Current-limiting circuit breaker having a field strap assembly

Claim 1

An electric circuit breaker comprising: a. a support; b. a contact assembly supported on the support including a pair of spaced stationary contacts and movable contact-bridging means movable into and out of a closed circuit position in engagement with the stationary contacts; c. a field strap assembly of generally rectangular cross section electrically connected to the stationary contacts, d. said field strap assembly comprising a pair of elongated conductive straps extending in spaced parallel relation parallel to a line defining the shortest distance between said stationary contacts; one of said straps supporting one of said stationary contacts and having its major portion extending in a direction from said one stationary contact toward and beyond the other of said stationary contacts; the other of said straps supporting said other of said stationary contacts and having its major portion extending from said other stationary contact toward and beyond said one of said stationary contacts; e. said one of said conductive straps having an integral portion adjacent said one stationary contact at the side thereof opposite from said other stationary contact and closely spaced from said major portion of said other of said conductive straps; said other of said conductive straps having an integral portion adjacent said other stationary contact at the side thereof opposite from said one stationary contact and closely spaced from said major portion of said one of said conductive straps; f. first solid insulating spacing means positioned between said integral portion of said strap and said major portion of said other strap; second solid insulating spacing means positioned between said integral portion of said other strap and said major portion of said one strap; g. first fastening means connecting said integral portion of said one strap to said major portion of said other strap with said first insulating spacing means therebetween; and second fastening means connecting said integral portion of said other strap to said major portion of said one strap with said second insulating spacing means therebetween, whereby said conductive straps are positively connected together to resist forces tending to move them away from each other, h. said first and second fastening means each comprising at least one elongated fastening member extending through said insulating spacing means.