Abstract: A blade suspension assembly for a circuit breaker comprises a pivot pin, a torsion spring, an elongated blade, and a blade carrier. The torsion spring includes a lateral middle section, a pair of end legs disposed on opposite sides of the middle section, and a lateral hole extending therethrough. The blade includes an electrical contact mounted thereto, a lower bearing surface, and a lateral circular aperture. The blade carrier includes first and second pairs of bearing surfaces. To assemble the blade suspension assembly, the torsion spring is placed over the blade with the lateral middle section abutting the lower bearing surface of the blade, with the end legs disposed on opposite sides of the blade, and with the lateral hole in the torsion spring disposed in line with the circular aperture in the blade. Next, the pivot pin is inserted through the lateral hole in the torsion spring and through the circular aperture in the blade.

Abstract: A contact blade assembly for a circuit breaker comprises a blade carrier, an elongated blade, and a toggle spring. The blade carrier includes a blade pivot and a first spring pivot. The elongated blade has an electrical contact mounted thereto and includes a second spring pivot. The blade is rotatably mounted to the blade pivot of the blade carrier for rotation between a closed position and an open position. The toggle spring is connected to the first spring pivot at one end and to the second spring pivot at the other end. The first spring pivot, the second spring pivot, and the blade pivot are arranged such that a toggle condition associated with the rotation of the blade relative to the blade carrier corresponds to the blade pivot being located in line and between the first and second spring pivots. The toggle spring biases the blade away from the toggle condition in a first direction while the blade is disposed in the closed position.

Abstract: An arc stack for receiving a circuit breaker blade moveable between a closed position and an open position, includes a plurality of arc plates positioned substantially parallel to one another and arranged in a plurality of adjacent groups. Each of the groups includes one or more arc plates having substantially similar respective arc throats formed therein. The respective arc throats progressively decrease in size from group to group along the length of the arc stack in a direction extending away from the closed position of the blade. A connecting support maintains the plurality of arc plates substantially parallel to one another.

Abstract: A latch mechanism for a circuit breaker comprises a pair of longitudinal legs, a lateral section bridging the pair of longitudinal legs, and a longitudinal section extending from the lateral section in an opposite direction relative to the pair of legs. The lateral section includes a lower bearing surface for releasably engaging a cradle of the circuit breaker. The lower bearing surface includes a coined radius for facilitating engagement and disengagement of the cradle. The longitudinal section includes a protrusion for supporting a latch spring. The latch mechanism is manufactured in a single stamping operation, during which the protrusion is formed by cold extrusion.

Abstract: A blade suspension assembly for a circuit breaker includes a first electrical contact, an elongated contact arm having a second electrical contact adjacent a first end of the contact arm, a compression spring, and an elongated lever. The second electrical contact is movable about a first pivot axis between a contacts-closed position and at least one contacts-open position with respect to the first electrical contact. The lever has a first end adjacent a second pivot axis, a second end supported by the compression spring, and a contoured support surface between the first and second ends which supports a second end of the contact arm. The compression spring exerts a force against the second end of the lever so that the contoured support surface biases the second end of the contact arm about the first pivot axis in the contacts-closed position during normal operation and in the contacts-open position in response to the contact arm moving to the contacts-open position.