Patent US4030061A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4030061A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical wire cutting circuit breaker
Assignee: Elmwood Sensors Inc
•
Filing: 1976-04-14
•
Granted: 1977-06-14
•
Expires: 1996-04-14
Abstract
Abstract An electrical wire cutting circuit breaker in which a wire cutting piston within a housing moves from a rest position to a wire cutting position under the impetus of a compression spring. The piston is normally retained in its rest position against the force of the compression spring by a retainer held in the path of the piston by a fusible stop. The retainer is resiliently biased out of the path of the piston so that when the fusible stop melts and flows at a predetermined elevated temperature the retainer will release the piston which is propelled by the compression spring and builds up kinetic energy sufficient to cut an electrical wire.
Inventors
- 👤 Clifford R. Gaskell
- 👤 Stephen E. Houghland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 18:58
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H37/00; H01H37/74; H01H37/76; A; A62; A62C; A62C3/00; A62C3/16; H01H3/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/869; Y10T83/8772
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
An electrical wire cutting circuit breaker comprising: a housing formed with an electrical wire receiving aperture therethrough, a wire cutting piston within said housing with its axis at an angle to the axis of said wire receiving aperture, said piston being axially movable from a rest position to a wire cutting position. a compression spring positioned within said housing to propel said piston from said rest position to said wire cutting position, retainer means movable into the path of said piston to retain it in said rest position against said compression spring, said retainer means being resiliently biased out of the path of said piston, a thermally activatable stop positioned within said housing to retain said retainer means in the path of said piston at normal temperatures and to move at a predetermined elevated temperature to permit said retainer means to move out of the path of said piston, and cutting means for severing a wire in said wire receiving aperture by the kinetic energy of said piston upon its release from said rest position by said retainer means and propulsion by said compression spring to said wire cutting position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
An electrical wire cutting circuit breaker comprising: a housing formed with an electrical wire receiving aperture therethrough, a wire cutting piston within said housing with its axis at an angle to the axis of said wire receiving aperture, said piston being axially movable from a rest position to a wire cutting position. a compression spring positioned within said housing to propel said piston from said rest position to said wire cutting position, retainer means movable into the path of said piston to retain it in said rest position against said compression spring, said retainer means being resiliently biased out of the path of said piston, a thermally activatable stop positioned within said housing to retain said retainer means in the path of said piston at normal temperatures and to move at a predetermined elevated temperature to permit said retainer means to move out of the path of said piston, and cutting means for severing a wire in said wire receiving aperture by the kinetic energy of said piston upon its release from said rest position by said retainer means and propulsion by said compression spring to said wire cutting position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 wherein said cutting means has a planar cutting surface perpendicular to the axis of said piston and wherein the axis of said piston is at an angle less than 90° to the axis of said wire receiving aperture, whereby said cutting surfaces severs only one end of a wire in said wire receiving aperture upon propulsion by said piston.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
77 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 wherein said cutting means comprises a cutting pellet positioned between said wire cutting piston and said wire receiving aperture, said cutting pellet having a lesser length than the distance between said piston in its rest position and said wire receiving aperture, whereby upon release of said piston it will build up kinetic energy prior to propelling said cutting pellet against a wire in said wire receiving aperture to sever the wire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The circuit breaker of claim 3 wherein said cutting pellet is formed of an insulating material and said piston is movable beyond said wire cutting position to carry said cutting pellet and a severed wire therewith away from said wire receiving aperture to assure breaking of the electrical connection.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 wherein said wire receiving aperture forms the end of a wire receiving slot in said housing to receive a central portion of a wire.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
77 words
The circuit breaker of claim 5 wherein said cutting means comprises a cutting pellet positioned between said wire cutting piston and said wire receiving aperture, said cutting pellet having a lesser length than the distance between said piston in its rest position and said wire receiving aperture, whereby upon release of said piston it will build up kinetic energy prior to propelling said cutting pellet against a wire in said wire receiving aperture to sever the wire.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
The circuit breaker of claim 6 wherein said cutting pellet has a planar cutting surface perpendicular to the axis of said piston and wherein the axis of said piston is at an angle less than 90° to the axis of said wire receiving aperture, whereby said cutting pellet severs only one end of a wire in said wire receiving aperture upon propulsion by said piston.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The circuit breaker of claim 6 including a second compression spring to urge said ceramic pellet against a wire in said wire receiving slot thereby to retain the wire in the slot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
118 words
The circuit breaker of claim 1 wherein the rearward end of said wire cutting piston in formed with a larger diameter end followed by a reduced diameter portion, and wherein said retainer means comprises an L-shaped leaf spring positioned with one leg perpendicular to the axis of said piston and one leg parallel thereto, the perpendicular leg being formed adjacent its end with a keyhole slot to fit around the reduced diameter portion of said piston and engage the larger diameter end thereof while said leaf spring is retained by said fusible stop and to move the keyhole slot to permit the larger diameter end to pass by when said leaf spring is released by said fusible stop.
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) | 1980-06-13 | 1980-12-13 | 1981-06-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-06-13 | 1984-12-13 | 1985-06-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-06-13 | 1988-12-13 | 1989-06-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |