US3319034A

US3319034A - Circuit breaker having means for readily indicating the position thereof

Info

Publication number: US3319034A
Application number: US531427A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francis L Gelzheiser; Wesley L Baum
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1966-03-03
Filing date: 1966-03-03
Publication date: 1967-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-09

Description

May 9. 1967 F. L. GELZHEISER ETAL 3,319,034

CIRCUIT BREAKER HAVING MEANS FOR READILY INDICATING THE POSITION THEREOF Filed March 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Cl WI WITNESSES M INVENTORS @y Froncis L. Gelzheiser 0nd Wesley L. Baum g Q Q.z T 1%. ML

ATTORNEY May 9, 1967 F. 1.. GELZHEISER ETAL 3,319,034

CIRCUIT BREAKER HAVING MEANS FOR READILY INDICATING'THE POSITION THEREOF Filed March 3, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet :3

TRIPPED United States Patent 3,319,034 CIRCUIT BREAKER HAVING MEANS F011 READILY INDICATING THE POSITION THEREOF Francis L. Gelzheiser, Fairfield, Conn., and Wesley L.

Baum, Downey, Calif., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 531,427 Claims. (Cl. 200-167) This invention relates to electric circuit breakers and more particularly to means for indicating the operation of circuit breakers.

In certain applications, a circuit breaker may be employed to protect a critical load circuit or as part of a completely automatic protection system in which operating personnel may not be present to observe the automatic operation of a circuit breaker due to an overload condition in the associated load circuit and to take certain corrective actions which may be desirable in view of such an automatic operation of the circuit breaker. In larger circuit breakers, where space is available, an auxiliary switch of a conventional type may be provided to actuate an associated indicating means, such as a bell or light, or to actuate an associated control means, such as a. relay, to initiate corrective action when a circuit breaker opens or trips automatically due to an overload condition. In other applications, it is desirable to initiate a particular action or to provide an indication when a circuit breaker is manually actuated to the open position, either deliberately or inadvertently. In relatively larger circuit breakers where space is available, conventional auxiliary switches may also be employed for this purpose. In relatively small circuit breakers, particularly those of the molded case type, where the available space is severely limited, a problem arises in providing a suitable means for indicating or signaling either the automatic or manual operation of the circuit breaker. It is therefore desirable to provide an improved means for indicating or signaling either the automatic or manual operation of the circuit breaker or for independently indicating or signaling both types of operations of a circuit breaker.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved means for indicating or signaling the operation of a circuit breaker.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved means for indicating the automatic operation of a circuit breaker in response to the occurrence of predetermined overload conditions.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved means for indicating the manual operation of a circuit breaker.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an improved means for independently indicating or signaling both the automatic and manual operations of a circuit breaker.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view, partly cut away and partly in section, of a circuit breaker embodying the principal features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in section, of the circuit breaker shown in FIG. 1, taken along the lines 11-11 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, in section, of the circuit breaker shown in FIG. 1, taken along the line IIIIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the positions of certain parts of the circuit breaker shown in FIG. 1 following an automatic tripping operation of the circuit breaker; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the positions of certain parts of the circuit breaker shown in FIG. 1 following a manual opening operation of the circuit breaker shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings and FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, there is illustrated a circuit breaker of the duplex or two compartment type indicated generally at CB. The circuit breaker CB includes a housing which is formed from an electrically insulating material and which comprises two housing parts 11 and 13 and a cover member 15. Each of the housing parts 11 and 13 comprises a back portion which is molded integrally with four sides forming an open front. The open front of the housing part 11 is covered by the back portion of the housing part 13 and the open front of the housing part 13 is covered by the cover member 15 with the three housing parts 11, 13 and 15 being rigidly held together by a plurality of rivets 16. It is to be noted that the overall housing formed by the housing parts 11, 13 and 15 includes three spaced, generally parallel side walls as indicated at W1, W2 and W3 between which are formed two compartments, as indicated generally at C1 and C2 in FIG. 1. It is also to be noted that the circuit breaker CB is of a type which is described in greater detail in my copending application Serial No. 51,963 filed August 25, 1960, now Patent No. 3,240,902 and in US. Patent No. 3,213,241 issued October 19, 1965, to F. L. Gelzheiser et al. which are both assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, the circuit interrupting means disposed in the housing of the circuit breaker CB just described includes a stationary contact 21, a movable contact 23, a supporting metal frame indicated generally at 25, an operating mechanism indicated generally at 27, and a trip device or means indicated generally at 29.

The stationary contact 21 is welded or otherwise secured to a terminal conducting member or terminal clip as indicated generally at 31 in FIG. 2. The stationary contact 21 cooperates with the movable contact 23 which is Welded or otherwise secured to a small flange 46 of a generally C-shaped contact or switch arm 41. The switch arm 41 and the associated movable contact 23 are actuated between the open and closed positions with respect to the stationary contact 21 by means of an operating member indicated generally at 43 having a V-shaped opening 45 therein. The opening 45 is positioned to receive a projection 47 of the metallic frame 25 with the operating member 43 being biased upwardly, as viewed in FIG. 2, by means to be hereinafter described to a position wherein the lower edges of the projection 47 pivotally engage the side walls of the V-shaped opening 45. The switch arm 41 is bent over at its upper end, as indicated at 43, and an opening or slot (not shown) is stamped or formed in the part 48 to receive a projecting portion 53 of the operating member 43 which extends into the slot to position the operating member 43 relative to the switch arm 41. The pivot depressions 51 are provided in the bent-over portion 48 of the switch arm 41. The pivoting portions 55 of the operating member 43 are provided on the opposite sides of the projecting portion 53 of the operating member 43 and pivotally engage the depressions 51 in the switch arm 41.

In order to actuate the switch arm 41 externally of the housing of the circuit breaker CB, the operating member includes a handle portion 57 which may be molded integrally with the operating member 43 and which extends through an opening 61 in the housing of the circuit breaker CB whereby the mechanism of the :ircuit breaker CB may be manually operated to open 1nd close the circuit breaker CB. The arcuate surfaces 53 provided on the opposite sides of the handle 57 sub- ;tantially close the opening 61 in all positions of the )perating member 43. Motion is transmitted from the Jperating member 43 to the switch arm 41 when the cirzuit breaker CB is manually operated and from the switch arm 41 to the operating member 43 and its associated aandle portion 57 when the breaker CB is automatically tripped open by means to be described hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 25 of the circuit breaker CB supports an insulating pivot member 65 and, in turn, a normally latched trip member 79 which is pivotally supported at one end 80 which includes a bight portion that is pivotally supported in a slot provided in the insulating pivot member 65. The other end of the trip member 79, as indicated at 8 2, includes alatch portion 83 which rests on a ledge 85 on an armature 86 to support the trip member 79 in a normally latched position. The armature 86 forms part of the trip device 29 which will be described hereinafter. The

opposite ends

80 and 82 of the trip member 79 are laterally offset with each of said ends being disposed in a plane which is parallel to and spaced from the plane in which the main body portion of the trip member 79 is disposed. A spring 88 is connected under tension at one end in a slot 89 in the lower end of the switch arm 41 and at the other end in a slot in a projection 93 which extends laterally from the main body portion of the trip member 79.

In order to complete the electric circuit which extends through the circuit breaker CB, the movable switch arm 41 is electrically connected by the flexible conductor 95 to the free end of a bimetal 97 which is secured near its other end to a projection 101 on the supporting frame 25. A terminal conductor 103 is welded or otherwise secured to the upper end of the bimetal 97 to electrically connect the bimetal 97 to a terminal structure that is indicated generally at 104. -In order to facilitate the extinction of an are which may be established when the switch arm 41 is actuated about its pivot in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 2 to open the

contacts

21, 23, an arc chamber 111 is provided adjacent to the bottom of the circuit breaker housing with one end of the arc chamber 111 being connected by a vent passage 113 to an opening at the right end of the housing beneath the terminal structure 104.

The circuit breaker CB may be manually operated to open and close the

contacts

21, 23 by means of the insulating handle 57. It is assumed initially that the circuit breaker CB is in the closed or on position, as shown in FIG. 2. Clockwise movement of the handle 57 from the position shown in FIG. 2 actuates the upper end of the switch arm to the left of the line of action of the spring 88 whereupon the spring 88 acts to move the contact arm 41 with a snap action to the open or off position. A projection 1199 which may be molded integrally with the housing part 11 acts as a stop to limit the pivotal movement of the contact arm 41 during an opening operation. After the circuit breaker CB has been actuated manually to the open or off position, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 5, the circuit breaker CB can then be manually closed by counterclockwise movement of the operating handle 57 from the position shown in FIG. to the closed or on position shown in FIG. 2. This movement of the handle 57 actuates the upper end of the switch arm 41 to the right of the line of action of the spring 88 whereupon the spring 88 returns the switch arm 41 and, as viewed in FIG. 2, returns the

contacts

21, 23 to the closed position shown in FIG. 2 with a snap action. 'It is to be noted that movement of the handle 57 in either direction is limited by the surfaces 115 provided on the opposite ends of the operating member 43 which engages the inner surfaces of the associated housing part 11 at either 4- extreme position of the handle 57 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5.

The trip device 29 includes the bimetal 97, a U-shaped magnet member 117, the armature 86 which is pivotally supported on the bimetal 97, and a spring 11-9 which biases the armature 86 in a counterclockwise direction about itspivot. Upon the occurrence of an overload current below a predetermined value, the bimetal 97 becomes heated and the bimetal 97 deflects to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2. ,Due to the engagement of a tail portion 121 of the armature 86 with the bimetal 97, the armature 86 is carried to the right with the bimetal 97 to thereby release the trip member 79, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4. Whenthe normally latched trip member 79 is released, the spring 88 acts to rotate the trip member 79 clockwise about its pivot 65 until the stop portion 133 provided on the trip member 79 engages the projection 109 on the housing part 11. During the movement of the trip member 79 after it is released, the line of action of the spring '88 moves to the right of the pivot 55, 51 of the switch arm 41 whereupon the spring 88 operates to move the switch arm 41 to the open position shown in FIG. 4. During the opening movement of the switch arm 41, the line of action of the force exerted by the switch arm 41 on the operating member 43 shifts across the pivot 45, 4'7 and actuates the operating member 43 and the associated handle portion 57 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2. In order to provide an external visual indication that the circuit breaker CB has been automatically tripped open, this clockwise movement of the operating member 43 is stopped in a position intermediate its two extreme operating positions when a projection 135 which may be molded integrally with the operating member 43 strikes the projection 93 which projects laterally from the trip member 79 and also supports the upper end of the spring 88, as best shown in FIG. 4. It is to be noted that the circuit breaker CB is trip-free in that the circuit breakers CB will automatically trip open as just described even though the handle 57 is held in theclosed position shown in FIG. 2.

Before the

contacts

21, 23 of the circuit breaker CB can be closed following :an automatic opening operation, it is necessary to reset and relatch the operating mechanism of the circuit breaker CB. This is accomplished by moving the handle 57 in a clockwise direction from the tripped position shown in FIG. 4 to a position slightly beyond the full open position, as shown in FIG. 5. During this clockwise movement of the handle 57, the projection 135 on the operating member 43 engages the projection 93 on the trip member 79 and actuates the trip member 79 in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, until the latch point 83 of the trip member 79 is again supported in a normally latched position on the ledge on the armature 86, as shown in FIG. 5.

The circuit breaker GB is tripped automatically and substantially instantaneously by the

electromagnet structure

97, 117, 86 in response to overload currents above the predetermined value previously mentioned. Upon the flow of current through the bimetal 97, the magnetic flux which is set up around the bimetal 97 follows the path of least reluctance through the magnet 117 across an air gap 139 and through the armature 86. When an overload current above the predetermined value occurs, the pull of the magnetic flux which results is of such strength that the armature 86 is attracted to the magnet 117 with the armature 86 pivotally moving in a clockwise direction on the bimetal 9'7 to release the trip member 79. The

contacts

21, 23 are then opened in the same manner as previously described in connection with the thermal tripping operation.

In order to provide a signal which may be used to either actuate an associated indicating or alarm means or to initiate some desired action by energizing control means such as a relay, whenever the circuit breaker CB is tripped open automatically, either thermally or magnetically, as previously described, in response to the occurrence of predetermined overload conditions, a signaling means 200 is provided which includes a first elongated member or plunger 210 that is slidably disposed in an opening 282 in the intermediate side wall W2 of the housing of the circuit breaker CB, as best shown in FIG. 1. One end of the elongated member or plunger 210 which is preferably formed from an electrically insulating material projects inwardly into the first compartment C1 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB to laterally engage the projection 93 on the trip member 79 when the circuit breaker CB is in the closed or on position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The other end of the elongated member 210 is preferably secured to the upper or free end of a leaf spring conducting member 260 which forms part of the signaling means 299 and which is pivotally supported at the lower end on the side wall W2 in the second compartment C2 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB by suitable means, such as a rivet or screw 232. The upper end of the resilient conducting member 260 is free to move toward and away from the side wall W2 and biases the elongated member 210 inwardly into the first compartment C1 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB to bear against the projection 93 on a trip member 79 when the circuit breaker CB is in the closed position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The resilient conducting member 260 includes a relatively movable contact portion 262 which may be formed integrally with and project laterally from the main body portion of the conducting member 260 adjacent to the contact portion 280A of a relatively stationary conducting member 280 which is also mounted or supported on the intermediate wall portion W2 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB by suitable means, such as the rivet 252. The stationary conducting member 280 is also preferably formed from a resilient or spring type conducting material and includes an upper contact portion 28013 which is spaced away from the intermediate wall portion W2 similarly to the lowercontact portion 280A of the conducting member 280 for reasons which will be explained hereinafter. In order to limit the movement of the elongated member 210 under the influence of the biasing force of the resilient conducting member 260 into the first compartment C1 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB, the shoulder portion 212 is provided on the elongated member 210 intermediate the ends of the elongated member 210 to engage the side wall portion W2 during the operation of the signaling means 200, as will be explained hereinafter.

In the operation of the signaling means 200, when the circuit breaker CB trips or opens automatically in response to predetermined overload conditions, the projection 93 on the trip member 79 moves from the position shown in FIG. 3, in which the end of the elongated member 210 away from the conducting member 260 engages the projection 93 and in which the conducting member 260 is spaced from the contact portion 280A of the associated stationary conducting member 280, to the position shown in FIG. 4 in which the elongated member 210 moves inwardly into the first compartment C1 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB under the influence of the biasing force exerted on the elongated member 210 by the resilient conducting memher 260 whereupon the contact portion 252 of the resilient conducting member 260 electrically engages the lower contact portion 280A of the relatively stationary conducting member 280. When the circuit breaker CB is manually closed as previously described following an automatic tripping or opening operation, the projection 93 on the trip member 79 moves back to the normal position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to thereby actuate the elongated member 210 outwardly from the first compartment C1 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 to thereby open the

separable contact portions

262 and 280A of the conducting

members

260 and 280, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1. It is to be noted that the end of the elongated member 210 which engages the projection 93 on the trip member 79 is curved or shaped in configuration to facilitate the actuation of the elongated member by the projection 93 on the trip member 79.

In order to visually indicate or signal an automatic tripping operation of the circuit breaker CB, as shown in FIG. 3, the conductors L2 and L3 may be electrically connected to the conducting

members

260 and 280, respectively. An indicating device, such as the indicating light I2, may be connected in series with the conductor L3 between the conductor L3 and one terminal T2 of a source of electric current. The conductor L2 may be connected to the other terminal T71 of the source of electric current to energize the indicating light I2 whenever the circuit breaker CB opens automatically and the conducting

members

260 and 280 engage to close the circuit which extends from the terminal T1 through the conductor L2, the conducting member 280, the conducting member 260, the conductor L3 and the indicating light 12 to the terminal T2. It is to be understood that the indicating light I2 may be disposed inside the second compartment C2 and may be located adjacent to a transparent cover which may be provided at the upper end of the housing part 13 adjacent to the operating handle 57 to be visible externally of the breaker CB or the indicating light may be located externally of the circuit breaker CB with the conductors L2 and L3 extended outside of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB through the vent passage 113 at the bottom of the housing part 13 in the second compartment C2.

In order to provide a signal Whenever the circuit breaker CB is manually opened, a second signaling means 250 is provided which includes a similar elongated memher or plunger 22!) which may be slidably disposed in an opening 292 in the side wall portion W2 of the housing of the circuit breaker CB, as best shown in FIG. 1. One end of the elongated member or plunger 220 projects inwardly int-o the first compartment C1 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB to normally engage the portion of the operating member 43 at the right end of the operating member 43, as viewed in FIG. 3. The other end of the elongated member 220 is preferably secured to the upper or free end of a leaf spring or resilient conducting member 270 of the signalling means 250 by suitable means, such as a rivet. The lower end of the conducting member 270 is pivotally supported on the side wall portion W2 inside the second compartment C2 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker OB by suitable means, such as a rivet or screw 242. The conducting member 270 includes a contact portion 272 which may be formed integrally with and project laterally from the main body portion of the conducting member 270 at the upper or free end of the conducting member 270, which is similarly designed to bias the elongated member 220 inwardly into the first compartment C1 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB. The contact portion 272 of the conducting member 270 is disposed adjacent to and normally spaced from the contact portion 280B at the upper end of the stationary conducting member 289 when the circuit breaker CB is in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 3 and mso when the circuit breaker CB is in the autow matically tripped position, as shown in FIG. 4. The elongated member 220 also includes a shoulder portion as indicated at 222 to limit the movement of the elongated member 220 into the first compartment C1 of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB with the end of the elongated member 220 which engages the operating member 43 being curved or shaped to facilitate the movement of the elongated member 220 by the operating member 43.

In the operation of the signaling means 250, which ncludes the elongated member 220 and the resilient conlucting member 270, when the circuit breaker CB is actrated to the open or fully off position shown in FIG. P, the operating member 43 moves to a position in which he operating member 43 no longer engages the elongated nember 225 which then moves inwardly into the first :ompartment C1 of the insulating housing of the circuit )reaker CB under the influence of the biasing force of the 'esilient conducting member 270, and the contact portion 372 of the conducting member 270 engages the contact portion 280B at the upper end of the stationary conductng member 285. When the operating handle 57 is nanually actauted to close the circuit breaker CB the operating member 43 is returned to its normal position in which the elongated member 220 is actuated to the position shown in FIG. 1 in which the contact portions 272 and 2808 of the conducting

members

270 and 280, respectively, are disengaged or spaced from one another. It is to be noted that the contact portion 272 of the conducting member 270 remains in an open circuit position with respect to the associated contact portion 280B of the conducting member 280 when a circuit breaker CB is either in the closed position shown in FIG. 3 or when the circuit breaker CB is automatically tripped open with the operating member 43 shown in the intermediate position of FIG. 4 so that the contact portions 272 and 28GB of the conducting members 70 and 280, respectively, only engage when the circuit breaker CB is manually opened to the position shown in FIG. 5.

In order to indicate or signal the manual opening of the circuit breaker CB, an additional conductor L1 may be electrically connected to the lower end of the conducting member 270 as shown in FIG. 3 and an indicating device, such as an indicating light 11, may be electrically connected in series with the conductor L1 between the conductor L1 and the terminal of the source of electric current as indicated at T2. Whenever the contact portions 272 and 2808 are actuated to the closed position in response to the manual opening of the circuit breaker CB, the indicating light I1 will be energized through a closed circuit which extendsfrom the terminal T1 through the conductor L2, the stationary conducting member 280, the conducting member 270, the conductor L1, the indicating light II to the terminal T2 of the source of electric current. It is to be understood that the indicating light 11 may also be disposed inside the second compartment C2 adjacent to a transparent cover at the upper end of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB adjacent to the operating handle 57 or that the indicating light or means I1 may be disposed externally of the circuit breaker CB with the leads L1 and L2 passing out of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker CB through the vent passage 113 similarly to the output leads L2. and L3 of the signaling means 200 previously described.

It is to be understood that either or both of the signaling means 200 and 250 as disclosed may be provided in a particular application. It is also to be understood that the signaling means 200 and 250 may be electrically connected to actuate a common indicating or control device. It is to be further understood that although the signaling means 200 and 250 may be conveniently disposed in the second compartment of a circuit breaker having a duplex type housing, that in certain applications one or both of the signaling means 200 and 250 may be disposed or mounted externally of the housing on one of the two spaced side walls of a circuit breaker having a single compartment.

The apparatus embodying the teachings of this invention has several advantages. For example, the signaling or switching means 200 and 250, which are independently responsive to the automatic and manual openings of a relatively small circuit breaker, may be conveniently disposed in one of the compartments of a circuit breaker having a duplex or two compartment housing. In addition, the signaling or indicating means as disclosed is uniquely adapted for application in a very compact circuit breaker structure where the available space is severely limited. Finally, the signaling means as disclosed may be employed to signal either the automatic or manual opening operation of a relatively small circuit breaker and may be employed to actuate indicating or control devices which may be disposed internally of the insulating housing of the circuit breaker or externally at a location which is remote from the circuit breaker.

Since numerous changes may be made in the abovedescribed apparatus, and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all the matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim as our invention:

1. A circuit breaker comprising an insulating housing having at least two spaced, generally parallel side walls, a pair of separable contacts disposed within the housing, trip means including a pivotally supported trip member disposed within the housing and movable generally parallel to the side walls from a first to a second position to actuate the opening of the contacts upon the occurrence of predetermined overload conditions, an elongated member projecting through an opening in one of the side walls to engage the trip member in the first position and movable generally perpendicular to the side walls by the movement of the trip member, and an additional pair of separable contacts mounted on said one of the side walls, one of the additional pair of contacts movable by the elongated member about an axis which is generally parallel to the side walls to engage the other contact of the additional pair when the trip member moves from the first position to the second position.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of the additional pair of contacts is a resilient conducting member which bears against one end of the elongated member to bias the elongated member toward the path of movement of the trip member.

3. A circuit breaker comprising an insulating housing having at least two spaced, generally parallel side walls, separable contacts disposed within the housing, trip means disposed within the housing including a normally latched member which is released upon the occurrence of predetermined overload conditions to move between first and second positions generally parallel to the side walls, an elongated member disposed in an opening in one of the side walls to engage the latched member in the first position and movable between two positions generally perpendicular to the side walls, by the movement of the latched member and a pair of separable contacts mounted on said one of the side walls to be actuated between open and closed positions by the movement of the elongated member when the normally latched member moves.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3 wherein one of the pair of contacts mounted on said one of the side walls is a relatively stationary contact and the other contact is a resilient flat strip conducting member which is pivotally supported at one end on said one of the side walls and having the other end movable to bear against one end of the elongated member and to bias the elongated member toward the path of movement of the normally latched member.

5. A circuit breaker comprising an insulating housing having at least two spaced, generally parallel side walls and a front wall connecting the side walls and having an opening therein, separable contacts disposed within the housing, an operating member disposed within the housing and pivotally movable generally parallel to the side walls between two positions to open and closethe con.- tacts, a handle extendingethrough the opening and operatively connected to the operating member, said handle movable generally parallel to the side walls between first and second positions to actuate the operating member between said two positions, trip means disposed Within the housing and including a trip member which is movable generally parallel to the side Walls upon the occurrence of predetermined overload conditions to actuate the operating member to open the contacts, an elongated member disposed in an opening in one of the side walls adjacent to the trip member to move generally perpendicular to the side wall portions when the trip member moves to actuate the operating means, and separable contact means mounted on the other side of said one of the side wall to be engaged and actuated by the movement of the elongated member between open and closed positions.

6. The combination as claimed in claim wherein an additional elongated member is slidably disposed in an opening in said one of the side Walls adjacent to the handle to engage the handle in only one of the positions of the handle and to move generally perpendicular to the side walls when the handle moves between the first and second positions, and additional separable contact means are mounted on the other side of said one of the side walls'to be engaged and actuated by the movement of the additional elongated member between open and closed positions.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein the housing includes an additional spaced side wall with first and second compartments defined between the respective side walls of the housing, the last-mentioned separable contact means only disposed in the second compartment of the housing.

8. A circuit breaker comprising an enclosing housing having two spaced, generally parallel side walls and a front wall with an opening therein connecting the side walls, a pair of contacts disposed within the housing, an operating structure pivotally supported within the housing and pivotally movable generally parallel to the side walls between two positions to open and close the contacts, a handle extending through the opening and operatively connected to the operating structure, the handle movable generally parallel to the side Walls between two positions to actuate the operating structure between its two corresponding positions, trip means disposed within the housing and operatively connected to the operating structure, said trip means including a trip member which is movable generally parallel to the side walls to actuate the operating structure to open the contacts and move the handle to a third position intermediate said two positions of the handle, a pair of elongated members disposed in corresponding openings in one of the side wall portion in the paths of movement of the handle and the trip member,

respectively, to be actuated for movement thereby gen= erally perpendicular to the side walls and separable c011- .tact means disposed on the side wall adjacent to each of the elongated members and independently responsive to the movements of the elongated members when the trip means and the handle actuate the operating structure to open the pair of contacts.

9. A circuit breaker comprising an insulating housing including at least two spaced, generally parallel side walls and a front wall connecting the side walls and having an opening therein, a pair of separable contacts disposed within the housing, an operating member including a handle portion which projects out through the opening, said operating member movable generally parallel to the side walls between first and second positions to open and close the contacts, an elongated member passing through an opening in one of the side walls to engage the operating member in its first position and movable transversely with respect to the side walls by the movement of the operating member and an additional pair of separable contact means mounted on said one of the side Walls to be actuated by the movement of the elongated member between open and closed positions when the operating member moves between its first and second positions to open and close the first-mentioned contacts.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein a tripping means is provided Within the housing and operatively connected to the first-mentioned contacts to actuate said contacts to the open position upon the occurrence of predetermined overload conditions and to actuate the operating member to a third position intermediate said first and second position, said elongated member disposed to engage said operating member in both it first and third positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1954 Boller et al 200167 5/1963 Pastene et a1 200-167

Claims

1. A CIRCUIT BREAKER COMPRISING AN INSULATING HOUSING HAVING AT LEAST TWO SPACED, GENERALLY PARALLEL SIDE WALLS, A PAIR OF SEPARABLE CONTACTS DISPOSED WITHIN THE HOUSING, TRIP MEANS INCLUDING A PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED TRIP MEMBER DISPOSED WITHIN THE HOSING AND MOVABLE GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE SIDE WALLS FROM A FIRST TO A SECOND POSITION TO ACTUATE THE OPENING OF THE CONTACTS UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF PREDETERMINED OVERLOAD CONDITIONS, AN ELONGATED MEMBER PROJECTING THROUGH AN OPENING IN ONE OF THE SIDE WALLS TO ENGAGE THE TRIP MEMBER IN THE FIRST POSITION AND MOVABLE GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE SIDE WALLS BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE TRIP MEMBER, AND AN ADDITIONAL PAIR OF SEPARABLE CONTACTS MOUNTED ON SAID ONE OF THE SIDE WALLS, ONE OF THE ADDITIONAL PAIR OF CONTACTS MOVABLE BY THE ELONGATED MEMBER ABOUT AN AXIS WHICH IS GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE SIDE WALLS TO ENGAGE THE OTHER CONTACT OF THE ADDITIONAL PAIR WHEN THE TRIP MEMBER MOVES FROM THE FIRST POSITION TO THE SECOND POSITION.