextensive with corresponding slots formed within outer extensions of a molded case circuit breaker enclosure, said edges being arranged for press-fit attachment within said coextensive slots.
A molded case circuit breaker having increased circuit interruption capacity comprising, in combination:
- a plastic case and cover securely fastened together to form a circuit breaker enclosure, said cover including exhaust ports situated at one end of said enclosure;
- a pair of linear extensions formed on said one end and having a linear slot defined within an outer edge of said extensions;
- and
- a unitary gas manifold attached to said one end, said manifold including a pair of flanges extending from a pair of parallel walls, a front edge of said flanges being retained within said linear slot positioning said walls intermediate to an exterior of said exhaust ports;
- whereby exhaust gases exiting from one of said exhaust ports are prevented from intermixing with exhaust gases exiting from an adjacent one of said exhaust ports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.