Abstract: A circuit breaker apparatus is provided with remote controlled opening and closing of its circuits and with supports for the mobile and fixed contacts which are adapted so as to promote repulsion forces which produce a limitation of the short circuit currents, in combination with a small mass of the mobile parts, the one supporting a retractable fixed contact being associated by an extension with a slide which is moved by the remote control electromagnet.

Abstract: A circuit breaking apparatus with remote controlled opening and closing of its circuits is provided in which the supports of the fixed and mobile contacts are adapted so as to develop repulsion forces which produce an excellent limitation of the short circuit currents because no parasite mass is connected to the mobile contact despite the presence of an electromagnet which must actuate it through a pusher or a slide.

Abstract: An electromagnetic switching apparatus with interchangeable switches is provided, including a base with a bottom and a cavity containing an electromagnet whose mobile armature, through a disconnectable transmission piece, actuates the mobile contact of a switch housed in an insulating case removably associated with a fixing face of the base opposite the bottom, said fixing surface including openings for the passage of said transmission piece, said base having connection terminals connected to contact pieces which cooperate with corresponding pieces connected to the switch.

Abstract: A contactor apparatus is provided protected against short circuit currents, comprising for each phase between input and output terminals a contactor switch and a protective switch with automatic opening, a transfer electrode being placed close to the contacts of this second switch for shunting into a parallel circuit a considerable fraction of the fault currents.

Abstract: A circuit breaker is provided with at least one switching arrangement having a mobile contact and a retractable contact, this latter being supported by a pivoting lever; a tripping mechanism for causing the rapid opening of the mobile contact, an electromagnetic actuator having an element movable in translation under the effect of a control signal applied to the actuator and a mechanical coupling for transmitting the movement of the mobile element to the retractable contact, wherein the mechanical coupling is rigid and moves in translation according to a translation plane parallel to the movement of the mobile element and it is coupled to said pivoting lever at a point offset with respect to the plane of translation.

Abstract: An electric switch in which a screen is inserted very quickly between two contacts at the moment when they part. The energy of the arc generated between the contacts inside a volume surrounded by an insulating mobile sheath is used to heat gases released, and the resulting gas pressure displaces the sheath quickly, so that the arc passing through an opening in the sheath is sheared between the sheath and the housing. This type of switch is used to advantage in protection apparatus designed to respond to an abnormal increase of the current flowing in a circuit in which they are series mounted, and in switches where rated current is high.

Abstract: A circuit breaker is provided with at least one switching arrangement having a mobile contact and a retractable contact, this latter being supported by a pivoting lever; a tripping mechanism for causing rapid opening of the mobile contact, an electromagnetic actuator having an element movable in translation under the effect of a control signal applied to the actuator and a mechanical coupling element for transmitting the movement of the mobile element to the retractable contact, wherein the mechanical coupling element, rigid and movable in translation parallel to the axis of displacement of the mobile element, is coupled to one end of the pivoting lever and, at its opposite contact end, the pivoting lever has an arm bent so that an end portion of substantial length of the arm is substantially parallel to the opposite arm of the corresponding mobile contact lever, the pivoting axis of the pivoting lever being placed between its bend and the coupling end.

Abstract: A switch in which a screen inserted between the contacts shears the opening arc. The screen is associated with a sheath that surrounds a contact support and slides on the latter when the gas pressure it is subjected to causes it to move at a velocity which is a function of the energy of the arc. The switch is applicable in particular to protective apparatus designed to limit fault current or breaking devices in which steady-state current is fairly high.

Abstract: An electric switch is provided using an isolating screen for destabilizing the arc. The pieces supporting the contacts are equipped with conducting extensions whose conformation and orientation allow the feet of the arc to circulate there without becoming stationary or coming back towards the contacts when the end of the screen moves towards a slot which receives it and when the mobile support effects an appropriate travel.

Abstract: A screened electric switch in which the screen is inserted at high speed between the contacts and in which a mobile shutter with a sealing surface basically fixed relatively to the housing drives the screen with a speed which is a function of the energy of the arc.This switch is applicable to circuit breaking devices designed to check the rise of short-circuit currents or high steady-state rated currents.

Abstract: An electric switch apparatus for protecting an electric circuit, said apparatus comprising a case, a pivoting drawer connected to the case and adapted to be manually pivoted from a closed position to an open position and reversely, a switch having a fixed and a movable contact, the movable contact being mechanically linked to the drawer for simultaneous opening therewith and a breaking member for automatically breaking an electric circuit connected across two terminals of the case, the said breaking member operating in case of an overflow of current in the said circuit, the movable contact being able to be separated from the fixed contact under the action of an actuation member comprising a spring and a magnetizable member, said actuating member cooperating with a coil placed in the circuit and being reset during a manual opening and closing movement of the drawer.

Abstract: An electric switching unit for preventing oxidation of copper-base contacts in contactors comprises a body (2), comprises an electromagnet (11) having a stationary yoke (7) and a moving armature (15) in cooperating relation with a plurality of switches (36). A protective casing (42) is fixed on the body so as to contain the switches. The contact-studs (30, 31, 32, 33) of the switches (36) essentially have a base of cuprous materials while a non-oxidizing atmosphere is confined and maintained beneath the protective casing (42) by seals (55, 23, 47). The seals are placed on the one hand between the moving armature (15) and a first face (21) of the body (2) and on the other hand between the casing (42) and a second face (41) of the body which is opposite to the first face.

Abstract: A fuse cartridge for example of the cylindrical type comprising an insulating cylindrical body ending in two conducting end pieces and a fuse element connected electrically to the end pieces, further comprising two pistons housed in the body which are movable in translation in opposite directions to each other and collect the gases released by the electric arc at the time of its appearance, so that the pressure of the gases exerts on each piston a force which causes it to move towards a position in which the arc is totally sheared.

Abstract: A switch device is provided comprising means for controlling the separation of the contacts and for inserting an electrically insulating screen between the contacts during opening thereof, said screen cooperating with an electrically insulating surface formed by one of the walls of a substantially closed arc chamber, for shearing the arc between the contacts, the control of the movement of the screen being obtained by propulsion means essentially separate from those causing the separation of the contacts, while the whole is arranged so that substantially complete shearing of the arc is obtained before it has had time to stabilize itself, substantially total sealing being obtained between the screen and said surface when they are in abutment.

Abstract: A current limiting switch is provided comprising two mobile levers subjected to the action of springs which apply, one against the other, separable contact pieces placed at the respective ends thereof; a thin electrically insulating screen placed between the levers so that its edge is inserted between the contact pieces while maintaining complete insulation between the levers when these latter move away from each other, following short circuit currents flowing in the switch, wherein the ends of the levers, where the contact pieces are placed, are situated in the immediate vicinity of an insulating surface of the case, so that the path of the arc is essentially tangential with respect to the movement of the mobile contacts, the movement of said edge towards and against said insulating surface causing constriction of the arc and completely insulating from one another the two opposite and sealed chambers which the screen separates within the internal volume of the case.

Abstract: A contactor capable of having a very high breaking power comprises a movable contact carrier bridge (3) having a central part in the form of a blade (3c) and conducting J-shaped pieces (2a-2b) supporting fixed contacts. A non-magnetic blade bent in the form of a U is mounted slidable inside a hollow movable insulating contact holder (1) and guides and holds at its upper end a magnetic plate (8) cooperating with said blade (3c) and forming an air-gap with another U-shaped magnetic piece (6), disposed between the legs of the bent blade (5) and integral (at 7) with the contact holder (1). A contact pressure spring (4) bears on the basis of the U-shaped magnetic piece (6) and on the bottom of the bent blade (5).

Abstract: A threshold coupling device for releasing the mobile contacts of circuit breakers when short circuits appear. A rectangular section blade (13) with longitudinal faces (13', 13") associated with a contact holder (10) is provided with balls (29, 30) which cooperate with a resilient clip (33) for providing a threshold mechanical connection between the contact (6) and an operating member (1, 2) which carries this clip. This coupling is advantageously used in circuit-breaker limiters.

Abstract: A device is provided comprising a simple means for holding the contacts apart and insulated from each other after circuit breaking.A screen formed by an insulating plate of small thickness, is placed between two mobile contact levers and is urged by springs against flanges which are integral with the levers and which move apart when short circuit currents appear for allowing this screen to be rapidly projected between the contact inserts.This simple circuit-breaker device may be used such as it is or in association with a contactor for protecting lines which supply consumer apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a plurality of circuit breakers with a rigid contact bridge 16 cooperating with fixed contacts 9, 10 carried respectively by conductors 11, 12, generating repellent forces; the median region 21 of the bridge cooperates with a magnetic structure 37 providing the bridge with compensation forces for the contact pressure when the latter is under a predetermined threshold, above which the bridge is ejected from the fixed contacts. This contactor is advantageously used for the control of power consuming apparatus and protection of their supply lines.

Abstract: In a blowing chamber for the arcs appearing between the contacts of an electrical circuit breaking apparatus, e.g. a current limiting apparatus, a blowing loop is constituted by a conductor passing firstly parallel to a movable contact, then externally along a deflector, and finally opposite a massive part of split fins.