Circuit breaker having bimetal rigidly secured to cradle

Claim 1

A CIRCUIT BREAKER COMPRISING A PAIR OF COOPERATING CONTACTS AND AN OPERATING MECHANISM FOR OPERATING SAID CONTACTS INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT; SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING A RELEASABLE CRADLE, LATCH MEANS FOR RESTRAINING SAID CRADLE IN A RESET POSITION, AN OPERATING SPRING URGING SAID CRADLE TO A TRIPPED POSITION, AND A MANUALLY OPERABLE MEMBER FOR OPERATING SAID CONTACTS INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT; SAID MECHANISM FURTHER INCLUDING A THERMAL TRIPPING ELEMENT HAVING A FREE END OPERATIVELY POSITIONED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LATCH MEANS AND WHEN DEFLECTED SUFFICIENTLY TO DISENGAGE SAID LATCH MEANS PERMITTING SAID SPRING TO MOVE SAID CRADLE TO ITS SAID TRIP POSITION WHEREIN SAID CONTACTS ARE DISENGAGED; SAID THERMAL TRIPPING ELEMENT HAVING ANOTHER END FIXEDLY SECURED TO SAID CRADLE; SAID FREE END BEING POSITIONED TO DEFLECT AWAY FROM THE PLANE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CRADLE UPON HEATING OF SAID THERMAL TRIPPING ELEMENT; A MOVABLE CONTACT ARM CARRYING AT ONE END THEREOF ONE OF SAID COOPERATING CONTACTS AND AT THE OTHER END THEREOF BEING MOUNTED TO SAID CRADLE TO FORM A PIVOTAL CONNECTION THEREWITH FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID CRADLE.