US3909764A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electric circuit breaker
Assignee: Commander Electrical Equipment Inc
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Filing: 1974-06-05
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Granted: 1975-09-30
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Expires: 1994-06-05
Abstract
Abstract A circuit breaker having a simple overload triggering mechanism of a thermostat element held at one end in a mounting member which is urged against a threaded rod by a spring. The other end of the thermostat element is notched to receive and engage a trip arm which is released to cause opening of the breaker contacts by bending of the thermostat element under overload current conditions. When the trip arm is released it causes the mounting member to pivot. The mounting member is adapted to engage the mounting member of an adjacent circuit breaker when the two circuit breakers are mounted in side-by-side relationship. When either circuit breaker is tripped, pivoting of its mounting member pivots the other mounting member causing that circuit breaker to trip also.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold E Belttary
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 01:31
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H71/00; H01H71/74; H01H71/7427; H01H71/7436; H01H71/10; H01H71/1009; H01H71/1027
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
362 words
A circuit breaker including in combination a housing of insulating material; a fixed contact mounted in said housing; a manually movable handle mounted in said housing; a contact carrier with a movable contact thereon and pivotally engaging said handle at a pivot point; a trip arm pivotally mounted in said housing; an overcenter spring connected between said contact carrier and said trip arm urging said contact carrier against said handle; said handle, contact carrier, and overcenter spring forming an overcenter arrangement for closing said contacts when the spring is on one side of said pivot point and for opening said contacts when the spring is on the other side of said pivot point; a load terminal mounted in said housing; a thermally responsive latching member connected in circuit between said load terminal and said movable contact; a mounting member holding the thermally responsive latching member at a portion thereof adjacent to one end; said mounting member being pivotally mounted in said housing at a pivotal connection; a support member mounted in said housing and bearing against the mounting member; said mounting member having a spring portion bearing against the housing and urging the mounting member against said support member whereby said pivotal connection, said support member, and said mounting member in combination hold the portion of the thermally responsive latching member adjacent said one end fixed with respect to the housing, said thermally responsive latching member being rotatable about the pivotal connection against the urging of the spring portion; said thermally responsive latching member having a latching surface adjacent the opposite end thereof engaging said trip arm and maintaining said trip arm in a set position when said contacts are closed, with said overcenter spring urging said trip arm toward a tripped position; said thermally responsive latching member bending in response to a predetermined current condition to move said opposite end of the thermally responsive latching member and disengage said latching surface from said trip arm reLeasing said trip arm for movement to the tripped position; movement of the trip arm to the tripped position moving the overcenter spring to the other side of said pivot point causing said contacts to open.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
362 words
A circuit breaker including in combination a housing of insulating material; a fixed contact mounted in said housing; a manually movable handle mounted in said housing; a contact carrier with a movable contact thereon and pivotally engaging said handle at a pivot point; a trip arm pivotally mounted in said housing; an overcenter spring connected between said contact carrier and said trip arm urging said contact carrier against said handle; said handle, contact carrier, and overcenter spring forming an overcenter arrangement for closing said contacts when the spring is on one side of said pivot point and for opening said contacts when the spring is on the other side of said pivot point; a load terminal mounted in said housing; a thermally responsive latching member connected in circuit between said load terminal and said movable contact; a mounting member holding the thermally responsive latching member at a portion thereof adjacent to one end; said mounting member being pivotally mounted in said housing at a pivotal connection; a support member mounted in said housing and bearing against the mounting member; said mounting member having a spring portion bearing against the housing and urging the mounting member against said support member whereby said pivotal connection, said support member, and said mounting member in combination hold the portion of the thermally responsive latching member adjacent said one end fixed with respect to the housing, said thermally responsive latching member being rotatable about the pivotal connection against the urging of the spring portion; said thermally responsive latching member having a latching surface adjacent the opposite end thereof engaging said trip arm and maintaining said trip arm in a set position when said contacts are closed, with said overcenter spring urging said trip arm toward a tripped position; said thermally responsive latching member bending in response to a predetermined current condition to move said opposite end of the thermally responsive latching member and disengage said latching surface from said trip arm reLeasing said trip arm for movement to the tripped position; movement of the trip arm to the tripped position moving the overcenter spring to the other side of said pivot point causing said contacts to open.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A circuit breaker in accordance with claim 1 wherein said thermally responsive latching member is a unitary structure consisting of a generally flat elongated thermostat element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
A circuit breaker in accordance with claim 2 wherein said mounting member has trunnions on opposite sides thereof; and said trunnions are positioned in openings in opposite sides of said housing to permit pivotal movement of the thermostat element about the axis of the trunnions, the axis lying normal to the length and parallel to the flat surfaces of the thermostat element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
A circuit breaker in accordance with claim 3 wherein said support member is a threaded rod threadably mounted in said housing for movement generally normal to the thermostat element; and movement of the threaded rod causes the thermostat element to pivot about the axis of the trunnions and adjust the position of the latching surface at the opposite end of the thermostat element with respect to the trip arm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
A circuit breaker in accordance with claim 4 wherein said thermostat element has a notch therein forming the latching surface adjacent to the opposite end of the thermostat element; and said trip arm abuts the thermostat element at the latching surface when in said set position and is urged in the direction generally along the length of the thermostat element toward the tripped position by said overcenter spring.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
A circuit Breaker in accordance with claim 5 wherein said trip arm and said mounting member include cooperating portions engagable after said trip arm is released from said thermostat element for driving the mounting member to rotate the mounting member and the thermostat element about the axis of the trunnions as the trip arm moves toward the tripped position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
96 words
A circuit breaker in accordance with claim 6 wherein each of said trunnions includes means for coupling through the opening in the housing to a trunnion in a second similar circuit breaker mounted in side-by-side relation with the circuit breaker whereby rotation of the trunnions when the trip arm is released rotates the mounting member in the second circuit breaker causing the latching surface of the thermostat element to disengage from the trip arm in the second circuit breaker thereby releasing its trip arm for movement to the tripped position and causing its contacts to open.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
A circuit breaker in accordance with claim 7 including a first flexible conductor connected between the thermostat element and the movable contact, said first flexible conductor being directly connected to the thermostat element adjacent to an end thereof; and a second flexible conductor connected between the thermostat element and the load terminal, said second flexible conductor being directly connected to the thermostat element adjacent to the other end thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
161 words
A circuit breaker in accordance with claim 8 wherein said mounting member includes a first section lying generally parallel to said thermostat element; a second section adjoining said first section, lying generally normal to the thermostat element, and having an edge in contact with the thermostat element; a third section adjoining said first section, lying generally normal to the thermostat element, and having an opening therein providing an edge in contact with the thermostat element; a fourth section adjoining said third section; said spring portion being held in the fourth section and having an arm bearing on the thermostat element in the region between the edges of the second and third sections which contact the thermostat element thereby holding the thermostat element against the edges; said trunnions extending from opposite sides of said thirD section; and said first section being urged into contact with the end of the threaded rod by another arm of said spring portion bearing against the housing.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-29 | 1979-03-31 | 1979-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-29 | 1983-03-31 | 1983-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-29 | 1987-03-31 | 1987-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |