Abstract: An arc flash arrester includes a fixed contact; a movable contact; an actuator mechanism structured to close the movable and fixed contacts; and insulation disposed between the fixed and movable contacts in an open position of the arc flash arrester. The insulation is selected from the group consisting of liquid insulation; SF6; a gas, other than SF6 or air, at a pressure of at least about one atmospheric pressure; and solid insulation.

Abstract: An electrical switching apparatus includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, and a trip mechanism cooperating with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. The trip mechanism includes a trip latch, and an arc chamber operatively associated with the separable contacts. The arc chamber includes a plurality of arc plates and a barrier disposed between the arc plates and the trip latch. The barrier has an opening therein. A trip member is disposed in or about the opening of the barrier of the arc chamber. During interruption of current flowing through the separable contacts, pressure arising from an arc in the arc chamber pushes the trip member away from the barrier of the arc chamber to engage the trip latch and cause the trip mechanism to trip open the separable contacts.

Abstract: An electrical switching apparatus includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, and a trip mechanism cooperating with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. The trip mechanism includes a trip latch, and an arc chamber operatively associated with the separable contacts. The arc chamber includes a plurality of arc plates and a barrier disposed between the arc plates and the trip latch. The barrier has an opening therein. A trip member is disposed in or about the opening of the barrier of the arc chamber. During interruption of current flowing through the separable contacts, pressure arising from an arc in the arc chamber pushes the trip member away from the barrier of the arc chamber to engage the trip latch and cause the trip mechanism to trip open the separable contacts.

Abstract: A triggered arc flash arrester includes an envelope structured to operate at: a pressure less than about 1.33 Pa; or a pressure greater than 0.10857 MPa; a plurality of conductors partially disposed within the envelope; a number of gaps disposed between the plurality of conductors within the envelope; and a shorting structure selected from the group consisting of a triggered gap and a fuse. The shorting structure is operatively associated with the number of gaps. The shorting structure is structured to electrically short the plurality of conductors either together or to ground, in order to create an arc within the envelope which is electrically in parallel to an arc fault causing the arc fault internal to switchgear to be extinguished.

Abstract: An apparatus is for a power circuit providing an alternating current to a load. The apparatus includes a high frequency current sensor structured to cooperate with the power circuit to provide a high frequency current signal. A voltage zero crossing detector is structured to cooperate with the power circuit to provide a voltage zero crossing signal. A high pass filter is structured to provide a filtered current signal from the high frequency current signal. A threshold comparator is structured to provide an output when the filtered current signal exceeds a predetermined value. A processor is structured to receive the voltage zero crossing signal and the output of the threshold comparator and output a trip signal in response to undesired series arcing by detecting an unsymmetrical high frequency signal for a predetermined number of cycles.

Abstract: An arc flash arrester includes a fixed contact; a movable contact; an actuator mechanism structured to close the movable and fixed contacts; and insulation disposed between the fixed and movable contacts in an open position of the arc flash arrester. The insulation is selected from the group consisting of liquid insulation; SF6; a gas, other than SF6 or air, at a pressure of at least about one atmospheric pressure; and solid insulation.

Abstract: An electrical enclosure includes a housing having a first end, an opposite second end, and a plurality of sides disposed therebetween to define an internal volume; an electrical busway having a plurality of electrical bus members; a plurality of phase-to-phase arc length limiters, each of the phase-to-phase arc length limiters being electrically connected to a corresponding one of the electrical bus members, each of the phase-to-phase arc length limiters having a first edge and a second edge, the first edge establishing a first gap to an adjacent one of the phase-to-phase arc length limiters; and a phase-to-ground arc length limiter electrically connected to the housing, the phase-to-ground arc length limiter having a number of members structured to attach an arc, each of the number of members having a number of arc attachment portions establishing a second gap to the second edge of the phase-to-phase arc length limiters.

Abstract: An electrical enclosure includes a housing having a first end, an opposite second end, and a plurality of sides disposed therebetween to define an internal volume; an electrical busway having a number of electrical bus members, wherein at least one of the number of electrical bus members has a first bus member, a second bus member and a number of fusible links electrically connected between the first bus member and the second bus member, wherein the at least one of the number of electrical bus members is structured to electrically conduct a rated current, wherein the number of fusible links are structured to electrically conduct the rated current, and wherein the number of fusible links are structured to vaporize responsive to a current which is substantially greater than the rated current.

Abstract: An apparatus is for a power circuit providing an alternating current to a load. The apparatus includes a high frequency current sensor structured to cooperate with the power circuit to provide a high frequency current signal. A voltage zero crossing detector is structured to cooperate with the power circuit to provide a voltage zero crossing signal. A high pass filter is structured to provide a filtered current signal from the high frequency current signal. A threshold comparator is structured to provide an output when the filtered current signal exceeds a predetermined value. A processor is structured to receive the voltage zero crossing signal and the output of the threshold comparator and output a trip signal in response to undesired series arcing by detecting an unsymmetrical high frequency signal for a predetermined number of cycles.

Abstract: An electrical enclosure includes a housing having a first end, an opposite second end, and a plurality of sides disposed therebetween to define an internal volume; an electrical busway having a number of electrical bus members, wherein at least one of the number of electrical bus members has a first bus member, a second bus member and a number of fusible links electrically connected between the first bus member and the second bus member, wherein the at least one of the number of electrical bus members is structured to electrically conduct a rated current, wherein the number of fusible links are structured to electrically conduct the rated current, and wherein the number of fusible links are structured to vaporize responsive to a current which is substantially greater than the rated current.

Abstract: An electrical enclosure includes a housing having a first end, an opposite second end, and a plurality of sides disposed therebetween to define an internal volume; an electrical busway having a plurality of electrical bus members; a plurality of phase-to-phase arc length limiters, each of the phase-to-phase arc length limiters being electrically connected to a corresponding one of the electrical bus members, each of the phase-to-phase arc length limiters having a first edge and a second edge, the first edge establishing a first gap to an adjacent one of the phase-to-phase arc length limiters; and a phase-to-ground arc length limiter electrically connected to the housing, the phase-to-ground arc length limiter having a number of members structured to attach an arc, each of the number of members having a number of arc attachment portions establishing a second gap to the second edge of the phase-to-phase arc length limiters.

Abstract: A gassing insulator assembly for a line conductor assembly of an electrical switching apparatus is provided having a line conductor and first and second gassing insulator members. The insulator members are constructed from a gassing material. The first gassing insulator member is disposed near a first end of the line conductor and the second gassing insulator member is generally disposed between the line conductor and a cantilevered arc runner near a second end of the line conductor.

Abstract: A gassing insulator for the arc chute assembly of a circuit breaker includes a number of insulating members. The arc chute assembly includes first and second opposing sidewalls, and arc plates having first and second ends and first and second legs. Each insulating member includes a first side coupled to one of the first and second opposing sidewalls of the arc chute assembly, a second side disposed generally opposite the first side, a first end disposed at or about the first ends of the arc plates, and a second end disposed distal from the first end of the insulating member and extending toward the second ends of the arc plates. The first side of the insulating member overlays at least one of the first and second legs of the arc plates, in order to electrically insulate them. An arc chute assembly and an electrical switching apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A shunt assembly is provided for an electrical switching apparatus including a conductor assembly having a load conductor and a movable contact assembly with a number of movable contact arms. The movable contact assembly is movable in response to a fault current. The shunt assembly includes a number of flexible conductive elements each having a first end electrically connected to the load conductor, a second end electrically connected to a corresponding one of the movable contact arms, and a number of bends disposed between the first and second ends. At least one constraint element is disposed proximate a corresponding one of the bends and constrains movement of the flexible conductive element in response to the fault current, thereby translating the magnetic repulsion force associated with the fault current into a corresponding torque of the movable contact arms of the movable contact assembly.

Abstract: A circuit interrupter includes band pass filters cooperating with a current sensor to output bands having different, non-overlapping ranges of frequencies, peak detectors cooperating with the filters to detect corresponding peak current values, envelope detectors cooperating with the filters to detect corresponding occurrences from the bands being within corresponding predetermined magnitude ranges, a counter counting the occurrences, and a processor providing and disabling series arc detection when sensed current is greater than a first predetermined value. The processor determines tallies responsive to peak current values exceeding corresponding thresholds, determines series arcing from sensed current being less than the first predetermined value for a predetermined time, the tally for a current half-cycle being nonzero, and a count for the current half-cycle being different than the count for an immediately previous half-cycle of like polarity by at least a second predetermined value.

Abstract: An arc fault circuit interrupter includes separable contacts, a neutral conductor, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, at least one current sensor structured to sense current flowing through the separable contacts and output a sensed current value; and a processor. The processor includes a first routine structured to provide parallel arc fault detection, a second routine structured to provide series arc fault detection, and a third routine structured to enable the first routine and disable the second routine for a predetermined time when the sensed current value is greater than a predetermined value and to enable the second routine and disable the first routine for the predetermined time when the sensed current value is less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: An arc plate for a circuit breaker arc chute assembly includes first and second portions coupled to opposing sidewalls of the arc chute assembly, first and second ends, and a throat portion between the first and second portions and including an aperture. The aperture extends from the first end toward the second end and includes an end section, an intermediate neck section adjacent the end section, and an interior section adjacent the intermediate neck section and distal from the end section. The end section has a first width and attracts and directs an arc toward the intermediate neck section. The intermediate neck section tapers from the first width of the end section to a second width, further attracting the arc and directing it into the interior section. The interior section includes a taper and turns with respect to the intermediate neck section, in order to attract and retain the arc.

Abstract: A gassing insulator assembly for a line conductor assembly of an electrical switching apparatus is provided having a line conductor and first and second gassing insulator members. The insulator members are constructed from a gassing material. The first gassing insulator member is disposed near a first end of the line conductor and the second gassing insulator member is generally disposed between the line conductor and a cantilevered arc runner near a second end of the line conductor.

Abstract: An arc baffle for an arc chute assembly of a circuit breaker includes a first baffle member disposed at or about the second end of the arc chute assembly and including a plurality of first venting holes, a second baffle member including a plurality of second venting holes and being coupled to and disposed opposite from the first baffle member, and a filter assembly disposed at or about the second baffle member and including a number of filter elements. The first and second venting holes of the first and second baffle members are offset to induce turbulent flow of ionized gases being discharged from the arc chute assembly. The filter elements of the filter assembly filter the turbulent flow. An arc chute assembly and an electrical switching apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A contact spring assembly is provided for an electrical switching apparatus including a movable contact assembly and a stationary contact assembly having stationary electrical contacts. The movable contact assembly includes a carrier assembly, and movable contact arms pivotably coupled to the carrier assembly and carrying movable electrical contacts. The contact spring assembly includes a first contact spring housing member, a second contact spring housing member coupled to and disposed opposite from the first contact spring housing member, a spring guide disposed between and coupled to at least one of the first and second contact spring housing members and including spring holes, springs received in the spring holes, and sliders coupled to the springs. The springs and sliders individually bias the movable contact arms and movable electrical contacts toward engagement with corresponding stationary electrical contacts. A movable contact assembly and an electrical switching apparatus are also disclosed.