Electric compressed-gas circuit breaker

In an electric compressed-gas circuit breaker having a contact arrangement including a movable switching piece and a stationary contact piece and being equipped with a drive actuated extinguishing device for extinguishing the arc drawn as the breaker switches from the closed position to the open position, the extinguishing device comprising:

• a movable blast cylinder member;
• a blast piston member axially movable relative to said blast piston;
• a drive connected to one of said members and to said switching piece for moving the same when the breaker is moved between the opened and closed positions thereby imparting kinetic energy thereto during the movement between said positions;
• energy storage means for receiving and storing at least a portion of said energy in a manner so as to load the other one of said members therewith;
• engaging means for engaging said other one of said members to move the same in a direction to load said energy storage means with said kinetic energy toward the end of the movement from said closed position to said open position;
• and, latching means for releasing said stored energy at the beginning of the next movement from said closed position to said open position to cause said other member to be propelled by said stored energy in a direction opposite to said one member whereby additional compression of the gas is achieved.