Claims
- 1. A circuit breaker comprising, in combination:
- an insulating housing comprising a molded insulating base and molded insulating cover means defining a plurality of co-extensive compartments within said housing;
- a pair of terminals extending from each said compartment to opposite exterior ends of said housing;
- a stationary contact connected to one of said terminals within each said compartment;
- a movable contact finger having a contact thereon within each said compartment movable into and out of engagement with respective said stationary contacts;
- a movable frame supported for pivotal movement in each said compartment, said frame comprising means providing a resilient driving connection with a respective said movable contact finger;
- an operating mechanism in one of said compartments for moving said movable frame in said one of said compartments, said operating mechanism comprising an operating handle, a collapsible toggle linkage connected to a respective said movable frame in said one of said compartments, and a latching mechansim;
- current responsive tripping means for releasing said latching mechanism, thereby effecting collapse of said toggle linkage and movement of said movable frame and said movable contact finger contact in said one of said compartments out of engagement with a respective said stationary contact;
- a shaft extending between said compartments attached to each said movable frame for effecting unitary movement of all said movable frames, said shaft having a beveled side surface; and
- clamping means for attaching said shaft to respective said movable frames, said clamping means comprising a strap encompassing said shaft, said strap having opposite ends secured to said movable frame, said strap further having means cooperating with said beveled side surface for camming said shaft against a juncture of one end of said strap and said respective movable frame.
- 2. The circuit breaker defined in claim 1 wherein said strap comprises a substantially rigid preformed U-shaped member having a pair of legs joined by a substantially straight cross member, said opposite ends being free ends of said legs of said U-shaped member, one of said legs comprising an oblique portion relative to said other of said legs and to said cross member, said oblique portion being intermediate said respective free end and said cross member and substantially parallel to said beveled side surface for cooperating therewith for camming said shaft against said juncture of said one end of said strap and said respective movable frame.
- 3. The circuit breaker defined in claim 1 wherein said shaft comprises first and second elongated adjacent surfaces disposed at a right angle, and said beveled surface disposed opposite said right angle and oblique to said first and to said second surfaces.
- 4. The circuit breaker defined in claim 2 wherein said other of said legs is disposed at a right angle to said cross member.
- 5. The circuit breaker defined in claim 4 wherein said free ends of said legs are substantially parallel to each other.
- 6. The circuit breaker defined in claim 5 wherein said free ends of said legs form substantially right angles with said movable frame.
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. This application is also related to copending application of D.A. Link et al copending application Ser. No. 08/098,997 filed Jul. 29, 1993 entitled Molded Case Circuit Breaker Having Rectangular Knee Pin Non-Rotatably Keyed to Toggle Linkage, and D.A. Link et al copending application Ser. No. 08/098,995 filed Jul. 29, 1993 entitled Molded Case Circuit Breaker Having Changing Pivot Location for the Operating Handle, each filed concurrently herewith.
US Referenced Citations (7)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
926484 |
Aug 1992 |
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