A switch, includes electrical contacts separated by a contact gap, a tubular guide disposed around at least one of the electrical contacts axially movable between an open position retracted from the contact gap and a closed position bridging the contact gap, a blast cylinder disposed radially outward of the tubular guide and defining a compression volume therebetween, the blast cylinder axially movable in coordination with the tubular guide between the open position and the closed position, an isolating ring coupled to a tubular guide end, and a blast cylinder bottom ring coupled to a blast cylinder end, the blast cylinder bottom ring and the isolating ring configured to engage each other to form a gas seal to prevent a gas from exiting the contact gap into the compression volume when the blast cylinder and the tubular guide are moved to the closed position.

An arc extinguishing contact assembly for a circuit breaker assembly is provided. The arc extinguishing contact assembly includes a fixed contact assembly, a movable contact assembly and an arc extinguishing assembly. The fixed contact assembly includes a fixed arc contact assembly, a fixed main contact assembly, and a number of movable, intermediate arc contact assemblies. The movable contact assembly includes a movable arc contact assembly and a movable main contact assembly. The arc extinguishing assembly is structured to extinguish an arc generated as the movable contact assembly moves between an open, first position and a closed, second position.