METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A CIRCUIT BREAKER

摘要

2060323 9116720 PCTABS00008 This invention relates to a method of manufacturing a circuit breaker. Known methods suffer from the drawbacks of difficult preassembly of the breaker mechanism because it is held together by the housing and also because it is difficult to automate the process because parts need to be assembled along three orthogonally related axes. The above problems are solved by peassembling the movable parts of the circuit breaker (10) between a pair of frame members (42, 89) supporting the unitary breaker assembly (40) without attachments. Other circuit breaker components, attached to the unitary breaker assembly, are also supported in the housing (11) without attachments. A cover (11b) is secured to the housing to complete the circuit breaker. Another version of the invention preassembles the movable parts of the circuit breaker (10') and the stationary contact mechanism (28) and trip coil (31) with the line and load terminals (12, 14) attached, between a pair of supporting frame members (105) to form an operable circuit breaker module (40). The module (40) is in turn supported in a housing (11) without attachments. The circuit breaker module (40) may be tested and adjusted prior to final assembly.