Circuit breaker with ambient compensation means

Claim 1

AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER COMPRISING: (A) AN INSULATING CASING: (B) A MOVABLE TRIP MEMBER MOVABLE TO CAUSE AUTOMATIC OPENING OF SAID CIRCUIT BREAKER; (C) THERMAL CURRENT RESPONSIVE MEANS DISPOSED AND ARRANGED TO OPERATE ON SAID MOVABLE MEMBER TO CAUSE OPENING OF SAID CIRCUIT BREAKER UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF PREDETERMINED CURRENT CONDITIONS; (D) AN ELONGATED NON-CURRENT-CARRYING COMPENSATING BIMETAL STRIP HAVING ONE END THEREOF RIGIDLY MOUNTED IN SAID CIRCUIT BREAKER CASING, AND THE OTHER END MOVABLE; (E) BIASING MEANS ACTING BETWEEN THE MOVABLE END OF SAID COMPENSATING BIMETALLIC STRIP AND SAID MOVABLE TRIP MEMBER, SAID BIASING MEANS ACTING ON SAID TRIP MEMBER TO OPPOSE MOVEMENT OF SAID TRIP MEMBER IN RELEASING DIRECTION; (F) SAID MOVABLE END OF SAID COMPENSATING BIMETALLIC STRIP BEING MOVED IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION AND ACTING ON SAID BIASING MEANS TO INCREASE THE FORCE EXERTED BY SAID BIASING MEANS ON SAID TRIP MEMBER UPON DEFLECTION OF SAID COMPENSATING BIMETALLIC STRIP DUE TO INCREASE IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE; (G) A STOP PROJECTION ON SAID MOVABLE END OF SAID BIMETALLIC STRIP EXTENDING IN SAID PREDETERMINED DIRECTION, AND A STOP ABUTMENT RIGIDLY SUPPORTED BY SAID CASING ADJACENT SAID PROJECTION, SAID PROJECTION ENGAGING SAID ABUTMENT UPON A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF DEFLECTION OF SAID BIMETALLIC STRIP DUE TO INCREASE IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE, SAID MOVABLE END OF SAID BIMETALLIC STRIP THEREAFTER HAVING NO SUBSTANTIAL FURTHER MOVEMENT IN SAID PREDETERMINED DIRECTION UPON CONTINUED DEFLECTION OF SAID BIMETALLIC STRIP DUE TO INCREASE IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE.