Patent ID: 7115830

Claim:
A trip mechanism for a circuit breaker, said circuit breaker including a first and second side plate, each of the side plates having a pivot pin opening, said trip mechanism comprising: a hatchet plate having an opening; a pivot pin assembly having a longitudinal axis and at least three pivoting surfaces, said pivot pin assembly including a pivot pin member with a first pivoting surface, a second pivoting surface, and a third pivoting surface; said pivot pin member extending between said first and second side plates and being pivotally coupled to said first side plate at the first pivoting surface and pivotally coupled to said second side plate at the second pivoting surface; said hatchet plate pivotally coupled to said pivot pin member with said pivot pin third pivoting surface disposed through said hatchet plate opening; whereby said hatchet plate has at least two modes of rotation about a single axis, said modes of rotation including said hatchet plate pivoting about said pivot pin member at said third pivoting surface and said hatchet plate and said pivot pin member pivoting at said first and second pivoting surfaces.