Cable lug conductor adapter device

Electricity: magnetically operated switches – magnets – and electr – Electromagnetically actuated switches – With housing or support means

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C439S810000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06255927

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cable lug conductor adapter device and, more specifically, to a cable lug conductor adapter device which allows a cable terminal having a single lug to be coupled to a circuit breaker having a bus with multiple cable lug attachment openings.
2. Background Information
Some circuit breakers provide a single attachment point for the line side and load side of the circuit breaker. The attachment point is generally a threaded opening in a bus connected to one of the main contacts. The line typically includes a cable terminal having a single opening which is attached to the breaker by a single lug. A cable terminal typically includes an elongated tab with an opening therethrough. The lug passes through the opening and is secured to the bus. Circuit breakers having single lug terminals are designed to handle a line carrying up to 800 amps.
New circuit breakers, such as the ND frame circuit breaker, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,191, are designed to carry 1200 amps. ND frame circuit breakers include multiple attachment points between the cable and the bus connected to the main contact. An ND frame circuit breaker include a terminal which is attached to the circuit breaker bus. This terminal includes two attachment points between the terminal and the bus. The terminal also includes openings which are adapted to coupled with cables that do not have a terminal attached thereto, that is, a bare cable.
Prior circuit breakers may be replaced with the ND frame circuit breaker. The openings on the bus of an ND frame circuit breaker, however, are not structured to accept a cable having a terminal attached thereto. Typically, the two fastener openings on the ND circuit breaker bus are located proximal to a sidewall in the circuit breaker. The cable terminal elongated tab is large to be coupled to a opening that is proximal to a circuit breaker sidewall. There is, therefore, a need for an adapter device which allows a cable terminal from a prior circuit breaker to be coupled to an ND frame circuit breaker bus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These needs and others are satisfied by the invention which is directed to a cable lug conductor adapter device which is structured to allow a prior frame circuit breaker cable having a terminal to be coupled to an ND frame circuit breaker bus.
The adapter device includes a conductive member having three openings therethrough. Two of the openings are sized to engage a lug of a first size which is smaller than an ND sized breaker lug. The two first sized openings are positioned to align with the threaded openings on a ND frame circuit breaker bus. A single opening is sized to engage a second sized lug. In operation, two lugs of the first size are passed through the ND frame circuit breaker bus and coupled to the adapter device. The remaining opening is coupled to a lug the second size which is also passed through a cable terminal attached to the line-in or load line. The cable terminal is structured to be coupled with a lug of the second size.
The member may be structured to be coupled to the ND frame circuit breaker bus through openings in the Circuit breaker housing or within the bus chambers within the housing.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3133779 (1964-05-01), Stanback
patent: 4329010 (1982-05-01), Balch
patent: 4934948 (1990-06-01), Mune et al.
patent: 5772479 (1998-06-01), Fleege et al.
patent: 0337332 (1989-04-01), None

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