Current-limiting circuit breaker

Claim 2

An electric circuit breaker adapted to readily conduct heat away from its movable contact especially upon the occurrence of an overload current condition comprising: a. a support, b. a stationary contact mounted on the support, c. a movable contact mounted for movement toward and away from the stationary contact between open and closed circuit positions, d. a contact rod of high thermal conductivity connected to the movable contact for moving the contact between its open and closed circuit positions, e. a generally planar member of high thermal conductivity having a surface portion in good thermal relation with the contact rod for drawing heat away from the movable contact through the contact rod, f. heat dissipating means in heat transfer relationship with the planar member for dissipating the heat generated at the movable contact, and g. said planar member being a plate of high thermal conductivity spaced from the movable contact along the contact rod, said plate having side flanges, the heat dissipating means including a muffle assembly having an enclosure in intimate surface contact with the side flanges, said muffle assembly acting as a heat sink for the dissipation of heat conducted thereto through the side flanges of the plate.

Claim 3

An electric circuit breaker as set forth in claim 1, said circuit breaker also including a contact carrier of high heat conductivity fixedly connected to said contact rod for conducting heat away from the movable contact toward the shaft, said planar member having an integral axially extending bushing of high thermal conductivity material slidably receiving said contact rod for conducting heat away from said rod.

Claim 4

An electric circuit breaker adapted to reaDily conduct heat away from its movable contact especially upon the occurrence of an overload current condition comprising: a. a support, b. a stationary contact mounted on the support, c. a movable contact mounted for movement toward and away from the stationary contact between open and closed circuit positions, d. a contact rod of high thermal conductivity connected to the movable contact for moving the contact between its open and closed circuit positions, e. a generally planar member of high thermal conductivity having a surface portion in good thermal relation with the contact rod for drawing heat away from the movable contact through the contact rod, f. heat dissipating means in heat transfer relationship with the planar member for dissipating the heat generated at the movable contact, and g. said heat dissipating means including a line terminal strap and a thin heat conductive strip of electrical insulation, and insulation being interposed between the strap and the heat conducting planar member and in surface contact therewith.

Claim 5

An electric circuit breaker adapted to reaDily conduct heat away from its movable contact especially upon the occurrence of an overload current condition comprising: a. a support, b. a stationary contact mounted on the support, c. a movable contact mounted for movement toward and away from the stationary contact between open and closed circuit positions, d. a contact rod of high thermal conductivity connected to the movable contact for moving the contact between its open and closed circuit positions, e. a generally planar member of high thermal conductivity having a surface portion in good thermal relation with the contact rod for drawing heat away from the movable contact through the contact rod, f. heat dissipating means in heat transfer relationship with the planar member for dissipating the heat generated at the movable contact, and g. said heat dissipating means including a line terminal strap and a thin heat conductive strip of electrical insulation, and insulation being interposed between the strap and the heat conducting planar member and in surface contact therewith.

Claim 6

An electric circuit breaker adapted to readily conduct heat away from its movable contact especially upon the occurrence of an overload current condition comprising: a. a support, b. a stationary contact mounted on the support, c. a movable contact mounted for movement toward and away from the stationary contact between open and closed circuit positions, d. a contact rod of high thermal conductivity connected to the movable contact for moving the contact between its open and closed circuit positions, e. a generally planar member of high thermal conductivity having a surface portion in good thermal relation with the contact rod for drawing heat away from the movable contact through the contact rod, f. heat dissipating means in heat transfer relationship with the planar member for dissipating the heat generated at the movable contact, and g. a high-speed solenoid for driving the movable contact out of its closed circuit position, the solenoid having a movable armature and magnetic stator associated with the armature, a disclike fin of high thermal conductivity mounted on the shaft in abutting relationship with the armature for movement therewith relative to the stator, said fin being effective for dissipating heat from the shaft to the armature, the planar member comprising a heat conductive plate intermediate the movable contact and the solenoid, said plate having an integral central bushing slidably receiving the contact rod and a pair of side flanges facilitating dissipation of heat from the rod through the integral central bushing, and the heat dissipating means including a muffle assembly having an enclosure in good thermal conducting relation with the side flanges of the plate.

Claim 7

An electric circuit breaker adapted to readily conduct heat away from its movable contact especially upon the occurrence of an overload current condition comprising: a. a support, b. a stationary contact mounted on the support, c. a movable contact mounted for movement toward and away from the stationary contact between open and closed circuit positions, d. a contact rod of high thermal conductivity connected to the movable contact for moving the contact between its open and closed circuit positions, e. a generally planar member of high thermal conductivity having a surface portion in good thermal relation with the contact rod for drawing heat away from the movable contact through the contact rod, f. heat dissipating means in heat transfer relationship with the planar member for dissipating the heat generated at the movable contact, and g. a high-speed solenoid for driving the movable contact out of its closed circuit position, the solenoid having a movable armature and magnetic stator associated with the armature, a disclike fin of high thermal conductivity mounted on the shaft in abutting relationship with the armature for movement therewith relative to the stator, said fin being effective for dissipating heat from the shaft to the armature, the planar member comprising a heat conductive plate intermediate the movable contact and the solenoid, said plate having an integral central bushing slidably receiving the contact rod and a pair of side flanges facilitating dissipation of heat from the rod through the integral central bushing, and the heat dissipating means including a muffle assembly having an enclosure in good thermal conducting relation with the side flanges of the plate.

Claim 8

An electric circuit breaker adapted to readily conduct heat away from its movable contact especially upon the occurrence of an overload current condition comprising: a. a support, b. a stationary contact mounted on the support, c. a movable contact mounted for movement toward and away from the stationary contact between open and closed circuit positions, d. a contact rod of high thermal conductivity connected to the movable contact for moving the contact between its open and closed circuit positions, e. a generally planar member of high thermal conductivity having a surface portion in good thermal relation with the contact rod for drawing heat away from the movable contact through the contact rod, f. heat dissipating means in heat transfer relationship with the planar member for dissipating the heat generated at the movable contact, and g. said planar member being a plate of high thermal conductivity spaced from the movable contact and having an integral central bushing of high thermal conductivity slidably receiving the contact rod for conducting heat away from the rod, the heat dissipating means including a terminal strap and a thin heat conductive sTrip of electrical insulation interposed between and in contact with the strap and the heat conducting plate.

Claim 9

An electric circuit breaker adapted to readily conduct heat away from its movable contact especially upon the occurrence of an overload current condition comprising: a. a support, b. a stationary contact mounted on the support, c. a movable contact mounted for movement toward and away from the stationary contact between open and closed circuit positions, d. a contact rod of high thermal conductivity connected to the movable contact for moving the contact between its open and closed circuit positions, e. a generally planar member of high thermal conductivity having a surface portion in good thermal relation with the contact rod for drawing heat away from the movable contact through the contact rod, f. heat dissipating means in heat transfer relationship with the planar member for dissipating the heat generated at the movable contact, and g. said planar member being a plate of high thermal conductivity spaced from the movable contact and having an integral central bushing of high thermal conductivity slidably receiving the contact rod for conducting heat away from the rod, the heat dissipating means including a terminal strap and a thin heat conductive sTrip of electrical insulation interposed between and in contact with the strap and the heat conducting plate.

Claim 10

An electric circuit breaker comprising: a. a support, b. a stationary contact mounted on said support; c. a movable contact mounted for movement toward and away from said stationary contact between open and closed circuit positions; d. a contact rod of high thermal conductivity connected to said movable contact for moving said movable contact between open and closed circuit positions; e. a high-speed magnetic solenoid supported on said support and including an armature rigidly attached to said contact rod, said armature including a disc-shaped portion having a surface facing outwardly of said solenoid, said armature including said disc-shaped portion being of magnetic material, and f. a heat dissipating facing plate of substantially the same diameter as said disc portion of said armature and rigidly affixed thereto; g. said contact rod and said facing plate being composed of a high thermal conductivity material whereby heat generated by said contacts flows along said contact rod to said armature and said facing plate and is absorbed and at least partly dissipated thereby.

Claim 11

An electric circuit breaker comprising: a. a support, b. a stationary contact mounted on said support; c. a movable contact mounted for movement toward and away from said stationary contact between open and closed circuit positions; d. a contact rod of high thermal conductivity connected to said movable contact for moving said movable contact between open and closed circuit positions; e. a high-speed magnetic solenoid supported on said support and including an armature rigidly attached to said contact rod, said armature including a disc-shaped portion having a surface facing outwardly of said solenoid, said armature including said disc-shaped portion being of magnetic material, and f. a heat dissipating facing plate of substantially the same diameter as said disc portion of said armature and rigidly affixed thereto; g. said contact rod and said facing plate being composed of a high thermal conductivity material whereby heat generated by said contacts flows along said contact rod to said armature and said facing plate and is absorbed and at least partly dissipated thereby.