Circuit breaker with improved trip mechanism
US4080582A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 15, 1976 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 1978 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 15, 1996 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H71/128
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A single-pole circuit breaker or a plural-pole circuit breaker of the type having a common trip bar extending between poles whereby any pole tripping acts therethrough to trip the other pole or poles. The breaker is provided with an improved trip mechanism comprising a subassembly for each pole wherein all of the thermal and magnetic trip elements are mounted on a breaker terminal plate that acts as a base therefor and which is secured to the breaker housing. This trip mechanism also comprises shunt contacts mounted on the armature and bimetal for closing a protective shunt across the bimetal on magnetic trip and for rocking action on shunt contacts due to bimetal movement to break any welds therebetween; a field test mechanism having a spring-biased rotary trip member accessible from the outside and an eccentric lever attached thereto for manually tripping the breaker for test purposes; and an insulator lining the lower surface of the contact finger to prevent the arc from re-striking below the contact when the contacts trip open thereby to enhance completion of the tripping action.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.