Patent ID: 8378245

Claim:
A push-to-trip mechanism for a handle assembly for an electrical switching apparatus, said electrical switching apparatus including a housing, separable contacts enclosed by the housing, and a push-to-trip button being operable to trip open said separable contacts, said handle assembly including a casing having an aperture, said casing being coupled to the exterior of the housing over said push-to-trip button, said push-to-trip mechanism comprising: an actuating member structured to be at least partially disposed within the aperture of said casing, said actuating member being structured to move between an actuated position corresponding to said actuating member actuating said push-to-trip button, and an unactuated position corresponding to said actuating member not actuating said push-to-trip button; and a resilient element biasing said actuating member toward said unactuated position, wherein said actuating member comprises a first end, a second end disposed opposite and distal form the first end, and an elongated intermediate portion extending between the first end and the second end; wherein the first end is structured to extend through the aperture of said casing to cooperate with said push-to-trip button; and wherein the second end is structured to be accessible from the exterior of said casing, wherein said actuating member further comprises a protrusion; wherein said protrusion extends outwardly from said elongated intermediate portion; and wherein protrusion is structured to cooperate with a portion of said casing in order to position said actuating member in a desired orientation with respect to said push-to-trip button, and wherein said casing includes a first recess and a second recess; wherein said actuating member is pivotable among a plurality of positions; wherein in one of said positions said protrusion is structured to be disposed in said first recess; wherein in another, different one of said positions said protrusion is structured to be disposed in said second recess; wherein, when said protrusion is disposed in said first recess, said actuating member is positioned in a first desired orientation; and wherein, when said protrusion is disposed in said second recess, said actuating member is disposed in a second, different desired orientation.