Circuit interrupter and method

A circuit interrupter comprising

• a housing member formed of electrically conductive material having a bottom wall and sidewalls forming an opening,
• a lid member formed of electrically conductive material received on the sidewalls of the housing member electrically separated therefrom,
• a stationary electrical contact mounted on the lid member,
• terminals attached to the housing member and the lid member,
• a member formed of electrically conductive thermostat material, the member having an area deformed to provide snap action between two opposite configurations, the member having an attachment portion mounted to the bottom wall of the housing member and having a generally planar portion extended in length from the deformed area to a distal free end, the extended length portion having a too surface and being formed with at least a part of opposed edge portions extending along the length thereof which are folded out of a plane in which the too surface lies to stiffen the extended length portion to minimize thermal creep, to increase the mechanical spring rate of the extended length portion and to increase snap action movement of the distal free end, and
• a movable electrical contact mounted on the member at the free distal end thereof adapted to move into and out of electrical engagement with the stationary contact between contacts engaged and disengaged positions in response to the member snapping from one configuration to another in dependence upon selected changes in the temperature of the member, the stiffened extended length portion providing an increased amount of snap action opening between the movable and stationary contacts in the contacts disengaged position.