Circuit breaker with handle indicating means

Claim 1

A circuit comprising an Insulating housing having an opening in the front thereof, a circuit-breaker mechanism supported in said housing, said mechanism comprising a stationary contact, a movable contact, a contact arm supporting said movable contact, trip means, a releasable cradle, means pivotally supporting said cradle in proximity to one end thereof, said cradle at the other end thereof being latched on said trip means, an operating spring supported at one end thereof on said contact arm and at the other end thereof on said cradle, an operating member operatively connected to said contact arm and extending through said opening to permit manual operation of said circuit breaker, with said cradle in the latched position said operating member being manually movable between open and closed positions to operate said spring and said contact arm to thereby move said contact arm between open and closed positions, upon the occurrence of an overload current above a predetermined value said trip means releasing said cradle and said spring moving said cradle to a tripped position and said contact arm to the open position, following movement of said cradle to said tripped position said operating member being manually movable to the open position during which movement said operating member engages said cradle to move said cradle back to the latched position, blocking means on said contact arm engaging blocking means on said cradle to prevent movement of said cradle to the latched position when said contacts are welded closed and said cradle has been moved toward the tripped position, and said blocking means on said cradle striking said contact arm in an opening direction when said cradle is released and said contacts are welded closed whereby if the weld of said contacts is not a firm weld the striking action can break the weld to permit movement of said contact arm to the open position.