Thermal circuit breaker switch

A device having both circuit breaker and circuit switching functions, said device comprising:

• a molded housing defining a hollow cavity with at least one side wall defining a track, and said housing also defining a socket spaced from said track;
• a fixed contact, and a movable contact;
• a contact arm having a fixed end electrically connected to said movable contact provided at its free end, and said contact arm serving to normally bias said movable contact away from said fixed contact;
• a manually movable switch operator having an extension projecting into said cavity, said operator being movable between `on` and `off` positions;
• a contact actuator having at least one laterally projecting portion slideably received in said track of said housing side wall, said operator extension being engageable with said contact arm for moving said contact arm between `on` and `off` positions;
• a trip actuator movably mounted in said socket and having an upstanding leg normally engaging one end of said contact actuator when said trip actuator is in its normal position to allow normal switching of said operator and contact actuator to achieve said `on` and `off` movement of said contact arm;
• means responsive to a predetermined electrical condition in a circuit containing said fixed and movable contacts for shifting said trip actuator out of said normal operating position and disengaging said upstanding leg of said trip actuator from said contact actuator to prevent said switch operator from effecting said `on` and `off` movement of said contact arm.