A circuit interrupter includes a frame, a set of separable contacts that can be generally stated as including a stationary contact and a movable contact, the stationary contact being affixed to the frame, a shaft movably situated on the frame, the movable contact being situated on the shaft, a drive system situated on the frame and operable to move the shaft with respect to the frame between a first position and a second position, the set of separable contact being a CLOSED state in the first position of the shaft and being in an OPEN state in the second position of the shaft, and a brake that can be generally stated as including a mass movably situated on the frame, the shaft being structured to engage the mass and to cause the mass to be in motion when moving from the first position toward the second position.

A circuit interrupter includes a frame, a set of separable contacts that can be generally stated as including a stationary contact and a movable contact, the stationary contact being affixed to the frame, a shaft movably situated on the frame, the movable contact being situated on the shaft, a drive system situated on the frame and operable to move the shaft with respect to the frame between a first position and a second position, the set of separable contact being a CLOSED state in the first position of the shaft and being in an OPEN state in the second position of the shaft, and a brake that can be generally stated as including a mass movably situated on the frame, the shaft being structured to engage the mass and to cause the mass to be in motion when moving from the first position toward the second position.

A guiding pull ring member for guiding a unit top contact in a switch assembly into a mounting contact. The guide ring member includes a mounting ring defined in a first plane, a grasping ring coupled to one side of the mounting ring and being defined in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, and a V-shaped guide piece coupled to the mounting ring at a side opposite from the grasping ring and extending perpendicular to the first plane. The guiding pull ring member has particular application for a solenoid operated vacuum interrupter recloser switch mounted to a utility pole.

A cutout mountable recloser that remains latched to the cutout until the recloser is selectively mechanically unlatched via at least rotation of a driver by an operator. During installation, including while the recloser is being latched to the cutout, the recloser can be in an open condition. Latching of the recloser to the cutout can include increasing a tension force exerted by the cutout on the recloser by increasing a linear distance between first and second terminals of the recloser. With the opened recloser latched to the cutout, the recloser can be mechanically closed via a release of stored energy from a closing mechanism. The recloser can selectively be mechanically unlatched from the cutout by a subsequent reduction in the linear distance between first and second terminals of the recloser, which can reduce the tension force being exerted by the cutout.

A dropout recloser is capable of in accordance with its operating programming after a predetermined number of fault interrupting operations, e.g., 1, 2, 3 or more but typically 3, to drop out of a cutout and hang freely in a hinge contact of the cutout providing sectionalization with an observable visible gap. The recloser includes fault interrupting and reclosing components, a drop out mechanism and a controller. The drop out mechanism may include a bi-stable actuator to affect fault interrupting operation and dropout operation. The device may include motion limiting structures. The recloser may have a number of operating modes or sequences.

A dropout recloser is capable of in accordance with its operating programming after a predetermined number of fault interrupting operations, e.g., 1, 2, 3 or more but typically 3, to drop out of a cutout and hang freely in a hinge contact of the cutout providing sectionalization with an observable visible gap. The recloser includes fault interrupting and reclosing components, a drop out mechanism and a controller. The drop out mechanism may include a bi-stable actuator to affect fault interrupting operation and dropout operation. The device may include motion limiting structures. The recloser may have a number of operating modes or sequences.

A dropout recloser is capable of in accordance with its operating programming after a predetermined number of fault interrupting operations, e.g., 1, 2, 3 or more but typically 3, to drop out of a cutout and hang freely in a hinge contact of the cutout providing sectionalization with an observable visible gap. The recloser includes fault interrupting and reclosing components, a drop out mechanism and a controller. The drop out mechanism may include a bi-stable actuator to affect fault interrupting operation and dropout operation. The device may include motion limiting structures. The recloser may have a number of operating modes or sequences.

A dropout recloser is capable of in accordance with its operating programming after a predetermined number of fault interrupting operations, e.g., 1, 2, 3 or more but typically 3, to drop out of a cutout and hang freely in a hinge contact of the cutout providing sectionalization with an observable visible gap. The recloser includes fault interrupting and reclosing components, a drop out mechanism and a controller. The drop out mechanism may include a bi-stable actuator to affect fault interrupting operation and dropout operation. The device may include motion limiting structures. The recloser may have a number of operating modes or sequences.

A flexible magnetic coil for determining ion migration rates inside a vacuum device can include a plurality of insulated copper wires held together as a bundle. A positive pole can be connected to a first end of the bundle for receiving a positive DC voltage. A negative pole can be connected to a second end of the bundle for completing a circuit with the positive pole. A DC voltage ranging from ten volts to four thousand volts from a power supply can be connected to the positive pole, the negative pole, or combinations thereof. The bundle can be a loop and can form a circuit when the DC voltage is applied to the loop. The bundle can create a flexible electromagnetic field of at least one Gauss around the vacuum device using a calculation of a number of turns of insulated copper wire multiplied by applied DC current.

A flexible magnetic coil for determining ion migration rates inside a vacuum device can include a plurality of insulated copper wires held together as a bundle. A positive pole can be connected to a first end of the bundle for receiving a positive DC voltage. A negative pole can be connected to a second end of the bundle for completing a circuit with the positive pole. A DC voltage ranging from ten volts to four thousand volts from a power supply can be connected to the positive pole, the negative pole, or combinations thereof. The bundle can be a loop and can form a circuit when the DC voltage is applied to the loop. The bundle can create a flexible electromagnetic field of at least one Gauss around the vacuum device using a calculation of a number of turns of insulated copper wire multiplied by applied DC current.