US4000478A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Static trip molded case circuit breaker including trip interlock
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1975-10-30
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Granted: 1976-12-28
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Expires: 1995-10-30
Abstract
Abstract A static trip, molded case circuit breaker includes an operating mechanism having powerful mechanism springs to achieve the requisite contact pressures for high current carrying capacity. A rotary handle resets the operating mechanism via a reciprocating slide and a latching mechanism, while loading the mechanism springs. Return of the handle to its original position achieves rapid closure of the circuit breaker contacts. The latching mechanism is equipped with a trip interlock operating to trip the circuit breaker in response to removal of the case cover and to thereafter disable resetting of the operating mechanism in the absence of the cover and/or electronic trip unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles L. Jencks
- 👤 Roger N. Castonguay
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 13:40
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H71/00; H01H71/10; H01H71/12; H01H71/126; H01H71/50; H01H71/505; H01H2071/508
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
An electric circuit breaker comprising, in combination: A. a case including a base and a cover; B. a contact operating mechanism within said case and operable to ON, OFF and reset conditions; C. a latching mechanism within said case and latchably retaining said operating mechanism in its ON and reset conditions; D. an electronic trip unit within said case; E. a shunt trip solenoid within said case and energized under the control of said trip unit to trippingly engage said latching mechanism such as to unlatch said operating mechansim for automatic movement from its ON to its OFF conditions; and F. a trip interlock associated with said latching mechanism, said trip interlock automatically operating to trippingly engage said latching mechanism upon removal of said cover.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
An electric circuit breaker comprising, in combination: A. a case including a base and a cover; B. a contact operating mechanism within said case and operable to ON, OFF and reset conditions; C. a latching mechanism within said case and latchably retaining said operating mechanism in its ON and reset conditions; D. an electronic trip unit within said case; E. a shunt trip solenoid within said case and energized under the control of said trip unit to trippingly engage said latching mechanism such as to unlatch said operating mechansim for automatic movement from its ON to its OFF conditions; and F. a trip interlock associated with said latching mechanism, said trip interlock automatically operating to trippingly engage said latching mechanism upon removal of said cover.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The electric circuit breaker defined in claim 1, wherein said trip interlock includes means retaining said trip interlock in tripping engagement with said latching mechanism as long as said cover is removed, such as to disable said latching mechanism from latchably retaining said operating mechanism in its reset and ON conditions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The electric circuit breaker defined in claim 2, wherein said trip interlock retaining means comprises a spring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The electric circuit breaker defined in claim 3, wherein said cover includes a projection positioned with said cover in place to engage and hold said trip interlock out of tripping engagement with said latching mechanism against the bias of said spring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The electric circuit breaker defined in claim 4, wherein said cover projection includes a camming surface engaging said trip interlock upon replacement of said cover to cam said trip interlock out of tripping engagement with said latching mechanism.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
78 words
The electric circuit breaker defined in claim 5, wherein said trip interlock is mounted for movement by said spring from an inactive position sustained by said cover projection through an intermediate position to an extreme position, said trip interlock trippingly engaging said latching mechanism while in its intermediate and extreme positions, and a stop carried by said trip unit limiting the movement of said trip interlock from its inactive to its intermediate position upon removal of said cover.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The circuit breaker defined in claim 6, wherein removal of both said cover and said trip unit permits said spring to move said trip interlock to its extreme position which is removed from possible engagement by said camming surface of said cover projection upon replacement of said cover.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
The circuit breaker defined in claim 7, wherein said trip interlock is pivotally mounted to said latching mechanism and includes a first sensing finger engageable with said cover projection and a second sensing finger engageable with said stop.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
An electric circuit breaker comprising, in combination: A. a case including a base and a cover; B. a contact operating mechanism within said case and operable to ON, OFF and reset conditions; C. a latching mechanism within said case and latchably retaining said operating mechanism in its ON and reset conditions; D. an electronic trip unit within said case; E. a trip interlock associated with said latching mechanism, said trip interlock including means sensing the absence of said trip unit from within said case to automatically disable said latching mechanism from latchably retaining said operating mechanism in its reset and ON conditions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
102 words
An electric circuit breaker comprising, in combination: A. a case including a base and a cover; B. a contact operating mechanism within said case and operable to ON, OFF and reset conditions; C. a latching mechanism within said case and latchably retaining said operating mechanism in its ON and reset conditions; D. an electronic trip unit within said case; E. a trip interlock associated with said latching mechanism, said trip interlock including means sensing the absence of said trip unit from within said case to automatically disable said latching mechanism from latchably retaining said operating mechanism in its reset and ON conditions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
The circuit breaker defined in claim 9, wherein said trip interlock includes further means sensing the removal of said cover to automatically move into tripping engagement with said latching mechanism.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The circuit breaker defined in claim 10, wherein said trip interlock includes a spring operating to sustain said trip interlock in tripping engagement with said latching mechanism in the absence of either or both said cover and trip unit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-12-28 | 1980-06-28 | 1980-12-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-12-28 | 1984-06-28 | 1984-12-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-12-28 | 1988-06-28 | 1988-12-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |