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US3564174A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Circuit breaker

Assignee: Texas Instruments Inc
•
Filing: 1969-08-06
•
Granted: 1971-02-16
•
Expires: 1989-08-06
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Abstract

Abstract A circuit breaker comprises a casing, a pair of contacts mounted on the casing, and a member movable between a position bridging said contacts for closing a circuit and a position opening said circuit. The bridging member is adapted to flex to a selected extent in response to a selected current in the circuit and a pair of upstanding arms on the bridging member are adapted to move apart to a selected extent in response to such flexing of the member. First biasing means mounted in the casing bias the bridging member to its open circuit position. A bushing having a central bore is then mounted on the casing, the bore having first and second diameter portions connected by a shoulder within the bore which faces the bridging member. An operating member is slidable in this bore between open and closed circuit positions thereof, the operating member having a recess at one end facing the bridging member and having at least one peripheral aperture opening into the recess. Second biasing means engage the operating member and the bushing for biasing the operating member to its open circuit position. A first latching member has a cam portion slidable in the operating member recess and has a shank portion extending from the recess. A second latching member is slidably mounted on this shank portion of the first latching member; a latching ball is disposed within the aperture opening into the operating member recess and engages the cam portion of the first latching member therein; and a third biasing means engaging the first and second latching members biases the cam portion of the first latching member away from the second latching member. The second latching member normally engages the arms of the bridging member for holding the bridging member in its closed circuit position and for biasing the cam portion of the first latching member to cam the latching ball through the operating member aperture into engagement with the shoulder in the bushing bore to releasably hold the operating member in its closed circuit position. However, the second latching member is adapted to be released from its engagement with the bridging member arms in response to said movement of the arms, thereby to release the cammed engagement of the latching ball with the shoulder within the bushing bore and to permit the operating member and the bridging member to move their open circuit positions in response to said biasing means. Manual force moving the operating member toward its open circuit position also serves to apply a force to the latching ball engaged by the bushing shoulder for camming the cam portion of the first latching member toward the second latching member against the bias of the third biasing means, thereby to permit the latching ball to disengage the bushing shoulder and to permit the operating member and the bridging member to move to their open circuit positions in response to the first and second biasing means.

Inventors

  • 👤 David E Clarke

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 21:01
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H71/00; H01H71/10; H01H71/50; H01H71/58

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 323 words
A latching mechanism for releasably restraining linear movement of a selected member from a first position to a second position, said mechanism comprising a bushing having a central bore fixedly mounted with respect to said member, and said bushing bore having first and second diameter portions connected by a shoulder which faces said member, an operating member slidable in said bore between first and second positions thereof, said operating member having a recess in one end facing said selected member and having a peripheral aperture opening into said recess, means engaging said bushing and operating member biasing said operating member to said first position thereof, a first latching member having a cam portion slidable in said recess and having a shank portion extending from said recess, a latching ball in said operating member aperture engaging said cam portion of said first latching member, a second latching member slidably mounted on said shank portion of said first latching member, and additional biasing means engaging said first and second latching members biasing said cam portion of said first latching member away from said second latching member, said second latching member manually engaging said selected member for restraining said selected member in said first position thereof and for biasing said cam portion of said first latching member to cam said latching ball into latching engagement with said bushing shoulder for releasably holding said operating member in said first operating member position, said operating member being manually movable toward said second operating member position for camming said latching ball against said bushing shoulder to cam said cam portion of said first latching member toward said second latching member against said additional biasing means to release said latching engagement of said ball and bushing shoulder, thereby to permit said operating member, ball and first and second latching members to move to said second operating member position for releasing said selected member for movement to said second position thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 323 words
A latching mechanism for releasably restraining linear movement of a selected member from a first position to a second position, said mechanism comprising a bushing having a central bore fixedly mounted with respect to said member, and said bushing bore having first and second diameter portions connected by a shoulder which faces said member, an operating member slidable in said bore between first and second positions thereof, said operating member having a recess in one end facing said selected member and having a peripheral aperture opening into said recess, means engaging said bushing and operating member biasing said operating member to said first position thereof, a first latching member having a cam portion slidable in said recess and having a shank portion extending from said recess, a latching ball in said operating member aperture engaging said cam portion of said first latching member, a second latching member slidably mounted on said shank portion of said first latching member, and additional biasing means engaging said first and second latching members biasing said cam portion of said first latching member away from said second latching member, said second latching member manually engaging said selected member for restraining said selected member in said first position thereof and for biasing said cam portion of said first latching member to cam said latching ball into latching engagement with said bushing shoulder for releasably holding said operating member in said first operating member position, said operating member being manually movable toward said second operating member position for camming said latching ball against said bushing shoulder to cam said cam portion of said first latching member toward said second latching member against said additional biasing means to release said latching engagement of said ball and bushing shoulder, thereby to permit said operating member, ball and first and second latching members to move to said second operating member position for releasing said selected member for movement to said second position thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 346 words
A circuit breaker comprising a casing, a pair of contacts mounted on said casing, a member movable between a position bridging said contacts for closing a circuit and a position opening said circuit, said bridging member flexing to a selected extent in response to selected current in said circuit and having a pair of spaced arms which curve apart to a selected extent in response to said flexing of said member, first biasing means mounted on said casing biasing said bridging member to said open circuit position, a bushing having a central bore mounted on said casing, said bore having first and second diameter portions connected by a shoulder which faces said bridging member, an operating member slidable in said bore between open and closed circuit positions, said operating member having a recess in one end facing said bridging member and having a peripheral aperture opening into said recess, second biasing means engaging said operating member and said bushing biasing said operating member to said open circuit position, a first latching member having a cam portion slidable in said recess and having a shank portion extending from said recess, a latching ball in said operating member aperture in engagement with said cam portion of said first latching member, a second latching member slidably mounted on said shank portion of said first latching member, and third biasing means engaging said first and second latching members biasing said cam portion of said first latching member away from said second latching member, said second latching member normally engaging said bridging member arms for holding said bridging member in said closed circuit position thereof and for biasing said first latching member to cam said latching ball into engagement with said bushing shoulder to releasably hold said operating member in said closed circuit position thereof, said second latching member being releasable from engagement with said bridging member arms in response to said arm movement for releasing cammed engagement of said ball with said bushing shoulder and for permitting said operating member and bridging member to move to said open circuit positions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 346 words
A circuit breaker comprising a casing, a pair of contacts mounted on said casing, a member movable between a position bridging said contacts for closing a circuit and a position opening said circuit, said bridging member flexing to a selected extent in response to selected current in said circuit and having a pair of spaced arms which curve apart to a selected extent in response to said flexing of said member, first biasing means mounted on said casing biasing said bridging member to said open circuit position, a bushing having a central bore mounted on said casing, said bore having first and second diameter portions connected by a shoulder which faces said bridging member, an operating member slidable in said bore between open and closed circuit positions, said operating member having a recess in one end facing said bridging member and having a peripheral aperture opening into said recess, second biasing means engaging said operating member and said bushing biasing said operating member to said open circuit position, a first latching member having a cam portion slidable in said recess and having a shank portion extending from said recess, a latching ball in said operating member aperture in engagement with said cam portion of said first latching member, a second latching member slidably mounted on said shank portion of said first latching member, and third biasing means engaging said first and second latching members biasing said cam portion of said first latching member away from said second latching member, said second latching member normally engaging said bridging member arms for holding said bridging member in said closed circuit position thereof and for biasing said first latching member to cam said latching ball into engagement with said bushing shoulder to releasably hold said operating member in said closed circuit position thereof, said second latching member being releasable from engagement with said bridging member arms in response to said arm movement for releasing cammed engagement of said ball with said bushing shoulder and for permitting said operating member and bridging member to move to said open circuit positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 110 words
A circuit breaker as set forth in claim 2 wherein said bushing bore has a third diameter portion connected to said first and second bore portions by a second bushing shoulder and wherein said operating member has a first diameter portion slidably engaged with said third bushing bore portion and has a second diameter portion connected to said first operating member portion by an operating member shoulder, said second biasing means comprising a helical compression spring disposed around said second diameter portion of said operating member in engagement with said operating member shoulder and with said second bushing shoulder for biasing said operating member to said open circuit position thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 99 words
A circuit breaker as set forth in claim 2 wherein a ring is attached to said bushing to extend partly over said bushing bore and wherein said operating member has a first diameter portion slidably engaged with said first bushing bore portion and has a second diameter portion connected to said first operating member portion by an operating member shoulder, said second biasing means comprising a helical compression spring disposed around said second operating member portion in engagement with said bushing ring and with said operating member shoulder for biasing said operating member to said open circuit position thereof.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2912546A Cited
US3042776A Cited
US3210501A Cited
US3501729A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1974-02-15 1974-08-17 1975-02-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1978-02-15 1978-08-17 1979-02-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1982-02-15 1982-08-17 1983-02-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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