Circuit interrupter with tapered drive shaft section

A circuit interrupter comprising:

• separable contacts;
• a drive shaft coupled to the separable contacts and structured to move to open and close the separable contacts;
• a tapered drive shaft section coupled to the drive shaft and having tapered sides;
• and
• a latch arm assembly including:
• a latch arm structured to rotate about a pivot point and having an upper end extending over an upper end of the tapered drive shaft section;
• and
• a spring-loaded latch structured to extend to prevent the latch from rotating beyond a predetermined point in one direction.

A circuit interrupter comprising:

• separable contacts;
• a drive shaft coupled to the separable contacts and structured to move to open and close the separable contacts;
• a tapered drive shaft section coupled to the drive shaft and having a tapered side and a grooved side;
• and
• a ratchet assembly including:
• a gear structured to interact with the grooved side of the tapered drive shaft section to allow movement of the tapered drive shaft in a first direction and prevent movement in a second opposite direction;
• and
• a spring-loaded latch structured to interact with the gear to allow the gear to rotate in a first direction and prevent the gear from rotating in a second opposite direction.