General Electric Company

Gary D Magnon

Raymond K Seymour

Michael C Von Kannewurff

Dennis J Doughty

Kevin Farrelly Nolan

David J Lesslie

Michael C Guerrette

Andrew Matthew Candelora

Marshall B Hart

Geoffrey H McKay

Laura A Williams

An operating mechanism assembly used within molded case circuit breakers employing electronic trip units interconnects the operating mechanism with the circuit breaker movable contact arms by means of a slotted-cam arrangement. The slotted-cam optimizes the manual closing of the movable contact arms by controllably over-centering the circuit breaker operating mechanism springs.

Molded case circuit breaker operating mechanism assembly

A molded case circuit breaker employs a multiple latch assembly for maintaining the circuit breaker operating mechanism in a closed condition. The multiple latch assembly includes three separate latch levers mounted on a common latch support frame. The multiple latch arrangement substantially reduces the amount of tripping force required to articulate the circuit breaker operating mechanism.

Molded case circuit breaker compact latch asssembly

A molded case circuit breaker includes an operating handle yoke that contacts the cradle operator and drives the operating mechanism springs over-center when the circuit breaker operating handle is moved from its RESET to its ON position. The contact between the handle yoke and cradle operator accelerates the over-centering of the powerful operating mechanism springs.

Circuit breaker with positive over-center acceleration

A molded case circuit breaker having a pair of movable contact arms arranged within a single pole utilizes a shunt clip between the movable contact arms to insure electrical continuity between the contact arms and the support base during intense short circuit interruption. A compression spring-driven camming arrangement insures good electrical connection between the circuit breaker contacts under steady quiescent operating conditions while preventing reclosing of the contacts during short circuit interruption.

Molded case circuit breaker movable contact arm arrangement

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Bristol, CT, United States of America

Gary D Magnon