Claims
- 1. A circuit breaker comprising, in combination:
- an insulating housing comprising a molded insulating base and molded insulating cover means, wherein said base and said cover means define a compartment within said housing;
- a pair of terminals extending from said compartment to opposite exterior ends of said housing;
- a stationary contact connected to one of said terminals within said compartment;
- a movable contact finger movably connected to another of said pair of terminals within said compartment and having a movable contact movable into and out of engagement with said stationary contact;
- an operating mechanism connected to said movable contact finger for moving said movable contact finger, said operating mechanism comprising an operating handle movably mounted within said housing, a collapsible toggle linkage connected at one end to said operating handle and at another end to a movable frame, wherein said movable frame connects said operating mechanism to said movable contact finger, said operating mechanism further including a latching mechanism for releasably engaging said toggle linkage and
- current responsive tripping means for releasing said latching mechanism, thereby effecting collapse of said toggle linkage and movement of said movable contact finger contact out of engagement with said stationary contact; wherein
- said toggle linkage comprises first and second pairs pivotally interconnected of toggle links, each link of said first pair of toggle links having a rectangular opening at one end, a knee pin comprising a first portion having a rectangular cross section and a second portion having a circular cross section, said first portion of said knee pin being non-rotatably received in said rectangular openings of said first pair of toggle links and said second pair of toggle links being rotatably disposed on said second portion of said knee pin.
- 2. The circuit breaker defined in claim 1 wherein junctures of said first and second portions of said knee pin provide substantial transverse flat surfaces against which respective said second links bear, said toggle linkage further comprising means retaining said second links firmly against said transverse flat surfaces.
- 3. The circuit breaker defined in claim 1 wherein said first portion rectangular cross section of said knee pin comprises a major and a minor dimension, said first portion also comprising a pair of reduced cross section rectangular slots spaced lengthwise along said first portion for non-rotatably receiving said rectangular openings of said first pair of toggle links for maintaining said first pair of toggle links spaced apart a predetermined distance.
- 4. The circuit breaker defined in claim 1 wherein said rectangular openings in said first pair of toggle links comprise rectangular slots open to an end of respective said first toggle links, said toggle linkage further comprising a pair of springs connected in tension between said operating handle and said knee pin, said springs biasing said knee pin into said rectangular openings.
- 5. The circuit breaker defined in claim 4 wherein said second portion comprises cylindrical projections at opposite ends of said rectangular first portion, said cylindrical projections comprising reduced diameter portions providing annular shoulders spaced a predetermined distance, said springs being connected on said reduced diameter portions and said shoulders maintaining said springs spaced apart a predetermined distance.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a division of D. A. Link et al copending application Ser. No. 07/926,484 filed Aug. 6 1992, entitled Molded Case Circuit Breaker, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,760. This application is also related to copending application of D. A. Link et al entitled Molded Case Circuit Breaker Having Trapezoidally Shaped Shaft Ser. No. 08/698,992, and D. A. Link et al entitled Molded Case Circuit Breaker Having Changing Pivot Locations for the Operating Handle Ser. No. 08/098,995, each filed concurrently herewith.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
926484 |
Aug 1992 |
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