An accessory wire retention assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker comprises a housing, separable contacts and an accessory enclosed by the housing, an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts, and a number of wires adapted to be electrically connected to the accessory. The wires extend from the interior of the housing through an aperture to the exterior. The accessory wire retention assembly includes an insert which cooperates with the housing and to establish a predetermined position of the wires with respect to the accessory and the aperture, and a fastening mechanism which fastens the wires to the insert to maintain the wires in the predetermined position.

Devices, systems and methods for coupling sensors to intelligent electronic devices (IED's), e.g., an electrical power meter, via various communication media for electrical utility submetering are provided. The present disclosure provides a mechanism for coupling an IED to another desired device, e.g., a circuit breaker, using modular connectors (e.g., a RJ-45 connector, fiber optic connectors, etc.) and fiber-optic cables. The present disclosure also provides for coupling devices using modular connectors via wired or wireless connectivity.

A switching device includes a shell delimiting a plurality of spaces each able to accommodate a trip including a tripping device, a switching device, and a control mechanism including a device for grasping that can be moved between a first position and a second position by an operator in order to control movement of the switching device between an open position and a closed position. The switching device is in the closed position when the device for grasping is in the first position and in the open position when the device for grasping is in the second position. The control mechanism includes a single resetting device that resets each trip when the operator moves the device for grasping from the first position into the second position.

An improved interruption apparatus includes a plurality of poles, with each of the poles including an actuator. In one embodiment, the actuator can be a fuse having a movable engagement element, and in another embodiment the actuator can be an electric coil that is operable to move a movable engagement element. The interruption apparatus has a single trip unit, and the engagement element of any actuator can actuate the trip unit to move all of the poles from a CLOSED state to an OPEN state.

A switching device includes: a triggering unit; an actuator coupled to the triggering unit; a switching mechanism coupled to the actuator; and an interface module. The interface module includes: a signal processing unit coupled to the triggering unit; an interface circuit coupled to a transmitting and receiving circuit of the signal processing unit; a power supply input for feeding a first supply voltage; and a voltage converter connected on an input side to the power supply input and a power outlet for issuing a second supply voltage. The power outlet is coupled to the signal processing unit and to the triggering unit.

Plug-on ground fault modules are configured with a housing and at least one ground fault terminal. The at least one ground fault terminal can be a rigid or semi-rigid member that is configured to slidably engage a circuit breaker terminal. The modules also include aground fault circuit coupled to the ground fault terminal and at least one printed circuit board in the housing with components of the ground fault circuit including at least one solenoid assembly coupled thereto with a respective magnetized or magnetic plunger member residing on or adjacent thereto, and at least one current transformer. The modules also include at least one collar assembly residing in the housing spaced apart from the solenoid assembly and plunger member that is arranged to be able to engage a lever in the circuit interrupter to delatch the circuit interrupter.

An improved multi-pole circuit interrupter includes an improved trip deck assembly adjacent one pole and further includes an accessory deck adjacent another pole. The accessory deck includes conventional accessory devices such as an auxiliary switch, etc., and the trip deck assembly includes switches and one or more other devices that can interact with a crossbar and a trip bar of the circuit interrupter. Such switches can be easily installed by a technician in the field after manufacture of the circuit interrupter. One switch is held in place by a support, and the other switch is held in place by a retainer, with the support and the retainer holding the switches in a fixed position on the trip deck assembly in order to interact with the crossbar and the trip bar.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for accessory tripping and resetting of circuit breakers are disclosed. Embodiments of the invention include a breaker handle; a breaker trip bar; an accessory trip device; an accessory pocket configured to receive the accessory trip device; and an adapter module disposed within the accessory pocket between the accessory trip device and the breaker handle, and coupled to the breaker handle, the breaker trip bar, and the accessory trip device, the adapter module including linkages configured to boost a force output by the accessory trip device. Numerous additional features and aspects are disclosed.

An accessory wire retention assembly is for an electrical switching apparatus, such as a circuit breaker. The circuit breaker comprises a housing, separable contacts and an accessory enclosed by the housing, an operating mechanism for opening and closing the separable contacts, and a number of wires adapted to be electrically connected to the accessory. The wires extend from the interior of the housing through an aperture to the exterior. The accessory wire retention assembly includes an insert which cooperates with the housing and to establish a predetermined position of the wires with respect to the accessory and the aperture, and a fastening mechanism which fastens the wires to the insert to maintain the wires in the predetermined position.

A disconnecting electrical apparatus includes a disconnecting block, including elements for disconnecting an electric current each able to be actuated with a coupling member, to switch this disconnecting element to a blocking state or a state allowing the electric current to pass, an actuator block, provided with a controllable electromagnet suitable for generating an electromagnetic force, a mobile container provided with a magnetic plate, which displaces the coupling members, under the effect of the electromagnetic force, so as to switch the disconnecting elements. The apparatus also includes a connection interface inserted between the disconnecting block and the actuator block, the mobile container being housed inside the connection interface.