Current-limiting circuit breaker

Claim 2

An electric circuit breaker comprising: a an insulating enclosure, b a movable contact member movable between open and closed circuit positions, c an operating member movable between open and closed circuit positions corresponding to said open and closed circuit positions of said movable contact member, d said operating member comprising a first portion movably supported in said enclosure, e a cam member pivotally supported on said first portion of said operating member, f latch means movably mounted on said operating member and disposed to engage said cam member during at least a portion of the movement of said operating member from said open to said closed circuit position, g said latch means when in engagement with said cam member serving to retain said cam member in a position in which said cam member is operable upon said movable contact member, and h means operable upon movement of said operating member a predetermined amount to release said latch means from said cam member.

Claim 3

An electric circuit breaker comprising: a an insulating enclosure, b a movable contact member movable between open and closed circuit positions, c a manually operable operating member movable between open and closed circuit positions corresponding to said open and closed circuit positions of said movable contact member, d said operating member comprising a first portion pivotally supported in said enclosure, e a cam member pivotally supported on said first portion of said operating member, f latch means movably mounted on said operating member and disposed to engage said cam member during at least a portion of the movement of said operating member from said open to said closed circuit position, g said latch means when in engagement with said cam member serving to retain said cam member in a position in which said cam member is operable upon said movable contact member, and h means carried by said enclosure for engaging said latch means upon a predetermined amount of pivotal movement of said first portion of said operating member to release said latch means from said cam member.

Claim 4

An electric circuit breaker comprising: a an insulating enclosure, b a movable contact member movable between open and closed circuit positions, c a manually operable operating member movable between open and closed circuit positions corresponding to said open and closed circuit positions of said movable contact member, d said operating member comprising a first portion pivotally supported in said enclosure, e a cam member pivotally supported on said first portion of said operating member, f latch means movably mounted on said operating member and disposed to engage said cam member during at least a portion of the movement of said operating member from said open to said closed circuit position, g said latch means when in engagement with said cam member serving to retain said cam member in a position in which said cam member is operable upon said movable contact member, and h means carried by said enclosure for engaging said latch means upon a predetermined amount of pivotal movement of said first portion of said operating member to release said latch means from said cam member.

Claim 5

An electric circuit breaker comprising: a an enclosure, b a first movable contact movably supported in said enclosure for movement between open and closed circuit positions, c a second movable contact movably supported in said enclosure and adapted to be contacted by said first movable contact when said first movable contact is in said closed circuit position, d a manually operable operating member movably supported in said enclosure and movable between open and closed circuit positions corresponding to said open and closed circuit positions of said first movable contact, e force-transmitting means between said operating member and said first movable contact member, said force transmitting means being effective to transmit force from said operating member to said first movable contact member during a first portion of said movement of said operating member from open to closed circuit positions and being ineffective to transmit force from said operating member to said first movable contact during a second portion of said movement of said operating member from open to closed position, f means for releasably holding said movable contact member in a position to which it has been moved by said operating member following said first portion of said movement of said operating member from open to closed circuit positions, f means biasing said second movable contact to a first position in which it is adapted to be contacted by said first movable contact when said first movable contact is in said closed circuit position, h means restraining said second movable contact in a retracted position against the bias of said biasing means during said first portion of said movement of said operating member, and means for releasing said restraining means following said first portion of said movement of said operating member from said open to said closed position, j whereby said second movable contact is biased into engagement with said first movable contact by said biasing means and said first movable contact member is releasably held in position to be contacted by said second movable contact independently of said operating member.

Claim 6

An electric circuit breaker comprising: a an enclosure, b a first movable contact movably supported in said enclosure for movement between open and closed circuit positions, c a second movable contact movably supported in said enclosure and adapted to be contacted by said first movable contact when said first movable contact is in said closed circuit position, d a manually operable operating member movably supported in said enclosure and movable between open and closed circuit positions corresponding to said open and closed circuit positions of said first movable contact, e force-transmitting means between said operating member and said first movable contact member, said force transmitting means being effective to transmit force from said operating member to said first movable contact member during a first portion of said movement of said operating member from open to closed circuit positions and being ineffective to transmit force from said operating member to said first movable contact during a second portion of said movement of said operating member from open to closed position, f means for releasably holding said movable contact member in a position to which it has been moved by said operating member following said first portion of said movement of said operating member from open to closed circuit positions, f means biasing said second movable contact to a first position in which it is adapted to be contacted by said first movable contact when said first movable contact is in said closed circuit position, h means restraining said second movable contact in a retracted position against the bias of said biasing means during said first portion of said movement of said operating member, and means for releasing said restraining means following said first portion of said movement of said operating member from said open to said closed position, j whereby said second movable contact is biased into engagement with said first movable contact by said biasing means and said first movable contact member is releasably held in position to be contacted by said second movable contact independently of said operating member.

Claim 7

An electric circuit breaker as set forth in claim 3 wherein said force-transmitting means comprises a cam member pivotally supported on said operating member, latch means carried by said operating member for restraining said cam member in force-transmitting condition, and means carried by said enclosure for engaging and releasing said latch means upon completion of said first portion of movement of said operating member.

Claim 8

An electric circuit breaker as set forth in claim 3, said circuit breaker also comprising means operable by said operating member upon movement thereof to said open circuit position for causing release of said releasable holding means for said movable contact member.