Vacuum interrupter shunted with mechanical switch

Claim 1

An electric circuit breaker comprising: a metallic housing, a first terminal bushing comprising an insulator constructed and arranged to extend through a wall of said housing and having a conductor extending through said insulator into the interior of said housing; a second terminal bushing comprising an insulator constructed and arranged to extend through the wall of said housing in spaced relationship to said first bushing and having a conductor extending through said insulator thereof into the interior of said housing; a bracket secured to the inner end of said first bushing and the conductor associated therewith; an electric circuit interrupter of the vacuum type comprising a sealed envelope mounted on said bracket; a movable contact extending into said envelope in movable sealed relationship therewith; a flexible conductor operably connected to the conductor associated with said first bushing and to said movable contact of said interrupter switch; a stationary contact extending into said envelope in sealed relationship therewith; a conductor operably connected to the conductor associated with said second bushing and to said stationary contact of said circuit interrupter; a shunting switch having a greater current carrying capacity but less interrupting capacity than said circuit interrupter, said shunting switch comprising a fixed shunting contact secured in operative position to said conductor of said second bushing, and a movable shunting contact pivotally carried on said bracket for movement into and out of engagement with said fixed shunting contact; a flexible conductor electrically connecting said movable shunting contact to the conductor associated with said first bushing; operating means located within said housing, said operating means comprising a first insulated rod connected to the movable contact of said circuit interrupter, a second insulated rod connected to said movable shunting contact, and operating linkage operably interconnecting said first and second insulated rods in a manner that actuation of said operating means in one direction effects the movement of said movable contact of said circuit interrupter to closed position prior to effecting the pivotal movement of said movable shunt contact to closed position, and actuation of said operating means in the opposite direction effects the pivotal movement of said movable shunting contact to open position prior to moving the movable contact of said circuit interrupter to open position; whereby the greater interrupting capacity of said circuit interrupter is always in circuit prior to the closing and subsequent to the opening of said shunting switch which serves as the main current carrier, and any arcing occurs between the contacts of said circuit interrupter and is confined within the sealed envelope thereof.