Circuit breaker having improved arc extinguishing device

摘要

A circuit interrupter in the form of a circuit breaker (10) is shown having a movable contact (14a) which moves between contacts engaged and contacts disengaged position relative to a stationary contact (16a) An arc paddle (20) is mounted in a housing (12) for spring biased pivotal motion of an arc dissipating portion between a position out of alignment with the movable and stationary contacts and in engagement with the side of the movable contact when the contacts are in the contacts engaged position and a position in which the arc dissipating portion is in alignment with and in between the contacts when the contacts are in the contacts disengaged position to force arcs which occur between the contacts to extend their travel path and dissipate the arc in an improved shortened period of time. In an alternative embodiment the arc paddle (22) is generally U-shaped having two legs (22a, 22b) connected by a bight (22c). The paddle is pivotably mounted at the bight with one leg disposed in alignment with but beyond the contacts and the other leg disposed out of alignment with the contacts and closely adjacent the side of the movable contact when the contacts are in engagement. When the movable contact separates from the stationary contact, motion is transferred to the one leg causing the paddle to pivot with other leg moving into alignment with and in between the two contacts. <IMAGE>