Square D Company

Kenneth W Erickson

Henry J Zylstra

John H Gilliland

A plug-in power supply includes a housing dimensioned to fit into a space designed to accept a circuit breaker in a load center to provide D.C. power from an A.C. main power. The housing encloses a circuit card that has components that are connected between A.C. inlet terminals and D.C. output terminals to provide a peak current for a short duration, limit the output to a D.C. voltage maximum, and interrupt the output current when the output voltage drops below a certain level.

Plug-in power supply

An electric circuit breaker capable of being opened and closed from a remote location. The circuit breaker includes a stationary contact, a movable contact mounted on a carrier and a trip mechanism that trips the circuit breaker, moving the carrier to an open position upon the occurrence of an overcurrent. The remote control assembly opens and closes the circuit breaker independently of the trip mechanism. Upon receiving a signal from a timer switch, a motor operates, rotating a gear spring connected to the motor shaft. An actuator has a tooth positioned between the wire layers of the gear spring. As the gear spring rotates, the tooth moves toward the motor, pivoting the actuator. An operating rod, connected to both the actuator and the carrier, pulls the carrier to open the contacts as the actuator rotates. When the contacts reach the open position, the actuator hits a switch to shut off the motor.

Remote control circuit breaker

A flexible connector for connecting a circuit breaker in a panelboard wherein the connector comprises a plurality of thin metal straps which are fused together at each end. One end includes an aperture to receive a bolt for bolting to the bus bar of a panelboard. The other end of the flexible connector includes the stationary contact of the circuit breaker, and this end is trapped in the circuit breaker with the stationary contact in position for engagement with the movable contact of the breaker. The flexible connection extends outwardly from the breaker and may be doubled under, so when bolted to the bus bar of the panelboard, the bolted end of the connection lies under one end of the circuit breaker. In a modification a jaw member is included at an intermediate point between the stationary contact end and the bolt receiving end of the connector. The jaw means clamps on an upwardly extending portion of the bus bar of the panelboard to provide a combined snap-on connection with the flexible bolt-on connector.

Growing community of inventors

Lincoln, NE, United States of America

Kenneth W Erickson