Circuit breaker with auxiliary switch actuated by cascaded actuating members

• US 5,552,755 A
• Filed: 09/11/1992
• Issued: 09/03/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Whipple, Michael J., Fello, Joseph P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DONOVAN, LINCOLN D
• Application Number:
  US07/943,803
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 335/8-10, 335/17, 335/6, 335/35, 335/18, 335/41, 335/132, 335/202, 361/42-50
• US Class Current: 335/18
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/46 having means for operating auxiliary contacts additional to the main contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 83/04 with testing means for indicating the ability of the switch or relay to function properly

Abstract

An auxiliary switch, mounted in a compartment in the molded housing of a circuit breaker separate from the compartment in which the circuit breaker mechanism is mounted, is actuated, when the circuit breaker contacts are open, by cascaded actuating members, one of which engages, through a housing panel dividing the compartments, the latchable cradle of the circuit breaker mechanism to actuate the auxiliary switch when the circuit breaker is tripped, and the second of which is spring biased against a cam surface on an operating member incorporating the circuit breaker handle to actuate the auxiliary switch when the handle is in the off position.

Claims

1. A circuit breaker comprising:

a circuit breaker mechanism including;

a fixed contact;

a contact arm;

a movable contact secured to one end of said contact arm and movable by said contact arm toward and away from said fixed contact to close and open said contacts;

a pivotally mounted operating member engaging another end of said contact arm for moving, and for movement by, said contact arm between off/open and on/closed positions of said operating member and said contacts respectively, said operating member having an integral handle and a cam surface having a contour;

a pivotally mounted latchable cradle;

a spring connecting said latchable cradle and contact arm; and

a trip device latching said cradle in a latched position and unlatching said cradle in response to preset current conditions, said cradle tripping said contact arm to open said contacts and move said operating member to a tripped position when unlatched;

an auxiliary switch having a plunger;

actuating means including a first actuating member engaging said cradle and actuating said auxiliary switch when said cradle is unlatched, and a second actuating member bearing against said cam surface on said operating member, said cam surface having a contour which actuates and said auxiliary switch through said second actuating member when said operating member, and said integral handle, are in the off position, said first and second actuating members being cascaded to operate said plunger; and

a housing with first and second compartments separated by a partition, wherein said contacts, said contact arm, said spring, said cradle, and said trip device are mounted in said first compartment, and said auxiliary switch is mounted in said second compartment, wherein said operating member extends into both compartments with said cam surface located in said second compartment, said partition having an opening through which said first actuating member extends to engage said cradle and wherein said second actuating member is mounted in said second compartment to engage said camming surface and actuate said auxiliary switch.

2. The circuit breaker of claim 1 wherein said first actuating member has a first end engaging said plunger and a second end engaging said cradle, and wherein said second actuating member has a first end engaging the first end of said first actuating member to depress said plunger and a second end engaging said cam surface.

3. The circuit breaker of claim 2 including means mounting said first actuating member for pivotal motion and means mounting said second actuating member for rectilinear motion.

4. The circuit breaker of claim 3 including bias means biasing said second actuating member against said cam surface.