Circuit breaker

Claim 2

A circuit breaker comprising: a base; spring biasing means on the base; a spring member having a pair of legs at least one of the legs having a portion thereof divergent from the other leg and at least said portion of the one leg being forced toward the other leg by said spring biasing biasing means when the spring member is in a first position on the base, the resilience of at least the one leg providing a component of force urging the spring member toward a second position on the base; and heat-actuable means attached to the base and holding the spring member in the first position when at normal temperature, at least a portion of said means when heated moving to another position and releasing the spring means whereby the latter is moved by the component of force to the second position.

Claim 3

The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which the heat-actuable means and the spring member each constitutes one of a pair of contact members establishing an electrical circuit therebetween when the spring member is in the first position, and breaking the electrical circuit when the spring means is in the second position.

Claim 4

The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which the heat-actuable means is an elongated length of spring metal capable of being heated by the passage of current therethrough and attached to the base by one end; the length extending along the base; a surface lying along the length and reactive with the detent to engage the spring member; the circuit breaker including a quantity of material overlying a portion of said length at a point between said one end and the detent and anchoring the length of said surface at a point thereon; said material being capable of at least softening, when heated, to release said length from the surface at said point; the detent being adapted to hold the spring member in the first position when said length is anchored to the surface at said point, but not when the length is released from being so anchored; whereby when the material softens, the detent moves in a direction away from the surface and releases the spring member.

Claim 5

The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which the legs of the spring member are attached at inner ends thereof to a cross-member adapted to be retained by the detent, and cross each other at a point between the ends of each leg; and including an abutment extending between said legs between the point of crossing and the cross-member, whereby when the spring member is moved inwardly toward the first position, the portions of the legs outwardly of the cross point move toward each other.

Claim 6

The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which the spring membeR comprises a unit of spring wire having divergent legs, the legs of the unit being closer to each other when the unit is in the first position than when in the second position; and exerting a resilient force away from each other at least when in the first position; outwardly directed force of the legs having a force component urging the unit from the first position to the second position, and the heat-actuable means includes a detent portion engaging the unit to retain the latter in the first position when the heat-actuable means is at its normal temperature.

Claim 7

The circuit breaker of claim 5 in which each of the heat-actuable means and the spring wire unit constitutes a contact member to establish an electrical circuit therebetween when the unit is in the first position, and to break the electrical circuit when the unit is in its second position, the circuit breaker including terminals in electrical contact with the heat-actuable means and with the spring wire unit at least when the latter is in engagement with the heat-actuable means.

Claim 8

The circuit breaker of claim 6 in which said spring biasing means comprises at least one abutment on the base, the said portion of the one leg bearing against the abutment when in the first position, and the abutment comprising the electrical terminal for the spring.

Claim 9

The circuit breaker of claim 6 in which the heat-actuable means comprises a blade of thermoflexive material, the detent being at the inner end of the blade.

Claim 10

The circuit breaker of claim 6 in which the heat-actuable means comprises an elongated length of spring metal capable of being heated on the passage of current therethrough, the length being attached by one end to the base and extending therealong, and having said detent at its inner end; a surface lying adjacent the length and reactive with the detent to engage said spring member; and a quantity of material overlying a small portion of said length at a point between its one end and the detent and anchoring the length to the surface at said point; said material being capable of at least softening, when heated, to release said length from the surface at said anchor point; the detent being adapted to hold the spring member in the first position when said length is anchored to the surface at said point, but not when the length is released from being so anchored; whereby when the material softens, the detent moves in a direction away from the surface and releases the spring member.

Claim 11

The circuit breaker of claim 1 in which said base comprises a hollow body of electrical insulating material; the breaker including a first metal sleeve at one end of the body; the heat-actuable means comprises a strip of thermostat metal lying inside the body and having a detent at one end positioned in opposition to a surface within the body so as to engage the inner end of the spring member when the latter is in the first position, the other end of the strip being in electrical engagement with the first metal sleeve; a second metal sleeve at the other end of the body; the spring member lying within the body with portions of said legs extending outwardly therefrom and through the second sleeve, the legs bearing against the edges of the second sleeve when the spring member is in its first position; and said second sleeves constituting electrically conducting terminals for conducting electrical current to the thermostatic strip and to the spring wire member.

Claim 12

The circuit breaker of claim 10 in which the spring member comprises a unit of spring wire having divergent legs, the legs of the unit being forcibly held closer to each other by the second sleeve when the unit is in the first position than when in the second position; the legs exerting a resilient force directed away from each other and against the second sleeve at least when in the first position, the resilient force of the legs providing a component of force urging the spring member from the first position to the second position.

Claim 13

The circuit breaker of cLaim 11 in which each of the thermostatic means and the spring wire unit constitutes a contact member to establish an electrical circuit therebetween when the unit is in the first position, and to break the electrical circuit when the unit is in its second position.

Claim 14

A circuit breaker comprising: an elongated housing having a bottom part and a cap overlying the bottom part; heat-actuable means having outer and inner end portions, the outer end portion having edges and being secured between the bottom part and the cap at one end thereof with said edges projecting beyond the periphery of the combined cap and bottom part; the inner end portion of the heat-actuable means having a detent and lying between the bottom part and the cap and being free to flex away from the bottom part when actuated by heat; a spring wire member having divergent leg portions, the spring member being retained between the bottom part and the cap at the other end of the housing and being longitudinally slidable therebetween; the spring member being adapted to occupy first and second positions in the housing, and being adapted to be engaged by the detent so as to be held in the first position; and the inner end of the blade and the spring each constituting one of a pair of contacts within the housing engageable and separable respectively to make and break an electrical connection therewithin.

Claim 15

A circuit breaker comprising: an elongated housing having a bottom part and a cap overlying the bottom part; heat-actuable means having outer and inner end portions, the outer end portion having edges and being secured between the bottom part and the cap at one end thereof with said edges projecting beyond the periphery of the combined cap and bottom part; the inner end portion of the heat-actuable means having a detent and lying between the bottom part and the cap and being free to flex away from the bottom part when actuated by heat; a spring wire member having divergent leg portions, the spring member being retained between the bottom part and the cap at the other end of the housing and being longitudinally slidable therebetween; the spring member being adapted to occupy first and second positions in the housing, and being adapted to be engaged by the detent so as to be held in the first position; and the inner end of the blade and the spring each constituting one of a pair of contacts within the housing engageable and separable respectively to make and break an electrical connection therewithin.

Claim 16

A combined circuit breaker and holder therefor, comprising: a base; first and second spring clips one at each end of the base, the clips each comprising a pair of upstanding opposed semi-cylindrical wings joined at their bottom, the wings being spaced apart a predetermined distance at the mid-points of the wings; a circuit breaker held in said clips and having an elongated housing having a bottom part and a cap overlying the bottom part, the ends of the housing being shaped to be resiliently held in said spring clips; heat-actuable means having outer and inner end portions, the outer end portion being secured between the bottom part and the cap at one end thereof with the edges of the outer end portion projecting beyond the periphery of the combined cap and bottom part, said edges making electrical contact with the wings of the first clip when the one end is inserted therein; the inner end portion of the heat-actuable means having a detent and lying between the bottom part and the cap and being free to flex away from the bottom part when actuated by heat; a spring wire member having divergent leg portions, the spring member being slidably retained between the bottom part and the cap at the other end of the housing and being adapted to occupy first and second positions in the housing; the spring member being adapted to be engaged by the detent and held in the first position against movement into the second position; said divergent legs being constrained toward one another by the wings of the second clip when the spring member is in its first position, the legs making electrical contact with said wings and the reaction between said wings and legs providing a component of force urging the spring member toward its second position; and the inner end of the blade and the spring each constituting one of a pair of contacts within the housing engageable and separable respectively to make and break an electrical connection therewithin.

Claim 17

A combined circuit breaker and holder therefor, comprising: a base; first and second spring clips one at each end of the base, the clips each comprising a pair of upstanding opposed semi-cylindrical wings joined at their bottom, the wings being spaced apart a predetermined distance at the mid-points of the wings; a circuit breaker held in said clips and having an elongated housing having a bottom part and a cap overlying the bottom part, the ends of the housing being shaped to be resiliently held in said spring clips; heat-actuable means having outer and inner end portions, the outer end portion being secured between the bottom part and the cap at one end thereof with the edges of the outer end portion projecting beyond the periphery of the combined cap and bottom part, said edges making electrical contact with the wings of the first clip when the one end is inserted therein; the inner end portion of the heat-actuable means having a detent and lying between the bottom part and the cap and being free to flex away from the bottom part when actuated by heat; a spring wire member having divergent leg portions, the spring member being slidably retained between the bottom part and the cap at the other end of the housing and being adapted to occupy first and second positions in the housing; the spring member being adapted to be engaged by the detent and held in the first position against movement into the second position; said divergent legs being constrained toward one another by the wings of the second clip when the spring member is in its first position, the legs making electrical contact with said wings and the reaction between said wings and legs providing a component of force urging the spring member toward its second position; and the inner end of the blade and the spring each constituting one of a pair of contacts within the housing engageable and separable respectively to make and break an electrical connection therewithin.

Claim 18

The combined circuit breaker and holder therefor of claim 14 in which the heat-actuable means is a blade of thermoflexing metal.