Latch-trip circuit breakers

Claim 1

A CIRCUIT BREAKER INCLUDING A MOLDED CASE HAVING COOPERABLE CONTACTS, MECHANISM FOR OPERATING ONE OF SAID CONTACTS TO OPEN AND CLOSE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER, FIRST AND SECOND EXTERNALLY ACCESSIBLE TERMINALS, AND THERMAL OVERCURRENT RELEASE MEANS AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING SAID MECHANISM FOR OPENING THE CONTACTS, SAID CIRCUIT BREAKER WHEN CLOSED HAVING CONDUCTIVE PORTIONS FORMING A CURRENT PATH EXTENDING FROM SAID FIRST TERMINAL ALONG A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT LINE TO SAID SECOND TERMINAL AND SAID CURRENT PATH INCLUDING AN ELONGATED CONDUCTOR IN THE FORM OF A FIXED METAL BAR, AND SAID OVER-CURRENT RELEASE MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED CURRENT RESPONSIVE BIMETAL EXTENDING ALONG AND CLOSE TO SAID BAR AND HAVING ONE END THEREOF FIXED IN INTIMATE HEAT TRANSFER RELATION WITH THE BAR SO AS TO BE MECHANICALLY RESPONSIVE TO THE TERMINAL CHANGES IN SAID METAL BAR, SAID BAR BEING SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT IN THE REGION OF SAID CURRENT RESPONSIVE BIMETAL, SAID OVERCURRENT RELEASE MEANS BEING DISPOSED LATERALLY OF SAID CURRENT RESPONSIVE BIMETAL AND BEING OPERABLE THEREBY TO EFFECT OPENING OF THE CONTACTS.