Abstract

The insulating housing of the device supports two spaced-apart stationary terminal/contact assemblies. A resilient, thermally-responsive, snap-acting, movable contact support member, which has a movable contact and a cam-follower thereon, is connected at one end to one assembly and is movable to three positions relative to a stationary contact on the other assembly, namely: a contact-closed position wherein the movable contact engages the stationary contact, a contact-open position and a contact-tripped position. An outwardly projecting rod-like actuator slidable on the housing, and which has a cam on its inner end, is axially movable inwardly and outwardly between an "on" switch-closed/breaker-reset position and an "off" switch-open/breaker-tripped position (wherein it is biased by a spring), respectively. In actuator "off" position, the cam blocks the contact support member and prevents the movable contact from closing. When the actuator is manually depressed to "on" position, the cam unblocks the contact support member and allows it to move to contact-closed position wherein it engages the cam and holds the actuator in "on" position. When the actuator is manually pulled to "off" position, the cam engages the cam follower, forces the contact support member to contact-open position and blocks it against closure. If an overload occurs, the contact support member heats up and snaps to tripped position thereby opening the contacts and disengaging itself from the cam and allowing the actuator to be biased to "off" position.