Eaton Corporation

David Herman Groves

Kurt A Grunert

David A Parks

David Edward Little

Jere L McKee

David Michael Olszewski

William Ellsworth Beatty

H Richard Beck

James P Ellsworth

Amelia Marie Stay

Thomas Ted Kuzniarski

Justin Matthew Dravis

A lockable fastener connects together a plurality of components of a circuit breaker and maintains electrical conductivity between the components while permitting relative movement therebetween. The lockable fastener includes a first clinch nut member and a second clinch bolt member. The clinch nut member includes a threaded cavity formed therein, a side having opening therein, and a passageway between the side at the opening and a surface proximate the threaded cavity. The clinch bolt member includes a threaded shank. At least a portion of the threaded shank is threadably receivable in the threaded cavity of the clinch nut member, in order to axially align the clinch nut and clinch bolt members. The clinch nut and clinch bolt members are adapted to be locked by deformation of the surface of the clinch nut member to prevent loosening of the members.

Lockable fastener and circuit breaker employing the same

An improved arc chute wrapper for an arc chute of a circuit breaker includes left and right halves that form a conjoined two-part member and that carry a plurality of spaced arc plates thereon. The left and right halves of the wrapper are formed with a plurality of left and right grooves, respectively, in confronting relation when the left and right halves are assembled together. The left and right grooves extend at most only partially into the arc chute wrapper, such that the arc chute wrapper is free of holes extending therethrough in the vicinity of the arc plates. The arc plates are free of spinning tabs extending outwardly therefrom, and rather are securely mounted in the left and right grooves of the wrapper. The arc chute wrapper is manufactured by molding or other appropriate method. The arc chute employing the wrapper of the present invention is more reliable, less expensive, and easier to produce than arc chutes employing wrappers and arc plates of the type heretofore known.

Two piece molded arc chute

A circuit breaker includes separable contacts for movement between a closed position and an open position to switch electrical current. An operating mechanism moves the separable contacts between the closed and open positions. A sensor senses the electrical current and outputs a sensed current signal corresponding to the electrical current. A shunt shunts a portion of the electrical current. A trip mechanism employs the sensed current signal to produce a trip signal. A trip actuator trips the operating mechanism to move the separable contacts to the open position. The trip actuator includes a trip solenoid having a coil energized by the trip signal and also includes one or more loops energized by the shunted portion of the electrical current.

Electrical switching apparatus employing twice-energized trip actuator

The handle operator for a circuit breaker mounted in an enclosure is locked in the OFF position when the enclosure is opened by a lock-out member which directly engages the operator member of the handle operator which contacts and moves the circuit breaker handle. The lock-out member is a metal plate having an engagement edge which is positioned transverse to an engagement edge of the metal plate forming the handle operator member. Preferably, the lock-out member plate has a slot in which the engagement edge of the operator plate is received. The operator plate is pivotally mounted for rotation in its own plane and the lock-out plate slides parallel to the operator plate and has a flange providing the engagement edge which engages the operator plate at a point where any attempt to rotate the operator plate to move the circuit breaker handle toward the ON position, jams the lock-out plate into tighter contact with the operator plate. Preferably, the flange of the lock-out plate is bent at an angle which places it perpendicular to the engagement edge of the operator plate when engaged.

Lock out mechanism for circuit breaker handle operator

Growing community of inventors

Beaver Falls, PA, United States of America

David Herman Groves