The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 10, 1984
Filed:
Sep. 10, 1982
Michael J Fajner, Bayside, WI (US);
Peter J Theisen, West Bend, WI (US);
Marian M Rzepecki, Brown Deer, WI (US);
Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
A circuit breaker having a pivotal movable contact arm (6) operated between open and closed positions with a stationary contact (14c) by an overcenter drive spring (8) in response to pivotal movement of a manual operating handle (4). A latch lever (10) is provided to locate the other end of the drive spring (8) and is releasable upon overload currents to carry the point of connection (10d) of the drive spring and latch lever essentially downward in line with the line of action of the drive spring to quickly reduce its force and stored energy, thereby quickly reducing the contact pressure provided thereby and enabling constriction and/or repulsion forces to separate the contacts (6c,14c). A further amount of movement of the latch lever (10) carries the point of connection (10d) of the drive spring and latch lever across the pivot plane of the movable contact arm (6) to separate the contacts. The latch lever (10) is released by a pivotally supported latch arm (12). A bimetal current sensing member (20) is supported upon a high resistance terminal (18) to concentrate heat in the bimetal member (20) adjacent its fixed end, thereby causing greater deflection at the free end of the bimetal. An extension (18b) of the terminal (18) projects inwardly of the breaker and it is disposed adjacent an arc extinguishing structure (26) to provide a bypass path for high overload current existing in the arc to protect the bimetal from damage.