Abstract: An advanced circuit breaker system and method includes first and second terminals to electrically couple the advanced circuit breaker to an electrical circuit. A cam applies a first torque to a rotatable contact arm, having an arm contact electrically coupled to the first terminal, from a first position to a second position of the contact arm and a second torque to the contact arm from the second position to a third position. A bimetal blade, having a blade contact electrically coupled to the second terminal, changes shape when electrical current flowing through it exceeds a threshold for at least a predetermined amount of time. The arm contact maintains contact with the blade contact when the first torque occurs and separates from the blade contact when the second torque occurs. The blade contact changes shape to increase separation from the arm contact if electrical current exceeds at least a certain amount above the threshold.

Abstract: An improved key safe for a door wherein the door has a hole therethrough. A hollow key holder is shiftably mounted in the hole. A spring exerts a bias force against the key holder in the hole of the door so that the key holder and key held thereby will be automatically ejected into an adjacent room and become completely inaccessible to an intruder. Ejection of the holder occurs when a hold-down means at the opposite end of the holder is forced off the holder in any manner, such as by using a crowbar, screwdriver or the like. The hold-down means will preferably be an O-ring seated in an annular groove at the opposite end of the holder. When unseated from the groove, the hold-down means moves off the holder, thus permitting the holder to be projected off the door and into the adjacent room under the influence of the bias force of the spring. Since the door is locked, an intruder will be prevented from reaching the key for unlocking the door.

Abstract: A bimetallic circuit breaker with an electrical insulating slide interposed between the contacts thereof in the contacts open position in which the terminals, the bimetallic element, the insulator slide, the button (connected to the slide) and the spring biasing the button and the slide to the contacts open position of the circuit breaker are all carried by one of the terminals so that they may all be preassembled together and inserted into the housing for the circuit as one sub-assembly.