Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate to an electrically controlled switch for high current switching operations and with different configurations of fixed terminal contacts that includes a switch body, a couple of moving contacts, a guide that drives the couple of moving contacts up to an abutting position, a housing groove running perimetric in the switch body, and at least one contact bar for connecting each of the moving contact to a respective fixed terminal contact of the switch, wherein the contact bar is hosted within the housing groove and has a free end projecting from the switch body to form the fixed terminal contact through a corresponding aperture of the switch body located on a same lateral side or on opposite lateral sides, or on the base support, respectively.

Abstract: A contact apparatus of a circuit breaker is disclosed. The contact apparatus has an outer carrier, an inner carrier, one or more contact fingers pivotally mounted to the inner carrier, a cam lever pivotally mounted to the outer carrier, and a cam and cam profile formed on respective ones of the cam lever and inner carrier. Circuit breakers and electrical contact assemblies having the contact apparatus, and methods of operating the contact apparatus and electrical contact assemblies are disclosed, as are other aspects.

Abstract: An arc runner assembly for use in a circuit interrupter provides a pair of arc runners that are situated at opposite sides of a stationary contact of the circuit interrupter. If used in a DC application, the arc runner assembly is configured to communicate a positive DC arc along one of the arc runners in a first direction away from the stationary contact and is further configured to communicate a negative DC arc along the other arc runner in another direction away from the stationary contact. The arc runner assembly additionally includes a support that is electrically engaged with a conductor of the circuit interrupter on a surface opposite that on which the stationary contact is disposed. The improved arc runner assembly advantageously facilitates extinction of electrical arc and extinguishes both positive and negative DC arcs in a DC application.

Abstract: A modular terminal that has a terminal housing, a busbar composed of two sections, two terminal elements for connecting a conductor to each section of the busbar, and an isolating blade which is pivotally mounted in the terminal housing. The two sections are interconnected in a first position of the isolating blade while being disconnected from each other in a second position of the isolating blade. The ends of the sections of the busbar which face away from the terminal elements are bent in such a way that the end of the first section of the busbar contacts the isolating blade in an upper contact zone while the end of the second section (4) of the busbar contacts the isolating blade in a lower contact zone in the first position of the isolating blade.

Abstract: A switching arrangement for low-voltage circuit breakers with a high nominal current includes movable switching contacts arranged essentially on a moveable contact carrier. It further includes fixed switching contacts and a device for cooling, de-ionizing and extinguishing an electric switching arc. The fixed contact is provided with a pre-contact function over the entire contact width thereof. Moveable contact levers are arranged according to a set pattern in a distributed manner over the entire width of the contact carriers and are provided with or without a pre-contact. A contact lever with a pre-contact and a contact lever without a pre-contact can be provided successively. Similarly, two or more contact levers with a pre-contact and two or more contact levers without a pre-contact can be successively and alternatingly provided in packet-form.

Abstract: A circuit breaker is provided wherein the circuit breaker comprises a contact arm movable between a closed position, an open position and a blown open position wherein the contact arm is disposed in the circuit breaker. A bumper disposed to contact the contact arm when the contact arm is in the blown open position. In addition, a stop member disposed to be in contact with a linkage assembly so as to create a gap between the bumper and the contact arm when the contact arm is disposed in the open position.

Abstract: A switch device for switching an electrical connection between two connection parts is disclosed. Conventional switch devices comprise a contact lever having a switch contact, the flow of current taking place by way of the contact lever when the switch device is closed. To achieve a rapid switching process, a low mass inertia of the contact lever is required. However, this generally leads to a lower current capacity. By arranging the lever-side switch contact on a separate electrical connection device, it becomes possible to separate the function of current conduction from the function of contact guidance. Since the contact lever therefore no longer performs any current-conducting function, it may be optimized in mechanical respects exclusively.

Abstract: An electromagnetic blow-open device for a pole of a circuit breaker where the pole has a stationary contact and a movable contact. The movable contact includes contact fingers mounted on a contact carrier. The contacts have an open position and a closed position. The pole further has an associated rotatable pole shaft. The electromagnetic blow-open device includes a collapsible linkage having a rigid position and a changeable position. The collapsible linkage is disposed between, and coupled to, the pole shaft and contact carrier. The collapsible linkage is maintains the stationary contact and the movable contact in the closed position while the collapsible linkage is in the rigid position and to allow the stationary contact and the movable contact to move to the open position when the collapsible linkage is in said changeable position. The electromagnetic blow-open device also includes an actuator arm which is coupled to the collapsible linkage and is responsive to an over-current condition in the pole.

Abstract: A rotary contact circuit breaker employs a crank to couple a switching mechanism to the rotary contact pole structure. The use of a crank allows for the mechanism and pole structure the individually optimized without effecting the performance of the other. In particular the crank allows for a mechanism that is able to achieve maximum torque delivery to the pole structure.

Abstract: A rotary contact arrangement for circuit breakers of the type including a pair of movable contacts (30,36), one arranged on each end of the rotary contact arm (32), utilizes a single pair of contact springs (38), one spring on each side of the rotary contact arm (32). The springs (38) are aligned to intersect the axis of rotation of the rotary contact arm (32) for automatic uniform contact force adjustment throughout the operating life of the circuit breaker.

Abstract: A switching contact system of a low-voltage circuit breaker has a bus with cord-like flexible conductors attached thereto. The flexible conductors are accommodated between a connecting surface (30) of the bus (26) and an end piece (27), which is in contact with the connecting surface (30) of the bus (26) with at least two contact surfaces. The parts are connected by heat effect, such as soldering or electron beam welding.

Abstract: A circuit breaker rotary contact assembly employs a common pivot between the rotor assembly and the rotary contact arm. A pair of off-center expansion springs directly engage the rotor at one end and engage the rotary contact arm via a linkage arrangement at an opposite end thereof.

Abstract: A U-shaped magnetic plate is positioned on the side of a movable contact shoe opposite to a fixed contact shoe, and the tips of the respective legs of the magnetic plate face via a gap the movable contact shoe in a closed condition of the movable contact shoe. A magnetic plate is attached to the surface of the movable contact shoe at the side of the fixed contact, so that the magnetic plates form a closed magnetic circuit surrounding the movable contact shoe. If a high current, such as short circuit current, flows, a magnetic flux passing through the closed magnetic circuit induces an attractive force between the upper end surfaces of the U-shaper magnetic plate and the end surface of the magnetic plate. Accordingly, the movable contact shoe is rapidly opened to quickly interrupt the current, before a signal from an overcurrent trip apparatus operates an opening and closing mechanism. The opening speed of the movable contact shoe is increased when high current flows.

Abstract: An air circuit breaker movable contact arm assembly is presented. The movable contact arm assembly comprises an electrically-conductive support having at least one slot formed therein to receive a first end of the movable contact arm. The movable contact arm comprises first and second sides which face side walls of the electrically-conductive support within the slot. A spring washer is disposed at the first end of the movable contact arm and loads the second side of the movable contact arm against one side wall of the electrically-conductive support to form a variably conducting joint therebetween. By using a spring washer, the movable contact arm pivotally engages the other facing side wall of the electrically-conductive support to provide a variable pivot point. The variable pivot point of the contact arm assembly permits an additional degree of freedom allowing the movable contact arm to rotate about a separate, variable pivot point.

Abstract: A circuit breaker includes a housing, an operating mechanism and separable main contacts, and a rotatable crossbar which rotates to open and close the contacts. The crossbar interacts by way of a protrusion thereon with a rotatable, positive off-link. A handle mechanism is disposed in the housing and has a handle protruding from the housing which is normally movable from a closed to open disposition. However, if the operating mechanism has reacted in such a way as to open the separable main contacts but, in fact, they have not opened because, for example, they are welded shut, the protrusion on the crossbar will interact with the positive off-link and prevent the handle mechanism from moving to the opened position thus warning personnel that the contacts have not opened.

Abstract: A contact guide member extends transversely to the contact fingers on the contact carrier of electrical switching apparatus and has spaced openings through which the contact fingers extend and are held in spaced relation. The contact finger guide member is positioned to isolate the arc toes adjacent the free ends of the contact fingers from the main contacts and the contact springs in order to protect the latter items from the arc gases and debris generated during arcing. The openings in the contact finger guide member are elongated to permit differentially pivoting of the contact fingers, but not axial movement. The contact finger guide member slides in a pocket molded in the end face of the contact carrier and is captured by and moves with the contact fingers.

Abstract: The movable contact arms of a circuit breaker are latched in the blow open position to prevent rebound and possible restrike of the arc in response to the very high magnetic repulsion forces generated by a short circuit in the protected electrical system. Each movable contact arm is mounted on a secondary carrier coupled to a main carrier by a spring loaded cam mechanism which allows the movable contact arm to blow open before the main carrier is rotated to the open position by the spring driven circuit breaker operating mechanism. In one embodiment of the invention, the movable contact arm is latched in the blow open position by a latching detent in the cam surface of the cam mechanism. In a preferred embodiment, the secondary carrier is latched by a detent formed by a leaf spring cantilevered from a fixed support. Subsequent rotation of the main carrier by the operating mechanism releases the latch by rotating the secondary carrier clear of the detent formed by the leaf spring.

Abstract: An arc isolation shield for molded case circuit breakers is inserted between the circuit breaker case and cover and attached to one leg of the operating cradle. The knee of the circuit breaker moveable contact arm contacts the bottom of the shield and moves the shield in unison with the contact arm to protect the contact arm, contact braid and operating spring upon contact separation under severe overcurrent conditions.

Abstract: A switch includes a moving element having a traveling contact at one end thereof, and a repelling element having a repelling contact at one end thereof and extending substantially parallel to the moving element, and the repelling contact capable of making and breaking contact with the traveling contact, and the switch further comprising a conductor connecting the repelling element to the side of a power source system, and the conductor including a first conductor portion positioned within the limits of the traveling contact and said repelling contact when said moving element and the repelling element are opened so as to be connected to the side of the power source system, and a second conductor portion connecting the first conductor portion to the repelling element at an end on the side opposed to the repelling contact.

Abstract: A circuit breaker including a base having an operating mechanism mounted thereon, a line contact blade assembly coupled to the operating mechanism for movement between open and closed positions, and a load contact blade assembly pivotally supported by a terminal strap for movement between an open and closed position with respect to the line contact blade is disclosed herein. A load blade return spring is positioned to bias the load contact blade assembly into engagement with the line contact blade. Furthermore, a multi-force spring device is disposed to apply a first force to the load contact blade while the load contact blade is in the closed position and a second force to the load contact blade in the blow open position, wherein the first force is greater than the second force.