John R Winter, 87Palm Harbor, FL

7355132, Apr 8, 2008

Sep 21, 2006

11/524702

Willard J Rezac - Cedar Rapids IA, US
John M Winter - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Antonio Zubieta - Nuevo Leon, MX

Square D Company - Palatine IL

H01H 9/28

200 4314

A circuit breaker lock-off device is side-mounted to a circuit breaker case in a tenacious engagement. The lock-off device has a generally planar body carrying a lock-off arm pivotable in a plane parallel to the body to place an engagement tab extending therefrom into a position for preventing movement of the breaker handle without being physically attached to the breaker handle. The lock-off arm and the body further have complementary rings for accepting a padlock shackle in the locked off position. The invention allows a rugged lock-off accessory which is field installable and which can accommodate various breaker handle geometries.

2008027, Nov 13, 2008

May 10, 2007

11/801673

Antonio Zubieta - Monterrey, MX
John Winter - Cedar Rapids IA, US
Fernanda Pineda - San Nicolas de los Garza, MX
Joni L. Orum - Atkins IA, US

H01H 9/28

200 4311

A circuit breaker comprises a housing containing a trip mechanism, a handle coupled to the trip mechanism and movable between on and off positions, and a lock-off mechanism capable of holding the handle in its off position. The lock-off mechanism includes a base member adapted to be mounted on the circuit breaker housing adjacent the movable handle. A slide is mounted on the base member for movement to an advanced position in which a portion of the slide projects into the path of movement of the breaker handle for engaging the handle and blocks movement of the handle from the “off” position to the “on” position. In the retracted position of the slide, the path of movement of the handle is unobstructed by the slide. A key-operated lock is also mounted on the base, and a lock shaft is coupled to the lock and mounted for movement to a locked position in which the shaft engages the slide when the slide is in its advanced position to block retracting movement of the slide, thereby locking the breaker handle in its “off” position. In the unlocked position of the lock shaft, movement of the slide is unobstructed by the shaft, but the slide interferes with advancing movement of the lock shaft, thereby preventing the lock shaft from moving to its advanced position.

5095398, Mar 10, 1992

Feb 12, 1990

7/478385

John M. Winter - Cedar Rapids IA
D. Chris Higgins - Cedar Rapids IA

Square D Company - Palatine IL

H02H 308

361 42

An equipment protection device for a multi pole circuit breaker includes a trip coil, having a plunger with a tang, in an adapter housing that is attached to the breaker housing for tripping the breaker load contacts by means of the tang. The tang extends through an aperture in the side of the breaker. The trip coil is controlled by a toroid that is in a remote housing, displaced from the breaker housing and which includes a sensing winding on the magnetic core of the toroid. A ground fault carrying conductor is passed through the toroid window and connects the neutral of the breaker panel to an earth ground. A test button on the adapter housing completes a circuit for supplying current to a test winding on the toroid to simulate a ground fault condition. The trip coil has two independent windings that are individually connected to the load contacts of the breaker such that either winding can operate the trip coil.

4399420, Aug 16, 1983

Sep 11, 1981

6/301354

Neil R. Palmer - Swisher IA
John M. Winter - Cedar Rapids IA

Square D Company - Palatine IL

H01H 7348

335 21

The following specification describes a circuit breaker having a handle pivoted about an axis transverse to the axis of blade rotation for controlling an operating assembly to pivot a cam about an axis parallel to the blade axis to open or close the breaker contacts. The operating assembly is located in the center compartment of the breaker while the contacts and blades are located in end compartments of the breaker, and when the blades are moved past a predetermined position, they are then independently moved by a respective snap acting spring. Sensing means control the operating assembly in the event of a fault current to move to a trip position and open the contacts while providing a visual signal of the trip condition. Arc gases are vented to prevent engagement with the copper conductor connected to each contact and a stainless steel blade bracket is interposed between the movable contact and the copper blade to prevent an arc from contacting the copper blade.

5692599, Dec 2, 1997

Jan 10, 1996

8/584446

John M. Winter - Cedar Rapids IA

Square D Company - Palatine IL

H01H 354

200401

A toggle spring for a circuit breaker operating mechanism which provides better performance and reliability is provided. The toggle spring includes a unique spring eye having a back hook portion extending around a spring shank so as to dramatically increase the force supportable by the spring eye. The toggle spring is provided having a body portion having a first end and a second end. A first spring eye extends from the first end of the body portion and a shank extends from the second end of the body portion. A second spring eye extends from the shank and includes the back hook portion which extends around the shank.

5680081, Oct 21, 1997

Jan 13, 1994

8/181289

Jerry L. Scheel - Cedar Rapids IA
Randall L. Siebels - Cedar Rapids IA
Matthew D. Sortland - Swisher IA
John M. Winter - Cedar Rapids IA
Dale W. Bennett - Cedar Rapids IA

Square D Company - Palatine IL

H01H 7500

335 16

A circuit breaker includes a first section and a second section with independently operating pairs of contact assemblies in each respective section. In the first section, at least one of the contact assemblies is constructed and arranged to interrupt the current by moving from a normally closed position to a blown-open position and latching with the contact assemblies separated. The second section has a biasing extension spring for biasing the contact assemblies of the second section so as to permit interruption of the current in response to a blow-open force, which causes the contacts to separate only momentarily and then return to a normally closed position. The first and second pairs of contact assemblies separate substantially simultaneously in response to the blow-open force, and only the first section reacts to lower-level over-current conditions. In addition to the contact assemblies, the second section of the circuit breaker is designed to operate using only a spring which is "Z-axis" mountable. Other aspects of the invention include one-piece tripping actuator, a screw retainer assembly for securing the line or load terminal, a bimetal arrangement involving an improved calibration process and an associated stress-reducing line terminal.

4829147, May 9, 1989

Oct 24, 1986

6/922968

Daniel R. Schiefen - Cedar Rapids IA
John M. Winter - Cedar Rapids IA

Square D Company - Palatine IL

H01H 300

200 17R

A circuit breaker having positive contact indication. Upon the circuit breaker tripping, the operating mechanism components unlatch, moving the cradle, upper link and lower link upwards and opening the contacts. Upon the circuit breaker being manually opened, no operating mechanism components move except the upper link and lower link which causes the contacts to open. Upon the occurrence of locked contacts and the operating mechanism receiving a trip signal, the operating mechanism components unlatch but move only slightly since the contacts cannot open. A shuttle, pivotally mounted on the cradle, moves upward slightly to catch its tail on a flipper spring. The shuttle rotates slightly to meet a tab positioned on the handle arm and to block and opening movement of the operating handle.

5373272, Dec 13, 1994

Jan 13, 1994

8/180690

Jerry L. Scheel - Cedar Rapids IA
Randall L. Siebels - Cedar Rapids IA
Matthew D. Sortland - Swisher IA
John M. Winter - Cedar Rapids IA

Square D Company - Palatine IL

H01H 7500

335 16

A high current capacity blade for a circuit breaker, comprises a conductive blade body having front and rear sections connected to one another, where the rear section includes a surface attachment area for fastening a flexible connector of the circuit breaker thereto. A strain relief tang extending from the rear section of the blade body is used to engage the flexible connector so as to stabilize the fastening of the flexible connector to the surface attachment area. A broad conductive lateral section is connected to and extends laterally from the front section, and includes a blade tab for engaging a toggle spring of the circuit breaker. A broad moveable contact is mounted on the broad lateral section and is adapted to interface with a stationary contact of the circuit breaker. A pair of substantially parallel L-shaped blade legs are spaced from one another to permit the toggle spring to pass therebetween. Each of the blade legs has first and second ends with the first ends connected to the rear portion of the blade body and the second ends including respective blade pivots for engaging notches in a handle of the circuit breaker.