CIRCUIT BREAKER AND AUXILIARY DEVICE THEREFOR

Abstract: An accessory module (104) for use with a circuit breaker (10) is configured for mounting to the breaker, and has rotor system (142) which follows the movement of the circuit breaker blade (24) in the breaker by means of a coupling member (118) passing through a passage (110) in the circuit breaker wall. A portion of the rotor is configured as a cam (162) operating a switch (152) in the module, the switch thus giving a reliable indication of the position of the breaker blade. The breaker is preferably of the type which carries a trip lever (50) carried on the breaker blade and mounted for slight movement thereon, and the rotor is preferably coupled to the trip lever. A solenoid (148) within the accessory module is disposed to engagingly rotate the rotor when energized, this rotation being coupled to trip the breaker to provide for remote tripping. Since the trip lever is carried with the breaker blade, blade position is monitored by the switch.

Description: CIRCUIT BREAKER AND AUXILIARY DEVICE THEREFOR Related Applications This application is a continuation-in- part of U.S. Application Serial No. 374,037 filed June 29, 1989. 5 Background Prior Art A safety hazard exists in certain forms of circuit breakers in that if the breaker . blade contacts should fuse together, then the tripping mechanism on overload will still 10 respond, typically driving the reset handle to a center position indicative of tripping, while the breaker still remains in a circuit- completing condition. Systems are known, such as disclosed in 15 U.S. Patent No. 4,794,356, which provide in the form of a modular accessory a position- indicating switch coupled directly to the movement of an electrical circuit breaker contactor and which provide sensing conditions 20 indicative of the contacting condition of the breaker, thus providing means for warning the user that the breaker has not, in fact, been effectively tripped in the event that the blades have become welded shut. In this 25 system such a switch is coupled to be actuated directly by movement of the contactor element itself. Additionally, in many cases it is desirable to provide a remote-tripping feature 30 for a breaker whereby a remote operator can operate the breaker to a tripped condition. Such mechanisms are also known, being frequently provided in modular form, and nor ally utilize a member which operates on the latching mechanism which holds the breaker in the reset condition. A unit which can be optionally affixed to a circuit breaker to 5 achieve both functions, and requiring only a single coupling element, thereby reducing system complexity, would be a useful feature that has not, to the applicant's knowledge, been thus far produced. 10 The present invention is provided to solve these and other problems. Summary of the Invention According to features of the invention, a breaker housing is modified to provide an 15 access passage exposing a portion of the breaker blade mechanism to external access, and a bolt-on accessory module contains in the preferred form a rotor coupled to a movable coupling member configured to extend through 20 the breaker passage to engage a portion of the blade mechanism. A member carried with the blade mechanism, and preferably mounted on a trip arm carried with the blade, extends towards the passage to engage with the 25 coupling member. A sensing switch within the accessory module is engaged by a camming surface on the rotor so that the rotor will be moved responsively to tripping and resetting of the breaker blade to indicate the true 30 contacting state of the breaker. By engaging the breaker blade via the trip lever of the breaker, rotation of the rotor when the breaker is in the reset position will trip the breaker. Accordingly, a solenoid is also provided in the module configured to engagingly rotate the rotor in the tripping direction. There is thus provided by means of 5 a single coupling element not only a sensing of the true state of the breaker, but also means for remotely tripping it. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following 10 specification taken in conjunction with the following drawings. Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a view of a circuit breaker according to the invention; 15 Fig. 2 is a view of a unitary breaker assembly according to the invention in a con¬ tacting position; Fig. 3 is a view of the unitary breaker assembly of Fig. 2, shown in a non-contacting 20 position; Fig. 4 is a view of a cam as viewed from behind the unitary breaker assembly of Figs. 2 and 3; Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective of 25 the circuit breaker of Fig. 1; FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing an add-on modular device assembly, a coupling member, and a modified breaker of the present invention; 30 FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway plan view of the modular assembly shown in FIG. 6 emplaced on the breaker of FIGS. 1-6; FIGS. 8-11 are various views of a rotor used in the modular assembly and shown in FIG. 7; FIG. 12 is a plan view of the coupling 5 member shown in FIG. 6; FIG. 13 is a side elevation view of a coupling member shown in FIG. 12; and FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, showing the breaker assembly 40 in the 10 tripped condition with the contacts welded together. Detailed Description While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there is 15 shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention with an understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the 20 invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the embodi¬ ment illustrated. A circuit breaker 10 is illustrated in Fig. 1. 25 An additional description of general aspects of a circuit breaker can be found in the following patents, the specifications of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference: 30 A. Westermeyer, U.S. Patent No .4,617,540, entitled "Automatic Switch, Rail-Mounted", B. Westermeyer, U.S. Patent No. 4,614,928, entitled "Automatic Switch with an Arc Blast Field", C. Westermeyer, U.S. Patent 5 No .4,609,895, entitled "Automatic Switch with Integral Contact Indicator", and D. Westermeyer, U.S. Patent No. 4,608,546, entitled "Automatic Switch with Impact-Armature Tripping Device". 10 The circuit breaker 10 has a housing 11 and includes a line terminal 12 for coupling to a source of electricity (not shown) and a load terminal 14 for coupling to a load (not shown) . A current path is established between 15 the line terminal 12 and the load terminal 14 which includes as elements a line conductor 16, a bimetal support 18, a bimetal thermal element 20, a braided pigtail 22, and a blade 24 including a moveable contact 26. 20 Continuing from the moveable contact 26, the current path includes a stationary contact 28, a coil 31, a load conductor 34, and ultimately the load terminal 14. The blade 24 is illustrated in Fig. 1 25 in a closed position, wherein the moveable contact 26 contacts the stationary contact 28. As discussed below with respect to Fig. 3, the blade 24 is pivotable to an open position, wherein the moveable contact 26 is spaced from 30 the stationary contact 28, preventing current to flow between the moveable contact 26 and the stationary contact 28. The stationary contact 28 comprises a copper layer 28a laminated to a steel layer 28b with a silver/- graphite composition contact 28c welded to the copper layer 28a. The blade 24 is an element of a unitary breaker assembly generally designated 40 which 5 controls the position of the blade 24 relative to the stationary contact 28. The circuit breaker 10 also includes a line-side arc arresting plate 29a, a load-side arc arresting plate 29b and a stack of 10 deionization plates, or arc stack, 30, which cooperate to break an arc formed when the circuit breaker 10 opens under load. The specific operation of the line- and load-side arc arresting plates 29a, b, respectively, in 15 conjunction with the arc stack 30 is disclosed in greater detail in the above incorporated patents. The unitary breaker assembly 40 is illustrated in Fig. 2 with the blade 24 in the 20 closed position in contact with the stationary contact 28. The unitary breaker assembly 40 includes a first frame plate 42 which forms a first frame surface 42s. The first frame 25 plate 42 includes first, second and third upright members 43, 44, 45, respectively. A pivot pin 48 extends upwardly through a hole in the first frame plate 42. A trip lever 50 is mounted on the pivot pin 48 through a trip 30 lever opening. The trip lever 50 includes a solenoid actuator surface 52 and a bimetal actuator surface 54. The blade 24 includes an elongated slot 24a for receiving the pivot pin 48. The blade 24 further includes a notch 56 to which a first end of a toggle spring 58 is attached. A latch spring 60 is disposed on the pivot pin 48 between the trip lever 50 and the 5 blade 24. The latch spring 60 includes a first end 62 which engages the first upright member 43 and a second end 63 which engages the solenoid actuator surface 52 of the trip lever ' 50. The latch spring 60 provides a 10 counter clockwise bias on the trip lever 50. A cam 64 has an operating handle 65 and further includes a recessed portion 66 in which a cam spring 68 is placed, as discussed in greater detail below with reference to 15 Fig. 4. A first cam spring end 69a extends out of the recessed portion 66 and engages the third upright member 45. A second cam spring end 69b is retained in the recessed portion 66. The cam spring 68 maintains a clockwise 20 bias of the cam 64 as viewed in Fig. 2. A link 70 connects the cam 64 to a pawl 72. The pawl 72 is pivotally connected to a flag end 74 of the blade 24 by a shoulder rivet 76. 25 The trip lever 50 further includes an engaging surface 78 which engages the pawl 72. When in the closed position, as illus¬ trated in Fig. 2, the moveable contact 26 is in a contacting relationship with the station- 30 ary contact 28. The shoulder rivet 76 operates as a fulcrum on the blade 24, causing the toggle spring 58 to securely maintain the moveable contact 26 in contact with the stationary contact 28. Referring again to Fig. 1, the blade 24 can be moved to the open position by operation of either the bimetal thermal element 20 or by a spring loaded rod 80 disposed within the 5 coil 31. As current passes between the line terminal 12 and the load terminal 14, it passes through the bimetal thermal element 20. As is well known in the art, the current 10 causes the bimetal thermal element 20 to heat, and the heat causes the bimetal thermal element 20 to deflect downwardly in the direction of arrow 82. The extent of the deflection depends on the magnitude of the 15 heating of the bimetal thermal element 20, and hence depending upon the magnitude and length of time of the current passing between the line terminal 12 the load terminal 14. When the bimetal thermal element 20 20 deflects sufficiently, a calibration screw 84 engages the bimetal actuator surface 54 of the trip lever 50, causing the trip lever 50 to rotate clockwise about the pivot pin 48 and against the bias of the latch spring 60, trip- 25 ping the circuit breaker 10, as discussed in greater detail below. The circuit breaker 10 can also be tripped by the coil 31. A ferromagnetic impeller 77 is slidably movable along the 30 interior axis of the coil 31, and is held in the extended position shown in Figure 1 by a biasing spring 86 urging the impeller against a stop 79. An insulating actuating rod 80 is similarly axially movable along the central core of the coil 31 and extends out of the opposite end thereof. The lengths of the rod 80 and the impeller 77 are chosen so that with the impeller drawn up into the solenoid 5 passage the rod 80 will be forced upward into engagement with a solenoid actuator surface 52 affixed to the trip lever 50. Thus, current passing between the line terminal 12 and the load terminal 14 passes through the coil 31 10 establishing an electromagnetic field affecting the impeller 77. When the electromagnetic force acting on the impeller 77 exceeds the biasing force of the solenoid spring 86, the impeller moves upwardly to 15 force against the interior end of the rod 80, forcing it to engage the solenoid actuator surface 52, causing the trip lever 50 to rotate clockwise, tripping the circuit breaker 10, as discussed below. 20 Referring again to Fig. 2, when either the bimetal thermal element 20 or the rod 80 cause the trip lever 50 to rotate clockwise, the engaging surface 78 of the trip lever 50 moves away from engagement with the pawl 72. 25 When the engaging surface 78 moves away from engagement with the pawl 72, biasing from the handle spring 68 causes the cam 64 to rotate clockwise. As the cam 64 rotates clockwise, the cam 64 pulls downwardly upon the link 70, 30 causing the pawl 72 to rotate counter clock¬ wise about the shoulder rivet 76. As illustrated in Fig. 3, when the pawl 72 is released from engagement with the engaging surface 78, the blade 24 moves downwardly at its left side, causing the pivot pin 48 to engage the upper surface of the elongated hole 24, which operates as a floating point. The pivot pin 48 then 5 operates as a fulcrum about which the blade 24 rotates, causing the toggle spring 58 to move the moveable contact 26 away from the sta¬ tionary contact 28, thus opening the circuit. In the event that the operating handle 10 65 is locked in the upward or on, position, and either bimetal thermal element 20 or the rod 80 causes the trip lever 50 to rotate clockwise, the link 70, which is under compression between the cam 64 and the pawl 15 72, causes the pawl 72 to rotate clockwise about the shoulder rivet 76, again releasing the engaging surface 78 from engagement with the pawl 72. When the engaging surface 78 no longer engages the pawl 72, the blade 24 20 lowers, again causing the pivot pin 48 to operate as a fulcrum about which the blade 24 rotates, permitting the toggle spring 58 to again move the moveable contact 26 away from the stationary contact 28. 25 The cam 64 is shown from its reverse side in Fig. 4 to better illustrate the recessed portion 66 and the cam spring 68. The handle spring 68 is centered on a cam axis 88. The second cam spring end 69b is 30 held against a wall 66a of the recessed portion 66. The first cam spring end 69a is held against the third upright member 45 under tension. The tension in the cam spring 68 biases the cam 64 and the operating handle 65 in the downward position. The circuit breaker 10 is illustrated in an exploded perspective view in Fig. 5. 5 The first, second and third upright members 43, 44, 45 of the first frame plate 42 terminate with connecting tabs 43a, 44a, 45a, respectively. A second frame plate 89 forms a second frame surface 89s which includes 10 corresponding tab receiving openings 43b, 44b,45b. The tab receiving openings 43b, 44b, 45b, receive and provide an interference fit with the connecting tabs 43a, 44a, 45a to secure the first frame plate 42 to the second 15 frame plate 89. The first frame plate 42 cooperates with the second frame plate to form an assembly frame. In the preferred embodi¬ ment the first and second frame plates 42, 89, respectively, are separate pieces; however it 20 is to be understood that the assembly frame could be formed from of a single piece folded over to form the opposing frame surfaces without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. With the first frame 25 plate 42 secured to the second frame plate 89, all elements of the unitary breaker assembly 40 are secured together. As illustrated in Fig. 5, operating elements of the circuit breaker 10 can simply 30 be dropped into the circuit breaker housing, and require no special attachment thereto. The housing 11 has a base 11a and a cover lib. The base 11a defines an x-y plane and includes internal walls directed perpen- dicular to the base 11a along a z-axis. The internal walls define generally an arc stack section 90, a unitary breaker assembly section 92 and coil section 94. 5 End portions 18a and b of the bimetal support 18 are slid into and retained within respective bimetal support slots 96a, b. The line-side arc arresting plate 29a is slid into and retained within an arc runner slot 98. 10 The unitary breaker assembly 40 is then simply placed in the unitary breaker assembly section 92, and requires no attachments to the housing 11. The load conductor 34 is slid into and retained in a load conductor slot 99. 15 The blade 24 is a tapered plate on edge, operating structurally as a beam so as to prevent flexing. If additional current carrying capacity is required, the width of the blade 24 is simply increased. 20 It will be recalled that clockwise rotation of the trip lever 50 by the bimetal element 20 trips the breaker, causing the breaker assembly 40 to be tripped from the closed position shown in FIG. 2 to the open 25 position shown in FIG. 3. A tripping pin 100 is affixed to the trip lever 50 to extend perpendicularly outwardly therefrom, through an arcuate cut-out 111 in the blade 24. Upon tripping, the pin 100 will follow the arcuate 30 path 103 shown in dotted outline in FIG. 2. From the previous discussion, it is equally clear that if the tripping pin 100 is urged downward as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, that tripping of the breaker assembly 40 will also occur by rotating the trip lever 50. It will be further noted that in all cases, the pin 100 is effectively carried 5 along with the blade 24 so that the position of the pin 100 thus indicates whether the breaker is in a closed or open condition. It will be noted in FIGS. 2 and 3 that the pin 100 in both situations is located slightly 10 below the edge of the cut-out portion 111 of the blade 24. Considering the breaker in the reset position shown in FIG. 2, and with further reference to FIG. 14, in the event that the contacts 26, 28 have become welded 15 together, then immediately upon a slight clockwise rotation of the trip lever 50, pawl 72 disengages from the engaging surface 78 of the blade 24; however, clockwise rotation of the blade 24 is prevented by the 20 aforementioned welding of the contacts 26, 28. Only a minimal clockwise motion of the blade 24 occurs until arrested by engagement with pin 48. The locking engagement between the pawl 72 and the engaging surface 78 having 25 been released, the cam 64 immediately rotates clockwise under the force of the cam spring 68, unsuccessfully attempting to rotate the blade 24 clockwise, and finally adopting the intermediate position shown in FIG. 14. The 30 trip lever 50 is urged counter-clockwise by the force of its biasing spring 60; however, the immediate engagement of the pin 100 with the edge of the cut-out portion 111 prevents such motion. There is thus negligible movement of the pin 100 under such circumstances. Thus, a slight movement of the pin 100 will cause the engaging surface 78 to release 5 from engagement with the pawl 72. In the event that the contacts 26, 28 are not welded shut, the subsequent position of the pin 100 will serve as a positive indication that the breaker assembly 40 has in fact been operated 10 to an open condition. Thus, pin 100 may be used to trip the breaker, and may also serve as a sensing element indicating the subsequent status of the contacts. Use is made of the foregoing to allow 15 the employment of an add-on accessory module 104 which can be provided with a position sensor indicating the position of the pin 100 and which also includes an actuating mechanism providing remote tripping of the breaker 20 assembly 40. To achieve this, the housing cover plate 11a (FIG. 5) is provided with an arcuate cut-out 110 providing access to the end of the pin 100 along its entire range of positions. 25 Thus, referring also to FIG. 6, the outer surface 112 of the housing cover plate 11a is provided with a recess 114 in the form of a circular sector having the cut-out 110 generally close to one edge thereof, and 30 having a post 116 outwardly extending from the surface of the recess 114, the post being positioned to be generally co-axial with the pivot pin 48 of the breaker assembly 40. A coupling member 118 (see also FIGS. 12, 13) is si ilarly configured as a planar circular sector and has a guide hole 120 at the radius point configured to accept the post 116. A pair of pin-engaging bosses, 122, 124 extend 5 outward from one face of the coupling member 118. The coupling member 118 is configured so that when emplaced over the post 116, the bosses 122, 124 are disposed on either side of the pin 100 as indicated by dotted outline in 10 FIG. 13. Thus rotation of the coupling member 118 will trip the circuit breaker assembly 40, and the movement of the pin 100 thereafter will further rotate the coupling member 118. The accessory module 104 includes a 15 housing 126 having a face 129 configured for flush engagement with the outer face 112 of the breaker housing 11. An arcuate cutout 128 similar to cutout 110 of the housing cover plate 11a is provided giving access to the 20 interior of the housing 126, a similar post 130 and recess 132 being provided. The coupling member 118 is provided on the face opposite the bosses 122, 124 with a similar pair of bosses 134, 136. With the auxiliary 25 device housing 126 in place over the coupling member 118 and affixed to the housing 11, bosses 134, 136 are then similarly coupled to move, or be moved by, the pin 100. The coupling member bosses 134, 136 are configured 30 to extend into the housing 126, and to engage with a pair of boss-accepting passages 138, 140 (see also FIGS. 8-11) in a rotor 142 mounted within the housing 126. The breaker housing portions 11, 11a are preferably held together by hollow rivets 172, 174, 176 (FIGS. 6, 7). The auxiliary device assembly housing 106 and rear wall 146 5 are similarly assembled by means of hollow rivets 180, 190 positioned so that through bolts may be passed between both the auxiliary device housing 104 and the breaker 10 to assemble the units together. In the 10 alternative, self-tapping screws may be employed, or the units may be hot-staked together. Referring next also to FIG. 7, the rotor 142 is rotatably secured about (See 15 FIGS. 8-11) its central passage 143 by an interior mounting post 144 extending outward from the interior of the housing 126 and secured in place by confrontation of the rear housing wall 146. Disposed in the housing 126 20 are a solenoid coil 148 coupled to a plunger 150 to rotate the rotor 142, and thus trip the breaker, and a micro-switch 152 disposed to sense the position of the rotor 142. The plunger 150 has at the outer end thereof a 25 generally radially extending shoulder flange 154. The plunger 150 extends through a plunger passage 157 in the rotor 142, and the shoulder flange 154 generally confronts a flange-engaging face 156 on the rotor 142. 30 The plunger 150 is freely movable and without spring bias, as a result of which the rotor 142 is freely movable, as for example by movement of the pin 100 when the breaker is reset or tripped by overcurrent, and the rotor 142 imparts no motion to the plunger 150 upon tripping. Retraction- of the plunger 150, however, will trip the breaker by moving pin 100. 5 The micro-switch 152 is positioned so that its actuating member 166 will be engaged by a camming surface 162 on the rotor 142 when the rotor 142 is carried to its extreme clockwise position attendant to normal 10 tripping of the breaker, either by thermal means, or by means of actuation of the solenoid 148. The micro-switch sensing is relayed by micro-switch leads 164-165 to a connector block 168. Similarly, the solenoid 15 coil 148 is connected by leads 169, 171 to the connector block 168. Remote sensing of the state of the breaker may thus be obtained via the connector 168, and remote tripping of the breaker may be carried out by applying an 20 appropriate control signal to the connector 168. Alternatively, the micro-switch 152 may be connected in series with the solenoid coil 148 to be operated to the open position upon 25 terminal rotation of the rotor 142 upon solenoid-induced tripping of the breaker assembly 40. The solenoid coil is thus self- de-energizing when so employed, and is therefore not subject to burnout by over- 30 excitation. A very small solenoid coil 148 may thus be used. Such a feature may also be achieved by providing a second micro-switch affixed to the opposite side of the breaker housing 11 and similarly coupled to the pin 100. In such an arrangement, one achieves not only solenoid de-energization but also a blade position indication. It is equally evident that the micro-switch 152 could be configured 5 as a double-pole single-throw unit incorporating such a feature. It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or 10 central characteristics thereof. The present examples and embodiments, therefore, are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.

Claims: CIAIMS 1. A surface-mountable accessory module for a circuit breaker having a breaker housing with a breaker assembly disposed therein for alternately making and breaking 5 contact with a stationary contact via a movable contactor, releasable latch means for automatically operating said breaker assembly to a circuit-breaking position, position- indicating means carried with said contactor 10 for indicating the position of said contactor and including means responsive to a force applied to said position-indicating means for operating said breaker assembly to said circuit-breaking position, said breaker 15 housing having an aperture for providing external access to said position-indicating means, said module comprising: a module housing; mounting means adapted for mounting 20 said module housing to said breaker housing, said module housing being provided with a module housing aperture disposed to confront said breaker housing aperture when said module housing is mounted on said breaker housing; 25 switch means disposed within said module housing and operable between first and second switching conditions for indicating circuit-making and circuit-breaking contactor positions respectively; 30 coupling means for coupling said switch means to said position-indicating means when said module housing is mounted on said breaker housing to operate said switch means to said first switching condition when said contactor 35 is in said circuit-making position and to said second switching condition when said contactor is in said circuit-breaking position, said coupling means including at least one coupling member disposed to pass through said module 40 housing aperture; solenoid means disposed within said module housing for urging said coupling member to operate said breaker assembly to said circuit-breaking position when said module is 45 mounted on said breaker; and connector means for making electrical connection to said solenoid means and said switch means. 2. The module of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes means for removably mounting said module housing to said breaker housing. 3. The module of claim 1 wherein said contactor moves along an arcuate path between circuit-making and circuit-breaking positions, said position-indicating means moves along an 5 arcuate path in a first direction responsively to movement of said contactor towards said circuit-breaking position and responds to a force applied thereto in said first direction to operate said breaker assembly to said 10 circuit-breaking position, said coupling means includes a rotor rotatably mounted within said module housing and configured to operate said switch means between said first and second switching conditions by rotation of said 15 rotor, said coupling member being configured for engagement with said rotor to be rotatably moved therewith and being adapted for engagement with said position-indicating means of said breaker, and said coupling means 20 including means responsive to energization of said solenoid means for rotating said coupling member in said first direction. 4. The module of claim 3 wherein said switch means includes means for disconnecting said solenoid means from said connector means responsively to terminal rotation of said 5 rotor in said first direction. 5. The module of claim 3 wherein the outer wall of said module housing through which said module housing aperture passes is configured with a recess containing said 5 housing aperture, and said coupling member is a generally planar member configured to be partially disposed within said module housing recess and rotatably movable therein when said module is mounted to said breaker housing, 10 said coupling member having portions extending from one major face thereof configured to engagement with said rotor and portions extending from the opposite major face thereof configured for engagement with said position- 1 5 indicating means. 6. The module of claim 5 further including mounting means for mounting said coupling member for rotation within said module recess. 7. A circuit breaker and accessory comprising: a circuit breaker housing; a circuit breaker assembly disposed 5 within said housing for alternately making and breaking contact with a stationary contact via a movable contactor, said assembly including releasable latch means for automatically operating said breaker assembly to a circuit- 10 breaking position, position-indicating means carried with said contactor for indicating the position of said contactor and including means responsive to a force applied to said position-indicating means for operating said 15 breaker assembly to said circuit-breaking position, said breaker housing having an aperture for providing external access to said position-indicating means; a module housing mounted to said 20 breaker housing, said module housing having a module housing aperture disposed to confront said breaker housing aperture; switch means disposed within said module housing and operable between first and 25 second switching conditions for indicating circuit-making and circuit-breaking contactor positions respectively; coupling means for coupling said switch means to said position-indicating means when 30 said module housing is mounted on said breaker housing to operate said switch means to said first switching condition when said contactor is in said circuit-making position and to said second switching condition when said contactor 35 is in said circuit-breaking position, said coupling means including at least one coupling member disposed to pass through said module housing aperture; solenoid means disposed within said 40 module housing for urging said coupling member to operate said breaker assembly to said circuit-breaking position; and connector means for making electrical connection to said solenoid means and said 45 switch means. 8. The circuit breaker and accessory of claim 7 including mounting means for removably mounting said module housing on said breaker housing. 9. The circuit breaker and accessory of claim 8 wherein said contactor moves along an arcuate path between circuit-making and circuit-breaking positions, said position- 5 indicating means moves along an arcuate path in a first direction responsively to movement of said contactor towards said circuit- breaking position and responds to a force applied thereto in said first direction to 10 operate said breaker assembly to said circuit- breaking position, said coupling means includes a rotor rotatably mounted within said module housing and configured to operate said switch means between said first and second 1 5 switching conditions by rotation of said rotor, said coupling member is configured for engagement with said rotor to be rotatably moved therewith and is adapted for engagement with said position-indicating means of said 20 breaker, and said coupling means includes means responsive to energization of said solenoid means for rotating said coupling member in said first direction. 10. The circuit breaker and accessory of claim 9 wherein said switch means includes means for disconnecting said solenoid means from said connector means responsively to 5 terminal rotation of said rotor in said first direction. 11. The circuit breaker and accessory of claim 9 wherein the outer wall of said module housing through which said module housing aperture passes is configured with a 5 recess containing said housing aperture, and s id coupling member is a generally planar member configured to be partially disposed within said module housing recess and rotatably movable therein, said coupling 10 member having portions extending from one major face thereof configured to engagement with said rotor and portions extending from the opposite major face thereof configured for engagement with said position-indicating 15 means. 12. The circuit breaker and accessory of claim 11 further including mounting means for mounting said coupling member for rotation within said module recess. 13. The circuit breaker and accessory of claim 11 wherein the outer surface of said breaker housing is provided with a recess configured as a circular sector containing 5 said breaker housing aperture. 14. An electrical circuit breaker comprising: a breaker housing; a breaker assembly within said housing 5 for alternately making and breaking contact with a stationary contact via a movable contactor, said assembly including releasable latch means for automatically operating said breaker assembly to a circuit-breaking 10 position, position-indicating means carried with said contactor for indicating the position of said contactor and " including means responsive to a force applied to said position-indicating means for operating said 15 breaker assembly to said circuit-breaking position, said breaker housing having an aperture for providing external access to said position-indicating means 15. The circuit breaker of claim 14 wherein said contactor moves along an arcuate path between circuit-making and circuit- -27- breaking positions, said position-indicating 5 means moves along an arcuate path in a first direction responsively to movement of said contactor towards said circuit-breaking position and responds to a force applied thereto in said first direction to operate 10 said breaker assembly to said circuit-breaking position. 16. The circuit breaker of claim 15 wherein the outer surface of said breaker housing is provided with a recess configured as a circular sector containing said breaker 5 housing aperture.

Inventors: EDDS THOMAS A, O'CARROLL THOMAS, REZAC WILLARD J, EDDS, THOMAS, A., O'CARROLL, THOMAS, REZAC, WILLARD, J.
Applicants: SQUARE D CO, SQUARE D COMPANY
Application year: 1990
Main classification: H01H73
IPC codes: H01H71, H01H73, H01H83