High voltage disconnect switch with switch interrupter having an actuating arm actuated by an arc horn with a spring catch

A high voltage air break disconnect switch comprising:

• a rotating switch blade operatively connected to a hinge contact member at one end of the rotating switch blade and in operative arrangement with a break jaw contact at the other end thereof, the high voltage air break disconnect switch having an open electrically non-conductive position and a closed electrically conductive position,
• the rotating switch blade including an integral hinge in operative electrical circuit arrangement with a high voltage electric power line conductor at the one end of the switch blade,
• the rotating switch blade at the other end thereof including a switch blade end in operative arrangement with a break jaw contact, the break jaw contact in operative electric circuit arrangement with the high voltage electric power line conductor, the switch blade end for contacting the break jaw contact during closing of the high voltage air break disconnect switch in the switch closed electrically conductive position and for losing contact with the break jaw contact during switch opening in the switch open electrically non-conductive position,
• an electric interrupting device for interrupting current flow including an actuating arm for tripping the electric interrupting device,
• a moving switch blade member fastened to the rotating switch blade and in operative electrical circuit arrangement therewith, the moving switch blade member having a contact point for contacting the actuating arm during opening of the high voltage air break disconnect switch to trip the electric interrupting device to cause interruption of current flowing through the switch and for establishing a parallel electrical current path through the moving switch blade member and the actuating arm to commute the electrical current of the high voltage air break disconnect switch to the electric interrupter device as the switch opens,
• a spring catch fastened to the moving switch blade member and the rotating switch blade and in operative electrical circuit arrangement with the moving switch blade member and the rotating switch blade, the spring catch configured to cooperate with the moving switch blade member to engage the outer periphery of the actuating arm with a spring holding force applied to the contact point to prevent arc burning damage due to arcing between the actuating arm and the moving switch blade member as the switch opens,
• wherein the spring catch has a predetermined shape for guiding and retaining the actuating arm on the contact point on the moving switch blade member as the switch opens during the commutation of the electrical current of the switch through the moving switch blade and the actuating arm to the electric interrupter device until an intended separation of the actuating arm and the moving switch blade member occurs after the electric interrupting device has interrupted the switch current,
• wherein the spring catch comprises a single electrically conductive spring wire,
• wherein the single electrically conductive spring wire is configured to apply a spring force to hold the actuating arm and the moving switch blade member together at the contact point,
• wherein the single electrically conductive spring wire includes a catch zone configured to trap the actuating arm by applying the spring force of the spring catch to hold the actuating arm and the moving switch blade member together at the contact point after the actuating arm enters a one-way catch opening of the catch zone, the one-way catch opening configured to let the perimeter of the actuating arm pass therethrough but blocks the perimeter of the actuating arm from exiting back in a reverse direction through the one-way catch opening and the catch zone is configured to continue to apply the spring force of the spring catch until the catch zone of the spring catch slides along the length of the actuating arm and off the end of the actuating arm upon the high voltage air break disconnect switch fully opening, and,
• wherein the catch zone is configured to trap the actuating arm to prevent any bouncing between the moving switch blade member and the actuating arm and to prevent the actuating arm from exiting the catch zone back in the reverse direction through the one-way catch opening during the opening of the high voltage air break disconnect switch.