Importance

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Abstract

An appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) comprising a ground fault detecting circuit and a trip mechanism that is automatically actuated in response to the presence of a ground fault. Actuation of the trip mechanism automatically interrupts the flow of current to the appliance and permits movement of a reset button to take place to visually signal that current to the appliance has been interrupted, although interruption of current flow is not in any way dependent on movement of the reset button, whereupon if movement of the reset button is prevented for any reason, flow of current to the appliance is still automatically and instantaneously interrupted in response to the presence of a ground fault. A test button is provided, actuation of which simulates a ground fault to enable a user at any time to determine whether the ALCI is working properly. The reset and test buttons are mounted on the housing of the ALCI in close adjacenty to each other for maximum compactness, and are protected against undesirable manipulation and accidental operation by an integral guard wall extending from the housing defining an enclosure in which said buttons are positioned.

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First Claim