Handle assembly for circuit breakers

Claim 1

AN EXTERNAL HANDLE ASSEMBLY ADAPTED FOR USE ON A CIRCUIT BREAKER HAVING A HOUSING WITH A HINGED COVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE HOUSING AT ONE SIDE THEREOF, AND A SWITCH IN SAID HOUSING WITH A HANDLE EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE COVER COMPRISING: (A) A SUPPORT ELEMENT FOR MOUNTING EXTERNALLY ON SAID HINGED COVER ADJACENT THE FREE END OF SAID COVER, SAID SUPPORT ELEMENT HAVING A TOP WALL AND SIDE WALLS FOR SPACING SAID TOP WALL FROM SAID COVER OF SAID HOUSING; (B) AN ACTUATOR SLIDABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID SUPPORT ELEMENT, SAID SUPPORT ELEMENT HAVING A GUIDE SLOT IN ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND SAID ACTUATOR HAVING AN ENGAGING PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF SAID SLOT HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN FOR RECEIVING THE SWITCH HANDLE; (C) A HANDLE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT ELEMENT AND SLIDABLY ENGAGED WITH SAID ACTUATOR FOR EFFECTING MOVEMENT THEREOF AND THEREBY OF THE SWITCH HANDLE TO OPERATE THE SWITCH TO THE "ON" AND "OFF" POSITIONS, SAID HANDLE BEING OPERABLE REMOTELY BY A STICK AND THE LIKE AND HAVING A PORTION ADAPTED TO EXTEND ALONG THE EXTERIOR OF THE SIDE WALL OF THE HOUSING ADJACENT THE FREE END OF THE COVER, SAID HANDLE HAVING A SHOULDER THEREON; AND (D) AN INTERLOCKING MEMBER MOUNTED ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE SIDE WALL OF THE HOUSING ADJACENT THE FREE END OF THE COVER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SHOULDER WHEN THE SWITCH IS IN THE "ON" POSITION WHEREBY SAID COVER MAY BE PREVENTED FROM OPENING.