Circuit breaker having improved arc runner of magnetizable material

Claim 1

IN A CIRCUIT BREAKER THE COMBINATION OF A CASE, STATIONARY AND MOVABLE CONTACTS, A MECHANISM FOR MOVING SAID MOVABLE CONTACT AWAY FROM SAID STATIONARY CONTACT, SAID CONTACTS BEING THE ONLY ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS FROM WHICH ARCS MAY BE DRAWN ON CONTACT SEPARATION, AND A MAGNETIZABLE MEMBER COMPLETELY SURROUNDING THE STATIONARY CONTACT ON THREE SIDES THEREOF, SAID MAGNETIZABLE MEMBER INCLUDING A BASE AND TWO LEGS IN THE FORM OF A U-SHAPE, SAID BASE HAVING A MASS, ON THE SIDE OF THE STATIONARY CONTACT TOWARD WHICH MOVEMENT OF THE ARC IS DESIRED, WHICH IS EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN BUT NOT LESS THAN THE MASS OF ONE OF THE LEGS, SAID LEGS BEING COTERMINOUS WITH THE EDGE PORTION OF SAID STATIONARY CONTACT FARTHEST FROM SAID BASE AND DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE STATIONARY CONTACT, WHEREBY THE INITIAL ARC IS IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDED ON CONTACT SEPARATION BY A ZONE OF LOWEST FLUX DENSITY AT THE BASE TOWARD WHICH THE ARC TENDS TO MOVE, A ZONE OF HIGHEST FLUX DENSITY EXTENDING BETWEEN THE ENDS OF THE LEGS ON THE SIDE OPPOSITE FROM THAT TOWARD WHICH THE ARC MOVES AND WITH WHICH THE INITIAL ARC REACTS TO INITATE MOVEMENT THEREOF, AND ZONES OF INTERMEDIATE FLUX DENSITY BETWEEN THE AFORESAID ZONES OF HIGH AND LOW FLUX DENSITY AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE ARC TO MAGNETICALLY GUIDE THE ARC TOWARD SAID BASE, SAID CASE INCLUDING A PERIPHERAL PORTION OF ELECTRICAL INSULATING MATERIAL, SAID MAGNETIZABLE MEMBER ENGAGING SAID PERIPHERAL CASE PORTION AND BEING IN INTIMATE PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH A PORTION OF THE PERIPHERAL OUTER SURFACE OF SAID STATIONARY CONTACT, WHEREBY EXTINCTION OF THE ARC IS FURTHER FACILITATED BY CONDUCTION OF HEAT FROM SAID ARC THROUGH SAID STATIONARY CONTACT AND MAGNETIZABLE MEMBER DIRECTLY TO SAID PERIPHERAL CASE PORTION.