Abstract: A low-voltage circuit breaker includes at least one fixed contact, for each pole, which is electrically connected to a terminal for connection to an electric circuit, and a corresponding moving contact which is associable/separable with respect to the fixed contact by a rotation of the moving contact. The low-voltage circuit breaker further includes an arc chamber positioned in correspondence of the fixed contact, and a rotating contact supporting shaft common to all poles, which is functionally connected to an actuation mechanism of the circuit breaker, where the actuation mechanism includes a kinematic system operatively connected to an actuation lever for opening/closing operations and provided with opening springs and a tripping shaft for releasing the kinematic system and allowing its movement from a closed to an open position. The low-voltage circuit breaker further includes, for each pole, a quick acting trip device.

Abstract: A device for recognizing an arcing fault in incident light that includes a sensor for detecting absorption lines of the incident light, and an evaluation unit which generates an evaluation signal when characteristic absorption lines are detected.

Abstract: An installation switching device includes a housing, a main contact point having an arc quenching chamber, an input terminal, an output terminal, an impact-style armature system configured to move the main contact point to an open position, a latching mechanism having a latching point and configured to open an isolating contact point disposed in a secondary current path parallel to a main current path, a main thermostatic bimetallic strip configured to act on the latching point to as to cause the main contact point to remain in the open position, a current limiting resistor disposed in the secondary current path, a selective thermostatic bimetallic strip disposed in the secondary current path and configured to act on the latching mechanism, a handle configured to act on the latching mechanism so as to open and close the main contact point, and a phase connecting rail.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, which can comprise a wafer that defines an opening. The wafer can be adapted to be operatively installed between a mechanical portion of a circuit breaker and an electronic portion of the circuit breaker. When installed, the wafer can be adapted to receive a protrusion of the mechanical portion of the circuit breaker.

Abstract: An enclosed motor protector has a housing formed by a base (10) and a cover (12) received on the base and enclosing a recess (10a) formed in the base. A first terminal (14) extends through an opening in the housing and mounts a stationary contact (14c) within the recess. An elongated movable contact arm (18) is cantilever mounted at one end in the recess and mounts a second movable contact (18a) on a free end of the arm which is adapted to move into and out of engagement with the stationary contact. A heater (20) is mounted in the recess in heat transfer relation with a snap acting thermostatic disc (22) disposed adjacent to the movable contact arm so that upon reaching a preselected temperature the disc will snap from one dished configuration to an opposite dished configuration with its motion transferred to the movable contact arm to move the contacts out of engagement.

Abstract: A circuit breaker includes a rectangular box-shaped intermediate housing and lower housing; a power supply side fixed contact and a load side fixed contact disposed in the intermediate housing and facing each other; and a movable contact housed in the lower housing for bridging the power supply side fixed contact and the load side fixed contact. The lower housing has arc gas emission holes formed in front and rear walls thereof, and is connected to a lower part of the intermediate housing via an engagement part such that the lower housing covers the lower part of the intermediate housing. A thin wall portion is formed in each of the front and rear walls to eject arc gas by bending.

Abstract: A compact current limiting circuit breaker is equipped with a current limiting shunt for effective over-current circuit interruption. The circuit breaker trip unit responds to long time, short time and instantaneous over-current conditions by opening a set of contacts to isolate the protected circuit. Upon contact separation an arc is drawn, with the endpoints of the arc being initially rooted on the pair of open contacts. Further opening of the contacts commutates the arc into the current limiting shunt to redirect the current away from the trip unit and suppress the arcing current until the circuit breaker contacts are sufficiently open to isolate the protected circuit.

Abstract: A circuit breaker for a rapid-start fluorescent lamp includes a pair of electrical conductors sealed into a glass bottle, a bimetal switch within the bottle having one end affixed and the other end contacting the pair of electrical conductors and a meltable by-pass element shunting the pair of electrical conductors and formed of a material having a relatively high cold resistivity and a low temperature coefficient of resistance.

Abstract: A motor protector characterized by low cost, by improved service life and by improved cycling properties has a bimetallic element mounted in a metal housing to move a first contact along a selected axis to engage and disengage a complementary contact in response to changes in element temperature. An electrical resistance heater coil, preferably with less than one full coil convolution, is oriented and secured externally of the housing so that the axis of the magnetic field established by the heater coil is coincident with the axis of movement of the first contact.

Abstract: A baffle assembly covering a vent opening in a molded case circuit breaker housing is constructed of two identical platelike elements having integral face protrusions. These elements are stacked in face-to-face relationship with their protrusions in engagement to maintain a narrow space between the element faces. Edge notches are provided to orient the elements so that the perforations of one element are misaligned with respect to the perforations of the other element so that arcing gases do not flow in a straight path through the baffle assembly.