With Circuit Breaker Arrangements Patents (Class 361/634)
  • Patent number: 6530811
    Abstract: An assembly for mechanically mounting and providing electrical connections to overcurrent protection devices having first and second male power plugs includes a non-conductive main structural support member having a plurality of plug passageways formed therein and one or more load busbar modules mounted thereon and also including a plug passageway formed therein, to enable the male electrical plugs to mate with sockets disposed in a conductive line busbar member mounted on said support member and with a socket disposed in a load busbar member included in each load busbar module. Each load busbar module includes a non-conductive housing and a releasable cover within which is mounted the load busbar member. A printed circuit board substrate is preferably also mounted to said support member to provide a support surface for auxiliary signal clip connectors disposed on one side of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Michael Padulo, Imad Ghanem, Denis Mayer
  • Patent number: 6504268
    Abstract: A power transfer device adapted for interconnection with the electrical system of a building includes a cabinet, a set of switches mounted to the cabinet, and wires adapted to connect the switches to an electrical distribution panel associated with a building electrical system. The power transfer device includes a compartment associated with the cabinet, and a selectively configurable cover arrangement for interconnection with the cabinet so as to enclose the compartment. The cover arrangement varies according to the characteristics or parameters of the power transfer device, to provide an optional plug-type power input and an optional power input monitoring arrangement, either alone or in combination with each other, or to provide neither capability. The cover arrangement includes a series of differently configured cover sections which can be mounted to the cabinet in varying combinations, so as to vary the capability of the power transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Reliance Controls Corporation
    Inventor: David D. Flegel
  • Patent number: 6490150
    Abstract: A circuit breaker panel includes a panel having a surface; an electrically conductive grounding member, such as a grounding strip, adapted for electrical connection to ground; a circuit breaker having an electrically conductive surface; and one or more fasteners fastening the circuit breaker to the panel. The electrically conductive grounding member is sandwiched between the surface of the panel and the electrically conductive surface of the circuit breaker. The electrically conductive circuit breaker surface electrically engages the electrically conductive grounding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J. Theisen, James Michael McCormick
  • Patent number: 6459570
    Abstract: The present invention provides a support base and neutral base for an interior assembly in an electrical distribution device and a method of assembling the same. The interior assembly having at least one bus bar and neutral bar connecting the electrical distribution device to a circuit having at least one phase. The neutral bar and bus bar having a bottom wall and side walls. The support base includes a generally planar body defining a mounting surface on one face of the body and means for mounting the bus bar on the mounting surface. The support base also includes means for retaining the bottom wall of the neutral bar abutting the mounting surface of the body. The retaining means is manually operated and integrally formed with the mounting surface and has a plurality of projections upstanding from the mounting surface. The projections are adapted to abut the side walls of the neutral bar so as to prevent movement in at least one direction horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Square D Company
    Inventor: Jeffery James Buchanan
  • Patent number: 6452785
    Abstract: A load feeder of modular construction is provided. The load feeder includes a feeder assembly and a base lower part with integrated cable and/or bus sections. The base lower part can be expanded to form a modular support system, with a cable and bus system, by arranging in a row and making contact with further physically identical base lower parts, in order to accommodate further feeder assemblies or input and output assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Siemens AG
    Inventors: Peter Kaaden, Joachim Bury
  • Patent number: 6437268
    Abstract: An improved connector comprises a circuit breaker terminal having a cold formed, countersink aperture on a top surface of the breaker terminal and an extruded raised ring on the bottom surface of the breaker terminal. The wire connector is a square-shaped element having a plurality of openings for receipt of at least one wire, the circuit breaker terminal and the wire connector shoe. In assembly of the three piece connector, the circuit breaker terminal is inserted into an opening in the wire connector. The wire connector shoe is then inserted into at least one opening in the wire connector and surrounds a portion of the circuit breaker terminal within the wire connector. The wire connector shoe has a protrusion, which is cold formed by displacing shoe material into the countersink aperture on the top surface of the circuit breaker terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Square D Company
    Inventors: Ronald Etscheidt, Donald Nohavec, Joni Orum, Douglas Thomas
  • Patent number: 6414245
    Abstract: A printed circuit board having bushings attached thereto, the bushings having sockets for receiving bullet connectors on a circuit breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Marconi Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren S. Lopp, William F. Reuss, Gary G. Siegmund
  • Publication number: 20020060898
    Abstract: There is provided a battery breaker comprising a case, a fixed contact which is mounted to the inner bottom surface of one end of the case and is connected to a terminal extending from the case outwards, an elastic movable piece which is mounted such that its tip end protrudes into the case through the other end of the case and allows a movable contact provided at the tip end to bring into contact with the fixed contact by the spring action, and a convex curved surface-shaped bimetal which has a warping center located in the substantial center or at a position slightly one-sided from the center, is placed between the movable piece and the inner bottom surface except for the above one end of the case so as to cover a projection provided on the above inner bottom surface without interference of an outer periphery of the bimetal with the inner side surfaces of the case, and is warped at a predetermined working temperature to push up the movable piece for separating the movable contact from the fixed contact, whe
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Inventors: Takeshi Nagai, Kiyoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6388216
    Abstract: A terminal wire clamp is provided with a fastener and a connection plate, in which the connection plate has a connection surface that is formed with a retention channel, and in which the retention channel is structured to receive a wire therein and resist movement of the wire after the wire has electrically conductively engaged a conductor. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Craig Joseph Puhalla, David Curtis Turner, Roger William Helms
  • Patent number: 6337613
    Abstract: In a three-phase switchgear apparatus having two adjacent poles per phase, the inner pole of each side phase is equipped with a magnetic compensation circuit designed to optimize the current distribution between the two poles and of each side phase in balanced three-phase operation. This arrangement enables the currents flowing in the two poles of either of the side phases to be balanced, by specifically reducing the current intensity and temperature in the inner pole of the side phases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Schneider Electric Industries SA
    Inventors: Claude Grelier, Morel Robert
  • Patent number: 6320732
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power distribution system with a split section panelboard that provides two interior sections. Each section is supplied power from a separate power source. A common bus bridges the two sections. Remotely-operated circuit breakers for both the sections are connected to the common bus. A power interface unit converts power from one of the power sources to provide low voltage power for the circuit breaker motors and a control unit. The control unit in the panelboard controls the operation of the circuit breakers of both the sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Square D Company
    Inventors: Charles C. Norman, Todd M. Munyon, Scott Jordan
  • Patent number: 6315580
    Abstract: A connector module for overcurrent protection devices uses a printed circuit board substrate as a support surface for line and load busbar members and auxiliary signal clip connectors disposed on one side of the substrate. Passageways in the substrate enable male current plugs to extend through the substrate to mate with sockets disposed in the busbars. Additional passageways enable auxiliary contact terminals to extend through the substrate. Clip connectors disposed on the substrate are used to make electrical contact to the auxiliary terminals. In a preferred embodiment, the sockets and clips are shaped and dimensioned to mate with the current and alarm contact terminals of a plug-in circuit breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Astec International Limited
    Inventors: Gilles Hurtubise, Emilio Stinziani, Imad S. Ghanem
  • Patent number: 6238254
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a case designed for housing an electrical apparatus such as a circuit breaker. This case includes terminal compartments for housing connection strips and component(s) for fixing the strips to external conductors, such as a bar, a cable etc., respectively. The fixing components include for at least one of the compartments, a first opening provided in the case and a second opening provided in the connection strip and situated facing the first opening(s), and at least one screw passing through two orifices facing one another and provided, respectively, in the case and in the strip to perform fixing of a conductor onto the connection strip, the first opening is shaped in such a way as to receive and guide in rotation at least one screw head of a circular shape, and block in rotation with respect to the case at least one screw head of a non-circular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Schneider Electric, SA
    Inventors: Laurent De Pourquoy, Tim Faber
  • Patent number: 6134101
    Abstract: The gas-insulated, metal-enclosed switchgear assembly contains two, three or more switchpanels, each having a multipole power breaker (CB.sub.1, CB.sub.2, CB.sub.3, CB.sub.4) as well as isolating and grounding switches per switch pole (CB.sub.1R) and is designed like a ring or in a 11/2 power-breaker circuit. The switch poles of the power breakers are each of identical design and are arranged parallel to one another. The switchpanels each have one current path of U-shaped design per phase in a vertical plane, in which current path the base of the U contains a vertically aligned pole of the power breaker, and the two limbs of the U each contain an electrical connection of the power breaker and an isolating as well as a grounding switch. The upper limbs of the U of one of the switchpanels are connected phase-by-phase to the lower limbs (S.sub.u) of another of the switchpanels, by means of respective single-phase gas pipelines (L.sub.12 (R), L.sub.23 (R), L.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AG
    Inventors: Daniel Bucher, Lorenz Muller
  • Patent number: 6122160
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement for connecting one or more circuit breakers (7) directly to a distribution unit (10) for supplying power to radio base stations and for charging the batteries of such stations. As a result of mutually separating bottom circuit breaker connectors (8) and upper circuit breaker connectors in a power bar (9) constructed in accordance with the invention, the circuit breakers can be connected directly without requiring the presence of a circuit breaker holder to this end, therewith reducing the amount of space required for establishing such connections with respect to earlier known techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
    Inventor: Taru Johanna Hannula
  • Patent number: 6084188
    Abstract: A molded case circuit breaker having separable main contacts and an operating mechanism utilized to cause the separable main contacts to open and close. A trip unit is provided to actuate the operating mechanism in desirable circumstances. The circuit breaker has external terminals which are connectable with an external load and an external power supply. A collar is used to interconnect the circuit breaker terminals with the load and power supply. The terminal collar in this case is non-symmetrical. The non-symmetrical collar provides two functions: the first function is that the path of electrical continently between adjacent collars is enlarged for higher voltage applications because of the non-symmetrical nature of each collar; secondly, the circuit breaker case has a seat therein which has the same cross-section as the non-symmetrical collar, so that the collar can only be inserted therein in one cross-sectional orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Mueller, Thomas A. Whitaker, Wayne C. Sumpman
  • Patent number: 6002580
    Abstract: A circuit breaker power distribution panel which is constructed in the form of a single unit. The panel includes an electrically insulative base which include first and second electrical connectors that are to respectfully removably connect to mating electrical terminals of a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker is to be removably connected to the panel. Imbedded within the panel and mounted on the electrically insulative base is an input busbar and an output busbar. The first electrical connector is part of the input busbar. The input busbar is electrically connected to the circuit breakers with the power from the circuit breakers being transmitted to the second electrical connectors which are also imbedded within the panel. A load terminal connects with each second electrical connector with there being a separate load terminal for each second electrical connector. There is a separate load for each circuit breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Power Distribution Products International
    Inventors: Daniel M. LeVantine, Paul M. Deters
  • Patent number: 6002579
    Abstract: A switchgear unit comprising two switching devices (1, 2) which are provided with a reversing combination, which switchgear unit is of simple design and allows easy assembly and disassembly by the customer. The reversing combination comprises an assembly which is composed of a support (3) and an anchor (4) and is inserted into slots (7, 8) in connecting side walls (5, 6) of the switching devices (1, 2). The anchor (4) prevents the contact carriers (10) of the switching devices (1, 2) from being released at the same time and, when one of the switching devices (1 or 2) is switched on, prevents the contact carrier (10) of the other switching device (2 or 1) from being released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 14, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Johann Drexler, Manfred Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5978209
    Abstract: A lock-down device for use in a circuit breaker assembly. The device comprises a base for releasably securing the device to the assembly's saddle, an arm portion connected to the base, and a hand portion, connected to the arm portion, for engaging the housing of a first circuit breaker such that when the first circuit breaker and a second circuit breaker is mounted on the saddle the hand portion is intermediate the first and second circuit breakers and the first circuit breaker cannot be inadvertently removed from the saddle. In an alternative embodiment, the hand portion of the device comprises flanges for engaging and permitting the lock-down of the second circuit breaker as well.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wade A. Montague, David Arnold Reid, Jon Peter McCuin, Marshall Baldwin Hart
  • Patent number: 5978208
    Abstract: A circuit breaker system having load and line terminals interconnectable with load and line conductors by way of a solderless collar has a central opening which encloses an overlapping portion of the internal load or line terminals and the associated load or line conductors. The collar has a set screw in the top thereof which is turned down on the overlapping terminal and conductor until a secure connection is made. The collar has a joint, which may be affected by the setscrew action associated with securing the external conductor with the internal terminal. The joint is T-shaped and is provided with vertical tabs on one portion thereof to prevent the weakest portion of the joint from rotating outwardly under the affects of the securing action and thus jeopardizing the strength of the joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Roger W. Helms, Donald R. Nutter
  • Patent number: 5973914
    Abstract: An attachment for attaching a main circuit breaker in an electrical panel has a uniquely constructed hold-down for the circuit breaker and a headed screw for fastening the hold-down in the panel. The hold-down is a non-electrically conductive part, such as a plastic. A circuit-breaker-engaging projection for engaging a circuit breaker projects from a first side of the hold-down body and a gripping tab projects from a second side of the body opposite the first side. A shank of the headed screw passes through a through-hole in the hold-down body to thread into a hole in a base pan. The screw is tightened against the hold-down body to hold it, and in turn the main circuit breaker, in place. In such an installed condition, the main circuit breaker cannot be removed easily from the panel unless the screw is intentionally unscrewed by a tool sufficiently to allow movement of the hold-down to a position that enables the main circuit breaker to be removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Rose, Samuel C. Strawn, Edward L. Tevis
  • Patent number: 5894405
    Abstract: The present invention provides an assembly and method for mounting a plurality of circuit breakers for electrical and mechanical connection to a bus bar in a module of a distribution board. The mounting assembly includes each circuit breaker having a housing which is defined by a contact end for connecting to the bus bar, a mounting end for securing to the cell of the distribution board, and side panels extending therebetween. Each housing has a top surface and a bottom surface. The connect end of each housing has a bus bar terminal for connecting to the bus bar. At least one spacer is located between at least two of the circuit breakers. The spacer has a predetermined width between the side panels of adjacent circuit breakers. The spacer width is sufficient to spread the circuit breakers apart from each other and align the bus bar terminal of each housing with the busbar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Square D Company
    Inventors: Dennis William Fleege, Randall Luther Siebels
  • Patent number: 5880927
    Abstract: A fastener for a reverse fed panelboard circuit breaker is taught. Briefly stated, a resilently deformable pivoting member is disposed between side barrier fins in a two pole panelboard breaker. A pin at one end of the fastener is placed through a screw hole which is contained in the panelboard and disposed between the side barriers of the panelboard breaker, with the fastener rotatably urged towards the breaker so as to, when fully rotated causes the breaker retention tab to be urged against the panelboard retention hook and also for the fastener to lay against and come in contact with the edge of the panelboard breaker thereby preventing removal of the breaker without first removing the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Haley Kent, Steven Franklin Hovanic
  • Patent number: 5870277
    Abstract: An assembly of electrical equipment having devices, such as circuit breakers and contactors grouped in pairs, included on a supporting baseplate. Each pair of devices includes a circuit breaker 40 and a contactor 60 and a baseplate 20 having power pins and control pins that cooperate with respective power and control terminals of the devices. Auxiliary units 50,70 are fixed to one of the devices 40,60 while being connected to control terminals 45,65,66 of the one device. The units 50,70 are connected to a linkage with a bus or a control and command system by plugging units 50,70 into control pins 81,82 of the baseplate 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Schneider Electric SA
    Inventors: Michel Girard, Philippe Rix
  • Patent number: 5870278
    Abstract: A motor starter assembly made up of sub-assemblies each formed from a circuit breaker 40 and a contactor 60 and positioned on a baseplate 20 with which a set of power bars 23 is associated. The baseplate includes a support area 21 for the sub-assemblies and a connection are preferably a bracket 22 that is overhanging in relation to the support area. The baseplate further includes power connection elements and or control connection elements provided on the bracket and the connection area to permit plugging in of the sub-assemblies on the baseplate along an engagement direction Z approximately parallel with the support area and perpendicular to a direction X of a set of bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Schneider Electric SA
    Inventors: Michel Girard, Emmanuel Latour, Didier Sibille
  • Patent number: 5847921
    Abstract: A bus bar insulation apparatus for a power distributor which is capable of effectively insulating the diverged circuit breakers of the power distributor and the bus bars without separating the diverged circuit breakers by a predetermined distance more than the width of the main circuit breaker. The apparatus includes a main bus bar insulation member installed on the substrate and having a plurality of spaced-apart first insulation walls for electrically insulating the main bus bars by the phase of the AC voltage, and at least one bus bar insulation fixed on the substrate and having a plurality of spaced-apart second insulation walls for electrically insulating the bus bars and for being coupled onto the main bus bar insulation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 8, 1998
    Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ki Bum Kim
  • Patent number: 5768091
    Abstract: A circuit breaker mounting bracket is comprised of a generally upright support member, a base member extending generally perpendicularly from a bottom of the support member, a flange depending from a distal end of the base member at an angle less than 90.degree., and a brace member depending obliquely from the back of the support member. The flange is adapted to be secured to a support surface, such as a deck within an air conditioning or furnace cabinet. The brace member and the flange cooperate to maintain the bracket in a rigid, upright position within the cabinet. The bracket includes a din rail comprising two generally L-shaped flanges integrally formed with the support member, whereby one or more circuit breakers are mountable in a fixed position relative to the bracket. A C-shaped channel is formed on the support member between the L-shaped flanges for receiving two retaining members, which inhibit lateral movement of the circuit breaker(s) mounted on the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Lennox Manufacturing Inc.
    Inventors: Hugh E. Vinson, Gary L. Sapp, Kevin A. Albers
  • Patent number: 5761026
    Abstract: The present invention provides a mounting system for circuit breakers in an electrical panelboard assembly. The base and cover forming the circuit breaker casing has an integral foot extending from a bottom side. The foot is angled and has a notch on a side forming an acute angle with the bottom. The panelboard assembly has a bus cover adapted with a opening or opening to receive the foot. This secures the circuit breaker on one end, and a screw into a bus secures the circuit breaker on an opposing end. The bus cover has a rail which engages the notch in the foot. On an opposing side of the foot, a spring engages the foot and forces the foot into the rail. The spring is an integral part of the bus cover and is cantilevered at an angle to the main body of the bus cover. Ledges are formed integrally into the bus cover on opposing sides of the spring. The ledges prevent overstressing the spring while inserting the foot during installation of the circuit breaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Square D Company
    Inventors: Ronald Lee Robinson, Jerry Lynn Scheel, Dale Wayne Bennett
  • Patent number: 5744768
    Abstract: A locking plate for releasably securing a circuit breaker to a module includes a back portion for supporting a circuit breaker, legs connected to the back portion for releasably engaging a terminal of the circuit breaker and for releasably securing the locking plate to the circuit breaker and means for releasably securing the locking plate to a module. The legs may be angled to facilitate slidable engagement with the terminal of the circuit breaker. The locking plate may also include a flange for offsetting the circuit breaker from the module when the circuit breaker is mounted on the module. The locking plate may also include a handle guard for preventing a switch on the circuit breaker from inadvertently being toggled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
    Inventors: Howard Bishop, Keith Singer
  • Patent number: 5721667
    Abstract: An electric load center having a basepan having a surface, the surface having a tab with a tapered lower edge and a prong extending from a side edge of the tab for capture by lances found in the enclosure of the load center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Rose
  • Patent number: 5675194
    Abstract: A modular power distribution system is ideally suited for use in modular buildings of the type in which prefabricated building modules are constructed at a manufacturing factory and shipped to a remote building site where the modules are interconnected to form the complete structure. The modular power distribution system includes a primary power distribution panel positioned in one of the building modules and is adapted to distribute power from the utility service to the building modules. Modular power distribution units positioned in each of the building modules are adapted to distribute power within a respective building module. The primary power distribution panel has a plurality of main circuit breakers, each of which is electrically connected between the utility service and one of the modular power distribution units for limiting the maximum current through a respective modular power distribution unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1997
    Assignee: Walker Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles N. Domigan
  • Patent number: 5420749
    Abstract: In an improved panel interior assembly of the type in which elongated bus bars are snap-fit into an insulating support structure a plurality of integrally molded pins are attached to the insulating support structure positioned to extend through holes in a pan to which the insulating support structure is to be attached. These pins are ultrasonically staked to securely hold the insulating support structure and bus bars attached thereto on the pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Donald F. Gehrs, Louis L. Runge
  • Patent number: 5410446
    Abstract: An explosion absorbing apparatus for use with circuit breakers mounted in an explosion-proof panelboard enclosure includes force absorbing plates and rods for attaching the plates to the side panels of circuit breakers. The fastener members draw the force absorbing plates together against the side panels of the circuit breakers to absorb the stress generated by an explosion inside the panelboard enclosure. This apparatus ensures the integrity of circuit breakers contained within a panelboard enclosure during an explosion. The force absorbing plates eliminate catastrophic destruction of the circuit breakers and reduce the cumulative explosion pressure in the panelboard enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: William G. Wright, Nelson L. Lansing
  • Patent number: 5295042
    Abstract: A circuit breaker support assembly allows a pair of industrial-rated molded case circuit breakers to be double-branch connected within a lighting panelboard enclosure. One of the branch circuit breakers can then operate as a main circuit breaker thereby eliminating the separate main circuit breaker commonly used within such lighting panelboard enclosures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 15, 1994
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen G. Midgley, Joseph F. Noonan, Robert J. Sabatella, Robert A. Wall, Jr.