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Article: Selecting molded case circuit breakers. (includes related articles)
- Article from:
- Plant Engineering
- Article date:
- June 1, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. (US). This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Both the familiar, time-tested thermal-magnetic breaker and the new electronic type have their places depending on the application
Article 100 of the National Electrical Code defines a circuit breaker as "a device designed to open and close a circuit by nonautomatic means and to open the circuit automatically on a predetermined overcurrent without damage to itself when properly applied within its rating."
The first patent issued for a device meeting today's NEC definition of a circuit breaker was issued to O.F. Johnson in 1886. Numerous manufacturers made many gradual improvements on Johnson's design, but all circuit breakers were essentially the "open" type ...