High-voltage circuit breaker

In a high-voltage circuit breaker including a housing into which two fixed contacts per pole extend and movable contacts secured to a bridge for connecting and disconnecting the fixed contacts and the movable contacts upon movement of the bridge, the improvement comprising the fixed contacts each comprising a main contact at an end thereof and a preliminary contact disposed adjacent to said end, each preliminary contact being smaller in thickness than the thickness of the main contact, the movable contacts each comprising a pair of opposed flexible members capable of being spread apart by a respective thicker main contact of the fixed contacts, a preliminary contact being disposed at the free end of the flexible members and a main contact being disposed adjacent to said free end, a respective main contact of the movable contacts adapted to be contacted by a respective thicker main contact of the fixed contacts such that the flexible members are flexed and spread when the main contact of a respective fixed contact enters therebetween, the preliminary contacts and the main contacts of the fixed and movable contacts being adapted to make respective electrical contact, the preliminary contacts of respective fixed contacts and of respective movable contacts cooperating to make electrical contact between the fixed and the movable contacts prior to the main contacts of the fixed and movable contacts making electrical contact, and further cooperating to break electrical contact between the fixed and the movable contacts after the main contacts of the fixed and the movable contacts break electrical contact.