Claims
- 1. A protective device for interrupting the flow of current to an electrical device in the presence of a water-related shock hazard condition comprising:
- a) housing means for supporting and protecting the device components, said housing means having base means, and cover means and having a cavity there-between;
- b) two flexible, resilient arms having a first end and a second end, mounted to said base means adjacent said first end and having a movable electrical contact adjacent said second end;
- c) two blade means anchored to said base means and extending therethrough to permit said device to be connected to a source of AC power;
- d) two fixed electrical contacts, one coupled to each of said blade means;
- e) plunger means having cross-bar means having a first end to engage a first of said arms and a second end to engage the second of said arms, said plunger means selectively operable from a first position where said cross-bar means ends do not engage said arms to a second position where said arms are engaged;
- f) a phase line of an AC power source connected to one of said fixed electrical contacts to apply current to said electrical device when said movable contact is made to engage its associated fixed contact;
- g) a neutral line of an AC power source connected to the other of said fixed electrical contacts to apply current to said electrical device when said movable contact is made to engage its associated fixed contact;
- h) coil means surrounding said plunger means, said coil means having a first end connected to said phase line and a second end connected to said neutral line, said coil means maintaining said plunger means in said second position when AC power is applied to said coil means;
- i) selectively operable reset means coupled to said plunger means, said reset means when selectively operated moves said plunger means from said first position to said second position and causes each of said two movable electrical contacts to engage its associated one of said two fixed electrical contacts and apply AC power to said electrical device and to said coil means.
- 2. A protective device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
- a) immersion detecting means;
- b) said immersion detecting means having a first sensing means in said electrical device and coupled to said phase line;
- c) said immersion detecting means having a second sensing means in said electrical device coupled to a conductor;
- d) a signal is applied to said conductor from said phase line in the presence of moisture in contact with both of said first and second sensing means;
- e) control means coupled between said conductor and said coil means second end;
- f) said control means in response to a signal on said conductor terminates the AC power applied to said coil means and said plunger means is returned to its first position to permit said moveable contacts to disengage from said fixed contacts to open the phase and neutral lines to remove AC power from said electrical device.
- 3. A protective device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the resilience of said resilient arms returns said plunger means to its first position.
- 4. A protective device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising bias means engaging said cross bar means to move the moveable contacts out of engagement with said fixed contacts and said plunger means is moved to said first position when said control means halts the flow of AC power to said coil means.
- 5. A protective device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said bias means are said flexible arms so formed that they normally hold said moveable contacts away from said fixed contacts and said plunger means is said first position.
- 6. A protective device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first end of said coil means is connected to said phase line at a position between one of said first electrical contacts and said electrical device and said second end of said coil means is connected to said neutral line at a position between the other one of said fixed electrical contacts and said electrical device whereby said coil means only receives AC power when each of said two movable electrical contacts engage their associated fixed electrical contacts.
- 7. A protective device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
- a) means to maintain said plunger means in said second position and said moveable contacts engaging said fixed contacts;
- b) said means to maintain comprising:
- c) a further conductor coupled to said phase line at a point between said engaged moveable and fixed contacts and said electrical device;
- d) said further conductor coupled to a first end of said coil means;
- e) an addition conductor coupled between the other end of said coil means to a control means; and
- f) a second conductor connected from said control means to said neutral line between said engaged moveable and fixed contacts and said electrical device;
- g) whereby current is applied to said coil means when both of said moveable contacts engage their respective fixed contacts.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/419,582 filed Apr. 10, 1995 now Pat. No. 5,546,263, which a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/190,720, filed Feb. 1, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,436 issued Apr. 11, 1995, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/977,304, filed Nov. 16, 1992, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/814,304, filed Dec. 23, 1991 and now U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,271 issued Feb. 2, 1993, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/654,715, filed Apr. 1, 1991, abandoned, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/544,769, filed Jun. 27, 1990 and now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/416,618, filed Oct. 3, 1989, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/323,451, filed Mar. 14, 1989, abandoned, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/177,726, filed Apr. 5, 1988 and now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/002,833, filed Jan. 9, 1987, abandoned, which is a continuation of application No. 06/885,114, filed Jul. 14, 1986, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 06/558,262, filed Dec. 5, 1983, now abandoned.
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Continuations (12)
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Date |
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Parent |
419582 |
Apr 1995 |
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190720 |
Feb 1994 |
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977304 |
Nov 1992 |
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Parent |
814304 |
Dec 1991 |
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654715 |
Apr 1991 |
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544769 |
Jun 1990 |
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Parent |
416618 |
Oct 1989 |
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323451 |
Mar 1989 |
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177726 |
Apr 1988 |
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02833 |
Jan 1987 |
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885114 |
Jul 1986 |
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558262 |
Dec 1983 |
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