Multipole electric circuit breaker with common tripping means

Claim 1

A PAIR OF ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKERS EACH INCLUDING A PAIR OF SEPARABLE CONTACTS AND AN INDIVIDUAL ACTUATING MECHANISM THEREFORE HAVING A MANUALLY OPERABLE HANDLE BIASED TO OPEN CIRCUIT POSITION, MEANS MOUNTING SAID ACTUATING MECHANISMS IN END-TO-END SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR RELATION, EACH SAID MECHANISM INCLUDING A WEDGING MEMBER MOVABLE THROUGH A PREDETERMINED PATH IN MANUAL OPERATION AND A RELEASABLE TRIP MEMBER RESTRAINING SAID WEDGING MEMBER AGAINST LATERAL MOVEMENT, INDIVIDUAL LATCH MEANS EACH RESPONSIVE TO EXCESSIVE CURRENT THROUGH ITS ASSOCIATED SEPARABLE CONTACTS TO RELEASE THE RESPECTIVE WEDGE MEMBER FOR LATERAL CONTACT OPENING MOVEMENT, A RECTILINEARLY SLIDABLE INTERLOCKING MEMBER HAVING MEANS ENGAGEABLE BY EACH SAID WEDGING MEANS IN LATERAL MOVEMENT AND MOVABLE THEREBY TO A LATCH-DISENGAGING POSITION, SAID INTERLOCKING MEMER HAVING PORTIONS DISPOSED TO ENGAGE AND MOVE EACH SAID LATCH MEANS TO RELEASING POSITION, WHEREBY CURRENT RESPONSIVE RELEASE OF EITHER SAID WEDGING MEMBER EFFECTS MOVEMENT OF SAID INTERLOCKING MEMBER TO RELEASE THE OTHER SAID WEDGING MEMBER THEREBY TO OPEN BOTH SAID CIRCUIT BREAKERS SUBSTANTIALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY.