Fast closing of a remotely operated circuit breaker

An assembly for a circuit breaker, comprising:

• a moveable kicker lever, which includes or is connected to a kicker, being operable to engage and move a blade of the circuit breaker via the kicker to open electrical contacts of the circuit breaker when operated to an opened-contacts position or to release the blade from the opened-contacts position to allow the electrical contacts to close when operated to a closed-contacts position;
• a moveable catch lever being operable to a latched position for catching and retaining the kicker lever in the opened-contacts position and an unlatched position for unlatching and releasing the kicker lever, which in turn releases the blade via the kicker, from the opened-contacts position to the closed-contacts position;
• and
• a moveable slider being moveable in a first direction and a second direction which is opposite the first direction, the slider being operable:
• in the first direction to engage and move the kicker lever, via one end of the slider, to the opened-contacts position and to cause the catch lever to move to the latched position, the catch lever or a portion thereof being arranged below or under the slider, and
• in the second direction to disengage the one end of the slider from the kicker lever, and after separation, to cause the catch lever to move to the unlatched position for releasing the kicker lever, which in turn releases the blade via the kicker, from the opened-Docket contacts position to the closed-contacts position, thereby allowing the blade to snap close the electrical contacts.

A method of operating an assembly for a circuit breaker, comprising:

• operating a moveable kicker lever, which includes or is connected to a kicker, to engage and move a blade of the circuit breaker via the kicker to open electrical contacts of the circuit breaker when operated to an opened-contacts position or to release the blade from the opened-contacts position to allow the electrical contacts to close when operated to a closed-contacts position;
• operating a moveable catch lever to a latched position for catching and retaining the kicker lever in the opened-contacts position or an unlatched position for unlatching and releasing the kicker lever, which in turn releases the blade via the kicker, from the opened-contacts position to the closed-contacts position;
• and
• operating a moveable slider being moveable in a first direction and a second direction which is opposite the first direction, the slider being operable:
• in the first direction to engage and move the kicker lever, via one end of the slider, to the opened-contacts position and to cause the catch lever to move to the latched position, the catch lever or a portion thereof being arranged below or under the slider, and
• in the second direction to disengage the one end of the slider from the kicker lever, and after separation, to cause the catch lever to move to the unlatched position for releasing the kicker lever, which in turn releases the blade via the kicker, from the opened-contacts position to the closed-contacts position, thereby allowing the blade to snap close the electrical contacts.