Snapped in rotating arc housing assembly for safety switch

An arc protection system for an electrical switch mounted in an electrical cabinet, comprising:

• an arc suppression housing in the electrical cabinet, the arc suppression housing including a pivot shaft;
• a base portion fastened to the electrical cabinet, including a pivot socket configured to receive the pivot shaft of the arc suppression housing, the pivot socket configured to allow the arc suppression housing to be rotated about a pivot axis of the pivot shaft between a closed position and an open position;
• the electrical switch mounted in the base portion, the electrical switch including separable contacts;
• the arc suppression housing including a top wall and opposing side walls surrounding an arc extinguishing chamber having a bottom opening configured to face the separable contacts of the electrical switch when the arc suppression housing has been rotated about the pivot axis into the closed position, the arc extinguishing chamber configured to extinguish an electric arc having been produced by opening the separable contacts when the arc suppression housing is in the closed position;
• and
• an interference mechanism mounted on the top wall of the arc suppression housing, configured to prevent closure of an access door of the electrical cabinet, after the arc suppression housing has been rotated about the pivot axis into the open position configured to enable operator access to the separable contacts of the electrical switch.

A method for accessing an electrical switch protected by an arc protection system in an electrical cabinet, comprising:

• removing electrical power from the cabinet and from the electrical switch;
• opening an access door of the electrical cabinet;
• releasing a latch on an arc suppression housing, from a latch seat on a base portion to which the arc suppression housing is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis;
• opening the arc suppression housing by rotating the arc suppression housing about the pivot axis of the base portion into an open position;
• blocking closure of the access door with interference projections on the arc suppression housing after the arc suppression housing has been rotated about the pivot axis into the open position, to insure that the arc suppression housing will be replaced by an operator in the closed position while the switch is in operation;
• and
• accessing the electrical switch while the arc suppression housing is in the open position.