Emergency vehicle battery circuit breaker

• US 4,591,675 A
• Filed: 06/25/1984
• Issued: 05/27/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles E. Sessum
• Original Assignee: Charles E. Sessum
• Inventors: Sessum, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, J. R.
• Application Number:
  US06/624,223
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 200/16 B, 200/16 E, 200/16 F, 200/52 R, 200/61.45 R, 200/61.5, 200/61.52, 200/161, 200/162, 200/254
• US Class Current: 200/52.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/14 responsive to accident or emergency, e.g. deceleration, tilt of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/54 Lever switches with blade-type contact co-operating with one or two spring-clip contacts, e.g. knife switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/56 making contact in one position only
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/0226 operated by a pull cord
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/36 using belt, chain, or cord

Abstract

An emergency vehicle circuit breaker having a non conductive base plate with two contacts thereon spaced apart to form a non conductive gap, one contact connected to a battery and one contact to an electric starter motor. A non conductive front plate is attached to the non conductive base plate by a hinge with a third contact thereon aligned with the gap to form an electrical contact between the two contacts on the base plate and a cable means for remote manual movement of the front plate toward and away from the base plate whereby the third contact may be engaged and disengaged from the gap, thereby making and breaking an electrical circuit.

Claims

1. A remotely operable electrical circuit breaker for use in vehicles comprising:

a non conductor base member;

a first conductive member mounted to said base member and having connected thereto means to connect said first conductive member to a battery terminal;

a second conductive member mounted to said base member and having connected thereto means to connect said second conductive member to an electrical apparatus, said second conductive member being spaced away from said first conductive member, whereby a non conductive gap is provided between said first and second conductive members;

a non conductive front member attached along one edge to said non conductive base member along one edge by a pivot and having a third conductive member mounted thereon and aligned with said gap whereby rotation of said non conductive front member about said pivot toward said non conductive base member places said third conductive member into said gap and into electrical contact with said first and second conductive members forming an electrical circuit said conductive members being held in contact by friction,

wherein said non conductive front member and said non conductive base member form an enclosure to protect said contacts when said contacts are engaged, and whereby rotation of said non conductive front member about said pivot away from said non conductive base member removes said third conductive member from said gap and discontinues electrical contact with said first and second conductive members, thereby breaking said electrical circuit; and

a cable means attached to said non conductive front member to provide for remote manual rotation of said non conductive front member toward and away from said non conductive base member.

2. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 wherein said pivot is a hinge.

3. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 wherein said first and second conductive members are biased toward said gap.

4. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 wherein said electrical apparatus is an electric starter motor means.

5. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 wherein said conductive members are L shaped.

6. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 wherein said conductive members extend outwardly from said non conductive base member and said non conductive front member respectively.

7. The circuit breaker according to claim 6 wherein said conductive members are solid metal.

8. The circuit breaker according to claim 7 wherein said conductive members are tapered at the end distal to said non conductive base member and said non conductive front member respectively, to facilitate bringing said third conductive member into said gap between said first and second conductive members.

9. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second conductive members is biased toward said gap.

10. The circuit breaker according to claim 9 wherein at least one of said first and second conductive members is slidably mounted to said non conductive base member.

11. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 wherein said first and second conductive members are slidably mounted to said non conductive base member and biased toward said gap.

12. The circuit breaker according to claim 1 wherein said third conductive member is biased toward said first and second conductive members when said third conductive member is seated in said gap.