Patent ID: 9685287
Date: 2017-06-20
CPC Classifications: H01H

Claim:
1. A circuit breaker comprising: a moveable contact arm, the contact arm having first and second cooperating arm members coupled together, the first arm member having a first end portion engaging a pivotable handle and a spaced apart second end portion coupled to the second arm member, wherein the second arm member comprises an electrical contact, wherein the second arm member can move inward and outward and up and down relative to the first arm member, wherein the second arm member has a free end spaced apart from the first arm member that holds the electrical contact, wherein the second arm member has a shape that places the free end of the second arm member a distance forward of the second end portion of the first arm member, wherein the electrical contact has an outwardly facing contact surface with a heel and a toe, the heel on an opposing side of the contact surface from the toe, wherein the toe is closer to an arc chute than the heel, and wherein, in operation, (i) the second arm member moves relative to the first arm member to position the heel forward of the toe in an ON position of the circuit breaker for a heel only contact with a stationary contact and (ii) the second arm member moves relative to the first arm member to position the toe forward of the heel for a toe only contact with the stationary contact when the contact arm rotates toward an OFF position to thereby direct arcs across only the toe of the contact surface of the electrical contact.