Abstract: An over-center handle mechanism is provided to operate electrical equipment, such as a switch or breaker, housed in an electrical enclosure. The over-center handle mechanism includes an adaptor knob, a rotary actuator and a spring. The adaptor knob interfaces with the electrical equipment. The rotary actuator is connected to the adaptor knob, and includes a cam. A through-door handle is used to operate the rotary actuator, which in turn operates the electrical equipment via the adaptor knob. To optimize an angular torque feeling at the through-door handle, the over-center handle mechanism further includes the spring to provide an opposing force against movement of the cam of the rotary actuator, and thus, the through-door handle. A solid lubricant of PTFE may also be provided as an interface between the cam and the spring to reduce friction therebetween.

Abstract: An over-center handle mechanism is provided to operate electrical equipment, such as a switch or breaker, housed in an electrical enclosure. The over-center handle mechanism includes an adaptor knob, a rotary actuator and a spring. The adaptor knob interfaces with the electrical equipment. The rotary actuator is connected to the adaptor knob, and includes a cam. A through-door handle is used to operate the rotary actuator, which in turn operates the electrical equipment via the adaptor knob. To optimize an angular torque feeling at the through-door handle, the over-center handle mechanism further includes the spring to provide an opposing force against movement of the cam of the rotary actuator, and thus, the through-door handle. A solid lubricant of PTFE may also be provided as an interface between the cam and the spring to reduce friction therebetween.

Abstract: The present invention defines a convertible electrical contact. The convertible contact comprises two pair of movable contacts attached to an actuator which is supported by and enclosed within a housing. The actuator is biased to a first position and is slidably movable to a second position in response to a force applied to the actuator. The movable contacts are attached to the distal ends of a flexible member which is supported at its approximate midpoint by the actuator. The movable contacts are also movable between a first position and a second position as the actuator is moved. A pair of contact cavities are defined by the housing such that the one contact cavity lies on each side of the actuator and the flexible member and movable contacts are contained within the cavities. The housing defines a first pair of access apertures associated with the first position of the movable contacts and a second pair of access apertures associated with the second position of the movable contacts.

Abstract: A solid state overload relay mechanism designed for minimizing the forces required to open an electrical contact associated therewith in the event of a current overload in a protected circuit, and further designed for overcoming residual magnetism in a solenoid initiating the opening of the contact. The contact includes a pair of stationary contacts supported by a base and a pair of movable contact supported by a contact carrier. A latch defines a notch which is normally engaged with a lever. When so engaged, the contact carrier is positioned such that the movable contacts are in contact with the stationary contacts. When the lever becomes disengaged from the latch, the contact carrier is moved and contact between the movable contacts and stationary contacts is broken. The latch is provided with a counterbalance weight to aid in minimizing the force required to return the latch to its original position after the mechanism is tripped.