Circuit breaker with electrical and mechanical trip indication

Claim 2

A CIRCUIT BREAKER COMPRISING A CASE, A STATIONARY CONTACT, A MOVABLE CONTACT MOUNTED ON A MOVABLE ARM, A COLLAPSIBLE LINKAGE CONNECTED TO SAID MOVABLE ARM FOR MOVING THE CONTACTS BETWEEN THE CONTACTS ''''OPEN'''' AND THE CONTACTS ''''CLOSED'''' POSITIONS, MEANS FOR COLLAPSING SAID COLLAPSIBLE LINKAGE UPON PREDETERMINED ELECTRICAL OVERLOADS TO MOVE THE CONTACTS FROM SAID ''''CLOSED'''' TO SAID ''''OPEN'''' POSITIONS, OPERATING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID COLLAPSIBLE LINKAGE FOR MOVING THE CONTACTS BETWEEN SAID ''''OPEN'''' AND ''''CLOSED'''' POSITIONS, SAID COLLAPSIBLE LINKAGE MOVING IN A FIRST PATH WHEN MOVING FROM THE CONTACTS ''''CLOSED'''' POSITION TO THE CONTACTS ''''OPEN'''' POSITION UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SAID OPERATING MEANS AND IN A SECOND PATH WHEN GOING FROM THE CONTACTS ''''CLOSED'''' TO THE CONTACTS ''''OPEN'''' POSITION DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD, AND SWITCH MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID COLLAPSIBLE LINKAGE FOR INDICATING WHEN SAID CIRCUIT BREAKER HAS BEEN ELECTRICALLY TRIPPED ''''OPEN,'''' AND AN ACTUATOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CASE AND MOVABLE BY SAID COLLAPSIBLE LINKAGE FROM AN INITIAL POSITION TO A SECOND POSITION WHEN SAID COLLAPSIBLE LINKAGE MOVES THROUGH SAID SECOND PATH, SAID ACTUATOR ACTIVATING SAID SWITCH MEANS UPON MOVEMENT TO ITS SECOND POSITION TO INDICATE THE ELECTRICALLY TRIPPED ''''OPEN'''' CONDITION, AND SAID SWITCH MEANS PIVOTING SAID ACTUATOR TO ITS INITIAL POSITION AFTER SAID COLLAPSIBLE LINKAGE MOVES TO THE CONTACTS ''''OPEN'''' POSITION DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD.

Claim 3

The combination recited in claim 1 wherein said collapsible linkage pivots said actuator in one direction and said switch means pivots said actuator in the opposite direction, the force exerted upon said actuator by said collapsible linkage being greater than the force exerted by said switch means on said actuator.

Claim 4

The combination recited in claim 1 and further including stop means for restraining said operating means in a position intermediate the ''''open'''' and ''''closed'''' positions of the contacts, whereby said actuator is restrianed from moving back to its initial position after collapse of the collapsible linkage.

Claim 5

The combination recited in claim 3 wherein said collapsible linkage pivots said actuator in one direction and said switch means pivots said actuator in the opposite direction, the force exerted upon said actuator by said collapsible linakge being greater than the force exerted by said switch means on said actuator.

Claim 6

The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said switch means is a unitary electrical switch having its own insulating case.

Claim 7

The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said switch means is a unitary electrical switch having its own insulating case.

Claim 8

The combination recited in claim 6 wherein said case comprises two approximate half-cases, and said switch means is located intermediate portions of said half-cases.

Claim 9

The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said collapsible linkage includes a collapsible toggle.

Claim 10

The combination recited in claim 2 and further including stop means for limiting clockwise and counterclockwise movement of said actuator.

Claim 11

The combination recited in claim 9 wherein said stop means comprises a stop pin mounted on said movable arm.

Claim 12

The combination recited in claim 9 wherein said actuator includes two spaced fingers, one of said fingers being engageable by said collapsible linkage and said stop means, and the other finger is engageable only with said stop means.

Claim 13

The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said stop means is a stop pin mounted on said movable arm and further including a frame supported within said case, said movable arm and actuator being both pivotally mounted on said frame, said stop pin being also engageable with said frame to limit movement of the movable arm in the contacts ''''open'''' position.

Claim 14

The combination recited in claim 12 wherein said frame includes two spaced plates between which is disposed a portion of said movable arm, said actuator also being disposed in part between said spaced plates.

Claim 15

The combination recited in claim 9 wherein said stop means comprises two projections spaced from each other, formed on said case and extending inwardly toward said actuator.

Claim 16

The combination recited in claim 1 and further including reset means for returning said actuator to its initial position from its second position when said movable arm is moved to the contacts ''''closed'''' position.

Claim 17

The combination recited in claim 15 wherein said reset means also limits clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of said actuator.

Claim 18

The combination recited in claim 1 wherein both said actuator and said movable arm are pivotal about the same axis.

Claim 19

The comBination recited in claim 15 wherein said actuator includes two fingers spaced from each other, and said reset means is positioned relative to said fingers so as to be movable back and forth between said fingers without engaging same during movement of said collapsible linkage between said contacts ''''open'''' and contacts ''''closed'''' positions when the linkage is not collapsed and said actuator is in its initial position.

Claim 20

The combination recited in claim 1 and further including stop means for restraining said operating means in a position intermediate the ''''open'''' and ''''closed'''' positions of the contacts, whereby said actuator is restrained from moving back to its initial position after collapse of the collapsible linkage, said collapsible linkage pivots said actuator in one direction and said switch means pivots said actuator in the opposite direction, and the force exerted upon said actuator by said collapsible linkage being greater than the force exerted by said switch means on said actuator, said switch means is a unitary electrical switch having its own insulating housing, said case of said circuit breaker comprises two approximate half-cases, said switch means is located intermediate portions of said half-cases, said collapsible linkage includes a collapsible toggle, a stop pin mounted on said movable arm for limiting clockwise and counterclockwise movement of said actuator, said actuator includes two spaced fingers, one of said fingers being engageable by said collapsible linkage and said stop pin, and the other finger is engageable only with said stop pin, a frame supported within said case, said movable arm and actuator being both pivotally mounted about the same axis and on said frame, said stop pin being also engageable with said frame to limit movement of the movable arm in the contacts ''''open'''' position, said frame includes two spaced plates between which is disposed a portion of said movable arm, said actuator also being disposed in part between said spaced plates.

Claim 21

a circuit breaker comprising a case, a stationary contact, a movable contact mounted on a movable arm, a collapsible linkage connected to said movable arm for moving the contacts between the contacts ''''open'''' and the contacts ''''closed'''' positions, means for collapsing said collapsible linkage upon predetermined electrical overloads to move the contacts from said ''''closed'''' to said ''''open'''' positions, operating means connected to said collapsible linkage for moving the contacts between said ''''open'''' and ''''closed'''' positions, said collapsible linkage moving in a first path when moving from the contacts ''''closed'''' position to the contacts ''''open'''' position under the influence of said operating means and in a second path when going from the contacts ''''closed'''' to the contacts ''''open'''' position due to an electrical overload, and switch means associated with said collapsible linkage for indicating when said circuit breaker has been electrically tripped ''''open,'''' and an actuator pivotally mounted within said case and movable by said collapsible linkage from an initial position to a second position when said collapsible linkage moves through said second path, said actuator activating said switch means upon movement to its second position to indicate the electrically tripped ''''open'''' condition, and reset means carried by said movable arm for returning said actuator to its initial position from its second position when said movable arm is moved to the contacts ''''closed'''' position.

Claim 22

a circuit breaker comprising a case, a stationary contact, a movable contact mounted on a movable arm, a collapsible linkage connected to said movable arm for moving the contacts between the contacts ''''open'''' and the contacts ''''closed'''' positions, means for collapsing said collapsible linkage upon predetermined electrical overloads to move the contacts from said ''''closed'''' to said ''''open'''' positions, operating means connected to said collapsible linkage for moving the contacts between said ''''open'''' and ''''closed'''' positions, said collapsible linkage moving in a first path when moving from the contacts ''''closed'''' position to the contacts ''''open'''' position under the influence of said operating means and in a second path when going from the contacts ''''closed'''' to the contacts ''''open'''' position due to an electrical overload, and switch means associated with said collapsible linkage for indicating when said circuit breaker has been electrically tripped ''''open,'''' and an actuator pivotally mounted within said case and movable by said collapsible linkage from an initial position to a second position when said collapsible linkage moves through said second path, said actuator activating said switch means upon movement to its second position to indicate the electrically tripped ''''open'''' condition, and reset means carried by said movable arm for returning said actuator to its initial position from its second position when said movable arm is moved to the contacts ''''closed'''' position.

Claim 23

The combination recited in claim 20 wherein said reset means also limits clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of said actuator.

Claim 24

The combination recited in claim 20 wherein both said actuator and said movable arm are pivotal about the same axis.

Claim 25

The combination recited in claim 20 wherein said collapsible linkage includes a collapsible toggle comprising two links pivotally connected together and one of said links forcefully engaging said actuator upon collapse of the toggle.

Claim 26

The combination recited in claim 20 wherein said actuator includes two fingers spaced from each other, and said reset means being positioned relative to said fingers so as to be movable back and forth between said fingers without engaging same during movement of said collapsible linkage between said contacts ''''open'''' and contacts ''''closed'''' positions when the inkage is not collapsed and said actuator is in its initial position.

Claim 27

A circuit breaker comprising a case, said case including two half-cases and a separable base plate, said half-cases defining a chamber, a stationary contact and a movable contact within said chamber, a collapsible linkage connected to said movable arm for moving the contacts between the contacts ''''open'''' and the contacts ''''closed'''' positions, means for collapsing said collapsible linkage, operating means connected to said collapsible linkage for moving the contacts between said ''''open'''' and ''''closed'''' positions, said base plate defining a second chamber, a unitary switch means disposed in said second chamber and extending into said first mentioned chamber, said unitary switch means being actuatable by said collapsible linkage. terminals extending through said half-cases and said base plate and secured thereto, said unitary switch means being electrically connected to said terminals, said terminals being adapted to fix said circuit breaker within a panelboard.

Claim 28

A circuit breaker comprising a case, said case including two half-cases and a separable base plate, said half-cases defining a chamber, a stationary contact and a movable contact within said chamber, a collapsible linkage connected to said movable arm for moving the contacts between the contacts ''''open'''' and the contacts ''''closed'''' positions, means for collapsing said collapsible linkage, operating means connected to said collapsible linkage for moving the contacts between said ''''open'''' and ''''closed'''' positions, said base plate defining a second chamber, a unitary switch means disposed in said second chamber and extending into said first mentioned chamber, said unitary switch means being actuatable by said collapsible linkage. terminals extending through said half-cases and said base plate and secured thereto, said unitary switch means being electrically connected to said terminals, said terminals being adapted to fix said circuit breaker within a panelboard.

Claim 29

The combination recited in claim 25 and further including a clip connected to each terminal, each clip having a hole through which the associated terminal extends, each clip having a portion extending into said second chamber and connected thereby to said switch means, and fasteners secured to said terminals and thereby securing said clips to said base plate.

Claim 30

The combination recited in claim 26 wherein said unitary switch means has a housing of electrical insulation material.