Patent ID: 6107902
Filing Date: 2000-08-22
Classification: H01H

Abstract:
A circuit breaker, the circuit breaker being in one of at least an operating condition or a tripped condition, and wherein the circuit breaker comprises a housing having a window, a line terminal and a load terminal, and a circuit trip assembly connected between the line terminal and the load terminal to trip the circuit breaker in response to a tripping condition, wherein the circuit trip assembly is within the circuit breaker housing and comprises:a cradle rotatable between at least a first position when the circuit breaker is in the operating condition and a second position when the circuit breaker is in the tripped condition, the rotation from the first position to the second position being in a clockwise direction;an armature latch engageable with the cradle and moveable between at least a first position when the circuit breaker is in the operating condition and a second position when the circuit breaker is in the tripped condition;a trip support, mounted about a pin and positioned intermediate the cradle and the armature latch and for engagement with the cradle and the armature latch, the trip support comprising a trip indicator and a leg portion, both the trip indicator and the leg portion being pivotable in a counterclockwise direction about the pin between at least respective first positions such that the cradle is out of engagement with the trip support when the circuit breaker is in the operating condition and respective second positions when the circuit breaker is in the tripped condition;wherein the occurrence of the tripping condition in the circuit breaker causes the moving of the armature latch from its first position to its second position which in turn causes the cradle to rotate in the clockwise direction from its first position where the cradle is out of engagement with the trip support to its second position thereby engaging the trip support by contacting the leg portion of the trip support and causing the leg portion of the trip support to pivot about the pin and rotate in the counterclockwise direction causing the trip indicator to pivot about the pin and rotate in the counterclockwise direction, from a first position where it is not visible through the window to a second position where the trip indicator is visible through the window.