Multi-pole circuit breaker

Claim 2

A trip lever for use with a multi-pole circuit breaker comprising: a bar having a recess partially therethrough at one end; a support secured to said bar; means for pivoting said support about a predetermined axis; a cam follower located on said support at an end opposite that secured to said bar, said cam follower having a portion thereof cut away; and a linkage carried by said bar, a portion of said linkage adapted to engage a similar trip lever through its recess.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said bar is an elongated cylinder and wherein said support includes a pair of arms secured at one end to opposite ends of said cylinder, said arms each having a bore centered about the intersection of said predetermined axis with the arm, one of said arms carrying said cam follower at its extremity.

Claim 4

The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said portion of the linkage means adapted to engage a similar trip lever includes a pin coaxial with said cylinder and extending from said cylinder a distance sufficient to engage the receSs of an adjacent trip lever.

Claim 5

In a modular multi-pole electronic circuit breaker assembly having an individual switch to manually control the conduction state of an associated module, of the type in which each module includes circuit breaking apparatus having an arm carrying a movable contact which is moved away from a corresponding fixed contact responsively to an overcurrent condition, apparatus in each module for automatically tripping the circuit breaking apparatus in the other modules responsively to an overcurrent condition and for permitting manual control of the conduction state of one module without affecting the conduction states of the other modules comprising: a camming member moving with said arm; a trip lever including a bar coacting with said circuit breaking apparatus to trip said apparatus, a separable interlocking linkage member carried by said trip lever adapted to engage a second trip lever of an adjacent module and to coact with said second trip lever for tripping the adjacent circuit breaking apparatus by imparting to said second trip lever a like movement to that of said first mentioned trip lever, a support having an end secured to said bar and having a cam follower at the other end, and means for pivotally mounting said trip lever such that when said switch provides for conduction of said module the associated camming member is in a position to coact with the associated cam follower to rotate said trip lever about its pivot, said cam follower having a cut away portion positioned such that when said switch manually provides for the nonconduction of said module, said camming member is out of engagement with said cam follower, thereby preventing coaction.

Claim 6

In a modular multi-pole electronic circuit breaker assembly having an individual switch to manually control the conduction state of an associated module, of the type in which each module includes circuit breaking apparatus having an arm carrying a movable contact which is moved away from a corresponding fixed contact responsively to an overcurrent condition, apparatus in each module for automatically tripping the circuit breaking apparatus in the other modules responsively to an overcurrent condition and for permitting manual control of the conduction state of one module without affecting the conduction states of the other modules comprising: a camming member moving with said arm; a trip lever including a bar coacting with said circuit breaking apparatus to trip said apparatus, a separable interlocking linkage member carried by said trip lever adapted to engage a second trip lever of an adjacent module and to coact with said second trip lever for tripping the adjacent circuit breaking apparatus by imparting to said second trip lever a like movement to that of said first mentioned trip lever, a support having an end secured to said bar and having a cam follower at the other end, and means for pivotally mounting said trip lever such that when said switch provides for conduction of said module the associated camming member is in a position to coact with the associated cam follower to rotate said trip lever about its pivot, said cam follower having a cut away portion positioned such that when said switch manually provides for the nonconduction of said module, said camming member is out of engagement with said cam follower, thereby preventing coaction.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said circuit breaking apparatus includes electromagnetic means for sensing current overload.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said interlocking linkage member includes a pin extending from said bar, said bar having a bore adapted to receive a pin from an adjacent trip lever.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said bar, support and cam follower are of unitary construction.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 4 and further including a vent channel through each module adjacent the module contacts and a flame arresting mesh screen positioned at said vent channel for preventing the venting of flame through said vent channel.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the effective mesh size of said screen is no larger than 30.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said mesh size is 60.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said mesh screen closes off the interior end of said vent channel and further including means for electrically insulating said screen from said module.

Claim 14

The apparatus according to claim 4 and further including a plurality of vent channels through each module adjacent the module contacts, selected vent channels closest to said contacts when said contacts are in a mating condition being sloped downwardly and flame arresting means positioned at said vent channels for preventing the venting of flame from said channels in the event of contact arcing.

Claim 15

In a multi-pole circuit breaker of the type including a plurality of modules having circuit breaking means including a pair of contacts which are opened responsively to the sensing of an overload current by the movement of an armature and means for normally opening and closing said contacts, the improvement for use with selected modules comprising: a trip lever including a bar having a recess and linkage means secured to said bar adapted to engage the trip lever of an adjacent module through its recess, said bar coacting with said armature to actuate it; a support having an end secured to said bar; a cam follower at the end of said support opposite the end secured to said bar, said cam follower having a cut away portion; a camming member moving with one of said contacts; and means for pivoting saId support about a predetermined axis and for locating said cam follower with respect to said camming member such that when said contacts are manually opened, said camming member lies within said cut away portion out of engagement with said cam follower for preventing actuation of the armatures in any of the modules, and such that when said contacts are manually closed and when said contacts are opened responsive to overload current therethrough, said camming member coacts with said cam follower to move said trip lever for actuation of the armatures in other modules.

Claim 16

In a multi-pole circuit breaker of the type including a plurality of modules having circuit breaking means including a pair of contacts which are opened responsively to the sensing of an overload current by the movement of an armature and means for normally opening and closing said contacts, the improvement for use with selected modules comprising: a trip lever including a bar having a recess and linkage means secured to said bar adapted to engage the trip lever of an adjacent module through its recess, said bar coacting with said armature to actuate it; a support having an end secured to said bar; a cam follower at the end of said support opposite the end secured to said bar, said cam follower having a cut away portion; a camming member moving with one of said contacts; and means for pivoting saId support about a predetermined axis and for locating said cam follower with respect to said camming member such that when said contacts are manually opened, said camming member lies within said cut away portion out of engagement with said cam follower for preventing actuation of the armatures in any of the modules, and such that when said contacts are manually closed and when said contacts are opened responsive to overload current therethrough, said camming member coacts with said cam follower to move said trip lever for actuation of the armatures in other modules.

Claim 17

The circuit breaker according to claim 13 wherein each module includes a housing having a vent channel through one of the housing walls and a spark arresting mesh screen positioned so as to partially occlude said vent channel.

Claim 18

A multi-pole circuit breaker comprising: a plurality of modules, each of said modules including a pair of terminals, switch means for connecting said terminals, means for sensing an overload current through said switch means, an armature movable responsively to the sensing of said overload current, means for opening said switch means responsive to the movement of said armature, a camming member carried by said switch opening means, and a trip lever; selected trip levers including: a bar coacting with an armature for the actuation thereof, a linkage member secured to said bar and adapted to engage the trip lever of an adjacent module; a support having an end secured to said bar, a cam follower at the end of said support opposite the end secured to said bar, said cam follower having a cut away portion; means for manually opening and closing said switch means; and means for pivoting said support about a predetermined axis and for locating said cam follower with respect to said camming member such that when said switch means is manually opened, said camming member lies within said cut away portion out of engagement with said cam follower for preventing actuation of the armatures in any of the modules, and such that when said switch means is manually closed and when said switch means is opened responsively to overload current, said camming member coacts with said cam follower to move said trip lever for actuation of the armatures in other modules.

Claim 19

A multi-pole circuit breaker comprising: a plurality of modules, each of said modules including a pair of terminals, switch means for connecting said terminals, means for sensing an overload current through said switch means, an armature movable responsively to the sensing of said overload current, means for opening said switch means responsive to the movement of said armature, a camming member carried by said switch opening means, and a trip lever; selected trip levers including: a bar coacting with an armature for the actuation thereof, a linkage member secured to said bar and adapted to engage the trip lever of an adjacent module; a support having an end secured to said bar, a cam follower at the end of said support opposite the end secured to said bar, said cam follower having a cut away portion; means for manually opening and closing said switch means; and means for pivoting said support about a predetermined axis and for locating said cam follower with respect to said camming member such that when said switch means is manually opened, said camming member lies within said cut away portion out of engagement with said cam follower for preventing actuation of the armatures in any of the modules, and such that when said switch means is manually closed and when said switch means is opened responsively to overload current, said camming member coacts with said cam follower to move said trip lever for actuation of the armatures in other modules.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said bar is an elongated cylinder and wherein said support includes a pair of arms secured at one end to opposite ends of said cylinder, said arms each having a bore centered about the intersection of said predetermined axis with the arms, one of said arms carrying said cam follower at its extremity.

Claim 21

The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said cylinder includes a bore and wherein said linkage member includes a pin coaxial with said cylinder and extending from said cylinder a distance sufficient to engage the bore of an adjacent trip lever.

Claim 22

A multi-pole circuit breaker comprising: a plurality of modules, each of said modules including a housing having an interior chamber, a pair of terminals passing through said housing, switch means carried within said housing for connecting said terminals, said housing having a vent channel communicating with said chamber adjacent said switch means and a screen positioned at said vent channel for preventing flame from exiting said vent channel, means for sensing an overload current through said switch means; an armature movable responsively to the sensing of said overload current, means for opening said switch means responsive to the movement of said armature; a camming member carried by said switch opening means, and a trip lever; selected trip levers including: a bar coacting with said armature, a linkage member secured to said bar and adapted to engage the trip lever of an adjacent module, a support secured to said bar, a cam follower at the end of said support opposite the portion secured to said bar, said cam follower having a cut away portion; means for manually opening and closing said switch means; and means for pivoting said Support about a predetermined axis and for locating said cam follower with respect to said camming member such that when said switch means is manually opened said camming member lies within said cut away portion out of engagement with said cam follower for preventing actuation of the armatures in any of the modules, and such that when said switch means is manually closed and when said switch means is opened responsively to overcurrent therethrough, said camming member coacts with said cam follower to move said trip lever for actuation of the armatures in the other of said modules.

Claim 23

A multi-pole circuit breaker comprising: a plurality of modules, each of said modules including a housing having an interior chamber, a pair of terminals passing through said housing, switch means carried within said housing for connecting said terminals, said housing having a vent channel communicating with said chamber adjacent said switch means and a screen positioned at said vent channel for preventing flame from exiting said vent channel, means for sensing an overload current through said switch means; an armature movable responsively to the sensing of said overload current, means for opening said switch means responsive to the movement of said armature; a camming member carried by said switch opening means, and a trip lever; selected trip levers including: a bar coacting with said armature, a linkage member secured to said bar and adapted to engage the trip lever of an adjacent module, a support secured to said bar, a cam follower at the end of said support opposite the portion secured to said bar, said cam follower having a cut away portion; means for manually opening and closing said switch means; and means for pivoting said Support about a predetermined axis and for locating said cam follower with respect to said camming member such that when said switch means is manually opened said camming member lies within said cut away portion out of engagement with said cam follower for preventing actuation of the armatures in any of the modules, and such that when said switch means is manually closed and when said switch means is opened responsively to overcurrent therethrough, said camming member coacts with said cam follower to move said trip lever for actuation of the armatures in the other of said modules.