Patent ID: 8258898

Claim:
A multi-pole circuit breaker assembly comprising a single main housing containing multiple circuit breakers each of which is connected to multiple branch circuits, each of said circuit breakers having a single line terminal for receiving electrical current from a utility line, a plurality of load terminals for supplying electrical current from said single line terminal to said multiple branch circuits via load lines, line conductors inside said main housing for connecting said line terminal to said plurality of load terminals, a plurality of neutral terminals for receiving electrical current returned from said multiple branch circuits via neutral lines, a separate arcing fault sensor coupled to a separate line conductor connected to each of said load terminals for generating a separate signal representing characteristics of the electrical current flow in each of said multiple branch circuits, signal processing circuitry receiving said signals for detecting fault conditions in said multiple branch circuits and generating trip signals in response to the detection of fault conditions, and a single tripping mechanism between said line terminal and said load terminals for receiving said trip signals and interrupting the flow of current to said multiple branch circuits in response to a trip signal.