Actuator assembly for electrical switches housed in an enclosure

An actuator assembly for a circuit breaker housed in an electrical enclosure having a cover, the actuator assembly comprising:

• a handle assembly including a handle to be positioned above the cover, a trip bracket to be positioned below the cover and a shaft connecting the handle to the trip bracket;
• a slider actuator configured to be mounted over a toggle of the circuit breaker when installed, the slider actuator comprising:
• a first recess to be positioned over the toggle of the circuit breaker when installed;
• a second recess formed within the first recess to receive the toggle;
• and
• a drive link adapted to be engaged with the trip bracket such that rotation of the handle causes rotation of the trip bracket and rotation of the trip bracket translates to linear movement of the slider actuator so that the second recess can move the toggle of the circuit breaker.

An electrical switch enclosure comprising:

• an enclosure box;
• a cover removably secured to the enclosure box and having a plurality of openings extending through the cover;
• a plurality of electrical switches mounted within the enclosure box, each of the plurality of electrical switches include an upper part having a toggle movable between an on-position and an off-position, and a lower part for mounting the electrical switch within the enclosure;
• a plurality of actuator assemblies, wherein one of the plurality of actuator assemblies is associated with one of the plurality of electrical switches, and wherein each of the plurality of actuator assemblies comprise;
• a handle assembly having a shaft extending through one of the plurality of openings, a handle attached to an end of the shaft above the cover and a trip bracket attached to an end of the shaft below the cover;
• and
• a slider actuator slidably mounted over the electrical switch and having a recess in which the toggle is inserted, the slider actuator having a drive link that extends in a direction towards the cover, the drive link having a first surface and a second surface;
• wherein the trip bracket includes a first ear and a second ear that straddle the drive link such that the first ear faces the first surface and the second ear faces the second surface, such that rotation of the handle causes rotation of the trip bracket and rotation of the trip bracket translates to linear movement of the slider actuator causing the toggle to move to the on-position or the off-position.

An electrical switch enclosure comprising:

• an enclosure box;
• a cover removably secured to the enclosure box and having a plurality of openings extending through the cover;
• a plurality of electrical switches mounted within the enclosure box, each of the plurality of electrical switches include an upper part having a toggle having a toggle extender movable between an on-position and an off-position, and a lower part for mounting the electrical switch within the enclosure;
• a plurality of actuator assemblies, wherein one of the plurality of actuator assemblies is associated with one of the plurality of electrical switches, wherein each of the plurality of actuator assemblies comprise;
• a handle assembly having a shaft extending through one of the plurality of openings, a handle attached to an end of the shaft above the cover and a trip bracket attached to an end of the shaft below the cover;
• a slider actuator slidably mounted over the toggle and toggle extender, the slider actuator comprising:
• a first recess in which the toggle is positioned;
• a second recess formed within the first recess in which the toggle extender is positioned;
• and
• a drive link operatively coupled to the trip bracket such that rotation of the handle causes rotation of the trip bracket and rotation of the trip bracket translates to linear movement of the slider actuator so that the slider actuator moves the toggle extender and toggle to the on-position or the off-position.