Circuit breaker with improved terminal connection means

Claim 1

A circuit breaker structure comprising a multi-pole circuit breaker and spaced bus conductors, said circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact for each pole, manually operable handle means for opening and closing the contacts, an insulating housing comprising front and rear end walls and opposite side walls, each pole for the circuit breaker comprising at least two vertically spaced incoming and outgoing terminals at the rear end wall, each terminal comprising at least one terminal finger, the spaced bus conductors comprising spaced incoming and outgoing conductor members each comprising at least one conductor finger interengageable with the at least one terminal finger of a corresponding terminal, the incoming terminal for all poles being horizontally spaced and aligned on one horizontal axis, the outgoing terminals for all poles being horizontally spaced and aligned on another horizontal axis and vertically spaced from that of the incoming terminals, first conductor means leading from each stationary contact to the corresponding incoming terminal, second conductor means leading from each movable contact to the corresponding outgoing terminal, the conductor means for each of the incoming and outgoing terminals of each pole being spaced apart, first releasable clamping means for holding the incoming terminal fingers in tight electrical surface-to-surface contact with corresponding conductor fingers, second releasable clamping means for holding outgoing terminal fingers in tight electrical surface-to-surface contact with the corresponding conductor fingers, the first clamping means comprising an elongated bolt and nut assembly for all poles, the second clamping means comprising another elongated bolt and nut assembly for all poles, dielectric spacer means on each bolt and between the terminals, and at least one of the nut and bolt end portions of each of said clamping means being disposed externally of the side walls and front elevational-view dimensions of the housing so that at least one of the nut and bolt end portions is accessible from the front end wall of said circuit breaker to receive a securing member that may be used to removably secure or release said assembly.