Abstract: An arc fault detection circuit collects samples of sensed current, determines a peak current value from the samples for each line cycle, determines a hysteresis value for a compressor load as a function of differences between the peak current values, and generates a trip signal responsive to the sensed current and the hysteresis value. The circuit determines a difference value for each line cycle from the present peak current value less the previous peak current value, low pass filters the difference value to provide a low pass filtered value, determines a peak value from the low pass filtered value, determines that the absolute value of the low pass filtered value is less than a portion of the peak value and responsively saves the peak value, and determines the hysteresis value as a function of the saved peak value. An operating mechanism opens separable contacts responsive to the trip signal.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus is for a power bus including a plurality of characteristics. The sensor apparatus includes a housing; one or more sensors each adapted to sense a characteristic of the power bus; and a circuit adapted to transmit or receive a wireless signal. A processor includes a low-power mode and a routine adapted to wake up from the low-power mode, to input the sensed characteristic from the one or more sensors, to output a corresponding signal to the circuit to transmit as the wireless signal, and to sleep in the low-power mode. A power supply is adapted to power the sensors, the circuit and the processor from flux arising from current flowing in the power bus. The power supply includes one or more voltages.

Abstract: A vacuum circuit breaker includes a line terminal, a load terminal and a vacuum interrupter having a vacuum envelope containing a fixed contact assembly and a moveable contact assembly moveable between closed and open circuit positions. The fixed contact assembly is electrically interconnected with the line terminal and the moveable contact assembly is electrically connected to the load terminal. An operating mechanism moves the moveable contact assembly between the closed and open circuit positions. An auxiliary contact indicates one of the open or closed circuit positions. An electro-optical voltage sensor determines a voltage difference between the line and load terminals, or the shield and one of the line and load terminals. A circuit determines no leakage or loss of vacuum of the vacuum envelope when the vacuum switch is intended to be in the open circuit position and when the voltage difference is greater than a predetermined amount.

Abstract: A moving arm for a moving contact assembly in a telecommunication system circuit breaker is provided. The circuit breaker has a housing assembly, an operating mechanism, a trip device, and a current path assembly. The current path assembly includes a line conductor assembly having a fixed contact. The operating mechanism is structured to move between an on position, a tripped position, an off position and a reset position. The moving arm assembly also includes a movable contact structured to be disposed on the moving arm. The moving arm has an elongated body with an offset disposed at one end. The offset is structured to displace the movable contact relative to the longitudinal axis of the moving arm body.

Abstract: A crossbar assist mechanism is for a circuit breaker including a housing, a movable contact, a stationary contact, and an operating mechanism. The operating mechanism includes a crossbar, a carrier coupled to the crossbar, and a movable contact arm which is pivotably cooperable with the carrier. The movable contact is disposed on the movable contact arm. The crossbar moves the carrier and the movable contact arm, thereby moving the movable contact into and out of electrical contact with the stationary contact. The crossbar assist mechanism includes an electrically conductive member electrically interconnecting the carrier and the movable contact arm to a load terminal. A spring disposed between the crossbar and the electrically conductive member biases the crossbar from a first position corresponding to the movable contact and the stationary contact being separated, toward a second position corresponding to the movable contact being in electrical contact with the stationary contact.

Abstract: A circuit breaker includes line and load ends and separable contacts electrically disposed between the line and load ends. A movable arm carries a movable contact and includes an elongated body having a first general longitudinal axis and an offset disposed at one end. The offset displaces the movable contact relative to the first general longitudinal axis. A line conductor carries a fixed contact and is electrically connected between the line end and the movable contact. The line conductor includes a bend portion structured to increase a gap between the separable contacts in the open position. The bend portion forms an angle which is substantially greater than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees between the fixed contact and the second general longitudinal axis, which is generally parallel to the first longitudinal axis in the closed position. An arc chute is disposed proximate the separable contacts.

Abstract: A multi-phase multiple meter socket assembly is for a meter center including a plurality of meters. The meter socket assembly includes meter sockets each receiving one of said meters, feeder buses, supply buses, and a plurality of phase connectors. Each of the supply buses has at least one section, and each phase connector electrically interconnects a corresponding one of the at least one section of each of the supply buses with a corresponding one of the feeder buses. At least one of the supply buses is divided in order to include as the at least one section, first and second sections, the first section being in electrical communication with a first one of the feeder buses and the second section being in electrical communication with a second one of the feeder buses. In this manner, the meters are provided with a plurality of phase configurations within the same cabinet.

Abstract: An operating mechanism is for a circuit breaker housed by an enclosure assembly including a panel movable between a closed position and an open position. The operating mechanism includes a linkage and an operating member. The operating mechanism is coupled to the handle of the circuit breaker to provide operation of the handle from the exterior of the enclosure when the panel is closed. The operating member includes a first end having an engaging portion coupled to the linkage of the operating mechanism, and a second end structured for gripping by a user. The operating member enables the handle of the circuit breaker to be operated, without requiring the use of separate hand tools, when the panel of the enclosure is open and the handle portion of the operating member is actuated.

Abstract: A control system for a power distribution system includes electrical operators each of which has an open input, a close input and an operator member adapted to cooperate with a corresponding circuit breaker operating mechanism. Each operator member responds to the corresponding open input to actuate the operating mechanism and open the corresponding circuit breaker, and responds to the corresponding close input to actuate the operating mechanism and close the corresponding circuit breaker. A control circuit includes an input for a normal power source, an input for an emergency power source, open outputs electrically connected to the open inputs of the corresponding electrical operators, and close outputs electrically connected to the close inputs of the corresponding electrical operator. The control circuit delays one or more of the close outputs or inhibits one or more of the close outputs after a transfer switch output switches to the emergency source.

Abstract: A lifting device ergonomically and safely lifts an object having an elongated aperture. The lifting device includes a lifting member having a first end with a handle portion for gripping by a user and a second end with an object-engaging portion for securely engaging the elongated aperture. A stabilizing member coupled to the lifting member adjacent the object-engaging portion is structured to stabilize the object while moving it. A panelboard employs one or more lifting devices which engage elongated apertures thereof.

Abstract: A non-conductive bus shroud for a dual circuit breaker system that has a plurality of vertical walls extending generally perpendicular from the top side and including at least one bus member support vertical wall. The dual circuit breaker system includes a housing assembly having a back wall, a first circuit breaker having at least one protruding line terminal, a second circuit breaker having at least one protruding line terminal and at least one bus member extending between the at least one first circuit breaker line terminal and the at least one second circuit breaker line terminal. The bus shroud has a planar member with a top side, a bottom side, a front edge, a back edge, at least one first circuit breaker terminal opening, and a second circuit breaker terminal opening. When the shroud is installed over the circuit breakers, the vertical walls protect and support the bus member.

Abstract: A contact assembly for a circuit breaker includes a fixed contact, a movable contact, and a movable contact arm. The movable contact arm includes a first end carrying the movable contact, a second end, and a pivot portion proximate the second end. A moving arm portion extends from the first end toward the pivot portion. The moving arm portion has a width, an upper edge, a lower edge, and a height defined by the distance between the upper edge and the lower edge. In response to a trip condition, the movable contact separates from the fixed contact and the movable contact arm pivots open at an angular opening velocity. The height of the moving arm portion of the movable contact arm is at least four times the width of the moving arm portion, thus minimizing the moment-of-inertia of the movable contact arm, and increasing the angular opening velocity.

Abstract: A switchgear apparatus includes a switchgear device, such as a circuit breaker, having a power bus, and an antenna element including an antenna member and one or more antenna leads. A material encapsulates the antenna member and is adapted to suppress dielectric breakdown through the material to the encapsulated antenna member from the power bus. The circuit breaker also includes a conductive housing having an opening receiving the antenna leads. The conductive housing is mounted on or proximate to the power bus. A sensor circuit is disposed in the conductive housing and is adapted to output a radio frequency signal to the antenna leads or to input a radio frequency signal from the antenna leads.

Abstract: An adjustable riser assembly for retrofitting an existing panel board enclosure with a replacement interior has a pair of base members secured to the rear wall of the enclosure with base flanges projecting forward. A floating member has end pieces with floating flanges that overlap and are joined to the base flanges by fasteners that engage selected ones of a second set of holes in each floating flange aligned along a first linear axis and a first set of holes in each base flange arranged in two rows each parallel to a second linear axis that is oblique to the first linear axis to adjust the height of the riser assembly. One or two planar members extending between the end pieces have a fourth set of holes that can be selectively aligned with a third set of holes in the end pieces for engagement by second fasteners to adjust the length of the riser assembly.

Abstract: An intermediate latch for a telecommunication system circuit breaker trip device is provided. The trip device has a spring biased trip bar with a latch extension. The circuit breaker has an operating mechanism with a spring biased cradle. The intermediate latch has a body with a central portion, an extending trip bar latch member, a cradle guide, and at least one axle member. The at least one axle member has a partial hub and a cylindrical member. The partial hub has a thicker, axial base portion and a thinner edge portion. The cylindrical member extends from the partial hub base portion.

Abstract: A home system includes a server having a first wireless communication port and a user interface. A plurality of sensors sense information and include a second wireless communication port, which sends the sensed information to the first wireless communication port of the server. A plurality of control devices output a control action and include a third wireless communication port, which receives the control action from the first wireless communication port of the server. The user interface of the server is adapted to configure the devices to output the control action responsive to: (a) at least one input from the sensors, (b) another input from one of the sensors or the user interface, and (c) a logic function applied to the at least one input from the sensors and to the another input from one of the sensors or the user interface.

Abstract: Maintenance trip functions override the normal or specified trip functions of a low voltage circuit breaker to reduce pickup currents and/or time delays to effect faster trips, which reduces arc energy produced by faults during maintenance or testing on a live circuit breaker.

Abstract: A secondary arc chute is for an electrical switching apparatus including a housing, a pair of separable contacts enclosed within the housing, and a primary arc chute disposed proximate the separable contacts in order to attract an arc generated by the separable contacts. The primary arc chute has a first end including an arc horn, and a second end. The secondary arc chute includes a chute member made from a magnetic material, such as nickel-plated steel, and including a first portion disposed at or about the arc horn of the primary arc chute, and a second portion. The chute member provides an extension of the primary arc chute in order to facilitate drawing the arc away from the separable contacts and to ground the arc into the housing of the electrical switching apparatus.

Abstract: A circuit breaker includes a housing having a first insulating portion, a line end, a load end and a pair of separable contacts electrically disposed between the line end and the load end. An operating mechanism includes a second insulating portion and a movable arm carrying one of the separable contacts. The operating mechanism is structured to move the separable contacts between an open position and a closed position. A shunt is electrically interconnected between the movable arm and one of the line and load ends. The first insulating portion is disposed between the separable contacts and a portion of the shunt. The first and second insulating portions cooperate at or about the closed position of the separable contacts to prevent an arc from passing from the separable contacts to the conductor.

Abstract: A handle assembly is provided for a circuit breaker which includes a housing assembly that defines a substantially enclosed space housing an operating mechanism. The handle assembly is preferably a single-piece and includes a base member which is coupled to the operating mechanism, and a handle member having a first end which protrudes from an opening of the housing assembly, and a second end coupled to the base member. The base member includes first and second integral resilient legs which are disposed within the opening and are supported by posts protruding from the housing assembly, in order to resist undesired access into the substantially enclosed space therein. The first and second integral resilient legs each include a groove which increases the resiliency of the leg. The handle assembly is preferably symmetric about the longitudinal axis of the handle member.