An apparatus and a method are provided to reduce arcing between a circuit breaker having a breaker line terminal and a panel board terminal of an electrical panel board during installation and/or removal. The apparatus has an auto tripping mechanism including an auto trip lever having an end and a spring disposed at or near the end of the auto trip lever. The auto trip lever is configured to interface with an armature in a module one that houses a cradle of a breaker mechanism. The breaker mechanism is prevented from latching until the circuit breaker has been installed in the electrical panel board by keeping a breaker handle in a tripped position when the breaker line terminal and the panel board terminal are connected. The spring is configured to force the auto trip lever to rotate for providing a force and a deflection to automatically trip the circuit breaker as the circuit breaker is being removed from the electrical panel board and before the breaker line terminal and the panel board terminal separate.

An interlock system including an actuatable motor control assembly, a movable access door and an interlock assembly. The actuatable motor control assembly is structured to energize and de-energize a racking assembly motor. The movable access door is structured to move between an open, first position wherein the access door does not block access to a manual racking assembly socket, and, a closed, second position wherein the access door blocks access to the manual racking assembly socket. The interlock assembly is structured to detect the configuration of the separable contact assembly and the position of the access door, and, to actuate the motor control assembly so as to energize the motor only when the separable contact assembly is in an open, first configuration and when the access door is in a closed, second position.

An apparatus includes a cell pan that supports a circuit breaker within a switchgear cell, and a lift pan that carries a circuit breaker outside of the switchgear cell. The lift pan has a track for a roller on the circuit breaker. The apparatus further includes an extension rail that interconnects the lift pan with the cell pan in an aligned position. With the lift pan in aligned position, the track on the lift pan can receive the roller upon horizontal draw-out movement of the circuit breaker from the cell pan. A latch on the extension rail has a blocking position in which it blocks the roller from rolling outward off the cell pan, and has a non-blocking position in which it does not block the roller from rolling outward off the cell pan. The latch automatically moves from the blocking position to the non-blocking position under the influence of the lift pan upon movement of the lift pan into the aligned position.

An interlock system including an actuatable motor control assembly, a movable access door and an interlock assembly. The actuatable motor control assembly is structured to energize and de-energize a racking assembly motor. The movable access door is structured to move between an open, first position wherein the access door does not block access to a manual racking assembly socket, and, a closed, second position wherein the access door blocks access to the manual racking assembly socket. The interlock assembly is structured to detect the configuration of the separable contact assembly and the position of the access door, and, to actuate the motor control assembly so as to energize the motor only when the separable contact assembly is in an open, first configuration and when the access door is in a closed, second position.

The present disclosure relates to an electrical protection system , including a breaker enclosure and associated terminals, and the methods of use therefor that allow for a circuit breaker or other electrical protection device to be safely added or removed from a circuit while power is supplied to at least one of the terminals. The disclosed enclosure and terminals include a series of interrelated safety features that prevent a user from accidentally completing the circuit from one terminal to another when the electrical protection system would be in an unsafe state. The combination of features described herein allow for a replaceable electrical protection device for equipment under load to be realized, thus improving user safety.

An apparatus includes a cell pan that supports a circuit breaker within a switchgear cell, and a lift pan that carries a circuit breaker outside of the switchgear cell. The lift pan has a track for a roller on the circuit breaker. The apparatus further includes an extension rail that interconnects the lift pan with the cell pan in an aligned position. With the lift pan in aligned position, the track on the lift pan can receive the roller upon horizontal draw-out movement of the circuit breaker from the cell pan. A latch on the extension rail has a blocking position in which it blocks the roller from rolling outward off the cell pan, and has a non-blocking position in which it does not block the roller from rolling outward off the cell pan. The latch automatically moves from the blocking position to the non-blocking position under the influence of the lift pan upon movement of the lift pan into the aligned position.

A circuit breaker having a housing with an accessory cover includes an accessory cover interlock assembly that trips the circuit breaker upon removal of the accessory cover. The accessory cover interlock assembly includes a plunger rotatable from an initial install position to an engaged position that moves a trip lever into a de-energize position (tripping the circuit breaker) upon removal of the accessory cover. The accessory cover interlock assembly prevents the circuit breaker from being reset while the access cover is removed. The accessory cover interlock assembly automatically resets upon re-attachment of the accessory cover to the circuit breaker housing. Methods of forced safety tripping in a circuit breaker are also provided, as are other aspects.

An apparatus includes a cell pan that supports a circuit breaker within a switchgear cell, and a lift pan that carries a circuit breaker outside of the switchgear cell. The lift pan has a track for a roller on the circuit breaker. The apparatus further includes an extension rail that interconnects the lift pan with the cell pan in an aligned position. With the lift pan in aligned position, the track on the lift pan can receive the roller upon horizontal draw-out movement of the circuit breaker from the cell pan. A latch on the extension rail has a blocking position in which it blocks the roller from rolling outward off the cell pan, and has a non-blocking position in which it does not block the roller from rolling outward off the cell pan. The latch automatically moves from the blocking position to the non-blocking position under the influence of the lift pan upon movement of the lift pan into the aligned position.

A circuit breaker having a housing with an accessory cover includes an accessory cover interlock assembly that trips the circuit breaker upon removal of the accessory cover. The accessory cover interlock assembly includes a plunger rotatable from an initial install position to an engaged position that moves a trip lever into a de-energize position (tripping the circuit breaker) upon removal of the accessory cover. The accessory cover interlock assembly prevents the circuit breaker from being reset while the access cover is removed. The accessory cover interlock assembly automatically resets upon re-attachment of the accessory cover to the circuit breaker housing. Methods of forced safety tripping in a circuit breaker are also provided, as are other aspects.

An apparatus includes a cell pan that supports a circuit breaker within a switchgear cell, and a lift pan that carries a circuit breaker outside of the switchgear cell. The lift pan has a track for a roller on the circuit breaker. The apparatus further includes an extension rail that interconnects the lift pan with the cell pan in an aligned position. With the lift pan in aligned position, the track on the lift pan can receive the roller upon horizontal draw-out movement of the circuit breaker from the cell pan. A latch on the extension rail has a blocking position in which it blocks the roller from rolling outward off the cell pan, and has a non-blocking position in which it does not block the roller from rolling outward off the cell pan. The latch automatically moves from the blocking position to the non-blocking position under the influence of the lift pan upon movement of the lift pan into the aligned position.