COMPACT MOLDED CASE CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH INCREASED AMPERE RATING

A compact molded case circuit breaker with increased ampere rating employs a latch assembly for maintaining the circuit breaker operating mechanism in a closed condition against a pair of powerful operating springs. To increase the mechanical ad- vantage required to move the operating handle against the springs, a retractable handle extender is attached to the handle. For higher-rated circuit applications, a lug cover ex- tension is added to the line end of the breaker to assist in ex- tinguishing the intense arc that occurs during circuit interrup- tion and to protect the line lugs from inter-phasal circuit faults. A visual access slot is arranged next to the circuit breaker handle to ascertain and verify the condition of the cir- cuit breaker contacts.