US2447137A

US2447137A - Switch construction

Info

Publication number: US2447137A
Application number: US487883A
Authority: US
Inventors: Glenn R Runke
Original assignee: Line Material Co
Current assignee: Line Material Co
Priority date: 1943-05-21
Filing date: 1943-05-21
Publication date: 1948-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1965-08-17

Description

G. R. RUNKE SIITCH GONSTRUG'HQN Aug. 17, 1948.

Filed lay 21. 1943 I 3 Sheets-Shoot 1 Maui/01v IN V EN TOR. 611m! A. flaw/m 17, 1943- I G. R. RUNKE 2,447,137

SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Filed May 21, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 17, 1948 SWITCH CONSTRUCTION Glenn R; Runke, Racine, Wls., aasignor to Line Material Company, South Milwaukee, Win, a

corporation of Delaware Application May 21, 1943, Serial No. 487,883

This invention relates to a switch construction. -'In greater detail, this invention relates primarily to aswitch construction of the circuit breaker type.

Objects of this invention are to provide a circuit breaker which has a quick make and a quick break, which has condition responsive means of the trip type, which is so constructed that it releases the circuit breaker so that the circuit breaker will open under predetermined conditions, and which is provided with a handle or other operating means for normally opening and closing the circuit breaker and for resetting the trip means, the trip means and the operating means being so related that the trip means will operate to release the circuit breaker irrespective of the position of the operating means and irrespective 01' any motion that the operating means may be executing at the time the trip means operates so that the trip means 'is trip free and will operate no matter whether the operating means is forcibly held in closed position or is being moved from one position to another.

Further objects are to provide a circuit breaker which is so constructed that the circuit breaker cannot be closed until the trip means has moved back to normal position, and in which the resetting of the trip means is accomplished by moving the operating means towards openposition, such motion being followed by movement to closed position after the resetting of the trip means when it is desired to again close the circuit breaker after the occurrence of the predetermined condition.

Further objects are to provide a construction in which the trip means may be either thermostatically or magnetically or otherwise operated and which has either a quick action or a delayed action and which is adjustable so that the condition to which vit will respond may be predetermined.

Further objects are to provide a circuit breaker which has a heavy contact pressure when it is the parts during the opening and closing of the circuit breaker or during the resetting of the trip 2 means as the mechanism is so arranged that during resetting, for example, relatively small forces or pressures are exerted between the cooperating parts, thereby minimizing wear.

Further objects are to provide a circuit breaker in which the trip means is required to exert only a very small force in order to cause automatic operation, the relation of the parts insuring relatching without any chance of wedging or jamming either the trip mechanism as a whole or any portion of the latch means.

In circuit breakers of the toggle link type, as heretofore constructed, it has been a common practice to pivot one end of the toggle link mechanism at one point and deliver the force due to the toggle action from the other pivoted end of the toggle link mechanism. This old arrangement produced a true toggle action.

Further objects of this invention are to provide a switch which may be of the circuit breaker type with mechanism which includes a air of members pivoted together with the outer end of one of the members pivoted at one point and with the other member constituting a follower and mounted so that it is merely guided and arranged to carry the movable contact, and to so organize and arrange the mechanism that there is no toggle action until the movable contact engages a stationary contact and to have yielding means for one of the contacts.

Further objects are to provide a circuit breaker which does not require the collapse of a toggle mechanism when it is automatically released, as on overload for instance, but in which a follower is suddenly directly pulled by spring means away irom'the stationary contact to thereby secure a very'quick break so that the speed with which the contacts are separated, even at the initial portion of the movement of separation, is greater than that which would have been provided by the collapse of a toggle mechanism arrangement.

Further objects are to provide a circuit breaker construction which issturdy and is reliable in operation, which may be installed in a transformer case and submerged in the oil in the transformer case if desired, and which if a thermostatic trip means is employed, may be arranged to have the thermostatic means respond solely to the heat generated by current passing through the thermostatic means or to the combined action of the heat in the oil from the transformer or other device as well as from the heat due to the current passing through the thermostatic means, or may be arranged to respond solely to the heat of the oil.

Embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the circuit breaker, such view corresponding approximately to a section on the line of Figure 2 and showing the circuit breaker in closed position, one of the upper links being sectioned off.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the circuit breaker with a part of the main operating means sectioned oil.

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing the circuit breaker after it has been manually opened.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding approximately to Figure 1 showing the circuit breaker after it has been automatically opened, such view. however, having parts broken away and having both of the upper links shown.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail showing the thermostatic means.

Figure 6 is a view showing the circuit breaker mounted in a transformer casing.

Figure '7 is a sectional view onthe line 1-1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view showing another manner in which the circuit breaker may be mounted.

Figure 9 is a wiring diagram.

- Figure 10 is a view of a further form of condition responsive means.

Before proceeding with the detailed description of this invention it is to be understood that the circuit breaker may have either a single switch means or a plurality of switch means, a circuit breaker with a single switch means having been chosen for the sake of illustration.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the circuit breaker comprises an insulatin body portion which has a base I and a pair of insulating upstanding walls 2 carried thereby. Between these walls a floating follower 3is provided which is preferably formed of two spaced, generally triangularly shaped plates integrally joined by a transverse lower web 4 and also joined by a transverse upper web. 5. Each side wall of the follower or member 3 is provided with an elongated slot6 which is slidably guided by means of a pin 8 supported from the walls 2 and provided with a roller 1, so that the follower 3 may rock about the pin 8 or may have translatory motion with or without rocking, thereby constituting the follower a floating member.

A movable contact 9 is slidable through an the links and the side walls of the follower For the sake of clearness one of the links has been sectioned oil in both Figures 1 and 3.

Main operating means in the form of a pair of levers 2| are pivoted on the pins 22 carried by the side walls 2 and are located on opposite sides of the channel-shaped floating follower 3. They are Joined at their upper ends by means of a transverse pin 2-3. The main operating levers or means 2| are operated in any suitable manner. For example, they may be operated by means of insulating links 24 connected t rock arms 25. The rock arms 25 are rlgidlymounted upon a rock shaft 26, see Figures 6 and 7, and the shaft 26 extends through the casing 21 of the transformer 28 and is provided with an operating handle 29 located externally of the transformer. This main operating means consisting of the levers 2| is adapted to be rocked from the full line position shown in Figure 1 to the dotted line position for opening the circuit breaker and is adapted to be rocked in the reverse direction for closing the circuit breaker, the closed position being shown in Figure 1 and the manually opened position being shown in Figure 3. A pin 30 is secured to the levers 2| and carries a reset roller or sleeve 3| whose purpose will hereinafter appear. Springs 32 extend between the pin 30 and the pin I9 and are always under tension. The ends of the springs 32 may be attached to members 3|! and I9 through which the pins 30 and I3, respectively, pass. These springs are located on opposite sides of the carrier M. It is to be noted that the carrier I4 is provided with a cam surface 33 which not only acts as a cam in a manner hereinafter to appear, but also acts as a stop, the sleeve or roller 3| engaging such surface as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and in full lines in Figure 3 to arrest the counterclockwise motion aperture in the transverse web 4 and is spring is provided wtih a terminal member i3. Obviously the contact 9 could be rigidly mounted on the follower and the contact i2 could be yieldingly supported.

A carrier I4 is mounted in spaced relation to the floating follower 3 and is pivot-ally mounted on a transverse pin i5, suitable spacer sleeves l6 being carried by the pin l5 to hold the carrier ll centrally between the walls 2 of the body portion.

An upper link structure H, which may be composed of a pair of separate links located on each side of the carrier It, is pivoted on the pin |8 to the carrier M and is pivoted by means of a pin as indicated at I!) to the floating follower '3. Suitable spacer sleeves 2|! are carried by the pin l9 and positioned between the links H, and between of the main operating means 2| when the circuit breaker is manually opened. I

From the description thus far given it is apparent that when the main operating means 2| is rocked from the full line position shown in Figure 1 towards the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, which is the full line position shown in Figure 3, the line of pull of the springs will pass a line joining the center of the pins l8 and i9. When it has passed to the left beyond such line, it will pull the pivoted link l1 suddenly to the left, thus causing the circuit breaker to move to open position with a sudden motion, the manually opened position being shown in Figure 3.

During this operation it is necessary for the pivoted link to slightly further compress the relatively heavy spring l0 and a considerable amount of energy is stored not only in the springs 32 but also in the spring Ill, all of which springs are effective during the actual opening motion of the circuit breaker, the effect of the spring l0 assisting in initiating the opening and the eifect of the springs 32 continuing throughout the entire opening stroke.

A slight sliding motion occurs between the floating follower 3 and the guiding pin 8.

When the main operating means 2| i rocked to the right from the full line position shown in Figure 3, it is apparent that when the line of pull of the springs 32 passes beyond .the line joining the center of the pins l9 and IS. the mechanism composed of the pivoted link H and the floating follower 3 will suddenly rock to the right and close the switch with a quick action, slightly compressing the relatively heavy spring in and caus- 5 ing a slight sliding action to occur between the floating follower 3 and the guiding pin 3.

A peculiar action is to be noted at this point. Heretofore in toggle link mechanisms it is the usual practice to transmit the force from the pivoted end of one of the links of the toggle mechanism. In the construction forming the subject matter of this invention, it is to be noted that the follower 3 is a floating follower and merely floats with reference to the guiding pin 9. There is no toggle action whatsoever in the mechanism hereinabove described until the contacts are in actual engagement and then the toggle action is between the links l1, a portion of the floating follower 3 and the spring l3 and the movable contact 9 bearing against the stationary contact If. During this portion of its operation the spring II is compressed and the movable contact 9 approaches nearer to the transverse member 5 than in the open position. Thus the effective arm, composed of a portion of the followe 3, the spring I and the movable contact 9, constitutes at most one link of a toggle link mechanism while the contacts are in actual engagement and such effective link shortens during the flnal portion of the closing motion of the circuit breaker.

It is to be noted that the follower '3 has both motion of translation and motion of rotation.

Motion to the right of the link |1 when the switch is in closed position is limited by engagement between the link l1 and the spacers I9 carried by the pin i5. From an examination of Figure l it'is apparent that the axis of the pin l9 has moved slightly to the right of a line joining the center of the movablecontact 9 and the pin 18 and consequently the mechanism tends to lock in this position as the line of pull of the springs 32 is to the right as viewed in Figure 1.

Means are provided for automatically opening the circuit breaker upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, such for example as overload. This is accomplished by providing condition responsive means, such as the thermal e1.- ment 34 which may be of inverted U-shape as shown in Figure and which is provided with an upper insulating head portion '35 through which an adjusting screw 36 is" threaded, such screw being provided with an insulating pin 31 adapted to release trip mechanism in a manner hereinafter to appear.

The flexible leader H is connected to one leg of the thermal element 34 and the terminal 38 is connected to the other leg of the thermal element. The thermal element is adapted to warp to the right as viewed in Figure -1 upon overload. The thermal element 34 may be of the common bimetallic type.

The latch mechanism may comprise a main latching lever 39, see Figure 1, which is pivoted on the pin 49 and is urged in a counterclockwise direction by means of the spring 4|, a stop pin 42 being provided to limit the motion of the main latch lever 39 when released. The main latch lever is composed of two side members integrally joined by a transverse portion 43. It is provided with a latching pin 44 which engages the flat upper face of a latching lip 45 integral with the carrier |4, it being noted that such lip is provided with a rounded lower portion which is adapted to engage a transverse portion 46 of the main latching lever 39 in a manner and undervconditions hereinafter to appear. Normally the main latch lever 39 is held in latched condition by means of an auxiliary latching lever 41 which is pivoted on the pin 49 and is spring urged 6 in a counterclockwise direction. It is provided with a pair of lower latching lips 49 which latch beneath the transverse portion 43 of the main latching lever and is provided with a transverse upper portion 50 against which the insulating portion or pin 31 of the adjusting screw is adapted to bear.

pin 49 of the main latch lever and that the point of contact between the transverse portion 43 of the main" latching lever and the latching lips 49 of the auxiliary lever is substantially vertically directly below the pivot pin 48 of the auxiliary latching lever. Thus frictional binding is minimized and a very small force is required to be exerted by the thermal element in orderto trip the compound latching mechanism.

When an overload occurs, the thermal element 34 warps to the right to the position shown in Figure 4 and releases the main latch lever from the auxiliary latching lever, which in turn releases the carrier M from the main latch lever. The carrier suddenly rocks upwardly and the follower 3 is suddenly jerked upwardly by means of the springs 32, the initial portion of the upward motion being assisted by the spring Hi. There is a slight rocking of the follower 3 due to the action of the link H but therelease is primarily due to the direct upward motion of the follower 3. It will be seen that the floating follower 3 slides a considerable distance with reference to the guiding pin 8 during this upward motion upon comparing Figures 1 and 4.

It is to be noted that the main operating mem-' ber 2| has rocked from the position shown in Figure 1 to the indicating position shown in Figure 4,- thus indicating that the circuit breaker has automatically opened.

When it is desired to reset the circuit breaker, the main operating means 2| is rocked from the position shown in Figure 4 to the left and the sleeve or roller 3| rides upon the slanting cam face 33 of the carrier and forces the carrier downwardly. The carrier is forced downwardly slightly beyond the position shown in Figure 1 and the rounded lower face of the lip 45 of the carrier engages the transverse finger 48 of the main latching lever 39 and rocks such lever to a position where it will be latched by the auxiliary latching lever 41. Thereafter the main operating means 2| is allowed to move slightly to the right and the carrier rises and its lip 45 latches beneath the pin 44 as shown in Figure 1.

No binding or wedging of the latch mechanism and no undue stressing of the thermal element can occur as the portion 43 of the main latch lever never leaves contact with the auxiliary latch lever 41 and clockwise motion of the main lever 39 does not impose any strain on the auxiliary latch lever 41. Obviously if the thermal element has not cooled, it will not be distorted even'if it is attempted to close the circuit breaker,

The circuit breaker may be mounted directly upon the transformer 29, as shown in Figure 6, and may be operated by means of the externally located handle 29, see Figure 7, as previously described. The circuit breaker may be mounted below the oil level indicated at 5| in Figure 6 so that the switch is operated in oil and so that the thermostatic element may be heated not only by the current passing therethrough but by the general temperature of the oil. The purpose of this is to allow the thermostatic element to respond not only to a relatively sudden overload but to perature of the oil which would result from a small and prolonged overload due to the heating of the transformer itself. Thus there may be affordedthe double protection of opening of the switch under the influence of an overload of reasonable magnitude or the opening of the switch from a prolonged small overload due to the heating of the transformer. It is obvious also that if desired the main current need not pass through the thermal member and the thermal member could then respond merely to the heat of the oil if so desired or the oil level could be so regulated that it is below the thermal member and then the thermal member would respond merely to the heat from the current passing therethrough.

The circuit breaker is also adapted for wall mounting. For example it may be mounted within a casing 52, as shown in Figure 8, and an insulating handle 53- may extend through the curved wall of the casing and may be directly attached to the operating member 2!, which corresponds to the operating member 2i hereinbefore described.

Figure 9 shows .a wiring diagram in which the circuit breaker contacts I2 and 9 and the thermal element 34 are connected in series with the secondary 54 of the transformer 28.

Obviously other forms of condition responsive means may be employed. For instance a solenoid type of condition responsive means is shown in Figure in which the solenoid 55 is adapted to raise the plunger 56 to thereby operate the bell crank lever 51 and move the adjusting screw 58 s pivotally mounted follower operatively connected to a movable contact, a co-operating contact adapted to be engaged and disengaged by said into contact with the auxiliary trip lever in the same manner as that hereinbefore described.

It is to be understood that the expression "condition responsive means includes not only the thermostatic member shown but also the associated levers or latch mechanism.

Any suitable form of time delay means may be provided such as the piston 59 connected to the plunger 56 and mounted within the cylinder 60, suitable apertures being provided in the cylinder for the fluid and a suitable sprin 6| being provided for returning the plunger to its lowermost position. The purpose of the time delay is to prevent the circuit breaker from suddenly opening for any sudden and extremely transitory overload for instance, but to allow th circuit breaker to open as promptly as desired for an overload for a period longer than that forwhich the time delay has been designed.

It is apparentthat the value of the condition to which the circuit breaker may respond may be determined by the setting of the adjusting screws 36, Figure 1, or 58, Figure 10.

Other time delay means of course could be employed and it is to be distinctly understood that the circuit breaker could be made to respond to over or under voltage, overload, phase reversal, or any other desired condition.

The circuit breaker chosen for illustration is a single switch unit type but obviously, as hereinbefore stated, the circuit breaker may be either a single or multiple switch type without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously embodied and is to be interpreted as claimed,

I claim: v

1. A switch construction comprisin a floating,

movable contact, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a point spaced from said follower, and main operating means for rocking said link, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement.

2. A switch construction comprising a floating, pivotally mounted follower operatively connected to a movable contact, a cooperating contact adapted to be engaged and disengaged by said movable contact, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a point spaced from said follower, main operating means, and spring means operatively joining said link and said main operating means for rocking said link when said main operating means is moved, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement.

3. A switch construction comprising a floating, pivotally mounted follower operatively connected to a movable contact, a, cooperating contact adapted to be engaged and disengaged by said movable contact, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a point spaced from said follower, main operating means, and spring means operatively joining said link and said main operating means for rocking said link when said main operating means is moved, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement, the line of thrust when said toggle action occurs extending directly from the spaced point through said contacts.

4. A switch construction comprising a floating follower operatively connected to a movable contact, a cooperating contact adapted to be engaged and disengaged by said movable contact, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a point spaced from said follower, means for guiding said follower and allowing both rotational and translatory motion of said follower, and main operating means for rocking said link, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement, the line of thrust when said contacts are in engagement extending directly through said contacts.

5. A switch construction comprising a floating follower operative connected to a movable contact, a cooperating contact adapted to be engaged and disengaged by said movable contact, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a, point spaced from said follower, said follower having a slot, guiding means extending through said slot, and main 0D- rating means for rocking said link, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement, the line of thrust when said contacts are in engagement extending directly through said contacts.

6. A switch construction comprising a floating, pivotally mounted follower operatively connected to a movable contact, a cooperating contact adapted to be engaged and disengaged by said movable contact, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a point spaced from said follower, and main operating means for rocking said link, said link and said floating follower having a toggleaction only when said contacts are in engagement, the li e of thrust when said contacts are in engagement 9 extending directly through said contacts, one of said contacts being yielding.

7. A switch construction comprising a floating, pivotally mounted follower, a movable contact yieldingly carried by said floating follower, a cooperating contact adapted to be engaged and disengaged by said movable contact, a link havin one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a point spaced from said follower, main operating means for rocking said link back and forth across a line joining the spaced point and the said cooperating contact, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement.

8. A switch construction comprising a floating, pivotally mounted follower, a movable contact yieldingly carried by said floating follower, a cooperating contact adapted to be engaged and disengaged by said movable contact, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a point spaced from said follower, main operating means for rocking said link back and forth across a line joining the spaced point and the said cooperating contact, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement, the line of thrust when said toggle action occurs extending directly from the spaced point through said contacts.

9. A switch construction comprising a stationary contact, a floating, pivotally mounted follower, a movable contact carried by said floating follower, spring means carried by said floating fo1- lower and urging said movable contact outwardly with reference to said floating follower, said movable contact being adapted to engage and disengage said stationary contact, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a point spaced from said follower, and main operating means for rocking said link back and forth across a line joining said stationary contact and the spaced point, said link and said floatin follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement.

10. A circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact, a floating follower having a movable contact adapted to engage and disengage said stationary contact, a movable carrier, condition responsive means normally holding said carrier against motion and releasing said carrier upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, said carrier being biased for motion away from said stationary contact, a link pivoted to said carrier and to said follower, and main operating means for rocking said link back and forth across a line joining the point at which said link is pivoted'to said carrier and said stationary contact, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action on y when said contacts are in engagement.

11. A circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact, a floating follower having a movable contact adapted to engage and disengage said stationary contact, a movable carrier, condition responsive means normally holding said carrier against motion and releasing said carrier upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, said carrier being biased for motion away from said stationary contact, a link pivoted to said carrier and to said follower, and main operating means for rocking said link back and forth across a line joining the point at which said link is pivoted to said carrier and said stationary contact, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts and in engagement, the line of thrust when said contacts arein engagement extending directly through said contacts.

12. A circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact, a floating follower, a movable contact yieldingly carried by said floating follower and adapted to engage and disengage said stationary contact, a movable carrier mounted in spaced relation to said floating follower and biased towards motion in a direction outwardly from said floating follower, condition responsive means normally holding said carrier against motion and releasing said carrier upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted to said carrier, and main operating means for rocking said link back and forth, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement.

yieldingly carried by said floating follower and adapted to engage and disengage said stationary contact, a movable carrier mounted in spaced relation to said floating follower and biased towards motion in a direction outwardly from said floating follower, condition responsive means normally holding said carrier against motion and releasing said carrier upon the occurence of a predetermined condition, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted to said carrier, and main operating means for rocking said link back and forth, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement, the line of thrust when said toggle action occurs extending directly from the point at which said link is pivoted to said carrier through said contacts.

14. A circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact, a floating follower, a movable contact yieldingly carried by said floating follower and adapted to engage and disengage said stationary contact, a movable carrier mounted in spaced relation to said floating follower and biased towards motion in a direction outwardly from said floating follower, condition responsive means normally holding said carrier against motion and releasing said carrier upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, a link having one end pivoted to said follower at a point flxed with relation to said follower andhaving the other end pivoted to said carrier, and main operating means for rocking said link back and forth, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement.

15. A circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact, a floating follower, a movable contact yieldingly carried by said floating follower and adapted to engage and disengage said stationary contact, a movable carrier mounted in spaced relation to said floating follower and biased towards motion in a direction outwardly from said floating follower, condition responsive means normally holding said carrier against motion and releasing said carrier upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, a link having one end pivoted to said follower at a point fixed with relation to said follower and having the other end pivoted to said carrier, and main operating means for rocking said link back and forth, said l k and said floating follower having a toggle 11 action only when said contacts are in engagement, the line of thrust when said toggle action occurs extending directly from the point at which said link is pivoted to said carrier through said contacts.

16. A circuit breaker comprising a stationary contact. a floating follower, a movable contact carried by said floating follower, spring means carriedby said floating follower and urging said movable contact outwardly with reference to said floating follower, said movable contact being adapted to engage and disengage said stationary contact, a movable carrier mounted in spaced relation to said floating follower and biased towards motion in a direction outwardly away from said floating follower, condition responsive means normally holding said carrier against motion and releasing said carrier for motion upon the occurrence of a predetermined condition, a link pivoted to said carrier and pivoted to said floating follower, and main operating means for rocking said link back and forth across a line joining said stationary contact and the point at which said link is pivoted to said carrier, said link and said-floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagemerit;

1'1. A circuit breaker comprising a stationary said floating follower and said main operating means moving to an indicating position under the influence of said spring means upon the release of said carrier.

movable main operating means, and spring means joining said main operating means and said link 18. A switch construction comprising a floating follower operatively connected to a movable contact, a cooperating contact adapted to be engaged and disengaged by said movable contact, a link having one end pivoted to said follower and having the other end pivoted at a point spaced from said follower, and main operating means for rocking said link about said spaced point without causing motion of said spaced point, said link and said floating follower having a toggle action only when said contacts are in engagement.

GLENN R. RUNKE.

REFERENCES crran The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,834,550 Reed Dec. 1, 1931 1,866,594 Elliott et al July 12, 1932 2,148,295 Hays Feb. 21, 1939 2,150,013 Von Hoorn Mar. 7, 1939