Trystan Casey
The electrical cut-off system, also known as a circuit breaker, is an electrical safety device designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by excess current. The first circuit breaker was devised in 1879 by Thomas Edison, who aimed to protect circuit wiring used for lighting from current overloads and short circuits. Prior to the circuit breaker, fuses were used to protect electrical circuits, but these had to be replaced every time a short circuit occurred. Edison's circuit breaker could be reset, making it a significant improvement over fuses. Over time, the circuit breaker was improved by inventors such as Granville Woods, who invented the automatic circuit breaker, and Stotz, who is credited as the inventor of the modern, thermal-magnetic breakers found in homes, offices, and industrial properties today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First electrical cut-off system | Invented by Thomas Edison in 1879 |
| Purpose | Protect electrical circuits from damage caused by current overload |
| Function | Interrupt current flow to protect equipment and prevent fires |
| Reset | Can be reset manually or automatically |
| Improvements | Granville Woods invented the automatic circuit breaker |
| ITE Breaker | Manufactured by Cutter Manufacturing Company |
| Stotz Circuit Breakers | Invented by Stotz, currently manufactured by ABB |
| Circuit Breaker Panel | Introduced in the 1960s, allowing for circuit breaker boards to be reset |
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What You'll Learn
Thomas Edison's first circuit breaker
The first circuit breaker was invented by Thomas Edison in 1879. Edison, who had set up an industrial research laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, in 1876, developed the idea of the circuit breaker to protect lighting circuit wiring from short circuits and current overloads.
Edison sketched out different concepts in his scientific journals and patented the idea in 1879. However, his design used fuses, which had to be constantly replaced, and so was not a commercially viable option. The first circuit breakers were manufactured in Philadelphia in 1904 by the Cutter Manufacturing Company and were known as ITE breakers (Inverse Time Element breakers).
Edison's circuit breaker was developed in the context of the industrial implementation of electrical networks and the installation of lighting in large cities. Edison realised that short circuits could raise the current to levels that would damage and destroy the filament of light bulbs. He explored a couple of options to mitigate this problem. The first used fuses with wires that would self-destruct under a surge of high current. The second involved a mechanical function that would spring open when the current was too high, with contact reinstated manually.
Edison eventually decided to go with fuses, and in 1898, the first circuit breaker was installed at the L Street Station of the Boston Electric Light Company. This early circuit breaker featured an oil tank and upward-breaking contacts that were manually activated. The oil was used to dampen the heat generated from the arc forming between the two open contacts.
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Boston Electric Company's first manufactured circuit breaker
The Boston Electric Company (also known as the Boston Electric Light Company) manufactured and installed the first circuit breaker in 1898. This early circuit breaker featured an oil tank and upward-breaking contacts that were manually activated. The oil was used to dampen the heat generated from the arc forming between the two open contacts.
This first circuit breaker would not be recognisable to modern eyes. The miniature circuit breaker that we know today was born in 1924 when a Swiss company called Brown, Boveri & Cie (BBC) patented the design. This design was based on an earlier patent by Hugo Stotz, an engineer who founded an electrical company in Mannheim, Germany, in 1891. Stotz is credited as the inventor of the modern circuit breaker.
The Boston Electric Light Company's circuit breaker was improved by Granville Woods, who invented the automatic circuit breaker in 1900. Woods was a self-taught African American inventor who patented many ideas for the railroad industry. He is famous for devising a way for a train station to communicate directly with train conductors.
Post-Granville Woods, the Cutter Manufacturing Company manufactured the first circuit breakers in Philadelphia in 1904. This product became very successful under the name of the ITE breaker (Inverse Time Element breaker). The Cutter Manufacturing Company was the first company to manufacture circuit breakers on a large scale, making them more widely available.
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Stotz's thermal-magnetic breakers
Circuit breakers are electrical safety devices designed to protect electrical circuits from damage caused by current in excess of what the equipment can safely carry (overcurrent). They interrupt the current flow to protect equipment and prevent fires. The first circuit breaker was invented by Thomas Edison in 1879, protecting lighting circuits from current overloads and short circuits.
Circuit breakers are now an essential component of electrical systems, with various types available for different applications. One such type is the thermal-magnetic circuit breaker, which features both thermal and magnetic tripping mechanisms. These breakers are designed to trip faster in the event of a short circuit compared to thermal fuses. The two systems, bimetal and solenoid, operate independently of each other, allowing for quicker tripping.
Stotzs thermal-magnetic breakers are a specific type of thermal-magnetic circuit breaker. They are designed to provide fast and reliable protection against overload and short-circuit currents. Stotzs breakers utilize the heating or magnetic effects of electric current to detect faults and interrupt the circuit. These breakers are typically used in applications where rapid response to faults is critical, such as in information and communication technology and process control.
Stotzs breakers are available in a range of sizes and designs to suit different applications. They can be found in both one-piece and pluggable designs, with screw or push-in connection technology. The breakers feature an actuator lever that allows for manual tripping and resetting of the device. This lever also indicates the status of the breaker, showing whether it is on or off/tripped.
Stotzs thermal-magnetic breakers are known for their precision and reliability. With their various characteristic curves, these breakers can satisfy the requirements for long cable paths and provide ideal protection against overloads. They are commonly used in conjunction with power supplies to maximize protection for cables and devices. Overall, Stotzs thermal-magnetic breakers offer a robust solution for protecting electrical systems from overloads and short circuits.
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Granville Woods' automatic circuit breaker
The circuit breaker is an electrical safety device designed to protect electrical circuits from damage caused by current overload or short circuits. Unlike fuses, which need to be replaced every time they blow, circuit breakers can be reset manually or automatically to restore the power supply.
Granville T. Woods (April 23, 1856 – January 30, 1910) was an American inventor who held over 60 patents in the United States. He is credited with improving the design of the circuit breaker and inventing the automatic circuit breaker.
Woods' work largely focused on improving and modernizing the railroad business. One of his notable inventions is the Synchronous Multiplex Railway Telegraph, which allowed communication between train stations and moving trains. In 1885, he patented an apparatus that combined the telephone and the telegraph, allowing a telegraph station to send voice and telegraph messages through Morse code over a single wire.
Granville Woods' improvements to the circuit breaker played a significant role in the evolution of electrical safety. Before the circuit breaker, the Boston Electric Light Company manufactured and installed the first commercial circuit breaker in 1898. However, these early breakers would not be familiar to us today. The circuit breakers of that time were designed to protect circuit wiring from current overloads and short circuits, but they still relied on fuses that needed to be constantly replaced.
The automatic circuit breaker invented by Granville Woods represented a significant advancement in electrical safety. By eliminating the need for constant fuse replacement, Woods' invention made it more convenient and efficient to manage and use electricity. This innovation laid the foundation for further developments in circuit breaker technology, such as the ITE Breaker (Inverse Time Element) by the Cutter Manufacturing Company, which was the first to be manufactured on a larger scale.
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The ITE Breaker by Cutter Manufacturing Company
ITE circuit breakers are known for their innovation and interchangeable parts with other brands. For example, ITE breakers share similar nameplates with BBC and ABB breakers. This is because, historically, ITE, BBC, and ABB were all connected. After decades in business, ITE merged with the Brown Boveri Electric Company, an American branch of a Swiss company. Four years later, the newly merged company, now called ASEA Brown Boveri (ABB Inc), merged with a Swedish company called ASEA.
The evolution of the circuit breaker began in the 1940s, with the first circuit breaker invented by Thomas Edison in 1879. Circuit breakers protect electrical circuits from damage caused by current overload or short circuits. They are unique because they can be reset, unlike fuses that need to be replaced every time. In the 1940s, the standard for a single-family home was a 30-amp fuse panel providing 120 volts. By the late 1950s, 60-amp circuit breakers became the norm, providing twice the voltage.
In the 1960s, circuit breakers came in the form of electrical panels with multiple rows, providing up to 200-amp services and expandable circuit spaces. Today, circuit breakers have become even more powerful, providing high levels of electrical power. They are made in varying current ratings to protect low-current circuits, individual household appliances, and high-voltage circuits. Low-voltage circuit breakers are also designed for direct-current (DC) applications, such as subway lines, and are commonly used in Europe.
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Frequently asked questions
Thomas Edison invented the first circuit breaker in 1879.
A circuit breaker is an electrical safety device designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by excess current.
A circuit breaker interrupts the current flow to protect equipment and prevent fires. Unlike a fuse, which operates once and must be replaced, a circuit breaker can be reset manually or automatically.
Circuit breakers have evolved significantly since Edison's invention. In the 1920s, specifications for breakers were standardised, leading to numerous inventions and improvements. In the 1940s, circuit breakers were a popular method for managing and using electricity. Over time, the focus shifted towards creating more efficient circuit breakers that could handle higher levels of current. Today, circuit breakers have become increasingly powerful and are designed to provide high levels of electrical power.
