Fastener and circuit breaker case

Claim 2

In a molded case circuit breaker, a case of electrical insulating material, a linkage mechanism and an electromagnetic device for actuating said linkage mechanism on predetermined overloads, a movable contact and a stationary contact, said linkage mechanism including a movable arm carrying said movable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, said electromagnetic device comprising a frame having a leg, a spool supported upon said leg, and a tube, said tube extending through said spool and said leg, the improvement comprising an upstanding tapered flange on said spool, a pole piece attached to and overhanging said tube, said spool being disposed between said pole piece and said leg, and a spring fastener frictionally engaging a portion of said tube and abutting said leg, whereby said pole piece is held against said flange and said spool is held against said leg.

Claim 3

The circuit breaker recited in claim 1 wherein said tapered flange is deformable and deflectable so that the pole piece tends to compress it.

Claim 4

The circuit breaker recited in claim 1 including the further improvement wherein said frame includes a pair of spaced plates, said plates include holes, said electromagnetic device includes an armature pivotally mounted on a pin extending through said holes, said armature includes an attracted end movable toward said pole piece, and said tube being aligned laterally relative to said holes and being held against said tapered flange by said spring fastener so as to provide a predetermined air gap between said pole piece and said attracted end.

Claim 5

In a multi-pole circuit breaker unit, at least two poles in side-by-side abuttment, each pole including a case of electrical insulating material, a linkage mechanism and an electromagnetic device for aCtuating said linkage mechanism on predetermined overloads, a movable contact and a stationary contact, said linkage mechanism including a movable arm carrying said movable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, said electromagnetic device comprising a frame having a leg, a spool supported upon said leg, and a tube, said tube extending through said spool and said leg, an upstanding tapered flange on said spool, a pole piece attached to and overhanging said tube, said spool being disposed between said pole piece and said leg, a spring fastener frictionally engaging a portion of said tube and abutting said leg, whereby said pole piece is held against said flange and said spool is held against said leg, said case being divided longitudinally through its width into two approximate half cases, rivets securing together the half cases of each pole, and the adjacent half cases of two different poles having closely interfitting recesses and projecting bosses, all of the half cases having holes extending coaxially through said recesses and bosses, and further rivets extending through said holes to interconnect the poles to each other.

Claim 6

In a multi-pole circuit breaker unit, at least two poles in side-by-side abuttment, each pole including a case of electrical insulating material, a linkage mechanism and an electromagnetic device for aCtuating said linkage mechanism on predetermined overloads, a movable contact and a stationary contact, said linkage mechanism including a movable arm carrying said movable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, said electromagnetic device comprising a frame having a leg, a spool supported upon said leg, and a tube, said tube extending through said spool and said leg, an upstanding tapered flange on said spool, a pole piece attached to and overhanging said tube, said spool being disposed between said pole piece and said leg, a spring fastener frictionally engaging a portion of said tube and abutting said leg, whereby said pole piece is held against said flange and said spool is held against said leg, said case being divided longitudinally through its width into two approximate half cases, rivets securing together the half cases of each pole, and the adjacent half cases of two different poles having closely interfitting recesses and projecting bosses, all of the half cases having holes extending coaxially through said recesses and bosses, and further rivets extending through said holes to interconnect the poles to each other.

Claim 7

The circuit breaker recited in claim 4 wherein said tapered flange is deformable and deflectable so that the pole piece tends to compress it.

Claim 8

The circuit breaker recited in claim 5 wherein said frame includes a pair of spaced plates, said plates include holes, said electromagnetic device includes an armature pivotally mounted on a pin extending through said holes, said armature includes an attracted end movable toward said pole piece, said tube being aligned laterally relative to said holes to provide a predetermined air gap between said pole piece and said attracted end.

Claim 9

In a molded case circuit breaker, a case of electrical insulating material, a linkage mechanism and an electromagnetic device for actuating said linkage mechanism on predetermined overloads, a movable contact and a stationary contact, said linkage mechanism including a movable arm carrying said movable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, said electromagnetic device comprising a frame having a leg, a spool supported upon said leg, and a tube, said tube extending through said spool and said leg, the improvement comprising frictional, restraining engagement between portions of said spool and said tube, and a spring fastener frictionally engaging a portion of said tube and abutting said leg, whereby said spool is restrained around said tube and said spool is held against said leg.

Claim 10

In a molded case circuit breaker, a case of electrical insulating material, a linkage mechanism and an electromagnetic device for actuating said linkage mechanism on predetermined overloads, a movable contact and a stationary contact, said linkage mechanism including a movable arm carrying said movable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, said electromagnetic device comprising a frame having a leg, a spool supported upon said leg, and a tube, said tube extending through said spool and said leg, the improvement comprising frictional, restraining engagement between portions of said spool and said tube, and a spring fastener frictionally engaging a portion of said tube and abutting said leg, whereby said spool is restrained around said tube and said spool is held against said leg.

Claim 11

In a multi-pole circuit breaker unit, at least two poles in side-by-side abuttment, each pole including a case of electrical insulating material, a linkage mechanism and an electromagnetic device for actuating said linkage mechanism on predetermined overloads, a movable contact and a stationary contact, said linkage mechanism including a movable arm carrying said movable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, said electromagnetic device comprising a frame having a leg, a spool supported upon said leg, and a tube, said tube extending through said spool and said leg, an upstanding tapered flange on said spool, a pole piece attached to and overhanging said tube, said spool being disposed between said pole piece and said leg, a spring fastener frictionally engaging a portion of said tube and abutting said leg, whereby said pole piece is held against said flange and said spool is held against said leg, said case being divided longitudinally through its width into two approximate half cases, the adjacent half cases of two different poles having closely interfitting recesses and projecting bosses, all of the half cases having holes extending coaxially through said recesses and bosses, and rivets extending through said holes to interconnect the poles to each other.

Claim 12

In a multi-pole circuit breaker unit, at least two poles in side-by-side abuttment, each pole including a case of electrical insulating material, a linkage mechanism and an electromagnetic device for actuating said linkage mechanism on predetermined overloads, a movable contact and a stationary contact, said linkage mechanism including a movable arm carrying said movable contact into and out of engagement with said stationary contact, said electromagnetic device comprising a frame having a leg, a spool supported upon said leg, and a tube, said tube extending through said spool and said leg, an upstanding tapered flange on said spool, a pole piece attached to and overhanging said tube, said spool being disposed between said pole piece and said leg, a spring fastener frictionally engaging a portion of said tube and abutting said leg, whereby said pole piece is held against said flange and said spool is held against said leg, said case being divided longitudinally through its width into two approximate half cases, the adjacent half cases of two different poles having closely interfitting recesses and projecting bosses, all of the half cases having holes extending coaxially through said recesses and bosses, and rivets extending through said holes to interconnect the poles to each other.

Claim 13

The circuit breaker recited in claim 8 wherein said tapered flange is deformable and deflectable so that the pole piece tends to compress it.

Claim 14

The circuit breaker recited in claim 9 wherein said frame includes a pair of spaced plates, said plates include holes, said electromagnetic device includes an armature pivotally mounted on a pin extending through said holes, said armature includes an attracted end movable toward said pole piece, said tube being aligned laterally relative to said holes to provide a predetermined air gap between said pole piece and said attracted end.